This is the latest installment in a series of "Character Insight" articles regarding the rich history of characters in the Star Trek universe. An audio version will appear on the This Week in Trek podcast, available for direct download here.
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Welcome back to Character Insight! This week, our subject is Wesley Crusher from TNG.
https://archive.org/details/CharacterInsightEp17
Wesley begins his journey aboard the Enterprise as a passenger. He was the teenage son of Chief Medical Officer Beverly Crusher, but he found his way on the bridge often by shadowing bridge officers in work-study programs. Following his outstanding work on the propulsion system with The Traveler, Picard granted him the commission of acting ensign.
Although Wesley was just as likely to destroy the ship with nanites as he was to save the day, the character allowed the screenwriters to experiment with many mentorship stories and growing pains stories. Wesley was granted the rank of full ensign by Picard before leaving the ship to enroll at Starfleet Academy.
While at the Academy, Crusher saves the ship against from a mind control device while on holiday. He also loses an entire year of academic credit for his role in the cover up of the performance of a banned flight maneuver called the Kolvoord Starburst, which sours him on his future in Starfleet.
As a result, when The Traveler shows up again and offers to mentor Crusher, he takes the opportunity to lead a much different and unique life. Little more is heard from Crusher following this departure, although we do know that he possibly rejoins Starfleet by the time Riker and Troi become married. His possible futures as a Traveler and in Starfleet aboard the U.S.S. Titan have been retconned by the books.
Wesley was named after Gene Roddenberry's middle name, which is also Wesley. Wesley was almost slated to be a female character named Leslie, but the writers switched back during casting. Crusher's tendency to dominate episodes and have pretentious or overwrought dialogue makes him one of the least favorite characters in Star Trek lore, but he is certainly an integral part of what TNG is all about.
The best episodes featuring Crusher include: The First Duty from season 5, Pen Pals from season 2, and Justice from season 1.
Our notable quote this week comes from the episode Final Mission in season 4:
Ensign Wesley Crusher: [to Picard] Sir, in the past three years, I've lived more than most people do in a lifetime. I think I'm very lucky, no matter what happens. How many people get to serve with Jean-Luc Picard?
Actor: Wil Wheaton played the role of Crusher, and he has recently had a resurgence of acting appearances in web series like Tabletop and The Guild as well as TV series Eureka and The Big Bang Theory.
Until next time, live long and prosper...
Monday, August 20, 2012
Monday, August 13, 2012
TWITrek Character Insight No. 16: Hikaru Sulu
This is the latest installment in a series of "Character Insight" articles regarding the rich history of characters in the Star Trek universe. An audio version will appear on the This Week in Trek podcast, available for direct download here.
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Welcome back to Character Insight! This week, our subject is Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu from TOS.
https://archive.org/details/CharacterInsightEp16
Sulu serves as the helmsman aboard the Enterprise, although he also takes shifts as tactical officer. Sulu started as the head of the astrosciences department, but he had already switched to the role of helmsman when the series picks up the story.
Sulu is a regular presence on the bridge and a regular member of away teams, at least when he is serving as a tactical expert. However, Sulu also brings a bit of comic relief in certain episodes such as This Side of Paradise. In The Naked Time, an intoxicated Sulu runs around the ship with his shirt off and a fencing foil, like a swashbuckling buccaneer. (As George would say, Oh My!)
Sulu has various hobbies that come up frequently during his adventures on the Enterprise. Sulu is an expert in antique firearms and swords, and enjoys various types of swordplay. Sulu also is an avid botanist who spends much of his free time caring for rare plants from various locales journeyed to by the Enterprise.
Unlike the other characters of TOS, who stick with the Enterprise until retirement, Sulu progresses to Captain of the Excelsior during the movie series. Sulu plays a critical role in saving Kirk and his former crewmates in The Undiscovered Country. Sulu is also revealed to have a daughter Demora in the movies, and she also becomes a helmsman aboard a new Enterprise.
Sulu's name was changed in the Japanese version of Star Trek to Kato because the Japanese language does not include the L sound. Sulu's first name was not confirmed until Star Trek VI, and there was much speculation as to what it could be over the years.
The best episodes featuring Sulu include: The Naked Time, from season 1; The City on the Edge of Forever, from season 1; and Tomorrow is Yesterday, from season 1.
Our notable quote this week comes from the Voyager episode Flashback in season 3:
Captain Hikaru Sulu: Ensign, you're absolutely right. But you're also absolutely wrong. You'll find that more happens on the bridge of a starship than just carrying out orders and observing regulations. There is a sense of loyalty to the men and women you serve with - a sense of family. Those two men on trial, I served with them for a long time. I owe them my life, a dozen times over. And right now they're in trouble, and I'm going to help them. Let the regulations be damned.
Tuvok: Sir, that is a most illogical line of reasoning.
Captain Hikaru Sulu: You better believe it.
Actor: George Takei played Sulu, and he has a 50 year acting career spanning from General Hospital all the way to Heroes, and a recent appearance on The Apprentice. John Cho took over the role in the 2009 reboot, and he is best known for the comical Harold and Kumar movies and shorts.
Until next time, live long and prosper...
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Welcome back to Character Insight! This week, our subject is Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu from TOS.
https://archive.org/details/CharacterInsightEp16
Sulu serves as the helmsman aboard the Enterprise, although he also takes shifts as tactical officer. Sulu started as the head of the astrosciences department, but he had already switched to the role of helmsman when the series picks up the story.
Sulu is a regular presence on the bridge and a regular member of away teams, at least when he is serving as a tactical expert. However, Sulu also brings a bit of comic relief in certain episodes such as This Side of Paradise. In The Naked Time, an intoxicated Sulu runs around the ship with his shirt off and a fencing foil, like a swashbuckling buccaneer. (As George would say, Oh My!)
Sulu has various hobbies that come up frequently during his adventures on the Enterprise. Sulu is an expert in antique firearms and swords, and enjoys various types of swordplay. Sulu also is an avid botanist who spends much of his free time caring for rare plants from various locales journeyed to by the Enterprise.
Unlike the other characters of TOS, who stick with the Enterprise until retirement, Sulu progresses to Captain of the Excelsior during the movie series. Sulu plays a critical role in saving Kirk and his former crewmates in The Undiscovered Country. Sulu is also revealed to have a daughter Demora in the movies, and she also becomes a helmsman aboard a new Enterprise.
Sulu's name was changed in the Japanese version of Star Trek to Kato because the Japanese language does not include the L sound. Sulu's first name was not confirmed until Star Trek VI, and there was much speculation as to what it could be over the years.
The best episodes featuring Sulu include: The Naked Time, from season 1; The City on the Edge of Forever, from season 1; and Tomorrow is Yesterday, from season 1.
Our notable quote this week comes from the Voyager episode Flashback in season 3:
Captain Hikaru Sulu: Ensign, you're absolutely right. But you're also absolutely wrong. You'll find that more happens on the bridge of a starship than just carrying out orders and observing regulations. There is a sense of loyalty to the men and women you serve with - a sense of family. Those two men on trial, I served with them for a long time. I owe them my life, a dozen times over. And right now they're in trouble, and I'm going to help them. Let the regulations be damned.
Tuvok: Sir, that is a most illogical line of reasoning.
Captain Hikaru Sulu: You better believe it.
Actor: George Takei played Sulu, and he has a 50 year acting career spanning from General Hospital all the way to Heroes, and a recent appearance on The Apprentice. John Cho took over the role in the 2009 reboot, and he is best known for the comical Harold and Kumar movies and shorts.
Until next time, live long and prosper...
Monday, August 6, 2012
TWITrek Character Insight No. 15: Jadzia Dax
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Welcome back to Character Insight! This week, our subject is Lieutenant Commander Jadzia Dax from DS9.
https://archive.org/details/CharacterInsightEp15
Dax is the science officer aboard the Deep Space Nine station. Jadzia is a joined Trill, the eighth host of the Dax symbiont. This provides Dax with lifetimes worth of experience and relationships from which to draw upon.
The previous host of this symbiont was Curzon Dax, who was an old friend of Commander Sisko. As a result, Sisko playfully calls Dax "old man" despite Jadzia being a much younger female than the friend Sisko had in Curzon. Jadzia goes from a shy and hardworking Starfleet graduate to a confident and outgoing person thanks to the Dax symbiont.
Jadzia picks up some of the hobbies and habits of the former hosts, including interests in Klingon martial arts and a talent playing Ferengi tongo. She also bites her nails and often paced with her hands behind her back, which are habits from previous Dax hosts.
