• Welcome! The TrekBBS is the number one place to chat about Star Trek with like-minded fans.
    If you are not already a member then please register an account and join in the discussion!

Spoilers Strange New Worlds General Discussion Thread

One of the reasons we lost the "Yeoman" title/job in Trek as time went on, was because they were essentially a glorified secretary for the Captain and that only carries a story just so far.
(beyond the "Damsel in Distress" scenario)

I guess the first question is, what do the Producers actually want to do with the character from the get go.
Until we learn what the character's actual role will be the best I can do is throw out a guess.

I think it would be interesting to see her as perhaps one of the first instances of a ship having a separate Counselor for the crew and have Pike being resistant but forced to take her on by Star Fleet Command.
I'd also like to see her young age factor in, as the crew and the Captain look upon her as not seasoned or up to the job even though she has all the necessary qualifications and has been a Dr. for a few years already.
:shrug:

speaking of, I wonder if we will see Pike have a Yeoman in SNW. Maybe not Colt but just someone in that position. Honestly it’s a little surprising we didn’t see one for any of the Captains on Discovery.

I mean, instead of
Tilly going over Sarus schedule and helping him spitball “go to warp” phrases while being XO
that seems like something a Captains Yeoman would be tasked with.
 
I hope they do, given current real-world happenings. Yeomen are sort of the essential workers of the bridge. So it aligns with the rumor that the main medical character is going to be a nurse.
 
I really, really doubt that they would use a "yeoman" like in the original series who was just a glorified secretary. I have right now some difficulties just to remember what their actual job was, except sometime bringing a PADD to sign to the captain.

Sorry, we are in the 21st century and there is no more space for women put there just to be an eye candy. Even the original series after a while didn't know what to do with them. I suppose that could be someone responsible for all the clerical/administrative work on a ship, but I don't know what would be the justification for this person to be always on the bridge or on an away mission.
 
I mean, from a purely structural standpoint I would love to see more of a yeoman role, as present in the current US Navy. But, I don't see that working in as a drama.
 
I really, really doubt that they would use a "yeoman" like in the original series who was just a glorified secretary. I have right now some difficulties just to remember what their actual job was, except sometime bringing a PADD to sign to the captain.
They also bring coffee and salads.
 
Crewmen became the new Yeoman. I mean who do you think was bringing Archer his meals on that show. I would love to see a Trek show were people like that were given more depth. Also were are the janitorial workers. So far it's just that one guy in Wrath of Khan. Jason
 
Crewmen became the new Yeoman. I mean who do you think was bringing Archer his meals on that show. I would love to see a Trek show were people like that were given more depth. Also were are the janitorial workers. So far it's just that one guy in Wrath of Khan. Jason
A yeoman is a crewman.
 
Crewmen became the new Yeoman. I mean who do you think was bringing Archer his meals on that show. I would love to see a Trek show were people like that were given more depth. Also were are the janitorial workers.


That's a job for "Lower Decks":

yi2ipvv.jpg
 
https://redshirtsalwaysdie.com/2021/03/22/15464/
It would certainly be refreshing in light of Star Wars's legacy issues ("Rey can wield the Force because she's Palpatine's granddaughter!")
I don't know what orifice the author pulled "The whole point of Star Trek is that anyone can achieve greatness if they put in the work." But it reads conspicuously a lot like "Pull themselves up by their own bootstraps," which is literally the exact opposite of what Star Trek is about.

The main characters are exceptional people. The exceptional of the exceptional, really. (Except Harry. But that's why he was never promoted.) The writing constantly goes out of its way to show the audience this. The point of Star Trek is it's the duty of the exceptional to lift everyone else up so all can rise together.

Which, incidentally has also always been the point of Star Wars. Something Johnson didn't quite understand and Abrams did his best to rectify.
 
I don't know what orifice the author pulled "The whole point of Star Trek is that anyone can achieve greatness if they put in the work." But it reads conspicuously a lot like "Pull themselves up by their own bootstraps," which is literally the exact opposite of what Star Trek is about.

The main characters are exceptional people. The exceptional of the exceptional, really. (Except Harry. But that's why he was never promoted.) The writing constantly goes out of its way to show the audience this. The point of Star Trek is it's the duty of the exceptional to lift everyone else up so all can rise together.


I'm reminded of this quote from Spaceballs:

Lone Starr : Who hasn't heard of Yogurt!
Princess Vespa : Yogurt the Wise!
Dot Matrix : Yogurt the All-Powerful!
Barf : Yogurt the Magnificent!
Yogurt : Please, please, don't make a fuss. I'm just plain Yogurt.
 
I mean, from a purely structural standpoint I would love to see more of a yeoman role, as present in the current US Navy. But, I don't see that working in as a drama.
Well, in the post-TOS Trek shows it's implied that the main characters do the administrative/clerical work themselves and the computers worry about the details. I mean, even today computers simplify a lot my life when I have to deal with burocracy.

I remember in one of the novel Kirk asking to the yeoman to organize an appointment with every single crewman for their personal valuation. Well, IMHO it's something that an incredible futuristic and almost sentient computer could handle.

EDIT:
Just for the sake of curiosity I read on Wikipedia what a yeoman does in the US military navy

Today's yeomen performs administrative and clerical work. Their duties include protocol, naval instructions, enlisted evaluations, commissioned officer fitness reports, naval messages, visitors, telephone calls and mail (both conventional and electronic). They organize files, operate office equipment, and order and distribute office supplies. They write and type business and social letters, notices, directives, forms and reports

It seems to me that every single one of these activities, when they were actually showed on screen on a Trek show was done by
  • The computer
  • One of the main character
So a single crewman dedicated only to that seems a little redundant.
 
Last edited:
If you are not already a member then please register an account and join in the discussion!

Sign up / Register


Back
Top