“The Galileo Seven”—why those seven?

[Warped9]

It’s a good episode, but there is a big question mark in it. I didn’t think much of it when I was young, but it’s long been hard to ignore.

The Galileo was launched to do an up-close investigation of Murasaki 312. So this was a scientific task.

Why Spock, the ship’s Science Officer, was sent on a brief and expected routine investigation off-ship when one of his science staff could have done it is curious. But it could have been his prerogative so we can let that one pass.

Latimer was a navigator and pilot so he makes sense.

Boma was maybe an astrophysicist? Okay. But what was Gaetano? Another unspecified science specialist?

The last three are a mystery. You might be able to rationalize Yeoman Mears to keep a record of everything. But how can you explain the inclusion of the ship’s Chief Engineer and ship’s Chief Medical Officer on an expectedly routine science investigation flight?

That doesn’t make sense.

Certainly if McCoy, Scott and Mears were not present they wouldn’t have had such a weight problem to get off the planet. On the other hand with Scotty absent would anyone else have thought of using their phasers as substitute fuel?

 

[johnnybear]

They were at the top of the duty roster? Well that explanation worked for Kirk talking about the death of Ben Finney in Court Martial!
JB

 

[Warped9]

They were at the top of the duty roster? Well that explanation worked for Kirk talking about the death of Ben Finney in Court Martial!
JB

That doesn’t work. Finney was assigned to a task that fell within his regular duties. Scott and McCoy have absolutely nothing to do with a routine science survey outside of their specific duties. They were just along for the ride.

 

[Herbert]

You're reading too much into it. I would be willing to bet decent money that many TV writers back then weren't interested in making all the pieces fit together in the manner you suggest. That grouping of characters were, at best, probably picked because the writer thought the dynamic and interactions would be interesting. Let's face it, TOS presented an undercurrent of hostility and conflict between Spock (rational logic) and humans (irrational emotions). This is on full display during this episode. At worst, the characters chosen were simply an arbitrary decision by the writer.

On the other hand, if this were a TNG episode then I think you'd have some valid questions. As a TOS episode though, the make-up of this particular landing party doesn't need any analysis. When there is a conflict between story and what makes sense, story wins every single time.

 

[Paul Weaver]

This was one of the rare times the landing party wasn't the Captain, First Officer, Chief Medical Officer, and Ensign Ricky. As such it's an unusual example to pick one where Kirk didn't select himself!

This came up in The Ultimate Computer

KIRK: All right, my recommendations are as follows. We send down general survey party, avoiding contact of all intelligent life on the planet's surface. The survey party will consist of myself, Doctor McCoy, Astrobiologist Phillips, Geologist Rawlins and Science Officer Spock.
DAYSTROM: Play M-5's recommendations, won't you, Mister Spock?
M5: Categorisation of life form readings recorded. Recommendations for general survey party. Science officer Spock, Astrobiologist Phillips, Geologist Carstairs.
...
KIRK: Why pick Carstairs instead of Rawlins? Carstairs is an ensign, no experience. This is his first tour of duty. Rawlins is chief geologist.
...
M5: General survey party requires direction of science officer. Astrobiologist Phillips has surveyed twenty nine biologically similar planets. Geologist Carstairs served on merchant marine freighters in this area. Once visited planet on geology survey for mining company.
DAYSTROM: Why were the Captain and the Chief Medical Officer not included in recommendation?
M5: Non-essential personnel

Aside from Kirk/McCoy, Carstairs "had no experience". How are they going to get experience without going on the party? This planet seemed an ideal time to give him a go, as M5 correctly identified.

There were of course other issues in Galileo Seven. The relief when five people were beamed up at the end, no confusion about the two missing crewmemebers

Easy to Justify Scotty -- maybe he was testing out some changes he'd make to the shuttle to improve scanners/engines/etc.

 

[Warped9]

You're reading too much into it. I would be willing to bet decent money that many TV writers back then weren't interested in making all the pieces fit together in the manner you suggest. That grouping of characters were, at best, probably picked because the writer thought the dynamic and interactions would be interesting. Let's face it, TOS presented an undercurrent of hostility and conflict between Spock (rational logic) and humans (irrational emotions). This is on full display during this episode. At worst, the characters chosen were simply an arbitrary decision by the writer.

On the other hand, if this were a TNG episode then I think you'd have some valid questions. As a TOS episode though, the make-up of this particular landing party doesn't need any analysis. When there is a conflict between story and what makes sense, story wins every single time.

