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Who’s On First? Star Trek’s Stellar First Officers

“Who’s on first?” – Abbott & Costello Classic Comedy Routine

Comedy crystallizes special times in our lives. It vividly captures moments like no other art form, even as far removed as a different timeline, era or galaxy. It feels good to laugh, and laughing makes those special moments we treasure more enjoyable and memorable. Laughter is healing – the best medicine. One only has to look at Dr. McCoy’s jovial bedside manner. Enterprise’s Chief Medical Officer makes medicine fun. Bones is a physician who knows how to laugh.

Comedy may be earthbound, but can be universal. Abbott and Costello took the sport of baseball and unusual names to a new comic level in their classic comic skit, ‘Who’s On First?’ This hilarious comedy routine remains one of the most recognizable and delightful comic exchanges in Hollywood history. It’s so universally funny bone tickling that in 1999 Time magazine named it the ‘Best Comedy Routine’ of the 20th century. The duo answered their own comic question prophetically and emphatically by putting themselves first on 20th century’s laugh heap.

The classic bit has the ever innocent Lou Costello being schooled on a baseball team’s positions by his street smart buddy, Budd Abbott. Costello can’t handle those wacky baseball player names, and of course, Budd offers no clarity. Though the beloved American comedy team never intended to document a Starfleet crew roster with the routine, it’s a fitting comedy performance for an unsung part of Star Trek mythology – First Officers.

While scores of books, articles and blog posts focus on the cosmic exploits of captains Kirk and Picard, first officers such as Riker and Chakotay are overshadowed. Fear not, first officer fans. Future TV Trek just may end up changing things. Star Trek: Discovery, in its narrative concept and distribution, promises to blaze a new trail for both television science fiction and loyal Trekkers who love it. Actress Sonequa Martin-Green (The Walking Dead) fleshes out Michael Burnham, a Starfleet first officer, and much early publicity and buzz surrounds her. As a new ST launches, it’s important to remember being Starship Captain isn’t the only proper way to carve out a space exploring career with grace and distinction.

Who’s on first in the Star Trek universe?

Leonard Nimoy as Spock on Star Trek: The Original Series | Photo: CBS Home Entertainment

Mister Spock – Leonard Nimoy

Live long and prosper, oh iconic Enterprise First Officer.

Spock, as befits his mixed racial heritage, impresses us as the exception. While his Captain may still get more of the galactic press, randy reputation and nova spotlight, the half Vulcan, half human first officer – and also Enterprise science officer – garners his fair share of accolades. Indeed, in the classic theatrical films, Spock is even promoted to Captain, so this son of Sarek knows what it’s like to come out of the shadow of James T. Kirk. Back in the day, Nimoy would often get the most fan mail out of the original cast of star trekkers.

How’s Spock measure up in recent Trekdom? In the J.J. Abrams theatrical reboots, Zach Quinto’s Spock, although still respectful of his Chris Pine Kirk, appears more flustered, frustrated or even combative than Leonard Nimoy’s too cool for school portrayal. Maybe it’s all the stress he’s under over romancing the beautiful human Uhura played by Zoe Saldana? Whatever the ultimate evolution of this legendary first officer, he’s a model in professionalism for all other Number Ones to follow.

Jonathan Frakes as Commander Will Riker on Star Trek: The Next Generation | Photo: CBS Home Entertainment

Commander Will Riker – Jonathan Frakes

“What am I still doing here?” It’s a question which defines William T. Riker and his career trajectory.

Riker asks his on again, off again, on again Imzadi Counselor Troi (Marina Sirtis) this loaded question in “The Best of Both Worlds”, Star Trek: The Next Generation ‘s Borg epic. It’s the final episode of the 3rd season, as the two relax in Ten Forward, Riker can only talk promotion – or, more precisely, why he’s not taking Captain promotions offered by Starfleet.

Perhaps no other episode neatly captures the dynamic of a Captain and his right hand – his first, his Number One. Will Riker wasn’t the first to be called Number One. In Trek’s first pilot, “The Cage”, Majel Barrett played the enigmatic Number One, technically the first, first officer in Star Trek. After the show was restructured and recast, she became known for her role as the Vulcan loving Nurse Christine Chapel.

One of the jewels in the Michael Piller scripted “Best of Both Worlds” is Riker vs Shelby. Commander Riker tangles with Commander Shelby – played by the magnificent Elizabeth Dennehy – on loan to help Enterprise battle the rampaging Borg. Shelby’s ambitious. She makes no doubt about what she wants in her career. Shelby doesn’t mull over promotions, she takes them. This Shelby quote nicely encapsulates Riker’s unique dilemma, “You’re in my way. All you know how to do is play it safe. I suppose that’s why someone like you sits in the shadow of a great man for as long as you have – passing up one command after another. If you can’t make the big decisions, Commander, I suggest you make room for someone who can.” Ouch, Willie boy!

Nana Visitor as Major Kira on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine | Photo: CBS Home Entertainment

Major Kira – Nana Visitor

She’s the first officer who’s not really a first officer. She’s not Starfleet and so she owes no real allegiance to the Federation nor her superior, once Commander, ultimately Captain Benjamin Sisko. When it counts, however, Major Kira excels in her duties as a Number One.

Where do her loyalties really lie? Kira has worn many hats over her career and she’s pledged loyalty to a variety of organizations. While fighting against the Cardassian occupation, Kira was a top operative in the Bajoran Resistance. Now she’s a Major in the Bajoran military – and serves alongside Captain Sisko on Deep Space Nine and on the starship Defiant. She’ll come to be deeply loved by the Channeling, Odo, and that complicated romance will become a test for her as both a military professional and a woman.

Deep Space Nine logged many firsts for a TV Trek, and the fact that Major Kira wasn’t a Starfleet officer was among the more intriguing and complex character traits.

Robert Beltran as Chakotay on Star Trek: Voyager | Photo: CBS Home Entertainment

Chakotay – Robert Beltran

Can a former member of a group pledged to stop and resist Federation authority become a functioning and valuable first officer to a Starfleet Captain? We found out in Star Trek: Voyager .

Chakotay had a respected career in Starfleet, but he abandoned the group for the Maquis – a paramilitary organization committed to stopping Cardassia and Federation assisted expansion to convert more worlds into the Cardassian Union. When Janeway first encountered Chakotay, he wasn’t a man who saw much equality or fair play given to his fellow resistance fighters coming from Starfleet – the Federation’s enforcers of its peace treaty with Cardassia.

Though in many ways, Captain Janeway had no choice but to enlist Chakotay into her fold – after Voyager lost crew members during pursuit of him and his Maquis into the Badlands – the choice proved a beneficial one for the whole crew. Janeway and Chakotay worked closely together, and this often can make for more than just a professional based relationship. Although they experienced physical attraction to each other during their long tour of duty on Voyager, it would be former Borg drone, Seven of Nine (played by Jeri Ryan), who would eventually romance Voyager ‘s first officer.

