Highlights
- Marina Sirtis, who played Deanna Troi in Star Trek: The Next Generation, reveals her dislike for the relationship between Troi and Worf, expressing relief that her character ended up with Riker instead.
- The dynamic between Troi and Riker was seen as the highlight of the series, with their chemistry and challenging relationship making them the fan-favorite couple.
- The potential for a relationship between Troi and Worf was interesting due to their contrasting backgrounds, but ultimately it lacked tension and compelling storylines compared to Troi and Riker's relationship.
When looking back on Star Trek: The Next Generation's legacy, Marina Sirtis doesn’t mince words about her feelings for one of the show’s most controversial couples.
If there is one standout romance from the Star Trek series, it's the relationship between the charming William Riker (played by Jonathan Frakes) and the Betazoid counselor, Deanna Troi (played by Marina Sirtis). Riker seemed somewhat of a womanizer in the show's early days but improved after Star Trek: The Next Generation season 1 when his chemistry with Troi started to shine. The actors championed the dynamic between the characters so much that they eventually became the fan-favorite couple of the series, culminating in their wedding in Star Trek: Nemesis.
But it wasn’t smooth sailing for the two, and they often engaged in other relationships. One of Troi’s most notable was with the resident Klingon, Worf (Michael Dorn), though this wasn’t supported by one of the main actors. "I’m glad [Star Trek: Nemesis] began with the wedding of Troi and Riker, thanking God that it wasn’t Troi and Worf,” Sirtis commented in the oral history of Star Trek, entitled: The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years, as reported by Screen Rant. “I would have killed myself. I never liked that relationship. We pretend that it never happened.”
Out of all the combinations in the series, Troi and Worf coming together isn’t totally out of the realm of possibility. Many shows are known to mix up their couples to keep things interesting, and these two have the beginnings of a captivating dynamic not seen before in Star Trek. As part of the ever-changing Klingon race, Worf is particularly straightforward. He comes from a culture that values physical strength and is perhaps not in touch with his emotions as much as a human. Bringing him together with the established Empath on board had the possibility for many storylines. Troi could help him open up in ways he couldn't before.
However, that is essentially where the Star Trek romance lived and died. Worf didn't inspire Troi to change in any significant way. She was the one teaching him, not the other way around. This relationship was a direct contrast to her relationship with Riker. They challenge each other’s ideals and push each other to become better people. The fact that they had a previous relationship before coming together on the Enterprise offered even more tension to the couple. There was nothing inherently wrong with Worf, but there was no tension or heightened storylines born from the dynamic. And no one is likely to challenge the idea that Riker and Troi are meant for each other.
Star Trek: The Next Generation is streaming on Paramount Plus.
Star Trek
Star Trek is a space exploration franchise originally created by Gene Roddenberry. The series has spanned shows like The Original Series, The Next Generation, and Voyager. More recently, developer Scopely came out with Star Trek Fleet Command, a mobile title where you get to be captain of your own ship.
Source: The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years/Screen Rant
