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Majel Barrett-Roddenberry was disappointed in shows inspired by her husband's ideas
Gene Roddenberry's widow said some of his later shows were ''pretty bad.''
For the uninitiated, a recap: Majel Barrett played one of the most important roles aboard Star Trek's starship the USS Enterprise. In The Original Series, Barrett was Christine Chapel, head nurse of the Starfleet vessel. Chapel was Leonard McCoy's close collaborator and assisted with the doctor's work in the sick bay. Barrett reprised the role in the subsequent Star Trek: The Animated Series, as well as Star Trek: The Motion Picture and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.
In 1969, Barrett married Gene Roddenberry, creator and executive producer of Star Trek. After her husband's death, Majel Barrett-Roddenberry became the unofficial steward of the Star Trek franchise, contributing to every one of its many iterations.
Some fans overlook that Gene Roddenberry didn't just make Star Trek, forgetting about shows the creator produced outside of his most famous franchise. In 2002, a full decade after Gene's passing, Majel spoke with The Daily Oklahoman regarding her in-name-only position as executive producer of shows like Earth: Final Conflict and Andromeda.
"After the critics get a hold of it and after the guys who do the numbers get a hold of it and say, 'Well now, if we had a little more shoot 'em-up here and a little more action there, we would probably pick up a few thousand more people,' and consequently these shows get changed," she said.
"I certainly don't agree with that, but it is a habit, and I found it during the last five years. And it's something you either accept or you go out and tub-thump against. And I can't do that; I can't go against one of Gene's shows."
Majel Barrett-Roddenberry contended that Earth: Final Conflict was the biggest disappointment for her, saying the show was "pretty bad."
While Barrett-Roddenberry was quick to lay fault at the feet of the networks, she was also quick to compliment the tireless efforts of Star Trek fans in keeping her family legacy relevant into the 21st century. Specifically, she praised the fanbase for turning her husband's philosophy into something close to "modern mythology."
"I love the fans for how they feel about it and what they do with it. They have a vision that they felt Gene gave them that they believe in. And consequently, they are going to follow it to the very best of their ability as much as they can."
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