It's always been a hobby of mine.

[Trekker4747]

This was a phrase heard fairly often in Trek (probably more so in MT) where a character would remark on something always having been a hobby of theirs and lo-an-behold that "hobby" ended up being part of a plot point to drive the episode.

Certain plot points fit the characters and became a big part of them (like Picard and archeology) but, IMHO, "lesser" series like (ahem) Voyager took this idea to an extreme. It seemed like every other week Janeway or Paris, Kim or to a severe degree Seven would have a "new" hobby to drive the plots. And, naturally, so that we can have a bit of referential humor Paris just *had* to have a "hobby" of being into the 20th century and its popular culture.

Do you think the "It's always been a hobby of mine" idea was over used? Which series do you think abused it the most?

 

[RapidNadion]

Voyager definitely drove Tom's "20th-century history buff" plot device into the ground over and over again. But even TNG wasn't immune to this phenomenon; Geordi manifested a ship-in-a-bottle hobby precisely once, in "Elementary, Dear Data."

 

[Super Grover]

Yeah, and he set it up right in engineering, where it wouldn't be in the way at all.

 

[RapidNadion]

^ LoL. True. Someday I'll bring one of my Titanic models-in-progress into the office and set it up right in the center of the bull pen. Wonder how long that'll last.

 

[Nedersong]

Well, they had to come up with some sort of reason to support the plot.

But sometimes it wasn't about the plot.

For example, B'lanna got Tom a TV for his birthday Present.

 

[Nemesis]

Voyager definitely drove Tom's "20th-century history buff" plot device into the ground over and over again. But even TNG wasn't immune to this phenomenon; Geordi manifested a ship-in-a-bottle hobby precisely once, in "Elementary, Dear Data."

Well didn't they build a ship in Voyager with 20th century controls?? (delta flyer).. so.. it's a hobby.

 

[number6]

TOS: Sulu-Botany, Fencing
Kirk-Working out in the Gym
Dr.McCoy-Making Mint Juleps

TNG: Picard-Music/Flute
O'Brien-Cello
Dr. Crusher- Dancing

DS9: Bashir: Tennis

VOY: Janeway: That Holonovel she started but never finished.

That's all I got..

 

[CaptainHawk1]

Do you think the "It's always been a hobby of mine" idea was over used?

Only by Ernest Borgnine.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEhKZNQlJrY

-Shawn

 

[ClayinCA]

TOS: Sulu-Botany, Fencing
Kirk-Working out in the Gym
Dr.McCoy-Making Mint Juleps

TNG: Picard-Music/Flute
O'Brien-Cello
Dr. Crusher- Dancing

DS9: Bashir: Tennis

VOY: Janeway: That Holonovel she started but never finished.

That's all I got..

Here are a few more:

Scotty: Reading technical manuals
Uhura: Singing
Kirk: Collecting antiques (though this isn't really established until Wrath of Khan)
Sulu: Old weapons (cf. "Shore Leave")

 

[Eric Cheung]

Well isn't the distinction whether or not it's brought up as purely a plot point to the point of being incongruous? Tom Paris's 20-century fixation, Picard's archeology, and Scotty's manual reading all served to develop those respective characters. In fact it seems like most of the above examples also work towards that end except perhaps O'Brien and the cello (though I did find it amusing when Odo recalled O'Brien's favorite sea chanty "Louie Louie." That seemed to be a little more in character, unless his folks made him take the cello and he learned to like it eventually, then it's an interesting and unexpected quirk).

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

Well isn't the distinction whether or not it's brought up as purely a plot point to the point of being incongruous? Tom Paris's 20-century fixation, Picard's archeology, and Scotty's manual reading all served to develop those respective characters. In fact it seems like most of the above examples also work towards that end except perhaps O'Brien and the cello (though I did find it amusing when Odo recalled O'Brien's favorite sea chanty "Louie Louie." That seemed to be a little more in character, unless his folks made him take the cello and he learned to like it eventually, then it's an interesting and unexpected quirk).

Wasn't it established somewhere that his parents DID try to make him pursue music professionally instead of enlisting in Starfleet? It might not be surprising if his attitude towards playing changed when he was no longer under pressure to make a livelihood out of it like his parents wanted.

 

[S'kai]

TOS: Sulu-Botany, Fencing
Kirk-Working out in the Gym
Dr.McCoy-Making Mint Juleps

TNG: Picard-Music/Flute
O'Brien-Cello
Dr. Crusher- Dancing

DS9: Bashir: Tennis

VOY: Janeway: That Holonovel she started but never finished.

That's all I got..

TOS: Spock-Vulcan lute, 3D chess
Sulu-Fencing

TNG: Riker-Trombone
Weasley Crusher-Dangerous nanobiology experiments
Data-Painting, Music, Acting, generally anything that would make him more human

DS9: Sisko-Baseball; ancient sunsailing ships
Odo: Sculpture

VOY: Kim-Clarinet

ENT: Can't think of any. Either they took themselves too seriously, or I just didn't find anythng memorable. Except Archer built models as a kid.

 

[Procutus]

Well, they had to come up with some sort of reason to support the plot.

But sometimes it wasn't about the plot.

For example, B'lanna got Tom a TV for his birthday Present.

That must've been an antique, didn't TNG establish that television was no longer in use by the mid-21st century?

 

[Forbin]

That was the point of the gift, yes.

Though it couldn't have been a real antique, but a replicated copy.

 

[Nedersong]

Well, they had to come up with some sort of reason to support the plot.

But sometimes it wasn't about the plot.

For example, B'lanna got Tom a TV for his birthday Present.

That must've been an antique, didn't TNG establish that television was no longer in use by the mid-21st century?

It wasn't an antique but a replicated one. it was a1950's style but B'elanna had a remote for it.

Damn I'm such a Trek nerd.

 

[Colonel Midnight]

For ENT -- About the only hobby/sport that comes to mind is Archer's water polo fascination... *oy*

Cheers,
-CM-

 

[Forbin]

Can interest in a sport be considered a hobby?

 

[CaptainHawk1]

Well, they had to come up with some sort of reason to support the plot.

But sometimes it wasn't about the plot.

For example, B'lanna got Tom a TV for his birthday Present.

That must've been an antique, didn't TNG establish that television was no longer in use by the mid-21st century?

It wasn't an antique but a replicated one. it was a1950's style but B'elanna had a remote for it.

Damn I'm such a Trek nerd.

TV's in the 1950's had remotes. First they used wires or RF frequency and clicked. This is why remotes today are commonly referred to as clickers. Damn, I'm such a History Channel nerd.

-Shawn

 

[Colonel Midnight]

Can interest in a sport be considered a hobby?

I personally would consider it a hobby, once you "retire" from doing it on a competitive basis (i.e. after graduating college and not being good enough to do well at the 'professional' level).

Hope that makes sense...

Cheers,
-CM-

 

[Shawnster]

So, would it be better to list the hobbies that were NOT integral to the plot?

Picard's flute interest came "after" the plot point in "Inner Light." In this case the plot drove the hobby, not the hobby driving the plot.