When Star Trek: The Next Generation came to an end in 1994, fans weren't the only ones in denial that the beloved series was over. Though Star Trek: Generations started filming only three days after the series wrapped, everyone knew a movie wasn't going to be the same as the weekly opportunity to see these characters who'd become a part of our lives, whose journeys we'd followed for seven years. In Star Trek All Good Things: A Next Generation Companion, Marina Sirtis, who played Counselor Troi for the entirety of the show's run, admitted she had a hard time parting with the show. In fact, her denail even affected her career aftewards.
"I don't think Star Trek affected my career. I think I affected my career. After the show finished, instead of using the momentum of the show to get more work, which is what other people did, I was in denial about the show being over.""Marina Sirtis
It's not difficult to understand why Sirtis felt this way as many of us fans had a difficult time with the show coming to a conclusion. But for Sirtis, who had lived this character for so long, it was the ending of an era, so to speak, and she even turned down other roles for around a year afterwards. She wouldn't even go in to read for roles.
"I basically shot myself in the foot for about a year and turned down roles, wouldn't go in and read for certain things. I think I really missed an opportunity when the show finished."Marina Sirtis
Though missing an opportunity might certainly be the case, Sirtis remained a part of the Star Trek community and returned in Star Trek: Picard to reprise the character in a standout season that gave us what might very well be a fitting goodbye to Counselor Troi-Riker. No, we certainly don't want to see the end to any of these The Next Generation characters, but if we do have to, it's nice that they went out with a bang, still proving that they were capable of handling anything that came their way...much like the actors who portray them.