Not All Dogs Go to Heaven
Encyclopedia
"Not All Dogs Go to Heaven" is the eleventh episode of the seventh season of the American animated television series Family Guy
. It originally aired on Fox television network
in the United States on March 29, 2009. The episode was directed by Greg Colton
and written by Danny Smith
. In the episode, Quahog hosts its annual Star Trek
convention
and the cast members of Star Trek: The Next Generation
are guests. After he was unable to ask the actors any questions at a Q&A session, Stewie
builds a transporter
in his bedroom to beam the cast over and spend the day with them. Meanwhile, Meg
becomes a born-again Christian and tries to convert the atheist
Brian
to Christianity
.
The episode garnered mixed reviews from critics and received a 4.8/7 Nielsen rating
. Star Trek: The Next Generations Patrick Stewart
, Jonathan Frakes
, Brent Spiner
, LeVar Burton
, Gates McFadden
, Michael Dorn
, Wil Wheaton
, Denise Crosby
, and Marina Sirtis
all guest starred as themselves, and Adam West
and Rob Lowe
appear at the end of the episode in a live-action scene.
catches the mumps
when the Griffins attend Quahog's annual Star Trek
convention
, because Peter
forced her to stand next to an irresponsible attendee with mumps to take a picture, believing him to be in costume as an alien
. While recovering in bed, Meg becomes a born-again Christian after watching Kirk Cameron
on television and begins driving everyone crazy with her beliefs. Meg is appalled to learn that Brian
is an atheist
. Meg tries to convince Brian to repent and convert to Christianity, but he repeatedly refuses. Finally taking drastic measures, Meg spreads the word of his atheism around Quahog, which generally hates atheists
, making Brian a social outcast.
Upon being made a pariah, Brian is banned from every bar and convenience store in Quahog, making it impossible for him to drink. Desperate, and suffering from delirium tremens
(he hallucinates seeing several alcoholic beverages asking to be drunk), Brian fakes his repentance and convinces Meg to cease all hostilities against him so he can get back to drinking, but she takes him to burn books
that are "harmful to God" (including On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin
, A Brief History of Time
by Stephen Hawking
, and a book entitled Logic for First Graders). A disgusted Brian admits his bluff and attempts to convince Meg that what she is doing is wrong. When Meg refuses to listen, Brian points out to her that if there were truly a loving God
, then he would not have created Meg to have an attractive mother like Lois'
but have her be unattractive like Peter, and that she would not be living with people who all hold her in contempt and otherwise pretend that she does not exist (along with not even caring enough about her to get her a mumps shot
). Feeling ashamed, Meg concedes to Brian's argument and apologizes for her behavior, confessing that she does not know how she can feel loved. Brian then assures her that the answers are inside herself, and the real meaning of their existence is out there somewhere. Afterward, it is revealed that the entire Family Guy universe takes place within the molecules of a lampshade, in the bedroom of actor Adam West
, who appears with Rob Lowe
in a live action
scene wishing each other a good night.
Meanwhile, furious that he did not get a chance to ask the Star Trek: The Next Generation
cast any questions at the convention, and the fact that the cast instead answered questions completely unrelated to Star Trek, Stewie
builds an authentic Star Trek transporter
and beams the cast over to interview them (in a nod to the TNG episode "Skin of Evil", Denise Crosby
is killed in a show of force). Stewie decides to spend the whole day with the cast, which includes stealing Cleveland
's van, having lunch at McDonald's
, going bowling
, and to a carnival
. However, they complain about minor things and greatly annoy Stewie, who beams everyone back after stating that they have ruined Star Trek: The Next Generation for him, and that he hopes they "all fucking die".
, Family Guys creator and executive producer, is a fan of Star Trek
and made two guest appearances as engineer Ensign Rivers on Star Trek: Enterprise
, in "The Forgotten" (season 3, episode 20) and "Affliction" (season 4, episode 15). Former Star Trek: The Next Generation
cast members have also made other appearances in Family Guy: Patrick Stewart
, for example, briefly voiced Peter Griffin
(normally played by MacFarlane) in "No Meals on Wheels
" (season 5, episode 14), his American Dad!
character, Avery Bullock in "Lois Kills Stewie" (season 6, episode 5), and his Star Trek: The Next Generation character Captain Jean-Luc Picard
in "Peter's Got Woods" (season 4, episode 11); Jonathan Frakes
, Michael Dorn
and Marina Sirtis
also appeared in "Peter's Got Woods" as their respective Star Trek: The Next Generation characters William Riker
, Worf
, and Counsellor Deanna Troi
.
