Why did they change the opening credits?

[stardream]

For the first three seasons the rank of the characters was shown along with the name but after that it was simply the name. Ensign Kim to Harry Kim, Lieutenant Paris to Tom Paris etc. Anyone know why they dropped the rank?

Yes I looked around for an answer but couldn't seem to find anything.

 

[Finn]

Who cares?

Lets talk about Tuvix!

 

[Terok Nor]

Probably so they could promote and demote characters without having to keep altering the credits. To my recollection the only characters to receive a promotion after the change were Tuvok and Paris (demotion/promotion). They didn't seem to have a problem adding "Lieutenant" onto B'Elanna Torres in the 3rd episode so it's strange.

 

[Jeffe525]

Probably so they could promote and demote characters without having to keep altering the credits. To my recollection the only characters to receive a promotion after the change were Tuvok and Paris (demotion/promotion). They didn't seem to have a problem adding "Lieutenant" onto B'Elanna Torres in the 3rd episode so it's strange.

It was this. No point spending money every time someones rank changes. However, this does hint that maybe they were at least considering promoting poor Harry Kim at some point.

 

[T'Girl]

Perhaps they want to de-emphasize the military aspect of the show in the opening credits and make the crew more "a family" in the eyes of the viewer?

 

[LeadHead]

No point spending money every time someones rank changes.

Ranks changed so infrequently on the show that I doubt that would be it. It's clear that changing the text in the opening credits isn't free, but it would be about the easiest thing the special effects crew would ever do.

 

[Tracy Trek]

I wondered about this as well. I thought it was about the time Jeri Ryan came on the show and Jennifer Lien left. But I couldn't recall for sure. I remember at one time thinking, if it was season 5, the writers knew someone was going to get demoted and then eventually promoted back.

 

[tharpdevenport]

Perhaps they want to de-emphasize the military aspect of the show in the opening credits and make the crew more "a family" in the eyes of the viewer?

Producer #1: "'Family'? I like it! How will we do that?"

Producer #2: "Well, sir, I was thinking in order to make it more family, we'd introduce a new character."

Producer #1: "A new character? Excellent! And what will this new character be like?"

Producer #2: "Well, she'll be a female."

Producer #1: "Ah, like a grandmother? A family-friendly grandmother."

Producer #2: "No, she'll be a sex symbol who parades around in a skin-tight cat suit."

Producer #1: "A family friendly cat suit?"

Producer #2: "No, a sexual object cat suit."

Producer #1: "Excellent! And how else will we make this more family in nature?"

Producer #2: "Well, I was thinking we could then make her trhe sexual object of one of the male characters onboard who never get any."

Producer #1: "I like it, has 'family' written all over it! What else?"

Producer #2: "Then later on we will make her the sexual object of a hologram."

Producer #1: "Doesn't make sense, but I like it! It earns me a secure paycheck! Then what?"

Producer #2: "Well, then in order to continue this family environment, we'd have her create angst and bickering amongst the leads who should be setting a better example."

Producer #1: "Sexual angst???"

Producer #2: "No, just regular angst."

Producer #1: "Oh well. I like it anyway! Then what."

Producer #2: "Well, in order to make this 'family' more cohesive, I thought we'd take the equivilent of one of the captain's brothers, mutate him, have him have sex with her, then her give birth to his incestual lizard babies."

Producer #1: "Sounds hot! then what?"

Producer #2: "Then later on I'd have the equivilents of a brother and sister in this 'family' continue a relationship, have sex, and give birth to a kid out of wedlock in inter-species relations which we previously made a no-no for Harry Kim. 'cause he's not allowed to get any."

Producer #1: "Oh, I'm getting all horny over this family idea!"

Producer #2: "Speaking of 'horny', the captain, i.e. the mom, will have a romance with her dad. The dad that later tries to get it on, as I said, with tyhe equivilent of his cousin."

Producer #1: "OH! I'm gonna need a towel."

Producer #2: "Sigh. I'll go get the towel Mr. Berm -- I mean, Producer #1."