Actress Patti Yasutake, finest identified to Trekkies as Nurse Alyssa Ogawa, died on August 5, 2024, of a uncommon sort of T-cell lymphoma. She was 70 years outdated.
Nurse Ogawa first appeared on “Star Trek: The Subsequent Era” within the episode “Future Imperfect” (November 12, 1990) kind of as a background character. She was considered one of Dr. Crusher’s retinue of medical workers, there to provide viewers the impression that the ship’s sickbay was always bustling. She went on to star in 14 further episodes of the present, and was normally merely standing subsequent to Dr. Crusher (Gates McFadden), passing her instruments or saying “Sure, Physician.” She had bedside method, and her repeated appearances had viewers questioning who she was and what her story is likely to be. Because the collection progressed, Nurse Ogawa’s function expanded incrementally, ultimately resulting in her turning into a respectable supporting participant.
Certainly, by the present’s seventh season, Nurse Ogawa started to have important episodes of her personal. In “Parallels” (November 29, 1993), as an example, Worf (Michael Dorn) discovered himself unexpectedly shunting between parallel dimensions, and in considered one of them, Dr. Crusher was useless (or simply absent) and Dr. Ogawa had taken her place. It was good to know that, even in a parallel universe, Nurse Ogawa’s skilled medical profession would proceed apace.
Nurse Ogawa was additionally considered one of a number of featured characters within the episode “Decrease Decks” (February 7, 1994), which might function the first inspiration for the modern-day animated collection that shares its namesake. That episode was a couple of random assortment of ensigns on the usS. Enterprise, Nurse Ogawa amongst them, who do not at all times get a full description of the missions the senior workers is concerned with. It is irritating once you solely must observe orders.
Nurse Ogawa’s 14 episodes
On the DVD commentary observe for “Decrease Decks,” author René Echevarria mentioned Nurse Ogawa was included amongst that episode’s most important characters as a result of the “NextGen” writers at all times favored Patti Yasutake, and wished to provide her one thing important to do. She wasn’t in earlier drafts of that script, however Echevarria discovered a method to work her in.
Within the season 7 episode “Genesis” (March 21, 1994), Nurse Ogawa introduced to Dr. Crusher that she was pregnant, a shock to her boss, because it did not seem to be her relationship with the off-screen Lieutenant Andrew Powell. Certainly, Nurse Ogawa appears to have had a number of romantic relationships on “NextGen,” together with with somebody named Ensign Markson, as said within the episode “Hooked up” (November 8, 1993). Andrew Powell was mentioned to have proposed marriage in “Decrease Decks,” and Ogawa would develop into pregnant with their youngster by “Genesis.” Nurse Ogawa’s being pregnant proved to be a plot level in that episode. A virus was inflicting the ship’s crew to devolve into animals (Ogawa turned an ape), however her fetus was protected by its amniotic locale. Knowledge (Brent Spiner) was capable of extrapolate a treatment from Nurse Ogawa’s physique.
Additionally notable: in 1993, Patti Yasutake appeared in a TV industrial for Hallmark’s “Star Trek: The Subsequent Era” collectible decoration. That yr, Hallmark put out an decoration of the usS. Enterprise D, and the industrial depicted Nurse Ogawa, in her quarters, asking the ship’s pc (Majel Barrett) concerning the object in query. She favored it a lot, she replicated one herself.
Nurse Ogawa within the motion pictures
Though she has little to do in them, Nurse Ogawa additionally appeared within the first two “Star Trek: The Subsequent Era” spinoff motion pictures “Star Trek: Generations” and “Star Trek: First Contact.” Within the former, she was merely a medical skilled once more, standing alongside Dr. Crusher. Whereas nothing was added to her story, it was comforting to see that she was nonetheless on the ship for its first big-screen outing. In “First Contact,” she may very well be seen steering folks to security throughout a Borg assault. Trying carefully at her rank pips within the motion pictures reveals that Nurse Ogawa had been promoted from an ensign to a lieutenant.
Yasutake stayed within the orbit of “Star Trek” for a number of years thereafter, offering her voice for numerous characters in “Star Trek: Armada II” (2001), and showing as Dr. Beverly Krasher within the 2016 “Star Trek” spoof “Unbelievable!!!!!” That movie additionally featured Snoop Dogg and over 40 identified Trek actors, together with Walter Koenig, and Nichelle Nichols in her last movie function.
Yasutake started her profession within the Nineteen Eighties, and a few may recall her function as Umeki in Ron Howard’s “Gung Ho,” a task she reprised for the spinoff TV collection. She was nominated for an Unbiased Spirit Award in 1988 for her efficiency in Michael Toshiyuki Uno’s “The Wash,” and performed a newscaster within the Sylvester Stallone car “Cease! Or My Mother Will Shoot!” She’s a cult favourite as Mrs. Howard in “Drop Useless Attractive” however most lately, Yasutake appeared on the closely awarded TV collection “Beef” as Fumi.
She was at all times a welcome presence on “Star Trek,” and a heat human being in any other case. Relaxation in peace.
