Numbah One?

[Ryan Thomas Riddle]

I think it would go against the nature of the show to have Riker leave. Not even Data had drastic changes and was basically his same self all the way up to All Good Things. Sure Picard getting assimilated had some follow up mentions, but for the most part you could watch a season 6-7 episode and never even know it happened.

TNG is a show with relatively static characters I don't expect Riker to really change any more than Troi or Picard did over the years. He's just part of the team and so I find him staying with the team perfectly in tune with the nature of TNG.

The nature of the show didn't have to be static. It was made static by the writers and producers, particularly Roddenberry in the first season. Frankly, television had already evolved in the 80s beyond static storytelling where the toys are all neatly placed back in their proper places on the shelf.

"Hill Street Blues" airing at the same time TNG premiered had shown that you could have continuing story and evolving characters. But TNG was very much stuck in the storytelling style of the 1960s-early 80s. It's a shame the TNG producers/writers didn't look to "Hill Street Blues" as a model. Hill Street was good at handling a large cast and rotating them through stories so they all got a chance to shine. It was also good about evolving them as people and having them affected long-term by the events in previous episodes.

 

[ThankYouGeneR]

Yep, they should have kept Riker as captain for the entire season, and had Picard spend far more time getting over his PTSD. Then they should have started focusing on the rest of the crew either rising up the chain of command or getting promotions to different posts.

How interesting. I could see how that could go either way with viewers too.

But if the writers were onboard with this it presents promise of some enjoyable episodes for viewers like me.

 

[Kobayshi Maru]

Yep, they should have kept Riker as captain for the entire season, and had Picard spend far more time getting over his PTSD. Then they should have started focusing on the rest of the crew either rising up the chain of command or getting promotions to different posts.

How interesting. I could see how that could go either way with viewers too.

But if the writers were onboard with this it presents promise of some enjoyable episodes for viewers like me.

Except that Patrick Stewart would never have allowed that. Being the Captain of the ship was an ego thing with him.

 

[Makarov]

I thought he would have liked a season off, since he didn't want to be tied into a long term contract with Star Trek anyway

 

[Ithekro]

If they did that, and Generations was still made, I wonder what the talk with Kirk would have about retirement/promotion. Kirk seemed to regret his promotion to admiral.

 

[Kobayshi Maru]

If they did that, and Generations was still made, I wonder what the talk with Kirk would have about retirement/promotion. Kirk seemed to regret his promotion to admiral.

Wasn't he demoted after that? Or did they promote him again in the end?

 

[kkt]

I don't think the producers would be crazy about paying Patrick Stewart a star's wages to have a scene every other episode just to remind viewers that he's still in therapy on Earth.

 

[Ithekro]

If they did that, and Generations was still made, I wonder what the talk with Kirk would have about retirement/promotion. Kirk seemed to regret his promotion to admiral.

Wasn't he demoted after that? Or did they promote him again in the end?

His Nexus time was in a period of retirement as an Admiral before going back to Starfleet before TWOK. Kirk just never seemed happy as an Admiral. He seems to impart this on Picard. Kirk spent maybe 15 years as an Admiral or retired when he would have much rather has spent it in command of the Enterprise. He'd seemingly retired after TUC, and even though he get to sit, for a moment, in the Enterprise-B's captain's chair, he might regret retiring again, though he probably knows his time has past. He's suppose to be roughly the same age as Picard in the Nexus, isn't he? Or is Picard older by Generations than Kirk was when he boarded the Enterprise-B?

Still, the impact of Picard being promoted during the series would have changed that scene. Depending on if Stewart was still involved with Star Trek at that time. It could have been Riker. Imagine Kirk giving Riker the speech about staying in the captain's chair. That might have been something to see.

 

[Kobayshi Maru]

If they did that, and Generations was still made, I wonder what the talk with Kirk would have about retirement/promotion. Kirk seemed to regret his promotion to admiral.

Wasn't he demoted after that? Or did they promote him again in the end?

His Nexus time was in a period of retirement as an Admiral before going back to Starfleet before TWOK. Kirk just never seemed happy as an Admiral. He seems to impart this on Picard. Kirk spent maybe 15 years as an Admiral or retired when he would have much rather has spent it in command of the Enterprise. He'd seemingly retired after TUC, and even though he get to sit, for a moment, in the Enterprise-B's captain's chair, he might regret retiring again, though he probably knows his time has past. He's suppose to be roughly the same age as Picard in the Nexus, isn't he? Or is Picard older by Generations than Kirk was when he boarded the Enterprise-B?

Still, the impact of Picard being promoted during the series would have changed that scene. Depending on if Stewart was still involved with Star Trek at that time. It could have been Riker. Imagine Kirk giving Riker the speech about staying in the captain's chair. That might have been something to see.

I believe Picard was much older than Patrick Stewart.

 

[Sidewinder]

The problem is, I don't think the show had the desire or the resources to develop characters outside of The Enterprise. Another set with Riker as Captain or with Picard at his Brother's winery just wasn't something they wanted or could spend the money on.

Plus, this is what limited the series, the network never wanted a story to go more than two parts, I don't know why, were attention spans shorter in the early 90's? Really, that's what kept Voyager from taking off.

 

[Lance]

I believe Picard was much older than Patrick Stewart.

