Did they have something against engineers in the first season?

[Norrin Radd]

Re: No "permanent" Chief Engineer until Season 2.

Instead, we had three utterly forgettable temps: Logan, Argyle, and MacDougal.

Explain.

 

[Michael]

I always thought it was supposed to be some kind of story arc for Geordi. So that he doesn't start out as the ship's engineer. Well, if it indeed was an arc, it was a pretty lame one.

 

[EmperorTiberius]

May be they didn't want to have engineering screaming "warp core containment field failing" every other episode. They had Data as an Operations Officer which should have been enough, kind of like O'Brien on DS9 and Defiant.

 

[WillsBabe]

I think it's because they wanted to break away from the format of TOS - ie no science office, absolutely no Vulcans, no engineer. I don't think they wanted to replicate TOS' personnel etc. Obviously they realised that an engineer would be a good idea, if not at essential part of the story-telling, a bit like the need for a doctor.

 

[Praetorian]

At the first, the ship would not even have an engineering section! Something about the ship being all automated/controlled from the bridge...
But Gene Rodenberry thought it was best to use the pilot episode budget, bigger than the average one, to have one built, in case he would regret his decision.
Hence that small scene of Worf going down there. As well as the scene right at the beginning I think.
However they stil decided to not have a member of the main cast as a chief engineer..and the rest is history!

 

[Krendoshazin]

Hence that small scene of Worf going down there. As well as the scene right at the beginning I think.

Roddenberry actually wrote that small scene in to the script after he realised there wasn't a scene in engineering at all, it gave them an excuse to build an engineering set. So I don't think he downplayed it at all, if anything it was his decision to put engineering there to begin with.

 

[Praetorian]

Yes, it was his decision, and it was an excuse to get the set built. That's what I meant...Only that at first there wasn't going to be such set...later he changed his mind, hence the scene...
Because he knew it would be hard to have it done with a regular episode budget.
However, I haven't found the place we're (I think) I read this, so it might probably be not true!

 

[Krendoshazin]

That's what I meant...Only that at first there wasn't going to be such set...later he changed his mind, hence the scene...
Because he knew it would be hard to have it done with a regular episode budget.
However, I haven't found the place we're (I think) I read this, so it might probably be not true!

I haven't found where I got my information from either. It was either the Season 1 "mission logs" on the last disc of season 1, or the TNG technical manual. I don't remember anything mentioned about the budget, but that doesn't mean it can't be true of course.

 

[Ensign_Redshirt]

Instead, we had three utterly forgettable temps: Logan, Argyle, and MacDougal.

There was also Leland T. Lynch from "Skin of Evil".

 

[John Picard]

Re: No "permanent" Chief Engineer until Season 2.

Instead, we had three utterly forgettable temps: Logan, Argyle, and MacDougal.

Explain.

Why does this topic seem to come up every two weeks? Have you tried searching the forum rather than posting this redundant question?

 

[Tan Ru]

Ya know, Argyle & MacDougal sound like Scottish names.............

A tip to TOS and Mister Scott perhaps??

 

[Zulu Romeo]

In fact, Logan and Lynch are very Celtic-sounding names too.

 

[nx1701g]

That's what I meant...Only that at first there wasn't going to be such set...later he changed his mind, hence the scene...
Because he knew it would be hard to have it done with a regular episode budget.
However, I haven't found the place we're (I think) I read this, so it might probably be not true!

I haven't found where I got my information from either. It was either the Season 1 "mission logs" on the last disc of season 1, or the TNG technical manual. I don't remember anything mentioned about the budget, but that doesn't mean it can't be true of course.

I read it in a book called Star Trek: Captain's Logs.

 

[cardinal biggles]

I read it first in one of the footnotes in the TNG Tech Manual.

The studio initially thought that very little use would be made of the engine room in this new Enterprise. In fact, we originally did not plan to build this set for the first episode, "Encounter at Farpoint." The problem was that the nature of television production made it very likely that if this major set was not built for the pilot, it would probably never be done. When Gene Roddenberry discovered this omission, he immediately wrote a scene in the engine room, thus justifying the very large expenditure to build it for "Farpoint." (pg. 58)

And of course, sure enough they did use it plenty during that first season, despite the revolving door of chief engineers. "The Naked Now," "Where No One...," "11001001" and "Heart of Glory" all made great use of that set. I especially love the dramatic use of the catwalks in "Heart of Glory."

 

[nx1701g]

^ Too bad they were never really used again.

 

[Myasishchev]

Considering how often Geordi got laid, I think they had something against engineers in every season.

 

[The Sneeze Police]

Although I loved Season one when it aired, I can't say it is one of my favorites now. I do like to acknowledge the engineering revolving door of Season 1. It felt right when LaForge was made an engineer. It opened his storylines (and importance) in the cast. And it saved him from Travis Mayweather's fate in ENT.

 

[Michael]

Considering how often Geordi got laid, I think they had something against engineers in every season.

By that logic they only liked engineers on DS9, VOY and ENT.

 

[Trevacious]

You forgot "Leland T. Lynch!" I liked his arrogance and the balls he had to snap at the Captain. Like Logan, his prickishness made him refreshingly human. But on top of that, Lynch struck me as a guy who could Get Things Done.

I think an ingenious but thoroughly unlikeable (at least at first) chief engineer could've added some zest to things by reassuring us that humanity wasn't so homogenized that we no longer had personality conflicts.

Logan was also entertaining in his way, as an obstacle to Geordi gaining confidence. When Geordi split the ship and stuck Logan with the saucer, it felt like beating the school bully.

They didn't help McDougal by putting her in a situation where she was basically useless. But I'm sure the point was to dramatically show us how special Data could be for ship-saving purposes. They weren't looking for a chief engineer to be a mover and shaker on the show.

I especially love the dramatic use of the catwalks in "Heart of Glory."

Come to think of it, though, isn't it kind of disturbing to watch the clear floor panels shatter like glass? I'd expect something more along the lines of transparent aluminum in such a critical area!

 

[Timo]

^ Too bad they were never really used again.

That's because Worf broke them in that episode! Duh.

You forgot "Leland T. Lynch!"

To nitpick, he wasn't a CHIEF engineer. Just somebody down at the Engineering who felt he needed to identify himself by full name and rank the first time around - thus, probably some underling, or perhaps a visiting specialist.

MacDougal, Argyle and Logan were the ones identified as Chief Engineers. And MacDougal was only in the first regular ep, while Logan was only in the second-to-last in stardate order - so in theory, we had an almost full season of Argyle shoveling the coal. IIRC, he got two onscreen appearances and one explicit verbal mention, but he could have been there the rest of the time as well.

Timo Saloniemi