Although Jadzia does hold feelings for Commander Sisko, she eventually ends up marrying Worf when he comes onto the station in the last couple of seasons of the show. She may not be an actual Klingon, but she certainly fights and eats like one and therefore becomes an honored member of the House of Martok.
The romance does not last forever though, as Jadzia is one of the most notable casualties of the Dominion War in the season 6 finale. Dax is killed trying to protect a Bajoran sacred Orb from Gul Dukat, but this would not be the end of the Dax character. The symbiont is transferred to Ezri, who becomes the station's counselor in the final season.
The first Trill character was seen in The Next Generation, but that character had one of Star Trek's many distinctive forehead appliances. The writers hated how ugly it made the character look and so changed the Trill race to include the spots that have been common to Jadzia, Ezri, and all Trill characters since then.
Dax was originally slated to be the wise old man character like another science officer Spock, but the outgoing and fun ways of the character that emerged in season 1 stuck and became what defines Jadzia Dax.
Our notable quote this week comes from the episode Looking for par'Mach in All the Wrong Places:
Lt. Commander Jadzia Dax: If I were in your shoes, I would be looking for someone a little more entertaining, a little more fun and maybe even a little more attainable.
Lt. Commander Worf: You are not in my shoes.
Lt. Commander Jadzia Dax: Too bad. You'd be amazed at what I can do in a pair of size 18 boots.
Actress: Terry Farrell played Jadzia, and she also starred in the TV series Becker after DS9. Fun fact: Farrell was born almost exactly 20 years before this host in the same city!
Until next time, live long and prosper...
Monday, July 30, 2012
TWITrek Character Insight No. 14: Nyota Uhura
This is the latest installment in a series of "Character Insight" articles regarding the rich history of characters in the Star Trek universe. An audio version will appear on the This Week in Trek podcast, available for direct download here.
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Welcome back to Character Insight! This week, our subject is Lieutenant Nyota Uhura from TOS.
https://archive.org/details/CharacterInsightEp14
Uhura is the communications officer aboard the Enterprise, a role she holds for nearly thirty years. Her proficiency at operating the communications system is rivaled only by her natural ability in xenolinguistics, which is crucial despite the invention of the universal translator in the 2140's.
Interesting Sidenote: a first pass at a universal translator was released by Microsoft earlier this year and is capable of translating English speech into 26 different languages. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2114379/Star-Trek-reality-Microsoft-unveils-Universal-Translator-turns-spoken-English-26-languages.html
Uhura grew up in Africa and is fiercely proud of her heritage, as proven by all the African artifacts and decor in her personal quarters. Before joining Starfleet, Uhura was known in her youth for being a record holder for running the hundred meter dash.
Uhura is no stranger to song and dance. One of the best known scenes featuring the Uhura character was an exotic dance Uhura performed in Star Trek V to seduce guards in Paradise City for Kirk and the crew.
She also sings for the crew on numerous occasions, although that penchant causes the space probe Nomad to wipe out her memory in the episode The Changeling. The original script of the episode for Charlie X called for Uhura to be a talented mimic, but this was altered to be a singing talent in view of Nichelle Nichols' outstanding singing abilities. In lieu of a quote this week, here is a sample of Uhura singing Beyond Antares.
Uhura appeared in two season 1 episodes with the gold command uniform, but the well-known red uniform was donned by Uhura after that. The character was named Uhura because Nichols and some of the casting directors were reading the novel Uhuru, which is a swahili word meaning Freedom.
Although Uhura does not form any long-term romantic relationships in TOS, she does share a kiss with Captain Kirk that is notable because it was the first interracial kiss aired during episodic television in the U.S. The mentorship relation between Uhura and Spock in TOS is expanded in the 2009 reboot to be a romantic relationship.
Nichols almost left the show after one season but Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. talked her into staying, and her performance inspired many young African Americans and girls to reach for the stars. This character's legacy is one of the cornerstones of what makes Star Trek special.
Actress: Nichelle Nichols played Uhura, and she has an entertaining Twitter feed that can be followed @RealNichelle. Zoe Saldana took over the role in the 2009 reboot after appearing in other movies like Avatar.
Until next time, live long and prosper...
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Welcome back to Character Insight! This week, our subject is Lieutenant Nyota Uhura from TOS.
https://archive.org/details/CharacterInsightEp14
Uhura is the communications officer aboard the Enterprise, a role she holds for nearly thirty years. Her proficiency at operating the communications system is rivaled only by her natural ability in xenolinguistics, which is crucial despite the invention of the universal translator in the 2140's.
Interesting Sidenote: a first pass at a universal translator was released by Microsoft earlier this year and is capable of translating English speech into 26 different languages. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2114379/Star-Trek-reality-Microsoft-unveils-Universal-Translator-turns-spoken-English-26-languages.html
Uhura grew up in Africa and is fiercely proud of her heritage, as proven by all the African artifacts and decor in her personal quarters. Before joining Starfleet, Uhura was known in her youth for being a record holder for running the hundred meter dash.
Uhura is no stranger to song and dance. One of the best known scenes featuring the Uhura character was an exotic dance Uhura performed in Star Trek V to seduce guards in Paradise City for Kirk and the crew.
She also sings for the crew on numerous occasions, although that penchant causes the space probe Nomad to wipe out her memory in the episode The Changeling. The original script of the episode for Charlie X called for Uhura to be a talented mimic, but this was altered to be a singing talent in view of Nichelle Nichols' outstanding singing abilities. In lieu of a quote this week, here is a sample of Uhura singing Beyond Antares.
Uhura appeared in two season 1 episodes with the gold command uniform, but the well-known red uniform was donned by Uhura after that. The character was named Uhura because Nichols and some of the casting directors were reading the novel Uhuru, which is a swahili word meaning Freedom.
Although Uhura does not form any long-term romantic relationships in TOS, she does share a kiss with Captain Kirk that is notable because it was the first interracial kiss aired during episodic television in the U.S. The mentorship relation between Uhura and Spock in TOS is expanded in the 2009 reboot to be a romantic relationship.
Nichols almost left the show after one season but Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. talked her into staying, and her performance inspired many young African Americans and girls to reach for the stars. This character's legacy is one of the cornerstones of what makes Star Trek special.
Actress: Nichelle Nichols played Uhura, and she has an entertaining Twitter feed that can be followed @RealNichelle. Zoe Saldana took over the role in the 2009 reboot after appearing in other movies like Avatar.
Until next time, live long and prosper...
Monday, July 23, 2012
TWITrek Character Insight No. 13: William Riker
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Welcome back to Character Insight! This week, our subject is Commander William Riker from The Next Generation.
https://archive.org/details/CharacterInsightEp13
Riker is second-in-command on board the Enterprise-D, behind his long time friend Jean-Luc Picard. Although Riker graduated with high honors from the Academy and had his sights set on commanding a vessel by age 35, he repeatedly turns down offers to command while serving on the flagship with Picard.
Riker earns a reputation for finding unorthodox solutions to tactical situations, such as using a little-known plasma coil flaw to destroy the Duras sisters in the movie Generations. Data calculated that Riker uses traditional tactics only 21% of the time, which is surprising because one would think he'd use them 47% of the time.
Riker is engaged in a long-term relationship with ship's counselor Deanna Troi that originated years before their service together aboard the Enterprise-D. Although this relationship takes breaks such as when Deanna dates Worf for a period of time, the two Imzadi finally tie the know in Nemesis and serve together as a married couple aboard the U.S.S. Titan. Further adventures of Riker and Troi can be read in a short series of novels about the Titan, which are worth a read if you like diverse characters. In those novels, the two have a first child named Natasha.
As a result of a transporter accident on the planet Nervala IV, Riker was genetically duplicated into two identical twins. This replication decides to go by the name Thomas Riker following his discovery while Will served on the Enterprise.
Riker grew a beard during the second season of the show because he was tired of people telling him how young he looked. He feels that the beard is a proud, ancient tradition that is a symbol of strength. Behind the scenes, Jonathan Frakes grew the beard because he personally dislikes shaving.
Riker grew up in Alaska before joining Starfleet. His mother died when Riker was 2 years old, and his father deserted him at the age of 15. Riker's ancestors stem back through North American history and include a Colonel Thaddeus Riker, who fought in the American Civil War.
