How would the show be different if Denise Crosby hadn't left?

[t_smitts]

For starters, there'd almost certainly be no "Legacy" and no Sela.

I'm not sure what they would've had Worf do. They never DID say what his job in season 1 was, did they? It's possible they might've still had some of the Klingon-heavy episodes like "Sins of the Father" and "Redemption" (though again, no Sela).

They MIGHT have still done "Yesterday's Enterprise" (but probably with a very different final act).

Any other changes you can think of?

 

[sadsquid]

It would've been more crappy...

But seriously, as a main cast member, she would have received a number of episodes primarily for her character. They may still have brought in her sister and elements of other episodes featuring her. But most would probably be completely different episodes to what we got. Thankfully... that didn't happen :-P

 

[R. Star]

This also would effect Worf as he'd pretty much be trapped in the limbo he was in season 1 so he'd have a less prominent role. I'll echo the sentiments that thankfully it didn't happen.

 

[T'Girl]

Denise Crosby's acting abilities might have improved over time, we saw this in a few of the various series actors.

Just as TPTB move Geordi to engineering, Tasha too might have been moved to another position. Worf like would have otherwise remained a general bridge officer who went wherever Picard sent him.

It never made much sense to me that the person who "manned" the tactical console suddenly would leave to go on away missions, so perhaps Tasha stays on the bridge with Picard, and Worf goes planet side with Riker.

 

[Genesis]

Well, I'm going to be a voice of dissent and say that Denise Crosby staying is one of the few things that could've really improved TNG, assuming the writers got a better grasp on her character in later seasons (which they almost surely would've, as they got better grasps on all the others). Her character had far more potential for development than Worf, who was always kind of one-dimensional and never seemed to really learn much, even through all seven seasons. Seeing Tasha struggle to balance her passionate, impulsive nature with the control and sophistication that made her so respect Picard would've been very interesting.

Worf could've replaced Geordi at the helm when he became chief engineer, thus ending the limbo. And frankly, I would much rather have seen episodes focusing on Tasha's difficult past and personal struggles than the Klingon episodes, which have always bored me.

 

[sonak]

It would have been better from a feminist perspective-better gender balance, and a female role that wasn't a "caretaker/nurturing" role like therapist or doctor. Tasha was the one strong female role on the show and then Crosby left.

As others have written, the big change would be either a less prominent role for Worf, or they'd have to find him another position.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

Denise Crosby's acting abilities might have improved over time, we saw this in a few of the various series actors.

Just as TPTB move Geordi to engineering, Tasha too might have been moved to another position. Worf like would have otherwise remained a general bridge officer who went wherever Picard sent him.

It never made much sense to me that the person who "manned" the tactical console suddenly would leave to go on away missions, so perhaps Tasha stays on the bridge with Picard, and Worf goes planet side with Riker.

Everyone's acting seemed stilted compared to later seasons, so hopefully you're right & Denise's acting would have gotten better too.

Also, the writing & directing got better. Would they have been able to write the character better and given her as many good storylines as others?

They probably only thought of Ishara as a way to mess with the crew's heads, since Tasha was dead. But they certainly could have done the character either way. They may have had a "Tasha goes home" type of story had she stayed.

 

[horatio83]

I liked Tasha but it was also evident that nine characters were too much. Geordi and Worf had no decent position during the first season, a pilot rarely has much to say and Worf was often just an extra who stood around at the five consoles behind tactical.

 

[Navigator_NCC2120]

It would have been better from a feminist perspective-better gender balance, and a female role that wasn't a "caretaker/nurturing" role like therapist or doctor. Tasha was the one strong female role on the show and then Crosby left.

As others have written, the big change would be either a less prominent role for Worf, or they'd have to find him another position.

I think the Ensign Ro character was another strong female role. Too bad she was not in more episodes.


Navigator NCC-2120 USS Entente
/\

 

[t_smitts]

I liked Tasha but it was also evident that nine characters were too much. Geordi and Worf had no decent position during the first season, a pilot rarely has much to say and Worf was often just an extra who stood around at the five consoles behind tactical.

Evidently the producers felt differently. DS9 had eight, later nine, main cast members (plus a dozen or so significant recurring ones), while Voyager had nine. Both had one cast member leave the show, but unlike TNG, they both introduced a new replacement character.

Admittedly, though, in both cases, characters fell by the wayside and were underused. (Jake, Harry)

Even on Enterprise, with only seven (would've been eight had it continued), a couple wound up being used less than could've been.

 

[Genesis]

They could've taken out the episodes involving Deanna's mother (because everyone hates those) and some of the boring Klingon stuff. Then they would've had plenty of time to utilize Tasha's character, and the show would've been better for it.

 

[C.E. Evans]

IMO, Worf was essentially meant to be the token Klingon on the Enterprise, there really just to show how much progress had been made since TOS. I think what ultimately led to the character's prominence had less to do with him becoming chief of security and more to do with a change in the writing staff and a revelation that they could actually do interesting things with the character.

I tend to think that if Tasha had stayed, they would have split tactical and security between them, with Tasha becoming the chief tactical officer (staying on the bridge firing the weapons), with Worf as the one doing the more physical stuff under her direction. As a result, I believe there would be episodes where Tasha's more of a presence than Worf and vice-versa.

A part of me also thinks that Tasha and Geordi might have been a couple. While Worf would probably be the more obvious choice, I think for that very reason they wouldn't be (they may look at each other more as fellow warriors or even like siblings rather than as lovers). On the other hand, Geordi would be the least likely, and sometimes opposites do attract...

As far as nine being too many characters, I think that's solely an issue of the writing staff and their shortcomings or a decision to concentrate more on certain characters than others. I believe a true ensemble series, though, won't have every character in every episode, so it would be rare to have ones where everyone's there.