Jolene Blalock as T’Pol on Star Trek: Enterprise | Photo: CBS Home Entertainment

T’Pol – Jolene Blalock

With the prequel series, Star Trek: Enterprise , Vulcans seem to gravitate to being first officer. Here, in the now defunct UPN network prequel show which sought to fill in the backstory of classic, original Trek, T’Pol is Subcommander – and although not officially at first a first officer, it’s the role she mostly assumes.

She’s initially placed onto the starship by the Vulcan High Council as a kind of observer. After her tenure impresses Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula), she’s given the title of Commander and is cleared for having to take standard Starfleet training – bypassing the usual process for an officer of her rank and status.

Sonequa Martin-Green as Michael Burnham on Star Trek: Discovery | Photo: CBS All Access

Michael Burnham – Sonequa Martin-Green

As of this writing, little is known about Michael Burnham – played by Sonequa Martin-Green of The Walking Dead fame, other than she’s a human and will be the first officer, serving aboard the U.S.S. Shenzhou.

A few additional facts known about this first officer: Deliberately given a male name and she has a close relationship with Spock’s father, Sarek. As for the First Officer connection, this is why Discovery was written with more of a focus on the second in command, not having the usual preoccupation with the ship’s Captain, “to see a character from a different perspective on the starship—one who has different dynamic relationships with a captain, with subordinates, it gave us richer context”.

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Will is an Emmy Award nominated screenwriter, book author and content producer. He's written for magazines, the web and for several highly respected TV shows, most notably for the Star Trek franchise. Will penned episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine , and he was one of the few freelancers to work on episodes for both landmark Hollywood series, born of visionary Gene Roddenberry. He's pitched to Star Trek: Voyager , Deep Space Nine & for USA Network's show, Stephen King's The Dead Zone . His articles & celebrity interviews appear in national magazines, websites, newspapers and he's written extensively for publications such as: Yahoo! News, McCall's Quilter's Home, American Chronicle, Bayonne Style, OMG, Shine, Hudson Reporter, The Last Reel & Sci-Fi Pulse. His new book, Star Trek Sex: Analyzing The Most Sexually Charged Episodes Of The Original Series , is published by Bearmanor Media. You can follow Will on Twitter @willstape and @LaughTrek .

Markus McLaughlin

July 10, 2017 at 4:15 pm

Zachary Quinto’s Spock wasn’t mentioned, but he too deserves to be on that list… 🙂

July 11, 2017 at 4:17 pm

He’s mentioned under Leonard Nimoy’s original portrayal.

July 11, 2017 at 12:56 pm

Seeing the new first officer listed alongside the other five really brought it home … at last – after a gap of 12 years – we’re finally getting some more Star Trek.

July 20, 2017 at 10:42 pm

It’s changeling Odo, not channeling.

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M’Benga was an expert on Vulcan physiology and stepped in to serve as acting chief medical officer when Dr. McCoy was away from the Enterprise.  The character appeared in two Original Series episodes (“A Private Little War” and “That Which Survives”), and while he had no first name identified on screen, he did get one in the Star Trek: Vanguard novel series (there called “Jabilo M’Benga.”)

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Starfleet Medical

From the mid-2150s onward, the department carried as its emblem a stylized version of the double-snaked medical caduceus symbol from ancient Greek mythology – a practice of the original Earth Starfleet carried over to unified Federation crews after the UFP founding in 2161. The symbol can be seen aboard the United Earth-era NX-class sickbay , prominently featured on the transparent access doors to sickbay ( ENT : " Broken Bow ", " Regeneration "), something repeated two centuries later with the Galaxy -class . ( TNG : " Remember Me ") Starfleet Medical also provided medical supplies for freighters of the Earth Cargo Service . ( ENT : " Fortunate Son ")

In the 2260s (when the emblem was replaced for a first time with a variant design), 2270s (when the original emblem was reintroduced) and the 2280s (which saw another briefly used design variant), the emblem was worn by starship medical personnel on their garments when on duty in sickbay. ( TOS : " Where No Man Has Gone Before "; Star Trek: The Motion Picture ; Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan )

• 1 Organization
• 2 Responsibilities
• 3 Regulations
• 5 Personnel
• 6.1.1 Symbol
• 6.2 External links

Organization [ ]

Starfleet Medical was a branch of Starfleet, though given some authorities over other sub-divisions in certain circumstances.

At least one medical frigate , the USS Hiawatha , was operated by Starfleet Medical in the 23rd century as indicated by the emblem on the primary hull and its ubiquitous presence in the holding bay. The ship was presumed lost in 2256 , during the Federation-Klingon War , but its wreckage was located by accident by USS Discovery , and some Hiawatha survivors were subsequently rescued. ( DIS : " Brother ")

USS Pasteur bridge ( anti-time 2395 )

In one alternate timeline as well, Starfleet Medical was known to operate at least one other hospital ship of its own as well, the USS Pasteur , as indicated by its emblems on the primary hull and their prominent presence on the bridge . It too was destroyed by the Klingons in 2395 . ( TNG : " All Good Things... ")

Starfleet Medical was known to have conducted " ESP " tests on Starfleet officers in order to ascertain such abilities within its officer corps. Two officers found with high scores had been Elizabeth Dehner and Gary Mitchell . ( TOS : " Where No Man Has Gone Before ")

Assistant Federation Commissioner Nancy Hedford blamed not having received the proper inoculations prior to her having contracted Sakuro's Disease , during her mission to Epsilon Canaris III in 2268 , on " the inefficiency of the medical branch of the Starfleet. " ( TOS : " Metamorphosis ")

In the 23rd century, an office existed known as the Starfleet Medical Surgeon General which held some command authority over Starfleet Medical, including the power to relieve starship medical officers for incompetence. ( TOS : " Turnabout Intruder "; DS9 : " The Quickening ")

Starfleet Medical was also the parent of the Starfleet Dental sub-division. ( DS9 : " Paradise Lost ")

Starfleet Medical exercised co-authority, with the captain , over starship sickbay personnel.

Starfleet Medical also owns and administers the Starfleet Medical Academy to which any Federation member can submit applicants.