Canonically, Picard was born not long after the launch of the Ent-B (about a decade later). Picard was supposed to have been about 60 in the early seasons of TNG, which was something like 13 years older than Patrick Stewart was at the time (it was his baldness that meant Stewart could credibly "play" as much older than he was). Which means by the time of his last appearance in 'Nemesis', Picard would have been around 75yo (but he still won't give up his chair, dammit )

 

[Kobayshi Maru]

I believe Picard was much older than Patrick Stewart.

Canonically, Picard was born not long after the launch of the Ent-B (about a decade later). Picard was supposed to have been about 60 in the early seasons of TNG, which was something like 13 years older than Patrick Stewart was at the time (it was his baldness that meant Stewart could credibly "play" as much older than he was). Which means by the time of his last appearance in 'Nemesis', Picard would have been around 75yo (but he still won't give up his chair, dammit )

On the other hand people are supposed to live much longer in the 24th century and age much slower, so it all evens out.

 

[WarpFactorZ]

One could imagine TNG pulling a nuBSG following Best of Both Worlds (i.e. Adam shot and recovering half the season, Tigh forced into command, etc...). A longer arcing story could have gone like this. Picard is ordered by Starfleet command to stay on Earth and recover. Riker is given the E. Either Shelby remains as XO, or Data is promoted. During the course of a few episodes, Picard fights to return to his command and has internal struggles/conflicts (Stewart could have been allowed to push the throttle on his acting).

Eventually, Picard can't take it and books flight to rendezvous with the Enterprise. He reaches it as it is under serious threat, and realizes that only he can help them (by virtue of some Borg knowledge). He saves the day, gets the E back (Riker is demoted, or perhaps remains on board as XO with Captain rank) and the season goes on.

 

[Kobayshi Maru]

One could imagine TNG pulling a nuBSG following Best of Both Worlds (i.e. Adam shot and recovering half the season, Tigh forced into command, etc...). A longer arcing story could have gone like this. Picard is ordered by Starfleet command to stay on Earth and recover. Riker is given the E. Either Shelby remains as XO, or Data is promoted. During the course of a few episodes, Picard fights to return to his command and has internal struggles/conflicts (Stewart could have been allowed to push the throttle on his acting).

Eventually, Picard can't take it and books flight to rendezvous with the Enterprise. He reaches it as it is under serious threat, and realizes that only he can help them (by virtue of some Borg knowledge). He saves the day, gets the E back (Riker is demoted, or perhaps remains on board as XO with Captain rank) and the season goes on.

What do you do with Shelby then?

 

[Lance]

BOBW is a splinter point for TNG hypotheticals.

Really, the problem is with characters like Shelby, they painted themselves into a corner with BOBW Part 1 that even "Family" doesn't completely extricate them from. The two-parter has got so many implications that by their very nature need to be brushed aside, but in hindsight we're left with all these threads hanging.....

 

[Ithekro]

I would assume Shelby remains on the Enterprise until the Borg threat is ended, at which point she's transfered out to help rebuilt the fleet (with Sisko). Riker remains Captain. Picard gets medical leave, with possible reassignment to the Academy (they could leave him Wesley for company later on). Data gets a promotion to Commander and is the new XO under Captain Riker. Data still handles Operations due to his speed and computational skills. Riker probably throws out the book and trys to lead away missions himself, thought Data reminds him of regulations repeatedly.

Troi retains her chair, but Riker's chair remains vacant for a time as they haven't found someone who needs to sit there. Until they find someone to take Data's seat on the bridge that is (they could put Data in Riker's old seat and have him fast type on the smaller screen to do his job as OPS.) They through some extras, maybe get an eventual Ensign Ro type to sit there. However when Wesley leave for Earth (either to leave the show or to be with Picard as part of the show) than they will still run a number of people through those front chairs. Maybe bring O'Brian back up to the Bridge.

 

[Kobayshi Maru]

I would assume Shelby remains on the Enterprise until the Borg threat is ended, at which point she's transfered out to help rebuilt the fleet (with Sisko). Riker remains Captain. Picard gets medical leave, with possible reassignment to the Academy (they could leave him Wesley for company later on). Data gets a promotion to Commander and is the new XO under Captain Riker. Data still handles Operations due to his speed and computational skills. Riker probably throws out the book and trys to lead away missions himself, thought Data reminds him of regulations repeatedly.

Troi retains her chair, but Riker's chair remains vacant for a time as they haven't found someone who needs to sit there. Until they find someone to take Data's seat on the bridge that is (they could put Data in Riker's old seat and have him fast type on the smaller screen to do his job as OPS.) They through some extras, maybe get an eventual Ensign Ro type to sit there. However when Wesley leave for Earth (either to leave the show or to be with Picard as part of the show) than they will still run a number of people through those front chairs. Maybe bring O'Brian back up to the Bridge.

So you don't plan to give Worf a promotion?

 

[Ithekro]

Worf could get a promotion as well, but that would be to Lt. Commander. He would logically remain at tactical. He could take Data's seat, or Riker's seat, but if he's still head of security and running tactical, that he's posotion over the Captain's chair would be best. At least for the running of USS Enterprise. Data has more experiance so would likely be tapped for XO faster than Worf if combat is not the main goal of the mission (Worf would have more combat training given his present position).

That would be a promotion without any real change in location. He might be bumped up to Second in Command, thus Data's old position and thus get the Captain's chair if both Riker and Data are away.