Worf's Propensity For Stating the Obvious

[Captain Clark Terrell]

Throughout TNG's run, Worf had the annoying tendency to state the obvious. My favorite example comes from "The Chase," during the confrontation near the rock-face.

The Klingon Nu'Daq balks at a proposed deal between the Romulans and Cardassians, saying that "there will be no deal" as long as he lives. The Romulan Commander says that he doesn't care if Nu'Daq lives or dies. Worf says, "If you fire, others will also. Many will die."

I always laugh at the line because it's almost too obvious to be worth saying at all. Of course chaos would ensue if someone were foolish enough to start shooting!

--Sran

 

[22 Stars]

I always thought that was Riker's deal. Data lays out the technical details, then Riker translates it for the audience... i even wrote one into my spec script. They always make me laugh.

 

[Captain Clark Terrell]

I always thought that was Riker's deal. Data lays out the technical details, then Riker translates it for the audience... i even wrote one into my spec script. They always make me laugh.

Riker never bothered me as much as Worf did, probably because of the way Dorn delivered his lines.

--Sran

 

[bullethead]

To be fair, he needed to do that, since the Federation sucked out a lot of common sense from its human citizens.

 

[MacLeod]

Having a Character state the obvious is not uncommon in TV land. After all viewers are Morons or so some execs seem to believe.

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ViewersAreMorons

 

[T'Girl]

Worf by that time had been serving many years with Councilor Troi.
He picked it up stating the obvious from her.

Picard: "Only the people in the Federation are truly enlightened blah blah blah ... "

Troi: "I sense boredom."

 

[jimbotron]

I thought Troi was the "Captain Obvious" character.

 

[Tommunist]

Worf was only "Lieutenant Obvious" on the show....

 

[jimbotron]

Poor Worf. He already has to deal with the Worf Effect: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheWorfEffect

 

[Dale Sams]

O'BRIEN
(ominously)
If it falls to fifteen percent...
the field will collapse and
there'll be a containment breach.

Beat.

TROI
Which means... ?

/facepalm

 

[Tosk]

Plus, that example from The Chase is mostly just there because the script needed pointless busy talk for the crowd to go through while Picard and Crusher did their thing. It's some pretty clunky filler.

 

[Salinga]

Worf had also the greatest one-liners of the show. "Good tea, nice house." comes into mind, or "I protest, I am NOT a merry man!".

I wonder if the writers did this to punish Dorn, since he often cracks up during his lines (or the lines of someone else), and he has to deliver these one-liners in the dryest way possible.

 

[The Old Mixer]

^
Q: "What must I do to convince you people?"
Worf: "Die."

 

[Dale Sams]

^
"Delicious"

 

[jimbotron]

"Spot. Come here."

 

[Richard Baker]

<Smashes Geordi's instrument>
"sorry..."

I do think most viewers are inattentive that speaking the obvious allows stupid people to enjoy the show also.

 

[Captain McBain]

I think that all of the characters made these statements from time to time.

 

[Mario de Monti]

I think that all of the characters made these statements from time to time.

You´re right. But with Worf it´s really obvious.

"Nice legs ... for a human."

 

[Kirks_Flying_Wig]

I always thought that was Riker's deal. Data lays out the technical details, then Riker translates it for the audience... i even wrote one into my spec script. They always make me laugh.

The instance that stands out most for me was from First Contact: Picard stands up and dramatically announces "They're creating a temporal vortex!" Whereupon Riker immediately springs up from his chair, his shoulders occupying every corner of the screen, and bellows "Time travel!" for the benefit of nobody else on the bridge!

 

[Captain Clark Terrell]

^At least he didn't try thrusting his pelvis toward Data's head.

I can't believe I just typed that.

--Sran