In another alternate timeline , Starfleet Medical maintained at least one major Starfleet Medical Facility in the city of San Francisco , with one of its main buildings being called the " Starfleet Medical Center " in 2404 . ( VOY : " Endgame ")

Responsibilities [ ]

Starfleet Medical maintained many diagnostic and treatment wards, utilizing the most advanced technologies in the Federation. Long-term facilities were available to care for seriously ill patients. ( VOY : " Endgame ")

It was also responsible for all medical research activities in the Federation. Researchers were required to obtain approval from Starfleet Medical before proceeding with new treatments and medications . ( TNG : " Ethics ")

Starfleet Medical was also responsible for the regulation and training of the various counselors in Starfleet. ( DS9 : " Afterimage ")

It maintained a large database of medical information available to Starfleet personnel. ( TNG : " Realm Of Fear ", " Genesis ")

Regulations [ ]

As a subsidiary division of Starfleet, Starfleet Medical is subject to their General Orders and Regulations and several of those are specifically directed at the division, including,

• Regulation 121 (Section A): The chief medical officer has the power to relieve an officer or crewman of his or her duties (including one of superior rank) if, in the CMO's professional judgment, the individual is medically unfit, compromised by an alien intelligence ( TNG : " Lonely Among Us "), or otherwise exhibits behavior that indicates seriously impaired judgment. A Starfleet officer can face court martial for failing to submit to such a relief. ( VOY : " Year of Hell, Part II ")

A variant of the above regulation was seen in TOS : " The Doomsday Machine ".

In an alternate timeline generated by the Krenim , Captain Kathryn Janeway was relieved of her duties under this regulation by Voyager 's EMH, who had been observing reckless behavior on her part for weeks and attributed it to Traumatic Stress Syndrome . Janeway refused to surrender her duties, as she felt her efforts to bring her crew home were of more importance. Since security personnel had abandoned the ship, the EMH had no means of enforcing the regulation anyway. Janeway's actions later resulted in the erasure of this timeline, so the issue was nonexistent.

In 2375 aboard the Silver Blood Voyager , Neelix became, unofficially, chief medical officer after the loss of The Doctor. He threatened in a lighthearted manner to use his "authority" to relieve Janeway of her duties when she insisted on remaining in command although fatigued . ( VOY : " Course: Oblivion ")

• One of the standards established by Starfleet Medical stated that soldiers could not be posted on a single combat assignment for a period exceeding ninety days . ( DS9 : " The Siege of AR-558 ")
• Another stated that physician must be present when administering arithrazine . ( VOY : " The Omega Directive ")

A captain , when acting in accordance with the Omega Directive , could override this protocol.

Interior of Starfleet Medical in 2151

In 2151 , the Klingon courier Klaang was brought to Starfleet Medical after being shot with a plasma rifle while on Earth. There, he was treated by Doctor Phlox , who had been stationed at Starfleet Medical through the Interspecies Medical Exchange . Captain Archer subsequently asked Phlox to join his crew as the chief medical officer aboard Enterprise NX-01 . ( ENT : " Broken Bow ")

The interior of the Starfleet Medical facility shown in "Broken Bow" was a redress of the set later used to represent Enterprise 's armory (which was built for the episode but not used therein). ("Broken Bow" text commentary , ENT Season 1 DVD ) In its Starfleet Medical guise, the set also included the glass from the EMH's office from Star Trek: Voyager ("Broken Bow" text commentary, ENT Season 1 DVD) and a reused pair of Ten Forward doors from Star Trek: The Next Generation . [1] (X) Presumably owing to Phlox's presence in the medical ward, the text commentary for "Broken Bow" refers to the room as the "Interspecies Medical Exchange ward." Other than Phlox being in the room, however, no correlation between that area of Starfleet Medical and the IME is given in the installment's revised final draft script nor in the actual episode. [2]

In the 2260s of the alternate reality , information on this agency was located in the Federation database . ( Star Trek Beyond )

This agency was mentioned in a list of Starfleet agencies, which appeared to the left of the personnel file for Balthazar Edison . [3]

In 2365 , Dr. Beverly Crusher served at the headquarters of Starfleet Medical. ( TNG : " The Child ", " Evolution ")

Dr. Toby Russell had submitted a request to test the genetronic replicator on humanoids three times by 2368 . Each time, Starfleet Medical refused to allow use of the technology. ( TNG : " Ethics ")

In 2369 , Doctor Julian Bashir told a Bajoran woman he dated in the Replimat about his exam at Starfleet Medical. ( DS9 : " Q-Less ") Shortly thereafter, he told Major Kira Nerys that he learned, in his first year at the medical school, never to trust a tricorder . ( DS9 : " The Passenger ")

When Doctor Crusher was faced with a board of inquiry in 2369, she told Guinan she could already hear Admiral Brooks telling Crusher how she'd disgraced Starfleet Medical. ( TNG : " Suspicions ")

Odo visited Starfleet Medical in 2372 , where they performed medical tests on him to gain information that could be used against the Founders . It was during this examination that Odo was infected with a morphogenic virus by the covert intelligence group Section 31 . ( DS9 : " When It Rains... ")

In 2374 , Starfleet Medical hosted a conference on Casperia Prime . ( DS9 : " Inquisition ")

Species 8472 recreated Starfleet Medical as part of their Earth simulation in 2375 . ( VOY : " In the Flesh ")

Julian Bashir stated that he would protest to Starfleet about Benjamin Sisko 's transfer of Bio-mimetic gel to an unknown person. ( DS9 : " In the Pale Moonlight ")

Odo contracted the morphogenic virus in late 2375 , a disease that had already begun killing the Founders of the Dominion . Starfleet Medical was unwilling to assist Julian Bashir in his research for a cure and refused him access to Odo's medical file , believing Bashir was trying to help the enemy. When Benjamin Sisko requested the file, they sent a copy of Mora Pol 's medical file on Odo, taken decades previously, in an attempt to hinder Bashir's efforts. ( DS9 : " When It Rains... ")

In 2376 , Lieutenant Reginald Barclay inquired if Dr. Lewis Zimmerman had heard back from Starfleet Medical, though their doctors still hadn't been able to identify what ailment was threatening Dr. Zimmerman's life. ( VOY : " Life Line ")

According to the script for Star Trek Nemesis , Dr. Crusher was reassigned to the HQ of Starfleet Medical again at the end of the film.

In an alternate timeline , in which it took the USS Voyager twenty-three years to return to Earth, Tuvok was sent to live at the Starfleet Medical Facility in San Francisco, having succumbed to a mental condition while aboard in 2378 . He was treated for his affliction in the Starfleet Medical Center building. The holographic doctor of Voyager was working at the medical facility in 2404 and was helping Tuvok, as well as working on the project to develop chronexaline . ( VOY : " Endgame ")

Personnel [ ]

• Beverly Crusher
• List of unnamed personnel

Appendices [ ]

Background information [ ].

