Kate Mulgrew's final days on the Star Trek: Voyager set were lonely and emotional

When you think about the end of a series, you think of the cast getting together when the last piece of work is done. There's a wrap party, and everyone leaves the set together to celebrate all the time they shared. That's not what happened during the final days of Star Trek: Voyager. InThe Center Seat: 55 Years of Star Trek by Peter Holmstrom [via Screenrant], Kate Mulgrew shared that she was alone on set for five days with not even the producers around.

Mulgrew was alone for five days filming close-ups and pickups in case they were needed for some of the completed episodes. She describes how she was there on set when the captain's chair was being dismantled and the consoles were ripped out behind her, and that it was an emotional time with no one there.

When she was done, she heard a voice saying, "“Well, that’s it, Kate. Thanks for a great seven years. And that’s a wrap.” And Mulgrew started crying.

"[At the end of the series] one by one people were released, and then it was just me. I was kept for five days of close-ups and pickups for the entire season - just in case. I swear to God, I sat in my Captain’s chair and I delivered every single line they gave me. I did standing. I did “engage,” and “Red Alert” and I did it sitting - for five days. And just as we were about to wrap, a crew guy came with this screwdriver and started to undo my chair. That chair is being dismantled, the console is being ripped from behind me, and I’m trying to do… And nobody’s there. Berman didn’t come, none of the producers came - I was all alone. Finally, I heard, in from the darkness, “Well, that’s it, Kate. Thanks for a great seven years. And that’s a wrap.” I stood there, I’m not kidding, I started crying, “Oh my God, is this it?!?” When I saw silhouetted in the briefing room door, Robert Picardo, the Doctor, “Come here, Captain, give me a hug. Let’s go have a drink.” And that’s why I say, the memory is – friendship."

- Kate Mulgrew

Fortunately, Mulgrew didn't have to leave the set alone as Robert Picardo, who played the EMH for seven seasons, was standing nearby and called out to her. He offered a hug and suggested they go for a drink. And that is Mulgrew's best memory of the end of the series.

It certainly seems like a cold, unemotional way to wrap up one of the greatest shows in the history of Star Trek. Voyager had its ups and downs, but, overall, it added a lot of impact to the franchise. With things ending on such a dismal note, it's almost surprising that Mulgrew agreed to reprise her role for Star Trek: Prodigy. This is definitely an instance of "do better." Hopefully, Star Trek shows that are currently on the air wrap on a higher note when their time has come.