The function of the yeoman in "By Any Other Name" was to be turned into a cuboctahedron and crushed so that Kirk could sift through her powdered remains as we sat shocked, in horror.
Agency of Female Characters
- Thread starter Pauln6
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Back from my holiday so I have almost certainly missed a few episodes. Today's was the Trouble with Tribbles.
It's a fun episode but I wish it could have been tighter and cleverer. It doesn't hold up to close scrutiny. It's fairly decent as ensemble pieces go but again, Uhura is the only female crew member here. I read somewhere that in an early draft, Janice Rand was to feature. I can see how it would have been a good vehicle for her character but it is likely that she would just have eaten into Uhura's role rather than expanding the roles for both women. Having said that, it is one of a number of episodes where the presence of a yeoman with Kirk on station would have made sense though.
McCoy does the bio-research so Chapel doesn't have to. That girl needs her shore leave! Scotty, Uhura, and Chekov do get some fun lines overall but the lads drinking and fighting while the ladies shop feels very dated now.
Managed to catch the Return to Tomorrow this evening as well. Ann Mulhall does quite well in terms of agency. She's not shy to voice her opinions and you can believe that she carries the rank of Lt-commander unlike many of the air-headed officers in the show. Opinionated but not an idiot probably sums her up in comparison to many other female crewmen.
I think, like Helen Noel, Ann Mulhall would have been a great foil for Kirk in the right story. The awkward kiss at the end was reason enough to have Mulhall back IMO. An astrobiologist could also have been worthwhile in Shore Leave, the Paradise Syndrome, the Devil in the Dark, the Armageddon Factor, and the Immunity syndrome, to name a few off the top of my head. It's a great shame we didn't see her again.
The downsides of her character include that none of her interactions have anything to do with her qualifications or expertise so we never get to see her analyse anything from an astrobiological perspective. It's also odd that she isn't dressed in blue, possibly to widen the colour palette of the landing party, possibly because she was originally going to be from a services background, or possibly because the actress had a preference.
Thalassa, by contrast, is a bit of a wet blanket. She's heavily influenced by both the men in her life. They make a point of stating that she was implementing Sargon's designs rather than having an technical input of her own. Although that might have been to underscore the fact that she'd had no opportunity to comment on the type of body she'd prefer, it does dilute the character's obvious technical skill of her own, if she's just doing what her husband told her to do.
This is one of Chapel's biggest episodes. Shades of her rarely seen bio-research skills are seen when she spots that Henoch's medication is not as it should be and she sort of saves the day in the end, albeit not as a consequence of her own agency.
It's not one of my favourites, especially Kirk's overblown speech, but it scores points for having a cool guest star and reasonable use of Scotty and Chapel.
It's a fun episode but I wish it could have been tighter and cleverer. It doesn't hold up to close scrutiny. It's fairly decent as ensemble pieces go but again, Uhura is the only female crew member here. I read somewhere that in an early draft, Janice Rand was to feature. I can see how it would have been a good vehicle for her character but it is likely that she would just have eaten into Uhura's role rather than expanding the roles for both women. Having said that, it is one of a number of episodes where the presence of a yeoman with Kirk on station would have made sense though.
McCoy does the bio-research so Chapel doesn't have to. That girl needs her shore leave! Scotty, Uhura, and Chekov do get some fun lines overall but the lads drinking and fighting while the ladies shop feels very dated now.
Managed to catch the Return to Tomorrow this evening as well. Ann Mulhall does quite well in terms of agency. She's not shy to voice her opinions and you can believe that she carries the rank of Lt-commander unlike many of the air-headed officers in the show. Opinionated but not an idiot probably sums her up in comparison to many other female crewmen.
I think, like Helen Noel, Ann Mulhall would have been a great foil for Kirk in the right story. The awkward kiss at the end was reason enough to have Mulhall back IMO. An astrobiologist could also have been worthwhile in Shore Leave, the Paradise Syndrome, the Devil in the Dark, the Armageddon Factor, and the Immunity syndrome, to name a few off the top of my head. It's a great shame we didn't see her again.
