I have a strong feeling he's a major workaholic (most of his leisure time activities involved doing other jobs on the ship) and won't take a vacation until a doctor forces him to or he figures out a way to spend it upgrading the vacation coils on the dilithium chamber.
Well after being helmsman and head nurse and shuttle pilot and astrometrics officer and transporter chief and astrogation plotter and backup head of security backup and backup chief engineer and backup chief of ops and holodeck programmer and shuttle designer and assistant salamander on Voyager there's not a lot of room for advancement anymore. "We'll make you chief engineer on the Titan." "Just... just one department? Really? Fuck this, I quit."
I was thinking that he'd be the only suitable replacement for Boothby.
Well after being helmsman and head nurse and shuttle pilot and astrometrics officer and transporter chief and astrogation plotter and backup head of security backup and backup chief engineer and backup chief of ops and holodeck programmer and shuttle designer and assistant salamander on Voyager there's not a lot of room for advancement anymore. "We'll make you chief engineer on the Titan." "Just... just one department? Really? Fuck this, I quit."
I was thinking that he'd be the only suitable replacement for Boothby.
That's a fantastic idea.
Something understated about Picard that I really like:
These characters, their stories, are not all that famous in-universe.
People take note of Seven because she's Ex-B and because she's a badass Fenris Ranger. Voyager, the Delta Quadrant, that's an afterthought. And that's very realistic.
Everyone remembers Sully landing the plane in the Hudson, but would you know him on the street? Even if he said his name, would you immediately make the connection? I bet Voyager was the talk of the town for the first few months after it got back. Then...it was old news. People moved on.
You see the same thing with Picard himself. He's famous, sure, but in way much closer to Colin Powell or James Mattis than Barack Obama. I'm sure your average Federation citizen would know his name, and that he was famous fleeter, but they probably wouldn't be able to give you any real details.
The show had problems with pacing and strong story arcs, but things like that made the universe feel more lived-in than any other Trek series. Before Picard, a lot of the Trekverse felt like nothing but vague set dressing for the plot of the week. Now it's starting to feel like a world.
All that to say that I really love the idea of Tom Paris, objectively one of the most competent people to wear the uniform, retiring to be someone so low-key.* Especially doing something important for students.
When I was in law school, there was this hole-in-the-wall bar about a block away. It was the school's semi-official hangout. I've never found another bar with its balance: seedy enough that tourists avoided it, but still safe, cheap enough that a student could hit it three times a week, but the food was good.
They closed it my last year. 5 years gone and I still miss it.
*
Boothy was Q and you know it. He's probably hung around the Academy since it was founded, and everyone just knows "he was an old man when I was a cadet," and never think it's strange that he's still around when they're retiring.
Nah, not the Q style. I suspect he was an El Aurian. They'd been hanging out on earth for thousands of years. They blend in flawlessly, humans love to talk, and the disparity in lifespan meant society changes fast enough that an El Aurian could visit dozens of times and it's still like a brand new planet each time.
He's probably been around longer than that, maybe he was the resident expert on getting visiting El Aurians identity papers.
Hell, it's not like it's normal in Star Trek to identify a known person by species. Even by Discovery era it wouldn't be particularly notable that he was an alien. No secrets, just when you mention your friends Mike, Jim, and T'vuma you don't footnote that Jim is actually a Vulcan.
I'm surprised that Boothby hasn't been fleshed out in any of the books. He seems like that perfect bit of fodder for some author digging for a way to link their characters to the main cast.
He was in the IDW comics. He was only working at the academy from the 2330's through the 2380's when he died, but he basically knew everything from secret cults among the cadets to multiple galaxy spanning conspiracies among the admiralty. He was Picard's first stop to investigate one of those and Boothby basically asked, "Which one?"
STO kept the rough time of his death but had Barclay create a holographic Boothby with a mobile emitter to replace him.
Hevach on
0
Options
CambiataCommander ShepardThe likes of which even GAWD has never seenRegistered Userregular
In the latest SFDebris Picard review, I found out that Janeway was originally supposed to be the "sheer fucking hubris" admiral and I am SO UPSET that we didn't get that. I would have LOVED to see that.
