The Only Actor

[Skywalker]

Travis was a citizen of United Earth. He wasn't born on an American ship or a French ship or a Nigerian ship, but an Earth ship. It is likely his family was descended from African Americans, given their names and the American accents with which they spoke, but he was not, himself, an American.

 

[zar]

Growing up in space doesn't mean that Travis doesn't possess a nationality, American or otherwise.

Now I'm once again confused about which definition of "nationality" we're using. If it means nation of birth, and Travis wasn't born in a nation, he doesn't have one.

 

[Gaith]

We can debate vague nationalities and undefined ethnicities 'til the cows come home.. the fact remains that, since dialogue is often at least half a performance, a performance's accent immediately becomes a defining feature of the character. The score?

TOS: one British accent, one Russian accent
ENT: one British (specifically, modern BBC-style) accent

Conclusion: a step back from TOS, especially when you consider what a Russian accent meant in the 60s.


Now, going back to the OP, Tahir wouldn't have had to do an accent; hell, the character could have been an eighth-generation Vermonter. Just a Middle-Eastern-looking face in the captain's chair would have spoken volumes about Trekkian progressivism.

 

[T'Girl]

Growing up in space doesn't mean that Travis doesn't possess a nationality, American or otherwise.

Now I'm once again confused about which definition of "nationality" we're using. If it means nation of birth, and Travis wasn't born in a nation, he doesn't have one.

Nationality has to do with citizenship. One way to confer citizenship is through "right of blood" (jus sanguinis), if Travis's forefathers were American, or another nationality, then Travis would be that nationality too, even if he wasn't born physically in that country. National heritage.

Both of my parent are US citizens, so I am too, even through I was born in Germany (actual West Germany).

Travis was a citizen of United Earth.

When in any of the incarnations of Star Trek did we ever hear of a Human as being a "citizen of United Earth?" Picard was French, Scotty was a Scot, Chekov was Russian, Riker was American.

And Reed was English.

He wasn't born on an American ship or a French ship or a Nigerian ship, but an Earth ship.

I don't believe we're ever told the flag of registry of the ship, it was named the ECS Horizon. ECS for Earth Cargo Service. Not United Earth Cargo Service.

but he was not, himself, an American.

Again, undefined ... but still a possibility.

 

[zar]

When in any of the incarnations of Star Trek did we ever hear of a Human as being a "citizen of United Earth?" Picard was French, Scotty was a Scot, Chekov was Russian, Riker was American.

We didn't hear that because it didn't exist anymore; we did hear "citizen of the Federation" though.

 

[T'Girl]

Travis was a citizen of United Earth.

When in any of the incarnations of Star Trek did we ever hear of a Human as being a "citizen of United Earth?"

We didn't hear that because it didn't exist anymore; we did hear "citizen of the Federation" though.

Or it simply never did as a nationality in the 22nd century.

During Enterprise, no one was self identifying as a "citizen of United Earth."

 

[pookha]

well earth had been united since before enterprise. starfleet is an out growth of the united earth space probe agency. that kirk still used united earth space probe agency probably is an indication that united earth is a member of the federation. countries under it maybe like states. still keep some individual identity/gov while being members of united earth.

doohan had a theory that scotty's accent was an affection.. tribute to scotland type thing.

several episodes indicate sato indeed was japanese. she certainly didnt identify with being american. see the first season episode where the alien took over the shuttle bay.

though we dont know how long she had been in san francisco. long enough to be friends with archer in the past.

 

[T'Girl]

.

well earth had been united since before enterprise.

But, whether United Earth is a political state or simply a international organization is unclear. In the 22nd century, it isn't obvious exactly who Starfleet "works for." We're also never told (iirc) who Admiral Forrest's superiors are.

starfleet is an out growth of the united earth space probe agency.

In the 22nd century? At best, maybe. Archer's Starfleet, and Kirk's Starfleet might very well be two entirely separate organizations, that employ the same name. Instead of a younger organization, that grew into an older one.

that kirk still used united earth space probe agency probably is an
indication that united earth is a member of the federation.

Kirk's collective comments makes it clear that Earth has a association with the Federation in some fashion, during TOS that's about it. In the 23rd century yes, Earth is probably a member.

countries under it maybe like states. still keep some individual
identity/gov while being members of united earth.

Or, are completely sovereign political states, while being still being members of a United Earth.

 

[Gil T.Azell]

Richard Dean Anderson

Captain Jack O'Neil III ?? Cool!

"We're all going to live...or we're all going to die right here."

 

[pookha]

that earth is a united gov is pretty much implied during tos. too tired to bring up specific stuff but it is there. and people from different states even now have pride in their states.
i think after seeing the delta symbol on the floor in one of the last enterprise episodes we come closer to what had been theory ..\that united earth space probe agency was the umbrella organization for starfleet. starfleet with the founding of the federation possibly gets recharted. that it probably does is an outgrowth of a line from deep space none that section 31 was an out growth of the original starfleet charter.


actually i need to check but i wonder if united earth was mentioned in the last two episodes.

but yeah a lot of this stuff never was worked out before hand.
really the term federation didnt come about until the arrival of gene coon though i dont know if it was his idea.
spock was originally going to be a martian until people pointed out to gene that science was pointing to no life on mars.

really so much of what we know as star trek was created on the run by the various actors and writers.

 

[grabthars hammer]

Oh and, on topic: they should have cast Jeffrey Combs. As the entire crew.

So when she's talking to Reed, why doesn't she use a British accent? When she's talking to Trip, why doesn't she use a Southern drawl?

Put those two ideas together and I think we've got the awesomest show of all time.

 

[SFRabid]

I think the actors and characters of Trip and Archer should have been switched. Trinner as Trip being captain and Bakula as Archer being the engineer. A lot of times Trip was more like Kirk than Archer. You would have to have Archer as second in command and T'Pol as an observer/assistant in the role of science officer in order to keep the Trip/T'Pol relationship. Or you could go back to Trip chasing all the aliens in skirts like Kirk did and develop an Archer/T'Pol romance.

I cannot see Michael Ironside in the role. I do think Keith Carradine would have been good. In my view the early problems with Archer was not Bakula, it was the writing.

 

[angie]

Bakula was coming off being the lead i an immensely popular genre series so was a smart choice.

 

[Anji]

Bakula and the rest of the cast did the best they could with the drivel they were given every week.

The only regular cast member who could spin flax into gold was Billingsley. And that's because that guy was just born with the goods.

 

[Bob Karo]

Back on topic...

Any one else think Keith Carradine could have done well with the roll?

 

[Anji]

Heck yeah!

 

[Mach5]

Any one else think Keith Carradine could have done well with the roll?

Absolutely.