"Not All Dogs Go to Heaven" features the entire original cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation: Stewart as Captain Picard; Frakes as Riker; Gates McFadden
as Doctor Beverly Crusher
; Brent Spiner
as Lieutenant Commander Data
; Dorn as Worf; Sirtis as Troi; LeVar Burton
as Chief Engineer Geordi La Forge
; Wil Wheaton
as Wesley Crusher
; and Denise Crosby
, whose character Tasha Yar
died during Star Trek: The Next Generations first season. It is also the first time the cast, minus Crosby, has worked together since the 2002 feature film Star Trek Nemesis, although the actors did not meet when they recorded their speaking parts.
Wil Wheaton
, who played Wesley Crusher
on Star Trek: The Next Generation
, recorded his parts for the episode on September 20, 2007. Seth MacFarlane directed the recording sessions with the guest stars.
called the episode "surprisingly refreshing", saying the scenes with the Star Trek cast lived up to expectations. He also found "Meg's journey of seeking acceptance through religion" well handled. Steve Heisler of The A.V. Club
, however, gave the episode a C grade, criticized "Not All Dogs Go to Heaven" as boring and formulaic and stated that the writers "Have no idea how to best use Meg".
Family Guy
Family Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
. It originally aired on Fox television network
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
in the United States on March 29, 2009. The episode was directed by Greg Colton
Greg Colton
Greg Colton is an American animation director. Colton is most notably known for directing several episodes of the animated series Family Guy and Seth MacFarlane's Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy....
and written by Danny Smith
Danny Smith (writer)
Daniel "Danny" Smith is an executive producer, writer and voice actor on the American animated television series Family Guy. He has been with the show since its inception and throughout the years has contributed many episodes, such as "Holy Crap", "The Father, the Son, and the Holy Fonz", "Chitty...
. In the episode, Quahog hosts its annual Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
convention
Convention (meeting)
A convention, in the sense of a meeting, is a gathering of individuals who meet at an arranged place and time in order to discuss or engage in some common interest. The most common conventions are based upon industry, profession, and fandom...
and the cast members of Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
are guests. After he was unable to ask the actors any questions at a Q&A session, Stewie
Stewie Griffin
Stewie Griffin is a fictional character from the animated television series Family Guy. Once obsessed with world domination and matricide, Stewie is the youngest child of Peter and Lois Griffin, and the brother of Chris and Meg....
builds a transporter
Transporter (Star Trek)
A transporter is a fictional teleportation machine used in the Star Trek universe. Transporters convert a person or object into an energy pattern , then "beam" it to a target, where it is reconverted into matter...
in his bedroom to beam the cast over and spend the day with them. Meanwhile, Meg
Meg Griffin
Meg Griffin is a character from the animated television series Family Guy. She is the eldest child of Lois and Peter and elder sister of Chris and Stewie. Meg is considered as the black sheep of the series due to the lack of attention she receives....
becomes a born-again Christian and tries to convert the atheist
Atheism
Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities...
Brian
Brian Griffin
Brian Griffin is a character from the animated television series Family Guy. He is voiced by Seth MacFarlane and first appeared on television, along with the rest of the family, in a 15-minute short on December 20, 1998. Brian was created and designed by MacFarlane himself...
to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
.
The episode garnered mixed reviews from critics and received a 4.8/7 Nielsen rating
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
. Star Trek: The Next Generations Patrick Stewart
Patrick Stewart
Sir Patrick Hewes Stewart, OBE is an English film, television and stage actor, who has had a distinguished career in theatre and television for around half a century...
, Jonathan Frakes
Jonathan Frakes
Jonathan Scott Frakes is an American actor, author and director best known for his role as Commander William T. Riker in the Star Trek franchise, as well as for his tenure as host of Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction ....
