# Things that bug you about Star Trek **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 13, 2017, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-bug-you-about-star-trek/782109 "2017-03-13T19:08:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2017, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-bug-you-about-star-trek/782109/181 "2017-03-16T15:13:09Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > An episode of VOY had Neelix delivering what were basically emails from the Alpha Quadrant to the crew by carrying around a bucket of PADDs. :smack: > > Ever seen [Hyperdrive](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperdrive_(TV_series))? Miranda Hart plays the ship’s Diplomatic Officer. She’s completely incompetent and only has her position due to nepotism (her father is a prominent ambassador). Sound familiar? And if you haven’t seen Hyperdrive, you really should. Only twelve episodes. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2017, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-bug-you-about-star-trek/782109/182 "2017-03-16T15:18:14Z")
> [@leahcim](#): > > I would certainly like to see the Enterprise computer mouth off like that at least once. 🙂 But he _is_ speaking to the replicator. :dubious: “Get it yourself, Chrome Dome. You don’t think I have anything to do except make your damn tea? There’s a meteoroid strike on deck three, Troi has stopped up her toilet with make up pads,\* again\*, and some joker has substituted Honest to God Usher’s Green Stripe for the senthahol in ten forward.” ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2017, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-bug-you-about-star-trek/782109/183 "2017-03-16T15:24:18Z")
I don’t have an Echo, but my old supervisor in a previous life tried ‘Alexa: Tea, Earl Grey, hot’ on his. > [@Alexa](#): > > Unable to comply. Replicators are offline. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2017, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-bug-you-about-star-trek/782109/184 "2017-03-16T15:41:10Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > All those years he was haughtily ordering “tea, Earl Grey, hot” but all the computer ever recognized was “tea” and he’s been drinking generic Lipton’s. I have this theory that more than just lives and records were lost in WWIII. I postulate that the memory of what stuff actually tasted like is gone. Food sources may have mutated during the war, spices lost, recipes forgotten. So when the enlightened 24th century humans think they are eating some classic delicacy, it might actually taste like unflavored cardboard. And they, like Trelane, would never know what they are missing. All they have is a vague memory and references to what pre-war people ate and drank, and they think what they have is a continuous path back to the old days. But they got lost somewhere along the way. Troi’s beloved chocolate might taste to our 21st century palates like year old easter candy. Or like coffee beans. ---
**Author:** ![Cardigan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardigan/32/187_2.png) [@Cardigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardigan)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2017, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-bug-you-about-star-trek/782109/185 "2017-03-23T19:51:38Z")
The introduction of the holo-suites opened new vistas for the writers of Star Trek… Creating the character, “Vic Fontaine” based on a stereotypical Atomic Age Las Vegas lounge singer seems to me short of the creative mark they should have hit. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2017, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-bug-you-about-star-trek/782109/186 "2017-03-23T20:00:17Z")
> [@Cardigan](#): > > Creating the character, “Vic Fontaine” based on a stereotypical Atomic Age Las Vegas lounge singer seems to me short of the creative mark they should have hit. I rather liked the character. Did the writers use “Atomic Age” or is that yours? ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2017, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-bug-you-about-star-trek/782109/187 "2017-03-24T01:15:26Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > I rather liked the character. Did the writers use “Atomic Age” or is that yours? I suppose “Space Age” could be used instead, but I don’t think it would suit the \*\*\*Trek \*\*\*universe. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2017, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-bug-you-about-star-trek/782109/188 "2017-03-24T01:20:43Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > I suppose “Space Age” could be used instead, but I don’t think it would suit the \*\*\*Trek \*\*\*universe. 😉 Good point. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2017, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-bug-you-about-star-trek/782109/189 "2017-03-24T01:25:34Z")
Diana Muldaur. And not just on Trek. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2017, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-bug-you-about-star-trek/782109/190 "2017-03-24T02:16:27Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > Diana Muldaur. And not just on Trek. That’s second place. Capt. Mrs. Columbo ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2017, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-bug-you-about-star-trek/782109/191 "2017-03-24T03:03:28Z")