A plethora of Starfleet Medical related production assets, both props and insignia, was auctioned off after Star Trek prime temporarily ceased production in 2005, in auctions such as 40 Years of Star Trek: The Collection , It's A Wrap! sale and auction , and the various auctions of Profiles in History and Propworx . A far from exhaustive listing of these items, can be found in The Star Trek Auction Listings archive.

The very first medical caduceus symbol was seen in two episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series on the sickbay garments of Dr. Mark Piper and bedridden patients ( Gary Mitchell and Khan Noonien Singh ), and consisted of two snakes wrapped around an elongated Starfleet arrowhead surrounded by a wreath. ( TOS : " Where No Man Has Gone Before ", " Space Seed ")

The second, more stylized, medical caduceus symbol was designed by Lee Cole and Rick Sternbach , the graphic designers for Star Trek: The Motion Picture and was seen as badges on garments of medical personnel on duty in sickbay. For Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan , Cole came up with a more artful variant which was now worn as a pin instead as a badge, and was only featured in this production.

Cole's successor for the modern television franchise, Scenic Artist Mike Okuda, co-author ot the aforementioned Encyclopedia , adopted their original design, and the symbol was most frequently seen throughout the entire run of the modern television franchise on the new medkits , introduced during the first season of Star Trek: The Next Generation . (" The Arsenal of Freedom ") Okuda also retconned the symbol as signage throughout the sickbay of the Enterprise NX-01 in Star Trek: Enterprise , thereby canonically establishing that the symbol had been in use for over two centuries, being adopted for Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds as well. ( ENT : " Broken Bow ", " Dear Doctor "; ST : " Calypso "; DIS : " Brother "; SNW : " Ghosts of Illyria ", " All Those Who Wander ") Strictly speaking, the introduction of the Cole designed symbol in Strange New Worlds , meant that it, from an in-universe point of view, must have had been replaced by the original one as seen in the Original Series , shortly after James T. Kirk took over the captaincy of the USS Enterprise from Christopher Pike .

Yet, both Cole/Sternbach and Okuda, unwittingly perhaps, perpetuated the misconception, especially held in the United States, that the double serpent-entwined caduceus was the proper symbol for medicine and healing, which it was not. The proper symbol has traditionally been the Rod of Asclepius , a single serpent-entwined rod, lacking the wings, wielded by Asclepius , in Greek mythology the god of healing and medicine. The caduceus on the other hand, was the rod carried by Hermes , the god of travelers, commerce and thieves, and his rod has since then become the symbol of commerce. Hermes was concurrently the messenger of the gods, and was therefore often depicted with wings on his helmet and sandals, indicative of speedy delivery, hence the wings on his rod.

The proper symbol was on at least three occasions featured in a Star Trek production; On Doctor Leonard McCoy 's SS uniform as a left sleeve patch in the Star Trek: The Original Series second season episode " Patterns of Force ", and as a slip-over lapel on the shoulder strap of the uniform of a Beta Hirogen SS medic in Star Trek: Voyager 's fourth season episode " The Killing Game, Part II ". In a somewhat artistic interpretation, the proper symbol was also seen as the symbol representing the advanced medical science technology of the Aquans in the Star Trek: The Animated Series episode " The Ambergris Element ".

For unclear reasons, the misconception originated in the United States when the caduceus was introduced shortly before the American Civil War as the symbol for the US Medical Corps. Surviving Civil War uniforms of the Union Medical Corps show the symbol embroided on a green band, worn as a chevron on both sleeves. ( Echoes of Glory: Arms and Equipment of the Union , Time-Life Books, 1991, pp. 158-159) Oddly enough though, during the war the official coat of arms of the corps was introduced featuring the proper Rod of Asclepius medical symbol, [4] but the use of the improper caduceus persisted unabated in the USA. Incidentally, the color green – since the Middle Ages traditionally associated with nature and life, [5] and thus by inference with medicine and to this day the color for pharmacy, first aid, and animal care in the western world – was adhered to in the first six Star Trek films as the color signifying medical divisions, shown in the fields of their personnel's insignia as well as being the color of their undershirts, before returning to the various shades of blue, the generic color signifying all sciences divisions , as already established in The Original Series .

1940s USAAF medical collar pin

The misconception was perpetuated for nearly a century in the US armed forces until the interbellum years, when the medical branches of the US Airforce [6] and the US Navy [7] started to carry the proper symbol on their coat of arms. And while the US Army Medical Department (as have US civilian medical institutions) has followed suit with its revived original Civil War-era coat of arms, the armed forces chose to continue the usage of the caduceus for their individual (regimental) badges and insignia, as could be seen on the uniform of USAAF nurse Garland in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season four episode " Little Green Men ". It was because of its continued use by the armed forces that the moniker "caduceus" has been augmented in parlance to " medical caduceus " to indicate its use as the latter.

Cole's original design, which has never gained formal real world recognition, has to some extent been adopted by other Hollywood productions, as at least one long running television show, the CBS Studios crime series NCIS , is known to have adopted the symbol on its featured ambulance as well. [8] In reality, the by far most utilized symbol on ambulances in the USA, is the blue (or on rarer occasions red – predominantly by government institutions – or green, as explained above) six-pointed Star of Life , featuring the proper Rod of Asclepius in its center.

External links [ ]

• Starfleet Medical at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• The Evolution of the Starfleet Medical Emblem  at Ex Astris Scientia
• 2 Daniels (Crewman)
• 3 Bell Riots

Star Trek: 10 Best Starfleet Medical Officers

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Dune: Prophecy: What Other Powers Do Bene Gesserit Sisters Possess?

6 best dark fantasy animated series (that are not anime), ranked, lord of the rings: characters who are stronger than gandalf.

Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek sees the benevolent Starfleet travel the stars in search of new life. These multi-year missions are led by a captain, like Kirk or Picard, and most are undertaken willingly. Others, such as the USS Voyager 's return from the Delta Quadrant, are conducted on a less voluntary basis.

RELATED: Star Trek: Best Alien Food and Drinks

No matter the motivation, one thing is constant in Star Trek 's universe: danger. The marked-for-death redshirt has become enough of a trope to inspire independent novels, and those who are lucky enough to survive are often in need of medical care. Luckily, Starfleet is home to brilliant doctors. Some are abrasive, some are romantic, but each is a master of their craft.

10 Phil Boyce

Doctor Phil Boyce (John Hoyt) makes only a fleeting appearance in the Star Trek mythos, in the unused pilot "The Cage". Nonetheless, Boyce does make an impression, although it may be at odds with his role as a doctor. Rather than relying on medicine to comfort a morose Captain Pike , Boyce instead offers the captain a martini.

There is method to Boyce's madness—he reasons that playing bartender will make Pike open up to him. Unfortunately, the failure of "The Cage" means that Boyce is a footnote in Star Trek history, although footage of the doctor is reused in The Original Series two-parter "The Menagerie", and the character appears in John Jackson Miller's The Enterprise War , a 2019 Star Trek: Discovery novel.