, Brent Spiner
Brent Spiner
Brent Jay Spiner is an American actor, best known for his portrayal of the android Lieutenant Commander Data in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and four subsequent films. His portrayal of Data in Star Trek: First Contact and of Dr...
, LeVar Burton
LeVar Burton
Levardis Robert Martyn Burton, Jr. , professionally known as LeVar Burton, is an American actor, director, producer and author who first came to prominence portraying Kunta Kinte in the 1977 award-winning ABC television miniseries Roots, based on the novel by Alex Haley...
, Gates McFadden
Gates McFadden
Cheryl Gates McFadden usually credited as Gates McFadden, is an American actress and choreographer. She is best known for portraying the character of Dr...
, Michael Dorn
Michael Dorn
Michael Dorn is an American actor, and voice artist who is best known for his role as the Klingon Worf from the Star Trek franchise.-Early life and career:...
, Wil Wheaton
Wil Wheaton
Richard William "Wil" Wheaton III is an American actor and writer. As an actor, he is best known for his portrayals of Wesley Crusher on the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, Gordie Lachance in the film Stand by Me and Joey Trotta in Toy Soldiers...
, Denise Crosby
Denise Crosby
Denise Michelle Crosby is an American actress best known for portraying Security Chief Tasha Yar on Star Trek: The Next Generation...
, and Marina Sirtis
Marina Sirtis
Marina Sirtis is a British-American actress of Greek descent. She played the role of the human/Betazoid Commander Deanna Troi, ship's counselor, on the television and film series Star Trek: The Next Generation.-Life:...
all guest starred as themselves, and Adam West
Adam West
William West Anderson , better known by the stage name Adam West, is an American actor best known for his lead role in the Batman TV series and the film of the same name...
and Rob Lowe
Rob Lowe
Robert Hepler "Rob" Lowe is an American actor. Lowe came to prominence after appearing in films such as The Outsiders, Oxford Blues, About Last Night..., St. Elmo's Fire, and Wayne's World. On television, Lowe is known for his role as Sam Seaborn on The West Wing and his role as Senator Robert...
appear at the end of the episode in a live-action scene.
Plot
MegMeg Griffin
Meg Griffin is a character from the animated television series Family Guy. She is the eldest child of Lois and Peter and elder sister of Chris and Stewie. Meg is considered as the black sheep of the series due to the lack of attention she receives....
catches the mumps
Mumps
Mumps is a viral disease of the human species, caused by the mumps virus. Before the development of vaccination and the introduction of a vaccine, it was a common childhood disease worldwide...
when the Griffins attend Quahog's annual Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
convention
Science fiction convention
Science fiction conventions are gatherings of fans of various forms of speculative fiction including science fiction and fantasy. Historically, science fiction conventions had focused primarily on literature, but the purview of many extends to such other avenues of expression as movies and...
, because Peter
Peter Griffin
Peter Griffin is a fictional character and the protagonist of the animated comedy series Family Guy and the patriarch of the Griffin family. He is voiced by cartoonist Seth MacFarlane and first appeared on television, along with the rest of the family in the 15-minute short on December 20, 1998....
forced her to stand next to an irresponsible attendee with mumps to take a picture, believing him to be in costume as an alien
Extraterrestrial life
Extraterrestrial life is defined as life that does not originate from Earth...
. While recovering in bed, Meg becomes a born-again Christian after watching Kirk Cameron
Kirk Cameron
Kirk Thomas Cameron is an American actor best known for his role as Mike Seaver on the television situation comedy Growing Pains , as well as several other television and film appearances as a child actor...
on television and begins driving everyone crazy with her beliefs. Meg is appalled to learn that Brian
Brian Griffin
Brian Griffin is a character from the animated television series Family Guy. He is voiced by Seth MacFarlane and first appeared on television, along with the rest of the family, in a 15-minute short on December 20, 1998. Brian was created and designed by MacFarlane himself...
is an atheist
Atheism
Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities...
. Meg tries to convince Brian to repent and convert to Christianity, but he repeatedly refuses. Finally taking drastic measures, Meg spreads the word of his atheism around Quahog, which generally hates atheists
Discrimination against atheists
Discrimination against atheists includes the persecution and discrimination faced by atheists and those labeled as atheists in the past and in the current era...