When not walking sideways through doors, Riker often plays poker in weekly games with the senior officers. Riker is also a jazz music aficionado, frequently playing his favorite songs on the trombone. In addition to these recurring hobbies, Riker is adept at three dimensional chess, cooking, and theater acting.
Our notable quotes come from Contagion in season 2, and Best of Both Worlds in season 4:
"Fate protects fools, little children and ships named Enterprise"
"I'm sure Captain Picard would have something meaningful and inspirational to say right now. To tell you the truth, I wish he was here, 'cause I'd like to hear it, too. I know how difficult this transition has been for all of you. I can take over for him; but I could never replace Captain Picard, nor would I ever try. Whatever the outcome, I'm sure our efforts in the coming battle will justify his faith in all of us."
Actor: Jonathan Frakes played Riker, and he is the only regular cast member to appear on four of the five Star Trek series (DS9, VOY, and ENT). Frakes has become more of a director in the last 15 years than an actor, and has recently directed episodes of Leverage, Burn Notice, and Make it or Break It.
Until next time, live long and prosper...
Friday, July 13, 2012
TWITrek Character Insight No. 12: Quark
This is the latest installment in a series of "Character Insight" articles regarding the rich history of characters in the Star Trek universe. An audio version will appear on the This Week in Trek podcast, available for direct download here.
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Welcome back to Character Insight! This week, our subject is Quark from Deep Space Nine.
https://archive.org/details/CharacterInsightEp12
Quark is the owner and barkeep of Quark's Bar, Grill, Gaming House, and Holosuite on board Deep Space Nine. Commander Sisko blackmails Quark to keep his business on the station when the Federation takes over in an effort to keep the station running with some sense of continuity.
Quark had to thrive on typical greedy Ferengi business practices and the black market when the station was run by Cardassians. However, he becomes a generous, honest businessman in seven years of Federation ownership of the station.
In addition to Deep Space Nine, Quark is featured on two episodes of Voyager in which he tries to con Harry Kim and Tom Paris before Voyager's departure. Quark was also supposed to appear in the movie Insurrection, but unfortunately the scene and his awful mirror-ball outfit were left on the cutting floor.
Although Quark comes to appreciate the Federation, he often compares it to root beer: a cloying, bubbly, sickly sweet force bent on corrupting the core of Ferengi culture. Quark tries to make new drinks as a bartender but usually fails, including when he tried to make a caffeine free version of raktajino that he dubbed Quarktajino for the pregnant Kira Nerys.
Quark's name obviously comes from the theoretical particle name by Murray Gell-Mann, but what is lesser known is that the name was borrowed by Gell-Mann from a 1939 James Joyce novel Finnegans Wake.
Quark appeared in the first couple of shows of the series wearing the prosthetic nose designed for the Rom character because his nose was not ready yet. Quark's intended nose shows up in the fourth episode of the series for the first time.
Our notable quote comes from The House of Quark in season 3:
I should've gone into insurance - better hours, more money, less scruples.
Actor: Armin Shimerman played Quark and also played one of the original Ferengi in season 1 of The Next Generation. Shimerman has acted for 30 years but has made more of a name in the last decade as voice talent in video games like Mass Effect, Bioshock, Starcraft, and Diablo.
Until next time, live long and prosper...
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Welcome back to Character Insight! This week, our subject is Quark from Deep Space Nine.
https://archive.org/details/CharacterInsightEp12
Quark is the owner and barkeep of Quark's Bar, Grill, Gaming House, and Holosuite on board Deep Space Nine. Commander Sisko blackmails Quark to keep his business on the station when the Federation takes over in an effort to keep the station running with some sense of continuity.
Quark had to thrive on typical greedy Ferengi business practices and the black market when the station was run by Cardassians. However, he becomes a generous, honest businessman in seven years of Federation ownership of the station.
In addition to Deep Space Nine, Quark is featured on two episodes of Voyager in which he tries to con Harry Kim and Tom Paris before Voyager's departure. Quark was also supposed to appear in the movie Insurrection, but unfortunately the scene and his awful mirror-ball outfit were left on the cutting floor.
Although Quark comes to appreciate the Federation, he often compares it to root beer: a cloying, bubbly, sickly sweet force bent on corrupting the core of Ferengi culture. Quark tries to make new drinks as a bartender but usually fails, including when he tried to make a caffeine free version of raktajino that he dubbed Quarktajino for the pregnant Kira Nerys.
Quark's name obviously comes from the theoretical particle name by Murray Gell-Mann, but what is lesser known is that the name was borrowed by Gell-Mann from a 1939 James Joyce novel Finnegans Wake.
Quark appeared in the first couple of shows of the series wearing the prosthetic nose designed for the Rom character because his nose was not ready yet. Quark's intended nose shows up in the fourth episode of the series for the first time.
Our notable quote comes from The House of Quark in season 3:
I should've gone into insurance - better hours, more money, less scruples.
Actor: Armin Shimerman played Quark and also played one of the original Ferengi in season 1 of The Next Generation. Shimerman has acted for 30 years but has made more of a name in the last decade as voice talent in video games like Mass Effect, Bioshock, Starcraft, and Diablo.
Until next time, live long and prosper...
Monday, July 9, 2012
TWITrek Character Insight No. 11: T'Pol
This is the latest installment in a series of "Character Insight" articles regarding the rich history of characters in the Star Trek universe. An audio version will appear on the This Week in Trek podcast, available for direct download here.
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Welcome back to Character Insight! This week, our subject is Subcommander T'Pol from Enterprise
https://archive.org/details/CharacterInsightEp11
T'Pol served as first officer and science officer aboard the Enterprise, similar to the role Spock played in the original series. T'Pol is the first Vulcan to serve an extended portion on an Earth vessel and it takes a long time for the crew to become fully acclimated to her.
T'Pol served an important role as an expert in alien cultures such as the Klingons for the crew of Enterprise. Her telepathic abilities and different physiology helped save the human crew on many occasions during the ten year mission of the ship.
Right before coming aboard Enterprise, T'Pol found that she liked chaotic jazz music so much that it would elicit an emotional response from her. Although it takes longer for Trip to convince her to watch movies with the crew, she eventually attends a movie night and enjoys the film Frankenstein.
T'Pol is a vegetarian, but that does not stop her from sampling all kinds of human dishes, including some of Trip's favorites in Georgia Peaches and popcorn. Speaking of Trip, T'Pol shares a long romance with the commander that is the primary romance of the Enterprise series. T'Pol and Trip have a baby thanks to genetic engineering by Terra Prime, but the baby dies due to genetic engineering mistakes..
In a new twist for Star Trek fans, T'Pol appears without clothing in multiple episodes. Even when clothes are present, the subcommander keeps changing the game with a total of 48 different outfits worn during the less than 100 episodes of the show.
Our notable quote comes from Horizon in season 2:
Sub-Commander T'Pol: I don't understand why Humans would feel compelled to frighten themselves.
Captain Jonathan Archer: Gets the heart pumping.
Sub-Commander T'Pol: Cardiovascular activity would be more efficient.
Actor: Jolene Blaylock played T'Pol and it has been her only high profile role in 14 years of acting. Her minor appearances include Stargate SG-1, CSI Miami (yow!), and House.
Until next time, live long and prosper...
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Welcome back to Character Insight! This week, our subject is Subcommander T'Pol from Enterprise
https://archive.org/details/CharacterInsightEp11
T'Pol served as first officer and science officer aboard the Enterprise, similar to the role Spock played in the original series. T'Pol is the first Vulcan to serve an extended portion on an Earth vessel and it takes a long time for the crew to become fully acclimated to her.
T'Pol served an important role as an expert in alien cultures such as the Klingons for the crew of Enterprise. Her telepathic abilities and different physiology helped save the human crew on many occasions during the ten year mission of the ship.
Right before coming aboard Enterprise, T'Pol found that she liked chaotic jazz music so much that it would elicit an emotional response from her. Although it takes longer for Trip to convince her to watch movies with the crew, she eventually attends a movie night and enjoys the film Frankenstein.
T'Pol is a vegetarian, but that does not stop her from sampling all kinds of human dishes, including some of Trip's favorites in Georgia Peaches and popcorn. Speaking of Trip, T'Pol shares a long romance with the commander that is the primary romance of the Enterprise series. T'Pol and Trip have a baby thanks to genetic engineering by Terra Prime, but the baby dies due to genetic engineering mistakes..