Sure. But just trying to think of an in-universe justification.

 

[Warped9]

There were of course other issues in Galileo Seven. The relief when five people were beamed up at the end, no confusion about the two missing crewmemebers

Getting five back when you wonder if you’ll get any at all back could be some relief.

Interesting side question: if they had to have left someone behind who doubts Spock would have selected himself as the best one (being a Vulcan) with a chance to survive?

 

[Paul Weaver]

Sure. But just trying to think of an in-universe justification.

This was a very rare opportunity - worthy enough to have standing orders, having the chief science officer leading it makes perfect sense. Scotty can be assumed to be testing as I said. Pilot doing the piloting makes sense.

Budgets at the time didn't show the rest of the crew doing anything, but if we pretend a larger internal cabin with all operating various different equipment it's reasonable enough.

You could perhaps assume regulations require a medic onboard a shuttle with more than 5 people on board for an extended survey of unknown space (rather than just a short ferry flight). Or you could ignore regulations and let McCoy go along to be racist towards Spock because that's the type of ship Kirk ran.

 

[SchwEnt]

I once read someone's theory (might have been on this board) that some starship personnel need to have X number of hours on landing party/away team duty to maintain status. Perhaps some duty requirement got McCoy and Scott aboard, nothing specific about them or this mission.

 

[1001001]

You're reading too much into it.

We've found our new forum motto!

 

[Paul Weaver]

Interesting side question: if they had to have left someone behind who doubts Spock would have selected himself as the best one (being a Vulcan) with a chance to survive?

If I remember right, Spock tried to leave himself behind, but the rest wouldn't let him.

The leader ensuring the safety of his underlings with the sacrifice play and being the one to jump on the grenade is the easy, human, reaction. The far harder approach is having the leader order someone to sacrifice themselves.

From a logical point of view losing Spock is far worse than losing Ensign Ricky or Dr McCoy.

 

[PCz911]

We've found our new forum motto!

I put the ME in minutea.

 

[PCz911]

Boma was maybe an astrophysicist? Okay. But what was Gaetano? Another unspecified science specialist?

memory Alpha (not that it’s infallible) indicates that Boma was indeed an astrophysicist and that Gaetano was a radiation specialist.

 

[johnnybear]

I'm guessing that if Commissioner Ferris hadn't of been on board the Enterprise at the time then Kirk would have probably gone instead of one of the others!
JB

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

Maybe there are several different ways to select mission duty that ships experiment with from time to time :

* the logical AI chosen approach based on past experiences and expertise, a la M5,

* go with your "gut feeling"

* "I'd sooner sacrifice myself than them"

* Even the odds with extraneous redshirts

* Pick the guy who's been avoiding it/needs to meet a mission hours quota

* Stick them together to learn from each other/deal with their issues/learn to cooperate with those they don't like

* Send down the guy whose number's come up, a la jury duty

etc

 

[drt]

That doesn’t work. Finney was assigned to a task that fell within his regular duties.

Although, now that we’ve brought it up, why was that part of the records officer’s duty and not a science officer’s? Seems like Finney should have been in an office writing reports not crammed into a piece of equipment taking scientific readings.

 

[Holopat]

To me what was always ridiculous about this episode was the idea was that the Galileo trip was Spock’s ‘first command’. He was the exec of one of 12 Constitution class starships. Of course he had been in command before

 

[Herbert]

Sure. But just trying to think of an in-universe justification.

That way lies madness

 

[Henoch]

Although, now that we’ve brought it up, why was that part of the records officer’s duty and not a science officer’s? Seems like Finney should have been in an office writing reports not crammed into a piece of equipment taking scientific readings.

I think there is more to Finney's duties than just "Records Officer". He was a Lt. Commander in the Command structure on the ship. At the time, he was probably either third or fourth in command on the ship. He was probably a Department Head reporting directly to the Captain with a minor duty as Records Officer for the ship.

 

[blssdwlf]

I think there is more to Finney's duties than just "Records Officer". He was a Lt. Commander in the Command structure on the ship. At the time, he was probably either third or fourth in command on the ship. He was probably a Department Head reporting directly to the Captain with a minor duty as Records Officer for the ship.

If being a starship captain is anything like being a submarine captain who have to know and operate? every system and equipment onboard then Finney's ion pod operation could be part of that qualification checklist.