 

[Utopianvista]

Evidently the producers felt differently. DS9 had eight, later nine, main cast members (plus a dozen or so significant recurring ones), while Voyager had nine. Both had one cast member leave the show, but unlike TNG, they both introduced a new replacement character.

Admittedly, though, in both cases, characters fell by the wayside and were underused. (Jake, Harry)

Jake just got replaced by Nog. You could make a half way argument that Guinan replaced Tasha.

Worf's position would've been interesting. He could've taken Geordi's old spot but then where do you put the space brat? Perhaps Wesley could've/should've been given the Worf role of "bridge officer" to help the idea that he was being educated? That might've made more sense than having him fly the ship.

 

[Danny99]

Though I agree that some of the Klingon episodes were incredibly boring, there was some that were really good.

I don't think Tasha would've added anything super important or really entertaining to the series. Though we would've been rid of the damn Sela storyline that drove me nuts. You could've had Tomalak back to be behind the scenes.

 

[T'Girl]

Actually you could have still had the Yesterday's Enterprise plot (with Crosby) pretty much as it happen, with the exception of some of Guinan's dialog, and the tag scene in ten forward.. And the Sela storyline too. When Sela first appears on the main viewer, Tasha could have been at tactical with a very surprised look on her face.

 

[norse_sage]

Count me among those who think TNG might ultimately have been better if Crosby stayed on.

Her character was in my opinion by default the most interesting female character on the show, with both Crusher and Troi being mindboggingly ordinary and dull. With the characther background, we could have seen more episodes dealing with themes like anger, repression, fear and control - much the same as the Vulcan's, but more potent due to actual human trauma being the cause. Star Trek could have taken a darker turn with Tasha, dealing with the aftermath of sexual assault and the like. I think that some potentially very mature and hard hitting storylines disappeared with Crosby.

Sparing us Sela and Tasha's sister would have been an added bonus.

 

[CoveTom]

I think the Ensign Ro character was another strong female role. Too bad she was not in more episodes.

I think we need to be careful throwing around this "strong female" term, though. I think Crusher and Troi were both strong women, even though they were in positions that some have described as "nurturing." They were both intelligent, independent, well-written characters who certainly were not defined by their relationship to a man. And they were not one-dimensional either. We saw both of them put in situations where they had to take charge of a situation, such as Crusher in "Descent" or Troi in "Disaster," and they both performed admirably.

The implication from some of the comments I've seen in this thread is that if you have a job like a doctor or a counselor, you can't be a "strong female" and I very much disagree.

 

[sonak]

I think the Ensign Ro character was another strong female role. Too bad she was not in more episodes.

I think we need to be careful throwing around this "strong female" term, though. I think Crusher and Troi were both strong women, even though they were in positions that some have described as "nurturing." They were both intelligent, independent, well-written characters who certainly were not defined by their relationship to a man. And they were not one-dimensional either. We saw both of them put in situations where they had to take charge of a situation, such as Crusher in "Descent" or Troi in "Disaster," and they both performed admirably.

The implication from some of the comments I've seen in this thread is that if you have a job like a doctor or a counselor, you can't be a "strong female" and I very much disagree.

I have rarely seen Crusher or Troi described as "strong female characters." For early TNG, Dr. Crusher's role seemed to be defined as "Wesley's Mom," and "the woman that Picard has a thing for." She remains a pretty bland character for most of the show, rarely getting episodes that focus on her, and is totally ignored in the movies.

Troi is constantly caricatured as having the job of "stating the blindingly obvious." I've rarely seen her defined as a particularly strong character. I think that she developed as the series went on, but really they could have written her out of the series and wouldn't have lost much.

 

[R. Star]

I think we need to be careful throwing around this "strong female" term, though. I think Crusher and Troi were both strong women, even though they were in positions that some have described as "nurturing." They were both intelligent, independent, well-written characters who certainly were not defined by their relationship to a man. And they were not one-dimensional either. We saw both of them put in situations where they had to take charge of a situation, such as Crusher in "Descent" or Troi in "Disaster," and they both performed admirably.

The implication from some of the comments I've seen in this thread is that if you have a job like a doctor or a counselor, you can't be a "strong female" and I very much disagree.

I'll agree that Crusher was a strong character even though she had a nurturing role. There was a depth to her character and a reserve of moral strength. When she was put in a hard situation she was able to shine.

But Troi? I'm sorry, but I never saw it. The episode you cited for example. Did you watch the same one I did? I saw a character so woefully out of her element that it was almost embarrassing. She let a junior officer and an enlisted man pretty much run roughshod over her. That definitely wasn't a defining moment for her, well maybe a bad one. The only contribution she consistently made was stating the obvious. She wasn't even that good at her job as a counselor much less an expanded role. Frankly I have no idea how she made lieutenant commander. It was quite obvious favoritism went into her promotion to commander.

 

[Genesis]

With the characther background, we could have seen more episodes dealing with themes like anger, repression, fear and control - much the same as the Vulcan's, but more potent due to actual human trauma being the cause. Star Trek could have taken a darker turn with Tasha, dealing with the aftermath of sexual assault and the like. I think that some potentially very mature and hard hitting storylines disappeared with Crosby.

Hmm. I don't doubt stories like that could've been great from a purely objective perspective. They could even have raised awareness and opened discussions in a time when sexual assault was talked about far less. But . . . I can't make myself sorry that road was never taken by TNG. One of the things I like about Star Trek is that it's relatively safe. I like that I can put it on and forget about the terrible things that happen in the real world for a while (sure, 'terrible' things happen in Trek, but I don't personally know anyone who has been partially assimilated by the Borg, lol).

But we don't know what direction the show would've taken if Denise Crosby had stayed. I like to think they would've found a way to develop her character more while keeping the escapism aspect in tact.