The downsides of her character include that none of her interactions have anything to do with her qualifications or expertise so we never get to see her analyse anything from an astrobiological perspective. It's also odd that she isn't dressed in blue, possibly to widen the colour palette of the landing party, possibly because she was originally going to be from a services background, or possibly because the actress had a preference.
Thalassa, by contrast, is a bit of a wet blanket. She's heavily influenced by both the men in her life. They make a point of stating that she was implementing Sargon's designs rather than having an technical input of her own. Although that might have been to underscore the fact that she'd had no opportunity to comment on the type of body she'd prefer, it does dilute the character's obvious technical skill of her own, if she's just doing what her husband told her to do.
This is one of Chapel's biggest episodes. Shades of her rarely seen bio-research skills are seen when she spots that Henoch's medication is not as it should be and she sort of saves the day in the end, albeit not as a consequence of her own agency.
It's not one of my favourites, especially Kirk's overblown speech, but it scores points for having a cool guest star and reasonable use of Scotty and Chapel.
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I always wondered why Lt.Charlene Masters was in engineering considering she wore the uniform of a scientist or medic! And just where was Scotty and his band of experts? Anyone seeing this episode before any others would think that it was set before Scotty first appeared and the engineering red shirt division! Then again we did have Arch Whiting in red and not calling himself Sparks...
JB
JB
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Wasn't Masters part of the High energy Physics team? I can see a certain amount of logic to having physicists on rotation in engineering, since they won't be spending much of their time on experiments. Spock helps Scotty in both TMP and TWoK after all. In some ways, Masters blue uniform makes more sense than Uhura changing from Command division to Services.I always wondered why Lt.Charlene Masters was in engineering considering she wore the uniform of a scientist or medic! And just where was Scotty and his band of experts? Anyone seeing this episode before any others would think that it was set before Scotty first appeared and the engineering red shirt division! Then again we did have Arch Whiting in red and not calling himself Sparks...
JB
Caught the Gamesters of Triskelion today. Actually, this one is a refreshing change as far as the ladies go. There is some logic to the make-up of the initial landing party (although Kirk is superfluous, obviously). We have Ensign Haines at science station and navigation (probably filling in the role that Sulu would have taken normally), we have a South Asian Command division replacement for Uhura at comms, and two female drill thralls.
Chekov and Uhura are largely decorative but I like Shanna and her matter-of-fact approach to reproduction, especially when compared to Yeoman Landon's embarrassment about the whole process in the Apple. Kirk manipulates her ruthlessly though, throughout the entire episode, including his, it's not me, it's you speech at the end.
In the final scene when they were in sickbay recovering from the operation, both Spock and Sarek teased Amanda for being "emotional". I don't know but I guess they were sort of joking. It is hard to tell when a Vulcan is joking.
It would seem like another instance of Vulcans poking fun at emotional humans. But I also got the impression that their teasing might also have been unintentionally (or intentionally) sexist. Spock ask Sarek, "Why did you marry her?"
Amanda at one point or another in the ep was emotional, hysterical or fickle. She at first refused to permit Spock to transfuse his blood, then later on, she slapped Spock for refusing to do the transfusion. Confusing. Was Amanda a stereotypical woman in their eyes? Did she have agency in their eyes?
Losira. During the last scene of "That Which Survives", Kirk, Spock and McCoy agreed that Losira was a remarkable and intelligent woman. And apparently Losira was. Losira had agency, right? But they couldn't leave it at that, they had to comment on her looks as well.
McCoy said that she was beautiful. Spock unemotionally responded that "beauty is transitory". And Kirk concluded that "beauty survives." Would they have commented on Losira's looks if he was a male?
Btw, this episode featured a female helms(wo)man Rahda. And Rahda had plenty of lines. She came across as quite competent. But I think that was the one and only time she was in any episode.
In the final scene when they were in sickbay recovering from the operation, both Spock and Sarek teased Amanda for being "emotional". I don't know but I guess they were sort of joking. It is hard to tell when a Vulcan is joking.
It would seem like another instance of Vulcans poking fun at emotional humans. But I also got the impression that their teasing might also have been unintentionally (or intentionally) sexist. Spock ask Sarek, "Why did you marry her?"
