Highlights
- Sir Patrick Stewart's memoir reveals that Gene Roddenberry, the creator of Star Trek: The Next Generation, had controversial ideas for the show, including considering giving the character Deanna Troi three or four breasts.
- The Next Generation continued some of the problematic habits of the original Star Trek series, including casual sexism. The firing of Gates McFadden, who played Dr. Beverly Crusher, also exemplified these issues.
- While certain aspects of The Next Generation may not have aged well, the show's legacy remains intact and it is available for streaming on Paramount Plus.
Sir Patrick Stewart's recent memoir, Making It So, is naturally filled with fresh and exciting tidbits about his life, including one bombshell that the actor spilled about Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Before his popular tenure as Professor Xavier in the X-Men franchise, Stewart was in Star Trek: The Next Generation. Created by sci-fi legend Gene Roddenberry, Star Trek: TNG continued the journeys of the Starfleet ship, the Enterprise, and its crew. And while his character, Captain Jean-Luc Picard, is still one of the franchise's most beloved characters, Stewart wasn’t on board with all of Roddenberry's decisions.
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In his memoir Making It So, Stewart officially confirmed one Star Trek rumor about Roddenberry that had been circulating for years. “A lot of people enjoy 'The Naked Now,' but to me, it smacked of desperation, as if we had been on the air for years and the writers had already emptied the cupboard of good ideas,” Stewart wrote, per Screen Rant. “But Gene, as it is well known, was a fan of cheesecake -- he had Marina wear a minidress and go-go boots in the pilot, as if the 1960s had never ended, and he contemplated giving Deanna Troi three or even four breasts.”
For better or for worse, Star Trek: The Original Series was a product of its time. As innovative and optimistic as the series was, it could be accused of casual sexism. It was the '60s, after all, and many shows of its time did the same. However, true to Stewart's observation, The Next Generation still adhered to some of Star Trek's more problematic habits. Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) was an empathic counselor in the series and has one of the most heartfelt storylines with Star Trek director Jonathan Frakes' character, William Riker. This would have been difficult to achieve if Roddenberry had his way early in the series.
There is a time and a place for slapstick humor, but augmenting Deanna seems like poor taste. Perhaps this was more acceptable at the tail end of the '80s, but it certainly would not stand the test of time for modern audiences. Making a character as emotionally intelligent as Deanna into a punchline is not a good look. The Next Generation also happened to be caught up in other sexist details, such as the firing of Gates McFadden. The actor portrayed Star Trek's best parent, Dr. Beverly Crusher, for one season before she was let go. She alleged this was because one producer disliked her, though she returned in later seasons and other Star Trek series. Thankfully, fate intervened in these circumstances, and the legacy of The Next Generation remains intact.
Star Trek: The Next Generation is streaming on Paramount Plus.
Source: Making It So (via Screen Rant)