In a new twist for Star Trek fans, T'Pol appears without clothing in multiple episodes. Even when clothes are present, the subcommander keeps changing the game with a total of 48 different outfits worn during the less than 100 episodes of the show.
Our notable quote comes from Horizon in season 2:
Sub-Commander T'Pol: I don't understand why Humans would feel compelled to frighten themselves.
Captain Jonathan Archer: Gets the heart pumping.
Sub-Commander T'Pol: Cardiovascular activity would be more efficient.
Actor: Jolene Blaylock played T'Pol and it has been her only high profile role in 14 years of acting. Her minor appearances include Stargate SG-1, CSI Miami (yow!), and House.
Until next time, live long and prosper...
Monday, July 2, 2012
TWITrek Character Insight No. 10: James T. Kirk
This is the latest installment in a series of "Character Insight" articles regarding the rich history of characters in the Star Trek universe. An audio version will appear on the This Week in Trek podcast, available for direct download here.
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Welcome back to Character Insight! This week, our subject is Captain James T. Kirk from TOS.
Quote: "IIII'M CAPTAIN KIIIIIRK!!!" (Taken from "The Enemy Within")
https://archive.org/details/CharacterInsightEp10
Anybody who is familiar with Star Trek will likely know Captain Kirk, the brash and bold young captain who leads the Enterprise on its five-year mission that started it all. We see Kirk mature as a captain and eventually move onto Admiral, but Kirk's "do-it-yourself" persona is not suited to a desk job.
The initial character draft by Gene Roddenberry called Kirk "A space-age Horatio Hornblower, with a colorfully complex personality...capable of action and decision that can verge on the heroic - and at the same time lives a continual battle with self-doubt and the loneliness of command." This loneliness is evidenced by the countless women Kirk easily courts, but has trouble maintaining long-term relationships with.
Kirk was born in Iowa (at least until the 2009 movie changed the timeline). The real town of Riverside, Iowa has an annual TrekFest festival and a Voyage Home Museum dedicated to the future birth of Kirk. This town, which is only about an hour from the birthplace of yours truly, is worth a visit for any Trek fan lost in the cornfields of the Midwest.
The name Kirk was selected from a list of sixteen names for the Captain right before production began, and other possible names for the character included Robert April, Hannibal, Raintree, January, and Timber. Kirk seems like a good choice from that lot! Kirk's middle name is Tiberius, which was taken from the name of the second Roman Emperor.
Kirk earns many awards and commendations for his successes in exploration as well as in tactical battles with the Enterprise. When forced into hand-to-hand combat, Kirk's unique wrestling/martial arts fighting styles are sufficient to overwhelm all but the most rugged opponents, such as a Gorn.
Kirk is so quotable, we have two Notable Quotes this week:
"Worlds may change, galaxies disintegrate, but a woman... always remains a woman." ("The Conscience of the King")
"No wants. No needs. We weren't meant for that. None of us. Man stagnates if he has no ambition, no desire to be more than he is." ("This Side of Paradise")
Actors: William Shatner played Kirk, and he can be most recently found interviewing other Star Trek actors in the documentary "The Captains" as well as in his traveling one-man show "Shatner's World."
Chris Pine took over the role in the 2009 reboot and can also be seen opposite Denzel Washington in the choo-choo thriller "Unstoppable."
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Welcome back to Character Insight! This week, our subject is Captain James T. Kirk from TOS.
Quote: "IIII'M CAPTAIN KIIIIIRK!!!" (Taken from "The Enemy Within")
https://archive.org/details/CharacterInsightEp10
Anybody who is familiar with Star Trek will likely know Captain Kirk, the brash and bold young captain who leads the Enterprise on its five-year mission that started it all. We see Kirk mature as a captain and eventually move onto Admiral, but Kirk's "do-it-yourself" persona is not suited to a desk job.
The initial character draft by Gene Roddenberry called Kirk "A space-age Horatio Hornblower, with a colorfully complex personality...capable of action and decision that can verge on the heroic - and at the same time lives a continual battle with self-doubt and the loneliness of command." This loneliness is evidenced by the countless women Kirk easily courts, but has trouble maintaining long-term relationships with.
Kirk was born in Iowa (at least until the 2009 movie changed the timeline). The real town of Riverside, Iowa has an annual TrekFest festival and a Voyage Home Museum dedicated to the future birth of Kirk. This town, which is only about an hour from the birthplace of yours truly, is worth a visit for any Trek fan lost in the cornfields of the Midwest.
The name Kirk was selected from a list of sixteen names for the Captain right before production began, and other possible names for the character included Robert April, Hannibal, Raintree, January, and Timber. Kirk seems like a good choice from that lot! Kirk's middle name is Tiberius, which was taken from the name of the second Roman Emperor.
Kirk earns many awards and commendations for his successes in exploration as well as in tactical battles with the Enterprise. When forced into hand-to-hand combat, Kirk's unique wrestling/martial arts fighting styles are sufficient to overwhelm all but the most rugged opponents, such as a Gorn.
Kirk is so quotable, we have two Notable Quotes this week:
"Worlds may change, galaxies disintegrate, but a woman... always remains a woman." ("The Conscience of the King")
"No wants. No needs. We weren't meant for that. None of us. Man stagnates if he has no ambition, no desire to be more than he is." ("This Side of Paradise")
Actors: William Shatner played Kirk, and he can be most recently found interviewing other Star Trek actors in the documentary "The Captains" as well as in his traveling one-man show "Shatner's World."
Chris Pine took over the role in the 2009 reboot and can also be seen opposite Denzel Washington in the choo-choo thriller "Unstoppable."
Monday, June 25, 2012
TWITrek Character Insight No. 9: The (holographic) Doctor
This is the latest installment in a series of "Character Insight" articles regarding the rich history of characters in the Star Trek universe. An audio version will appear on the This Week in Trek podcast, available for direct download here.
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Welcome back to Character Insight! This week, our subject is The Doctor from Voyager.
https://archive.org/details/CharacterInsightEp09
The Doctor is officially known as the Emergency Medical Hologram, which is a holographic program configured to provide medical services to a crew without enough doctors and nurses on board. With no medical personnel alive on board the Voyager following the trip to the Delta Quadrant, The Doctor becomes the Chief Medical Officer by default.
Although the Doctor was programmed with medical knowledge to treat all known illnesses and to perform over 5 million surgical operations, his program was also capable of learning and adapting to new situations. This ability to adapt allows the Doctor to develop social skills, hobbies, and relationships with the crew of Voyager over the course of the series.
This development does not begin in earnest until Kes volunteers to become a medical assistant and notices the lack of respect for the Doctor from the crew. Once Janeway grants the Doctor some autonomy such as control over his activation and deactivation sequences, the Doctor begins to develop as another member of the Voyager crew.
This development includes romantic interests with a Vidiian, a love of opera, a family life with a holographic wife and kids, ethical subroutines that cause him to deal with loss and decision-making as a human would, and the experience of taste and touch while his program was downloaded into Seven of Nine's cybernetic implants.
The Doctor has trouble selecting a name for himself throughout the series, but he settles on Joe after trying out other names like Kenneth, Lord Schweitzer, and Schmullus. The Doctor also adds to the old Dr. McCoy lore by saying "I'm a Doctor, Not A _____" multiple times in the series.
The Doctor's holographic nature enables him to save the ship and crew members on various occasions, including when the Kazon took over the ship and abandoned the rest of the Voyager crew on a desolate planet.
One Notable Quote comes from The Swarm in season 3 (episode 4):
The Doctor: "You claim that you're my friend but you don't even call me by my name."
Kes: "That's because you don't have a name."
The Doctor: "No name? That's ridiculous! I'm... My... I demand you tell me my name!"
Best Episodes Featuring The Doctor:
Lifesigns, season 2 episode 19
The Swarm, season 3 episode 4
Real Life, season 3 episode 22
Latent Image, season 5 episode 11
Actor: Robert Picardo played The Doctor, and he has also appeared on Stargate SG-1 and Atlantis as well as the movie Gremlins 2, Electric Bugaloo. He also entertains currently on Twitter @RobertPicardo
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Welcome back to Character Insight! This week, our subject is The Doctor from Voyager.
https://archive.org/details/CharacterInsightEp09
The Doctor is officially known as the Emergency Medical Hologram, which is a holographic program configured to provide medical services to a crew without enough doctors and nurses on board. With no medical personnel alive on board the Voyager following the trip to the Delta Quadrant, The Doctor becomes the Chief Medical Officer by default.
