Ideal TV Show Characters

[kimq]

Let’s say you had a chance to design a new Starfleet TV show set a few months after the return of Voyager. Ignore plot, setting, continuity, and theme for now – I’ll start those threads in the future. What kind of characters would you consider to be your ideal archtypes? Once an archtype has been determined, what kind of quirks would you give the character to make them a unique person? What kind of character interaction strings would you have between the various main characters? What are their names and ranks?

I see this an opportuntity for all of us to get together and hash out a generally accepted group of characters. I know that there will be conflict in this concept and not everyone will be happy, but I’m interested to see if we Trekkers/Trekkies have a common ideal among us. The first step is deciding on the main characters for the show.

If you absolutely must have a setting idea, I suggest the USS Sovereign on an exploratory mission along the Alpha Quadrant frontier of the Federation. It will give us a general baseline to work on the characters.

[Silverthorne]

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.

2nd i would like a captian who is not Picard or Kirk. ((I have not seen enough of the other captians to count them or discount them.))

[Ineti]

I'd like the captain to be male, and of a species other than human.

I'd like to have a female XO who's strong enough to take command, but also has a nice feminine side (akin to Kira).

I'd like to see a good mix of human races represented in the main characters.

I'd like to see Trek stretch and take a chance by having two of the characters in a same-sex relationship.

Since the series would be post-Voyager (and thus post-DS9), I'd like to see a Ferengi and/or a Bajoran in Starfleet, at a decent rank.

More if I think of it.

[KillerWhale]

I'd like to see a Cardassian Starfleet officer...! After all, the Federation will want to absorb the Cardies at some point...

[qerlin]

I'd like to see an Andorian captain; someone with a more military bent.

And XO that balances this with the 'humanitarian' aspect of the ship.

Some other background race than the one's that have gotten a bunch of attention -- like the Betazoids, KLingons, etc... Maybe the cat guys.

[Perrryyy]

At the risk of sounding politically correct, I'd like to see another disabled character, a la Geordi or Melora (and yes I know I'm beating a dead horse here), preferably in a high profile situation (on the bridge).

Maybe an individual who had a Christopher Pike-like incident as a child, joins SF and has to adapt / be strong willed in order to make it on a starship.


JMBO (just my biased opinion).
YMMV

[First of Two]

A CGI Kzin at tactical/security. Perhaps as 'straight man?'
He'd need an alien sense of humor, and a different attitude toward combat/life to distinguish him from a Klingon character.

A female conn officer. We've never had one. I'd like to see a virtuoso, and see that reflected on screen, for once. Cool ship maneuvers, like rolling and loop-the-looping all the while keeping phasers towards the hostile.

[kimq]

Let's combine some of what has been suggested so far:

CO - Andorian male, militant, Dominion War veteran
XO - Human female, humanitarian, strong/feminine
Science - Parapalegic, repulsor-lift chair equipped with tricorder and other scientific field equipment
Conn - Human female, WWII fighter pilot tactics

I took some liberties here and there. I totally agree with having a Cardassian on the show. The two roles I see the character fitting into might be security officer or bartender of "Ten Foward."

The same sex thing would have to be introduced once the major characters have been ironed out. Perhaps one between the XO and the conn officer?

Keep it coming.

[Perrryyy]

Being a computer geek, (CS degree) I like that you made the disabled individual a para (like me) and a science officer. Nice touch.

[kimq]

Originally posted by Perrryyy
Being a computer geek, (CS degree) I like that you made the disabled individual a para (like me) and a science officer. Nice touch.

Thanks. I saw your quote from Prof. Hawking and he inspired a bit of the character concept in me. The character could be a kind of tribute to him - we could even make his last name Hawking. I figured the science branch would fit perfectly.

I would suggest forgetting about modular phaser and shield units for the chair, however. It doesn't seem to fit the concept. However, the militant captian might have some ideas of his own.

[Ineti]

Originally posted by kimq
Let's combine some of what has been suggested so far:

CO - Andorian male, militant, Dominion War veteran
XO - Human female, humanitarian, strong/feminine
Science - Parapalegic, repulsor-lift chair equipped with tricorder and other scientific field equipment
Conn - Human female, WWII fighter pilot tactics

So we still need the following:

Medical
Counselor
Ops
Engineering
Security

How about taking the plunge and make the Cardassian a female Engineer? I think making the Cardie a security officer would "feel" too much like Worf in TNG.

I'd like to see a Vulcan counselor as well (either gender).

[Sea Tyger]

Originally posted by kimq
Let's combine some of what has been suggested so far:

CO - Andorian male, militant, Dominion War veteran
XO - Human female, humanitarian, strong/feminine
Science - Parapalegic, repulsor-lift chair equipped with tricorder and other scientific field equipment
Conn - Human female, WWII fighter pilot tactics

I took some liberties here and there. I totally agree with having a Cardassian on the show. The two roles I see the character fitting into might be security officer or bartender of "Ten Foward."

The same sex thing would have to be introduced once the major characters have been ironed out. Perhaps one between the XO and the conn officer?

Keep it coming.

For the Cardassian, we can skirt the entire Starfleet issue and make him an exchange officer. He's a young, forward-thinking security officer who is trying to learn from being part of this Federation crew. As such, he probably has the weight of the Empire on his shoulders, as his superiors on Prime expect him to bring these "fresh ideas" back with him at the end of the tour.

I disagree with the CO/XO thing. IMO, I'd reverse the races, making the captain Centauran. He's human enough for the audience to identify with him, but brings a completely different culture to the show. He's a DQ veteran (meritoriously promoted), but the Sovereign is his first real command and he initially struggles with the awesome responsibility of commanding one of the Federation's most powerful weapons.

By contrast the female Andorian XO is a battle-tested veteran (we can say this is the third ship she has XO'd). While she's still feminine, she's shrewd and wily -- a master strategist.

Those are just my thoughts on the CO/XO matter.

While there's no way we could probably ever get a Kzin character on the show (copyright stuff), a Caitian (or Regulan) character with CGI legs (to manage the digitigrade look) might do well at, say, engineering.

The CMO should be Selar. The series has advanced far enough for the character to have made Lt. Commander, and it would be a major contrast to the predominantly-human physicians on the previous series.

Ops could be the ensign of the week, with a recurring character as the Chief Operations Officer (since we have a regular at flight control this time). And the counselor can be another recurring character, who only comes in when needed. That would give us seven major characters for the ensemble cast.

[kimq]

I have to agree with some points made so far. Here's a revamp:

CO - Centauran male, diplomat, ex-science officer
XO - Andorian female, Dominion War veteran, militant
Science - Human male, last name Hawking, parapalegic, repulsor-lift chair equipped with tricorder and other scientific field equipment
Conn/Ops - Human female, WWII fighter pilot tactics, in same-sex relationship with XO, virtuoso capable of handling both starship navigation and operations
Medical - Dr. Selar, Vulcan female
Security - Cardassian male, exchange officer with pressures and expectations from his government

[Joe Dizzy]

In this day and age you just gotsta have them lesbians on your show.

I think it would be much better to have a male same-sex relationship. Lesbians sound too much like a cheap ratings grabber...

A serious same-sex relationship between two males could be cool.

Joe

[kimq]

Originally posted by Joe Dizzy
In this day and age you just gotsta have them lesbians on your show.

I think it would be much better to have a male same-sex relationship. Lesbians sound too much like a cheap ratings grabber...

A serious same-sex relationship between two males could be cool.

Joe

Joe, I appreciate the input but could you suggest things with a little less broad brush? If you would rather see males, plesae suggest the necessary characterization changes. You're not being specific enough.