Amanda at one point or another in the ep was emotional, hysterical or fickle. She at first refused to permit Spock to transfuse his blood, then later on, she slapped Spock for refusing to do the transfusion. Confusing. Was Amanda a stereotypical woman in their eyes? Did she have agency in their eyes?
Losira. During the last scene of "That Which Survives", Kirk, Spock and McCoy agreed that Losira was a remarkable and intelligent woman. And apparently Losira was. Losira had agency, right? But they couldn't leave it at that, they had to comment on her looks as well.
McCoy said that she was beautiful. Spock unemotionally responded that "beauty is transitory". And Kirk concluded that "beauty survives." Would they have commented on Losira's looks if he was a male?
Btw, this episode featured a female helms(wo)man Rahda. And Rahda had plenty of lines. She came across as quite competent. But I think that was the one and only time she was in any episode.
I haven't got quite as far as those episodes yet but Star Trek does have a history of making female guest characters the mothers, wives, and daughters of other male characters with more agency. That said, I think Amanda in TOS had more humour and personality than the reboot version who was given no opportunity to demonstrate where she stood in her relationship with her husband - we learn about their relationship only from Sarek.
I love the Vulcan sense of humour because it isn't blunted by sensibilities. Uhura would have whipped out a salty comeback. I can see why NuUhura and Spock could be a thing sometimes, albeit that NuUhura has little of TOS Uhura's sass.
Losira is a rare example of a woman who both has and has no agency, since she acts on her own but only because she is programmed that way. I need to re-watch these episodes to see if there are any little gems in there.
I remember Rhada more because it appeared that she was meant to be middle-eastern or south Asian but it looked like they just slapped on some make-up to make her look a bit darker. I do wish they'd used more women at navigation and helm though. I like that both women were not teenage hotties as well.
I watched a Piece of the Action last night. This is a very silly episode. It makes zero sense to beam down Spock and McCoy in the landing party so it's the first noticeable episode where that formula is shoe-horned in. Kirk suggests that Spock should access the sociological computer for a solution - perhaps Kirk should have sent down the ship's sociologist instead? I'm not sure if this marks the point where they started to use Spock to fill in any scientific role that wasn't medical but I don't approve!
In contrast to Triskelion, the women in this one are entirely decorative, with the focus on the bosses and goons. Based on her performance in the Man Trap, I always felt this would have been another good episode for Yeoman Rand. I can see some logic to having a yeoman systematically log all the changes that might have been wrought by the contamination, plus she'd make a great gangster's moll!
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I don't know if Amanda has any real agency if she has to sneak off to speak to her son. While she goes to visit Spock on her own I suppose, her actions don't change Spock's decision. Just make him sad.In the final scene when they were in sickbay recovering from the operation, both Spock and Sarek teased Amanda for being "emotional". I don't know but I guess they were sort of joking. It is hard to tell when a Vulcan is joking.
It would seem like another instance of Vulcans poking fun at emotional humans. But I also got the impression that their teasing might also have been unintentionally (or intentionally) sexist. Spock ask Sarek, "Why did you marry her?"
Amanda at one point or another in the ep was emotional, hysterical or fickle. She at first refused to permit Spock to transfuse his blood, then later on, she slapped Spock for refusing to do the transfusion. Confusing. Was Amanda a stereotypical woman in their eyes? Did she have agency in their eyes?
Kirk/McCoy ares the ones who caused Spock to allow the experimental drug/blood transfusion.
I know this is practically heresy but I'm not that impressed by Amanda as a mother. She's agreed to live a life subservient to her husband and it seems she has always put him ahead of Spock in her life. Look if my son had to undergo an experimental surgery that could essentially risk his life to save my life or his fathers life I would definitely say No. I wouldn't attempt to bully him into it. I would rather die that risk my sons life.
In TAS she seems to have more agency as does every woman in TOS.
Amanda is a confusing mass of conflicting emotions after all. I liked her. You'd have to be a bit bonkers to spend so much time among Vulcans. She was probably just used to playing up to her audience much of the time.
I think TAS edged towards giving women more agency but they were just as often useless victims.
