Humans

[Arpy]

This is so subjective. Some of the traits that some, even most, might consider "bad" are traits that some others, including myself, might consider "good."

For example: Dr. Russell in TNG's Ethics is a brilliant, driven researcher who achieves amazing results. Her talents combine cutting-edge, outside-the-box medical theory and its surgical implementation. She is clearly supposed to be reviled by the audience for her abandonment of medical ethics when the opportunity presents itself. I find myself torn about her, though, and notice that it's not as if she runs Dr. Frankenstein's House of Horrors--she uses those who are already dying for her research and, in Worf's case, someone who, although emotionally distraught, IS in his right mind and DOES give permission for an experimental procedure, the second of which is something that is done in the real world.

For some reason, though, my mind comes back to Admiral Ross. Not sure why--maybe because he is very likable? That alone shouldn't be enough.

Russell killed people off before their time, and others who might have lived. Just because someone's dying doesn't mean they're inanimate objects you can play with if you have a few ideas. If you're having a bad day and get sloppy, or are ignoring lots of established research on a whim, are there to be no repercussions because they were going to die anyway, right? Other doctors are just as brilliant and responsible at the same time.

 

[φ of π]

But he can do just about everything! Sci-fi Debris has a running joke about all the things Tom Paris can do that are not his job.

My thoughts precisely.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

But he can do just about everything! Sci-fi Debris has a running joke about all the things Tom Paris can do that are not his job.

I didn't know that was a thing, it never occurred to me when I was watching. I suppose his mechanic hobby is a little far reaching in its implications. I don't really count his stay as a medic since he was portrayed of only having the most basic of skillset and incapable of treating anything serious or not rote.

He has far reaching skillsets in anything related to methods of propulsion, but to me those are the only things he's great at.

He does have a very wide variety of personal interests, but nothing else where he skill level seems to exceed 'Mildly competent amateur'.

Paris is a guy who'd be great to have on a bar trivia team, but he's only really great at things involving ships and shuttles.

 

[Greg Cox]

Best as in most accurate, or best as in most flattering?

I was wondering that, too. Not the same thing.

 

[stardream]

I didn't know that was a thing, it never occurred to me when I was watching. I suppose his mechanic hobby is a little far reaching in its implications. I don't really count his stay as a medic since he was portrayed of only having the most basic of skillset and incapable of treating anything serious or not rote.

He progressed far beyond that, to the point where the Doctor felt comfortable leaving him in charge of sickbay when he (the Doctor) was planning on leaving the ship in Virtuoso...and then Tom delivered and saved the life of that premature baby in Friendship One.

He has far reaching skillsets in anything related to methods of propulsion, but to me those are the only things he's great at.

He does have a very wide variety of personal interests, but nothing else where he skill level seems to exceed 'Mildly competent amateur'.

Paris is a guy who'd be great to have on a bar trivia team, but he's only really great at things involving ships and shuttles.

Tom Paris not only flies the ship, the most important shuttle missions, is a field medic/assistant to the Doctor, has 21st-century lock picking ability, he's also a commando. Oh, and let's not forget he once designed an engine that went to infinity. And this is the guy Starfleet doesn't want.
Sci-fi Debris-Resistance

Within thirty seconds you have him use mastery of engineering, history and then summon him to conduct field medicine, and none of these things are even his job. What other guys were in that prison? Was this like the prison of savants?
Sci-fi Debris-Year of hell

Paris has opened the Jeffries tubes while B'Elanna was sitting in on the discussion showing that when you want to access an area designed specifically for the engineers that Paris is still the go to person over the chief engineer.
Sci-fi Debris Waking Moments.

And I would throw in designing the Delta Flyer.

Now true, Chuck is being snarky in his reviews, but Tom doing a lot of different things on the ship and doing them well shows up a lot more than you think. I think the reason we don't notice it as much is because it's done rather quietly and off to the side...not in a showboaty way like The Doctor and Seven but once you start keeping score it begins to add up.

 

[The Old Mixer]

That's not a Mary Sue, that's a SuperStarbuck.

 

[Vandervecken]

If you are looking for someone perfect. Well all of the completely human characters in all of the Trek programs have some flaws, just like all we humans do. Like Vandervecken said, it's all subjective.

That being said, I think Uhura would be a good choice. She's brilliant at her chosen profession, she's compassionate.

Edited to add: The only negative thing I can think of at the moment is she joined in with the snide comments about the Klingons after the dinner party in Undiscovered Country. I'm not saying that's the only instance, but it's the only one that comes to mind at the moment.

I was just watching her ballsy play with mirror Sulu...that was risky, casually brave, and just plain cool.

 

[Spot261]

That's not a Mary Sue, that's a SuperStarbuck.

A MarySueperStarbuck....?