Pedantic Jerk

[Phaser Two]

I've always just assumed that Spock was uncomfortable in command situations and tended to overcompensate by taking refuge in his Vulcan training and becoming "Supervulcan". Even in TWOK he indicates that as a teacher (like his Mother) on a training mission he's comfortable in command, but an actual mission is quite another thing altogether.

Yeah, but that was Spock speaking after becoming, as he viewed it, a teacher, and further indicating that in an "actual duty" situation, the senior officer on board must assume command. Plus, he was making an argument designed to ease Kirk's potential conflicted feelings about taking command. Several years later, he has absolutely no problem taking command, and quite skillfully, in TUC.

In some episodes of TOS, Spock is a talented commander who makes reasoned decisions and earns the respect of his subordinates. "Who Mourns for Adonais" is perhaps the best example of this, but there are several others ("The Mark of Gideon" comes to mind). But in other episodes, he's closed off ("The Paradise Syndrome") or downright strange (as in "That Which Survives").

So it's quite inconsistent. The producers did a far better job consistently portraying Scotty as an apt starship commander than they did Spock.

 

[johnnybear]

Spock was changing all the time during the course of the series. His smiles and wit vanishing along the way despite Amanda's comments in JTB in season two.
JB

 

[TIN_MAN]

Yeah, but that was Spock speaking after becoming, as he viewed it, a teacher, and further indicating that in an "actual duty" situation, the senior officer on board must assume command. Plus, he was making an argument designed to ease Kirk's potential conflicted feelings about taking command. Several years later, he has absolutely no problem taking command, and quite skillfully, in TUC.

Yeah, but TUC is after Spock came back from the land of the dead, which has a way of changing one's attitude about a lot of things.

In some episodes of TOS, Spock is a talented commander who makes reasoned decisions and earns the respect of his subordinates. "Who Mourns for Adonais" is perhaps the best example of this, but there are several others ("The Mark of Gideon" comes to mind). But in other episodes, he's closed off ("The Paradise Syndrome") or downright strange (as in "That Which Survives").

I think it has to do more with the severity of the situation and how Spock calculates the odds as to whether he can save his captain and friend, or whether he'll be permanently stuck with a command he doesn't want, if he can't. Also, the order in which the episodes aired may not be the same as the in-universe chronological order, therefore we may simply be seeing the growth of Spock's confidence in his ability to command.

So it's quite inconsistent. The producers did a far better job consistently portraying Scotty as an apt starship commander than they did Spock.

Oh, it's inconsistent to be sure, like a lot of things in TOS, hence the topic under discussion.