, making Brian a social outcast.
Upon being made a pariah, Brian is banned from every bar and convenience store in Quahog, making it impossible for him to drink. Desperate, and suffering from delirium tremens
Delirium tremens
Delirium tremens is an acute episode of delirium that is usually caused by withdrawal from alcohol, first described in 1813...
(he hallucinates seeing several alcoholic beverages asking to be drunk), Brian fakes his repentance and convinces Meg to cease all hostilities against him so he can get back to drinking, but she takes him to burn books
Book burning
Book burning, biblioclasm or libricide is the practice of destroying, often ceremoniously, books or other written material and media. In modern times, other forms of media, such as phonograph records, video tapes, and CDs have also been ceremoniously burned, torched, or shredded...
that are "harmful to God" (including On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory...
, A Brief History of Time
A Brief History of Time
A Brief History of Time is a popular science book written by renown physicist Stephen Hawking and first published by the Bantam Dell Publishing Group in 1988. It became a best-seller and has sold more than 10 million copies...
by Stephen Hawking
Stephen Hawking
Stephen William Hawking, CH, CBE, FRS, FRSA is an English theoretical physicist and cosmologist, whose scientific books and public appearances have made him an academic celebrity...
, and a book entitled Logic for First Graders). A disgusted Brian admits his bluff and attempts to convince Meg that what she is doing is wrong. When Meg refuses to listen, Brian points out to her that if there were truly a loving God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
, then he would not have created Meg to have an attractive mother like Lois'
Lois Griffin
Lois Griffin is a character from the animated television series Family Guy. She is voiced by writer Alex Borstein and first appeared on television, along with the rest of the family in the 15-minute short on December 20, 1998. Lois was created and designed by series creator Seth MacFarlane...
but have her be unattractive like Peter, and that she would not be living with people who all hold her in contempt and otherwise pretend that she does not exist (along with not even caring enough about her to get her a mumps shot
Mumps vaccine
Several varieties of mumps vaccine have been used since 1949, and at least 10 strains were in use in 2006:The first vaccine was a killed mumps virus vaccine developed in 1948 and used in the United States from 1950-1978. This vaccine produced little immune memory, thus had a short duration of...
). Feeling ashamed, Meg concedes to Brian's argument and apologizes for her behavior, confessing that she does not know how she can feel loved. Brian then assures her that the answers are inside herself, and the real meaning of their existence is out there somewhere. Afterward, it is revealed that the entire Family Guy universe takes place within the molecules of a lampshade, in the bedroom of actor Adam West
Adam West
William West Anderson , better known by the stage name Adam West, is an American actor best known for his lead role in the Batman TV series and the film of the same name...
, who appears with Rob Lowe
Rob Lowe
Robert Hepler "Rob" Lowe is an American actor. Lowe came to prominence after appearing in films such as The Outsiders, Oxford Blues, About Last Night..., St. Elmo's Fire, and Wayne's World. On television, Lowe is known for his role as Sam Seaborn on The West Wing and his role as Senator Robert...
in a live action
Live action
In filmmaking, video production, and other media, the term live action refers to cinematography, videography not produced using animation...
scene wishing each other a good night.
Meanwhile, furious that he did not get a chance to ask the Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
cast any questions at the convention, and the fact that the cast instead answered questions completely unrelated to Star Trek, Stewie
Stewie Griffin
Stewie Griffin is a fictional character from the animated television series Family Guy. Once obsessed with world domination and matricide, Stewie is the youngest child of Peter and Lois Griffin, and the brother of Chris and Meg....
builds an authentic Star Trek transporter
Transporter (Star Trek)
A transporter is a fictional teleportation machine used in the Star Trek universe. Transporters convert a person or object into an energy pattern , then "beam" it to a target, where it is reconverted into matter...
and beams the cast over to interview them (in a nod to the TNG episode "Skin of Evil", Denise Crosby
Denise Crosby
Denise Michelle Crosby is an American actress best known for portraying Security Chief Tasha Yar on Star Trek: The Next Generation...
is killed in a show of force). Stewie decides to spend the whole day with the cast, which includes stealing Cleveland
Cleveland Brown
Cleveland Orenthal Brown is a character from the animated television series Family Guy, and its spin-off series The Cleveland Show. He is voiced by Mike Henry. In the first seven seasons of Family Guy, Brown is a frequently recurring character. As one of Peter Griffin's neighbors and friends,...
