Most impossible role in Star Trek?

[SFRabid]

What role would be criticized no matter who played it? From the captain in TNG to the lead Vulcan in ENT actors are getting criticized. Sometimes I think most of the criticizm given is better directed toward the writers or makeup artists than the actor in the role.

My choice, T'Pol of Enterprise. She has been criticized for her round eyebrows, showing emotion, taking drugs, loving someone other than the captain, being too stoic, not being stoic enough, etc... One person claims Jolene Blalock was hired only for her good looks and the next person calls her ugly. Most of all, she continually gets compared to how Nemoy would have handled the part. I think T'Pol is my vote for most impossible role to play satisfactory to ST fandom.

 

[nx1701g]

I think that a lot of the choices for Star Trek XI are going to get criticism, if they deserve it or not, simply because its a recast.

 

[JiNX-01]

What role would be criticized no matter who played it? From the captain in TNG to the lead Vulcan in ENT actors are getting criticized. Sometimes I think most of the criticizm given is better directed toward the writers or makeup artists than the actor in the role.

My choice, T'Pol of Enterprise. She has been criticized for her round eyebrows, showing emotion, taking drugs, loving someone other than the captain, being too stoic, not being stoic enough, etc... One person claims Jolene Blalock was hired only for her good looks and the next person calls her ugly. Most of all, she continually gets compared to how Nemoy would have handled the part. I think T'Pol is my vote for most impossible role to play satisfactory to ST fandom.

I agree about T'Pol. Just like Leonard, Jolene was breaking ground in the role of an alien species: the female Vulcan. Up to that point, female Vulcans were seen so briefly -- or served such specific plot lines (think T'Pring) -- that we had no true baseline for how a female Vulcan might behave. "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus" is a cute generalization, but it's not actually true for every male and female on Earth.

I will admit, it bugged me during the first run when T'Pol copped attitude and got angry, etc. because I viewed that as the producers' efforts to "soften" her so she would be accepted by fans who don't want to see a robot in a catsuit (which also really ticked me off). I also felt that when the time came to set her up for an emotional meltdown/outburst, it would be completely lost in a "there she goes again" reaction among fans as opposed to a "wow, that was totally understandable even in a Vulcan" response.

Speaking of that damned catsuit, imagine the impact if T'Pol had been bundled up in those Vulcan robes for several episodes and then seeing her in less formal attire that shows that she has a feminine figure -- imagine the reaction of the men on board who have up to now seen her as a cold fish in a blanket.

And it was Jolene and her makeup artist who changed her appearance at the beginning of S3. Jolene was a sci fi fan and loved Trek and knew what Vulcans looked like in the previous series/movies and wanted her character to look the same way. So they just made the change without consulting TPTB.

 

[slappy]

Speaking of that damned catsuit, imagine the impact if T'Pol had been bundled up in those Vulcan robes for several episodes and then seeing her in less formal attire that shows that she has a feminine figure -- imagine the reaction of the men on board who have up to now seen her as a cold fish in a blanket.

See, that's called a good idea. That's indicative of the entire problem. Enterprise was short on said good ideas and that's one reason people were so hard on it.

 

[JiNX-01]

Well, I wouldn't say ENT was devoid of good ideas; hiring Connor was a good idea. Hiring Scott was a good idea too. The writing for Scott was pretty inconsistent, but, Scott was a great idea. I liked the idea of a "prequel" to the other series, too!

 

[137th Gebirg]

God.

Seriously, who could play the Deity? Heston's dead, and I can't think of anyone else that could even come close to that level of gravitas.

 

[DrTaylor]

My choice, T'Pol of Enterprise. She has been criticized for her round eyebrows, showing emotion, taking drugs, loving someone other than the captain, being too stoic, not being stoic enough, etc... One person claims Jolene Blalock was hired only for her good looks and the next person calls her ugly. Most of all, she continually gets compared to how Nemoy would have handled the part. I think T'Pol is my vote for most impossible role to play satisfactory to ST fandom.

At Vegas, Jolene was asked about the eyebrows and she said that the makeup people started her out that way and she didn't like it and they eventually met in the middle. She said she wished she had advice from Nimoy, and the one time she met him she was so starstruck she couldn't talk. She said she had dreams about doing shakespeare in the catsuit. Personally, I think we should just lay off Jolene, T'Pol, and all associated issues. Anyone who wore that outfit on TV deserves respect.

 

[Outpost4]

What role would be criticized no matter who played it?

Wesley. Wil Weaton certainly couldn't act his way out of a paper bag back when he was a kid, but that's irrelevant. The role was incredibly poorly written. Wesley was always the geeky dude getting in over his head. He had one emotion to play - bewilderment. If I was Weaton, I would have turned to substance abuse. It's a testament to his family and him that he didn't and came out such a well adjusted person.

 

[JiNX-01]

What role would be criticized no matter who played it?

Wesley. Wil Weaton certainly couldn't act his way out of a paper bag back when he was a kid, but that's irrelevant. The role was incredibly poorly written. Wesley was always the geeky dude getting in over his head. He had one emotion to play - bewilderment. If I was Weaton, I would have turned to substance abuse. It's a testament to his family and him that he didn't and came out such a well adjusted person.

Well adjusted? Really? I saw him on that "Weakest Link" Trek episode and he was a total dink.

 

[kissthestar]

And it was Jolene and her makeup artist who changed her appearance at the beginning of S3. Jolene was a sci fi fan and loved Trek and knew what Vulcans looked like in the previous series/movies and wanted her character to look the same way. So they just made the change without consulting TPTB. [/quote]
You mean she was low-brow?