Although the Doctor was programmed with medical knowledge to treat all known illnesses and to perform over 5 million surgical operations, his program was also capable of learning and adapting to new situations. This ability to adapt allows the Doctor to develop social skills, hobbies, and relationships with the crew of Voyager over the course of the series.
This development does not begin in earnest until Kes volunteers to become a medical assistant and notices the lack of respect for the Doctor from the crew. Once Janeway grants the Doctor some autonomy such as control over his activation and deactivation sequences, the Doctor begins to develop as another member of the Voyager crew.
This development includes romantic interests with a Vidiian, a love of opera, a family life with a holographic wife and kids, ethical subroutines that cause him to deal with loss and decision-making as a human would, and the experience of taste and touch while his program was downloaded into Seven of Nine's cybernetic implants.
The Doctor has trouble selecting a name for himself throughout the series, but he settles on Joe after trying out other names like Kenneth, Lord Schweitzer, and Schmullus. The Doctor also adds to the old Dr. McCoy lore by saying "I'm a Doctor, Not A _____" multiple times in the series.
The Doctor's holographic nature enables him to save the ship and crew members on various occasions, including when the Kazon took over the ship and abandoned the rest of the Voyager crew on a desolate planet.
One Notable Quote comes from The Swarm in season 3 (episode 4):
The Doctor: "You claim that you're my friend but you don't even call me by my name."
Kes: "That's because you don't have a name."
The Doctor: "No name? That's ridiculous! I'm... My... I demand you tell me my name!"
Best Episodes Featuring The Doctor:
Lifesigns, season 2 episode 19
The Swarm, season 3 episode 4
Real Life, season 3 episode 22
Latent Image, season 5 episode 11
Actor: Robert Picardo played The Doctor, and he has also appeared on Stargate SG-1 and Atlantis as well as the movie Gremlins 2, Electric Bugaloo. He also entertains currently on Twitter @RobertPicardo
Saturday, June 16, 2012
TWITrek Character Insight No. 8: Malcolm Reed
This is the latest installment in a series of "Character Insight" articles regarding the rich history of characters in the Star Trek universe. An audio version will appear on the This Week in Trek podcast, available for direct download here.
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Welcome back to Character Insight! This week, our subject is Lieutenant Malcolm Reed from Enterprise.
https://archive.org/details/CharacterInsightEp08
Reed served as Armory Officer aboard the Enterprise. Reed wanted to serve in the Navy like the other men in his family, but his aquaphobia led him into Starfleet and aboard Captain Archer's vessel.
Reed is an Englishman who reminds you of the old Royal Guards, fiercely disciplined and not very social. This leads to many awkward situations such as when the crew tries to throw Reed a birthday party without knowing nearly anything about Reed's food preferences or personal interests.
Reed does eventually begin to warm to his crewmates aboard the Enterprise, especially Trip after a shared near-death experience in the episode Shuttlepod One. Reed and Trip shared a memorable shore leave together on Risa where the two exotic women they courted robbed them and tied them up in a cellar. And they call it a pleasure planet!
Reed outwitted many aliens with superior armory technology throughout the series by making the most out of the resources he had on board. For example, Reed built phase cannons from scratch and overloaded them to defeat Axanar shields. Reed also perfected the stable electromagnetic barrier or force field that becomes ubiquitous in the Next Generation-Voyager era.
Reed is allergic to many things and seems more prone to illnesses than the other crew members on Enterprise. However, that does not stop Reed from diving full bore into the defense of his crewmates whenever necessary, just like his "predecessors" Worf, Sulu, and Tuvok.
One Notable Quote comes from Shuttlepod One in season 1 (episode 16):
Lt. Reed: Sometimes I think you North Americans read nothing but comic books and those ridiculous science fiction novels.
Commander Tucker: Well, I'll have you know that Superman was laced with metaphor - subtext layered on subtext.
Lt. Reed: Oh, if only Dr. Cochrane had been a European, the Vulcans would have been far less reticent to help us. But no, he had to be from Montana.
Best Episodes Featuring Reed:
Fight or Flight, season 1 episode 3
Regeneration, season 2 episode 23
Chosen Realm, season 3 episode 12
Actor: Dominic Keating played Reed, and he has also appeared on the TV series Heroes. Look for him to play in the upcoming Hobbit movies as well.
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Welcome back to Character Insight! This week, our subject is Lieutenant Malcolm Reed from Enterprise.
https://archive.org/details/CharacterInsightEp08
Reed served as Armory Officer aboard the Enterprise. Reed wanted to serve in the Navy like the other men in his family, but his aquaphobia led him into Starfleet and aboard Captain Archer's vessel.
Reed is an Englishman who reminds you of the old Royal Guards, fiercely disciplined and not very social. This leads to many awkward situations such as when the crew tries to throw Reed a birthday party without knowing nearly anything about Reed's food preferences or personal interests.
Reed does eventually begin to warm to his crewmates aboard the Enterprise, especially Trip after a shared near-death experience in the episode Shuttlepod One. Reed and Trip shared a memorable shore leave together on Risa where the two exotic women they courted robbed them and tied them up in a cellar. And they call it a pleasure planet!
Reed outwitted many aliens with superior armory technology throughout the series by making the most out of the resources he had on board. For example, Reed built phase cannons from scratch and overloaded them to defeat Axanar shields. Reed also perfected the stable electromagnetic barrier or force field that becomes ubiquitous in the Next Generation-Voyager era.
Reed is allergic to many things and seems more prone to illnesses than the other crew members on Enterprise. However, that does not stop Reed from diving full bore into the defense of his crewmates whenever necessary, just like his "predecessors" Worf, Sulu, and Tuvok.
One Notable Quote comes from Shuttlepod One in season 1 (episode 16):
Lt. Reed: Sometimes I think you North Americans read nothing but comic books and those ridiculous science fiction novels.
Commander Tucker: Well, I'll have you know that Superman was laced with metaphor - subtext layered on subtext.
Lt. Reed: Oh, if only Dr. Cochrane had been a European, the Vulcans would have been far less reticent to help us. But no, he had to be from Montana.
Best Episodes Featuring Reed:
Fight or Flight, season 1 episode 3
Regeneration, season 2 episode 23
Chosen Realm, season 3 episode 12
Actor: Dominic Keating played Reed, and he has also appeared on the TV series Heroes. Look for him to play in the upcoming Hobbit movies as well.
Sunday, June 10, 2012
TWITrek Character Insight No. 7: Chakotay
This is the latest installment in a series of "Character Insight" articles regarding the rich history of characters in the Star Trek universe. An audio version will appear on the This Week in Trek podcast, available for direct download here.
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Welcome back to Character Insight! This week, our subject is Commander Chakotay from Voyager.
https://archive.org/details/CharacterInsightEp07
Chakotay served as First Officer aboard the USS Voyager. Before joining the crew of Voyager, Chakotay was the commanding officer of the Maquis ship Val Jean, which was thrown into the Delta Quadrant with Voyager.
When the two ships decided to merge crews aboard Voyager, Chakotay served a critical role in making the former Maquis crew members integrate into the Starfleet crew. By showing absolute loyalty to Captian Janeway, Chakotay ensured that other valuable crew members worked well in the new Starfleet crew, most importantly Chief Engineer B'Elanna Torres.
Chakotay is a Native American whose ancestors were also the ancestors of the Mayans in Central America and Mexico. Chakotay grew up with little appreciation of his culture until his father's death while serving in Starfleet. As a result of this death, Chakotay joined the Maquis to continue his father's fight and embraced all the history and tradition of his Native American culture, including getting the distinctive tattoo on his face.
This tradition comes up often on the show, as Chakotay uses tribal legends and stories passed down through the generations to share wisdom with other crew members. Chakotay also frequently seeks communion with his fathers spirit on vision quests.
Chakotay has a passion for archaeology, reading, and art. Chakotay is a vegetarian who enjoys mushroom soup but dislikes other vegetables like carrots. He also is a fan of sumo wrestling and boxing, which he uses to relax and blow off steam.
Chakotay also becomes romantically involved with various crew members during the journey back to the Alpha quadrant, including the Cardassian Seska, Seven of Nine, and Captain Janeway briefly.
One Notable Quote comes from Initiations in season 2 (episode 2):
A-koo-chee-moya. I pray on this day of memories, to speak to my father - the one whom the wind called... Kolopak. Though I'm far from his bones, perhaps there is a spirit in these unnamed skies who will find him, and honor him with my song. A-koo-chee-moya.
