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Thadian Oconna

C

Computer

Captain
Captain
Hello Everyone,

I just finished watching a TNG episode which saw a character named Thadian Oconna (Spelling may not be accurate)a ladies man to rival Kirk and somewhat dingy looking.

2 Planets wanted him assuming he had taken advantage of one rulers daughter and stolen a priceless gem from the other when infact it was the children of the rulers who were prepping for marriage and Oconna was the go between.

I was curious to know what your thoughts on him were?

I loved his character and it added a Hans Solo style a bit to Trek, I really wish they had run into him more throughout the years.

Also doesnt he play the evil Administrator on the 4400?
 
Re: Thadiun Okona

I guess you missed the part where they showed the episode title, "The Outrageous Okona," onscreen.

And yes, Okona was played by William O. (Billy) Campbell, better known as the title character in The Rocketeer and as Jordan Collier on The 4400.
 
Re: Thadiun Okona

I remember watching that episode with a Trek club I was in at the time. THe comment I kept hearing was how he was a rip-off - uh, excuse me, homage - to Han Solo. Personally, though, I always was reminded more of Madmartigan from Willow. A much more recent movie at the time.
My only problem with the episode was the parts with Data on the holodeck. Those were some of those scenes that I really don't want non-fans stumbling onto.
Oh, the episode also featured a very young, very hot Teri Hatcher.
 
Re: Thadiun Okona

Well, it's hardly as if Han Solo was the first ever roguish-but-charming smuggler captain in the history of fiction. It's kind of odd to accuse anything of imitating Star Wars when Star Wars is itself a smorgasbord of pop-culture cliches (or "mythic archetypes," as Lucas would have it).
 
Computer said:
I was curious to know what your thoughts on him were?
Click to expand...
Well, I haven't seen the episode in about a year and a half now, so I can go as long as four days in a row without wanting to slap him. Seeing the episode again naturally increases the amount of slapping I feel he deserves, of course.
 
Re: Thadiun Okona

Christopher said:
And yes, Okona was played by William O. (Billy) Campbell, better known as the title character in The Rocketeer and as Jordan Collier on The 4400.
Click to expand...

I didn't realize it was the same guy. I loved The Rocketeer.
 
Re: Thadiun Okona

Im surprised no one really liked him, I thought he was rather refreshing as a character, sure he could have been more developed but it was a 1 time appearence.

And Forbin it is well documented that in the Star Wars universe Germans and the English were the only ones to escape the destruction of Earth to a galaxy far far away. :P
 
Re: Thadiun Okona

Computer said:
Im surprised no one really liked him, I thought he was rather refreshing as a character, sure he could have been more developed but it was a 1 time appearence.
Click to expand...
He probably would have been likeable -- after all, he's got energy, and eagerness, and if he is a Han Solo wannabe at least that's an exciting character type to try being -- but he's fed to us in a story where he plays a Mary Sue.

He's introduced. Everyone takes a shine to him. Riker spends his time talking about how neat he is. He tosses off a phenomenally bad pickup line to the transporter operator. She wants sex from him. Wesley admires him. Everyone who sees him is charmed by him. They talk about his exciting lifestyle. Data wants to be more like him. Oh, and, what do you know, he's wanted for roguish acts of roguery in rogeuring the king's daughter Lal. Oh, but! He's not really a jewel thief, he was just trying to help Shran get his daughter back to Phil of the Future, so even his wrongdoing is roguishly noble and lovable and don't you just lurve him all over? Let's all stop a moment and have everyone say loving farewells to this wonderful wonderful person who uplifted our boring lives by spending time in it boinkering the transporter operator. Isn't that lovable? Say goodnight, Data.

If he had a part where, you know, he had to earn some the fawning praise that characters leap out of the walls to heap over him he'd be more pleasant, but as it is, he's got the stuff that was annoying about Wesley Crusher plus the scent of ripping off from Star Wars. I don't know that he's actually a representation of how the writers of the episode see their ideal selves, but he gives off these Mary Sue vibes and that's lethal.

For comparison see Tam Elbrun, over in ``Tin Man'', who's got a similar energetic and brash style, but he's also annoying and has a backstory which makes people distrust him. As a result he's a lot more likeable, to those who do like him, since he's clearly a character-with-personality and not this guy we're supposed to love because the script says we should.
 
Re: Thadiun Okona

People,

This is a real stinker of an episode. I agree with Nebusj that the ep is written to make us think Okona is this cool rogue, but he doesn't do much in it other than throw off some cutesy lines.

Data's B-plot is pretty lame, too. The only funny part is when Guinan comments that maybe his problem is his timing, and Data says, deadpan, "My timing is digital," and Guinan laughs at that line, to Data's confusion, of course. And Joe Piscopo as some holographic King of Comedy? Yikes! I'll take Rupert Pupkin any day!

The only other part I like is when Okona and Worf nearly come to blows and he doesn't seem too concerned. I esp. like Worf's line, "I'd like that!"

Red Ranger
 
Re: Thadiun Okona

I rewatched OUTRAGEOUS OKONA a few months ago, the episode sucks even by season 1 and 2 standards. What is up with the women on Enterprise, they sleep with first handsome rouge who comes on board? Teri Snatcher was all over him.

Joe Piscopo...the only person unfunnier is Whoopi Goldberg's "You're a droid, and I'm annoyed" bit. Not funny, Guinan, stick to mixing drinks.

"Data tries to understand humor, the Enterprise gets caught up in some Romeo and Juliet crapola"

How did the series survive such episodes?
 
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