The First Duty

[Mr. Laser Beam]

We all know well enough, by now, the reason why Nick Locarno wasn't used on Voyager: because the original writers of "The First Duty" would get money every time an episode aired that had Tom Paris in it.

But Wikipedia says that a director's commentary for this episode hints that Locarno and Paris are 'really' supposed to be the same person, and that Locarno was just an alias.

Can anyone confirm this? Have you ever heard anything like this on the commentary tracks?

(Personally, I think it's a stupid idea, if for no other reason than there would not appear to be a reason why Tom would use an alias in the first place. It'd be more likely that *Tom* was the alias, but of course we know that's not the case.)

 

[Red Ranger]

Are you sure this is meant literally? Or that the folks who created Tom Paris meant that he was figuratively the alias for Locarno?

BTW, one of the reasons I like this ep is it shows Wesley to be less than perfect for a change.

Red Ranger

 

[Michael]

I didn't hear the commentary, but I would think what he really means, is that Tom and Nick are one and the same person. But they couldn't say that onscreen. The thing with the alias would be just a figure of speech to make that clear to the listener of the commentary. However, that's just my take on it ...

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Are you sure this is meant literally? Or that the folks who created Tom Paris meant that he was figuratively the alias for Locarno?

We know Tom can't be the alias, since we've met his father - Admiral Paris.

If Tom was some kind of deep cover Starfleet Intelligence agent, I suppose Locarno could have been the alias to that effect.

 

[Phillip Culley]

What directors commentary would this be then? AFAIK there were no commentaries recorded for TNG, so this sounds like some fan-created rubbish...

 

[Mott the barber]

BTW, one of the reasons I like this ep is it shows Wesley to be less than perfect for a change.

Red Ranger

Agreed

 

[Holdfast]

I seem to recall hearing that the Tom Paris character was based on Nick Locarno. In that they wanted someone "like Robert Duncan McNeill" to play him. The story was, that after much trying out of other actors, they finally said "why not just get Robert Duncan McNeill" and he got the part.

I recall hearing this on SOME commentary or interview, though obviously not a TNG episode commentary. As others have pointed out, there are none that I know of.

 

[Kegek]

"Caretaker" is fairly sketchy on the details of why Paris was dismissed from Starfleet; but it's essentially the same scenario as in "The First Duty", with one pivotal difference: According to himself, Paris confessed his crime. In "The First Duty", Wesley is the one who confesses.

I note this because I recall one of the producers commenting that another reason they didn't use Locarno (in addition to the obvious) is that they wanted a more redeemable character; and that Paris was willing to admit his mistake rather than having his hand forced by Wesley makes him more redeemable... an argument which makes basically no sense if they're the same person.

 

[Lynx]

"Caretaker" is fairly sketchy on the details of why Paris was dismissed from Starfleet; but it's essentially the same scenario as in "The First Duty", with one pivotal difference: According to himself, Paris confessed his crime. In "The First Duty", Wesley is the one who confesses.

I note this because I recall one of the producers commenting that another reason they didn't use Locarno (in addition to the obvious) is that they wanted a more redeemable character; and that Paris was willing to admit his mistake rather than having his hand forced by Wesley makes him more redeemable... an argument which makes basically no sense if they're the same person.

I've seen that statement too. The producers thought that Locarno's crime and his attitude to it would made him a lousy main character who many fans would find it hard to relate to.

If we look at the two characters, there are very little resemblance between them, except for the looks and similarity in the accident story. Locarno is actually a jerk who don't really regrets anything and up to the last minute he is trying to blame his deceased colleague for the accident. He also tries to force his colleagues to lie in court. Paris, on the other hand, did lie and blamed one of his three dead colleagues for the accident but rather quickly started to feel bad about it and confessed his sins. That makes him more likeable, besides that Paris has a nicer and more friendly attitude overall than Locarno.

The mistake the producers did was to keep the accident scenario in the Tom Paris story. It was too similar to the Locarno story, add to that the looks of the characters. They should have come up with something entirely different or skipped the accident altogether.

 

[Timo]

Other differences: they wanted Paris to be an Academy graduate who could plausibly take over the Chief of Conn duties after the pilot episode, be a proper "big brother figure" for the commissioned officer Kim, and take cover from the wrath of his Maquis "friends" by being the Captain's high-ranking pet. Locarno was a dropout instead, never having earned his pips.

