When David Carson’s “Star Trek: Generations” hit theaters in 1994, it seemed as if Dr. Crusher was ready to explore some of her own history. The final episode of “Next Generation”, called “All Good Things…”, aired just a few months earlier, and Dr. Crusher kissed Captain Picard. In a flash-forward, it was established that Dr. Crusher would marry Picard, divorce him, and become a starship captain. There was a lot to explore.
It just so happens that all four movies are about Picard and/or Data. The rest of the ensemble didn’t really have any great character moments, nor was there much talk about their personal pasts. Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton) might have gotten an eye enhancement from him, but he never had a moment where he talked about how he came to choose the procedure or how he felt about it. Crusher was… just a doctor. When asked about this by Variety, Gates McFadden was frustrated. She said:
“A lot of the character’s history, you didn’t even see it. […] Jean-Luc Picard could have this new love interest every time, and it was as if he and Crusher had nothing between them, or never had. That was a big part of the character that was just saved.”
McFadden knew that she was part of an ensemble and was happy to play her role in that sense, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t irritating to her as an actress. She said:
“Well, it’s no surprise to hear that. [the movies were] very disappointing. It’s always tricky when you’re the actor. You want your role to be as wonderful as possible. But you’re not stupid either and you’re very happy that the franchise is doing well.”
