Why didn't TNG go to the mirror universe?

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

(Yes, I know they did a comic series about just that)

How come we got "The Naked Now" - a re-do of an episode that just featured people acting like they were drunk or on drugs - but didn't revisit a whole different reality where TNG characters were sober evil/dystopian versions of themselves?

Was it because DS9 was a darker overall setting, so going darker still was an appealing story to explore?

 

[fireproof78]

How come we got "The Naked Now" - a re-do of an episode that just featured people acting like they were drunk or on drugs - but didn't revisit a whole different reality where TNG characters were sober evil/dystopian versions of themselves?

Largely because that wasn't the goal. Roddenberry wanted to leave TOS mostly in the past, with a few callbacks, but not a lot, including limited Vulcans, and a lot more new aliens. He also had a much different view of humanity at this point, as Michael Piller notes in his "Fade In" book, and what was dubbed "The Roddenberry Box" were he felt that humans would be much different, and, in this instance, wouldn't mourn (talking about purchasing the script "The Bonding").

So, the idea of exploring the darker side of these characters was not appealing to Roddenberry at the time. And down the road, the characters largely stayed with that externalized conflict mode, occasionally facing inner reflection, but not the "good vs. evil" trope that TOS played with, or DS9 would later play more fully with.

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

and, in this instance, wouldn't mourn (talking about purchasing the script "The Bonding").

I could understand aliens with different physiology and brains not mourning. Why would human nature and emotion change in that way? Maybe not mourning in the same way as they used to (even the Bible instructs Christians: "13 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. " (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14)), but not mourning at all?

Are there people groups like that today?

 

[fireproof78]

I could understand aliens with different physiology and brains not mourning. Why would human nature and emotion change in that way? Maybe not mourning in the same way as they used to (even the Bible instructs Christians: "13 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. " (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14)), but not mourning at all?

Are there people groups like that today?

It's a misunderstanding of the Stoics and the idea of minimizing attachment in almost a more Buddhist mentality, like mourning and accepting death is something to avoid because it's not enlightened. I think part of it is trying to be more naturalistic, but ignoring the fundamentals of humanity in many ways that don't resonate with audiences. Like, it sounds really good in the cognitive state because humans, in general, prefer to avoid painful situations or having to mourn. But, it ignores that we are very much a communal type of creature who prefers the company of others and misses them.

Hell, we prioritize guinea pigs and dogs feeling loneliness more than people now!

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

It's the kind of society Kirk would have scolded for rejecting what it means to be alive.

 

[The Wormhole]

Probably didn't think it was necessary. Yesterday's Enterprise did essentially the same thing, only instead of evil versions of the Enterprise D crew we saw a darker more overtly militaristic version. What else could an MU version do that wouldn't feel like a retread of that?

 

[somebuddyX]

This is just my opinion but I figure they did "The Naked Now" as some way, from their point of view, to "do the episode right." As in, they figure the concept was good but should be more adult and more sexy, and was probably championed by Roddenberry with his 80s views of free love and all that shit, kinda like with what "Justice" turned into.
Apparently people pitched mirror universe episodes early on and I reckon firstly Roddenberry said no, and then when Piller came on he said double no. But I have this feeling that for them "Yesterday's Enterprise" was a chance to kind of do a MU episode, but with the comic book cheese toned down, and then once they'd gone that route any MU TNG episode was off the table because it would be hard to break a story different from both "Mirror Mirror" and "Yesterday's Enterprise" and it would be unfairly compared to both those episodes. Then you had Diane Duane's book in 1993 that deals with the same premise and then DS9 had a fresh approach to the story in 1994. I feel like "Living Witness" is also kind of that same idea, doing a Mirror Universe episode but under the guise of something else.
I probably would have liked a TNG mirror universe episode but I wonder when TPTB would be willing to do it, because it sounds like everyone was super serious early on about appearance and portrayal, so maybe you wouldn't get one until Season 7 or Season 8.

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

They could have gone a different way with it...could have had a universe that due to mirroring around, became easy prey for a species (non-Borg) that thru some event that didn't happen in the prime universe (such as a wormhole Prime insert-species-here did not enter in the prime universe, but mirror insert-species-here did), encountered and became adversaries to the MU factions. And the prime universe is left wondering, will these guys ever show up in our reality, and in what way?

