Science Officer Data?

[albion432]

I recall once hearing that Data was originally going to be Chief Science Officer in TNG, but after doing screen tests it was decided that his pale makeup didn't look right with the blue uniform, so they switched him to gold and changed his designation to Opts Officer. I can't find any reference to this on Memory-Alpha or anywhere else. Does anyone else recall hearing this? And if so, do you known where this can be confirmed, either on-line or in a documentary? Thanks!

 

[Kor]

I believe I've seen that anecdote a number of times right here at TrekBBS, but I can't remember seeing a source cited.

Kor

 

[Farscape One]

I've always felt Data served as the de facto science officer for the bridge crew and the away teams. Especially given his vast knowledge.

The original series, DS9, and ENTERPRISE had an official one. Janeway was a scientist and was a science officer at one time, and with the science knowledge Torres, Kim, and Tuvok seemed to show, particularly in the early episodes, and definitely later with Seven, they definitely were overloaded with technobabblers.

I mean, science officers.

So is Data the science officer? Yet another hat he wore because he was that awesome.

 

[NewHeavensNewEarth]

Yet another hat he wore because he was that awesome.

He looked pretty interesting in his gunslinger hat, too. Not sure about that stache, though.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

I heard the reason they switched red and gold is Picard looked better in Red and Data looked better in gold.

 

[Defiler-Of-Redshirts]

In so many episodes Data automatically doubled as science offer (due to his high-powered, logical android brain) that the official designation wasn't really necessary. Data was the ship's "science geek" (for lack of a better term) regardless of his position.

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

Was the source not from the TNG Companion? It's been a while since I read it but I'm about 75% sure there was a mention of Data being switched from Science Officer in there.

 

[Shamrock Holmes]

There a few references to "Science Officer Data" in the Making of the Next Generation book (that among others includes mentions of Lt Cmdr Ryker, Science Officer Data, Leslie Crusher and Macha Hernandez).

 

[Tenacity]

When they decided to change Data from a blue to a yellow uniform, is that when red became the command color? And originally Picard and Riker were to have been in yellow?

 

[Armus]

Everyone looks better in maroon and it is the color of an officer. It makes sense that Admirals, Captains, and First officers would wear it.

 

[Kor]

In case anyone was wondering how the command officers would look in gold and how Data would look in science-y blue, @Skywalker posted a photo edit a while back: https://www.trekbbs.com/threads/red-is-the-new-gold.283153/#post-11724003

Kor

 

[Arpy]

I think the shades of the colors matter. TOS was brighter and more playful whereas the gold of TNG is more mustard and subdued. Both befit support characters more than the brighter gold of TOS and regal maroons of TNG/TWoK.

 

[F. King Daniel]

Title aside, Data WAS the science officer.

In what ways did his duties differ? Who was the Enterprise-D's offical science officer?

 

[MAGolding]

In the TNG episode "Conspiracy" Admiral Quinn is trying to get Dr. Crusher possessed by an alien parasite but gets into a fight with Riker:

RIKER: Ready for your tour, Admiral?
QUINN: Quite ready, Commander.
RIKER: What's in the case?
QUINN: Actually, I brought it for Doctor Crusher. But perhaps you would like you to see it first?
RIKER: What is it?
QUINN: A form of life. It was discovered accidentally by a survey team on an uncharted planet.
RIKER: Why haven't we heard anything about that?
QUINN: Oh, you'll be hearing about it shortly, but first there remains much scientific study to be done. After all, it is a superior form of life.
RIKER: Superior?
QUINN: Totally. Come, have a look.
RIKER: I think I'll summon my Science Officer.
(Quinn grabs his arm with a surprising amount of strength)
QUINN: It won't like your Science Officer. It does like you! Vitamins. They do wonders for the body.

So Quinn thought that Riker's science officer couldn't be taken over by a parasite. That certainly indicates that Quinn thought that Riker's science officer was someone as different from Humans and Vulcans as Data was. So perhaps Quinn believed that Data was the science officer on the Enterprise D.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Title aside, Data WAS the science officer.

In what ways did his duties differ? Who was the Enterprise-D's offical science officer?

Lt. Commander Noname.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

In case anyone was wondering how the command officers would look in gold and how Data would look in science-y blue, @Skywalker posted a photo edit a while back: https://www.trekbbs.com/threads/red-is-the-new-gold.283153/#post-11724003

Kor

Y'know, if they had gone that route from day one, we'd be here arguing that Picard would look weird in red & Data would look weird in gold. What we got for 7 years will always look "right" compared to anything else.

 

[Nakita Akita]

Y'know, if they had gone that route from day one, we'd be here arguing that Picard would look weird in red & Data would look weird in gold. What we got for 7 years will always look "right" compared to anything else.

However, blue and gold aside, Deanna STILL wore
the boob dress.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

However, blue and gold aside, Deanna STILL wore
the boob dress.

Some things are perfect in any universe.

 

[gakelly]

Data had man boobs.

 

[Nakita Akita]

Data had man boobs.

He still wore the same uniform that everyone else did, except Deanna.
That always bothers me. Why did they dress her like that?
Beyond the obvious, but why be so Neanderthal about it?