Nah, it's not that.
Does anyone else find McCoy annoying?
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Nah, it's not that.
Funny thing is--and it may be a comment on the inner sociopolitical hypocrisy of certain ST viewers--is that Spock spent all three seasons of TOS making snide, dismissive and flat out insulting comments about humans...often.
The tone and his cultural and/or historical "observations" about humans sound very similar to the garden variety racist, but most ST fans don't even blink when Spock engages in the same ideology which earns McCoy criticism.
Would that have anything to do with the view of Spock as the resident alien abord the ship, so he's somehow protected from criticism? Are some fans incapable of seeing Spock in the same way because it just appears to be more politically incorrect when a human (McCoy) says the same thing?
Sounds like a character they should have kept... Most of what I saw was season 3.
First I must say that McCOY is one of my favourites. Having said that , and remembering that it was 1960s standards, his racism is too overt.
How is insulting some one for thier pointy ears or green blood different from insulting them for skin colour. (Sorry for all the extra U's I am a Canadian)
At the time it was not seen as racist , but now his comments do make me cringe at times.
How is insulting some one for thier pointy ears or green blood different from insulting them for skin colour. (Sorry for all the extra U's I am a Canadian)
At the time it was not seen as racist , but now his comments do make me cringe at times.
Yeah, it's as if humanity only ever overcame its racial differences through discovering intelligent beings that were even more different.
And no need to apologize/ise for being Canadian.
Just the same, Spock's frequent racially motivated insults about all things human was not the most evolved stand to take--for one alleged to be so "above" the petty, divisive nature of humanity.
One can see the intent that was made with Pulaski, but it execution it faltered. Someone else stated it far better than I suspect I can, but here goes... When McCoy "dug" at Spock, the science officer in turn could dish it right back at the doctor. Data, on the other hand, was far more "innocent" and truly lacked understanding of human behavior. When Pulaski "zinged" him, it was basically the equivalent of kicking a puppy. I don't recall him pointing out human shortcomings because Data wanted to be "human". Now, if Data stated the various advantages of being a self aware construct, then they would have been on more equal footing. But depicted as it was, Pulaski just came across as needlessly cruel.
Sincerely,
Bill
Sincerely,
Bill
And Chekov?
Just plain uptight.
Amen. And while I do not dislike Crusher I do, to this day, like Pulaski far better. Her "spark" was desperately needed on TNG.
Overtly nationalistic, perhaps a bit xenophobic.
The only thing that annoyed my about McCoy was his jabs at Spock which were often complaints about science in general. Yet the irony was that as a Doctor McCoy himself was a sceintists.
The 60s showed a fear of science and things like computers and ironically the writers used a science-fiction show express those fears. Then again, that is what science fiction does.
The 60s showed a fear of science and things like computers and ironically the writers used a science-fiction show express those fears. Then again, that is what science fiction does.
Agreed. Old Bones was one of the best things about the show.
Overall, I thought McCoy was a great character who provided a valuable contribution to TOS. However, at times I couldn't stand McCoy. In many episodes they pumped up the McCoy-Spock tension a bit much, to the point of making McCoy look like an @sshole. He'd give Spock a hard time at almost any turn, looking sorely unprofessional. These guys are military trained. I know doctors are usually less "by the book", but McCoy's needling of Spock went too far.
Anyway, it was a shame he wasn't given more "meat" to his roles in the movies. I think he could've provided more entertaining dialog.
Anyway, it was a shame he wasn't given more "meat" to his roles in the movies. I think he could've provided more entertaining dialog.
I think you hit all of the points; TNG wanted a "McCoy-like" doctor, but ended up with something along the lines of the "snapping, combative doctor" stereotype seen in endless sketch comedy versions of TOS.
Somehow, the TNG brain trust could not see that in order for Pulaski to be this "McCoy-like" character, and in trying to make Data the new Spock, they needed Data to be proud of his own qualities (ex. Spock resenting the mere idea of being anything close to human / pointing out human shortcomings at every turn).
Data wandering around trying to be human in his lost, childlike way meant anyone attacking him appeared to be a very abusive person.
That's the problem of trying to copy+paste character archetypes developed by another series.
This is among the best, if not the very best post I have ever come across in this forum.
Kudos for looking father into matters.
He says loads of stuff that is un-PC but people didn't have the same level of 'everything must be equal' that they do today... Whenever he tried teasing Spock, usually Spock would come back with some witty comment.
They tried to re-create Spock/McCoy with Data/Pulaski and it didn't really work.......
They tried to re-create Spock/McCoy with Data/Pulaski and it didn't really work.......
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