One Bad Mother? In Defense of Star Trek’s Lwaxana Troi
When Lwaxana Troi first appeared on Star Trek, played by Majel Barrett, fans called her unwatchable, despicable, the worst character on the show, called for her to be killed off. But they don’t know what they’re talking about. Not only does is Lwaxana one of Star Trek’s best characters, she’s especially meaningful to some fans in a way that others simply can’t see. So what makes Lwaxana so special, and why do so many viewers miss what’s right in front of them?
Thanks to Trevor at Media Processing for editing help on this video! @mediaprocessingchannel
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@bookie5667
June 3, 2026 at 11:37 am
I don't understand why people dislike Majel. Her TNG episodes are some of my favourites. The episodes that make me switch off ASAP are the ones where Brent Spiner plays multiple roles. Inspite of what Brent's castmates say, IMO he's a terrible actor. However, an emotionless android is about all he's good at in TNG
@lume2113
June 3, 2026 at 11:37 am
Naaa The real space milf is Beverly Crusher.
@ElanaVital83
June 3, 2026 at 11:37 am
Why does everyone claim this character gets hate? I so LITERALLY NO ONE criticizing the character
@MomentOfXan
June 3, 2026 at 11:37 am
as a deeply closeted trans girl growing up, i LOVED her…interesting.
@mrfluffyhedgehog
June 3, 2026 at 11:37 am
Lwaxana Troi is one of the best written characters in TV period.
She starts out as a self absorbed annoying loud woman who seems to have no filter at all.
She ends up with Odo in a Turbolift, displaying an debth of charater and empathy that makes you cry.
Especially since she is so loud and onedimensional at first glance, showing her true character and meaningful comments when it counts is so impactful.
@GreerBennett-o7u
June 3, 2026 at 11:37 am
Love Majel!
@pieterwolt1245
June 3, 2026 at 11:37 am
love your work
@I_am_not_your_sister
June 3, 2026 at 11:37 am
Justice for lwaxana The queen of Space Daughter of the fifth house keeper of the sacred rings of reeks
@DanielShusterman
June 3, 2026 at 11:37 am
She's my favourite character
@DoreenWeed
June 3, 2026 at 11:37 am
Half a life was a great episode
@supremegodemperorpalpatine4872
June 3, 2026 at 11:37 am
Picard is Eskimo brothers with a candle ghost. LOL.
@SamiTheFrog
June 3, 2026 at 11:37 am
I mainly found her fun, both as a character, and how she and picard play off eachother
@mewimi
June 3, 2026 at 11:37 am
I do like that character lol.
@DrawnByLaserLove
June 3, 2026 at 11:37 am
I love Lwaxana Troi, she's basically a cartoon character, so funny and charming. Very exaggerated but not to the point of absurdity. I can understand why a lot of people dislike her, but it always made me happy whenever I saw her in an episode.
@SunyattaAmen
June 3, 2026 at 11:37 am
I don’t know how you showed up in my algorithm but as another childhood super Star Trek fan, unhappy to be here. And I love your teacup ☕️ 😉 🖖
@stevenclubb7718
June 3, 2026 at 11:37 am
I just saw a video calling her an awful person and he started with her reading people's minds without their consent and immediately sharing the information… which you have to admit is a pretty strong case.
Clearly she's meant to be comic relief and some Rodenberry nepotism so you shouldn't take her being an awful person seriously, but you definitely understand why everyone dreads her presence because she truly is an awful person that you'd have to suppress murderous thoughts around IRL.
@alexbeth5763
June 3, 2026 at 11:37 am
I’m five minutes in and I am feeling so seen in my gay Trek existenxe
@AaronNorra-e1u
June 3, 2026 at 11:37 am
That's where I seen you you used to do adult entertainment
@TheMsLourdes
June 3, 2026 at 11:37 am
Oh no I disagree with the intiial premise. Lwaxana is a gift, a joy, and a spirit animal to all women everywhere ! Ammmmmazing. Now you may continue with your defense for the masses that don't see her radiance.
@EF-fc4du
June 3, 2026 at 11:37 am
Absolutely the character I hated most in any thing with Star Trek attached to its name. And still do.
She fucking sucks.