My latest catch ups were Patterns of Force and By Any Other Name. They both show signs of the Troika formula, with Kirk beaming down only McCoy when McCoy and 5 armed guards could probably have stunned and held the building long enough to do what had to be done. Similarly, the Kevlans keep Kirk and McCoy active when they probably need a couple more engineers and physicists instead to keep the systems running smoothly. McCoy could be zapped and restored only when they need him and, without his crew, Kirk is a total waste of air for them. I miss the supporting and guest crew in both of these. Once again, the ship's sociologist misses out on another key mission!
Kudos to Scotty though, he's my favourite part of the latter episode by a mile from his ruthless dedication to duty and his drinking shenanigans.
As far as the ladies go, there were shades of feminism in both episodes but quite limited. Gill obviously believed that putting men in power would work out when in fact the biggest cause of peace is the education and empowerment of women. Hasn't he heard of Paradise Island?
She starts out OK, but Kirk teaching Kalinda the ways of apologising was a bit tiresome. We quickly stray into the typical TOS territory of a stubborn and wrong-headed woman, although the other Kevlans are being manipulated in similar ways I suppose. It's just that this is territory that Kirk was exploring very recently with Shanna. I was more intrigued by the icy, efficient Kevlan helmsman. And, while it was awesome that the black dude lived instead of the chick, Yeoman Thompson was dull and useless. Chapel once again proves that she has a working knowledge of bio-chemistry but also that she's slow on the up-take.
Much as I love her, it would have been incredible and shocking if this had been Yeoman Rand's swan song, way before Tasha Yar. On balance, I like having Rand return for her cameos in the movies but my jaw would have hit the floor if she'd bit the dust (literally) here.
The biggest let downs for both episodes are that Patterns of Force could have been far more interesting if it had been a truly alien parable instead of a cheap Nazi knock off and By any Other Name suffers from sloppy science that was quickly forgotten by the writers. Both had potential but they feel like thumbnail sketches of good ideas. The forced over-focus on the Troika blunts my enjoyment of them for some reason.
Whoops, I almost forgot that I also re-watched the Immunity Syndrome the other day. There was lots of cameos from fainting ladies but otherwise it's just Uhura in this one, who faints but recovers like a trouper. Chapel totters about with her hypo but adds very little to this one.
This is one episode where the focus on the Troika works for me. The interplay between Spock and McCoy is a joy. I think it could have been a good vehicle to feature Ann Mulhall again but she would likely have been filling in the McCoy role. She had the chops to do it but it might have detracted from the interplay and Kirk's dilemma. As a biologist, Chapel could have been given a bit more involvement in the analysis of the creature but she is just decorative sadly.
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One of my favorite scenes from "Space Seed" was when Kirk mocked her profession and then mispronounced her name.
Kirk: "Oh. I'll need someone familiar with the late 20th century Earth. Here's a chance for that historian to do something for a change. What's her name? ..."
Kirk had a point. Apparently, McGivers had a lot of free time. What did that historian do all day long on the Enterprise anyway, besides engaging in her hobby of painting "bold men of the past"?
Palamas did demonstrate agency and guts when she jumped in front of Apollo's finger just as Apollo was about to zap Kirk with his lighting bolt. She probably saved the captain's life. Other than that, Palamas was nothing more than window dressing and the female third of the love triangle involving Apollo, her and Scotty.
Yes, I'm fascinated by the likely crew composition of a starship. Realistically, you'd need enough engineers, security, helm, navigation, shuttle, medical, and communications crew to man key stations on every shift (not all of whom would need to be officers, although key stations would likely be petty officers and CPOs). Generally though, you would not need that many scientists, especially as all Federation crew seem to have technical and/or science specialisms. You can keep certain personnel on call for emergencies.I like your theory on Lt.Masters being part of that team, Paul!
JB
I think sick bay is way over-staffed for 430 crew. McCoy has at least two more doctors and a gaggle of at least 6 nurses. More likely there would be fewer but medical technicians from other departments drafted in during emergencies.
There seems to be a team of lab technicians (non-officers) with specialisms such as geology, biology, etc as well as dedicated crew to disciplines such as sociology, anthropology, astrobiology, computer science, and of course physics. However, given the random accumulation of uniform colours, it could be implied that some specialists double up in other departments, especially engineering, to keep the ship running when not engaging in experiments or planetary surveys. I find it odd that the ship wouldn't need a full time astrobiologist but then they do spend a lot of time travelling between planets. I believe one of the novelisations suggested that McGivers day job was as an engineer but history was her area of specialism, hence her red uniform.
