The Legacy Lives On: Hear What Majel Roddenberry Would Think About Modern Star Trek!
Rod Roddenberry reflects on his mother, Majel Barrett Roddenberry, and shares her perspective on the evolution of Star Trek, highlighting the enduring presence of the classic series' values in the modern rendition
Summary
Rod Roddenberry maintains that the contemporary Star Trek shows would have elicited significant reactions from his late mother, Majel Barrett-Roddenberry, and she would have ardently striven to safeguard Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek ideals.
Majel Barrett-Roddenberry, the actress behind Lwaxana Troi in Star Trek, was famous for her candid and unapologetic nature. Had she still been alive, it is safe to assume that she would have voiced her opinions about the current Star Trek series.
Although the present-day Star Trek shows may deviate from Gene Roddenberry's original vision, both Rod Roddenberry and his mother shared a belief in the optimism and uplifting values that Star Trek represents. Majel would have undoubtedly insisted on upholding these values in all Star Trek content.
Gene Roddenberry's son, Rod Roddenberry, shares his insights on what his late mother, Majel Barrett-Roddenberry, would have opined regarding the current Star Trek series on The Shuttlepod Show. As the CEO of Roddenberry Entertainment and an executive producer of various Star Trek series on Paramount+, Rod, along with his esteemed parents, holds a prominent position in the realm of Star Trek. However, it is important to note that the current incarnation of the franchise differs significantly from the original Star Trek created by Gene Roddenberry in the 1960s, which was subsequently revamped in 1987 with Star Trek: The Next Generation.
During his appearance on The Shuttlepod Show, hosted by Dominic Keating, Connor Trinneer, and Erica LaRose, Rod Roddenberry responds to a fan inquiry about his mother's perspective on the modern Star Trek shows. To discover his thoughts, refer to the following quote and watch the video of The Shuttlepod Show starting at the 1:10:10 time stamp below:
My mother, Lwaxana, was the inspiration for the character of Lwaxana in Star Trek. It was a given that Gene would cast Majel in the show, so they created a character to fit her personality - an obnoxious, lively woman who happened to be Troi's mother. In real life, she was just as lively and uninhibited. She never hesitated to share her opinions and fiercely defended my father, even when he was wrong. If she were still around today, she would undoubtedly have strong opinions about the shows. She would be proud of them, but also make sure that they upheld the optimistic and positive essence of Star Trek, and the belief in our capacity to become better humans in the future. That belief was fundamental to her, and she would want to see it reflected in all Star Trek content.
Modern Star Trek Is Different But Still Has Classic Star Trek's Values
Under the supervision of Alex Kurtzman, Star Trek has experienced a revival on Paramount+ that has propelled the franchise to new heights not seen since the thriving era of Rick Berman in the 1990s. However, Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: Picard faced criticism for straying too far from the optimism embraced by the classic Star Trek, opting instead for serialization and intense action and violence. In contrast, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has returned to the episodic exploration reminiscent of the vintage Star Trek, while also presenting more intricate character development. This winning combination has garnered the most positive response from both long-time and recent Star Trek enthusiasts.
If Majel Barrett-Roddenberry had not died in 2008, it is difficult to imagine that she would not have been asked to join the reunion of the Star Trek: The Next Generation cast in Star Trek: Picard season 3, which was highly praised by fans and critics. In Picard season 3, they paid tribute to one of Majel's iconic Star Trek roles by bringing her back as the voice of the USS Enterprise-D's computer, just as she was during the peak of TNG. Regardless of Majel's current "opinions" about Star Trek, her words held significance, especially for long-time Trekkers, as she always advocated for the preservation of Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek ideals.
