A few things to discuss about Kes

[DonIago]

Yeah. It's one thing to say, "what the writers did made me feel insulted" or, "it's like the writers set out to insult the audience," and something entirely different to outright accuse them of premeditation.

Even when they had Kim's parents joking about him not having been promoted, I think the writers thought they were laughing with the members of the audience who thought it was silly that Kim hadn't been promoted, and perhaps didn't realize they were just making themselves look worse in the process...or they were lampshading their own writing choices.

 

[Christmas Canon Spock]

Yeah. It's one thing to say, "what the writers did made me feel insulted" or, "it's like the writers set out to insult the audience," and something entirely different to outright accuse them of premeditation.

Even when they had Kim's parents joking about him not having been promoted, I think the writers thought they were laughing with the members of the audience who thought it was silly that Kim hadn't been promoted, and perhaps didn't realize they were just making themselves look worse in the process...or they were lampshading their own writing choices.

Again, writers have a different view of characters than fans. Writers are not necessarily attached to characters like fans, but look at the most dramatic potential while having deadlines.

 

[Crazy 4 Xmas Lights]

I don't agree with this hostile interpretation of the writers.

It's one thing to say, "what the writers did made me feel insulted" or, "it's like the writers set out to insult the audience," and something entirely different to outright accuse them of premeditation.

In many circumstances, I don't either. I think that Kes being rarely mentioned in later seasons was a concession to new viewers who hadn't seen the character. And, I think that "Fury" was a display of incompetence rather than ill intent. A bit of the "Riker as Q" effect: giving the people what they thought they wanted, but actually didn't.

Even when they had Kim's parents joking about him not having been promoted, I think the writers thought they were laughing with the members of the audience who thought it was silly that Kim hadn't been promoted, and perhaps didn't realize they were just making themselves look worse in the process...or they were lampshading their own writing choices.

If they're acknowledging a poor writing choice, wouldn't correcting it makes more sense?

Again, writers have a different view of characters than fans. Writers are not necessarily attached to characters like fans, but look at the most dramatic potential while having deadlines.

But a writer owes their characters a certain realism, within the parameters of the story. You want to stick a character at ensign forever? Fine. You either make the character incompetent, or make it clear that no one can get promoted, save specifically to replace a dead superior.

 

[DonIago]

If they're acknowledging a poor writing choice, wouldn't correcting it makes more sense?

Maybe they weren't permitted to. In my various professional roles I've occasionally found myself placed in a position where I wasn't allowed to say the things I might have wanted to say.

 

[Crazy 4 Xmas Lights]

^ Which shows malevolent intent somewhere.

Kes's return in "Fury" seemed to me to be well-intentioned incompetence, by comparison. And B'Elanna's undeserved promotion was a desire to set a status quo rapidly.

 

[Christmas Canon Spock]

Maybe they weren't permitted to. In my various professional roles I've occasionally found myself placed in a position where I wasn't allowed to say the things I might have wanted to say.

Yes, but even if so, that doesn't indicate malevolence. They're trying to write a story and get s script out fast. Sometimes multiple scripts, while aiming for very episodic framework.

I know us fans get passionate but the reading in of ill intent completely baffles me.

 

[Crazy 4 Xmas Lights]

Regarding Harry, I'll move that to the indicated topic. This one should be mainly about Kes.

Malevolence or no, it's plain as pie that she was disastrously misinterpreted in "Fury". So if the writers WEREN'T trying to insult her fans, if they genuinely wanted to feature Kes again... they did a lousy job.

Maybe they should have waited, then brought back the Kes we know and love in "Shattered" instead.