@mikecuozzo9709
June 3, 2026 at 11:37 am
Eh. In half a life shes better but generally just obnoxious. I get her role as a foil. Maybe i just dislike such personalities
@defiy2921
June 3, 2026 at 11:37 am
Loved that woman, gorgeous. She's been on Star Trek sense Spock .
Star Trek is known for its lovely ladies ,and this actress always delivered
@tmmaston
June 3, 2026 at 11:37 am
12:09 That delegate is shook!
@Blakserenity
June 3, 2026 at 11:37 am
The new betazoids in Starfleet Academy act so stupid! They made them seem unintelligent and have to communicate using a translator even though this takes place hundreds of years afterwards. It makes no sense.
@DannyJane.
June 3, 2026 at 11:37 am
I love Lwaxanna. Her existence is entirely due to Majel's brilliance as an actor. Majel makes her to be always unabashedly her glorious overdressed self. She doesn't change or shift because someone is uncomfortable around her, though she may tone down if she sees she's harming that person. But that huge personality, too much even for Lwaxanna herself, is capable of boundless, unconditional love! She doesn't agree with her daughter's life choices, and as much as she may complain about it she also makes no effort force Deanna into anything else. Once she understands what's going on around her she can be counted upon for support or help. One of my own favorites is her episode with Alexander and Worf. She see a desperately unhappy boy and she opens him up to the marvelous world around him. Even his relationship with his father becomes somewhat smoother because of her influence. She must have been difficult to live with, but when people take the time to get to know her, they come to love her as much as she loves them!
@derekprospero
June 3, 2026 at 11:37 am
I really enjoy the depth of your research. I haven’t found many who are doing it. Great stuff. 👍🏻
@ronaldmalfoy
June 3, 2026 at 11:37 am
Crusher fucks a ghost, but can't date a woman? Sure, Jan
@CaseyPike-x7z
June 3, 2026 at 11:37 am
Yeah she's Gene's wife
@HikariTheGardevoir
June 3, 2026 at 11:37 am
I agree that Lwaxana at first made me a bit uncomfortable because her behaviour towards Picard at first was pretty close to harassment, but aside from that I absolutely loved her. I did think her episode with Alexander was so sweet and the progression of her relationship with Odo is one of my favourites. "I can swim 🤷♀" will never not be an absolute banger reply
@Godless_Doc
June 3, 2026 at 11:37 am
Excellent analysis. I’d say the Troi bashing has some elements of misogyny as well.
Subscribed.
@Jiminy-do-999
June 3, 2026 at 11:37 am
Yes yes yes my girl!
@Jiminy-do-999
June 3, 2026 at 11:37 am
Wow I'd never heard Nichelle Nichols had also been seeing Roddenberry in the early days!
@Jiminy-do-999
June 3, 2026 at 11:37 am
Yay I'm so glad you mentioned Lucille Ball's involvement going to bat and producing Star Trek back in the 1960s! The show could easily have been lost to history without her.
@Jiminy-do-999
June 3, 2026 at 11:37 am
Thank you my girl gets no respect!! She's the space milf we DESERVE.
@chrisnotyou
June 3, 2026 at 11:37 am
She was such a lovely woman. I will never forgive Gene for how he treated her.
@laikapupkino1767
June 3, 2026 at 11:37 am
While I found the Lwaxana Troi episodes entertaining enough, her lack of respect for anyone's boundaries, her pushiness + dismissing of anything her daughter said or wanted weren't cute at all. I think people who have dealt with someone like her in real life are especially triggered by this character. But she really didn't know any better and I didn't hate her, just saw her as a sad and lonely beneath all the forced joie de vivre, and also effectively comical in the ways the writers intended her to be. To me she was at her best with Odo in Deep Space Nine, actually letting down her own guard, being real and admitting her own fears and insecurities. The scene in the stalled turbolift was quite moving. DS9 hit all the right notes for more than any other Trek series.
@raphaelatienza
June 3, 2026 at 11:37 am
I loved it when she made Captain Picard squirm.
@mokster5
June 3, 2026 at 11:37 am
It's funny hearing about criticism for any other character because i was too blinded by hatred for Riker to remember much else. And now I don't even really remember why I hated him so much.
@jhamps4806
June 3, 2026 at 11:37 am
I always loved her, I didn’t know she needed defending her character was brilliant…!
@terrywinner8437
June 3, 2026 at 11:37 am
All agree nice analysis
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