Say something critical about a fan favorite episode

[fireproof78]

Four, why not have Picard evaluated by professionals, and leave Riker in the big chair while doing that?

Indeed. And it's clear the uncertainty of Stewart's return impacted the writing and the next season suffered for it.

 

[herofhyrule]

Picard needed leave and professional counselling for months, if not years, before being declared fit for command again. He was basically a tortured POW who killed a great many people while held mentally and physically captive.

What's worse is that originally "Family" didn't exist. They just went straight into filming the next episode ("Suddenly Human", I believe). It was only after filming "Brothers" that they decided that maybe Picard wouldn't be fit to return to duty straight away.

 

[JesterFace]

Even if that were true, Starfleet wouldn't have had Riker stay as Picard's XO for so many years after the Borg incident.

Ridiculous. One, Riker has demonstrated more loyalty to Picard than Starfleet. Two, Starfleet would want someone they picked for such an assignment. Three, an executive officer might be too obvious.

I was simply offering one possible explanation why Riker stayed.

Another reason could be that Riker wanted to stay in a comfortable enviroment and eventually maybe get things going with Deanna again?

 

[IMC Headquarters]

The Riker Maneuver.

 

[fireproof78]

Another reason could be that Riker wanted to stay in a comfortable enviroment and eventually maybe get things going with Deanna again?

Which is counter to his stated goals in "Haven." So now he's an inconsistent character who ops for career dead end in the name of comfort and ignoring his career goals.

 

[Oddish]

Picard needed leave and professional counselling for months, if not years, before being declared fit for command again. He was basically a tortured POW who killed a great many people while held mentally and physically captive.

Same thing in "Chain of Command". Given that he was almost broken by a Cardassian torturer (was broken, from his perspective), Picard should have spent some time in a Federation funny farm.

In the meantime, Jellico stays awhile, Riker runs away screaming to the first command available, Data supplements his fancy red shirt with a third gold pip, and Worf has multiple Klingon orgasms because Jellico lets him blow things up.

I was simply offering one possible explanation why Riker stayed.

Fair enough.

Another reason could be that Riker wanted to stay in a comfortable enviroment and eventually maybe get things going with Deanna again?

Yeah... but it was just wrong for the character journey Riker went on in those episodes. They could have written it so that Riker realizes that his place is the Enterprise. But the way they wrote it, Riker showed that he belonged in the Big Chair. The natural completion of that arc was for him to move on.

 

[Elias Vaughn]

Which is counter to his stated goals in "Haven." So now he's an inconsistent character who ops for career dead end in the name of comfort and ignoring his career goals.

Is he inconsistent or did he change over time? Maybe being forced to work alongside Shelby, a similarly career-oriented officer who wanted to advance her career at the expense of basically everything else, showed Riker that he didn't want to be that person anymore.

 

[JonnyQuest037]

Picard needed leave and professional counselling for months, if not years, before being declared fit for command again. He was basically a tortured POW who killed a great many people while held mentally and physically captive.

See also: "The Inner Light." In Picard's mind, he spent DECADES living a life on another planet. All of his Starfleet information would be years out of date. He absolutely should've been removed from duty and retrained.

 

[fireproof78]

Is he inconsistent or did he change over time? Maybe being forced to work alongside Shelby, a similarly career-oriented officer who wanted to advance her career at the expense of basically everything else, showed Riker that he didn't want to be that person anymore.

I see that as a possibility but it doesn't track with what's presented on screen. Yes, of course people can change their minds and I would hope so. But, when it's stated by his former love interest that more than anything he wants to be a captain, and then he works actively to not be a captain it's strange, at best.

 

[Farscape One]

It also doesn't help that he turned down TWO command offers before the Melbourne.

 

[JonnyQuest037]

I see that as a possibility but it doesn't track with what's presented on screen. Yes, of course people can change their minds and I would hope so. But, when it's stated by his former love interest that more than anything he wants to be a captain, and then he works actively to not be a captain it's strange, at best.

Riker ponders this exact question in the first part of "Best of Both Worlds." He sees the ultra-ambitious Shelby and wonders why he isn't that way anymore. He outright asks why he hasn't moved on from the Enterprise-D to another assignment to move his career along and Troi says, "Because you're happy here." (A lot of this was Michael Piller writing about why he hadn't moved onto another series by the end of the season.)

So it was definitely an evolution of the character over the course of the first three seasons.

 

[fireproof78]

Riker ponders this exact question in the first part of "Best of Both Worlds." He sees the ultra-ambitious Shelby and wonders why he isn't that way anymore. He outright asks why he hasn't moved on from the Enterprise-D to another assignment to move his career along and Troi says, "Because you're happy here." (A lot of this was Michael Piller writing about why he hadn't moved onto another series by the end of the season.)

So it was definitely an evolution of the character over the course of the first three seasons.

Fair enough. TNG is not my strong suit so I forgot that part of Best of Both Worlds.