Deanna Troi Was the Hardest Next Generation Character to Write, Legendary Star Trek Writer Reveals: “We Didn’t Know”

Moore’s time on TNG

Ronald D. Moore joined Star Trek: The Next Generation in its third season. His credits included “Family,” “Relics,” “Chain of Command” and “Tapestry.” Known for developing Lieutenant Worf’s background and Klingon culture, Moore later worked on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. He went on to reboot Battlestar Galactica for Syfy and create Outlander and For All Mankind.

Troi challenged the writers

Moore said Troi’s job as a therapist created difficulties for the writers. He also described her empathic Betazoid abilities as hard to use in stories, recalling scenes where she identified an angry visitor to Captain Picard.

A role without clear stories

Moore said the writers struggled to find compelling uses for Troi’s counseling work aboard the Enterprise-D. He noted that characters in Gene Roddenberry’s vision of the 24th century were generally well-adjusted, limiting the personal problems a ship’s therapist might address.

Troi’s skills became relevant when Picard faced trauma or Data explored questions about humanity. The writers also relied on romance plots for her, including a relationship with Worf; her story with Will Riker was held back until the films.

Troi’s later development

The series eventually gave Troi more character development, with episodes including “Face of the Enemy,” “Disaster,” “Dark Page” and “The Loss.” In season six’s “Chain of Command,” she replaced her provocative outfits with a standard Starfleet uniform. Troi also rose to the rank of commander, providing a more credible reason for her seat on the bridge. The article says the writing difficulties were not Sirtis’s fault and notes that her portrayal made Troi a fan favorite.