Stuff that make you wonder but not own thread worthy

[Atomic_Monkey]

Question is why were there so many? Was it just a writing gaff?

No, if wasn't a gaff. They intentionally planned to have rotating engineers in the first season. I believe it was one way Roddenberry wanted to distinguish the new series from the old. I've head this discussed in several documentaries, but what I've not heard discussed in any great detail is what made them changed their minds in season 2 and made Geordi permanent chief. I can speculate and make educated guesses, but it would be nice to have the rationale confirmed by someone in the know.

 

[Doug Otte]

How many chief engineers where there in season One of TNG? I remember Logan, Argyle and someone I think was named MacDougle. I think Argyle was in two or three episodes. I know I can google this question but I was hoping for some analysis.

Also Lt. Cmdr. Leland T. Lynch.

Argyle was the only one who appeared more than once. (Only twice.)

...and don't forget Singh from Lonely Among Us.

 

[Farscape One]

...and don't forget Singh from Lonely Among Us.

Singh was an Assistant Chief Engineer, not an actual Chief like the others mentioned.

 

[Tomalak]

I don't know if I was an intentional plan to have rotating engineers, or just one that naturally occurred.

Not having a chief engineer in the main cast was intentional - a holdover from the "technology unchained" concept that the ship would run itself. And also to differentiate from the original series, which is why there's also no communications officer, science officer, or distinct helmsman and navigator.

After MacDougal's single appearance, the Argyle character was created, appearing twice, and he was scripted in at least one more episode. There is a story - which may be apocryphal - about why he didn't appear again.

It feels more like standard TV production decisions rather than a specific plan to have different characters. Not having one in the main cast meant scriptwriters could invent characters to fill whatever niche was needed - most notably in Arsenal of Freedom. There was no need to worry about actor availability etc.

Making Geordi the engineer in S2 just made sense. It gave him a defined role and cleared a bridge spot for Wesley.

 

[Mojochi]

Whatever the catalysts were for having the chief engineer revolving door, I like to think it worked out in a way that implies Picard wasn't satisfied having a single head of the department, until he got Geordi. (or could get him there) He later laments, in The Next Phase, about knowing the 1st time he met him, after seeing his technical prowess & determination, that he wanted him for his next assignment, & maybe that's where he wanted him, but needed to groom him for it 1st.

So, for the D's maiden voyage, he intentionally grabs up Geordi, who's been languishing in the ranks, only up to LTJG, even though he was in RIKER'S academy class of 2357! He's still the same rank as Worf, who's 5 years younger.

Geordi has been floundering in a command track redshirt for 7 years, while his peers move up. (Riker's been offered his own ship already, by 2364) So, maybe Picard just kept things fluid down in engineering until he could convince him to switch. At least that's how it looks in hindsight.

 

[MrShinzoff]

The virus in the show Pluribus was sent by the Borg.

 

[Candleicious Ghost]

The virus in the show Pluribus was sent by the Borg.

Nice connecting both shows.

How and why?

 

[somebuddyX]

I kinda wanna make a different intro for the episode "Conundrum" with MacDuff included in the credits. I think it would be kinda hard and pointless but pretty fun.

 

[Mojochi]

I kinda wanna make a different intro for the episode "Conundrum" with MacDuff included in the credits. I think it would be kinda hard and pointless but pretty fun.

His appearance certainly did kind of ruin any suspence

 

[Atomic_Monkey]

This one may have been answered in the movie and I missed it...

In First Contact Picard destroyed the Enterprise's deflector dish so that the Borg couldn't convert it into a transmitter. How did the Enterprise safely fly home after that? As I've always understood it, a deflector dish is essential to safe travel because it clears a ship's path of matter that would damage or destroy it.

I'm currently reading the novelization and hoping it addresses this point.

 

[Ray Hardgrit]

In First Contact Picard destroyed the Enterprise's deflector dish so that the Borg couldn't convert it into a transmitter. How did the Enterprise safely fly home after that? As I've always understood it, a deflector dish is essential to safe travel because it clears a ship's path of matter that would damage or destroy it.

They were already at Earth so they didn't really have to warp anywhere.

 

[Atomic_Monkey]

They were already at Earth so they didn't really have to warp anywhere.

Even though they were at earth they needed to travel back through the temporal vortex (or whatever it was called) to return to the 24th century. I don't know the in-universe mechanics of that, but if traversing the vortex required high impulse or warp they'd be screwed.

 

[Ray Hardgrit]

Even though they were at earth they needed to travel back through the temporal vortex (or whatever it was called) to return to the 24th century. I don't know the in-universe mechanics of that, but if traversing the vortex required high impulse or warp they'd be screwed.

We saw it at the start of the movie and it didn't seem like anyone was travelling at warp. Plus they still have regular deflectors if necessary. They can just raise shields and use up a bit more power.

I'm pretty sure a Voyager episode said they couldn't get home without the deflector dish, but that was a much longer trip, with resource concerns (plus they had a spare on the saucer so I don't even know what they were worried about ).

 

[Candleicious Ghost]

Couldn't the Enterprise make a new deflector dish given time? I can't imagine they don't have workshops onboard or some kind of bay for fabrication of equipment / parts

 

[Tomalak]

In any case, plenty of ships don’t have dishes, but warp just fine.

What came to be known as the “main deflector” in the TNG era was originally the long range sensor, and that is probably still its primary job. Indeed that’s what the TNG Tech Manual says. The ship probably has redundant deflectors for flight, as well as the main shield system. “Shields” and “deflectors” are often used interchangeably.

We also don’t know that the Enterprise-E’s deflector was disabled for warp flight - only a small part of it was destroyed, the bit the Borg used to create a communications beacon.

The main point is that obviously they did get home safe and sound, so they definitely didn’t need it!

 

[Atomic_Monkey]

We also don’t know that the Enterprise-E’s deflector was disabled for warp flight - only a small part of it was destroyed, the bit the Borg used to create a communications beacon.

To be fair, it looked like a pretty important bit.

 

[Atomic_Monkey]

They were already at Earth so they didn't really have to warp anywhere.

I checked. As they're headed home Worf tells Picard, "The moon's gravitational field obscured our warp signature. The Vulcans did not detect us."

Oh well. I'll assume they used their replicators to rebuild the deflector dish.

 

[NCC-73515]

Only the particle emitter was destroyed, the rest of the deflector was mostly intact, and there is a secondary deflector on deck 12 (from OTOY, which uses original sources afaik)

 

[Hellbird]

Showing my age a bit, but I suppose its like removing the aerial from a radio. You can still use it, but the performance/quality is reduced.

 

[Atomic_Monkey]

Only the particle emitter was destroyed,

Only the particle emitter? Isn't that the most important bit?