Star Trek: 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Janice Rand
1. Flashback Gave Her Extra, But Could Have Done More
For the 30th Anniversary of Star Trek, the episode Flashback featured the return of Grace Lee Whitney, along with George Takei, Jeremy Roberts, and Boris Krutonog, all of whom reprised their roles from Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. All involved in the episode particularly singled out Whitney's performance, and energy, as being a highlight of the shoot.
She was delighted that she wasn't just returning to stand on the bridge but was given dialogue and responsibilities as well, including leading Gamma Shift. This allowed her scenes with Tim Russ and Kate Mulgrew, with Russ in particular enthusing about her - saying how great it was to have her there, having been such a fan of The Original Series.
Flashback is an excellent episode, and if there is one failing, it's that it didn't do more to highlight Grace Lee Whitney as Janice Rand. The huge fan response to her return - she had already been congratulated on coming back before she even knew herself that it was happening - was heartwarming, calling to mind the constant questions that the producers were asked in the 1960s - what had happened to Janice Rand, and when would they be getting more.
For a character who had their origins as a futuristic assistant, Janice Rand is one of the most immediately recognisable, memorable, Star Trek characters to never have their name in the starring role.