Jerry Taylor's contribution to the Star Trek universe.

Key conclusions

• Jeri Taylor has made significant contributions to Star Trek, writing, producing and creating shows such as
  Star Trek: Voyager
  .
• Taylor played a key role in the development of female characters like Janeway, influencing and changing their roles.
• Her legacy in the Star Trek universe is evident through the impressive characters and deep storylines she created.

Jerry Taylor, frequent Star Trek writer and co-creator Star Trek: Voyagerpassed away on October 23, 2024. at the age of 86 years. Star Trek actors, producers, production staff members, and lifelong fans mourned the loss, shared memories of Taylor, and honored her great contributions to the Trekverse. In light of her passing, here's a look back at Taylor's decades-long career as a writer, producer, co-writer and consultant on numerous Star Trek shows.

Entering the Trekverse: The TNG and DS9 years

According to StarTrek.com, Taylor began her career in Star Trek Universe in its fourth season Star Trek: The Next Generation(TNG) as a writer and producer. She helped write four episodes that season, including “The Drumhead,” which many fans consider one of the best episodes of the series. Taylor continued to write for PNG until the end of seven seasons. In all, Taylor helped write 17 episodes PNG.

During the show's sixth season, she was promoted to co-executive producer, joining longtime showrunners Michael Pillar and Rick Berman. When Berman and Pilar turned their attention to the newest addition to the franchise, Star Trek: Deep Space 9 (DS9)Taylor was promoted to executive producer and showrunner TNG'last season. She carried the show to its legendary final episode. While she was swaddling PNGTaylor also wrote three episodes for DS9including the two-part “Maquis”.

After PNG Taylor worked on Star Trek: Generations and after a few years he returned to the village Star Trek A universe to work on Star Trek: First Contact.

Co-created and launched Star Trek: Voyager

The mid-90s were busy for Taylor. While she was swaddling PNGsometimes writing for DS9and we continue to work GenerationsTaylor was also deep in the trenches with Pillar and Berman creating Star Trek: Voyager. In addition to serving as showrunner for the show's first four seasons, she also co-wrote 14 episodes.

Taylor was the first woman to hold the title of executive producer or showrunner Star Trek franchise. She took her role seriously, especially since she played a fundamental role in creating the first female lead Star Trek show: Captain Katherine Janeway. Taylor shaped the characters, storylines, and themes Voyager early seasons.

Creating women of substance in the Star Trek universe.

Making changes to The next generation

Under Star Trek male executive producers and showrunners, female from Star Trek The universe didn't always get nuance or depth. Denise Crosby, who played Tasha Yar PNGdisgracefully quit in the first season because she wanted Yar to be more three-dimensional. The showrunners, allegedly, flatly said “no”. Gates McFadden, who brought Dr. Beverly Crusher back to life, fought with PNGThe production staff also about her character and left the second season, returning in the third season. Marina Sirtis has repeatedly joked that during the first few seasons, Dina Troy's entire character was making vague predictions like a carnival psychic. Sirtis has never shied away from talking about how awful it is to be a woman on the set of TNG.

When Taylor joined the writer's room in season four, she decided to change all that. In an interview for Captains' Logs: Unauthorized full voyagesTaylor said:

“If there's one thing I wish I'd done more of, it's developing the characters of Crusher and Troy, because I thought they were underutilized […] There is a very small way that sometimes I remind people about the role of women, and sometimes they remind me. I'm not saying it was a group of people and I had to come in and show them the way, but maybe it was something a little bit bigger for me at the forefront.”

Taylor's influence was noticeable almost immediately. Troy finally gets a Starfleet uniform instead of the skin-tight bodysuit with plunging necklines she wore in the first few seasons. During a rare public appearance at The 55-Year Mission Star Trek convention, as reported by TrekMovie.com, Taylor revealed that this was one of the things she had been pushing for behind the scenes.

Her influence was felt by the actresses on the set. U Journey's End: The Saga of Star Trek: The Next Generation, McFadden said:

“I think the writing team, led by Jerry Taylor, definitely made an effort to strengthen the role of women. We more often held positions of authority, were in the captain's chair or led a mission somewhere.”

Creating a new standard with Voyager

Taylor's work to uplift women PNG caused admiration from mediocrity. However, it paled in comparison to the powerful, complex women she brought to life Voyager.

Berman and Pilar planned to cast the first female lead in the film Star Trek the universe of Voyager before they brought on Taylor as a co-writer. But Captain Katherine Janeway, who was eventually brought back to life by Kate Mulgrew, didn't come back to life until Taylor started working with them. Janeway was a very personal project for Taylor. She understood the importance of character within Star Trek universe, and she wanted to create a female captain who could easily stand alongside all the great captains that came before her.

Luckily, Taylor didn't have to look far for inspiration, as she told attendees at The 55-Year Mission Star Trek convention:

“I always thought of Janeway as myself, I wrote her. I can't say that I wrote it as myself, but as I would like to be. I felt full of her. And I think she's full of me, although, in many ways, far more qualified and capable than I am, but it was my fantasy that Janeway was me, and I tried to live up to that.”

Janeway wasn't Taylor's only contribution to the development of strong women Voyagerhowever. She was also instrumental in the creation of B'Elanna Torres, played by Roxanne Dawson, and Seven of Nine, played by Jerry Ryan. Without Taylor, none of these women would have made it to the screen, the kind of characters fans know and love.

Taylor's Star Trek legacy.

Every writer, artist, actor, or creator of any kind strives to leave behind a body of work that will be remembered long after they're gone, and they spend a significant amount of time thinking about their hopes for a legacy. Taylor has said several times that she hopes Janeway, in particular, will be a major part of her legacy.

Like everyone Star Trek insider and fan mourns her loss, it's clear without a doubt that her dream has come true. Janeway is far from the only legacy she left behind, though, as evidenced by the sentiments of Taylor's colleagues following her death.

In the words of Mulgrew, posted on her Instagram:

Brannon Braga, who took over Voyager showrunner, when Taylor left after season four, echoed Mulgrew's sentiments on his Instagram.

Dawson chimed in with X, reminding fans that Taylor's legacy extends far beyond Janeway.

Jerry Taylor gave Star Trek fans of some of the most memorable characters and heartfelt storylines to ever exist in the Trekverse. Her presence in the Trek family will be sorely missed, but her undeniable presence in the Star Trek The universe lives.

Sources: Instagram, X.com, StarTrek.com, Captains' Logs: Unauthorized full voyages, TrekMovie.com, Journey's End: The Saga of Star Trek: The Next Generation