# Why are the captains on star trek such hyperbolic overactors **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 6, 2014, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-captains-on-star-trek-such-hyperbolic-overactors/694913 "2014-08-06T01:32:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 3
**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:** [August 6, 2014, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-captains-on-star-trek-such-hyperbolic-overactors/694913/41 "2014-08-06T20:52:11Z")
FWIW, I never much liked the “subdued” early Kirk. He was much better after Shatner lightened up a bit. Also, it took Nimoy most of the first thirteen episodes to find the right balance between logic and emotion for Spock. ---
**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:** [August 6, 2014, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-captains-on-star-trek-such-hyperbolic-overactors/694913/42 "2014-08-06T20:55:48Z")
Also, I haven’t seen that many episodes of _ **DS9** _, but whenever Sisko starts talking, I get the impression he just came from a private lesson in elocution. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2014, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-captains-on-star-trek-such-hyperbolic-overactors/694913/43 "2014-08-06T21:35:32Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > FWIW, I never much liked the “subdued” early Kirk. He was much better after Shatner lightened up a bit. Also, it took Nimoy most of the first thirteen episodes to find the right balance between logic and emotion for Spock. Not sure what to make of that. Shatner being light in the early episodes is what makes him subdued, nuanced and natural: “Try one of those pills you gave me. You’ll sleep.” Or his very first scene ever: “Terrible. Having bad blood like that.” ---
**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:** [August 6, 2014, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-captains-on-star-trek-such-hyperbolic-overactors/694913/44 "2014-08-06T22:01:00Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > Not sure what to make of that. Shatner being light in the early episodes is what makes him subdued, nuanced and natural: > > “Try one of those pills you gave me. You’ll sleep.” > > Or his very first scene ever: > > “Terrible. Having bad blood like that.” He was way too low-key in those scenes (the “humor” seemed forced to me) and came across as a generally humorless martinet in others. This portrayal wasn’t consistent, nor did it last for long, but it was noticeable (again, to me) up until, oh, about the eighth episode (“Balance of Terror”). This is assuming, of course, you watch the episodes in the order in which they were filmed. No way would the later Kirk ever have indignantly snubbed Eve McHuron or Helen Noel, either! ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-captains-on-star-trek-such-hyperbolic-overactors/694913/45 "2014-08-07T01:44:08Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > Well the show is built around stressful situations. > It wouldn’t be much of a show if it was like… Real life: Riker: Captain the waste transporters are down Picard: Why are you telling me this? Tell Mr La Forge to have someone fix it and quit bothering me with low-level shit like this. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-captains-on-star-trek-such-hyperbolic-overactors/694913/46 "2014-08-07T03:43:10Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > Riker: Captain the waste transporters are down > Picard: Why are you telling me this? Tell Mr La Forge to have someone fix it and quit bothering me with low-level shit like this. Riker: Okay, but next time you squeeze out the captain’s log and it doesn’t vanish, don’t say I didn’t warn you. When the toilets are backing up, everybody needs to know. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-captains-on-star-trek-such-hyperbolic-overactors/694913/47 "2014-08-07T05:25:13Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > He was way too low-key in those scenes (the “humor” seemed forced to me) and came across as a generally humorless martinet in others. This portrayal wasn’t consistent, nor did it last for long, but it was noticeable (again, to me) up until, oh, about the eighth episode (“Balance of Terror”). This is assuming, of course, you watch the episodes in the order in which they were filmed. > > No way would the later Kirk ever have indignantly snubbed Eve McHuron or Helen Noel, either! The Writers’ Guide - and the early episodes - have Kirk being married to his ship and quite immune from female wiles. In the Corbomite Maneuver he says this quite plainly. That didn’t last, of course, as each writer felt they had to give him the love of his life. ---
**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:** [August 7, 2014, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-captains-on-star-trek-such-hyperbolic-overactors/694913/48 "2014-08-07T05:39:13Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > The Writers’ Guide - and the early episodes - have Kirk being married to his ship and quite immune from female wiles. In the Corbomite Maneuver he says this quite plainly. That didn’t last, of course, as each writer felt they had to give him the love of his life. Just another example of him “loosening up.” The romance angle should have been given a nice long rest after “City on the Edge of Forever,” but of course it wasn’t. Even Bob Justman noted sometime in the second season that now Kirk acted like a horny sailor all too often (and Shatner certainly seemed to be enjoying it). I’ve seen different copies of the Writer’s Guide, and I don’t recall it specifically prohibiting Kirk’s getting romantically involved; on the other hand, it didn’t portray him as seducing a hot space babe on every planet they visited either. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-captains-on-star-trek-such-hyperbolic-overactors/694913/49 "2014-08-07T06:22:41Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Just another example of him “loosening up.” The romance angle should have been given a nice long rest after “City on the Edge of Forever,” but of course it wasn’t. Even Bob Justman noted sometime in the second season that now Kirk acted like a horny sailor all too often (and Shatner certainly seemed to be enjoying it). > > I’ve seen different copies of the Writer’s Guide, and I don’t recall it specifically prohibiting Kirk’s getting romantically involved; on the other hand, it didn’t portray him as seducing a hot space babe on every planet they visited either. But he didn’t. That’s mostly a myth. Of course NuTrek decided to print the legend and ignore what we’ve seen. From second season on: Mirror Mirror: Goes along with Marlena as to not blow his cover. But does seem genuinely concerned with her plight. admittedly he goes to chat up the Marlena from his universe. Catspaw: Plays the seduction angle on the alien just for the sake of the mission. Probably took an 8 hour shower after seeing its true form. Deadly Years: Has an old love interest aboard I think, but makes no romantic moves. (I think. I just remember the crux being everyone aging rapidly) Gamesters of Triskelion: Uses silver haired chick. Punches her and knocks her out later. A Private Little War: It’s he who is drugged and nearly raped (legally at least) By any Other Name: Again the seduction is to cause a rift between his captors. Bread and Circuses: It would appear he slept with the slave girl sent to his quarters on the eve of his execution. Good for him! Enterprise Incident: Ha! It’s SPOCK who draws the assignment to seduce the alien. I’ll bet Kirk had a good chuckle over that. Paradise Syndrome: Amnesia. Wink of an Eye: Kidnapped by the aliens. Elaan of Troyius: drugged. The Mark of Gideon: You got me on that one. Requiem for Metheluselah: Genuinely seems to fall in love with the android but GD that’s just weird. If I had the power, I’d retcon Kirk having any responsibility in that matter. It’s already established that Mr.Flint has all kinds of weird powers. That’s about it. ---
**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:** [August 7, 2014, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-captains-on-star-trek-such-hyperbolic-overactors/694913/50 "2014-08-07T14:06:36Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > But he didn’t. That’s mostly a myth. Of course NuTrek decided to print the legend and ignore what we’ve seen. You left out Lenore Karidian in the first season. Things were going great until she overheard him grilling her father. And “Ruth,” who reduced him to a weak-kneed adolescent brimming with hormones even after he knew she was nothing more than a cellular casting. And Ariel Shaw, whom he probably would have nailed just for old times’ sake if she hadn’t been the prosecutor at his court martial. Edith Keeler was okay, because that was “true love.” Pity he had to let her get run over by that truck, though. Did he really boink Helen Noel at the Christmas party? Or was that just some virtual porn she came up with on her own? Janice Lester was just the latest in a long line of “past loves.” We wouldn’t find out until _ **Wrath of Khan** _ that there was at least one more. (My God, how many did the man _have_?) Did he really think he had a chance with Gillian Taylor? :dubious: Sure looked to me like he was up for some more action with Janet Wallace once he’d been injected with McCoy’s generic Cialis. True, most of the others he seduced (Sylvia, Shana, Kelinda, et al.) were trying to screw him first, so he was _justified_ in using sex to fight back at them. Does this really indicate a healthy mental attitude toward women? FWIW, I would have been happy to spend my last night with that Roman slave girl too. I would also have loved to sample android sex with Andrea. Odonna creeped me out even more than Rayna did. Not only was she bent on abetting mass suicide, she had absolutely nothing going for her other than her incredible body. (Wait a minute…!) ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-captains-on-star-trek-such-hyperbolic-overactors/694913/51 "2014-08-07T14:58:58Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > Were not the actors, mostly Shakespearean or stage ones anyway. Stewart said that his Shakespearean background helped him find his voice for the scripts: > [@](#): > > It echoed my own feelings at the time as well. Why would they cast a middle-aged bald English Shakespearean actor in this iconic role as captain of the Enterprise? It made no sense. But I guess Gene Roddenberry had some sort of instinct for it, and his producer Rick Berman was a champion of mine. Even so, it all felt borderline lunatic back then. It took me a good while to grow comfortable in that role. I know that my experience with classic Shakespeare was a great help to me in finding this heightened language that was larger than life and utterly epic. ---
**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:** [August 7, 2014, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-captains-on-star-trek-such-hyperbolic-overactors/694913/52 "2014-08-07T15:04:40Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > That didn’t last, of course, as each writer felt they had to give him the love of his life. from _Hogan’s Heroes_ episode “How to Win Friends and Influence Nazis” Svenson - Have you never felt a love that comes once in a lifetime? Hogan (deadpan) - Dozens of times. Exactly how many loves-of-his-life did Kirk have? At least, I can retcon Gary Mitchell’s reference to “that little blond technician” as being Carol Marcus, but there still must be a half-dozen others. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-captains-on-star-trek-such-hyperbolic-overactors/694913/53 "2014-08-07T15:46:57Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > from _Hogan’s Heroes_ episode “How to Win Friends and Influence Nazis” > > Svenson - Have you never felt a love that comes once in a lifetime? > Hogan (deadpan) - Dozens of times. > > Exactly how many loves-of-his-life did Kirk have? At least, I can retcon Gary Mitchell’s reference to “that little blond technician” as being Carol Marcus, but there still must be a half-dozen others. Even if you don’t, for all we know Carol Marcus was a one-night stand. But for simplicity’s sake we’ll say they’re one and the same. So,Carol Marcus, Edith Keeler, the one he married under amnesia, the android he inexplicably fell in love with so badly Spock felt compelled to mindwipe him\*…and the one he married in Generations. Janice Lester doesn’t count because we’re hearing her (koo-koo) perspective. Ruth (who appears to be 28 or older) was probably the wife of an instructor. \*And really. Come on heroes. You all just dealt with Methuselah while a few hours away from succumbing to a fatal illness. Give Kirk a sedative and see if he feels better in the morning before you mindwipe him Spock. Talk about overreacting. ---
**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:** [August 7, 2014, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-captains-on-star-trek-such-hyperbolic-overactors/694913/54 "2014-08-07T16:30:38Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > The one he married under amnesia. Are you suggesting he _wouldn’t_ have hit on Miramanee if he _hadn’t had_ amnesia? :dubious: I remember when she (Sabrina Scharf) was head of an SS honeytrap squad on _ **Hogan’s Heroes** _. I do believe I’d spill the complete Allied war plans in exchange for a night of her charms! :o ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-captains-on-star-trek-such-hyperbolic-overactors/694913/55 "2014-08-07T16:39:02Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Are you suggesting he _wouldn’t_ have hit on Miramanee if he _hadn’t had_ amnesia? :dubious: > > I remember when she (Sabrina Scharf) was head of an SS honeytrap squad on _ **Hogan’s Heroes** _. I do believe I’d spill the complete Allied war plans in exchange for a night of her charms! :o I’d have run off with [Tiger Lily](http://www.hogansheroesfanclub.com/images/photoShowEpisode2/photoShow002GettingTigerDressedUp.JPG) on “Hogan’s Heroes” so fast, it would have been called “Newkirk’s Numbskulls” the very next episode. ---
**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:** [August 7, 2014, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-captains-on-star-trek-such-hyperbolic-overactors/694913/56 "2014-08-07T16:44:38Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > I’d have run off with [Tiger Lily](http://www.hogansheroesfanclub.com/images/photoShowEpisode2/photoShow002GettingTigerDressedUp.JPG) on “Hogan’s Heroes” so fast, it would have been called “Newkirk’s Numbskulls” the very next episode. Aha! Then you’d also fancy **T’Pring!** [http://www.trekcore.com/specials/rare/arlene\_martel\_tpring.jpg](http://www.trekcore.com/specials/rare/arlene_martel_tpring.jpg) ---
**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:** [August 7, 2014, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-captains-on-star-trek-such-hyperbolic-overactors/694913/57 "2014-08-07T16:47:49Z")
Sabrina, for the record: [![](https://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x65/ZB2266/MFU/SabrinaScharfMFU2-462enhan.jpg) ](https://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x65/ZB2266/MFU/SabrinaScharfMFU2-462enhan.jpg) ---
**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:** [August 7, 2014, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-captains-on-star-trek-such-hyperbolic-overactors/694913/58 "2014-08-07T16:59:56Z")
Two more. The first one, uh, “doesn’t count” because Kirk was, uh, “drugged” at the time. The second … who cares if she’s batshit crazy?!? :o [![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-h-_u7QscrEo/Ui0-3olTesI/AAAAAAAARLo/MjaWGJpVirk/s1600/ritual+4.png) ](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-h-_u7QscrEo/Ui0-3olTesI/AAAAAAAARLo/MjaWGJpVirk/s1600/ritual+4.png) [![](http://www.debra-paget.com/yvonnecraig/craig458.jpg) ](http://www.debra-paget.com/yvonnecraig/craig458.jpg) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-captains-on-star-trek-such-hyperbolic-overactors/694913.md?page=2)