"Look, Jean-Luc, this is just how the writers decided to write me today. Deal with it."
+12
Options
CambiataCommander ShepardThe likes of which even GAWD has never seenRegistered Userregular
Among other things, I think it would have clarified that that particular admiral was not just being an ass because we'd never seen her before, she actually did have some good points about how Starfleet was put in an impossible position, and how it was Picard that was showing his ass in this instance. But I guess it might have looked like they were making Janeway the bad guy and/or clueless about the corruption within the upper eschelons (but it's not like Picard didn't make the exact same mistake himself before the series starts)
"If you divide the whole world into just enemies and friends, you'll end up destroying everything" --Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind
I think I banned someone on here a couple of years ago for repeatedly making WIL WHEATON SUCKS threads. Not a spam poster either, just someone who woke up and decided to dedicate their forum presence to whaling on Wesley Crusher.
Among other things, I think it would have clarified that that particular admiral was not just being an ass because we'd never seen her before, she actually did have some good points about how Starfleet was put in an impossible position, and how it was Picard that was showing his ass in this instance. But I guess it might have looked like they were making Janeway the bad guy and/or clueless about the corruption within the upper eschelons (but it's not like Picard didn't make the exact same mistake himself before the series starts)
Also at that point you start crossing the streams a bit too much, IMO. There are already enough callbacks to the older casts, I think you need to take some of it out to leave room for the new group to grow, rather than name checking existing content every hour or so. It would, however, have been a beautiful moment.
There are so many Lower Decks hot take shit-athons on youtube right now its depressing. This guy in particular is just way too salty about an animated show he knows nothing about and just watched a trailer for. I can only imagine what his "review" of the original animated series would have been without the luxury of history being pretty kind to it. I also find it so funny how mad this dude is about the cleaning holodeck joke in the trailer when Trek fans have been having fun with that idea since the writers invented the damn thing. Then there's the not so funny parts where he keeps getting all incel/gamergate'y about women in Trek. (Even gets in a lady ghostbusters jab!)
See, assholes like that are why I can't even properly dislike Discovery. I don't like grits but then I find out neither does some racist fuck online and I'm stuffing them down by the potfull on principle.
I will say, annoyed as I get about some of the anti-new Trek stuff in this thread, I've never once thought anyone here was basing it on bigoted horseshit. You're all a bunch of pedantic grognards who can't be pleased*, but you're not assholes.
And I really appreciate that.
*
I have found my people.
+15
Options
Ninja Snarl PMy helmet is my burden.Ninja Snarl: Gone, but not forgotten.Registered Userregular
Anyone who just plain likes Star Trek clearly doesn't like Star Trek anyway.
If you unironically like it, all of it, you clearly haven't watched enough of it or delved deep enough to see how much of it is just bad.
(and maybe the worst part is, this is at least half true.
"Oh yeah, Star Trek. I'm a fan. I love all of it."
"Really? Even 'Spock's Brain', or 'Profit and Lace'? Or 'Threshold'?"
"What? I dunno, I guess? Not sure if I've seen those.")
If you unironically like it, all of it, you clearly haven't watched enough of it or delved deep enough to see how much of it is just bad.
(and maybe the worst part is, this is at least half true.
"Oh yeah, Star Trek. I'm a fan. I love all of it."
"Really? Even 'Spock's Brain', or 'Profit and Lace'? Or 'Threshold'?"
"What? I dunno, I guess? Not sure if I've seen those.")
I feel like we need at least one terrible episode from each series.
I'd suggest "Code of Honor" as our representative from TNG, but haven't watched Discovery or Picard enough to pick out the truly dismal episodes from them.
Maybe "These are the Voyages" for Enterprise?
Star Trek is interesting because even when we talk about the Trek this thread loves (say, DS9) it's long form TV, there are always some shit episodes. You can love Trek and know; there's a lot of godawful Trek.
nah, Code of Honor is just that one episode we don't talk about.
For worst i'd go with The Royale(peak boring and stupid) or The Neutral Zone (peak the crew being pompous ass holes).
I feel like Shades of Gray gets a pass because it was during a writer strike and clip shows were still a thing.
Also Move Along Home is Smooth Jimmy's lock of the week for worst DS9 episode.
