Ideal TV Show Characters

[Argyle]

Originally posted by Imagus

What would I opt for? Either a civilian-based show using a variety of characters operating out of a planet or station (like DS9 but less Starfleet) or something revolving around a small ship - perhaps a freighter or small survey vessel. In the latter case, limiting the crew and technology would pose some interesting limits on the stories.

If the series is set on a Nova or the like, then our militant Andorian XO has to deal with not only being passed over for captain, but the percieved slight of being assigned to a ship that's "just" a surveyor. Maybe the doves among the admiralty is trying to get her to calm down and relax after a long combat tour. It would also give her the chance to save the day when the crew inevitably gets in trouble with somebody that substantially out-guns our heroes and they can't rely on having the massive power that the Sovereign can bring to bear.

Setting the series on a Nova also helps justify having the science officer as a major character; something that hasn't been seen since TOS times.

[First of Two]

First of Two,
I like the concept though have problems with the phaser part. This would make for an excellent tertiary character.

Well, I just through in the 'stone cold hawkeye' bit as a "surprise" character development, for several reasons that might serve for plotfun:

1. A 'Deus ex machina' in certain situations when your crew has fought themselves into a corner -- they're alone and unarmed on Deck 47, the Jem'Hadar have boarded, and they're surrounded... and in pops "Bob," phasers blasting. (Sort of like the old failsafe of sending the "Enterprise" in to save the day when your characters have made a mess of things.)


2. The 'HMMMM' factor. What is a deadye shot doing as a Librarian? How did he so easily fit into a job where he could learn or hear just about anything? Why is he so calm all the time? Who is he... really?

Of course, I also added it because I'M a librarian...

[Michael Barratt]

Originally posted by kimq
Michael Barratt,
Snogging?

Er, Voraciously Kissing.

Sorry, just enjoying the thought of the general public gobsmacked at the two snogging! Didn't mean to leave you all pear-shaped.

Imagus: You can take the boy out of Britain, but you can't take the bread out of the sannie.

Michael Barratt

[Michael Barratt]

Actually, if we're looking for a "new" angle, and we want a ship based series, how about "boldly going where we already went." Not to be too sarcastic, but given the way the TNG/DS9/VOY shows ended, the Federation is a mess, and needs a whole lot of fixing going on.

From Bajor-Cardassia relief efforts, to rebuilding on Betazed, to the reclaiming of the colonies and planets formerly Federation from the Cardassians as payment for all the help, to dealing with the Breen fallout, to bumping into suddenly clear-headed (and quite angry) Onarans and Brekkans, and so on and so on and so on.

What are the Rommies up to now? Emperor Martok's social reforms? THe collapse of the previous Ferengi economy under the new Grand Nagus Nog?

I dunno, but diplomacy seems a good sort of job for this "patching" of the Federation's frayed bits, and hey, you don't need a gunboat to bring aid and supplies to Cardassia, then pop round the old Cardassian DMZ to help the colonists rebuild after Jem'Hadar purging...

Also, many rebuilding efforts lead to sweaty greasy men snogging, so it has to be good.

Random thoughts...

Michael Barratt

[Ineti]

Originally posted by Argyle

If the series is set on a Nova or the like, then our militant Andorian XO has to deal with not only being passed over for captain, but the percieved slight of being assigned to a ship that's "just" a surveyor. Maybe the doves among the admiralty is trying to get her to calm down and relax after a long combat tour. It would also give her the chance to save the day when the crew inevitably gets in trouble with somebody that substantially out-guns our heroes and they can't rely on having the massive power that the Sovereign can bring to bear.

Setting the series on a Nova also helps justify having the science officer as a major character; something that hasn't been seen since TOS times.

I like the tweak on the XO. Good background stuff and things to play with.

Have to ask though, what the heck is a Nova-class ship? I watched the first season of VOY and lost interest. I don't recall seeing a Nova in DS9 or any of the movies? Help?

And my 2 cents is that we should either make use of a) an all-new ship design, since this is a new series and every new series has introduced a new class design, or b) go with the Sovereign since this crew will likely be doing a little bit of everything, much like the TNG crew did.

[Imagus]

Originally posted by Ineti
Have to ask though, what the heck is a Nova-class ship? I watched the first season of VOY and lost interest. I don't recall seeing a Nova in DS9 or any of the movies? Help?

A small (80 man) surveyor vessel - kind of a modern Oberth. It's based on one of the early design concepts for the Defiant - triangular "saucer", engines separate but very close it - think the Sovereign well-scaled down.