9 Beverly Crusher

While Doctor Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) is a prolific character, the chief medical officer of the Enterprise -D cannot be said to be one of the franchise's most compelling characters. This is less an issue with McFadden's performance as it is with the scripts, which prefer to treat Crusher as an expository device and occasional Picard love interest.

While there are some strong Crusher-centric episodes ("Remember Me", "The Host"), she carries the burden of starring in one of the franchise's worst: ghostly gothic romance "Sub Rosa". That Crusher is a competent doctor is hardly up for debate, but neither the writers of TNG nor its feature films seemed especially interested in developing her beyond that. Luckily, this was rectified somewhat in the third season of Star Trek: Picard .

8 Hugh Culber

While Star Trek: Discovery has certainly divided the franchise's fanbase in terms of continuity, tone, and writing quality, it cannot be denied that the show has made great strides in LGBT representation. This is exemplified in the romance between Doctor Hugh Culber (Wilson Cruz) and Paul Stamets (Anthony Rapp). Not even death (followed by a fungi-fueled resurrection ) can tarnish the relationship between the amiable doctor and uptight mushroom scientist.

RELATED: Star Trek: Discovery's Spore Drive, Explained

While Culber's role in Discovery has proven hugely meaningful to representation-hungry fans, the show's intrinsic focus on a single character, Michael Burnham, means that there has been little time to develop the character. This may be an issue with the series rather than the character, but it is Culber himself who suffers.

7 T'Ana

The irascible Doctor T'Ana (Gillian Vigman) is an appropriate chief medical officer for the ramshackle USS Cerritos . The Caitian is a far cry from the polite, conflict-free doctors of other shows in the Star Trek franchise; indeed, her speech is punctuated with expletives. Perhaps this is understandable, as working with the frequently inept Cerritos crew surely tries her patience.

Although an apparently competent doctor, T'Ana's bedside manner is enough to have any Starfleet officer wishing to go to warp in the other direction. However, despite her attitude problems, T'Ana has a softer side, enjoying holodeck assignations with Shaxs, the starship's chief of security.

6 Joseph M'Benga

Doctor Joseph M'Benga first appeared in The Original Series , played by actor Booker Bradshaw, and Roddenberry hoped to develop the character in a spin-off series set aboard a Starfleet hospital ship. While this series never saw production, M'Benga would return in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds , now played by actor Babs Olusanmokun.

The latest iteration of the character explores his past as part of Starfleet special forces and his role in the Federation–Klingon War. Despite his medical skills, M'Benga is unable to develop a cure for cygnokemia, a rare disease that affects his daughter, Rukiya. By the time of TOS , M'Benga has stepped down from the chief medical officer position but continues to serve aboard the Starship Enterprise .

5 Christine Chapel

The Spock-loving Christine Chapel (played by Majel Barrett and Jess Bush in The Original Series and Strange New Worlds , respectively) bears a striking resemblance to Number One from "The Cage". Roddenberry planned to make Barrett the star of his show; when producers derailed this plot, Roddenberry changed Barrett's hair and snuck her aboard the Enterprise as a nurse.

RELATED: Star Trek Characters Who Deserve Their Own Spin-Offs

Chapel serves as an assistant to both Doctor M'Benga and Doctor McCoy throughout her time aboard the ship, and is a certified doctor by the time of Star Trek: The Motion Picture . Nor are Chapel's talents limited to the field of medicine—she takes command of the Enterprise during "The Lorelei Signal", an episode of The Animated Series that sees the starship's male crew members hypnotized by a race of space sirens.

4 Julian Bashir

Actor Alexander Siddig initially plays Doctor Julian Bashir as an overeager nerd who attempts to woo Deep Space Nine's glamorous science officer, Jadzia Dax. While Bashir's flirting is unsuccessful, he does form a touching bond with The Next Generation 's Miles O'Brien in one of the franchise's most well-realized friendships.

Over the course of Deep Space Nine , Bashir develops from a lovestruck young man into a world-weary secret agent, often working for Starfleet's nefarious Section 31. This shift is facilitated, in part, by his relationship with Elim Garak, a former member of Cardassia's Obsidian Order , but is enhanced by Bashir's unique physique—as a child, the doctor was genetically modified.

3 Katherine Pulaski

Although actress Diana Muldaur appeared in two episodes of The Original Series , she is best known to Star Trek fans for playing Doctor Pulaski in the second year of The Next Generation . Pulaski joins the Enterprise -D to fill in for an absent Beverly Crusher, and she brings a welcome sense of sass to the all-too-perfect Starfleet crew.

Pulaski's brusque nature is particularly evident when dealing with Brent Spiner's Data , and some fans consider her treatment of him to be prejudiced. However, Pulaski is allowed to develop over the course of her year aboard the Enterprise (a rarity on TNG ) and soon learns to value the android as a friend.

2 The Doctor

Starship medical officers come in all shapes, sizes, and attitudes, but only one can claim the distinction of being non-organic. Voyager 's Emergency Medical Hologram (Robert Picardo) is intended to supplement a human doctor. However, when the starship is stranded far from home, the EMH, now calling himself the Doctor, must take on full-time healing duties.

RELATED: Star Trek: Is Voyager More Advanced Than The Enterprise?

Voyager 's seven-year journey home to the Alpha Quadrant sees the Doctor search for a name, learn to sing opera, start a family, and live for several centuries on another planet. Nor does the hologram have an easy job: from turning into lizards to the Vidiian Phage , Voyager 's crew are always finding strange new ways to require medical help.

1 Leonard "Bones" McCoy

Doctor Leonard McCoy (DeForest Kelley) is a key ingredient in the Kirk–Spock–McCoy trifecta that makes The Original Series so enduringly popular. Many of McCoy's catchphrases have entered the popular lexicon, and his playfully antagonistic relationship with the green-blooded Spock elevates both characters into cultural icons. McCoy may not be the hero, but he is the spice that makes the series work.

Yet there is also a quiet nobility to Doctor McCoy, exemplified in the hidden gem "The Empath". When aliens experiment on Kirk, Spock, and McCoy, the doctor knocks his two friends out so that he undergoes a life-threatening procedure in their place. Leonard McCoy is not only an excellent Starfleet doctor—he is also an excellent friend.

