10 Times Star Trek: The Next Generation Went Woke

Marina Sirtis famously called the fabric-saving uniform she sported for Deanna Troi in Encounter At Farpoint her "cosmic cheerleader outfit." Whilst the 'skant' never made it past season two of The Next Generation (by then in trousered form) until its temporal reoccurrence in All Good Things…, it remains eminently popular with fans and perhaps could have merited its own entry on this list for its progressively gender-defying attempt at a 24th century dress code. Here, it's the second meaning of cheerleader that interests us.

Commander Troi was notable for her presence at the centre of the bridge, just next to Captain Picard, in the very first scenes of The Next Generation. In Encounter At…, it is Captain Picard who then refers to Troi as 'counsellor' for the first time. There has been some confusion since as to whether this title was intended to mean 'one who gives counsel/advice' or 'on board therapist.'

In fact, it was both. Troi was always meant to be the cheerleader for mental health in the 24th century.

The casting call for the character, cited in The Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion, clearly stated that, "[Deanna Troi] serves as the starship's Chief Psychologist." Later, the Star Trek: The Next Generation Writer/Director's Guide (the Series Bible) gave the following information for Troi:

Humanity (and Starfleet) have learned that a starship is as dependent of efficiently operating human relationships as on efficient mechanisms and electronic circuits. In cases where starships encounter other life forms in deep space, the counselor's role is considered second in importance only to the captain and first officer.

The fact that The Next Generation placed such primacy on mental health and wellbeing from day one is a testament to the power of Gene Roddenberry's ever-evolving vision of the future. As Marina Sirtis told Star Trek: Mission New York in 2016:

When I got cast, Gene Roddenberry said that it was his belief that by the 24th century mental health would be as important as physical health, and that'd you'd need a counsellor on board a ship. I think we need it sooner. We need it now. He felt, and he was right, that it's as important as physical health.

The Next Generation continued to be attentive to mental health by presenting a normalised vision of visits to a therapist and, if not always entirely successfully, in depicting the mental health difficulties of Lieutenant Barclay. For now, cosmic and otherwise, we all need to be cheerleaders!