One Of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's Guiding Forces Hated Working On The Next Generation

Writer and producer Ira Steven Behr began his professional screen career writing for little-remembered shows of the 1980s. He penned an episode of the series "Jessica Novak," and an episode of the Western series "Bret Maverick," a short-lived continuation of the 1957 series "Maverick." In 1984, Behr hit his career stride with "Fame," a series for which he wrote 13 episodes, and produced 23. By 1989, Behr had accrued enough experience to attract the attention of the higher-ups at "Star Trek: The Next Generation," and he was brought on as a producer. During his tenure as a producer on "Next Generation," Behr also wrote two episodes.

Behr only stayed on "NextGen" for the show's third season, however. He received his last producing credit for the first part of "The Best of Both Worlds," which aired on June 18, 1990. He would only come back one additional time, to write the episode "QPid" in 1991. Behr left the show because — and he has been very explicit about this — he didn't like the structures put on the writing staff. He felt that there were too many rules and regulations. 

According to a 2011 interview with StarTrek.com, Behr became good friends with fellow "NextGen" producer Michael Piller, and it was Piller who felt that Behr was a good match for "Star Trek." Behr was eventually brought on to serve as a producer and then showrunner for "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine." Behr was responsible for several major story arcs on "Deep Space Nine," and really changed the direction of the series.

It was in that same interview that Behr noted how "NextGen" was a stiff, difficult workplace where he was being constantly micromanaged. He didn't like it there one bit.

It should be noted that Ira Steven Behr joined "NextGen" right when it was getting good. Trekkies generally agree that the show's first two seasons are a little hit-and-miss, and a restructuring behind the scenes in season three led to a massive jump in quality. Behr is fully aware of this perceived jump in quality, and knows that his involvement in such a popular series as "NextGen" is impressive, but also that it was not the least bit fun to actually do. In his words:

"I just felt that, at that time, even though I know the third season is kind of recognized as the season that TNG found its legs and that the franchise started to move forward again, being there was not a hell of a lot of fun. Even though we've now lived long enough that when I tell people I worked with Gene Roddenberry — I mean actually sat in his office and talked about stuff –- they look at me like, 'Wow! Wow!' Gene's been dead for two decades now. So, yeah, there's the wow factor, but there were just too many rules and regulations." 

Behr even had a fun metaphor to explain how tight-laced and dull "NextGen" was. Writers, as Trekkies might be able to tell you, had too many mandates from above. He added:

"I called TNG, perhaps unfairly, the Connecticut of 'Star Trek,' and I still kind of feel that way. Maybe if I'd come on in the fourth season or stayed through the fourth season, things would have gotten better, but creatively I just felt trapped." 

Behr, at least at the time, didn't seem cut out for such a hefty sci-fi franchise.

Behr wanted to stress that his co-workers weren't the problem. Indeed, he spoke of how much he liked working with fellow writers Ron D. Moore, Rene Echevarria, Hans Beimler, and Richard Manning. He also had no complaints about the quality of the series. But it wasn't a good match. It was just too strict. He said: 

"That's not to say I didn't have a great time with Ron and Rene and the gang, and Beimler and  Manning. There were a lot of great moments, and some of the shows were really well done. But I was not a happy camper for that year. And I never, ever, ever looked back and said, 'Wow, I should have stayed' or 'Wow, I wish I would have stayed.' I did it. It was good. I ran into Jonathan Frakes at a Coffee Bean about a month ago. It was fantastic to see him. We sat down, and we talked. Whenever I see anyone from the show. It's always a good feeling, but I had to go."

Behr said that Michael Piller was the one who kept pestering him to return to "Star Trek" after his exit from "NextGen." The pair, Behr said, attended baseball games together, and Piller kept mentioning that he and Rick Berman were working on a new "Star Trek" series, and that Behr would be a good match. Behr admitted that he was reluctant at first, but was eventually won over. Behr was brought on as a producer right in the first season of "Deep Space Nine," and the rest is history.