The Single Worst Line of Dialogue in the entire Star Trek Franchise

Re: The Single Worst Line of Dialogue in the entire Star Trek Franchis

When Archer told T'Pol "You have no idea how much I'm restraining myself from knocking you on your ass," really bothered me. Aside from being douchey, guys should never threaten women like that, and it made me cringe when the guy who was supposed to be the "hero captain" of the new series say that.

It should have been followed up with him trying something and T'pol giving him a vulcan nerve pinch or something, to put Archer in his place.

 

Re: The Single Worst Line of Dialogue in the entire Star Trek Franchis

To me that line always felt like a painfully obvious way of telling viewers "This ain't your dad's Star Trek!" I cringe every time I think of that line.

 

Re: The Single Worst Line of Dialogue in the entire Star Trek Franchis

I think they were trying to recapture the dynamic between Picard and Sisko after the latter said, "We met in battle, sir. I was on the Saratoga at Wolf 359."

--Sran

 

Re: The Single Worst Line of Dialogue in the entire Star Trek Franchis

Trek does sometimes encourage the idea that all alien species only have a single culture. Just because Kang's culture doesn't have a Devil, doesn't mean that Worf's can't. Diversity within the general Klingon society.

The House that Kang belonged to may have simply been non-religious.

 

Re: The Single Worst Line of Dialogue in the entire Star Trek Franchis

But... equality!

 

Re: The Single Worst Line of Dialogue in the entire Star Trek Franchis

That scene introduced us to Archer in so many ways. To come off as both racist and sexist at the same time you'd think he put some deliberate effort into that remark. But he's just a bonehead of the first order. Though it also set the tones for T'Pol's primary purpose in the show. I swear her boobs got more screen time than Hoshi and Mayweather combined. Almost as many lines too.

 

Re: The Single Worst Line of Dialogue in the entire Star Trek Franchis

Indeed. I thought this was in very poor taste.

I would have enjoyed that.

 

Re: The Single Worst Line of Dialogue in the entire Star Trek Franchis

Agreed.

The sad thing is, Jolene Blalock is actually a pretty good actress and thoughtful when it came to developing T'Pol. I guess being something of a fan guided her a bit. A lot of the dumb shit they had her do, she's publicly confirmed she thought was stupid too.

I'm not saying she's somehow losing out because she's smart and also happens to be a babe, simply that she was relegated to a lesser function than she might've otherwise been, because the network/production wanted to maintain the catsuit factor.

 

Re: The Single Worst Line of Dialogue in the entire Star Trek Franchis

I agree. I loathed the character at first because of the obvious pandering, but I came to really appreciate how Jolene was performing T'Pol. The actress was above the part.

 

Re: The Single Worst Line of Dialogue in the entire Star Trek Franchis

Well said, sir.

 

Re: The Single Worst Line of Dialogue in the entire Star Trek Franchis

The only other role I recall seeing her in was Nicci in Legend of the Seeker. I enjoyed the series more once I stopped comparing it to the books, and she put in a convincing performance there. I really never could get into T'Pol though... she just seemed to be a rather bland character to me.

 

Re: The Single Worst Line of Dialogue in the entire Star Trek Franchis

She may have been above the part initially, but even with the stupid stuff she really tried to bring the role up to her level. By the end of the run, she had just about succeeded.

 

Re: The Single Worst Line of Dialogue in the entire Star Trek Franchis

Eh, I'm not sure if that remark is sexist when it's a human making it toward a vulcan. It's not the same if the person receiving the threat is stronger than the person making it. To me the issue is which party is capable of hurting the other party, not which happens to be male and which happens to be female. Like, if there was a small 90 pound man and a large female bodybuilder, it would be worse if the bodybuilder threatened the man than the other way around, because she's the one capable of carrying out the threat in this example. Vulcans are way stronger than humans, so in this case it's not the same. There's no terror, no domination. If anything it's sexist to say that women need special treatment.

If Archer made any attempt to knock T'Pol on her ass, T'Pol would just duck backward twice and roll away! Because that is how you can defend yourself from anybody! (Ugh, speaking of the worst line in the series.)

Anyway, Star Trek is post-gender.

 

Re: The Single Worst Line of Dialogue in the entire Star Trek Franchis

Strength doesn't have a thing to do with sexist remarks. If a man makes a sexist remark towards a female body builder, it's still sexist. If a normal woman makes a sexist remark towards a strong man, it's still sexist. The same with threats. They're just that... threatening. If a 100 pound man threatens to kill a pro wrestler, it's still a legit threat and out of line.

 

Re: The Single Worst Line of Dialogue in the entire Star Trek Franchis

Put more simply, it makes Archer an asshole no matter how you slice it.

 

Re: The Single Worst Line of Dialogue in the entire Star Trek Franchis

What about Riker's snapping Shelby back so hard remark?

 

Re: The Single Worst Line of Dialogue in the entire Star Trek Franchis

To me that was just yet another example of Riker being a jerk to anyone outside of the command clique. Couple that with him clearly being jealous and/or feeling threatened by her, and she was unapologetic towards Riker's attitude towards outsiders because of her own ambitions and it was rather petty.

 

Re: The Single Worst Line of Dialogue in the entire Star Trek Franchis

"We're Starfleet, we don't Lie"

I'm glad Wesley got better as a character immediately after he said that.

 

Re: The Single Worst Line of Dialogue in the entire Star Trek Franchis

Agreed. Riker wasn't going to hurt Shelby. He just wanted to remind her of her place because she wasn't following his orders. Both of them were out of line. It reminded me of the sniping between Kirk and Decker in TMP, a clear result of Kirk's leadership by arrogance approach that dominated the film.

--Sran