The recasting of Senator Cretak

[WalkinMan]

I just read on Memory Alpha that Adrienne Barbeau was cast as Senator Kimara Cretak for "Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges" because Megan Cole, who played a Senator Cretak in "Image in the Sand" and "Shadows and Symbols," was unavailable at the time. Having seen these episodes, I must say that this 'recasting' had a big effect. Actually, to me, I never really thought of the Sens. Cretak from both episodes as the same person, although they were evidently intended to be.

For one thing, Adrienne Barbeau's character comes off as far more sympathetic. She also does not seem to be as stereotypically Romulan, from her lovely dress to her smile (perhaps also aided by her sex symbol status).

Anyhow, Megan Cole's Sen. Cretak, as I best recall it, was the crafty/shifty Senator who initially befriended Col. Kira on the Promenade over Bajoran lollypop-like snacks; she suggested that Kira try a Romulan treat which was "very tart" -- but by the next episode her true colors were revealed when she forced Kira into a military confrontation over the illegal weapons the Romulans placed on the Bajoran Moon, Derna. In the end the Feds stepped in and the crisis was defused.

Cole's Sen. Cretak was one that I believed fit the characterization of Admiral Ross in IAESL, "she's a patriot" and would not hestitate to back the other side if it advanced Romulan interests.

However, Barbeau's Cretak was to me a do-over, feeling like a different new character, from the outset of IAESL, with the Romulan ale scene, and then being so helpful to Dr. Bashir. It would have been interesting to see Cole's Cretak do that scene (another 'nice' food scene), and then take on the rest of the show. However I doubt that the original Cretak would have gone to such lengths, accessing databases in order to help Dr. Bashir, and getting caught.

In the end I thought Barbeau's Cretak character was much more likeable and I would have liked to see her recurring as the 'nicer' Romulan, but at the same time Cole's Cretak was more multi-dimensional and in keeping with the Romulan 'can't trust them'/'chess game' strategy. However having the more sympathetic Cretak in IAESL made for a more emotive impact, IMO.

Your thoughts?

 

[RobertScorpio]

I just read on Memory Alpha that Adrienne Barbeau was cast as Senator Kimara Cretak for "Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges" because Megan Cole, who played a Senator Cretak in "Image in the Sand" and "Shadows and Symbols," was unavailable at the time. Having seen these episodes, I must say that this 'recasting' had a big effect. Actually, to me, I never really thought of the Sens. Cretak from both episodes as the same person, although they were evidently intended to be.

For one thing, Adrienne Barbeau's character comes off as far more sympathetic. She also does not seem to be as stereotypically Romulan, from her lovely dress to her smile (perhaps also aided by her sex symbol status).

Anyhow, Megan Cole's Sen. Cretak, as I best recall it, was the crafty/shifty Senator who initially befriended Col. Kira on the Promenade over Bajoran lollypop-like snacks; she suggested that Kira try a Romulan treat which was "very tart" -- but by the next episode her true colors were revealed when she forced Kira into a military confrontation over the illegal weapons the Romulans placed on the Bajoran Moon, Derna. In the end the Feds stepped in and the crisis was defused.

Cole's Sen. Cretak was one that I believed fit the characterization of Admiral Ross in IAESL, "she's a patriot" and would not hestitate to back the other side if it advanced Romulan interests.

However, Barbeau's Cretak was to me a do-over, feeling like a different new character, from the outset of IAESL, with the Romulan ale scene, and then being so helpful to Dr. Bashir. It would have been interesting to see Cole's Cretak do that scene (another 'nice' food scene), and then take on the rest of the show. However I doubt that the original Cretak would have gone to such lengths, accessing databases in order to help Dr. Bashir, and getting caught.

In the end I thought Barbeau's Cretak character was much more likeable and I would have liked to see her recurring as the 'nicer' Romulan, but at the same time Cole's Cretak was more multi-dimensional and in keeping with the Romulan 'can't trust them'/'chess game' strategy. However having the more sympathetic Cretak in IAESL made for a more emotive impact, IMO.

Your thoughts?

Nah...I disagree. I didn't know the characters were the same until now. I prefer the first woman, the one who bumped heads with Kira. Adriene played it to simplistic for me. I liked the first lady because of fact you didn't know if she was 'good' or 'bad'. So I have say I go with the first one for her ability to act in a more subtle way.

Rob Scorpio

 

[WalkinMan]

I wouldn't have minded either character. And like you, I was rather surprised to learn that the characters were one and the same...there were hints, the name obviously, but the different casting etc. made it possible that it was a different Sen. Cretak.

 

[Navaros]

I didn't like either of them due to the hideously-ugly makeup that modern Trek Romulans have. If they wanted to recast that role into a good character than they should have got an attractive woman on par with TOS' Female Romulan Commander, and not even think about putting the ugly "modern Trek Romulan makeup" on her, much less do it.

 

[Tosk]

^And then we'd have dozens of Niners complaining about how "that Romulan Senator looked like a Vulcan."

 

[Kegek]

I think the recasting did kind of undermine the nuance of the character. It might have been more interesting to reveal this sympathetic side of an earlier intractable figure, but it's clear with the recasting many people didn't even make the connection as this being the same Romulan. I agree that Barbeau played the character a little gentler, which had Cole remained might have seemed more like a softening of attitude than a new character.

 

[JM1776]

I think the recasting did kind of undermine the nuance of the character.

I thought Barbeau's take gave Cretak a facet she'd utterly lacked when portrayed by Cole, in that the latter's interpretation seemed quite stereotypical, with a shade less superciliousness and a bit more calculated subtlety than usual—generally, the difference between "Romulan" and "Romulan under orders to get along."

All in all, I think both women were competent, but I preferred Barbeau, perhaps in some measure because an attractive person more easily garners sympathy, and Adrienne Barbeau was still a hottie when "Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges" was filmed.