I should’ve known there’d be a wave of deaths since I checked my BusyCal and I saw none concerning me for about three weeks. It is a shame to see Kirstie pass, especially if there’s any rightwing crank has been actor needing to die now, my vote would be James Woods or John Voight.
Putting her politics and Scientology membership aside, she was first and foremost the best new character to join Captain Kirk and his crew as Saavik in the best movie of them all. Kirstie really put her mark on the character. It sucked that she didn’t return in Star Trek III, IV or IV (c’mon, we know Valeris was a proxy for Saavik); the rumor was she asked for “too much money.” Robin Curtis did the best she could but again, Kirstie was a hard to follow in how she shaped the audience’s expectations. I am glad, Robin got the opportunity in IV and a new Vulcan for Next Generation.
In many ways, the universe sort of paid Kirstie back. When Shelly Long left Cheers to make a string of middling films, the show brought her in as Sam’s new boss. The writers were generous in not making her a clone of the beloved Diane, she was an entirely different personality with no affections for Sam.
Despite Kirstie’s rightwing rants supporting the Floridian Fondler and other crazy crap, I’ll let her slide because there isn’t much else I cared for in her resume so this is my attempt at a little respect for the dead. One comedian scolded the public for making Look Who’s Talking at hit which led to the sequels (ick!), ergo, we all deserved to be punished and I think she needed the money. I do admit she was brave to be quite public with her past weight issues by turning it into the Showtime program Fat Actress.
Farewell Kirstie. Thank you for joining the ranks of other pretty actresses to wear those Vulcan ears and proving how Roddenberry’s vision to introduce a new generation was popular with viewers.