's van, having lunch at McDonald's
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
, going bowling
Bowling
Bowling Bowling Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule...
, and to a carnival
Carnival
Carnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...
. However, they complain about minor things and greatly annoy Stewie, who beams everyone back after stating that they have ruined Star Trek: The Next Generation for him, and that he hopes they "all fucking die".
Production
Seth MacFarlaneSeth MacFarlane
Seth Woodbury MacFarlane is an American animator, writer, comedian, producer, actor, singer, voice actor, and director best known for creating the animated sitcoms Family Guy, American Dad! and The Cleveland Show, for which he also voices many of the shows' various characters.A native of Kent,...
, Family Guys creator and executive producer, is a fan of Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
and made two guest appearances as engineer Ensign Rivers on Star Trek: Enterprise
Star Trek: Enterprise
Star Trek: Enterprise is a science fiction television series. It follows the adventures of humanity's first warp 5 starship, the Enterprise, ten years before the United Federation of Planets shown in previous Star Trek series was formed.Enterprise premiered on September 26, 2001...
, in "The Forgotten" (season 3, episode 20) and "Affliction" (season 4, episode 15). Former Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
cast members have also made other appearances in Family Guy: Patrick Stewart
Patrick Stewart
Sir Patrick Hewes Stewart, OBE is an English film, television and stage actor, who has had a distinguished career in theatre and television for around half a century...
, for example, briefly voiced Peter Griffin
Peter Griffin
Peter Griffin is a fictional character and the protagonist of the animated comedy series Family Guy and the patriarch of the Griffin family. He is voiced by cartoonist Seth MacFarlane and first appeared on television, along with the rest of the family in the 15-minute short on December 20, 1998....
(normally played by MacFarlane) in "No Meals on Wheels
No Meals on Wheels
"No Meals on Wheels" is the fourteenth episode of the fifth season of the animated comedy series Family Guy. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on March 25, 2007. The episode features the Griffin family opening a restaurant, and eventually become overwhelmed by Joe Swanson and his...
" (season 5, episode 14), his American Dad!
American Dad!
American Dad! is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane and owned by Underdog Productions and Fuzzy Door Productions. It is produced in association with 20th Century Fox Television...
character, Avery Bullock in "Lois Kills Stewie" (season 6, episode 5), and his Star Trek: The Next Generation character Captain Jean-Luc Picard
Jean-Luc Picard
Captain Jean-Luc Picard is a Star Trek character portrayed by Patrick Stewart. He appears in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and the feature films Star Trek Generations, Star Trek: First Contact, Star Trek: Insurrection, and Star Trek Nemesis...
in "Peter's Got Woods" (season 4, episode 11); Jonathan Frakes
Jonathan Frakes
Jonathan Scott Frakes is an American actor, author and director best known for his role as Commander William T. Riker in the Star Trek franchise, as well as for his tenure as host of Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction ....
, Michael Dorn
Michael Dorn
Michael Dorn is an American actor, and voice artist who is best known for his role as the Klingon Worf from the Star Trek franchise.-Early life and career:...
and Marina Sirtis
Marina Sirtis
Marina Sirtis is a British-American actress of Greek descent. She played the role of the human/Betazoid Commander Deanna Troi, ship's counselor, on the television and film series Star Trek: The Next Generation.-Life:...
also appeared in "Peter's Got Woods" as their respective Star Trek: The Next Generation characters William Riker
William Riker
William Thomas Riker, played by Jonathan Frakes, is a fictional character in the Star Trek universe primarily appearing as a main character in Star Trek: The Next Generation...
, Worf
Worf
Worf, played by Michael Dorn, is a main character in Star Trek: The Next Generation and in seasons four to seven of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. He also appears in the films based on The Next Generation. Worf is the first Klingon main character to appear in Star Trek, and has appeared in more Star...
