Marina Sirtis played Deanna Troi for seven seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation, four films, and Star Trek: Picard. The counsellor of the USS Enterprise-D, Sirtis’ Troi, was a divisive character, with many fans not very impressed with the characterization and her performance. However, her on-screen romance with William Riker was the highlight.
Deanna Troi and William Riker were the Ross and Rachel of TNG, but funnily enough, there was also a ‘Rachel and Joey’ in the show, which was Troi and Michael Dorn’s Worf. Throughout the seventh season of TNG, the two shared a romantic relationship, but it was unpopular. Even Sirtis disapproved of the relationship and hated Worf’s behaviour during that time.
Marina Sirtis was annoyed at Star Trek: TNG’s exploration of Deanna Troi and Worf’s romance
While some TV couples just make sense from the get-go, some pairings may feel like a too far a swing to the left field, and very rarely do they make sense. F.R.I.E.N.D.S. had Ross and Rachel, the perfect on-and-off pairing, Chandler and Monica, the unlikely couple who somehow made it work, and then there was Rachel and Joey, who were just wrong.
The latter was Deanna Troi and Worf in Star Trek: The Next Generation. On paper, it feels like one of those wacky ideas that might just work if they make it work. However, the Troi-Worf romance eventually fizzled out because it was just not right. Troi was already perfect for Willian Riker, and fans could not see them with other members of the crew.
Marina Sirtis, who played Troi, was also disapproving of the pairing. She said that the way the relationship made Michael Dorn’s Worf into a more romantic man than his usual disciplined self was too far off from his character. She said in an interview (via YouTube),
I didn’t like the fact that he became totally un-Klingon-like when he was with Troi. He kinda became a p*ssy…I liked better the relationship he had with Dax in Deep Space Nine because they matched…it was just the dichotomy of having a beauty with a Klingon.
Sirtis has expressed her dissatisfaction with the storyline many times and said that she was very happy when Star Trek: Insurrection and Nemesis rekindled Troi and Riker’s relationship.
Unlike Marina Sirtis, Michael Dorn did not have strong feelings against Troi-Worf romance
Marina Sirtis and Michael Dorn’s on-screen romance may have been a mistake, but Sirtis and Jonathan Frakes both disregarded and disparaged it many times over the years to a huge extent. The duo has always been the ‘it couple’ on-screen to the point where they did not drop their romance arc even at the threat of the producers.
Michael Dorn, who played Worf, on the other hand, did not seem to mind the romance between Troi and Worf. The actor reportedly cited another episode when asked if there was anything he wished the show had not done. He addressed the reactions to the Troi and Worf romance as well, in an interview with Star Trek.com.
People may expect me to say the Worf-Troi romance, but I actually liked that. I felt that was a good thing because Troi was so not like Worf. That worked for me, but Marina didn’t, of course. She and Jonathan (Frakes) just go, ‘Oh, that was stupid. We hated that.’ There wasn’t anything, really, that I wish they hadn’t done.
Worf’s relationship with Jadzia Dax was much better anyway, and the two shared an intense yet tragic marriage in Deep Space Nine.
Star Trek: TNG is available to stream on Paramount+.
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