Why was Sulu played off as a normal person but Chekov as a caricature?

Re: Why was Sulu played off as a normal person but Chekov as a caricat

Yeah, Earl Holliman's "Cookie" was a bit over the top for me, just as Chekov is a bit over the top. Unfortunately for Koenig, who is awesome, that stereotype stuck with him well into the movies.

 

Re: Why was Sulu played off as a normal person but Chekov as a caricat

Poor ol' Cookie. I guess being "locked up in hyperspace for 378 days" really got to him. What does he say upon seeing Robby? "Hey Doc'. Is it a male or a female?"
Was he actually considering, ahem, "it" if Ostro had confirmed a gender?!
Whoa! Talk about "hard up" for some "companionship"!

Sincerely,

Bill

 

Re: Why was Sulu played off as a normal person but Chekov as a caricat

The cast of MST3K once paid tribute to Earl Holliman, calling him "a man who would have been William Shatner had there not already been one."

 

Re: Why was Sulu played off as a normal person but Chekov as a caricat

Yeah, that was a rather odd first question.

 

Re: Why was Sulu played off as a normal person but Chekov as a caricat

I think it was more just simple curiosity on Cookie's part. After all, he'd probably never met a sentient robot before.

IIRC, Robby's reply was, "In my case, sir, the question is totally without meaning." But is it? Robby speaks in a deep masculine voice, he's immensely strong, and he looks pretty butch (for a robot)!

Now back to our regularly scheduled topic . . .

 

Re: Why was Sulu played off as a normal person but Chekov as a caricat

I was under the impression Koenig's parents were Russian Jews. Or does that not count as being "Russian'?

Was Chekov a caricature of a Russian? He's usually shown to be young, eager and a little impulsive. Are those traits associated with Russians? He's more of a caricature of youth. There is the accent, but is it any worse than Scotty's? His pride in Russia and its accomplishments is exaggerated for affect, but its no worse that Spock's wry comments about humans.

Sulu on the other hand is mostly a cipher, who does and says what the script demands. Takei makes the most of it though, through his voice and mannerisms.

 

Re: Why was Sulu played off as a normal person but Chekov as a caricat

Ceti Eels are the worst parasite in the galaxy. Once they enter the victim's cranium, they proceed to EAT the cerebral cortex bringing madness...and death. It's unavoidable.

... except with Chekov. Displaying behavior uncharateristic for the species, the little arthropod crawled OUT of his ear.

Probably in hunger, having found nothing inside.

In the next movie Chekov fell from a nuclear wessel several stories high -- and didn't die. why? Luckily, he fell on his head.

Those were traumatic events, but before all that he already demonstrated he can't count up to 6. And he cant tell a group of genetically enhanced superhumans from a particle preanimated matter with a Dynoscanner.

Now tell me he isn't retard, canon retard.

 

Re: Why was Sulu played off as a normal person but Chekov as a caricat

I was also going to point the fact he was "the kid". His Russian patriotism is not so far than his attitude toward Korax badmouthing HIS Captain Kirk. He has good moments in the movies, but the writer forgot to create a 40-year-old Chekov and instead continued to use the 22-year-old version.

 

Re: Why was Sulu played off as a normal person but Chekov as a caricat

Oh, I realize that was the intent and in 1956, certainly there was no "hidden" meaning. I just like to see things from the absurdist perspective on occasion.

I've literally been waiting years to make my silly observation and this looked like my best setup to spring it.

Sincerely,

Bill

 

Re: Why was Sulu played off as a normal person but Chekov as a caricat

I agree that the issue was the group dynamic. Brain damage in STII could be why Chekov was such a dunderhead in the later movies. I liked sulu though, he got a lot of decent lines in the early episodes, showing a smart, tactical mind, and a lot of common sense. Scotty, Rand, and Uhura also had a fair amount of comic scenes early on. Maybe it was just because Rand left, and Uhura became rather stoic that Chekov's one-note comic turns stand out so much.

 

Re: Why was Sulu played off as a normal person but Chekov as a caricat

I don't see that at all. Among the five core characters, I think every one of them receives microagression from all the others, and dishes it out in kind.

 

Re: Why was Sulu played off as a normal person but Chekov as a caricat

Now now, I think that's a bit of a stretch. Yes, Lizard!Paris kidnapped his captain. But we haven't really got any reason for assuming that she didn't have those babies willingly, after having already evolved into a salamander herself.

Mind you, that's one heck of a case of Stockholm Syndrome that Captain Kathryn was exhibiting right there.

 

Re: Why was Sulu played off as a normal person but Chekov as a caricat

A seldom used word, I've only ever heard it used before by Thurston Howell III.

 

Re: Why was Sulu played off as a normal person but Chekov as a caricat

In their sendup of "Attack of the Eye Creatures". I swear I really couldn't get my breath on that one. I was laughing so hard I thought I was going to pass out. It's on Youtube like most of them.

 

Re: Why was Sulu played off as a normal person but Chekov as a caricat

Ah, yes. Right here: LINK

 

Re: Why was Sulu played off as a normal person but Chekov as a caricat

Beverly Crusher slept with Will Riker when he was possessed by Odan and hence couldn't give consent to her. Trek has been less than enlightened with regard to both genders some times.

 

Re: Why was Sulu played off as a normal person but Chekov as a caricat

Here's a site that provides links to all the currently available streaming media.

It's separated by seasons and listed in production order.

http://www.club-mst3k.com/

If a link becomes no longer valid, the site is pretty quick to find a replacement.

I had seen only the Sci-Fi Channel era and maybe 3 from the Comedy Central episodes (and the movie) before I discovered this site. Last weekend, I finally "caught up" by watching the last CC segment, "LaserBlast".

For MSTie fans, this is a "must have" site!

Now, back to our regularly scheduled thread.

Sincerely,

Bill

 

Re: Why was Sulu played off as a normal person but Chekov as a caricat

I don't think major long-term damage is a plausible explanation. Despite his goofyness in the subsequent movies, there's no indication of that...and it would made his goofyness quite sinister.

At least, he got the Bones part in Generations, so his last cannon appearance shown him as mature and qualified. In Star Trek V, he didn't did a bad job when he had the bridge, but his authority crisis was really kiddy. You have no authority. ...What's going on here? For the phaser scene in STVI, we can point in his defense that either Scotty didn't know about the security device...despite he was the chief engineer.

 

Re: Why was Sulu played off as a normal person but Chekov as a caricat

I can't remember if I read it, or if it came from an interview from long ago. As I remember, the character of Chekov was created to please the suits. They wanted a young 'mop-top' that young guys could identify with, and that the teeny-bop girls would swoon for. GR finally said fine, he's Russian. IIRC, the suits were not very pleased at first, but GR insisted that the US was currently in the middle of a space race with the Russians and that Star Trek takes place long after WW III, with world peace and all, it would only make sense that there be a Russian as a member of the bridge crew. The suits finally agreed and they both got their way. I wish I could remember where I came across that little tidbit.

 

Re: Why was Sulu played off as a normal person but Chekov as a caricat

So the "Pravda story" is just a story?