Why Didn't People Like Jadzia Dax?

Discussion in 'Star Trek: Deep Space Nine' started by Ro_Laren, Apr 7, 2009.

  1. Bad Thoughts

    Bad Thoughts Vice Admiral Admiral

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    If the bat'leth were a real weapon, it would likely weigh less than 4 pounds. Swinging it from hand to hand reduced the need to have excessive forearm strength.
     
  2. CorporalClegg

    CorporalClegg Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    The problem with Jadzia ultimately comes down to no one knew what to do with her. And it's clear most of the writers didn't like writing for her.

    The "gender-bending" (:rolleyes:) wasn't the issue.
    Her ability with a bat'leth wasn't an issue.
    Her Klingonness wasn't issue.

    The issue was there was never any consistency within those confines.

    By my best count, her personality took three hard turns within the first four seasons. And then, they would jump between those personalities from episode to episode. She almost comes off as schizophrenic during binge-watching.

    I've often suspected that's why they intentionally made Ezri so neurotic. It was both a sort of meta way of poking fun of themselves, but also showing that with seven (8) voices in one's head, one is probably going to act a little goofy.

    And, Jadzia would have come-off better if they had addressed this up front and just made it part of being a trill. But that didn't fit into the "wise old sage in a young person's body" vibe they started with.

    On top of that, most of the Dax-centric episodes were all mediocre at best and not at all compelling. "Dax", "Equilibrium", and "Facets" all have massive plot holes, to boot.
     
  3. TwoJakes

    TwoJakes Commander Red Shirt

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    If the Trill humanoids were to have been established as being usually strong for their physical statue (like Vulcans were), it would be more believable that Dax could fight with a Bat'Leth the way she did. But there was never any indication that Dax was particularly strong for her size.

    She should have carried a medium sized sword and had technique rather than strength provide her with victories.
     
  4. CorporalClegg

    CorporalClegg Fleet Admiral Admiral

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  5. Spot261

    Spot261 Vice Admiral Admiral

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    What zoos have you been visiting?
     
  6. CorporalClegg

    CorporalClegg Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    I haven't been to a zoo since I was nine years old.

    But you do realize that the post, while admittedly not very tactful, was dripping in satire and sarcasm. (Hence the ridiculous metaphor.) It was in response to the post above mine which completely reduced the whole discussion to Farrell's looks.

    One I made seven years ago, I might add.
     
  7. Bad Thoughts

    Bad Thoughts Vice Admiral Admiral

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    So, what zoos were you visiting? :rommie:
     
  8. maneth

    maneth Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    I like Jadzia. That said, I would have liked to learn more about her before she joined with Dax.

    I've noticed before that the female characters seem to get the most hate on ST boards, with the unique exception of Wesley, who gets more hate than everyone else combined.
     
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  9. stardream

    stardream Commodore Commodore

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    I don't think its the characters people hate. I think it's the fact that the writers had these interesting ideas and didn't do much with them. Kes from Voyager falls into this category. I think the fans would have liked to have seen these characters developed more and were dissatisfied with what we got.
     
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  10. maneth

    maneth Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Fair point. It was also the reason why Tasha Yar only got about 20 episodes, Denise Crosby got tired of her limited role. It's just a shame that female characters are so often victims of poor writing.
     
  11. kkt

    kkt Commodore Commodore

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    The writers had a problem with Jadzia... they couldn't develop her character because she wasn't a good enough actress to play complex emotions. Anger, love, good time partying, she's fine with that. Pretty to look at. But registering wisdom or regret or complex memories supposedly acquired over centuries, not really.
     
  12. Bad Thoughts

    Bad Thoughts Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Farrell did a decent job in later episodes, notably For the Uniform and Pale Moonlight.
     
  13. LJones41

    LJones41 Commodore Commodore

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    I never had a problem with Jadzia Dax or Terry Farrell, who portrayed her. Mind you, the writers didn't seem that interested in developing her as a character. But I don't blame Farrell. I blame the writers and the series' showrunner.
     
  14. davejames

    davejames Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Wait, people had a problem with Dax? I've only started my rewatch and my memory is admitted a bit hazy, but I remember always liking her character.

