The Impact of Star Trek: The Next Generation's Peabody Award Win

The Peabody Award Win

Star Trek: The Next Generation earned one Peabody Award, and the episode's writer pointed out how this helped justify the show in its rocky first season. Following in the footsteps of Star Trek: The Original Series was no small feat, and TNG didn't exactly hit the ground running.

Star Trek TNG The Big Goodbye Picard Data Crusher

According to the official website of the Peabody Awards, they seek to honor 'excellence in storytelling that reflects the social issues and the emerging voices of our day.' Celebrating television, radio, and online media, the Peabodys had not honored much genre fiction prior to Star Trek: The Next Generation's win, and 'The Big Goodbye' remains the only Star Trek episode to have earned a Peabody.

Star Trek TNG Big Goodbye Picard Data Geordi

In the Star Trek oral history, The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years by Mark A. Altman and Edward Gross, Tracy Tormé spoke about his experience working on 'The Big Goodbye.'

Star Trek TNG The Big Goodbye Captain Picard Dr Crusher

The Influence of Tracy Tormé

Tracy Tormé, who tragically passed away on January 4, 2024, served as a story editor and writer on the first two seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Not only did he create the character of Dixon Hill, but he also pioneered the use of the holodeck as a means to send the TNG crew on adventures to various time periods.

Star Trek First Contact Captain Picard

In 'The Big Goodbye,' Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) takes a break from commanding the USS Enterprise-D to embrace his inner hard-boiled detective, taking on the role of Dixon Hill for a holodeck adventure that quickly turns deadly.

Star Trek Picard Watcher Renee Picard Dixon Hill novel

Picard's love for Dixon Hill would pop up in a few more episodes of TNG, as well as in Star Trek: First Contact. Star Trek: Picard season 2 also snuck in a shoutout to Dixon Hill, as Jean-Luc's ancestor, Renée Picard (Penelope Mitchell), is reading a Dixon Hill novel in the final moments of episode 4, 'Watcher.'

Legacy of 'The Big Goodbye'

As a writer for Star Trek: The Next Generation, Tracy Tormé certainly left his mark on the franchise, with the creation of a character who came to define an aspect of Captain Picard.

Star Trek: The Next Generation & Star Trek: Picard are available to stream on Paramount+.