If there was one character on TNG that didn't need to be there - it was Troi.
She did next to nothing except sense stuff or get mind raped
She almost never went on away missions and they barely ever showed her counselling anyone.
Even in the films she was just sort of there in the background.
Nothing against Marina in any way but it's like they didn't really know what to do with her week after week.
If Troi was in her quarters - and she looked in the mirror - shit was about to happen.
She barely even had any character arc either.
I totally agree. I also thought it was really annoying that later in the series, she was promoted to Commander, and thus outranked both Data and LaForge. Most of the scenes where her and Riker are being romantic were pretty bad, IMO. I also never really found her all that attractive, despite the fact she was intended to be the series' "eye candy". I mean, she's pretty and all, but she just doesn't do anything for me.
Her mother was even more obnoxious, though. One of the worst episodes I can recall is "Menage a Troi". Riker and Troi go down onto Betazed for a romantic getaway, Lwaxana is there for some reason, and then they get kidnapped by the Ferengi. Ugh.
In another episode, towards Picard has to basically beg Lwaxana for her help and tell her how much he misses her and all that jazz. Gotta admit that that part is pretty funny.
It's kind of odd, although I love The Next Generation, but it has a lot of characters I don't care for too much. The Troi's, Chief O'Brien and his useless wife, Alexander (ugh), and K'Ehleyr. I suppose the ones that I really like (Picard, Data, LaForge) balance things out.
Also, it might be blasphemy to say, but I've never been a big fan of Riker or Worf. Riker acts like a dick for seemingly no reason sometimes, and Worf is just a little too one dimensional. Code and honor, yeah, we get it. However, I do enjoy most episodes where Worf interacts with other Klingon's (not K'Ehleyr or Alexander). Redemption ftw.
Something I've noticed about Riker that's kind of funny, he has a tendency to walk with his head leading the way, so when he's turning a corner, his head is the first thing that comes around.
Btw, I just read on Wiki that Roddenberry originally planned to give Troi four breasts (
), but Majel told him it was a bad idea. Ya think?
Oh, and I'd prefer to live on DS9.