Best Episodes Featuring Chakotay:
Tattoo, season 2 episode 9
Unity, season 3 episode 17
One Small Step, season 6 episode 8
Actor: Robert Beltran plays Chakotay, and his most notable work outside Star Trek include recurring roles on the recent series Big Love and the mid-90's series Models, Inc.
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Welcome back to Character Insight! This week, our subject is Commander Chakotay from Voyager.
https://archive.org/details/CharacterInsightEp07
Chakotay served as First Officer aboard the USS Voyager. Before joining the crew of Voyager, Chakotay was the commanding officer of the Maquis ship Val Jean, which was thrown into the Delta Quadrant with Voyager.
When the two ships decided to merge crews aboard Voyager, Chakotay served a critical role in making the former Maquis crew members integrate into the Starfleet crew. By showing absolute loyalty to Captian Janeway, Chakotay ensured that other valuable crew members worked well in the new Starfleet crew, most importantly Chief Engineer B'Elanna Torres.
Chakotay is a Native American whose ancestors were also the ancestors of the Mayans in Central America and Mexico. Chakotay grew up with little appreciation of his culture until his father's death while serving in Starfleet. As a result of this death, Chakotay joined the Maquis to continue his father's fight and embraced all the history and tradition of his Native American culture, including getting the distinctive tattoo on his face.
This tradition comes up often on the show, as Chakotay uses tribal legends and stories passed down through the generations to share wisdom with other crew members. Chakotay also frequently seeks communion with his fathers spirit on vision quests.
Chakotay has a passion for archaeology, reading, and art. Chakotay is a vegetarian who enjoys mushroom soup but dislikes other vegetables like carrots. He also is a fan of sumo wrestling and boxing, which he uses to relax and blow off steam.
Chakotay also becomes romantically involved with various crew members during the journey back to the Alpha quadrant, including the Cardassian Seska, Seven of Nine, and Captain Janeway briefly.
One Notable Quote comes from Initiations in season 2 (episode 2):
A-koo-chee-moya. I pray on this day of memories, to speak to my father - the one whom the wind called... Kolopak. Though I'm far from his bones, perhaps there is a spirit in these unnamed skies who will find him, and honor him with my song. A-koo-chee-moya.
Best Episodes Featuring Chakotay:
Tattoo, season 2 episode 9
Unity, season 3 episode 17
One Small Step, season 6 episode 8
Actor: Robert Beltran plays Chakotay, and his most notable work outside Star Trek include recurring roles on the recent series Big Love and the mid-90's series Models, Inc.
Monday, June 4, 2012
TWITrek Character Insight No. 6: Montgomery Scott
This is the latest installment in a series of "Character Insight" articles regarding the rich history of characters in the Star Trek universe. An audio version will appear on the This Week in Trek podcast, available for direct download here.
--------------------
Welcome back to Character Insight! This week, our subject is Chief Engineer Montgomery Scott from TOS.
https://archive.org/details/CharacterInsightEp06
Scotty served as the chief engineer aboard the USS Enterprise for nearly 30 years and earned a reputation as a miracle worker during his service. Scotty brings color and humor to many TOS episodes and movies as a result of his good-natured attitude and his Scottish tendencies.
Scotty was second officer on the Enterprise behind only Kirk and Spock, and that led him into many difficult command situations in which he excelled. Despite this outstanding record whenever he took command, Scotty never pursued his own command because he always wanted to be just an engineer.
One of the benefits of being Scottish is a high tolerance to alcohol, and Scotty used this power to incapacitate a Kelvan agent attempting to take over the Enterprise. Scotty prefers Scotch whiskey and refers to other drinks such as vodka as "sodapop" and "milk."
Keeping with the stereotypes of his nationality, Scotty is also an avid bagpipes player as evidenced by the heart-wrenching playing of Amazing Grace at Spock's funeral in The Wrath of Khan.
Scotty also links the first two generations of Star Trek in two ways: he was on the Enterprise-B when Kirk was lost to the Nexus in the TNG movie Generations, and he was discovered by the Enterprise-D in the episode "Relics" after being lost for decades in transporter buffer at a Dyson sphere.
One Notable Quote comes from The Trouble With Tribbles in season 2 (episode 13):
Before they went to warp, I transported the whole kit'n'kaboodle into their engine room...where they'll be no tribble at all.
Best Episodes Featuring Scotty:
Wolf In The Fold, season 2 episode 7
The Apple, season 2 episode 9
By Any Other Name, season 2 episode 21
Actor: James Doohan originally played Scotty and had a 50-year acting career before his death in 2005. Doohan auditioned for the part with a Scottish accent that stuck on the character because he thought Scottish people made the best engineers. Simon Pegg took over the role in the 2009 reboot and he is best known for comedic work in Hot Fuzz, Sean of the Dead, and Run Fatboy Run.
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Welcome back to Character Insight! This week, our subject is Chief Engineer Montgomery Scott from TOS.
https://archive.org/details/CharacterInsightEp06
Scotty served as the chief engineer aboard the USS Enterprise for nearly 30 years and earned a reputation as a miracle worker during his service. Scotty brings color and humor to many TOS episodes and movies as a result of his good-natured attitude and his Scottish tendencies.
Scotty was second officer on the Enterprise behind only Kirk and Spock, and that led him into many difficult command situations in which he excelled. Despite this outstanding record whenever he took command, Scotty never pursued his own command because he always wanted to be just an engineer.
One of the benefits of being Scottish is a high tolerance to alcohol, and Scotty used this power to incapacitate a Kelvan agent attempting to take over the Enterprise. Scotty prefers Scotch whiskey and refers to other drinks such as vodka as "sodapop" and "milk."
Keeping with the stereotypes of his nationality, Scotty is also an avid bagpipes player as evidenced by the heart-wrenching playing of Amazing Grace at Spock's funeral in The Wrath of Khan.
Scotty also links the first two generations of Star Trek in two ways: he was on the Enterprise-B when Kirk was lost to the Nexus in the TNG movie Generations, and he was discovered by the Enterprise-D in the episode "Relics" after being lost for decades in transporter buffer at a Dyson sphere.
One Notable Quote comes from The Trouble With Tribbles in season 2 (episode 13):
Before they went to warp, I transported the whole kit'n'kaboodle into their engine room...where they'll be no tribble at all.
Best Episodes Featuring Scotty:
Wolf In The Fold, season 2 episode 7
The Apple, season 2 episode 9
By Any Other Name, season 2 episode 21
Actor: James Doohan originally played Scotty and had a 50-year acting career before his death in 2005. Doohan auditioned for the part with a Scottish accent that stuck on the character because he thought Scottish people made the best engineers. Simon Pegg took over the role in the 2009 reboot and he is best known for comedic work in Hot Fuzz, Sean of the Dead, and Run Fatboy Run.
Monday, May 28, 2012
TWITrek Character Insight No. 5: Commander Charles Tucker III
This is the latest installment in a series of "Character Insight" articles regarding the rich history of characters in the Star Trek universe. An audio version will appear on the This Week in Trek podcast, available for direct download here.
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Welcome back to Character Insight! This week, our subject is Commander Charles Tucker III from Enterprise.
https://archive.org/details/CharacterInsightEp05
Tucker, who was also known as "Trip" thanks to having the same name as his father and grandfather, served as the Chief Engineer on the Enterprise after Vulcan Subcommander T'Pol became the First Officer under Captain Archer.
Tucker was always striving to learn more about engine technologies, and his contributions helped ensure that the first Warp 2 prototype vessels were successful. Archer also played a significant role in this success, leading to the lifelong friendship that makes the Captain and his Chief Engineer the closest friends on the Enterprise series.
Although Tucker was devastated by his sister's death in the war against the Xindi, he pushed past his sleepless nights to be a key element in disrupting and destroying the superweapon of the Sphere Builders to save Earth.
Tucker is a true southerner, loving his pan-fried catfish and hushpuppies with Pecan Pie for dessert. Tucker also loves cinema and he keeps a Frankenstein figurine in his quarters to represent his favorite movies.
Tucker also holds a unique role as being the only regular cast member of any Star Trek series to actually die in a series finale. Also, Tucker joins other "closest comrades" in Spock and Data, who also sacrificed themselves for their captains.
One Notable Quote comes from Desert Crossing in season 1 (episode 24):
Commander Charles 'Trip' Tucker III: The desert, sir? The heat, the dry air? You know how it sucks the life outta me.
