Synopsis: Tasha kicks the bucket.
Memory Alpha Summary: Take some Metamucil first
Review: Poor Tasha begins the episode by discussing a ship wide MMA tournament she is planning. Not only would this have been awesome for Denise Crosby (who bemoaned the lack of action she had for a security officer), it would have been awesome for us viewers as well. I am guessing the inevitable Tasha vs. Worf championship showdown would have ended with Worf flat on his back (as usual) and Tasha winning despite displaying no apparent skill.
What we get instead is a black monster who is all things Cthulhu, only not scary. Tasha gets one of the most anticlimactic death scenes in the history of television. If we cared deeply for her, then such a death would be moving, and sincere. But we don’t, so it’s not. And then we find out she has a prepared holographic speech to give to all of her friends in case she died in the line of duty. If Tasha’s character had any depth, it would be heart wrenching. But she doesn’t, so it’s not. In her speech we find out about all the deep friendships she had with everyone on the crew despite the viewers never seeing any evidence of them to this point. She tells Data he looks at the world like a child does, which is essentially an epic smackdown of his sexual prowess. The most telling statement she has is for Worf, saying they are “so much alike.” Yup, that’s the first season for ya.
Death By Troggles 
I remember watching this one as a kid and thinking it was so badass. When I saw it on TV a couple years ago, I had to change the channel. That death really is bad.
Oh well, at least she wasn’t hit with a T-Shirt launched out of a cannon, or anything like that.
Yeah, that’s the lamest super-bad guy they could have come up with.
Growing up, I only ever watched reruns, never original airings, which meant I watched things way out of order. Generally speaking, I hated Tasha Yar. But sometimes in the later seasons the Enterprise crew would talk about her like she was some great person, and like her death was some great noble thing. When I finally saw this episode I couldn’t believe that was how she bit it. And actually, I was kind of glad it was so meaningless. That meant I was right about her, and the crew was wrong.
I didn’t start watching regularly until season three, so I had a similar reaction to you when I finally saw the first season. To me it feels no different than a redshirt biting it on an away mission, and redshirts don’t deserve funerals and six seasons of bemoaning their loss.
Not to mention the numerous guest starring opportunities!
Well, she didn’t deserve them, but at least they were episodes of higher quality.
btw, Tasha telling Worf that they were so much alike only shows that she wasn’t watching season one as well.
I always remember the setting they showed her ‘last letter’. It reminded me of an old Windows wallpaper
Yes! The default for 98 I think.
Welcome!
Thank you