Kelsey Grammer's Appearance in Star Trek: The Next Generation Uncovered

Summary

Kelsey Grammer made a memorable cameo appearance as Captain Morgan Bateson in Star Trek: The Next Generation's "Cause and Effect" episode.

Bateson's character continues to exist in the Star Trek universe and makes a subsequent appearance in season 3 of Star Trek: Lower Decks.

Grammer is most recognized for portraying Frasier Crane, however, he also starred as Beast alongside Patrick Stewart in X-Men: The Last Stand and X-Men: Days of Future Past.

In a beloved episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation called "Cause and Effect," Kelsey Grammer from Frasier made a special appearance as Captain Morgan Bateson, the commander of the USS Bozeman. The episode, which is from season 5, episode 18, sees Captain Jean-Luc Picard (played by Patrick Stewart) and his crew of the USS Enterprise-D find themselves stuck in a continuous time loop. The episode opens with a remarkable scene where the Enterprise explodes before the opening credits. Each time the explosion occurs, the timeline resets.

While investigating a spacial anomaly, the Enterprise-D encounters a Federation ship that unexpectedly emerges from it. Unfortunately, they are unable to avoid a collision, resulting in a catastrophic explosion and the time loop resetting once again. Suspicion grows among the Enterprise crew, prompting them to work on finding a solution to break free from the loop. With the assistance of Lt. Commander Data (played by Brent Spiner) and his advanced positronic brain, the Enterprise manages to dodge the collision and prevent the explosion. The USS Bozeman, the other trapped Federation ship, then contacts the Enterprise and discovers that they have been trapped in the time loop for more than 90 years.

Kelsey Grammer Cameo In Star Trek: TNG Explained

Kelsey Grammer played Dr. Frasier Crane on Cheers and Frasier.

Captain Morgan Bateson and Kelsey Grammer have brief appearances at the end of "Cause and Effect," an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. However, their characters continue to exist within the Star Trek universe. Exiting the time loop, Bateson encounters Captain Picard and expresses his amazement at the design of the Federation starship Enterprise-D, unaware that 90 years have passed. Although Bateson does not make further appearances in TNG, he does appear in "Grounded," the first episode of season 3 of Star Trek: Lower Decks. In this episode, he is part of the team that helps prove Captain Carol Freeman did not destroy the Pakled homeworld.

Kelsey Grammer is primarily recognized for his portrayal of psychiatrist Dr. Frasier Crane in the television shows Cheers and Frasier. His outstanding performance in the role led to numerous awards, including four Emmys. Initially intended for just a few episodes, Grammer's popularity resulted in an expanded role and his own spin-off show. He has appeared in various television shows and films, showcasing his talent in both live-action roles like Beast in X-Men: The Last Stand and voice-over performances such as Sideshow Bob on The Simpsons.

Kelsey Grammer reprises the role of Frasier Crane for the 2023 Frasier sequel that premiered in October on Paramount+.

Kelsey Grammer Has A Patrick Stewart Star Trek & X-Men Connection

Kelsey Grammer plays Beast in the X-Men movies alongside Patrick Stewart's Professor X.

Kelsey Grammer is most famous for his roles in Cheers and Frasier, but he also had a significant part in another major science fiction series alongside Patrick Stewart. In the movies X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) and X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014), Grammer portrayed Dr. Hank McCoy, also known as Beast, alongside Stewart's character, Professor Charles Xavier. Beast first appeared in a comic book in 1963 as one of the original X-Men and has remained one of the most influential and beloved members of the team. In The Last Stand, Beast serves as the Secretary of Mutant Affairs for the government but later resigns to stand with the X-Men against Magneto and the Brotherhood of Mutants.

To transform into Beast, Grammer had to endure about three hours of make-up application, including prosthetics, to achieve the furry, blue superhero appearance. X-Men: The Last Stand received mixed reviews compared to its predecessors, while Grammer's appearance as Beast in X-Men: Days of Future Past was a brief, uncredited cameo. In Days of Future Past, the X-Men series underwent a reboot with Nicholas Hoult taking on the role of a younger Beast. Despite Grammer's lengthy and impressive career, his short stint on Star Trek: The Next Generation is fondly remembered and has made a lasting impact on the franchise.