The chemistry of a TV show’s cast doesn’t always need to be perfect for the program to become a hit. Countless actors have successfully portrayed friendships on screen, even when real-life tensions existed. A notable example is Brent Spiner, famously known for playing the android Data in “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” who revealed that not all members of the show were seamless to work with. The main culprit? Spot, the cat who played Data’s pet. Spot’s antics reportedly resulted in lengthy shoots, often stalling production for hours on end. Despite these challenges, Spot appeared in some of Data’s most memorable episodes.

Spot’s debut came in “Data’s Day,” a Season 4 episode. The feline was involved in various plotlines, including an unforgettable transformation into an iguana due to a retrovirus. During a session at Phila Comic Con in 2010, Spiner vented about his experiences working with Spot. He remarked on Spot being an uncooperative actor, humorously recounting, “That cat, I have to say, was the stupidest actor, seriously.” Spiner recalled one rare instance when Spot followed directions correctly, eating tuna on cue, but otherwise lamented, “We were there all day with that cat. Bless his soul.”

While Spot might have irked Spiner, it’s important to note that the tabby wasn’t solely at fault, according to Spiner’s 2023 interview with TrekMovie. Much of the blame also rested on the show’s writers, Ron Moore and Brannon Braga, who intentionally scripted challenging scenes for Spot, seemingly just to tease Spiner. “They would write things for this cat to do that it couldn’t possibly do,” he explained.

Whether it was encouraging Spot to jump into his lap or remain calm when handled, Spot consistently resisted direction, causing numerous unnecessary delays. According to Spiner, entire days could be wasted due to Spot’s reluctance to cooperate, and he humorously declared, “the cat was not a very good actor.”

The saga of Spot must have seemed never-ending for Spiner, especially when he read the script for “Star Trek: Generations.” In the film’s climax, Spot is depicted as being rescued from the wreckage of the USS Enterprise-D. Spiner expressed his dismay over this plot point on the DVD commentary, quipping, “Does he have to find the cat? Can’t he find, like, Geordi or something?”

Brent Spiner reprised his role in “Star Trek: Picard” Season 1, with appearances in flashbacks, visions, and simulations. The remainder of the “The Next Generation” crew joined in Season 3, including Jonathan Frakes, LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn, Marina Sirtis, and Gates McFadden. Guest stars like Michelle Forbes and Daniel Davis were featured as well. In the episode “Surrender,” Spot made a surprising return, appearing in a scene within the mind of the android Data, much to the delight of fans.

Filmed more than 20 years after Spot was last seen in “Star Trek: Nemesis,” the episode sadly couldn’t bring back the feline thespian that worked on the original show. But the new animal actor, according to Brent Spiner, was a much better performer. As Spiner put it in his interview with TrekMovie in 2023, the experience on set with Spot “went really well because this cat loved me.”

With a more affectionate and docile co-star, Spiner’s scenes with Spot were far less challenging than those on “The Next Generation.” He said: “This cat was a brilliant actor. I would say this cat is considered the Daniel Day-Lewis of cats. It wasn’t really required to do anything other than snuggle with me, which it did brilliantly. So I was fine doing that scene.”