MORE: Best Non-Trek Shows For Star Trek Fans

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Why doctors are usually the best characters in any Star Trek series

H alf the fun of being a Star Trek fan is choosing a series and a character from it that you’ll obsess over for decades to come. The shows don’t make it easy, though, what with their massive casts of memorable Starfleet officers, rebels, alien tailors, and more. That being said, it does sometimes feel like the shows want you to pick the doctor as your favorite character, considering that…

Star Trek Doctors Are Often Outsiders

The Outsider is a time-tested way of getting people immersed in your fictional world. Because everything is new to them, their eyes become our eyes, and with enough time, we start to see more of ourselves in their experiences, foibles, and idiosyncrasies. On Deep Space Nine, you have Alexander Siddig’s Dr. Bashir, a freshly-minted Lieutenant who chooses a remote station for his assignment to practice “frontier medicine.” He’s driven by pure romanticism that has little to do with reality, very apt for a series aiming to introduce fans to a new, darker side of Star Trek.

Many shows tweak the Outsider aspect of their doctors to fit the series’ theme like with John Billingsley’s Phlox, the first Denobulan in Trek history serving aboard Earth’s first ship capable of Warp 5 on Star Trek: Enterprise . The series celebrated the joys and thrills of truly new frontiers and, accordingly, made Phlox a jovial character who loved novel experiences, from Earth food to Vulcan rituals.

The Sickbay Tends to be the Centerstage for ST’s Most Gut-Wrenching Episodes

While the bridge crew in any given Star Trek series often deals with individual characters, the stakes in their adventures are usually more… collective, with the fate of a city, an entire race, or even a whole planet being on the line. Doctors, though, tend to deal with solitary patients, which lowers the stakes but ups the emotional payload, leading to some of the most memorable moments in Trek history. Even though it aired in 1992, many fans vividly remember The Next Generation episode “Ethics” where Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) deals with Worf wanting to commit ritual suicide after an accident leaves him paralyzed.

Similarly, the allegory of WW2 human experimentation in the Star Trek: Voyager episode “Nothing Human” marked one of the defining moments for Robert Picardo ’s Emergency Medical Hologram as he tried to cure a crew member with the aid of a hologram of a Cardassian mad scientist. Sometimes, the smaller the cast, the bigger the impact of the story, and doctors provide the perfect opportunity for those kinds of plots.

Writers Keep Giving Star Trek Doctors the Most Fascinating Backgrounds

It’s possible for a character to be an Outsider but still have something else going on for them. Characters can be more than one thing (for more information, see Trill symbionts.) And for whatever reason, characters with the most surprising depth in Star Trek tend to be the doctors. Julian from DS9 could have been just a wide-eyed genius novice who had to take a few licks and learn how the real world works. Instead, we eventually discover that he was born physically and mentally stunted and only became who he is today through illegal genetic engineering, a secret that has eaten away at him every day of his life.

Or how about the soft-spoken Dr. M’Benga (Babs Olusanmokun) from Strange New Worlds ? He used to be a special-ops agent nicknamed “The Ghost” who still holds the record for most confirmed hand-to-hand kills in Starfleet history, many of which performed on an experimental combat drug. These stories work so well because the world of Star Trek is meant to be utopian, and it’s a bit of a trip to discover the ugliness underneath the surface through the eyes of the franchise’s HEALERS. Let’s hope Star Trek never stops doing that.

This article was originally published on redshirtsalwaysdie.com as Why doctors are usually the best characters in any Star Trek series .

What Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's Dr. Julian Bashir Actor Looks Like Today

With the number of injuries, deaths, and exotic alien conditions every major "Star Trek" ship and station inevitably has to deal with, the resident doctor is an instrumental part of any given series in the franchise. From DeForest Kelley's classic "Star Trek" doctor Leonard "Bones" McCoy to  Doctor Phlox (John Billingsley) of "Star Trek: Enterprise"  and his animal-themed treatment methods, the sick bay is invariably the place to go if you want to meet one of the wildest characters aboard a Starfleet station or vessel. 

"Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" delivers with Dr. Julian Bashir, a genetically modified, super-smart human who has the potential to do essentially anything he desires — yet specifically wants the position of the titular space station's chief medical officer because his enhanced intellect means he's clever enough to know where the really interesting stuff happens. 

As "Deep Space Nine" fans know, Dr. Bashir is played by Alexander Siddig, who remained with the show throughout its seven-season run. Since the series ended in 1999, it seems fair to assume that Siddig now looks quite different from those days. Let's find out what the actor looks like now, and whether there are any other notable shows or movies where "Star Trek" fans can find out more about the actor's career after "Deep Space Nine" ended. 

Alexander Siddig has had a successful and diverse career

Alexander Siddig is still quite recognizable as the man who played Bashir, save for the neat grey beard he tends to rock these days. Fans have also had plenty of chances to see him during the post-"Deep Stage Nine" phase of his career, since he's kept pretty busy after leaving the show in 1999. Immediately after DS9, Siddig transitioned to movies and appeared in a series of major big-screen projects, like the survival thriller "Vertical Limit," the dragon fantasy film "Reign of Fire," Ridley Scott's historical epic "Kingdom of Heaven," and Stephen Gaghan's drama thriller "Syriana." He's also appeared in films like "Clash of the Titans" and "The Fifth Estate." 

However, it's the small screen where Siddig has truly managed to shine. He portrayed Hamri Al-Assad in "24" Season 6, Dornish lord Doran Martell on "Game of Thrones," and Polly Gray's (Helen McCrory) romantic interest Ruben Oliver on "Peaky Blinders." He was part of the all-star cast of Fox's "Deep State" as Issouf Al Moktar and portrayed major villain Ra's al Ghul on "Gotham."  This, of course, is just a small glimpse of Siddig's extensive résumé — but even so, he hasn't forgotten that he's an instrumental part of the untold truth of "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine."  In fact, the actor has returned to voice Bashir in more than one "Star Trek" video game and continues to appreciate the sci-fi genre at large.

"I am drawn to the genre," Siddig told TrekMovie.com in 2020. "I'm sort of indebted to 'Star Trek,' and it's shaped me, although I started by doing historical dramas, but that seven years on 'Deep Space Nine' just turned me into a different person with a taste range that veers towards that stuff."

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Published Jul 30, 2024

Star Trek Has Always Loved Doctor Who — Here's the Proof

Starfleet and the Time Lords exist in different universes. But in our universe, Star Trek's nods to Doctor Who are very real.

StarTrek.com

During San Diego Comic-Con 2024, the showrunner of Doctor Who , Russell T Davies sat down with Star Trek 's overall executive producer Alex Kurtzman in celebration of Intergalactic Friendship Day .

It was an unprecedented moment, in which the Trek and Who franchises publicly acknowledged that their two fandoms crossover, and that in some ways, at least philosophically, these two worlds crossover.

But what if we told you this wasn't the first time Star Trek had given Doctor Who a public high-five?

The truth is, while Doctor Who has been dropping several Trek references since its revival in 2005, there are several examples of the Star Trek franchise overtly — or covertly — referencing the timey-wimey adventures of the TARDIS. Here's a brief guide to Star Trek 's references to Doctor Who , throughout all time and space.

