'Star Trek:' How Gene Roddenberry Reacted to Denise Crosby's 'TNG' Exit in Season 1 (Flashback)

etonline.com:

premiered in 1987, Denise Crosby helped Patrick Stewart and co. launch a new chapter of Gene Roddenberry's universe. But unlike Captain Picard and other OG characters, security chief Lieutenant Tasha Yar didn't survive s inaugural outing — let alone reunite with the Enterprise crew during Star Trek: Picard's final season.ET was on the set of «Skin of Evil» in 1988, as Crosby filmed Tasha's now-infamous death scene, following a sit-down between the actress and Roddenberry, who «came together agreeably» while discussing her exit from the series.«I am leaving the show.

I am taking off. I am hitting earth, sort to speak, to see what else is out there for me,» Crosby announced to ET while being interviewed on the Enterprise's hallway set. «It was a tough decision to make.»Speaking with ET in his office, Roddenberry shared, "[Crosby] said she wanted to be released and explained it.

She said, 'If it hurts you at all, I'll wait.'«He added, „After her being such an asset to the show, and such a pleasant person to have around, I just felt we couldn't stand in her way.“»There are nine of us and it's an incredibly large cast to write for," Crosby explained. «And I sympathize with the writers having to try to give us all meaty roles.

That just isn't the nature of the show. We don't have three or four storylines going at one time.»In «Skin of Evil,» Tasha, just as she did many times throughout the first season, was part of an away mission to Turkana IV, where a slime-based alien, Armus, kills her unceremoniously.