I think they've only been seen in Voyager, initially in the end of season 5 cliff-hangar, "Equinox" (marking the end of the good stuff IMO - nice ideas, shame about some of the details!). The Equinox was another Starfleet ship that had been stranded in the DQ - stuck on a smaller ship, with much less in the way of firepower and supplies, the Captain abandoned Starfleet principles and broke the Prime Directive left right and centre, made deals with bad guys and used sentient creatures as warp drive catalysts... Janeway got on her high horse and slapped them around a bit. The EMH sans ethical subroutines was a little scary.

FWIW, I was thinking something even smaller - literally the cast are the only people on the ship. Something a little bigger than a runabout, not unlike the Maru from Andromeda.

Originally posted by Ineti
And my 2 cents is that we should either make use of a) an all-new ship design, since this is a new series and every new series has introduced a new class design, or b) go with the Sovereign since this crew will likely be doing a little bit of everything, much like the TNG crew did.

Very much agree with the former.

[Sea Tyger]

So, kimq, where do we stand right now?

[kimq]

Originally posted by Sea Tyger
So, kimq, where do we stand right now?

Where do we stand? Actually, I'm sitting. It's so hard to type when standing.

OK, people are talking about theme, setting, and plot. Calm down on those concepts for now. Keep those good thoughts rolling around in your heads. I find that the longer an idea rolls around, the more polished it becomes. Once the characters are finalized, everyone can offer their polished concepts of the other portions of the show.

We're still missing descriptions of various characters. Judging by the lack of response by the original suggesters on fleshing out their characters, I will leave it up to whoever wants to work in them to do so. First submissions will have precedence but if a folloiwng concept is better in some ways, we'll adjust accordingly. Once the rest of the characters are finished, I'll start the other threads. Until then, keep working that character flesh people!

[Joe Dizzy]

..I'm working on it.

[Lt.Khrys Antos]

I've always thought that a good setting should be placed about 100 years into the future of VOY finale. TOS and TNG were seperated by decades and it made it easier to explain why certain things had changed.

As for characters, including into the background ex-threat species would help push the story along. I'd also include more characters which don't have "clean" backgrounds. Less of the idealistic Janeway's and more pragmatists, more Tuvok's who at times seemed like a pragmatist. And more characters which are willing to sacrifice their ideals to succeed in a mission. All of the previous series had idealists galore. It would be a nice change of pace.

[Captain Leana Craig]

I have been away on holiday for the last fortnight. I will work on the Betazoid CEO, now I'm back.

[Jens Mor]

a thought

i have a slight problem with the cardassian officer assigned as chief of security. come on, even tho he is a supposed ally, who in their right mind would make them security chief. a generic security officer, maybe, but a chief? hardly

i'm actually toying with an idea of a character for our upcoming rpg, a star-fleet educated cardassian ops officer with an actual security rating. tho, this may be a bit too "worfy" for some tastes (first or one of the first alien officers in fleet, problematic past, issues fitting starfleet values with standard cardassian etc)

[FDor]

This show should definately set to the future. Maybe 20 to 40 years or so.

Since everybody was thinking how Data would fit as a Captain then an android (based on Data's design) could take the center seat. He (she?) should be a bit more evolved than Data. He could understand feelings and maybe even experience them. But he also has option to shut them down and use cold facts to carry out judgement.

First officer could be a Romulan. The war with Romulans is over and Romulans are part of the Federation. There could be some other Romulans on board as well (maybe tens of Romulans).

Maybe a Bajoran chief Science officer and Cardassian CEO. Talk about species mixing.

The ship would not be a ship at all. A new kind of station that uses Transwarp to move itself to different locations. Of course it would have a starship or two to provide some 'cover'.

Ookei.. I'll be going now. =)

Vesku

[Kirok]

okay, this may sound silly and low-brow, but I need a captain who can throw a punch.

Kirk could, and did often.
Picard could, but rarely resorted to it (I can think of one instance, and it was a great scene).
Sisko could, and punched Q.
Archer can, and does.
Notice who I skipped? One of the many flaws of Voyager - a captain who never once threw a decent punch...

[Kirok]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Silverthorne
[B]I would say that they need a straight man. Either a vulcan or an android. somewhere on the bridge. This has always worked for the show.


Weird - I never thought of Spock or Data this way, but you're right - they definitely served the straight man role.

A character like that needs to be either innocent, ignorant, or unable or unwilling to behave like everyone else. Just being "the weird guy" isn't enough (the mistake they made with Odo, but then DS9 was trying to spread the traditional ST traits over more characters). They inevitably serve as the "special" character, I guess, the non-human who unwittingly provides insight into human nature.