When Star Trek: The Next Generation began airing in 1987, it took some time for the show to find its footing, both in terms of establishing its own identity from the monumental original series that paved the way and building up its central cast of characters that made up the crew of the new USS Enterprise-D.
One of the crew members who was still settling into her role before her untimely death was Lt. Natasha Yar, played by Denise Crosby. It was a rare circumstance at the time for Star Trek to permanently kill off one of its leading characters, so here’s what to know about why Crosby left after The Next Generation’s first season.
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