The purpose of Deanna Troi

[MermaidSouth]

I rather liked her relationship with Picard. It balanced him.

http://www.thegeektwins.com/2014/06/7-bizarre-facts-about-deanna-trois.html#.VsyjOpMrKi4

 

[RAMA]

After watching this show many times, I have asked myself what purpose should a Betazoid psychiatrist have on a starship. In regards to Deanna, I believe that a psychiatrist had no business on the bridge of a starship. She was not qualified to be in a position to outrank officers like Data in a crisis situation. It felt rather Soviet-like with a political officer sensing the Captain's thoughts to make sure they were 'correct'. Another issue with Deanna was her willful use of impathy to read others thoughts. That can be considered a violation/ mind rape. She herself hated it when she was at the receiving end of a mind read. The good thing about B5 was that it brought up a different perspective on telepaths. It went into how telepaths had to restrict their telepathy to avoid absorbing the thoughts of others. They were also shunned because non-tels were afraid of getting read. In TNG, those issues seldom ever came up. I will admit that Voyager did visit that topic in its later seasons.
I remember the episode when the Ferengi were negotiating the rights to a wormhole and a Human/Betazed negotiator was using his skills to beat the competition. When his skills were discovered, Picard blasted him for using his telepathy for his advantage. The negotiator made Picard eat his words by pointing out Picard's own hypocrisy of using Deanna for his own gain by reading the minds of others. Cobra

Roddenberry's reasoning is he felt "human engineering was as important as mechanical engineering". In other words, mental stability was at least important on long duration space misions as keeping the engines running. This makes a lot of sense of course, but makes some people uncomfortable in the 20-21st century. The idea is that it wouldn't make anyone uncomfortable in the 24th century because it's a more open society.

RAMA

 

[Paradise City]

Troi's position is merited. She's there to read and advise Picard on the psychology of antagonists. She's there to tend to the psychological well being of the crew which is essential whatever the peril.

One of the amusing Troi episodes for me though is that Pakled one. She's all but called an idiot for being the sole oasis of basic common sense in a sea of contrived bungling. You'd swear she was the only one not included as a beneficiary in the life assurance policy taken out on poor Geordi.

 

[DanaDissent]

Lots of great opinions and points stated here. I have to say I agree with most of you. I think Troi was a great part of the show, and I think her character made sense (although, she could have been written better). I also enjoyed her outfits, but if it had been up to me, her outfits (and those of some of the other female characters) would have been more revealing!

 

[MarsWeeps]

Troi's position is merited. She's there to read and advise Picard on the psychology of antagonists. She's there to tend to the psychological well being of the crew which is essential whatever the peril.

She has no place on the bridge. Picard can't take a dump without consulting her first. Makes him look weak.

 

[Chronos]

I don't think that Troi really had a purpose. Her ability to read people was invasive when it came to her fellow crew members and often failed when she needed to analyze the thoughts of an enemy.

Sure, keep her as a counselor, but don't put her on the bridge as the captain's adviser. Having a seat next to Picard implied that she was of equal importance to Riker -- something which we were shown many times is not the case. It was really just the writers shoehorning her onto the bridge with the rest of the main characters. At that point, why not make her in charge of communications? Dealing with people is her specialty, after all.

 

[NigellaDeanna20]

After watching this show many times, I have asked myself what purpose should a Betazoid psychiatrist have on a starship. In regards to Deanna, I believe that a psychiatrist had no business on the bridge of a starship. She was not qualified to be in a position to outrank officers like Data in a crisis situation. It felt rather Soviet-like with a political officer sensing the Captain's thoughts to make sure they were 'correct'. Another issue with Deanna was her willful use of impathy to read others thoughts. That can be considered a violation/ mind rape. She herself hated it when she was at the receiving end of a mind read. The good thing about B5 was that it brought up a different perspective on telepaths. It went into how telepaths had to restrict their telepathy to avoid absorbing the thoughts of others. They were also shunned because non-tels were afraid of getting read. In TNG, those issues seldom ever came up. I will admit that Voyager did visit that topic in its later seasons.
I remember the episode when the Ferengi were negotiating the rights to a wormhole and a Human/Betazed negotiator was using his skills to beat the competition. When his skills were discovered, Picard blasted him for using his telepathy for his advantage. The negotiator made Picard eat his words by pointing out Picard's own hypocrisy of using Deanna for his own gain by reading the minds of others. Cobra

"

Actually she did. In the pilot episode Troi was referred to as "Commander". We then later find out in the 5th episode "Disaster" that, as Chief O'Brien puts it, "she carries the rank of Lt. Commander." so, if she's a Lt. Cmdr, that position alone would give her every right to be on the bridge as one of the senior officers.
The 1980s were a time when political correctness began to come more towards the forefront of global society. So, for example, while a female first oficer on the bridge (as in "The Cage") would not have been common in the 1960s, in the 1980s were much more sophisticated, if campy, time as you had psychologists appearing on other main stream TV shows such as Fraiser Crane and Litith Sternin on "Cheers". So having Troi as a psychologist and telepath was really just a reflection of the time.