Captain Jonathan Archer: What about the two weeks we spent in Australia? We had a great time.
Commander Charles 'Trip' Tucker III: Survival training in the outback? Drinkin' recycled sweat and eatin' snake meat? That's your idea of a great time?
Best Episodes Featuring Tucker:
Shuttlepod One, season 1 episode 15
Extinction, season 3 episode 3
These Are The Voyages..., season 4 episode 22
Actor: Connor Trinneer played Tucker and appears to have no current extended roles in progress. Trinneer did play on Stargate Atlantis for 10 episodes over two years.
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Welcome back to Character Insight! This week, our subject is Commander Charles Tucker III from Enterprise.
https://archive.org/details/CharacterInsightEp05
Tucker, who was also known as "Trip" thanks to having the same name as his father and grandfather, served as the Chief Engineer on the Enterprise after Vulcan Subcommander T'Pol became the First Officer under Captain Archer.
Tucker was always striving to learn more about engine technologies, and his contributions helped ensure that the first Warp 2 prototype vessels were successful. Archer also played a significant role in this success, leading to the lifelong friendship that makes the Captain and his Chief Engineer the closest friends on the Enterprise series.
Although Tucker was devastated by his sister's death in the war against the Xindi, he pushed past his sleepless nights to be a key element in disrupting and destroying the superweapon of the Sphere Builders to save Earth.
Tucker is a true southerner, loving his pan-fried catfish and hushpuppies with Pecan Pie for dessert. Tucker also loves cinema and he keeps a Frankenstein figurine in his quarters to represent his favorite movies.
Tucker also holds a unique role as being the only regular cast member of any Star Trek series to actually die in a series finale. Also, Tucker joins other "closest comrades" in Spock and Data, who also sacrificed themselves for their captains.
One Notable Quote comes from Desert Crossing in season 1 (episode 24):
Commander Charles 'Trip' Tucker III: The desert, sir? The heat, the dry air? You know how it sucks the life outta me.
Captain Jonathan Archer: What about the two weeks we spent in Australia? We had a great time.
Commander Charles 'Trip' Tucker III: Survival training in the outback? Drinkin' recycled sweat and eatin' snake meat? That's your idea of a great time?
Best Episodes Featuring Tucker:
Shuttlepod One, season 1 episode 15
Extinction, season 3 episode 3
These Are The Voyages..., season 4 episode 22
Actor: Connor Trinneer played Tucker and appears to have no current extended roles in progress. Trinneer did play on Stargate Atlantis for 10 episodes over two years.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
TWITrek Character Insight No. 4: Lt. Commander Data
This is the latest installment in a series of "Character Insight" articles regarding the rich history of characters in the Star Trek universe. An audio version will appear on the This Week in Trek podcast, available for direct download here.
--------------------
Welcome back to Character Insight! This week, our subject is Lieutenant Commander Data from TNG.
https://archive.org/details/CharacterInsightEp04
Data was one of a series of human-like androids developed by Dr. Noonien Soong, and he joined the crew of the Enterprise after becoming the first android to graduate from Starfleet Academy. Data serves a similar role to Picard as Spock does for Captain Kirk in TOS.
Data strives to become more human throughout the TNG series. Although his efforts were largely stifled during the television show, this story becomes the unifying arc linking the four movies with this case.
Data struggles with emotions, turns down human implants from the Borg Queen, and finds true humanity in sacrificing himself to save the crew in Nemesis. The stories about Data's sentience and humanity are a great theme revisited again by the Doctor character in Voyager.
Data has multiple "siblings," including the evil Lore and the infantile B4. Data has a storage capacity of 800 quadrillion bits, which is about 50 times the storage of the human brain. Data loves playing poker, painting, His cat Spot, and playing Sherlock Holmes in the holodeck.
Data served as the second officer on the Enterprise and being unaffected by disease, radiation, and other ailments saved the rest of the crew on more than one occasion. Data was critical in rebuffing the greatest TNG enemy multiple times, as he led the battle to return Picard from being assimilated and then foiled the Borg queen plan in First Contact.
One Notable Quote comes from Hero Worship in season 5 (episode 11):
I would gladly risk feeling bad at times, if it also meant that I could taste my dessert.
Best Episodes Featuring Data:
The Measure of a Man, season 2 episode 9
The Quality of Life, season 6 episode 9
Data's Day, season 4 episode 11
Actor: Brent Spiner played Data and continues his acting career currently in the series Fresh Hell. He also appeared as a regular on Night Court in the 1980's and played an eccentric doctor in the movie Independence Day.
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You can contact me on twitter @BuckeyeFitzy and at healertrek.blogspot.com. Thanks for listening, and see you next week!
--------------------
Welcome back to Character Insight! This week, our subject is Lieutenant Commander Data from TNG.
https://archive.org/details/CharacterInsightEp04
Data was one of a series of human-like androids developed by Dr. Noonien Soong, and he joined the crew of the Enterprise after becoming the first android to graduate from Starfleet Academy. Data serves a similar role to Picard as Spock does for Captain Kirk in TOS.
Data strives to become more human throughout the TNG series. Although his efforts were largely stifled during the television show, this story becomes the unifying arc linking the four movies with this case.
Data struggles with emotions, turns down human implants from the Borg Queen, and finds true humanity in sacrificing himself to save the crew in Nemesis. The stories about Data's sentience and humanity are a great theme revisited again by the Doctor character in Voyager.
Data has multiple "siblings," including the evil Lore and the infantile B4. Data has a storage capacity of 800 quadrillion bits, which is about 50 times the storage of the human brain. Data loves playing poker, painting, His cat Spot, and playing Sherlock Holmes in the holodeck.
Data served as the second officer on the Enterprise and being unaffected by disease, radiation, and other ailments saved the rest of the crew on more than one occasion. Data was critical in rebuffing the greatest TNG enemy multiple times, as he led the battle to return Picard from being assimilated and then foiled the Borg queen plan in First Contact.
One Notable Quote comes from Hero Worship in season 5 (episode 11):
I would gladly risk feeling bad at times, if it also meant that I could taste my dessert.
Best Episodes Featuring Data:
The Measure of a Man, season 2 episode 9
The Quality of Life, season 6 episode 9
Data's Day, season 4 episode 11
Actor: Brent Spiner played Data and continues his acting career currently in the series Fresh Hell. He also appeared as a regular on Night Court in the 1980's and played an eccentric doctor in the movie Independence Day.
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You can contact me on twitter @BuckeyeFitzy and at healertrek.blogspot.com. Thanks for listening, and see you next week!
Monday, May 7, 2012
TWITrek Character Insight No. 3: Neelix
This is the latest installment in a series of "Character Insight" articles regarding the rich history of characters in the Star Trek universe. An audio version will appear on the This Week in Trek podcast, available for direct download here.
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Welcome back to Character Insight! This week, our subject is Neelix, the jack-of-all-trades on Star Trek Voyager.
https://archive.org/details/CharacterInsightEp03
Neelix is picked up by Voyager in the series premiere when the Starfleet crew saves his Ocampa love Kes from the Kazon. Neelix serves many roles on Voyager, including travel guide for the Delta Quadrant, chef, and crew morale officer.
Neelix also is one of the more colorful characters having a regular role on a Star Trek television series. Neelix wears multicolored suits having many pastel hues that contrast sharply from the Voyager-era Starfleet uniforms. Neelix is a Talaxian, a race having a spotted animal-like appearance based on a combination of animals from the film The Lion King.
From his very first appearance in the transporter room of Voyager, Neelix served as a perfect foil to the reserved logical demeanor of Tuvok, the Vulcan chief of security. These two characters found mutual respect despite butting heads on multiple occasions. The highlight of this contrast was a Season 2 episode "Tuvix", in which both men become combined into one new person as a result of a transporter accident.
Neelix represents the organized chaos of the Delta Quadrant and saves the Voyager from many diplomatic mistakes in his years on board. Neelix leaves the ship when Voyager finds a group of Talaxians living in an asteroid and he becomes Starfleet's permanent ambassador to the Delta Quadrant.
Notable Quote:
Neelix: How about a riddle?
Tuvok: [irritated] Mr. Neelix...
Neelix: Come on! It'll be fun.
Tuvok: I have no desire for fun.
Neelix: Okay, forget fun. A good riddle can stimulate the mind. Now, no self-respecting Vulcan can say no to that.
