Thoughts on Jadzia...

[vulcancicada]

On the Defiant, not the Enterprise. The Defiant was a warship. There was no reason for a counselor to be serving in combat on a warship.

No, this was blatant "replacing Jadzia with Ezri", not merely bringing in a new character.

Agreed!

And Ezri was manning communications.

Counselor and communications are two different roles. It was so she could hang on the bridge like Jadzia.

 

[Oddish]

They did something similar ("The Maquis" or "The Jem'Hadar" or some such episode) when they had Bashir manning a runabout in combat.

 

[Tosk]

Yes, of course it was so that Ezri could be on the bridge, they do try to get the main cast in as much as possible.
And Starfleet officers are capable of doing more than one job.

 

[Oddish]

And Starfleet officers are capable of doing more than one job.

Yeah, but if I'm a crew member on the Defiant, I want a combat capable tactical officer at the station next to mine. Not a ship's counselor who's now more neurotic than her patients, thanks to an ill-advised joining.

 

[Tosk]

As a crew member, you'd know that you don't get to choose who sits next to you.

 

[Oddish]

As a crew member, you'd know that you don't get to choose who sits next to you.

Let me rephrase, then. As the Defiant's commanding officer who was about to take the ship into combat with a brutal, implacable enemy, I would want a combat capable tactical officer at every station on the ship. Not a ship's counselor who's now more neurotic than her patients, thanks to an ill-advised joining.

 

[thribs]

She’s alright. Ezri is cuter though.

 

[kkt]

By "What You Leave Behind" Ezri was much less neurotic. Probably not any worse than, say, Kirk during "Obsession"

 

[Ragitsu]

Tell me of Dadzia Jax.

 

[Oddish]

A distant descendant of this guy.

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[Tosk]

Let me rephrase, then. As the Defiant's commanding officer who was about to take the ship into combat with a brutal, implacable enemy, I would want a combat capable tactical officer at every station on the ship. Not a ship's counselor who's now more neurotic than her patients, thanks to an ill-advised joining.

Like I said before, she's a Starfleet officer. Sisko evidently thought she was capable.

 

[Bad Thoughts]

Let me rephrase, then. As the Defiant's commanding officer who was about to take the ship into combat with a brutal, implacable enemy, I would want a combat capable tactical officer at every station on the ship. Not a ship's counselor who's now more neurotic than her patients, thanks to an ill-advised joining.

If this were real life combat, the bridge would be staffed with the best tactical lineup. That means most of the bridge crew would be ncos and junior officers. Most of the senior officers would be attending to other duties around the ship. The CHENG would not be on the bridge, but would be elsewhere, assessing the situation and dispatching crews to various repairs.

But since its debut, the vocabulary of combat is different from real life. If possible, all the senior staff is on the bridge. The weapons and helm posts are officers, not ncos. The CHENG is pushing buttons rather than in engineering posts. Even the crusty old doctor is there, only to descend when news of casualties come, not waiting for them in sick bay.

Simply put, Star Trek makes sure the series leads are all in one place for dramatic purposes. The exceptions tend to be when the warp core may fail or we see actual injured and dying. The ship's psychologist being on the bridge would make zero sense in real life, but it adheres to the logic of Star Trek, where s/he can dispense commentary for the captain.

 

[vulcancicada]

She’s alright. Ezri is cuter though.

Mirror Ezri was hottest.

 

[Oddish]

Like I said before, she's a Starfleet officer. Sisko evidently thought she was capable.

That's like saying that Data didn't deserve to be a commander because Picard didn't promote him: the equivalent of a parent saying "because I said so".

 

[DonIago]

As a joined Trill she did have Jadzia's (and the rest's) experiences to call upon even if she might not be as proficient as Jadzia was.

 

[fireproof78]

Simply put, Star Trek makes sure the series leads are all in one place for dramatic purposes. The exceptions tend to be when the warp core may fail or we see actual injured and dying. The ship's psychologist being on the bridge would make zero sense in real life, but it adheres to the logic of Star Trek, where s/he can dispense commentary for the captain.

You want to be around when Trek makes sense you'll sleep through the whole series!

 

[Oddish]

As a joined Trill she did have Jadzia's (and the rest's) experiences to call upon even if she might not be as proficient as Jadzia was.

So... what? She's not station counselor anymore?

You want to be around when Trek makes sense you'll sleep through the whole series!

Maybe I'll take a little more sense, though.

 

[Bad Thoughts]

You want to be around when Trek makes sense you'll sleep through the whole series

Maybe I'll take a little more sense, though.

I can fully appreciate that Trek uses contrivances in order to simplify the drama. There's no attention to the real duties of officers and enlisted men. The senior staff does the work of ncos. The process of promotion lacks rigor and development. Any crewman has access to the bridge at all times. Shuttles are basically rent-a-cars that everyone has access to. The doctor hangs out during combat until the casualties roll in, then goes to sickbag/infirmary. Diplomats can stand by the captain, giving orders. Etc, etc. The only reason a crewmember should summer a captain--which happens far too often--is to get a swift kick in the ass. IRL, that crewmember would be dressed down so hard their ears would ring for weeks.

The problems I see are that reality is selectively applied, either to argue that the specific series is deeply flawed (when they all have contrivances) or to be critical of an underrepresented character, especially women. Why did there have to be a thread about Kira's authority on the Defiant? How is it Tilly could be considered XO? Why is Troi on the bridge? How can Harry Kim be a department head? Sure, they don't neatly correspond to reality (although there could be a kernel of truth), but if we start pointing out one contrivance, all should come under scrutiny.

 

[fireproof78]

but if we start pointing out one contrivance, all should come under scrutiny.

And reasonably they should. In my opinion they absolutely should, however the contrivances that stand out to us depending greatly on personal opinions, values and experiences. I have a lot of respect for and value in the functionings of the real world US military. Errors in military storytelling often stand out to me, or contrivances bother me in a story that otherwise would probably be find.

Star Trek, though, for the most part has provided me with that inconsistency so if they don't follow it exactly then I'm more forgiving in the future.

 

[Bad Thoughts]

And reasonably they should. In my opinion they absolutely should, however the contrivances that stand out to us depending greatly on personal opinions, values and experiences.

How about instead of pearl clutching, we let good, hardy laughs?