Alternately, an alternate Borg (unlike splintered off groups we've seen of benevolent ones since) could be explored.

 

[Dukhat]

The whole "Let's follow up on old TOS episodes" was limited to "The Naked Now." Once the producers realized that TNG could stand on its own without callbacks to TOS, there was no longer any impetus to return to things like the Mirror universe, or the gangster planet, or Stratos, or the Guardian of Forever, etc.

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

It's not just "second contact"... it's an avenue to explore a different side of people we already know and to question how much they have in common with their alternate counterparts. To see their opinion of their mirror selves and vice versa; maybe a little more on the nose than when you meet someone else who's, as it turns out, not that different from you after all, or, save for fate/divine intervention, might very well have been you instead of them.

 

[F. King Daniel]

Read Diane Duane's Dark Mirror. It's an awesome TNG mirrorverse novel.

I've read they considered a mirror universe cameo in "Parallels" but decided it would have distracted too much from the story.

 

[at Quark's]

I've found it interesting for some time that TNG never resorted to the 'evil version' trope AFAIK, whereas all other classic series did (TOS/DS9/VOY*/ENT and DIS (* even if it was not the mirror universe but a holographic reconstruction here, Living Witness)). I wouldn't know about the other shows, haven't seen them. Don't know why, though the Roddenberry explanation may have had something to do with it.

Also in universe (looking back from the DS9 mirror episodes) of course there wouldn't have been an evil mirror version of the Ent-D, with the Federation being defeated and all

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

I've read they considered a mirror universe cameo in "Parallels" but decided it would have distracted too much from the story.

In what way? It wouldn't have to be overwhelming. Just a subtle hint or suggestion - the kind of thing that's ambiguous enough that people would argue "is it the MU? yes or no" for years until a writer or actor at a convention panel would one day settle it by saying yes.

 

[Mojochi]

How come we got "The Naked Now" - a re-do of an episode that just featured people acting like they were drunk or on drugs

I think this kind of points to an answer to the title question here. They did that episode pretty early on. It landed kind of awkwardly imho, & it really drove home the reality that this show wasn't TOS, & should probably steer clear of revisiting its tones, themes and/or material... or at least I get the impression that's what Roddenberry thought. They never featured an Andorian or a Tellerite. Even Vulcans were de-emphasized. Vulcans! I mean what's more Star Trek than Vulcans?

So basically, the 1st spin-off out of the gate is inevitably going to be the one to distance itself from its parent the hardest.

 

[Markonian]

It's a shame. Every show after TOS, from TAS onwards, should've included at least one Mirror Universe episode. If they can bring Klingons into every show, they can do that. Plus, aside from the costuming, it could've been in the form of a cheaper bottle show.

 

[Mojochi]

If they can bring Klingons into every show, they can do that.

While I agree, I think it's fair to point out that I think the only reason they even brought a Klingon onto TNG at all, was probably because it was in line with the recent Star Trek film esthetic. Worf looks more like Kruge than Kang. TNG leaned heavily on being a follow-up to those films more than the original show. The music, the FX, the uniforms. That was the dynamic they were aiming for imho

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

Plus, aside from the costuming, it could've been in the form of a cheaper bottle show.

Maybe use some old costumes from a commando movie or something. Lots of torn sleeve uniforms.

 

[Qonundrum]

After how DS9 used then went overboard with it, I'm glad they didn't for TNG.

VOY did a better job at "make 'em evil" and without the cliche of "parallel universe" as the reason. At least twice.

 

[Mojochi]

Maybe use some old costumes from a commando movie or something. Lots of torn sleeve uniforms.

Actually, we never saw the TOS film era depicted in the mirror universe either (Which, as I said, was more the esthetic TNG was aiming for) So if TNG had ever planned to have a mirror universe look, I'd think it would be more in line with that look, almost Naziesque looking uniforms

Honestly, it's probably best TNG never went there imho too

 

[Whizkid]

Yuck. Mirror Universe! As though space-time travel wasn't well enuff. Who're you Doctor Who?