Tuvok: [sighs] Very well - *one* riddle.
Riddles, season 6 episode 6
Best Episodes Featuring Neelix:
False Prophets, season 3 episode 5
Mortal Coil, season 4 episode 12
Riddles, season 6 episode 6
Actor: Ethan Phillips has worked in the television and film industry for over three decades, having broken through as Pete Downey in the 1980's series Benson. His credits are as wide as one can imagine, including roles on L.A. Law, The Young and the Restless, and The Twilight Zone, among others.
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Thanks for listening and please contact me with feedback to discuss who you want to see featured on this segment. You can find me on twitter @BuckeyeFitzy and at my blog: www.healertrek.blogspot.com. See you next week!
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Welcome back to Character Insight! This week, our subject is Neelix, the jack-of-all-trades on Star Trek Voyager.
https://archive.org/details/CharacterInsightEp03
Neelix is picked up by Voyager in the series premiere when the Starfleet crew saves his Ocampa love Kes from the Kazon. Neelix serves many roles on Voyager, including travel guide for the Delta Quadrant, chef, and crew morale officer.
Neelix also is one of the more colorful characters having a regular role on a Star Trek television series. Neelix wears multicolored suits having many pastel hues that contrast sharply from the Voyager-era Starfleet uniforms. Neelix is a Talaxian, a race having a spotted animal-like appearance based on a combination of animals from the film The Lion King.
From his very first appearance in the transporter room of Voyager, Neelix served as a perfect foil to the reserved logical demeanor of Tuvok, the Vulcan chief of security. These two characters found mutual respect despite butting heads on multiple occasions. The highlight of this contrast was a Season 2 episode "Tuvix", in which both men become combined into one new person as a result of a transporter accident.
Neelix represents the organized chaos of the Delta Quadrant and saves the Voyager from many diplomatic mistakes in his years on board. Neelix leaves the ship when Voyager finds a group of Talaxians living in an asteroid and he becomes Starfleet's permanent ambassador to the Delta Quadrant.
Notable Quote:
Neelix: How about a riddle?
Tuvok: [irritated] Mr. Neelix...
Neelix: Come on! It'll be fun.
Tuvok: I have no desire for fun.
Neelix: Okay, forget fun. A good riddle can stimulate the mind. Now, no self-respecting Vulcan can say no to that.
Tuvok: [sighs] Very well - *one* riddle.
Riddles, season 6 episode 6
Best Episodes Featuring Neelix:
False Prophets, season 3 episode 5
Mortal Coil, season 4 episode 12
Riddles, season 6 episode 6
Actor: Ethan Phillips has worked in the television and film industry for over three decades, having broken through as Pete Downey in the 1980's series Benson. His credits are as wide as one can imagine, including roles on L.A. Law, The Young and the Restless, and The Twilight Zone, among others.
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Thanks for listening and please contact me with feedback to discuss who you want to see featured on this segment. You can find me on twitter @BuckeyeFitzy and at my blog: www.healertrek.blogspot.com. See you next week!
Sunday, April 29, 2012
TWITrek Character Insight No. 2: Commander Deanna Troi
This is another in a series of "Character Insight" Articles regarding the rich history of characters in the Star Trek universe. The audio version will appear on the This Week In Trek podcast, available for direct download here.
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Welcome back to Character Insight, a segment honoring the remarkable characters of the Star Trek universe. This week, our subject is Commander Deanna Troi, the ship's counselor on The Next Generation.
https://archive.org/details/CharacterInsightEp02
Troi is the ship's counselor on the Enterprise-D in The Next Generation, which is a role that was new to the Star Trek universe at that time. Troi is half-betazoid, a telepathic race that is first presented in The Next Generation and likely based in part on the Deltans, who were introduced in the Star Trek movies in the 1980's.
Despite some initial struggles for the writers to find a role for Troi, the counselor finds an important role similar to Doctor Beverly Crusher following the death of the other regular female character Tasha Yar in Season 1. Despite not having full telepathic abilities, Troi's ability to sense general feelings of others enables her to be one of Captain Picard's closest advisers and most valuable assets throughout the journeys of the Enterprise.
Unlike the other female characters on The Next Generation, Troi serves as a love interest for both Commander Riker and Lieutenant Commander Worf during the run of the show. Through a relationship known as "Imzadi" with Riker, Troi and Riker could share thoughts even when separated from one another. These two lovebirds finally tie the knot at the beginning of the Nemesis movie, and serve together aboard the U.S.S. Titan in a separate book series written over the past few years.
Troi has a reputation for loving all things chocolate, and she surprisingly dominates the android Data in three-dimensional chess and poker during various episodes of The Next Generation. Although Troi becomes subject to numerous mental intrusions and attacks during the show, she appears completely flustered by only her flamboyant mother, Lwaxana Troi.
Notable Quote:
Counselor Troi: My mother is beginning a physiological phase. It's one that all Betazoid women must deal with as they enter midlife.
Commander William T. Riker: Yes, it's something Troi warned me about when we first started to see each other. A Betazoid woman, when she goes through this phase... quadruples her sex drive.
Counselor Troi: Or more.
Commander William T. Riker: Or more? You never told me that.
Counselor Troi: I didn't want to frighten you.
Manhunt, season 2 episode 19
Best Episodes Featuring Troi:
The Child, season 2 episode 1
Night Terrors, season 4 episode 17
Disaster, season 5 episode 5
Face of The Enemy, season 6 episode 14
Actor: Marina Sirtis has played many small roles in numerous television series and movies for the past 35 years. These appearances include the movie Crash, Stargate SG-1, and a three-year run on Gargoyles. She reprises her role as Deanna Troi in several Star Trek Voyager episodes as well.
-----------------------
Thanks for listening and please contact me with feedback to make this segment better. You can find me on twitter @BuckeyeFitzy and at my blog: www.healertrek.blogspot.com. See you next week!
--------------------
Welcome back to Character Insight, a segment honoring the remarkable characters of the Star Trek universe. This week, our subject is Commander Deanna Troi, the ship's counselor on The Next Generation.
https://archive.org/details/CharacterInsightEp02
Troi is the ship's counselor on the Enterprise-D in The Next Generation, which is a role that was new to the Star Trek universe at that time. Troi is half-betazoid, a telepathic race that is first presented in The Next Generation and likely based in part on the Deltans, who were introduced in the Star Trek movies in the 1980's.
Despite some initial struggles for the writers to find a role for Troi, the counselor finds an important role similar to Doctor Beverly Crusher following the death of the other regular female character Tasha Yar in Season 1. Despite not having full telepathic abilities, Troi's ability to sense general feelings of others enables her to be one of Captain Picard's closest advisers and most valuable assets throughout the journeys of the Enterprise.
Unlike the other female characters on The Next Generation, Troi serves as a love interest for both Commander Riker and Lieutenant Commander Worf during the run of the show. Through a relationship known as "Imzadi" with Riker, Troi and Riker could share thoughts even when separated from one another. These two lovebirds finally tie the knot at the beginning of the Nemesis movie, and serve together aboard the U.S.S. Titan in a separate book series written over the past few years.
Troi has a reputation for loving all things chocolate, and she surprisingly dominates the android Data in three-dimensional chess and poker during various episodes of The Next Generation. Although Troi becomes subject to numerous mental intrusions and attacks during the show, she appears completely flustered by only her flamboyant mother, Lwaxana Troi.
Notable Quote:
Counselor Troi: My mother is beginning a physiological phase. It's one that all Betazoid women must deal with as they enter midlife.
Commander William T. Riker: Yes, it's something Troi warned me about when we first started to see each other. A Betazoid woman, when she goes through this phase... quadruples her sex drive.
Counselor Troi: Or more.
Commander William T. Riker: Or more? You never told me that.
Counselor Troi: I didn't want to frighten you.
Manhunt, season 2 episode 19
Best Episodes Featuring Troi:
The Child, season 2 episode 1
Night Terrors, season 4 episode 17
Disaster, season 5 episode 5
Face of The Enemy, season 6 episode 14
Actor: Marina Sirtis has played many small roles in numerous television series and movies for the past 35 years. These appearances include the movie Crash, Stargate SG-1, and a three-year run on Gargoyles. She reprises her role as Deanna Troi in several Star Trek Voyager episodes as well.
-----------------------
Thanks for listening and please contact me with feedback to make this segment better. You can find me on twitter @BuckeyeFitzy and at my blog: www.healertrek.blogspot.com. See you next week!
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