Agreed that they should have made a clearer disconnect with the Locarno story there. Or then stuck with it, and established the character as Nick Locarno for good. The dramatic reasons for having him be a repenting graduate aren't all that pressing - and I guess he could have redeemed himself somehow between the stories, too. It wouldn't have been too contrived at all: in the paradise of the 24th century, it would only make sense if all the misfits gravitated towards the Maquis, the single "bad boy" option in existence in the UFP.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[WillsBabe]

When this topic has come up before some posters have replied that Nick Lorcano and Tom Paris are the same person, however the character's name was changed to avoid royalty rights to the writer of the TNG episode. I must admit, ever since the dawn of Voyager, I've always understood this to be true.

 

[Triskelion]

I seem to recall hearing that the Tom Paris character was based on Nick Locarno. In that they wanted someone "like Robert Duncan McNeill" to play him. The story was, that after much trying out of other actors, they finally said "why not just get Robert Duncan McNeill" and he got the part.

I recall hearing this on SOME commentary or interview, though obviously not a TNG episode commentary. As others have pointed out, there are none that I know of.

You're right. The commentary was from a Voyager seasonal DVD set special features, perhaps an easter egg, devoted to Robert Duncan McNeil and the character Tom Paris. The producers wanted a roguish conn officer with a past, "just like Nick Locarno". They interviewed a lot of actors for the role, urging them to be like Locarno, and in the end, not having found a suitable candidate, said, "Why don't we just use Robert Duncan Macneil to get that Robert Duncan Macneil-style?"

Which is always affirming, when a producer decides a suitable actor to play a real person might be the person himself. That is if he can pass the audition.

In the show, it was never intended that Tom and Nick were the same person. Period. They did want a whole other character. But it's not the first time Trek utilized the same actor for different roles to great effect. This one just happened to be human both times.

 

[PhoenixIreland]

We all know well enough, by now, the reason why Nick Locarno wasn't used on Voyager: because the original writers of "The First Duty" would get money every time an episode aired that had Tom Paris in it.

One of the many reasons I hate intellectual property laws, they restrict how far art reaches and in this case how much breathing room it has in terms of creativity.

Lynx I pretty much agree with everything you said.
The key point is that in Caretaker, it says Paris came forward and admitted what he did out of guilt, Locarno didn't, Crusher was the one who came forward.
They should have had a diffrent backstory to Paris other than a Pilot error both because of too much similarity to diffrent people...and he was meant to be this ace pilot...and right out of the gate we learn he majorly screwd up and got people killed.

 

[Michael]

We all know well enough, by now, the reason why Nick Locarno wasn't used on Voyager: because the original writers of "The First Duty" would get money every time an episode aired that had Tom Paris in it.

One of the many reasons I hate intellectual property laws, they restrict how far art reaches and in this case how much breathing room it has in terms of creativity.

Well, I don't know about you, but if I had created this character I'd find it reasonable that they pay for the use of it.

 

[Holdfast]

Thanks for the added info Triskelion. I don't have any of the VOY sets, so couldn't have heard it there, but I'm glad I'm not going completely senior.

 

[Kegek]

When this topic has come up before some posters have replied that Nick Lorcano and Tom Paris are the same person, however the character's name was changed to avoid royalty rights to the writer of the TNG episode. I must admit, ever since the dawn of Voyager, I've always understood this to be true.

It's true to the extent that Tom Paris is a thinly veiled version of Nick Locarno; but not that they're literally the same person in Star Trek's continuity.

 

[PhoenixIreland]

We all know well enough, by now, the reason why Nick Locarno wasn't used on Voyager: because the original writers of "The First Duty" would get money every time an episode aired that had Tom Paris in it.

One of the many reasons I hate intellectual property laws, they restrict how far art reaches and in this case how much breathing room it has in terms of creativity.

Well, I don't know about you, but if I had created this character I'd find it reasonable that they pay for the use of it.

Actually no I'd want my work spread as widely as possable, not restrict how far it spreads and is recogised by putting a massive price barrer to it being used.

 

[erastus25]

When this topic has come up before some posters have replied that Nick Lorcano and Tom Paris are the same person, however the character's name was changed to avoid royalty rights to the writer of the TNG episode. I must admit, ever since the dawn of Voyager, I've always understood this to be true.

It's true to the extent that Tom Paris is a thinly veiled version of Nick Locarno; but not that they're literally the same person in Star Trek's continuity.

Yeah, I agree. I never bought the personality nitpicking from McNeil and the producers trying to convince us they're very different people.

 

[Nebusj]

Well, I don't know about you, but if I had created this character I'd find it reasonable that they pay for the use of it.

Actually no I'd want my work spread as widely as possable, not restrict how far it spreads and is recogised by putting a massive price barrer to it being used.

I'd hope your landlord was so impressed by your impressive body of work as to not limit your access to an apartment by a massive price barrier.

 

[PhoenixIreland]

If you can show me an artist broke because their intellectual property was not respected I'll die of shock.