I like Tasha Yar.

Discussion in 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' started by Amaris, Jun 6, 2009.

  1. Amaris

    Amaris Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    You're fine. It is my thread, you know. :D
    Also, I agree. That sounds like Gene toward the end.

    J.
     
  2. Praetor

    Praetor Vice Admiral Admiral

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    In all, it became a shame we got no vaccine, and no Lieutenant Yar. :(
     
  3. DGCatAniSiri

    DGCatAniSiri Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    I tend to think that the one major Tasha-focus episode being 'Code of Honor' had to play a role in why she wanted out. Everyone was embarassed with that one...
     
  4. JustKate

    JustKate Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    I liked the character Tasha, I thought she had a very interesting backstory, and I like what she might have brought to the show. But I have to agree that Denise Crosby was not the strongest actress out there. I guess I didn't see her enough to say definitely "She was bad," but I think it is fair to say that she had some decent opportunities, and she nonetheless didn't shine, for what reason, I don't know. Yeah, "Code of Honor" was a horrible episode, but it was made worse by her acting, which just made me cringe. And she made me cringe in "The Naked Now," too, and even a little bit in "Encounter at Farpoint."

    I honestly cannot remember a single episode in which Yar was featured where she did what I would consider a thoroughly good job, except maybe "Yesterday's Enterprise." But even there - and I saw this episode just a week or so ago - well...she did OK. She did a competent job. But why is OK and competent the best she could do even in a well-written episode?

    Now, she might have gotten better. I mean, several of them did - Marina Siritis, for one, who started out perfectly wretched, thanks to perfectly wretched writing and a fondness (hers or the director's - who can say which?) for overacting emotional moments, and what did they give poor Deanna in the beginning but emotional moments? So I would have been glad for Yar to stay if Crosby got better, or was allowed to get better, whichever the problem was. But if she wasn't going to get better...well, I think we made out great with the cast we ended up with.

    And I also agree with those who said that if she was going to leave, having her die in the line of duty was a very powerful thing to do. And just what I would have expected from Tasha, actually.
     
  5. Praetor

    Praetor Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Well said, JustKate. :)

    I think all of the cast seemed a bit flat in seasons one and two, personally, and maybe a part of their perceived improvement was, as you suggest experience. I'd like to think that Crosby would have gotten better. (I think she did okay in "Pet Semetary" - but like you say, "just okay.")

    And, also, there are definitely worse ways to go. I don't think her death was "meaningless." "Senseless"? Perhaps. "Random"? Definitely. But "Yesterday's Enterprise" mischaracterized it, IMO. I think they could have done a job presenting a better reason for Yar to sacrifice herself there without demeaning her original death.
     
  6. DGCatAniSiri

    DGCatAniSiri Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    I've said before that I think that the meaninglessness that Guinan drew from Tasha's death in Yesterday's Enterprise is that, although she died attempting to rescue Troi and the pilot, her death itself served no purpose other than getting her killed. By dying, she did not get the others any closer to a rescue, so while there was meaning behind why she took the actions that led to her death, there was no meaning behind the death itself.
     
  7. ManaByte

    ManaByte Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

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    There were two great Star Trek T-Shirts back in the day.

    One was Red and said "I'm not stupid, I'm not expendable, and I'm NOT going".

    The other was Yellow and said "I was stupid, I was expendable, I went - Tasha Yar"

    :)
     
  8. Praetor

    Praetor Vice Admiral Admiral

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    A fair assessment. ;)
     
  9. JustKate

    JustKate Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    It really seemed to me as though one of two things happened: either TPTB really saw her death as "meaningless" (however you define that) or they deliberately mischaracterized it because they couldn't think of another way to create a scenario where she would be willing to sacrifice herself. Either way, I don't much like it.

    But I'll try to think of it the way you describe, DGCatAniSri. It's the best non-annoying explanation I've seen so far.
     
  10. ManaByte

    ManaByte Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

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    IIRC the story behind Tasha's death is that they had such short notice of her leaving the series that they really couldn't come up with a good story to kill her. Thus the oil slick.
     
  11. Xelo

    Xelo Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

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    I love Tasha! Wish she would have stuck around a few more seasons, but I enjoyed seeing Denise in all her guest spots.
     
  12. adamisme

    adamisme Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

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    i think the character had a great back story and as someone mentioned did well to pull themselves up from where they'd come from to be head of security on the flagship, but generally she didn't have much to do during the 1st season, perhaps if she'd been more involved and a better actress it would have made more of an impact. Still sad to see a main character die but oh well
     
  13. Amaris

    Amaris Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    ^ I agree on the involved aspect, but not on being a better actress. She suffers from guest-staritis. Here we have this close knit unit, and the outsider. Even though Denise was in most of the first season, the bonding didn't really happen until the third season, where TNG started growing by leaps and bounds. If she would have stuck with them, she would have become part of that unit with the rest of the crew, but she didn't, and so we do seem to have more of a critical eye on her because of it.

    J.
     
  14. Praetor

    Praetor Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Well said, J. Allen. :)
     
  15. Red Ranger

    Red Ranger Admiral In Memoriam

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    I kind of like Tasha, too. I think she would have been more effective as a lower-ranked command officer, say, lieutenant, j.g., the way Worf and Geordi were in the first season. I could see her as the helm officer and as Picard's and Riker's protege. It would've been interesting to have a professional male-female relationship without romantic undertones like that.
     
  16. Praetor

    Praetor Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Say, Red Ranger, I like that idea. A lot. :)

    Maybe transfer her to pilot after Geordi goes down below, and let Worf be tactical after season one. Sort of like what we got, then Wesley could fit in Worf's "support" position at the back of the bridge and not bother us much. :p
     
  17. Amaris

    Amaris Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    ^ Hear hear!


    J.
     
  18. Red Ranger

    Red Ranger Admiral In Memoriam

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    ^Thirded!!
     
  19. Amaris

    Amaris Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    ^ Forded! And possibly Chevied!

    Honestly, though, so much potential.

    J.
     
  20. Red Ranger

    Red Ranger Admiral In Memoriam

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    Yep, I think it would have been best if from the get-go, Tasha was the conn officer, Geordi was the engineer, and Worf was security chief. He always seemed more mature than Tasha anyway. PT, but we never did find out how old Worf is, correct? In Parallels, when Picard asks how old he is, he simply replies, "Old enough." -- RR