Sonic Drivers and Reversing the Polarity

"Cupid's Errant Arrow"

Fans of Doctor Who know that the titular Time Lord uses a multitool called a "sonic screwdriver." More than just a repair tool, the sonic acts as a kind of scanner, a transmitter, and sometimes as a defensive weapon. But this spacey tool seemingly exists in various forms in Star Trek , too. In Star Trek: The Next Generation 's " The Naked Now ," frustrated with a locked door, Riker asks "Where's that sonic driver?"

In Star Trek: Lower Decks ' " Cupid's Errant Arrow ," Lt. Barbara Brinson said “I managed to reverse the polarity and reboot the time stream.” Starting with the 1972 Doctor Who serial, the Third Doctor (Jon Pertwee) suggested "reversing the polarity of the neutron flow" to get out of a sci-fi pickle.

The idea of "reversing" a polarity didn't originate with Doctor Who per se, but it was certainly popularized by that series, a fact which various Star Trek incarnations have referenced many times. The Lower Decks shout-out is perhaps the most obvious because Barb also mentions rebooting the time stream, something that seems to happen often on Doctor Who . That said, Chief O'Brien, Geordi La Forge, and B'Elanna Torres had to reverse the polarity all the time.

The Other TARDIS?

"Future Tense"

In the Star Trek: Enterprise episode " Future Tense ," the crew of the NX-01 encounters a small-ish pod that seems to be from the far future. While initially seeming very small, Reed, Archer, T'Pol and Trip soon learn this pod is much bigger on the inside than the outside. The crew discovers this ship operates using a "temporal displacement drive," which allows its dimensions to be much larger inside than out.

Enterprise writer and producer Mike Sussman has noted that the idea of this timeship was directly inspired by Doctor Who 's TARDIS, and at one point, he'd even suggested that the ship could briefly be seen "morphing into a police call box," which was "nixed" by higher-ups at the time. That said, on some level, this idea still exists within the episode, which means we can't completely rule out that in some way, shape, or form, the timeship from Enterprise wasn't a TARDIS. Nobody is saying it is a TARDIS. But nobody's saying it isn't.

Just…The Doctor

"Message in a Bottle"

In the reality of Doctor Who , the Time Lord who stars in all the adventures, isn't actually named "Doctor Who," at least, we don't think so. Instead, they are called "The Doctor," a kind of fancy honorific that is also a proper name.

While this would be somewhat silly in real life, Star Trek fans are accustomed to this sort of thing. The omnipotent space deities all refer to themselves as "Q," despite all being different beings. The holographic Emergency Medical Hologram on Star Trek: Voyager decided to refer to himself as just "The Doctor," which makes him very much like The Doctor of Doctor Who .

Versions of the Doctor also crop up, in the 1985 Star Trek novel Ishmael , by Barbara Hambly, in which Kirk even seems to have knowledge of time travelers from the "Kasterborous galaxy," a clear reference to the home of the Time Lords, and the Doctor in Doctor Who .

STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION / DOCTOR WHO - ASSIMILATION² #6

IDW Publishing

So, did Kirk and Spock ever meet a Time Lord? Well, in the 2012-2013 comic book crossover Assimilation², Kirk and Spock did meet the Fourth Doctor in a flashback, while the rest of the crossover concerned a team-up between the Eleventh Doctor, Amy Pond, Rory Williams, and the entire crew of the Enterprise -D.

Written by Scott Tipton, David Tipton, and Tony Lee, this crossover also made it clear that Guinan was aware of The Doctor, and that through her unique perception of time and space, was also aware when the timeline had been altered. This suggests that the Doctor's ability to perceive time and space is very similar to Guinan's, which could make the long-lived El-Aurians a kind of version of the Time Lords for the Final Frontier.

Then again, there's also another group of time travelers in Star Trek that might want to steal that crown.

Timey-Wimey Traveler

"Assignment: Earth"

Starting with The Next Generation 's " Where No One Has Gone Before ," the Enterprise -D crew met "The Traveler," a character who could influence time and space through the power of thought.

Much later, we learned, in Star Trek: Picard Season 2, that the Travelers were a group of beings who exist outside of spacetime and try to oversee the proper flow of time, among other multiverse-maintenance tasks. Retroactively, this has meant that the very Doctor-ish Gary Seven — from The Original Series ' "Assignment: Earth" — has now been established as someone who worked as a "Supervisor" for the Travelers.

In the recently-aired Star Trek: Prodigy Season 2, Wesley Crusher emerges as a kind of rogue Traveler, defying his instructions from the other Travelers to not interfere with the collapsing timeline of the Prime Universe. Throughout its second season, Wesley behaves very much like various versions of The Doctor from Doctor Who , starting with the fact that just like the Doctor defied the Time Lords in order to help people, Wesley ignores the instructions from the Travelers to leave well enough alone.

"The Devourer of All Things, Part I"

With a heroically long coat and a mind that is way ahead of his rapid-fire speech, Wesley’s latest incarnation is a clear homage to various Doctors, from Tom Baker to David Tennant to Matt Smith, to Peter Capaldi and Jodie Whittaker. In our timeline, Wil Wheaton is a huge fan of both Star Trek and Doctor Who , making this crossover somewhat perfect for him in particular.

But beyond that, the writing team of Prodigy very obviously wanted Who fans to be seen. Not only does Wesley act like a Star Trek version of The Doctor, Dal mentions that the paradoxes of the Protostar 's journey is a "timey-wimey," a phrase coined by the Tenth Doctor from the 2007 Doctor Who episode "Blink."

So, what was once somewhat sly, is now clear. Star Trek has its own almost Time Lord in the form of Wesley Crusher, Starfleet heroes like Dal R'El know about timey-wimey problems, and in both universes, most outer space problems that can't be solved by reversing the polarity are probably way too big for one episode.

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Ryan Britt is the author of the nonfiction books Phasers on Stun! How the Making and Remaking of Star Trek Changed the World (2022), The Spice Must Flow: The Journey of Dune from Cult Novels to Visionary Sci-Fi Movies (2023), and the essay collection Luke Skywalker Can’t Read (2015). He is a longtime contributor to Star Trek.com and his writing regularly appears with Inverse, Den of Geek!, Esquire and elsewhere. He lives in Portland, Maine with his family.

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5 ways patti yasutake's nurse ogawa was so important to star trek: tng.

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10 Background Characters Star Trek Fans Love

10 star trek characters fans see themselves in, all 8 star trek: tng episodes directed by women (including gates mcfadden).

