Doctor relationship story -

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

Suppose the following story had been pitched:

"The Offspring", but with The Doctor and a girlfriend hologram character. So "My Fair Photons"?

Suppose The Doctor wanted to have a romance, so he chooses a female helper hologram template similar to his programming (maybe a customer service/librarian hologram) from some database and hopes to guide it to sentience like he's been. But then he finds himself wanting to nudge her development in the direction he wants rather than allowing it to happen naturally, like it did with him. And what will he do when he's in a love triangle with someone else in the crew fighting for her affections?

So the story is about not being controlling in a relationship (intentionally or unintentionally), allowing the other person to be themselves instead of molding them in your image, not treating them like a child ("I made you what you are today!")

Would you have liked it?

 

[Ragitsu]

A Pygmalion plot?

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

I don't know how it would end, though - with her as a recurring character - maybe she's happier being a holodeck character, and goes to live in Fair Haven instead - or if she has to die somehow.

 

[Summer Solstice]

It's an interesting idea. "Someone To Watch Over Me" plays out slightly like some of that because the EMH introduced Seven to dating when he wanted to date her.

Or she could join the shuttle/torpedo building squad who have just relocated to holodeck 3...

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

To continue the Latin title tradition, it could have been called "Tabula Rasa" (clean slate)

 

[at Quark's]

Sounds very much like one of those classic Trek morality tales (that's not meant as criticism by the way).

That is, I don't suppose the episode would conclude with the Doc totally shaping and molding her and ending up being perfectly happy with the partner he got

 

[somebuddyX]

Reminds me a bit of the film "Ruby Sparks." Dude has a character in his story come to life and finds when he writes stuff down he can alter her personality. It's interesting.
I think if they had done this with the Doctor I would have loved it, especially if they had allowed the Doctor to sort of go a bit towards the dark side and then come back. Sort of have him realise he's the villain of this particular story but doesn't mean he can't learn from it.
You'd have to thread it so it doesn't get too close to repetition for "Real Life" though.
You could have an out in the character goes and lives somewhere like where those photonic lifeforms from "Bride of Chaotica" come from.

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

You'd have to thread it so it doesn't get too close to repetition for "Real Life" though.

True. I suppose the doctor would reason that he threw himself into family life very fast in that program, and maybe he should have started slowly, with a girlfriend.

 

[somebuddyX]

True. I suppose the doctor would reason that he threw himself into family life very fast in that program, and maybe he should have started slowly, with a girlfriend.

That's a good point. But I was thinking more how B'Elanna adds the randomness to the Doctor's family in "Real Life" and how the Doctor then has to deal with that. It could be a bit close to the lesson the Doc has to learn with his girlfriend. I'm sure it could be made to work though. Otherwise, it's a story that would probably work with another character, like it's Harry that built her and the Doc is the one she falls in love with.

 

[Ragitsu]

like it's Harry that built her and the Doc is the one she falls in love with.

Oddly enough, that veers close to the Harry-Tuvok-Marayana love triangle in "Alter Ego".

 

[somebuddyX]

Oddly enough, that veers close to the Harry-Tuvok-Marayana love triangle in "Alter Ego".

Yeah, you know what, 100%. And what sucks is that's the second time I've done that. In the 2000s I came up with a plot for Enterprise for an episode and then realised it was basically "Alter Ego" there too!

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

But I was thinking more how B'Elanna adds the randomness to the Doctor's family in "Real Life" and how the Doctor then has to deal with that.

The difference being that there isn't a third person who re-writes The Doctor's Liza Doolittle this time. She's making her own decisions, and he's struggling with her "stubbornness", until someone helpfully points out that it's hypocritical to be upset at her, when she's growing and changing naturally, like he did.

 

[somebuddyX]

The difference being that there isn't a third person who re-writes The Doctor's Liza Doolittle this time. She's making her own decisions, and he's struggling with her "stubbornness", until someone helpfully points out that it's hypocritical to be upset at her, when she's growing and changing naturally, like he did.

Oh ok, I must have misunderstood. I thought he was rewriting her personality, which is why I compared it to "Real Life" and "Ruby Sparks." If it's not the case, that's much better.

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

He's tempted to do so...maybe he even tries, but she stops him.

"What are you doing? Get out of my code! It's private!" "I thought we didn't keep secrets from each other." "Well, clearly you're trying to keep it a secret from me that you think I'm not good enough."