He's in the 1960s, where he belongs?
Dr. Boyce question
- Thread starter Bynar0110
- Start date
Explain.
Probably a reference to Boyce being a character created in the 1960s. But then again, so were Piper, McCoy, and M'Benga. But then again, "we can't be sure of anything we do, anything we see."
What bugs me about this (other than the conspicuous absence of Boyce) is that I gather (without actually having seen a single episode; I don't have the PIC Season 2 set yet, and Amazon isn't showing a release date for SNW Season 1) that M'Benga is the CMO in SNW. And yet he's one of McCoy's subordinates in TOS. How (without any open spoilers, please) do they explain that?
What bugs me about this (other than the conspicuous absence of Boyce) is that I gather (without actually having seen a single episode; I don't have the PIC Season 2 set yet, and Amazon isn't showing a release date for SNW Season 1) that M'Benga is the CMO in SNW. And yet he's one of McCoy's subordinates in TOS. How (without any open spoilers, please) do they explain that?
It isn't explained, and it wouldn't bother me if it never does get an explanation.
Why does it require an explanation? Starfleet jobs are not unchanging. Crusher left and came back, but if Pulaski had remained she might not be the CMO. M'Benga says he did a residency on Vulcan so at some point in time he might have to leave the ship to serve in another capacity.
Exactly. People can work in different capacities, at different times, for the same organization.
In my own life, I started out freelancing for Tor Books, later worked for them full-time for years, then switched to being a consulting editor to free up more time for writing. People make different choices at different points in their lives, as their priorities change. Maybe M'Benga is focusing more on pure medical research by Kirk's time and doesn't want the responsibility of being CMO.
Or some other explanation.
In my own life, I started out freelancing for Tor Books, later worked for them full-time for years, then switched to being a consulting editor to free up more time for writing. People make different choices at different points in their lives, as their priorities change. Maybe M'Benga is focusing more on pure medical research by Kirk's time and doesn't want the responsibility of being CMO.
Or some other explanation.
Usually if you are CMO on a starship, any other position in Medical is a demotion.
Which is a ridiculously short sighted and black and white position to take within a very large organization. A person could be the CMO on a smaller ship, and then assigned as a staff physician on a much larger ship. A more experienced doctor could be assigned to the ship, necessitating them being CMO due to experience and training. A doctor could be assigned to a starbase, to the Academy or Starfleet Academy without a change in rank.
There are multiple reasons for change of position, that don't include being demoted in rank.
But from CMO to not-CMO on the same ship?
If a more senior officer is assigned to the billet, then yes. That's how it works.
Again, maybe M'Benga is not driven by ambition at that point in his life. He may not see it as a "demotion" as much as simply moving to a position better suited to his current priorities and life situation.
Like, say, a movie star who decides to do a TV sitcom because they want to stay closer to their family and have a more predictable work schedule. Or a film director who decides to switch to small indie movies instead of blockbusters because they want more creative freedom.
Certainly, nothing on TOS suggests that M'Benga resents McCoy being CMO, or that M'Benga is under a cloud that somehow damaged his Starfleet career.
It could be simply that M'Benga has already done the CMO thing, under Pike, and isn't interested in repeating himself. Been there, done that. He's in a different place, in terms of his personal priorities, by Kirk's time.
Not everyone in Starfleet, and certainly not every doctor, is going to be a careerist who is all about rank and advancement.
Like, say, a movie star who decides to do a TV sitcom because they want to stay closer to their family and have a more predictable work schedule. Or a film director who decides to switch to small indie movies instead of blockbusters because they want more creative freedom.
Certainly, nothing on TOS suggests that M'Benga resents McCoy being CMO, or that M'Benga is under a cloud that somehow damaged his Starfleet career.
It could be simply that M'Benga has already done the CMO thing, under Pike, and isn't interested in repeating himself. Been there, done that. He's in a different place, in terms of his personal priorities, by Kirk's time.
Not everyone in Starfleet, and certainly not every doctor, is going to be a careerist who is all about rank and advancement.
But isn't M'Benga already a LCDR, just like McCoy was in TOS?
In any case, M'Benga could simply be visiting his old ship when he turns up in the original series.
I was just asking about the "belongs" part. There's nothing about Boyce that makes him anachronistic or anything like that. He doesn't "belong" in the 60's, he would be just as viable a character right now.
If not senior in rank, senior in experience, time in grade, etc. Or, Piper and McCoy served as M'Benga's replacement when he went to do a residency, or other opportunity of service. And, when he returned Kirk opted not to replace McCoy.
Indeed. The idea that M'Benga should see this as a demotion is kind of odd. His service is to the care and wellbeing of Starfleet officers, not to his own position.
Quite. I can say, in absolute honesty, that I have never asked for a promotion, or even for a cost-of-living adjustment, in any position I have ever held. And I've never voluntarily walked out on a job for more money elsewhere (I voluntarily walked out on one because it was a statutory temporary position as a civil servant, and I thought it silly to continue it past the end of a pay period when they would have had to let me go a few days later, and I voluntarily walked out on another because it was making me sick, and yet another because I was being asked, in effect, to come in and not do my job, which would've been a betrayal of the customers).
But I'm not most people.
And I agree wholeheartedly that there's nothing anachronistic about Boyce.
That is what I should have typed. Still makes no sense from a career move, but maybe M'Benga doesn't care about advancement?
Why should he? He clearly was mobile, doing residency on Vulcan, etc. I think he would go where he was needed. Beverly left for Starfleet Medical and then came back. One would imagine being at Starfleet Medical would be a career advancement but maybe it wasn't for her.
Hey I know it's TNG, but Dr Beverly Crusher was promoted to head of Starfleet Medical; but within one year she was back as CMO on the Starship Enterprise 1701-D.
So yeah huge demotions don't seem to be unusual for someone in Starfleet Medical.
Similar threads
