Star Trek: Who Is Reginald Barclay?

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Star Trek: Who Is Reginald Barclay?

Key Takeaways

  • Lt. Barclay was envisaged as a very different personality but became one of the Star Trek‘s most relatable characters.
  • Brought to life by Dwight Schultz, Barclay’s dozen appearances during The Next Generation era are more than comic relief.
  • The lieutenant’s journey across multiple series and a film remained true to the character and provided a satisfying arc.

As a die-hard Star Trek fan, I have followed Reg Barclay’s journey from the very beginning, and I must say, his character arc is nothing short of remarkable. From a shy, socially anxious officer struggling with his self-confidence to an integral member of the Voyager crew, Barclay has come a long way.

As a devoted gamer, I can’t help but reflect on what made “Star Trek: The Next Generation” truly shine – its meticulously balanced crew that set the stage for an unforgettable journey. However, it wasn’t just the captivating personalities of Picard, Data, and Riker that captivated us; they were backed by a stellar ensemble of secondary characters.

Originally recognized as Captain ‘Mad Dog’ Murdoch from The A-Team, Dwight Schultz portrayed the timid, error-prone yet brilliant engineer named Barclay in Star Trek. Despite making just 12 appearances during Star Trek: The Next Generation, he quickly became a beloved character among fans. Even when Star Trek: The Next Generation concluded, the popular demand for Barclay’s character was so strong that he continued to play a significant role in Star Trek: Voyager.

Barclay Was The Enterprise’s Most Relatable Crew Member

Reginald Endicott Barclay III, an eccentric character, made his debut in the third season episode “Hollow Pursuits.” His extravagant name was meant as a subtle hint at his insecurities. According to Sarah Higley, the writer of this episode, she initially designed Barclay as a mischievous character who exposed the vulnerabilities hidden within the seemingly flawless Starfleet crew, as featured in The Official Star Trek: The Next Generation Magazine. Vol. 16.

At Paramount’s behest, Barclay shifted towards a character that audiences could connect with more easily. While he continued to portray the perceived perfection of his crewmates, he did so through the lens of relatable imperfections. Initially timid, awkward, and tense, this character often struggled with fluency in speech. Essentially, this empathetic character filled a gap within ST:TNG. He became more appealing during his debut when his polar opposite, Wesley Crusher (the boy prodigy), mockingly nicknamed him ‘Broccoli.’

Barclay was a delightful character, and Schultz’s portrayal was spot-on. However, the character’s comeback relies on the show’s writers discovering an appropriate plot point. The actor might have shared with Star Trek: The Official Monthly Magazine that he hadn’t anticipated Barclay’s widespread appeal, but it was ensured by the franchise’s commitment to respecting and expanding upon the character’s qualities and motifs.

Geordi La Forge was worried about one of his struggling engineers, Lt. Barclay, who appeared to spend excessive time in a virtual environment with replicas of Starship Enterprise’s senior crew he felt at ease with. However, Counselor Troi displayed an unexpectedly empathetic side, and Riker took on a comical musketeer persona within this scenario. The crew found it challenging to assist Barclay, but Captain Picard believed Geordi should nurture him instead. In the end, Lt. Barclay conquered his self-doubt and saved the Enterprise from a dangerous contamination that had affected its matter/anti-matter injectors.

In the fourth season’s episode titled “The Nth Degree,” character Barclay experienced a strange transformation. An alien probe took over him, bestowing upon him extraordinary intelligence that accelerated rapidly. This unique take on an initial encounter storyline was due to the Cytherians’ unusual approach to space exploration. Instead of seeking out other civilizations, they sent probes to enhance the technology of other species, enabling them to make contact. The Enterprise established communication with these aliens when Barclay manipulated the ship to traverse subspace and reach the center of the Milky Way. As the crew grappled with the immense volume of fresh data, it would take decades to decipher, Barclay reverted back to his original self, but with all memories of his metamorphosis retained.

In the sixth season of Star Trek: The Next Generation, Barclay made two appearances. In the episode “Realm of Fear,” we see him grappling with a fear of transporters. When he thought he spotted beings in the matter stream, he confronted his phobia to attempt contact with these lifeforms. To his surprise, he discovered they were missing crew members from the USS Yosemite. This event served as a precursor to his future role in assisting the crew of the USS Voyager.

In the holodecks where he arguably shouldn’t have been allowed, an unexpected event occurred: “Ship in a Bottle” brought Barclay into contact with Professor Moriarty, a self-aware hologram from Season 2’s “Elementary, Dear Data.” Among all the Star Trek: The Next Generation stories, Barclay had minimal participation in this one. Yet, his presence lent significance to its underlying message. As expected, true to his past and personality, it was left for Barclay to verify at the end of the episode that he wasn’t in a simulation.