Also, if you're going to have a starship on numerous deep space explorations, you're going to need a counsellor on board the ship given the fact that the crew will be far away from home for quite an extended period of time.

 

[RAMA]

She has no place on the bridge. Picard can't take a dump without consulting her first. Makes him look weak.

The best place to make sure the ships runs well with the command crew in good mental health would be the bridge. The fact she's an empath and is a trusted adviser is just gravy. Not all captains have access to that.

 

[MarsWeeps]

The best counselor is a fully charged phaser bank!

 

[Goji]

I just watched "Loud As A Whisper", and there's a scene early on where Worf, Picard and Troi are in the transporter room getting ready to beam down and meet the deaf mute mediator, and out of nowhere Troi starts blabbering on about how nervous Worf is right in front of Picard and I'm thinking "Gee, aren't we all glad there's this nosy Betazoid counselor around to loudly broadcast all our private thoughts and feelings to anyone within earshot anytime she wants?"

I'm not a fan of Troi.

 

[RAMA]

The best counselor is a fully charged phaser bank!

 

[MarsWeeps]

The best counselor is a fully charged phaser bank!

I sort of stole that from Scotty when he said something like "The best diplomat is a fully charged phaser bank!"

 

[Scotchy]

Her purpose was to replace Ilia. the character played by Persis Khambatta in the Motion Picture. Roddenberry wanted that dynamic in his cast so Decker and Ilia became Riker and Deanna.
Oh, and you need someone to say "Duh, I have a vague sense of something, but can't tell you a single detail" right before something horrible happens. There's also the "intermittent lie detector" ability she shares with Geordi. They can tell when people are being dishonest.... until they can't.

 

[PhaserLightShow]

What is the point of Deanna Troi?
I'll give you two reasons: One "In Universe", another as a production reason.
1.) Deanna is a Counselor. She helps the mentally troubled (and those with normal noggins but bad thoughts). If you are on the E-D and you are feeling suicidal, what do you do? Go to Counselor Troi. Then she will help you.
2.) Those who made TNG probably didn't want to have to make much of a new character. So they stole elements from the Navigator from Star Trek: Phase 2 and The Motion Picture (Lieutenant Illia). They wanted a way to regenerate her character. The same goes for the in-universe necessary Commander Riker (only with Commander/Captain Decker, instead).

 

[PhaserLightShow]

Her purpose was to replace Ilia. the character played by Persis Khambatta in the Motion Picture. Roddenberry wanted that dynamic in his cast so Decker and Ilia became Riker and Deanna.
Oh, and you need someone to say "Duh, I have a vague sense of something, but can't tell you a single detail" right before something horrible happens. There's also the "intermittent lie detector" ability she shares with Geordi. They can tell when people are being dishonest.... until they can't.

Yes "Scotchy," you are right. To replace Illia. I was having trouble on how to phrase what I said. I didn't see your post. Until now.

 

[PhaserLightShow]

I sort of stole that from Scotty when he said something like "The best diplomat is a fully charged phaser bank!"

It's true (at least in Starship combat games and real life).

 

[PhaserLightShow]

I don't think that Troi really had a purpose. Her ability to read people was invasive when it came to her fellow crew members and often failed when she needed to analyze the thoughts of an enemy.

Sure, keep her as a counselor, but don't put her on the bridge as the captain's adviser. Having a seat next to Picard implied that she was of equal importance to Riker -- something which we were shown many times is not the case. It was really just the writers shoehorning her onto the bridge with the rest of the main characters. At that point, why not make her in charge of communications? Dealing with people is her specialty, after all.

Deanna did deal with communications. On the Battle Bridge. In "Encounter at Farpoint". Yes Worf (or Tasha, for the majority of the First Season) mostly deal with communications (ship-to-ship) but really she is the one who communicates. She prefers interpersonal (no screens) communication. She uses that skill of interpersonal communication when someone goes onto the E-D, when she beams down or onto another ship. Besides, she is one of the people who does a lot of the talking on the view-screen. She just doesn't open the hailing frequencies. She talks via them. Tasha and Worf? Barely talk on subspace communication. They just may that communication possible,