The vague contempt for civilians…especially colonists at the fringes and hostile borders. Even before the “Peace Treaty” with the Cardassians which redrew the borders and left the colonists in the DMZ helpless, The Federation Council and Starfleet Command…and Star Trek writers…generally considered civvies to be an untrained, undisciplined not-quite-threat which required the superior Starfleet Officers… **oooh…ahhh** to save them from themselves. When Sisko’s father balked at the intrusion of random blood tests to prove he wasn’t a Dominion Founder in disguise, Captain Sisko blurted out in exasperation, “Why can’t you just do as you’re _asked?_” Of course the same Sisko poisons a planet of refugees just to flush out ONE Maquis rebel. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2017, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-bug-you-about-star-trek/782109/192 "2017-03-24T03:04:31Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > Diana Muldaur. And not just on Trek. I agree about TNG. I didn’t care much for Dr. Pulaski. But I liked her overall in _McCloud_ and _Quincy_. And I liked her movie with George Peppard, _One More Train to Rob_. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2017, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-bug-you-about-star-trek/782109/193 "2017-03-24T03:10:54Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > That’s second place. > Capt. Mrs. Columbo I stand corrected. (I have not seen even one episode of “Voyager” due to my dislike of Mulgrew.) ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2017, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-bug-you-about-star-trek/782109/194 "2017-03-24T03:26:16Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > I have this theory that more than just lives and records were lost in WWIII. I postulate that the memory of what stuff actually tasted like is gone. Food sources may have mutated during the war, spices lost, recipes forgotten. > > So when the enlightened 24th century humans think they are eating some classic delicacy, it might actually taste like unflavored cardboard. And they, like Trelane, would never know what they are missing. All they have is a vague memory and references to what pre-war people ate and drank, and they think what they have is a continuous path back to the old days. But they got lost somewhere along the way. Troi’s beloved chocolate might taste to our 21st century palates like year old easter candy. Or like coffee beans. Some people have argued this is already true. They claim we’ve been breeding crops and livestock for traits like cheap production, durability, disease resistance, and good appearance on the shelf - but not for taste, which is an attribute that customers can’t judge until after the sale is made. So supposedly taste was sacrificed in the pursuit of other traits and many foods don’t taste as good as they used to. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2017, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-bug-you-about-star-trek/782109/195 "2017-03-24T04:06:28Z")
On TOS, did I imagine it, or at one time during a battle, there were two females on the bridge, navigator and helmsman, actually doing something and not sashaying around in a velour micro-miniskirt? (I don’t know where Chekov and Mr. Sulu were, off making movies or something.) ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2017, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-bug-you-about-star-trek/782109/196 "2017-03-24T04:14:17Z")
On the subject of blood screenings to pick out changelings, and the postulated way that they might be circumvented (the changeling murdering a random person, squeezing out their blood, and storing it within their own body)… Okay, so Starfleet scanners apparently have no ability to discern an imposter from a real humanoid based on anything other than a visual inspection. They can’t check for DNA, and/or the presence of normal symbiotic life forms (gut flora, microscopic skin mites, etc.). They can’t look for the presence of bones (or metals or minerals incorporated naturally into bone, like Strontium), or scan brainwaves, or internal organ presence or function (heart rate, body temperature)… And they also lack the ability to tell if a blood sample is hours (or more) old, has been treated with preservatives, or if it’s coming from an individual of the same sex, age, ethnic background, or species as the individual being checked. I’d almost guess that whoever wrote that story angle looked at the problem from a mundane 20th century perspective, and didn’t (or didn’t want to) think through the implications, drawbacks, and opportunities that the established 24th century setting presented for dealing with that kind of scenario! (P.S. I could “pothole” that second paragraph of cited examples of Trek sensors doing exactly those kinds of things, but I’m lazy, sleepy, and not feeling very creatively obnoxious at the moment.) ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2017, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-bug-you-about-star-trek/782109/197 "2017-03-24T04:24:10Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > On TOS, did I imagine it, or at one time during a battle, there were two females on the bridge, navigator and helmsman, actually doing something and not sashaying around in a velour micro-miniskirt? (I don’t know where Chekov and Mr. Sulu were, off making movies or something.) There was a female helmsman (helmsperson?) in “That Which Survives,” Lt Rada. Lt Uhura would take over Navigation on occasion (e.g., “Balance of Terror,” IIRC). Sorry, but I don’t recall two females ever manning (crewing?) both stations at once. ☹ (Maybe on _ **TAS** _?) ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2017, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-bug-you-about-star-trek/782109/198 "2017-03-24T04:27:33Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Capt. Mrs. Columbo I prefer to think of her as “Kate [who] loves a mystery.” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2017, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-bug-you-about-star-trek/782109/199 "2017-03-24T04:32:29Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > There was a female helmsman (helmsperson?) in “That Which Survives,” Lt Rada. Lt Uhura would take over Navigation on occasion (e.g., “Balance of Terror,” IIRC). > > Sorry, but I don’t recall two females ever manning (crewing?) both stations at once. ☹ (Maybe on _ **TAS** _?) Ensign Allenby on _ **TNG** _, on the other hand, should have been made Picard’s permanent navigator, IMHO. :o ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2017, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-bug-you-about-star-trek/782109/200 "2017-03-24T04:35:38Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > I agree about TNG. I didn’t care much for Dr. Pulaski. But I liked her overall in _McCloud_ and _Quincy_. And I liked her movie with George Peppard, _One More Train to Rob_. You left out McGarrett’s old girlfriend who was framed for murder on the original _ **Hawaii Five-0** _. (“One lump or two?”) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-bug-you-about-star-trek/782109.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-bug-you-about-star-trek/782109.md?page=11)