In the most terrifying episode of season 7 titled “Genesis”, Barclay made his last appearance on the Enterprise. As usual, he fell ill with Urodelan flu, but the cure unexpectedly transformed into a virus that degenerated the crew into humanoid spiders. According to Brannon Braga in the Season Seven Episode Guide, Barclay was a “nervous and skinny fellow.” Tragically, he ended up as a spider-like creature before Captain Picard and Data could rescue him and the rest of the crew. The virus was later named Barclay’s Protomorphosis Syndrome, further cementing his unfortunate legacy.

Barclay Met His Star Trek Hero

Star Trek: Who Is Reginald Barclay?

Reg Barclay’s charm stems from his role as a reflection for fans on the series. Initially designed to be a snide and vindictive character, he transformed into a beloved one, who made blunders but eventually rose above his challenges, winning the admiration of his colleagues. Yet, despite this, he still had major slip-ups along the way – as any fan would in such an incredible journey.

It was perfectly suitable that Barclay made a brief, humorous appearance in the movie Star Trek: First Contact within The Next Generation series, and he behaved like an awestruck fan. As part of the team transported to the 21st century, Barclay collaborates with the Earth team to ensure Zefram Cochrane’s Phoenix spaceship completes its crucial warp voyage and initiates contact with the Vulcans. When Barclay demonstrates a copper coil he believes could replace the damaged warp plasma conduit on the Phoenix, he is overcome with admiration for his idol, La Forge, expressing:

Dr. Cochrane, I must admit, my question might seem a bit trivial, but may I have the pleasure of shaking your hand? It’s truly a privilege to collaborate with you on this project. Frankly, I never thought I’d meet the person who pioneered warp drive…

Indeed, as Barclay, he naturally finds himself reprimanded by La Forge, causing quite a commotion in Cochrane, leading him to contemplate fleeing the peculiar alien world that appears to have settled upon his head.

Barclay’s Was Integral In Bringing The USS Voyager Home

Star Trek: Who Is Reginald Barclay?

Barclay, a character who later became notable, showed up more frequently in “Star Trek: Voyager” compared to “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” This earned him a significant role in the series’ final episode. His initial appearance was during the second season, where his background was subtly altered to have him step aside from the Enterprise between the seventh season of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and “First Contact,” to focus on the Emergency Medical Hologram (EMH) program at Jupiter Station instead.

In “Projections” from Season 2, Barclay appears to the Doctor as a vision within his mind, claiming to be Lewis Zimmerman, his supposed progenitor, and suggesting that he alone is real in a simulated version of the USS Voyager. However, similar to previous tales involving Barclay, it’s eventually revealed that this scenario was caused by a faulty holodeck.

By the sixth season’s “Pathfinder,” Barclay had been promoted to lieutenant and tasked with the project featured in the title. Starfleet discovered in Season 3’s “Message in a Bottle” that the USS Voyager was stranded in the Delta Quadrant, and they were trying to establish long-range communication with the ship. Counselor Troi dropped by the facility where the project was being conducted, and she ran into Barclay at the moment he became fixated on a holographic replica of Voyager and its crew.

Following a boundary violation with Admiral Paris, Barclay was taken off the project, yet instead of complying, he decided to put his untested hypothesis into practice – attempting to connect with Voyager via a miniature wormhole. Thankfully for Barclay, his experiment proved successful as temporary contact was established between the ship and Starfleet, sparing him further reprimand. Onboard Voyager, Barclay’s achievement earned him an honorary crew position.

In the series Star Trek: Voyager, Barclay’s historical connection to the Emergency Medical Hologram (EMH) became crucial for his appearances in episodes set in the Delta Quadrant. For instance, in Season 6’s “Lifeline,” Barclay enlisted the help of Counselor Troi and some less-than-honest methods to persuade Dr. Zimmerman to reconcile with Voyager’s EMH and address a life-threatening illness.

In the grand finale of Star Trek: The Next Generation (“All Good Things”), Barclay was not part of the cast. However, he made a significant appearance at the conclusion of Voyager’s voyage. In “Endgame,” set in 2404, Barclay emerged as a commander and lecturer at Starfleet Academy, assisting Admiral Janeway on her mission to alter her past. Fans bid him farewell in the year 2378 when he stood alongside Admiral Paris as Voyager returned home. Currently, that’s his last on-screen appearance within the franchise, though his story has persisted in novels, short stories, and comics, some of which may not align with the official canon.

In the realm of “Star Trek”, Reg Barclay is scarcely matched by any other character. His storyline spanned multiple series and a film, remaining faithful to his complex persona battling self-doubt, social awkwardness, and the blurring of reality and simulation. Over time, he evolved into the competent engineer fans had anticipated, making Reg Barclay’s journey an integral and fulfilling aspect of the franchise. His portrayal offered a unique perspective on Starfleet, his colleagues, and those in authority, setting a precedent for characters like Sylvia Tilly from “Star Trek: Discovery”.

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2024-10-26 00:34