• The late Patti Yasutake played Nurse Ogawa, a competent and skilled medical officer on Star Trek: The Next Generation.
• Ogawa was relatable and served as a loyal friend to Dr. Beverly Crusher, offering support and friendship.
• Ogawa's character helped pave the way for Asian women in Star Trek, showcasing representation and positive role modeling.

Nurse Alyssa Ogawa (Patti Yasutake) was one of Star Trek: The Next Generation 's best recurring characters. Following the adventures of Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and the USS Enterprise-D, TNG featured numerous secondary and recurring characters beyond the main cast. While some, like John de Lancie's Q, were larger than life and impossible to forget, others nicely rounded out the Enterprise crew. Introduced in an alternate future in Star Trek: The Next Generation season 4, episode 8, "Future Imperfect," Patti Yasutake's Nurse Ogawa appeared in 16 episodes of TNG and two feature films.

As one of the head nurses in Sickbay assisting Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) , Ogawa aided in some of the USS Enterprise-D's most significant medical missions. While Alyssa may not have spent much time on dangerous away missions, Ogawa offered a glimpse into life as a lower-level crew member on the Enterprise. Ogawa's friendships with Dr. Crusher and her fellow lower deckers made her one of Star Trek: The Next Generation' s most relatable characters. Tragically, actress Patti Yasutake passed away from cancer at the age of 70 on August 5, 2024. Here are 5 reasons why Nurse Ogawa will always be remembered as one of TNG's best recurring characters.

Star Trek fans have a soft spot for some of the unsung featured background players and lesser-known characters in Star Trek shows.

5 Nurse Ogawa Was A Competent & Skilled Medical Officer

Ogawa was intelligent and very good at her job..

After her introduction in Star Trek: The Next Generation season 4, Nurse Ogawa proved herself as one of Dr. Crusher's most accomplished medical assistants. She helped Dr. Crusher stop the alien parasites that were causing a metamorphosis in Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton) in TNG's "Identity Crisis." She also aided in the first Federation transfer of a Trill symbiont in TNG 's "The Host."

Nurse Ogawa helped Dr. Crusher use the experimental genetronic replicator on Lt. Worf (Michael Dorn) after he was paralyzed in "Ethics." She also assisted in important autopsies and helped treat various Enterprise crew members, including Captain Picard. Even beyond the 16 Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes Ogawa appeared in, she was mentioned several times throughout the series, and Ogawa climbed quickly through the ranks.

When she was first introduced, Nurse Ogawa was an Ensign, but she became a Lieutenant by Star Trek: First Contact.

4 Nurse Ogawa Was One Of Star Trek: TNG's Most Relatable Characters

Ogawa's presence on the enterprise helped the ship feel more lived in..

Nurse Ogawa often spoke about her dating life with Dr. Crusher, offering a glimpse into the social lives of the Enterprise-D's crew members. Ogawa dated a couple of her Enterprise crew mates before she began seeing Lt. Andrew Powell, whom she later married. In Star Trek: The Next Generation season 7, episode 15, "Lower Decks," Ogawa joined her friends for games of poker, as they discussed their hopes for promotions.

In "Lower Decks," Dr. Crusher decides to recommend Ogawa for a promotion and shows the nurse an injured Cardassian in sickbay. Despite her friends' curiosity about the covert mission involving their friend Ensign Sito Jaxa (Shannon Fill) , Ogawa does not reveal any details. When Sito is killed in the line of duty, Ogawa mourns her loss and assures Lt. Sam Lavelle (Dan Gauthier) that Sito would be proud of his promotion.

Star Trek shows an idealistic future populated by diverse, complex, and imperfect characters that look and act just like its fans.

3 Nurse Ogawa Was A Loyal Friend To Dr. Beverly Crusher

Ogawa stuck by beverly when she needed a friend..

Not only was Nurse Ogawa close with several of her fellow ensigns and lieutenants, she was also a loyal friend to Dr. Beverly Crusher. Ogawa sometimes acted as a sounding board for Dr. Crusher, helping her navigate difficult decisions, and she proved herself to be a particularly loyal friend. In Star Trek: The Next Generation season 6, episode 22, "Suspicions," Dr. Crusher becomes convinced that the death of the Ferengi scientist Dr. Reyga (Peter Slutsker) was murder rather than suicide.

Dr. Crusher performs an autopsy on Reyga despite direct orders not to do so, forcing Captain Picard to remove her from duty. At the risk of her own career, Nurse Ogawa helps Crusher access the autopsy reports and take another look at one of the bodies. Ogawa has clearly come to trust Beverly as both a doctor and a friend, and she helps her because, as she says, "[she] can see how important this is to [Crusher]."

2 Nurse Ogawa & Her Baby Saved The USS Enterprise-D Crew

Ogawa proved instrumental in saving the crew in tng's "genesis.".

While Nurse Ogawa undoubtedly helped save many lives aboard the USS Enterprise-D as a nurse, Alyssa unknowingly helped save the entire ship while she was pregnant. In Star Trek: The Next Generation season 7, episode 19, "Genesis," Captain Picard and Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner) return to the Enterprise to find the crew members have de-evolved. Dr. Crusher and Nurse Ogawa had tried to stop the process, but had been unable to before they were affected themselves.

Gate McFadden stepped into the director's chair for Star Trek: The Next Generation's "Genesis," and it remains her only directing credit.

After discovering the perfectly healthy kittens of his cat, Spot, Data determines that the antibodies in amniotic fluid could reverses the de-evolution process. The pregnant Ogawa has partially transformed into an ape, but she still proves instrumental in saving the Enterprise. Thanks to Ogawa and her unborn child, Data successfully creates a retrovirus and restores everyone to normal.

In 178 episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation, only 8 hours were directed by women.

1 Nurse Ogawa Helped Pave The Way For Asian Women In Star Trek

Ogawa served as a positive role model for young women..

With its optimistic depiction of the future, Star Trek has always celebrated representation on screen. Like Nichelle Nichols Lt. Uhura before her, Nurse Ogawa helped pave the way for women not only in Star Trek , but also in science fiction in general. As a skilled nurse and a great friend, Ogawa served as a positive representative for Asian women, but her story was not centered on her identity as an Asian.

Following in the footsteps of characters like Nurse Ogawa and Keiko O'Brien (Rosalind Chao), Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh stars as Emperor Philippa Georgiou in the upcoming Star Trek: Section 31.

Compassionate and caring, Ogawa smiled often, and never hesitated to jump in when someone needed help. Despite only appearing as a relatively minor recurring character, she felt like a whole person with a story outside of what was shown. Throughout her journey on Star Trek: The Next Generation, Patti Yasutake imbued Nurse Alyssa Ogawa with humanity and heart, and she will always be remembered as an important member of the Star Trek family.

Star Trek: The Next Generation

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