Chase Masterson speaks candidly about DS9 and Catsuits

New interview with Chase Masterson at Trekdom

Full interview: http://startrekdom.blogspot.com/

Excerpt:

TD: Could we get your perspective on some of “catsuit controversies” during the past decade. When the producers of Star Trek: Voyager replaced Kes with Seven of Nine, many fans as well as Trek actors bitterly complained about “TandA ratings gimmicks” and the objectification of a woman’s body with TOS-style “tin-foil bikinis.” These criticisms continued into the Enterprise years when some fans argued that the producers catered to the lowest denominator with steamy “decon-chamber rub-downs” and “T’pol in Heat.” Having played one of the sexiest women of the Trek franchise, what is your take on these controversies and complaints? Did you feel like the character of Leeta was an “eye candy” addition to cast?

Chase: Thanks for the compliment! I’m blushing.

Where do I begin on this? It seems that some characters, including Seven of Nine and T'Pol, were written for those reasons. I agree with the fans' sentiments that it seems that this kind of writing is done in order to appeal to the lowest common denominator; that happens on a lot of shows, but I don't believe it needs to, and it definitely shouldn't have to happen on Trek. There's so much more to focus on, and the fans of this show recognize that. I wish this industry generally respected viewers more, but a lot of people in this business don’t even respect themselves.

I didn't watch every episode of Voyager & Enterprise, and maybe there were some really redeeming qualities in those characters and their arcs, so I don't want to say I have a really solid take on this subject where those characters are concerned.

I want to make this clear: this is not a statement on either of the actresses who played the roles; I think it's a natural temptation for viewers to hold an actor accountable for the choices the character makes, but it's not the actors' fault, you know?

As for Leeta, it's hard to see myself as being seen in that way--I just don't think I'm eye candy. But even if Leeta were written for that reason, I’m thankful that the writers very quickly put a depth into the character that I hope made up for it. The journey that Leeta went on, in standing up for what is right in the Ferengi union, and in loving the guy who was only pretty on the inside, and especially in her having the strength required to remain committed throughout the inherent difficulties in their relationship, was an example to me of the kind of choices that are healthiest to make — maybe not the easiest, but the most joyful & growth-inducing, in the long run. I hope it was an example to other people, too.

Again, I don't know the journeys that the characters of Seven of Nine and T'Pol made, so I can't really judge that.

 

Good on ya Chase!

I really liked the Leeta character and not just because she was attractive. She could easily have been just another dabo girl at Quarks, but the writers did some nice stuff with her development and made her part of the ensemble in a positive way.

Count me in with those annoyed at the 7 of 9 catsuit and even more so the decon rubdowns -- what the hell were the writers/producers thinking with that? Star Trek may have its share of titillation, but the decon gel stuff in Enterprise was just crass and not worthy of the series.

 

Yeah I don't fault the pretty actress for taking a T&A role. Everyone needs a paycheck and might as well take advantage of what you got.

The catsuits and rubdown scenes are maddening. If I want T&A, I'll go rent Naughty Young Sluts Vol. 14. I'm tuning in to watch what's hopefully interesting and compelling television.

If the people on the show are attractive, that's fine. If curves and bulges detract from the rest of the show, that's when I get ticked.

 

Good for Chase. I completely agree with her about playing to the lowest common denominator. Granted, even Gene Roddenberry knew a little sex sells in the business, but it was not used as an end-all be-all to define a character.

And to be honest, I do not see the appeal of a catsuit.

 

^ Well put. That is exactly my thought.

You can't blame the actresses....but it is (or should be) insulting to the average Trek fan that the producers felt the need to, as Chase so aptly put it, 'appeal to the lowest common denominator'.

If you wanna see T&A, there is plenty of it in your local adult bookshop, online, or on pay-for-view.

That sort of thing is not why I watch Star Trek - or any scifi show.

 

I agree with Chase's statements about not needing to have T&A in Star Trek.

However, I also believe that people are too puritanical at times. There's nothing wrong with sexuality, it's a healthy and integral part of the human (or humanoid) experience. Granted, it should be treated with a degree of maturity, which it often wasn't on ENT. But people don't need to be so scared of sex. At least ENT was equal-opportunity with the eye candy - Archer and Trip got nekkid just as often as T'Pol did.

Besides which, Chase acted the role of Leeta as much more of a bimbo than either Seven or T'Pol ever were, whatever the character went through. Yes, that's the role of a dabo girl, but she still acted like a dumb blonde even when she claimed not to be.

 

I think Masterson walks the tightrope between candor and tact quite adroitly.

I daresay that, like the character she played so well, she's not just another pretty face.

 

I like compelling TV drama. I also like to look at beautiful women on TV. (Scantily clad beautiful women especially). I don't think the two are mutually exclusive. Chase's cleavege was always on display (not that I minded) and this did not deter me from considering DS9 good drama. And I will admit that Jeri Ryan kept me watching VOY long after I decided I despised the show. Titillation is not an end in itself, but it can peak interest. And I think too much is made of it in the various Trek series. The show is good or bad, the presence or absence of cleavege is not going to change that.

 

Chase was a dabo girl, that is an eye candy part. And she is right about the producers giving her an arc and turning the dabo girl into a real character!

 

I think this is the best way of thinking about sex and Star Trek. Most of the time, and especially in TOS, they treated sex with much more maturity than in the later incantations like ENT and VOY.

 

Volume 15 is better.



But, yeah, Chase Masterson is more than just a "pretty face."

She's got some nice boobage, too!

 

I agree that sexuality isn't an inherently bad thing to depict -- but it has to be depicted as being a part of a character, an aspect of him/her that's one of many different emotional states that make up the character. It can't be the defining thing, because no one is defined solely by his/her sexuality.

 

She does have nice brains.

 

Did she claim not to be, though? Doesn't seem like she said that in the interview above.

Leeta was eye candy and a dumb woman, sure, but that's what suits the natural context of the character Leeta. Therefore it is justified in Leeta's case.

On the other hand, putting Seven and T'Pol in catsuits does not suit the context of those characters at all, and was done solely for the visual gratification of the lowest common denominator; unlike Leeta. Therefore Seven and T'Pol are not justified.

 

Chase seems to be a real class act. Is it any surprise that she's the only "cat-suit" character that works for me on an eye-candy level? Maybe it's because my wife likes her (Leeta.)

She referred to her as "Boob woman" at first, but as the character was developed she started liking her.

 

Yeah, Leeta was one of the few truly innocent characters on DS9. She may have been a ditz, but she was inherently a warm person, unlike many other ditzes in pop fiction.

I speak of her as if she died

Anyway, kudos to Chase.

 

You're great Chase! Intelligent and beautiful...

 

Let's face reality, shall we?

Seven didn't dress up in a Starfleet uniform because she wasn't in Starfleet. She was given 'special officer' status (like Kes & Neelix) by Janeway. Also, the suit was specially made to help regenerate her skin and body after she was de-Borgified-she'd been a Borg for a long time. Plus, the Borg armor that she was wearing was as just as much a catsuit as what she wore after. BFDSFW.

As for T'Pol, she too wasn't in Starfleet, so giving her the same uniform wouldn't have worked either. To be truthful, even if she'd worn the same uniform, it would have looked like a catsuit to most people, because of the way Jolene Blalock is built and carries herself, even as a logical Vulcan.

 

But it doesn't make sense that Janeway wouldn't make her a member of Starfleet like she did with the Maquis.