    I thought Farrell did a really good job coming across as wise beyond her years, and I always liked her rather calm and bemused demeanor. And at least her performance in the first season is a whole lot stronger than Crosby or Sirtis's was early on.
     
  15. The Mighty Monkey of Mim

    The Mighty Monkey of Mim Commodore Commodore

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    Jadzia was always one of my favorite characters on DS9. Never really warmed as much to Ezri, although I did enjoy how that aspect of having difficulty getting used to a new and different Dax was worked into the show and explored.
     
  16. Doctor Clu

    Doctor Clu Lieutenant Junior Grade Red Shirt

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    Jadzia.

    I just wanted to say her name. :D
     
  17. Doctor Clu

    Doctor Clu Lieutenant Junior Grade Red Shirt

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    Ok seriously, first off she was gorgeous, hands down. But I loved her character. I often wish that was the same Dax that was mentioned in Star Trek VI, now that would have been cool. Overall, the Trills to me were very Timelord (Doctor Who) in nature to me. They had this ability when they hit a fatal situation to transfer to another body. Poor Ezri was a rushed procedure to save the trill, and I was used to that from days watching Doctor Who when the 4th Doctor with the scarf (Tom Baker) transformed to the 5th Doctor (Peter Davison). And Peter played it much like Ezri did, with a regeneration that was flawed that he had to adjust to.

    Jadzia and Ezri did quite good in the role. Yes Jadzia was complex, but you got the impression, especially from Ezri, that Jadzia was a strong woman. She was ready to take on the challenges that her many past personalities and experiences brought her, and she was just soaking it up and loving it.

    Ezri should really be commended for stepping in though not ready to save a life. She does adjust in time, but she helped show how complex being a host could be. And in the end she helped us understand that the trill was not just Jadzia. I mean we knew that all along but she was just such a natural that at least I took it for granted that she would always be Dax. But no, she passes away, a hard lesson in life to move one when someone we are crazy about is gone.

    And then the lesson of accepting those that step in to take their place. We have to accept that the new person is not the old person. We want to have a bond with the new person, but that takes time. And ultimately, we have to let go of one and try to embrace under their own terms the other.

    And towards the end of the show, I think Ezri was finding that acceptance. :D

    I will say in a Cisco voice, "DAMN GOOD SHOW."
     
  18. fireproof78

    fireproof78 Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    This was my question. I at least felt a connection towards her, and that she had years of experience, even if she didn't look it. I never heard anyone complain about her, though she might have also ended up overshadowed by Seven too in terms of my friends discussions.
     
  19. jgalley

    jgalley Lieutenant Red Shirt

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    Personally I didn't "hate" her character, she was just kinda meh. And I find it kinda funny how a lot of those "defending" her bring up how pretty she was. Makes one wonder if the Jadzia Dax character were a male instead of female if those "defending" her would still be doing so....

    TNG was "my" Star Trek, what I grew up on mainly as a teen. I never liked Yar, even when Crosby played her own daughter (thought it was better.) And I never found Crosby to be a good actress either way, though I never saw her in much outside of Star Trek so there ya go. Sirtis is along that lines except as TNG went on I got to like her more and more until I found her to be a decent actress.

    Back to topic, Jadzia. As others have said we never got much, if anything, about JADZIA herself. I am in the camp that prefers Ezri to Jadzia by a long-shot. Ezri was a much better actress than Jadzia was and her character was far more interesting as we got to know about EZRI....As others said we learned more about Ezri herself in one season than we ever learn about Jadzia herself in six seasons. The only drawback to that is how they had to cram Ezri down our throats for (even as a lover of Ezri) too much of season seven.
     
  20. Overgeeked

    Overgeeked Captain Captain

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    A strong, confident woman with brains for days and the attitude to match. What's not to love. Though the dislike is probably a function of insecure young males when presented with a smart, confident woman on screen. If investigates, I'd wager that many of the same people would also just happen to dislike Nyota Uhura, Dr. Crusher, Counselor Troi, Dr. Pulaski, Commander Shelby, Major Kira, Captain Janeway, B'Elanna Torres, Kes, Seven of Nine, Lt. Hoshi, and T'Pol.