Vic Fontaine almost ruined DS9.

[Timewalker]

Did Picard's crew really treat people from the 20th century so bad?

What I remember from the episode The Neutral Zone, it was only that arrogant Ralph Offenhouse they were a bit rude against, mostly because he behaved like a jerk himself. They were actually nice to the other two, Clare Raymond and Sonny Clemonds.

In what universe is it "nice" to snark about what a waste of time it was to rescue and revive them because they were "already dead". By that reasoning, it would be a waste of time to save anyone who had a heart attack, stroke, got poisoned, drowned etc. when there was still time to revive and treat them. As in "Don't bother doing CPR, they're dead anyway."

This makes Picard look like a sociopath, and a rather bigoted one at that. Riker wasn't much better, and Data did a better job of socializing them into the 24th century than Troi did.

Too bad they didn't have Guinan. She would have done the job right.

 

[fireproof78]

I trust Quark to set prices for maximum profit - and that means his customers have to be able to afford them.

To upgrade Starfleet's holodeck system? No, he's going to explore them.

 

[Oddish]

This makes Picard look like a sociopath, and a rather bigoted one at that. Riker wasn't much better, and Data did a better job of socializing them into the 24th century than Troi did.

One of Picard's worst moments.

 

[sevenstars]

In what universe is it "nice" to snark about what a waste of time it was to rescue and revive them because they were "already dead". By that reasoning, it would be a waste of time to save anyone who had a heart attack, stroke, got poisoned, drowned etc. when there was still time to revive and treat them. As in "Don't bother doing CPR, they're dead anyway."

But they weren't only really dead, they were really most sincerely dead.

 

[Timewalker]

But they weren't only really dead, they were really most sincerely dead.

They were frozen and revivable. Picard didn't want anyone to bother doing that, giving the impression that he didn't think they were worth the bother. And once they were alive again, he STILL didn't think they were worth bothering with - just get them out of the way and be done with them.

 

[sevenstars]

They were frozen and revivable. Picard didn't want anyone to bother doing that, giving the impression that he didn't think they were worth the bother. And once they were alive again, he STILL didn't think they were worth bothering with - just get them out of the way and be done with them.

Yeah, for a devotee of history/archeology he didn't seem too interested.

 

[aquova]

Yeah, for a devotee of history/archeology he didn't seem too interested.

Yeah, this seems like a missed opportunity. If someone from even 200 years ago was revived, there would be a great deal of academic interest in them. Instead the show presents them as, at best, a nuisance for not having died.

That being said, exploring historical interest in revived characters is basically the plot of Space Seed, so perhaps they didn't want to do that again.

 

[Tallguy]

Yeah, for a devotee of history/archeology he didn't seem too interested.

They were from a terrible AND uninteresting time. Now if they have been from the 1940's (clearly a time of peace, prosperity, and widespread progressive virtues)...

 

[Tallguy]

That being said, exploring historical interest in revived characters is basically the plot of Space Seed, so perhaps they didn't want to do that again.

This is the first season of TNG that we're talking about?

EDIT: Trying not to double post but I'm making it worse. My bad. Moving on.

 

[at Quark's]

Yeah, for a devotee of history/archeology he didn't seem too interested.

This was S1 Picard, not sure they already had established (or invented, for that matter) his love for archaeology and/or history (beyond the odd Shakespeare quote).

 

[Commander Troi]

This was S1 Picard, not sure they already had established (or invented, for that matter) his love for archaeology and/or history (beyond the odd Shakespeare quote).

Good point.

 

[Timewalker]

Maybe they should have made Clare a Shakespeare fan. You can do that and be a housewife at the same time.

 

[fireproof78]

Instead the show presents them as, at best, a nuisance for not having died.

With Picard, sometimes death is A-OK

 

[Quantum21]

I've reached that point in my rewatch where Vic turns up.

I hate this character and the episodes he was in.

I can't imagine what they were thinking when the writers introduced this nonsense.

It's ridiculous how all the crew love him.

Terrible character. Almost ruined the show.

Discuss.

90% less Vic Fontaine would have suited me.

 

[Oddish]

With Picard, sometimes death is A-OK

That's because with Trek, sometimes death is A-Ok. It's considered tragic if someone dies an unnatural death. But whenever a development is made that allows people to defeat natural death ("Rascals", for instance, or "Insurrection"), no one seems to care.

 

[Tallguy]

no one seems to care.

The Federation Council cared. "MOVE those people!"

 

[Oddish]

The Federation Council cared. "MOVE those people!"

And Picard & Co. respond: "No! Die, all of you! DIE! DIE! DIE!!!"

 

[kkt]

An unnatural death is seen as tragic if it's needless. If they go on a suicide mission for something important, it can be heroic. See Commodore Decker in "The Doomsday Machine" or Kor in "Once More Unto the Breach".

 

[Pikirk_Janesisko]

Vic Fontaine is one of the reasons why I really dislike the later seasons of DS9. How people love a character with absolute no flaws? He's the literal definition of a Mary Sue, every crew of DS9 loves Fontaine for no reason except that he's the most clever person on the universe, according to the writers at least.

I hate that musical episode, it's so bad it's unwatchable for me. The fact that I really hate traditional jazz, Las Vegas and Sinatra doesn't do me any favors.

 

[kkt]

I wouldn't call him "without flaws". Yes, he was shown as very insightful about relationships, but believable for a good observer. And if he seemed wise in general, it's because he also shut up a lot about things outside his program. I'm not sure which episode you mean, as several had Vic's music in them.