Important takeaways
- Jeri Taylor contributed significantly to “Star Trek” by writing, producing and co-creating shows such as
Star Trek: Voyager
. - Taylor was instrumental in developing female characters like Janeway, influencing and reshaping their roles.
- Her legacy in the “Star Trek” universe is evident through the impactful characters and deep stories she created.
Jeri Taylor, a frequent Star Trek author and co-creator of Star Trek: Voyagerpassed away on 23 October 2024, aged 86. During the weekend Star Trek cast, producers, members of the production staff and lifelong fans mourned the loss, shared memories of Taylor and honored her immense contribution to the Trekverse. In the wake of her passing, here's a look back at Taylor's decades-long career as a writer, producer, co-creator and consultant on several Star Trek shows.
Entering the Trekverse: The TNG & DS9 Years
According to StarTrek.com, Taylor began his career in Star Trek universe in the fourth season of Star Trek: The Next Generation(TNG) as writer and producer. She helped write four episodes that season, including “The Drumhead,” which many fans consider the best episode of the series. Taylor continued to write for TNG until it ended its seven-season run. In all, Taylor helped write 17 episodes for TNG.
In the show's sixth season, she was promoted to co-executive producer, joining longtime showrunners Michael Pillar and Rick Berman. As Berman and Pillar turned their attention to the franchise's newest addition, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (DS9)Taylor was promoted to executive producer and showrunner for TNG'final season. She watched the show until its legendary final episode. While she was about to hit TNGTaylor also wrote three episodes for DS9including the two-part “Maquis”.
After TNG wrapped, Taylor worked on Star Trek: Generations and, a few years later, returned to Star Trek universe to work on Star Trek: First Contact.
Co-creating and running “Star Trek: Voyager”
The mid-90s were busy for Taylor. While she was about to hit TNGsometimes writes for DS9and working on GenerationsTaylor was also deep in the trenches with Pillar and Berman, creating Star Trek: Voyager. In addition to serving as showrunner on the first four seasons of the show, she also co-wrote 14 episodes.
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Taylor was the first woman to hold the title of executive producer or showrunner in Star Trek franchise. She took her role seriously, especially as she played a fundamental role in creating the first female lead for one Star Trek show: Captain Kathryn Janeway. Taylor shaped the characters, stories, and themes for Voyager's early seasons.
Creating women of substance in the “Star Trek” universe
Bring changes to The next generation
During Star Trek's male executive producers and showrunners, the women in Star Trek the universe was not always given nuance or depth. Denise Crosby, who played Tasha Yar on TNGinfamously quit in the first season because she wanted Yar to be more three-dimensional. The showrunners, allegedly said “no.” Gates McFadden, who raised Dr. Beverly Crusher to life, warred with TNGs production staff about her character as well, and left for season two, returning in season three. Marina Sirtis has repeatedly joked that Deanna Troi's entire character in the early seasons spouted vague predictions like a carnival psychic. Sirtis has never shied away from talking about how awful it was to be a woman on the set of TNG.
When Taylor joined the writers' room in the fourth season, she set out to change all that. In an interview for Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek VoyagesTaylor said:
“If there's one thing I wanted to do more of, it was developing the characters of Crusher and Troi because I thought they were underutilized […] There is a very small way in which sometimes I remind people about the role of women and sometimes they remind me. I'm not saying this was a staff of men and I had to come in and show them the way, but maybe there was something a little more to the fore with me.”
Taylor's influence was felt almost immediately. Troi finally got a Starfleet uniform instead of the tight bodysuits with plunging necklines that she had worn 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 behind the scenes.
Her influence was also felt by the actresses on set. IN Journey's End: The Saga of Star Trek: The Next Generation, McFadden said:
“I think the team of writers led by Jeri Taylor really made an effort to make the women's roles stronger. We've been in positions of power more often, in the captain's chair or leading a mission somewhere.”
Creates a new standard with Voyager
Taylor's work for the upliftment of women in the TNG of mediocrity was admirable. But that paled in comparison to the powerful, complex women she brought to life Voyager.
Berman and Pillar had planned to introduce the first female lead in the Star Trek universe i Voyager before bringing Taylor on board as a co-creator. But Captain Kathryn Janeway, who was eventually brought to life by Kate Mulgrew, didn't really come to life until Taylor started working with them. Janeway was a deeply personal project for Taylor. She understood the importance of the character within Star Trek universe, and she wanted to create a female captain who could easily stand next to all the great captains who had come before her.
Fortunately, Taylor didn't have to look far for inspiration, as she told the audience at The 55-Year Mission Star Trek convention:
“I always thought of Janeway as just me, I wrote her. I can't say I wrote her as me, but as I would like to be. I felt full of her. And I think she is full of me , although, in many ways, far more skilled than I am, but it was my imagination that Janeway was me and I tried to approach it that way.
Janeway wasn't Taylor's only contribution to the strong women Voyagerhowever. She was also instrumental in creating B'Elanna Torres, played by Roxann Dawson, and Seven of Nine, played by Jeri Ryan. Without Taylor, none of these women would have made it to the screen as the characters fans know and love.
Taylor's “Star Trek” legacy
Every writer, artist, actor or creative of any kind strives to leave behind work that will be remembered long after they are gone, and they spend a significant amount of time thinking about their hopes for their legacy. Taylor said several times that she hoped Janeway in particular would be a big part of her legacy.
As each Star Trek insiders and fans are mourning her loss, it is clear, without a doubt, that her dream has come true. Although Janeway is far from the only legacy she leaves behind, as evidenced by the sentiments shared by Taylor's colleagues after her death.
In Mulgrew's words, as posted on her Instagram:
Brannon Braga, who took over as Voyager's showrunner when Taylor left after the fourth season, echoed Mulgrew's sentiments on his own Instagram.
Dawson entered X and reminded fans that Taylor's legacy goes far beyond Janeway.
Jeri Taylor gave Star Trek fans some of the most memorable characters and heartfelt stories to ever exist in the Trekverse. Her presence in the Trek family will be sorely missed, but her undeniable presence in Star Trek the universe lives on.
Star Trek: Voyager
- Release date
- January 16, 1995
- Seasons
- 7
- Creator
- Rick Berman, Michael Piller, Jeri Taylor
- Number of episodes
- 172
- Streaming Service(s)
- Paramount+
Sources: Instagram, X.com, StarTrek.com, Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages, TrekMovie.com, Journey's End: The Saga of Star Trek: The Next Generation