What are your controversial Star Trek opinions?

[Nyotarules]

Using TOS as a point of view, I expect late 20th century humans to be as dissimilar to late 17th century humans as late 23rd century humans are to late 20th century humans. Yes, the human condition does change over three centuries, especially human norms in society.

Human norms change in society, but humans will always be prejudiced arseholes. They just find someone else to be smug about in the Trek universe

 

[cooleddie74]

Chekov is also the first lead Trek hero other than Picard and Data to meet Guinan in-universe since he encounters and helps her in the Enterprise-B Sickbay and that's about 72 years before she boards the Enterprise-D and meets the rest of Captain Picard's senior officers.

 

[Farscape One]

I'm aware Chekov handled comms with Regula I and became a helping nurse in GENERATIONS. Both weren't seen as regular duties, though... not like navigation and science in TOS and security in TMP and XO in TWOK.

 

[Vger23]

Here's another possibly controversial opinion as he's been brought up with the Excelsior plaque:

I don't like Sulu as a captain. He was okay in VI but not very convincing at all in Flashback. I never saw leadership qualities in Sulu and feel it was only done to make the actor happy. I actually think Chekov would have made a better captain.

And although I would have loved a series set post VI as TOS movie era is possibly my favourite, I'm glad we never got a captain Sulu show.

I agree. I don’t think Takei had the chops to pull off a series lead role.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Chekov doesn't get enough credit. He is actually the most versatile officer of that group... he has been in navigation, security, engineering, science, and has been an XO. I'd bet he worked in communications off screen at some point, too, which I think is the only position other than medical that we never saw him do.

He did do medical in GEN.

 

[Grendelsbayne]

Chekov's versatility isn't the problem with his promotions. It's the fact that he's a buffoon who was never believable in any leadership position. Or even any particularly independent position.

A Captain Sulu series with Takei probably wouldn't have worked, imo, but not because the character isn't believable as a Captain. He worked well in STVI and he was an impressive commander when he was left in charge of the ship during TOS. The issues with his VOY appearance have more to do with VOY's issues than Sulu's (plus the fact that he was literally only there for nostalgia doesnt really lead to great writing ideas).

A John Cho Sulu series, though, that could've been great, imo.

 

[FormerLurker]

I'm aware Chekov handled comms with Regula I and became a helping nurse in GENERATIONS. Both weren't seen as regular duties, though... not like navigation and science in TOS and security in TMP and XO in TWOK.

So you don't count his actually sitting at the communications station when they steal the Enterprise either?

 

[Farscape One]

Knowing how to work an area and actually being assigned it for duty are two different things. I'm not saying he didn't know how to work communications, I'm saying we never saw him assigned to that department. We saw all the others, though.

(I suppose the main point is his versatility as an officer, which those showings of comms and medical in the movies simply support it.)

 

[Richard S. Ta]

So you don't count his actually sitting at the communications station when they steal the Enterprise either?

I know how to use a phone. It doesn't make me a professional telephone operator.

 

[Alice_27]

I know how to use a phone. It doesn't make me a professional telephone operator.

You must be over the age of 30 then. I find it interesting that my kids' generation use every function on a cell phone EXCEPT the phone!

 

[Nerys Myk]

I know how to use a phone. It doesn't make me a professional telephone operator.

 

[tesral]

You must be over the age of 30 then. I find it interesting that my kids' generation use every function on a cell phone EXCEPT the phone!

Admittedly every new model out depreciates that function further.

 

[Orphalesion]

Texts is just a lot less intrusive than calls.

 

[eschaton]

Texts is just a lot less intrusive than calls.

They also take a lot longer.

 

[tesral]

Texts is just a lot less intrusive than calls.

I like social contact.

 

[Orphalesion]

I like social contact.

It's not about liking or not liking social contact. It's about giving the other person the choice on when and how to respond. You know like texting "call me when you have time"

 

[1001001]

It's not about liking or not liking social contact. It's about giving the other person the choice on when and how to respond.

Isn't that what voicemail does?

 

[tesral]

It's not about liking or not liking social contact. It's about giving the other person the choice on when and how to respond. You know like texting "call me when you have time"

My phone, I don't have to jump to every ring.

What owns who? Are you a slave to your devices, or do you determine how you interact with them? I've seen the jump to every alert types, sad.

 

[Alice_27]

I think my students just witnessed their first spit take after I saw this!

 

[Alice_27]

They also take a lot longer.

For anything more complex than "Honey, please get bread & milk after work" a phone call works best IMO. Texting doesn't have the natural ebb & flow that an actual conversation does. Miscommunication is much more rampant with texting.