However, physics, including astrophysics and high energy physics would be so crucial to the day to day activities on board the ship that I would expect there to be a full team working around the clock to keep an eye on sensor data from space and the smooth running of the ship.
You should thank white Jesus she was even on the bridge....
I just watched the Omega Glory and I have to say this is probably my least favourite episode so far. I am NOT a fan of parallel Earths in the slightest let alone THIS parallel. Plus Kirk's speeches are so hammy
Not much here for the ladies again. The Troika dominates with only Uhura and Sulu getting some onboard action. Sulu is a very good officer; I think I took him for granted watching the show when I was younger. He often asks the most sensible questions out of everyone. Uhura is quicker on the up-take than Chapel but she still lacks the agency to do anything about her suspicions in this one.
The women on both sides of the conflict are subservient to their male rulers (although Yang women be too feisty even for Kirk to try his smooching technique - fortunately they are weak-minded enough for Spock to control without a mind meld. Why do we see no other Vulcans performing mind control in later shows?).
A shout needs to go out for herioc Galloway who finally dies in this episode and only to come back from the dead like Lt Leslie later on. And they say Scotty is a miracle worker. It's a shame that all the third tier recurring characters are male. It would have been nice to see a female transporter chief or security guard cropping up for a few episodes per season.
Not much here for the ladies again. The Troika dominates with only Uhura and Sulu getting some onboard action. Sulu is a very good officer; I think I took him for granted watching the show when I was younger. He often asks the most sensible questions out of everyone. Uhura is quicker on the up-take than Chapel but she still lacks the agency to do anything about her suspicions in this one.
The women on both sides of the conflict are subservient to their male rulers (although Yang women be too feisty even for Kirk to try his smooching technique - fortunately they are weak-minded enough for Spock to control without a mind meld. Why do we see no other Vulcans performing mind control in later shows?).
A shout needs to go out for herioc Galloway who finally dies in this episode and only to come back from the dead like Lt Leslie later on. And they say Scotty is a miracle worker. It's a shame that all the third tier recurring characters are male. It would have been nice to see a female transporter chief or security guard cropping up for a few episodes per season.
This method is how Sarek convinced the Babel delegates to admit the Coridan planets into the Federation.
Considering Kirk's interest in history, it's ridiculous that he and McGivers wouldn't have that in common, particularly if she was into people like Leif Eriksson (10th-11th century Viking explorer; it was one of his expeditions that made the first European contact with North America).
Maybe he flirted with her and she didn't return it? Or maybe she was just new on the ship and hadn't yet settled in to any projects yet.
I could not stand her whiny, simpering voice.
They both had romanticized ideas about history, but hers tended towards strong male leaders (Kirk thinking: "Hello! I'm right here!"
) while his were about the lure of adventure. As for Masters, maybe she splits her shift between both departments and doesn't have time to change.
There a few examples of others, including Kyle, wearing red at the helm but there's no point training crewing at all key stations if they get no practice.They both had romanticized ideas about history, but hers tended towards strong male leaders (Kirk thinking: "Hello! I'm right here!"
As for Masters, maybe she splits her shift between both departments and doesn't have time to change.
The oddity seems to be Uhura, since comms officer should really be a command role and she clearly isn't there for practice.
Besides red, Kyle has also worn gold and blue both, by the way.
Gold in "The Immunity Syndrome" - http://tos.trekcore.com/gallery/albums/2x18/immunitysyndrome0054.jpg
Blue in "Space Seed" - http://tos.trekcore.com/gallery/albums/1x22/Space_Seed_214.JPG
Gold in "The Immunity Syndrome" - http://tos.trekcore.com/gallery/albums/2x18/immunitysyndrome0054.jpg
Blue in "Space Seed" - http://tos.trekcore.com/gallery/albums/1x22/Space_Seed_214.JPG
I'm disappointed to say the replay box sets on my Virgin package failed to pull through last week's episodes, so I'm probably missing a few.
