Welcome back to Character Insight! This week, we return to our "Best Of" series and begin covering the stars of The Next Generation. We begin this series with ship's counselor Deanna Troi.
If you can believe it, when Character Insight began over six years ago Deanna was the second character I ever profiled, and she hasn't been profiled in detail since then. However, she certainly provided several memorable moments and quotes in her time on Picard's Enterprise.
Counselor Troi was a tough character to write A-stories for initially, but she eventually becomes the central character in a couple latter season episodes. In Season 6's Face of the Enemy, she is surgically altered to go undercover as a Romulan Tal Shiar agent to help prevent some Romulan treachery, and she shows just how strong-willed she could be in a command situation.
Counselor Troi was a tough character to write A-stories for initially, but she eventually becomes the central character in a couple latter season episodes. In Season 6's Face of the Enemy, she is surgically altered to go undercover as a Romulan Tal Shiar agent to help prevent some Romulan treachery, and she shows just how strong-willed she could be in a command situation.
QUOTE (from Face of the Enemy, S6):
"I am now commander of this ship. You will take orders from me and no one else. Remove Commander Torret from her station. If she resists, shoot her."
In Season 4's The Loss, we see how vital Deanna's half empathic powers are to her psyche and she deals with temporarily losing those powers. The identity crisis allowed actress Marina Sirtis to finally delve into some of the deeper character traits of the counselor.
QUOTE (from The Loss, S4):
"I look around me and all I see are surfaces without depth. Colorless, hollow, nothing seems real. You're a projection, with no more substance to me than a character on the holodeck. You have no idea how frightening it is to just be here with you, without sensing you, without sharing your feelings."
While Will Riker was playing the role of commanding officer there, he and Deanna also serve as a smoldering love story over the seasons of this show thanks to their past before the Enterprise. However, as fun as romance with Riker is, it pales in comparison to Deanna's love of chocolate, as evidenced in episodes like The Game.
"I look around me and all I see are surfaces without depth. Colorless, hollow, nothing seems real. You're a projection, with no more substance to me than a character on the holodeck. You have no idea how frightening it is to just be here with you, without sensing you, without sharing your feelings."
While Will Riker was playing the role of commanding officer there, he and Deanna also serve as a smoldering love story over the seasons of this show thanks to their past before the Enterprise. However, as fun as romance with Riker is, it pales in comparison to Deanna's love of chocolate, as evidenced in episodes like The Game.
QUOTE (from The Game, S5):
Riker - Chocolate ice cream, chocolate fudge, and chocolate chips. You're' not depressed, are you?
Deanna - I'm fine commander.
Riker - I had no idea it was such a ritual.
Deanna - Chocolate is a serious thing.
We also see Deanna struggle with an overbearing parent in the form of Lwaxana Troi throughout the series, which both allowed Majel Barrett to shine as well as made Troi more relatable to the audience. The inclusion of a partial telepath added an interesting dynamic to the TNG crew and stories, making Troi one of the most defining characters of this second iteration of Star Trek.
Riker - Chocolate ice cream, chocolate fudge, and chocolate chips. You're' not depressed, are you?
Deanna - I'm fine commander.
Riker - I had no idea it was such a ritual.
Deanna - Chocolate is a serious thing.
We also see Deanna struggle with an overbearing parent in the form of Lwaxana Troi throughout the series, which both allowed Majel Barrett to shine as well as made Troi more relatable to the audience. The inclusion of a partial telepath added an interesting dynamic to the TNG crew and stories, making Troi one of the most defining characters of this second iteration of Star Trek.
Deanna Troi was played by Marina Sirtis, who can be found regularly on Twitter these days as well as at conventions. She continues with some voice acting work today in shows like Young Justice.
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