I like Tasha Yar.

I've been watching Season One of Star Trek: TNG, and at first I wasn't much on Yar being Chief of Security, in fact the first couple of episodes were just cringe worthy all the way around, but by the time "Heart of Glory" rolls around, I'm really rooting for her and hate what is going to happen to her. I kind of wonder what Tasha would have been like should she have lived and stayed on the Enterprise. Thoughts?


J.

 

I don't think the cast suffered without her, to be honest, but I disagree with the slating she gets from some people. Tasha isn't a cardboard cut-out, she's actually a pretty interesting character, and had some good moments in the first season that made her character stand out.

 

More important: What had happened to Worf without Tasha Yar's departure?

 

Either he would have stayed a background character, or he would a replaced Wesley at naviagation when he left in season four.

 

Eh, if they pulled a "Geordi" and tossed her somewhere else, because while I liked the character, I didn't like her as Security Chief.

Plus, that would have given them the chance to develop the Worf Character as they did, without her death.

 

I discovered, while re-watching season one recently, that I too liked Tasha a lot more than I realized I did. I think she could have been used to offer a slightly unique perspective, coming from a "failed" colony to the Federation. I always saw her as being a little jaded, myself.

Had she stayed, we would have had no "Yesterday's Enterprise" the same way, or Sela. We'd have probably still had an altered "YE" and no Sela is a good thing by me. Worf wouldn't have been as overexposed, and might have gone to DS9 from the start, two more good things.

Someone (I don't recall who) once suggested that Yar might have developed a relationship with Riker, which I would have really liked to see. I don't think it would have necessarily lasted the whole series, but I think it would have been interesting, to be sure.

 

Agreed. I could have done without the "Sela" character. I much preferred Tasha as Tasha and and see her grow and become fully realized. Worf could have stayed on, as I do like Worf. There were 7 seasons for development, everyone would have been covered with plenty to spare.

J.

 

I, too, think Sela was just a bad idea. Even a brainwashed AU Tasha as Sela would be an improvement as far as I'm concerned, but avoiding her altogether would be better.

I think Worf would have probably stayed a more secondary character, with the occasional "very special" Klingon episodes staying more intact. I, personally, would have liked to have seen him go to DS9 in season six and become a full-fledged main character.

Alternately, what if Yar went to DS9? What if Yar became the captain of Voyager?

 

I just think Tasha Yar was a good character with a great background, I mean all of our protagonists have solid backgrounds, but Tasha's was unique in that she came from a failed Federation colony. Regardless of what the characters went through, they grew up in a civilization. Tasha had no such luxury and grew up in city streets and back alleys, fighting rape gangs and despots. Scratching out a living. She enters Starfleet and becomes Chief Security Officer on the U.S.S. Enterprise, the flagship of the fleet! Now there's Star Trek's philosophy in action!


J.

 

Yeah, totally agreed. Plus, she was the one person on that ship that really had a unique background, other than Worf. Perhaps even more than Worf or Data, she was an outsider.

 

I love the blooper clip of Crosby failing to say "failed colony" over and over again haha.

I think that Crosby wasn't such a great actress but I don't really like it when any character leaves or gets booted off a tv show. There was plenty of room for all the characters to be developed with good writing and would have liked her to have stayed.

 

I'm torn on the Tasha question.

On the one hand, I think Denise Crosby did what she could with a role that wasn't much; Roddenberry and company simply didn't know what to do with the character. On the other hand, I think it was reasonable to show one of the "good guys" getting killed in the line of duty. It just doesn't make any sense when the cast of an adventure show keeps portraying all these dangerous situations any nobody comes out with more than a scratch.

All that being said, Crosby did a great tomboy impression for her role. I wish the show's writers and producers had given her more to work with. I would have loved to see her in a FIRST CONTACT-style situation, leading an armed team for a spacewalk on the ship's outer hull. And yes, I'll say it: I love her '80's hair. TNG gave us great '80's hair.

 

Yep. Emotionally and physically distant. Even Worf could connect to people with honor, but Tasha? No dice. Even amongst friends she always seemed a bit wary.

Oh, and Wingsley, yes, that kind of 80's hair was awesome. And the beautiful woman attached to it helps immensely.

J.

 

I really liked Tasha too. I think her character was ahead of her time in some ways.

That said, I really enjoyed her appearance in All Good Things. Think about it, she was in the pilot episode and the finale

 

I really loved the Tasha Yar character, and I can think of so many different routes the writers could have taken in fleshing out her character. As much as I love TNG, I really do think that the show can be seen as a failure in terms of character development on a drama series... it was always a story driven show (besides some real solid development Data). Tasha Yar had the potential to be a great, conflicted character on the show... something that we didn't see much of in TNG.

 

I like Tasha Yar too. It was sad that she left due to the actress wanted to leave.

I don't think they should have killed her off. She should have become a recurring character, especially since the actress actually regretted her leaving later.

With or without Yar, TNG was and would have become a success due to great characters and excellent stories.

 

I felt the same way while re-watching season 1. its too bad she died so early. I think it would have been more interesting if she survived longer and went out in a blaze of glory later on in the show.

 

I guess I would have given Worf Geordi's position at the Conn in Season 2. And Wesley would have inherited Worf's position as relief officer or whatever it was.

 

^That's a good idea.