1. It wasn't written so everything is more epic than what came before. These characters need to breathe. Have down time. Have hobbies and interests. Be people.
2. Along those lines, if the main protagonist wasn't always written as being on the edge of a complete mental breakdown 24/7. The few times a season where Michael is actually portrayed as a competent person who has her shit together are nice. We need a lot more of that.
nah, Code of Honor is just that one episode we don't talk about.
For worst i'd go with The Royale(peak boring and stupid) or The Neutral Zone (peak the crew being pompous ass holes).
I feel like Shades of Gray gets a pass because it was during a writer strike and clip shows were still a thing.
Also Move Along Home is Smooth Jimmy's lock of the week for worst DS9 episode.
No, we are not putting The Royale in the worst pile.
For all Neutral Zone's faults, I still liked the Eighties Guy being the one to see through the Romulan Bluff.
The whole "our computers don't have passwords because all our crew know better" is the dumbest thing ever. Like what if say this group of old-timey hoomans turned out to be... oh... say... super humans from the eugenics war? Yeah real smart giving everyone root access to the ship's computer Picard.
Oh my god "Royale" is one of my favorites -it's got this wonderfully creepy, otherworldly, sitcom set off the rails vibe throughout the whole thing, and the twist reveal with the dead astronaut is great. Though I can see criticism of it being kind of boring as valid. Also yeah, the premise of them needing to win so much so they can buy the casino is pretty dumb. DS9 did it waaaay better with the Ocean's 11 heist.
nah, Code of Honor is just that one episode we don't talk about.
For worst i'd go with The Royale(peak boring and stupid) or The Neutral Zone (peak the crew being pompous ass holes).
I feel like Shades of Gray gets a pass because it was during a writer strike and clip shows were still a thing.
Also Move Along Home is Smooth Jimmy's lock of the week for worst DS9 episode.
No, we are not putting The Royale in the worst pile.
Hadn't they already started the poker scenes? Of course I think I remember that one being a Phase 2 episode originally, like so many early TNG episodes.
Strikor and I were talking about what Voyager characters we'd like to see in Picard, and for him the only one missing right now is the Doctor. For me, though, I'd like to see Tom Paris. Not as a Starfleet, but as like, a guy who spends all his time in Hawaiian shirts making intricate Captain Proton holo-vids. Like I want him to be the Price is Right guy for the ST universe.
And in true Voyager tradition they'll change his character's name again to avoid paying those darn greedy tv writers.
I mean that's not ideal, but I'd like to see Robert Duncan McNeill get a paying gig for premier television, so I'll accept it.
I'm not sure CBS All Access is paying premier television rates. They might have for Picard and maybe some of Discovery since they were integral to launching the service but a large part of me doubts it because they're streaming only and advertisers have had and it seems like continue to have their heads up their asses when it comes to streaming.
Hadn't they already started the poker scenes? Of course I think I remember that one being a Phase 2 episode originally, like so many early TNG episodes.
I believe the first poker scene was in Measure Of A Man.
For all Neutral Zone's faults, I still liked the Eighties Guy being the one to see through the Romulan Bluff.
The whole "our computers don't have passwords because all our crew know better" is the dumbest thing ever. Like what if say this group of old-timey hoomans turned out to be... oh... say... super humans from the eugenics war? Yeah real smart giving everyone root access to the ship's computer Picard.
Especially considering how many times Data has to enter passwords to steal the ship.
That's like 70 minutes of MLP stuff I really don't care to watch. Can you give summary and/or timestamps of relevant bits, since I'm curious about the John De Lancie parts.
Posts
I was thinking that he'd be the only suitable replacement for Boothby.
That's a fantastic idea.
Something understated about Picard that I really like:
People take note of Seven because she's Ex-B and because she's a badass Fenris Ranger. Voyager, the Delta Quadrant, that's an afterthought. And that's very realistic.
Everyone remembers Sully landing the plane in the Hudson, but would you know him on the street? Even if he said his name, would you immediately make the connection? I bet Voyager was the talk of the town for the first few months after it got back. Then...it was old news. People moved on.
