Summary
Ronald D. Moore’s firstStar Trekscript forStar Trek: The Next Generationhinted at the types of stories he would go on to write onStar Trek: Deep Space NineandBattlestar Galactica.Following the adventures of Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and the USS Enterprise-D,TNGisStar Trekat its most optimistic.Star Trekcreator Gene Roddenberry remained involved duringTNG’searly years,and he wanted to depict a utopian, conflict-free version of humanity’s future. Still,TNGoccasionally tackled tough issues, such as its exploration of death inStar Trek: The Next Generationseason 3, episode 5, “The Bonding,” the firstStar Trekepisode written by Ronald D. Moore.
A fan ofStar Trek: The Original Series,Ronald D. Moore got the chance to visit the set ofStar Trek: The Next Generationduring the show’s second season, and he handed a script he’d written to one of Gene Roddenberry’s assistants. While working onTNGseason 3,executive producer Michael Piller found Moore’s script, purchased it, and it became “The Bonding.“Moore was then selected to write another episode, “The Defector,” and he went on to joinTNG’swriting staff, writing or co-writing 27 episodes. Moore then joined the production staff ofStar Trek: Deep Space Nine,andStar Trek: Voyager,before eventually moving on to develop the2004 reboot ofBattlestar Galactica.
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How Ron Moore’s First Star Trek: TNG Episode Foreshadowed DS9 & Battlestar Galactica
“The Bonding” deals with themes of death, grief, and loss.
Ronald D. Moore’s firstStar Trek: The Next Generationepisode,“The Bonding”, centers on young Jeremy Aster (Gabriel Damon), whose mother Marla (Susan Powell) is killed while on an away mission. Having previously lost his father,the now-orphaned Jeremy struggles to come to terms with his mother’s death.As the leader of the ill-fated away mission and a fellow orphan, Lt. Worf (Michael Dorn) feels responsible for Jeremy and offers to perform a Klingon bonding ritual with the young boy. Jeremy’s struggle is further complicated when a non-corporeal alien takes the form of Marla, claiming to be Jeremy’s mother returned from the dead.
“The Bonding’s” alien plotline, added to appease Gene Roddenberry, feels somewhat disconnected from the story’s main theme as an exploration of death and grief. Still, there are some great character moments throughout “The Bonding,” from Worf’s anger and discussion about his own parents to Wesley Crusher’s (Wil Wheaton) memories of his father’s death.It’s these character moments that feel like foreshadowing for the character work Moore would do as a writeronStar Trek: Deep Space NineandBattlestar Galactica. Not only are both of these shows darker in tone thanTNG,but they also regularly explore death, grief, and loss.
Ronald D. Moore also developed Starz’sOutlanderand Apple TV+‘sFor All Mankind, and he currently serves as an executive producer on both series.
Ronald D. Moore Became Star Trek’s “Klingon Guy”
Moore helped shape the Klingon culture and politics of the TNG era.
ThroughoutStar Trek: The Next GenerationandStar Trek: Deep Space Nine,Ronald D. Moore penned some of the franchises’s most significant Klingon episodes. Moore’s first Klingon-centric episode,TNGseason 3, episode 17, “Sins of the Father,” not only dove into Worf’s past, but alsointroduced the Klingon home world of Qo’noS, the Klingon High Council, and the Klingon Chancellor.Moore also wrote the excellentTNGtwo-parter “Redemption,” which continued to explore Klingon politics. OnDS9,Moore wrote several more episodes that dealt with Klingon culture, including “You Are Cordially Invited…,” which saw Worf marry the love of his life, Jadzia Dax (Terry Farrell).
Ronald D. Moore’s contributions to the Star Trek franchise cannot be overstated.
Ron Moore’s obvious interest in Klingon culture and politics also foreshadows his eventual work onBattlestar Galactica. Centering on the surviving remnants of a devastated civilization,Battlestar Galacticais full of complex political and moral conflictsas the titular battleship leads the surviving fleet of fugitives in search of safety. Having written several of theTNGera’s most iconic films and episodes (includingTNG’sseries finale andStar Trek: First Contactwith co-writer Brannon Braga), Ronald D. Moore’s contributions to theStar Trekfranchise cannot be overstated. And it all began with a spec script written forStar Trek: The Next Generation.
Star Trek: The Next Generation & Star Trek: Deep Space Nine are available to stream on Paramount+.
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Cast
Star Trek: The Next Generation follows Captain Jean-Luc Picard and his crew aboard the USS Enterprise NCC-1701D as they embark on interstellar explorations, seeking out new worlds and civilizations.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, also known as DS9, is the fourth series in the long-running Sci-Fi franchise, Star Trek. DS9 was created by Rick Berman and Michael Piller, and stars Avery Brooks, René Auberjonois, Terry Farrell, and Cirroc Lofton. This particular series follows a group of individuals in a space station near a planet called Bajor.
Battlestar Galactica
Battlestar Galactica is a science fiction television series that premiered in 2004. The plot follows the crew of the aging Battlestar Galactica as they protect a small fleet of human survivors from the renewed threat of the Cylons, in a quest to find the mythical 13th colony, Earth.
