The Star Trek franchise is mourning the death of a significant contributor to its success. Recently, Voyager co-creator and prolific writer Jeri Taylor passed away at the age of 86. Taylor's fingerprints were all over The Next Generation era of the IP. Given Taylor's stint as showrunner for the Janeway-led show, it's no surprise Kate Mulgrew and some of her fellow co-stars paid tribute to her after her passing.
Upcoming Trek shows with female leads have Kate Mulgrew and Jeri Taylor to thank for taking that step way back when Voyager was created. While Mulgrew has been critical of her show for not exploring certain parts of Janeway's character, she seems to have great respect for Taylor. The actress took to X to share the following tribute:
Jeri Taylor was responsible, in large part, for changing my life. She was elegant, erudite, and fiercely opinionated. She wanted Kathryn Janeway to be a significant part of her legacy, and I think there is no doubt that in that endeavor, she succeeded. I owe her a debt of gratitude. May she rest in peace.
The late EP ultimately served as the showrunner of Star Trek: Voyager for four seasons and remained a creative consultant for the series after retiring from her post. She was a part of some of the series' most memorable episodes, and some of the WTF moments as well. Most notably, she has a writing credit for Season 3's "Coda," which I highly suggest anyone with a Paramount+ subscription check out a truly strange piece of science-fiction storytelling.
In addition to Kate Mulgrew's touching words, Robert Picardo added his own thoughts. The actor, who will return as the EMH/Doctor on the upcoming Starfleet Academy, paid respects to Jeri Taylor on X:
What a wonderful person to work with! Jeri Taylor was the beating heart of [Star Trek Voyager ‘s] groundbreaking #CaptainJaneway character. I will miss her. My condolences to her family.
Seeing as Taylor helped make the EMH one of the best characters in Star Trek, I can see why Robert Picardo is so grateful for her legacy. His character has some of the best episodes of the series, and I believe that's why the EMH has had so much staying power over the years. Without her contributions, I'm honestly not sure if that would still be the case today.
Roxann Dawson also had plenty to say about Jeri Taylor and wanted to highlight how she influenced her career. Known to fans for playing B'Elanna Torres, Dawson opened up on X about how vital the Star Trek: Voyager co-creator was in influencing her shift into directing:
RIP JERI TAYLOR. I am heartbroken to hear of the passing of Jeri Taylor. Not only was her contribution to Voyager remarkable, but she was unmistakably the female voice of Voyager. I know my journey, both on the show and beyond, is completely affected by her presence, her talent, and her vision. She was the first person I spoke to about wanting to direct. And with her support and guidance, my life was changed. I am deeply saddened by her passing but her infectious joyful outlook on life will continue to inspire me. My heart and prayers are with her family.
After directing two episodes of Voyager, Roxann Dawson remained a prominent director in the TV industry. She even returned to Star Trek via the series Enterprise, for which she directed ten episodes.
While Jeri Taylor's biggest contributions to Star Trek were through Voyager, it's worth noting that she also had a good deal of writing credits between The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine. Her name is just as synonymous with the franchise's success as someone like Brannon Braga, whom she ultimately handed the Voyager reins to after her retirement.
Whether by watching some of the old episodes she contributed to or even checking out one of the three Star Trek novels she penned in her lifetime, it's important that all fans acknowledge the life of Jeri Taylor in light of her passing. The franchise has lost a legend, and, if the kind words from the former Voyager cast don't make it clear, she will be missed dearly.
Star Trek: Voyager is available to stream on Paramount+. It's never a bad time to dive into the TNG spinoff, which I would say contains some of the best stories ever told within the franchise.
