Hmmm...Guess I don't have to tell you who my favorite character is.
I am not the type of person that slams other people's opinions. I respect opinions even when they disagree with my own. I've been reading this thread and I must say there are many things I disagree with regarding Trip's character.
First off, his accent. My brother was from Sarasota, FL and my family would go down there to spend time with him. Not only were there many folks down there that sounded like Trip, when I was around them for a certain amount of time I came back here to OH sounding like that also. An accent doesn't make someone a hick.
Secondly, what I've read about him abusing his friendship with Captain Archer I don't get. If I was close friends with someone and I was in a higher-ranking position than they were in, it wouldn't negate my relationship with them. I would still ask their advice about certain things. I don't feel that makes Captain Archer weak...I think it makes him a better person. As for him sharing a meal with Trip or watching a water polo match, I don't see an issue with that.
Not only do I see him as a competent engineer, I don't feel that he has been abusive of any alien race. His character seems like a real person to me, and that is one of the reasons that I enjoy Enterprise so much. They don't act like these unreachable, untouchable people who don't care about each other and are only concerned about moving up in rank or, if they are already of a higher rank, acquiring even more power at someone's expense. I get very tired of people like that, not only in TV shows but in real life as well. You can be the poorest person on the face of the earth financially but the richest in family and friends. I'll take that any day of the week.
Have a good one!
