Back in 1987, when Star Trek: The Next Generation debuted, one character represented a bold, new step for the franchise. As Tasha Yar, actress Denise Crosby set the tone for TNG, playing a female chief of security on the USS Enterprise. Inspired by the character of Vasquez from Aliens, Next Generation creator Gene Roddenberry, the early TNG writers, and Crosby herself, infused Tasha with strength, bravado, and a very brutal and tragic backstory. Now nearly four decades after the debut of TNG and the untimely demise of Tasha, Crosby thinks that it might be time to go back and tell the rest of the story.
Speaking to Inverse and New York Comic-Con 2026, Crosby, along with Nana Visitor, Brent Spiner, Robert Picardo, and William Shatner, reflected on the legacy and impact of Star Trek, specifically the formation of The Original Series, as chronicled in the new documentary, The Sixty-Year Mission: How Star Trek Changed Television and the World. And although she left The Next Generation after one season, Crosby has never been away from Trek for very long, including numerous guest spots on TNG. She also has experience with Trek documentaries, having hosted the 1999 documentary Trekkies.
