Best of Both Worlds 30 years ago Today (6-18-30)

The best two parter in TNG for sure and a fantastic way to bring back the Borg who were always limited to one episode a season unlike in Voyager where they appeared every few weeks after their introduction in Unity!
JB

 

This thread should have been bumped sooner! The 30th anniversary of BoBW part II was one week ago -- Sep 24th.

 

That was one loooooong summer...

 

I wonder who 'realistically' (in the Star Trek universe) would have become captain of the Enterprise had Picard not been freed from the Borg. I can't believe they would have let Riker keep the flagship of the Federation long term for his very first command, even though I understand the 'battlefield promotion' to captain....

 

Normally, perhaps not. But if Patrick Stewart had not renewed his contract, then the episode would have been rewritten appropriately. Riker would still have stopped the Borg. Locutus might have been destroyed. Or, Picard might have reemerged and helped defeat the Borg at the cost of his life. Or, he could even have been saved, but had to return to Earth for extensive de-Borgification. Either way, Riker would be the hero who took command and saved the Federation. And so, yes, I think he would have gotten command of the Enterprise in the end.

The downside of this, of course, is that his replacement as first would likely have been Shelby, and she kind of rubbed me the wrong way (and it wasn't because she was a woman; I liked both Janeway and Kira).

 

An ongoing Riker vs Shelby dynamic would've been interesting

 

doubt Shelby could have gone the distance if that happened, Elizabeth Dennhey really couldn't wrap her tongue around all the technobabble. It was a guest spot at most.

 

Well. Then, I suppose "First Officer Data" has a nice ring to it.

 

In "Q Who," which is set over a year before BOBW, Q kidnaps Picard and traps him onboard a shuttlecraft. They have the following exchange:

So, it seems that Picard at least expects Riker to succeed him if he's not available to continue as captain.

 

I think Shelby rubbed people the wrong way because she was kind of a weasel. In part one she constantly moved to undermine and/or show up Riker. And naturally since Riker was a main character and Shelby was a guest that would lead a large portion of the audience to see her as antagonistic in the "we want to see this character put down a peg" kind of way. And to that it matters little whether she's a man and a woman, so I agree with you.
Which in retrospective makes her kinda enjoyable/unique because unlike a lot/the majority of female characters in Trek she wasn't idealized, but allowed to be an unapologetic, glory grabbing b**** (and to note I would call a male character the same word, I just like it) Which is kinda refreshing.

But I agree that if she had become a main character they would probably have had to rework her characterization a little bit. Like have her mellow out somewhat now that she has the position she wanted. Just like they had to soften up/humanize Picard after season one (and how they made similar attempts with Pulaski in the later episodes of Season 2)

 

I wouldn't describe Shelby as "kind of a weasel". She was openly ambitious, pretty upfront about what she wanted, and was possibly a bit too aggressive in pursuing it in that she went over Riker's head, but Picard himself said she reminded him of a younger Will Riker. Heck, I think she reminded Riker himself of a younger version of himself, hence his own doubts about having become more "seasoned".

 

Well if people didnt like Sheby she could always pull a Pulaski and just disappear after a year or 2 and just say she was offered her own ship.

 

Probably differences in languages on for what exact kind of person a "weasel" or any other animal describes.
In my native tongue and region it's somebody who is very smart/cunning and is aggressively pursuing their goal, especially a goal that involves taking something from somebody else. And I think Shelby did display a bit of cunning in her actions, such as when she beamed to the planet in advance without reporting to Riker or the way she targets his weak spot (that he claims to be ambitious but really just wants to stay with his adopted family on the Enterprise)
That she also tells him her ambitions to his face doesn't change that

 

Which would be the career path that made sense, ironically. Jonathan Frakes was a credit to Trek, as actor and director. But... well, his character's journey just didn't make sense to me.

 

Which again, really makes me wish they had brought in Thomas Riker in season 4 to serve as Will's replacement. Lose the character, but keep the actor and gain a wholly new character win/win. Plus that way he could have done cameos as Captain Riker as well hahah.

 

That might have confused the viewers who didn't watch every episode, though.

 

Could say the same about Tasha's death or any major change. The last time I talked to somebody on here we came up with a lose mini-arc for Season 4 in which Riker prepares to take his own command (one year after the battle of Wolf whatever) Thomas is introduced and slowly primed to become a main character upon Will leaving and Troi takes her bridge officer exam (and changes into the standard uniform) a few years early.

 

Ah, I forgot about that quote. I'm still doubtful as to how realistic it would actually be but yes, Picard's statement is there, and he would know his universe better than me

 

I think Picard was being a bit hyperbolic there.