Assignment Earth is basically a Spock/McCoy support vehicle for Gary Seven. I sort of like this one, although I cannot fathom why Spock would ever be allowed to beam down. He looks wrong, his bio-chemistry is blatantly non-human and they have historians on board who could actually carry this off.
In terms of the ladies, we're told that Roberta has a high IQ but we see no evidence of this in any of her behaviour. Star Trek has an annoying history of championing the qualifications of its women before spectacularly displaying them to be shallow, stupid, next to useless, inconsistent, and emotional. You do sometimes have to wonder if the writers have ever actually spoken to a real woman or if they just used to speak at them. The dynamic in Spock's brain could be a scathing attack on sixties sci fi writers?
Isis is probably the female character with the most agency in this episode, although Roberta's bumbling does sort of save the day, I suppose.
Next up is Spock's brain. The dialogue in this one is very poorly written and it makes no sense to leave all your security guards upstairs while heading into the unknown lair but as far as the roles of the characters go, this one is very typical of the ongoing 'perception' of the supporting cast, with minor dialogue that is very ancillary to the story, while Kirk, Spock, McCoy, and Scotty carry the story forward. Spock is such an amazing jack-of-all trades that even McCoy's medical skills are secondary to his own. Sadly, that is pretty much how his character will continue to develop as he becomes an expert at communications, engineering, and the biological sciences to suit the needs of the plot and negate the need for a guest star. Bleuch.
The dialogue is unimaginative and the story is very childish. Kirk's assumption that the Eyemorg's leaders would be male, or that Morg females would simply be the mates of the males is very clumsy writing that screams sixties sexism. The women's almost complete lack of agency is what makes them so incompetent after all. One assumes that the old ones build a little cubby-hole for the women because they thought them too delicate to live in the cold? This is as bad as the way the female apes were written in the second Planet of the Apes movie (I haven't seen the third one but I can't believe the female apes will all be portrayed as housewives again).
I can smile when I watch this one at least, so I hate it less than the Omega Glory. It's no Bride of Chaotica but it is among the best worst Star Trek.
Assignment Earth is basically a Spock/McCoy support vehicle for Gary Seven. I sort of like this one, although I cannot fathom why Spock would ever be allowed to beam down. He looks wrong, his bio-chemistry is blatantly non-human and they have historians on board who could actually carry this off.
In terms of the ladies, we're told that Roberta has a high IQ but we see no evidence of this in any of her behaviour. Star Trek has an annoying history of championing the qualifications of its women before spectacularly displaying them to be shallow, stupid, next to useless, inconsistent, and emotional. You do sometimes have to wonder if the writers have ever actually spoken to a real woman or if they just used to speak at them. The dynamic in Spock's brain could be a scathing attack on sixties sci fi writers?
Isis is probably the female character with the most agency in this episode, although Roberta's bumbling does sort of save the day, I suppose.
Next up is Spock's brain. The dialogue in this one is very poorly written and it makes no sense to leave all your security guards upstairs while heading into the unknown lair but as far as the roles of the characters go, this one is very typical of the ongoing 'perception' of the supporting cast, with minor dialogue that is very ancillary to the story, while Kirk, Spock, McCoy, and Scotty carry the story forward. Spock is such an amazing jack-of-all trades that even McCoy's medical skills are secondary to his own. Sadly, that is pretty much how his character will continue to develop as he becomes an expert at communications, engineering, and the biological sciences to suit the needs of the plot and negate the need for a guest star. Bleuch.
The dialogue is unimaginative and the story is very childish. Kirk's assumption that the Eyemorg's leaders would be male, or that Morg females would simply be the mates of the males is very clumsy writing that screams sixties sexism. The women's almost complete lack of agency is what makes them so incompetent after all. One assumes that the old ones build a little cubby-hole for the women because they thought them too delicate to live in the cold? This is as bad as the way the female apes were written in the second Planet of the Apes movie (I haven't seen the third one but I can't believe the female apes will all be portrayed as housewives again).
I can smile when I watch this one at least, so I hate it less than the Omega Glory. It's no Bride of Chaotica but it is among the best worst Star Trek.
