Michael Dorn played Worf in Star Trek: The Next Generation for seven seasons. Initially not set to be part of the main cast, Worf quickly became a series regular and a fan favorite. His lack of understanding of jokes as well as his strength against various alien species. In a show that had great supporting characters, Dorn stood out.
Show creator Gene Roddenberry was reportedly not too keen on adding a known alien species to the show but eventually relented with Worf. However, the showrunner reportedly gave a lot of freedom for the actor to create quirks, which defined one of the most important characteristics of Worf.
Michael Dorn was instrumental in crafting Worf’s important characteristics in Star Trek: TNG
While Leonard Nimoy’s Spock became the resident alien of the Enterprise crew in Star Trek: TOS, that spot was taken by Worf in TNG. The role was played by Michael Dorn in the show in all seven seasons and the four original films. Dorn also reprised the role in Deep Space Nine and returned with the rest of the crew in Star Trek: Picard.
It is surprising that a character who became such an incredible part of pop culture was not even intended by creator Gene Roddenberry to be included in the series. He was reportedly against putting a known alien species already established in TOS in the new spinoff but after a lot of back and forth, he finally relented.
Dorn was also given a lot of freedom to craft his own characteristics for Worf as Roddenberry encouraged actors to make the characters their own. This included Worf’s love for the Klingon culture and obsession with honor, as well as his stoic demeanor. Dorn told Trek Movie,
[Gene] was the guy for the first two years of the show and was very clear that he wanted me to make the character my own. And the great thing about writers and good writers and good directors is that once you give them something—like I gave them Worf’s stoicism and his anger and his nationalism and his egotistical nature—and they ran with it. And the writers are the ones that really created it and made him who he was.
Dorn mentioned that Gene Roddenberry would have been happy with how his character turned out as he had given a lot of freedom to the actor.
Michael Dorn had a unique view of how Star Trek changed after Gene Roddenberry’s death
While Gene Roddenberry developed the spinoff series Star Trek: TNG, he took a backseat as showrunner after the first season. He eventually passed away in 1991, with his initial vision being finally taken over by other stakeholders. Since Roddenberry’s passing, many have taken the reins on the franchise and may have strayed from his original vision.
As a result, spinoffs such as Deep Space Nine and Voyager took a darker approach. When asked what he felt about the franchise after Roddenberry’s passing and if it was still his vision, Michael Dorn said,
Gene’s vision is The Next Generation. That’s the vision. It was always hope. It was always on a ship going out in the out into space. And so I think [what came after] probably isn’t his vision, but the thing is that we had to have somebody take over. And I think their vision fits into Star Trek. And I always believe there’s room for all kinds of Star Trek.
Roddenberry always had a hopeful vision of the future, with more professionalism and diversity in the crew. While subsequent series have still retained some aspects of it, the franchise has also changed in more ways than one.
Star Trek: TNG is available to stream on Paramount+.
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