Did they ever explain how Geordi...

[Trekker4747]

I liked Argyle.

 

[LobsterAfternoon]

Eh, i dunno if it was short sighted. BSG never had a chief engineer on screen.

 

[Mojochi]

I guess Argyle came off the best, since he got to be in it twice, but then the actor cheated to try and get the role full-time.

What's this? I haven't heard about this

 

[Trekker4747]

I guess Argyle came off the best, since he got to be in it twice, but then the actor cheated to try and get the role full-time.

What's this? I haven't heard about this

He tried sleeping with Gene. Didn't pan out.

 

[picard_my_hero]

I'm not quite sure about the switch but the reason for Geordi bein the conn officer was to have a blind man flying a ship and all the symbolism associated with that. As far as the switch I think it was mainly to let Geordi's character have more screen time.

 

[Trekker4747]

I'm not quite sure about the switch but the reason for Geordi bein the conn officer was to have a blind man flying a ship and all the symbolism associated with that. As far as the switch I think it was mainly to let Geordi's character have more screen time.

Yeah, I'm sure we've all heard this before.

Anyway, I'm glad they made the change -making Wes the helmsman. It was an idea based on a rather lame joke considering, really, Geordi wasn't blind.

 

[jimbotron]

I guess Argyle came off the best, since he got to be in it twice, but then the actor cheated to try and get the role full-time.

What's this? I haven't heard about this

According to the memory of a 14-year-old Wil Wheaton:

http://www.aoltv.com/2006/10/27/star-trek-the-next-generation-where-no-one-has-gone-before/

The Chief Engineer of the Week in this episode was Argyle, played by Biff Yeager. I don't know if it's entirely true (and this is recalled over twenty years, through the memory of a 14 year-old) but I remember hearing that Biff was under consideration to become a permanent Chief Engineer, until the producers found out that he (or someone acting on his behalf) had encouraged Trekkies to write letters asking to have him on the ship full time. There's nothing wrong with a letter-writing campaign, but it helps if the letters come in after your episode has aired. Yeah, apparently the letters came in before this show went out, and some Trekkies complained that they were spammed via mail (this was well before e-mail was widely used) and those two factors sent Chief Engineer Argyle -- and Biff -- to the Cornfield.

 

[Amaris]

I remember in "The Last Outpost" when communications between the bridge and engineering were out, Picard sent LaForge down to engineering for a report. Riker later joined him there, and LaForge seemed right at home talking about the engines, even giving orders to an engineer, IMO.

Yep. I've been watching Season 1 of TNG, and Geordi was frequently sent down to Engineering by Picard. I just assumed Geordi was shooting for Command when his love for engines caused him to rethink his career path.

 

[Shawnster]

In "The Next Phase" it's suggested Geordi's engineering expertise is what interested Picard in him in the first place so Geordi is likely brought onto the ship with the intention of him being Chief Engineer someday. Since Geordi was then only a Lieutenant J.G. he had to wait for a promotion to get the position and he hadn't put enough time in at the lower rank. Meanwhile the Enterprise served as a "training ship" for other engineers to be assigned to future Galaxy-Class ships or ships with the new systems the Enterprise had. (Hence the rotating series of engineers we see in the first season.) Geordi would spend a year as the chief helmsman at Lieutenant J.G. while ALSO learning about the ship's new systems behind the scenes, meanwhile the ship would train aspiring engineers going to future assignments. After a year Geordi would be open for the promotion to full Lieutenant, get it, and then be given the Chief Engineer role on a "fast-track" to Lieutenant Commander. (Which he would get by the third season.)

This really makes a lot of sense and ties in the rotating Chief Engineers nicely.

 

[diankra]

Meanwhile the Enterprise served as a "training ship" for other engineers to be assigned to future Galaxy-Class ships or ships with the new systems the Enterprise had. (Hence the rotating series of engineers we see in the first season.)

This really makes a lot of sense and ties in the rotating Chief Engineers nicely.

And if you add in the Technical Manual's reference to Starfleet initially only putting six Galaxies into service at a rate of one a year), and keeping the parts for more in reserve, a year of that would have built up all the Galaxy-experienced chiefs they needed for the immediate future.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

Was it ever explained how Geordi was able to play the Game?

 

[Trekker4747]

Was it ever explained how Geordi was able to play the Game?

No. But it's possible the game was able to produce images that worked with his VISOR. The bigger question is how they got Picard to voluntarily play the game.

 

[Timo]

Picard isn't that big a man - he probably got the Wesley treatment from a few fellow officers in his nicely soundproofed Ready Room...

Timo Saloniemi

 

[indolover]

Was it ever explained how Geordi was able to play the Game?

No. But it's possible the game was able to produce images that worked with his VISOR. The bigger question is how they got Picard to voluntarily play the game.

They bribed him with a newly concocted blend of Earl Grey.

 

[NightJim]

I realise this isn't so much his shift to Engineering, but a pretty good argument for Geordi's promotion is given in 'The Arsenal of Freedom' where he commands the Enterprise rather bloody well.

 

[JessDD]

He was, what... #4 on the Command Chart?

Picard
Riker
Data
Geordi

 

[Pavonis]

I don't know about that. If things were bad enough that command fell to LaForge, then he might be needed more in Engineering than on the Bridge. Worf might make a better choice for command, because if the shit has hit the fan, then Worf's "shoot first, ask questions at the inquiry" approach might be the best one for them to survive to reach an inquiry!

 

[Nerys Myk]

Simple

33. It never hurts to suck up to the boss

 

[Start Wreck]

Meanwhile the Enterprise served as a "training ship" for other engineers to be assigned to future Galaxy-Class ships or ships with the new systems the Enterprise had. (Hence the rotating series of engineers we see in the first season.)

This really makes a lot of sense and ties in the rotating Chief Engineers nicely.

And if you add in the Technical Manual's reference to Starfleet initially only putting six Galaxies into service at a rate of one a year), and keeping the parts for more in reserve, a year of that would have built up all the Galaxy-experienced chiefs they needed for the immediate future.

I wonder if any of those first year engineers ended up serving on the Yamato or the Odyssey...

 

[JessDD]

You know, for a ship that is basically totally automated, they sure had a lot of Engineers on board.

I know there is a need for diagnostics and things, but you think the build quality of components would have improved by the time the Enterprise came around.