Pedantic Star Trek discussion #134: Riker's Field Commission

[Dale Sams]

A field commission is a perfectly legitimate commission. And there's no reason to bust the guy back to commander after he's saved the Earth.

Now, I understand there's no ship for him to take command of...and it's just awkward to have Picard call him "Captain" for a year. (Though that can just be avoided by always referring to him as Number One.) But let's say you're Rick Berman, and you don't give a flip if your show has serialized elements...how do you fix this?

Myself, I offer Frakes DS9*, and go with either Shelby coming back in a year if the actress wants to, or with Data as XO.

*It could work! Don't be hatin...

 

[TheSeeker]

Just promote Picard to Commodore.

 

[R. Star]

They had no problem having Captain Kirk and Captain Spock on the Enterprise A.

 

[Gaith]

That puzzled me for a moment in BOBW the other night too; he should have just been officially recognized as acting captain, for exactly that reason.

Also, I watched most of DS9's "Emissary" the other day, and indeed thought it was pretty odd that Starfleet would assign a guy as unenthusiastic and undecided on his future career as Sisko to such a diplomatically and politically sensitive posting. Surely there were plenty of senior officers on hand as eager as Bashir to make a name for themselves out on the frontier...

 

[Dale Sams]

Just promote Picard to Commodore.

I think the rank of Commodore had been phased out by TNG due to a finding that the rank drove people insane.

 

[TheSeeker]

Plenty of other things in Trek to make the fans insane. What's one more?

 

[DonIago]

Also, I watched most of DS9's "Emissary" the other day, and indeed thought it was pretty odd that Starfleet would assign a guy as unenthusiastic and undecided on his future career as Sisko to such a diplomatically and politically sensitive posting. Surely there were plenty of senior officers on hand as eager as Bashir to make a name for themselves out on the frontier...

I was under the impression that until the discovery of the wormhole DS9 wasn't considered diplomatically/politically sensitive, especially given that the Cardassians had withdrawn from Bajor and seemed to have lost interest in the sector.

It may be that the senior officers who were available to take command of DS9 weren't inclined to take command of a station in the state DS9 was in. Sisko, being a commander, would presumably have less wiggle room.

If you want to go with a subversive option, Opaka requested Sisko based on a vision from the prophets but asked that her request be kept confidential. That would be why he was of immediate interest to the monk in the temple on DS9.

 

[R. Star]

Just promote Picard to Commodore.

I think the rank of Commodore had been phased out by TNG due to a finding that the rank drove people insane.

Most people not familiar with military hierarchies have difficulty distinguishing between commander and commodore.

 

[BillJ]

Just promote Picard to Commodore.

I think the rank of Commodore had been phased out by TNG due to a finding that the rank drove people insane.

Most people not familiar with military hierarchies have difficulty distinguishing between commander and commodore.

I didn't have any issue with that when I was five. Commander was the guy with two stripes and Commodore was the guy with a big fat stripe who, usually, was a douchebag, a moron or insane.

 

[R. Star]

I think the rank of Commodore had been phased out by TNG due to a finding that the rank drove people insane.

Most people not familiar with military hierarchies have difficulty distinguishing between commander and commodore.

I didn't have any issue with that when I was five. Commander was the guy with two stripes and Commodore was the guy with a big fat stripe who, usually, was a douchebag, a moron or insane.

It seems to be a requirement to get a flag rank in Starfleet. No wonder Kirk didn't last as an Admiral.

 

[GameOn]

After the events of "The Best of Both Worlds" Riker was given extended leave while the Enterprise was undergoing repairs. He decided to head to Risa for an extended session of jamaharon but realised his vast Horga'hn collection was far too big to fit on any transport ship so decided to just steal the Enterprise instead.

For his actions Riker was reduced in rank to Commander and as a consequence of his new rank was given the duty for which he had repeatedly demonstrated unswerving ability: sitting in the shadow of a great man and passing up one command after another.

 

[xvicente]

After the events of "The Best of Both Worlds" Riker was given extended leave while the Enterprise was undergoing repairs. He decided to head to Risa for an extended session of jamaharon but realised his vast Horga'hn collection was far too big to fit on any transport ship so decided to just steal the Enterprise instead.

For his actions Riker was reduced in rank to Commander and as a consequence of his new rank was given the duty for which he had repeatedly demonstrated unswerving ability: sitting in the shadow of a great man and passing up one command after another.

I see no reason this could not be canon

 

[DonIago]

It couldn't be canon because it's not sanctioned by TPTB.

If you want it in your personal continuity though, go right ahead...

</grammar-nazi>

 

[MikeS]

Just promote Picard to Commodore.

I know it was not his fault etc, but I can't see many families of Starfleet personel present at Wolf359 being happy with that. And what had Picard done by this point in the series to deserve such a promotion?

 

[R. Star]

Just promote Picard to Commodore.

I know it was not his fault etc, but I can't see many families of Starfleet personel present at Wolf359 being happy with that. And what had Picard done by this point in the series to deserve such a promotion?

Given he was offered a promotion to Admiral in season 1, I should imagine his career as captain of the Stargazer had a lot to do with it.

 

[Timo]

...Or whatever he did after losing the Stargazer, as these feats supposedly would have been essential in him getting the Enterprise. The Stargazer career as such doesn't sound like a recommendation: 22 years stuck on the same ship (with some of that spent commanding her), then an embarrassing loss of the vessel. And then the disclosure that the vessel had in fact fallen in the hands of Federation adversaries, or at least competitors, before the offer for Admiral rank came!

Timo Saloniemi

 

[CaptainStoner]

I just watched the BOBW remaster the other day. It looks great.

It is an odd thing. Certainly, Riker proved himself as a Captain.
BOBW is, in large part, a Riker episode. So the title is about him as well. It's about what goes on with Picard/Borg, but also about Riker, who discovers his own BOBW in his career decisions.

I also noticed that, right in the opening scene, the Admiral tells Picard that Shelby is his "old man's fantasy". I think Picard ignores the comment and gets a cup of tea. LOL.

 

[Hober Mallow]

BOBW was Riker's best episode. He was completely ruined as a character forever afterward.

 

[Lance]

Riker didn't want to be Captain. I think there are numerous times throughout TNG where he gets bumped up in rank and Frakes plays it like the whole "responsibility" thing un-nerves Riker (which is odd because Riker's whole point in the beginning was that he had fire in his belly for a command of his own). The truth is that Will found his niche in life and was perfectly comfortable as XO. It was pretty clever how the writers actually used this as the basis for the plot in "The Pegasus" though. Having Riker question exactly when and why he changed from ambitious career man to just being a guy who is happy being where he is.

(Admittedly, in any real situation Riker would have been busted down for standing in the way of other people in the chain of command. Again, BOBW gets some great dramatic milage out of this.)

Tbh I think even in "Nemesis" Riker seems less than enthused about leaving Enterprise and becoming a Captain. The sweetener was really his marriage. Not that one necessarily follows the other.

 

[Tiberius]

A field commission is a perfectly legitimate commission. And there's no reason to bust the guy back to commander after he's saved the Earth.

Now, I understand there's no ship for him to take command of...and it's just awkward to have Picard call him "Captain" for a year. (Though that can just be avoided by always referring to him as Number One.) But let's say you're Rick Berman, and you don't give a flip if your show has serialized elements...how do you fix this?

Myself, I offer Frakes DS9*, and go with either Shelby coming back in a year if the actress wants to, or with Data as XO.

*It could work! Don't be hatin...

Personally, I have this theory that Section 31 told Riker to stay on the Enterprise to keep an eye on Picard, ready to make him disappear if Picard starting acting funky...