VOY Homecoming plot-hole

[Mistral]

That's kind of messed up. Except for the few that had been born or picked up along the way, everyone on the ship had only been gone from the general vicinity of Earth for seven years. Sure, a lot had happened in that time, but nothing that would blow anyone's mind.

The casualties of the Dominion War caused Sisko to violate his ethics(re: the deception that dragged the Romulans into the war). You don't think coming home after 7 years and finding that half of your graduating class had been killed(along with icons, idols, personal heroes and, for those whose families lived on attacked worlds, family members) would affect them? PTSD would probably be common-place. With the scale of destruction caused by the war, I should think they would need time to take it all in.

 

[Timo]

With the literally Earth-shattering things that go on during a typical year of Star Trek, one would expect all starships crews, regardless of their predicament, to be subject to high stress and psychological problems. Yet we seldom if ever see Starfleet take any measures to cope. Is it perhaps just that in the post-postwar lull, the Federation could for this rare once actually dedicate time and resources for treating one shipful of high-publicity cases?

Timo Saloniemi

 

[KRAD]

With the literally Earth-shattering things that go on during a typical year of Star Trek,

Sorry, but no. The Earth was never once shattered at any point on Star Trek. It was endangered a few times, and actively attacked thrice ("The Expanse," Star Trek IV, "The Changing Face of Evil"), but never was the Earth shattered. So there have never been any "literally Earth-shattering things" on Star Trek.

(Sorry, the misuse of "literally" is a pet peeve....)

 

[Timo]

"The Expanse" and, to a greater degree of completion, "Twilight"?

Plus I'm sure the inhabitants of all those other shattered planets called their home "Earth" in their native tongue... That's what "Bajor" probably means, too. :P

Timo Saloniemi

 

[kimc]

I didn't realise they handed out poetic licenses so easily. Maybe I should apply

You wanted the episode "Endgame" to last about ten months?

No thanks - two hours was more than enough time for me!

However, I wouldn't mind a poetic license either.

 

[RookieBatman]

With the literally Earth-shattering things that go on during a typical year of Star Trek,

Sorry, but no. The Earth was never once shattered at any point on Star Trek. It was endangered a few times, and actively attacked thrice ("The Expanse," Star Trek IV, "The Changing Face of Evil"), but never was the Earth shattered. So there have never been any "literally Earth-shattering things" on Star Trek.

(Sorry, the misuse of "literally" is a pet peeve....)

Quoted for truth!

 

[BrotherBenny]

With the literally Earth-shattering things that go on during a typical year of Star Trek,

Sorry, but no. The Earth was never once shattered at any point on Star Trek. It was endangered a few times, and actively attacked thrice ("The Expanse," Star Trek IV, "The Changing Face of Evil"), but never was the Earth shattered. So there have never been any "literally Earth-shattering things" on Star Trek.

(Sorry, the misuse of "literally" is a pet peeve....)

Quoted for truth!

Literally

 

[Therin of Andor]

Yet we seldom if ever see Starfleet take any measures to cope.

I would have thought TNG giving the Galaxy class starships' counselors a bridge chair the equivalent in position to the first officer would be one such measure on improvements to 24th century coping strategies.

 

[Timo]

I wonder if that was a feature of all Galaxies, or just a custom job Picard did for Riker specifically...

(I mean, yeah, the Yamato had a similar bridge layout, but the corresponding seat might have been reserved for the Science Officer there.)

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Christopher]

I wonder if that was a feature of all Galaxies, or just a custom job Picard did for Riker specifically...

Deanna was sitting in that chair before Riker came aboard, before Picard learned that Riker and Deanna had any history. So there's no way that arrangement could've been for Riker's benefit. On the contrary, it was for Picard's benefit. It makes perfect sense to have the captain's chief advisor on alien psychology and culture, especially one who can read the emotions of potentially hostile aliens, sitting at his shoulder in any contact or combat situation.

 

[Trent Roman]

According to "All Good Things...", Picard wasn't even aware that his Counselor and First Officer had a prior relationship until the Farpoint mission was underway. And even if that would be something in their records for some odd reason, I don't see that these characters - particularly Season 1 Picard - would sacrifice professionalism just to get a buddy's ex-girlfriend onto the bridge. It makes sense that this would be the counselor's seat; if he/she/it is supposed to be an expert in interpersonal relationships, he/she/it is right next to the captain to advise him during onscreen negotiations (useless as that input might be). Also, the science officer would be, one expects, at a science console with lots of different functions and readouts, whereas the Counselor's job doesn't require anything more than those little handrest screens.

Fictitiously yours, Trent Roman

EDIT: Or, you know, what Christopher said.

 

[Christopher]

According to "All Good Things...", Picard wasn't even aware that his Counselor and First Officer had a prior relationship until the Farpoint mission was underway.

Err, that was according to "Encounter at Farpoint." Picard introduced Will and Deanna to each other as though they were strangers, and then when he saw their reaction to one another, he asked, "Have the two of you met before?"

 

[Trent Roman]

^ It was in "All Good Things..." too (it's the one I've seen most recently, so the first that came to mind). Troi takes Picard into the ready room, telling him she feels he ought to know that she's had a past relationship with Commander Riker, Picard pretending to have only just found out. Although, come to think of it, that contradicts "Farpoint" as you've described it, since that Picard had no idea until they actually met before him. Must be one of those Q-alternate-past things.

Fictitiously yours, Trent Roman