You see the same thing with Picard himself. He's famous, sure, but in way much closer to Colin Powell or James Mattis than Barack Obama. I'm sure your average Federation citizen would know his name, and that he was famous fleeter, but they probably wouldn't be able to give you any real details.
The show had problems with pacing and strong story arcs, but things like that made the universe feel more lived-in than any other Trek series. Before Picard, a lot of the Trekverse felt like nothing but vague set dressing for the plot of the week. Now it's starting to feel like a world.
All that to say that I really love the idea of Tom Paris, objectively one of the most competent people to wear the uniform, retiring to be someone so low-key.* Especially doing something important for students.
When I was in law school, there was this hole-in-the-wall bar about a block away. It was the school's semi-official hangout. I've never found another bar with its balance: seedy enough that tourists avoided it, but still safe, cheap enough that a student could hit it three times a week, but the food was good.
They closed it my last year. 5 years gone and I still miss it.
*
He's probably been around longer than that, maybe he was the resident expert on getting visiting El Aurians identity papers.
Hell, it's not like it's normal in Star Trek to identify a known person by species. Even by Discovery era it wouldn't be particularly notable that he was an alien. No secrets, just when you mention your friends Mike, Jim, and T'vuma you don't footnote that Jim is actually a Vulcan.
STO kept the rough time of his death but had Barclay create a holographic Boothby with a mobile emitter to replace him.
The review if you wanna watch it: https://sfdebris.com/videos/startrek/p102.php
It's perfect.
Choose Your Own Chat 1 Choose Your Own Chat 2 Choose Your Own Chat 3
Also at that point you start crossing the streams a bit too much, IMO. There are already enough callbacks to the older casts, I think you need to take some of it out to leave room for the new group to grow, rather than name checking existing content every hour or so. It would, however, have been a beautiful moment.
Goodreads
SF&F Reviews blog
33333333333333333333333333333333333333333
Steam ID: Obos Vent: Obos
Law and Order ≠ Justice
ACNH Island Isla Cero: DA-3082-2045-4142
Captain of the SES Comptroller of the State
And I really appreciate that.
*
(and maybe the worst part is, this is at least half true.
"Oh yeah, Star Trek. I'm a fan. I love all of it."
"Really? Even 'Spock's Brain', or 'Profit and Lace'? Or 'Threshold'?"
"What? I dunno, I guess? Not sure if I've seen those.")
I feel like we need at least one terrible episode from each series.
I'd suggest "Code of Honor" as our representative from TNG, but haven't watched Discovery or Picard enough to pick out the truly dismal episodes from them.
Maybe "These are the Voyages" for Enterprise?
For worst i'd go with The Royale(peak boring and stupid) or The Neutral Zone (peak the crew being pompous ass holes).
I feel like Shades of Gray gets a pass because it was during a writer strike and clip shows were still a thing.
Also Move Along Home is Smooth Jimmy's lock of the week for worst DS9 episode.
1. It wasn't written so everything is more epic than what came before. These characters need to breathe. Have down time. Have hobbies and interests. Be people.
2. Along those lines, if the main protagonist wasn't always written as being on the edge of a complete mental breakdown 24/7. The few times a season where Michael is actually portrayed as a competent person who has her shit together are nice. We need a lot more of that.
No, we are not putting The Royale in the worst pile.
Baby needs a new pair of shoes.
The whole "our computers don't have passwords because all our crew know better" is the dumbest thing ever. Like what if say this group of old-timey hoomans turned out to be... oh... say... super humans from the eugenics war? Yeah real smart giving everyone root access to the ship's computer Picard.
The idea that Riker doesn't know gambling is so dumb but, god, Spinner is so good.
I'm not sure CBS All Access is paying premier television rates. They might have for Picard and maybe some of Discovery since they were integral to launching the service but a large part of me doubts it because they're streaming only and advertisers have had and it seems like continue to have their heads up their asses when it comes to streaming.
I believe the first poker scene was in Measure Of A Man.
Also known as the Star Wars fan experience.
Especially considering how many times Data has to enter passwords to steal the ship.
That's like 70 minutes of MLP stuff I really don't care to watch. Can you give summary and/or timestamps of relevant bits, since I'm curious about the John De Lancie parts.