, and Counsellor Deanna Troi
Deanna Troi
Commander Deanna Troi is a main character in the science-fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and related TV series and films, portrayed by actress Marina Sirtis. Troi is half-human, half-Betazoid and has the psionic ability to sense emotions. She serves as the ship's counselor...
.
"Not All Dogs Go to Heaven" features the entire original cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation: Stewart as Captain Picard; Frakes as Riker; Gates McFadden
Gates McFadden
Cheryl Gates McFadden usually credited as Gates McFadden, is an American actress and choreographer. She is best known for portraying the character of Dr...
as Doctor Beverly Crusher
Beverly Crusher
Commander Beverly Crusher, M.D. , played by actress Gates McFadden, is a fictional character on the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and its subsequent spinoff films...
; Brent Spiner
Brent Spiner
Brent Jay Spiner is an American actor, best known for his portrayal of the android Lieutenant Commander Data in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and four subsequent films. His portrayal of Data in Star Trek: First Contact and of Dr...
as Lieutenant Commander Data
Data (Star Trek)
Lieutenant Commander Data is a character in the fictional Star Trek universe portrayed by actor Brent Spiner. He appears in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and the feature films Star Trek Generations, Star Trek: First Contact, Star Trek: Insurrection, and Star Trek...
; Dorn as Worf; Sirtis as Troi; LeVar Burton
LeVar Burton
Levardis Robert Martyn Burton, Jr. , professionally known as LeVar Burton, is an American actor, director, producer and author who first came to prominence portraying Kunta Kinte in the 1977 award-winning ABC television miniseries Roots, based on the novel by Alex Haley...
as Chief Engineer Geordi La Forge
Geordi La Forge
Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge is a regular character in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and its feature films, played by LeVar Burton...
; Wil Wheaton
Wil Wheaton
Richard William "Wil" Wheaton III is an American actor and writer. As an actor, he is best known for his portrayals of Wesley Crusher on the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, Gordie Lachance in the film Stand by Me and Joey Trotta in Toy Soldiers...
as Wesley Crusher
Wesley Crusher
Wesley Crusher is a character in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation. He is Beverly Crusher's son and is portrayed by actor Wil Wheaton, the character was a regular for the first four seasons. Afterwards, the character appeared sporadically. The character also appeared briefly in...
; and Denise Crosby
Denise Crosby
Denise Michelle Crosby is an American actress best known for portraying Security Chief Tasha Yar on Star Trek: The Next Generation...
, whose character Tasha Yar
Tasha Yar
Lieutenant Natasha "Tasha" Yar, played by Denise Crosby, is a character in Star Trek: The Next Generation. In the fictional series, the character served as chief of security aboard the USS Enterprise-D for the first season....
died during Star Trek: The Next Generations first season. It is also the first time the cast, minus Crosby, has worked together since the 2002 feature film Star Trek Nemesis, although the actors did not meet when they recorded their speaking parts.
Wil Wheaton
Wil Wheaton
Richard William "Wil" Wheaton III is an American actor and writer. As an actor, he is best known for his portrayals of Wesley Crusher on the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, Gordie Lachance in the film Stand by Me and Joey Trotta in Toy Soldiers...
, who played Wesley Crusher
Wesley Crusher
Wesley Crusher is a character in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation. He is Beverly Crusher's son and is portrayed by actor Wil Wheaton, the character was a regular for the first four seasons. Afterwards, the character appeared sporadically. The character also appeared briefly in...
on Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
, recorded his parts for the episode on September 20, 2007. Seth MacFarlane directed the recording sessions with the guest stars.
Reception
"Not All Dogs Go to Heaven" received a 4.8/7 Nielsen Rating. Ahsan Haque of IGNIGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
called the episode "surprisingly refreshing", saying the scenes with the Star Trek cast lived up to expectations. He also found "Meg's journey of seeking acceptance through religion" well handled. Steve Heisler of The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club is an entertainment newspaper and website published by The Onion. Its features include reviews of new films, music, television, books, games and DVDs, as well as interviews and other regular offerings examining both new and classic media and other elements of pop culture. Unlike its...
, however, gave the episode a C grade, criticized "Not All Dogs Go to Heaven" as boring and formulaic and stated that the writers "Have no idea how to best use Meg".