The Replacement First Officer

[Cmdr.Druss]

So lets as assume Riker accepts one of the commnds offered to him during TNG and leaves the Enterprise, who does Picard choose as his new Executive Officer?

Data is the Second Officer, but there were other officers at both Commander and Lieutenant Commander ranks.

 

[Ensign_Redshirt]

So lets as assume Riker accepts one of the commnds offered to him during TNG and leaves the Enterprise, who does Picard choose as his new Executive Officer?

Data is the Second Officer, but there were other officers at both Commander and Lieutenant Commander ranks.

Either Data or an officer from outside the Enterprise. Possibly Shelby.

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

Most likely Data, then they'd need to bring in a new Ops Manager.

 

[SoM]

So lets as assume Riker accepts one of the commnds offered to him during TNG and leaves the Enterprise, who does Picard choose as his new Executive Officer?

Data is the Second Officer, but there were other officers at both Commander and Lieutenant Commander ranks.

Either Data or an officer from outside the Enterprise.

This. Data's next in line of those aboard ship - Crusher, Troi, etc aren't in the line of command. He wouldn't be guaranteed the post - hell, if it worked that way, Riker could only get either the Enterprise or a ship with no assigned crew! - but if not him, it'd be either the XO of a smaller ship or 2nd-O of a larger ship.

 

[SignGuyHPW]

I think the choice is Picard's. They established that he got to choose Riker when building the crew for The Enterprise. Most likely he'd go with either Data or Mr. Worf, but he could pick anyone he wanted. I'm presuming he could even promote an officer on or off ship to fill the role if he decided to do so.

 

[vulcan redshirt]

Given how 'green' Data still was in the early seasons of TNG, even though it had been established that he had been discovered many years earlier and had been through Academy, I doubt he would have been promoted (if a planned promotion) to permanent XO that quickly, especially given his other irreplaceable skills, and his at the same time, his difficulties understanding human nuances and emotional responses.

Again, at the beginning of TNG, Worf was also too green. Had JF wanted out of TNG prior to S3,I think we would have seen a new character, S3 to 6, possibly Shelby, and only at the very end, (if JF had done a Terry Farrell), would Data or Worf have been suitable.

 

[R. Star]

They seemed to be playing with the idea of LaForge in command during season 1. Though that would bring back the revolving door of engineers.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

Data would totally get it over Picard's bio-guilt.

Data: "I am the second officer of the ship, it would be customary that I would be next in line to become first officer. Unless...you think the time has not come for an android to be given a command level post. I understand Captain. Prejudice is very human."

 

[R. Star]

Data politely asking why the hell wasn't he getting command of one of this ships was a good moment for him.

 

[Makarov]

Might as well be Wesley since he jumped from non-crew to working the bridge, might as well have him jump all the way up to first officer too.

 

[R. Star]

And if I had to take orders from that brat, I think I'd just say screw it, find a phaser and blast the warp core.

 

[od0_ital]

In universe, Data or Worf would get promoted - both bridge officers who had command experience and worked shifts in command of the ship (TNG 'Data's Day') and Data was almost always promoted to first officer in Riker's absence (TNG 'Peak Performance' and 'Chain of Command, Part Two').

In reality, the producers would probably create a new character and bring them in. Jonathan Frakes leaving the series would create a void, and moving any other character to the position wouldn't really open the kind of story possibilities someone completely new would allow.

 

[The Old Mixer]

Data was second officer and next in line. (Worf didn't even get promoted to Lt. Commander until Generations, and Geordi was already pushing credibility with three promotions in three years.) But if they wanted to bring in a new character, I'd vote for Shelby. (They should have gotten her for the end of Nemesis....)

Wesley promoted to first officer? Don't make me bring up the A-word....

 

[Nerys Myk]

Not sure if the "next in line" rule is hard and fast in Starfleet. I know its not in real life. As others have said, Picard could chose his own XO or Starfleet could assign him one. In my own professional career, I've promoted from with in, brought in people from other branches, and gone outside the company to fill positions.

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

It depends what ship Riker got as well. When he was offer the Aries then Worf was ready to jump ship with him, which could mean they would be looking for two new crewmembers.

I'd recommend Shelby and the Bolian who wound up on the Saratoga.

 

[CrazyMatt]

S H E L B Y !

 

[MikeH92467]

I would have just moved Data up. The ensemble was always too big. There certainly was no lack of material to work with when Tasha and then Wesley were written out.

 

[Hando]

Before 2368 I would expect Shelby, given how much she wanted it.
But after 2368 as Data showed his command abilities it would have been better if he were promoted.

Alas, we know that in 2379 Martin Madden arrived as XO and Data was still on hold.

 

[CrazyMatt]

Alas, we know that in 2379 Martin Madden arrived as XO and Data was still on hold.

Actually, Data was 'dead'... he was the first choice, and his 'death' led to Madden's selection.

 

[R. Star]

By that time Worf should've gotten it instead of a random no one.