Character Dev., DS9 v. TNG revisited
StarGzrCM
I love TNG, but I have to say that I believe DS9 has better character
development simply because they have developed ALL of their main
characters. I'm afraid that the women in TNG have been greatly neglected
when it comes to development. So many of the TNG characters just haven't
been brought to their full potential, and lately (although I adore both
characters), TNG projects seem to be nothing but the Picard and Data show.
On DS9, however, each character has been given a chance to shine within
strong ensemble pieces. The focus can be subtlely placed on one character
without there being a glaring spotlight that leaves everyone else in the
dark, so to speak.
Any comments?
Catherine MacNaughton
Star...@aol.com
WRobert525
Hi Catherine! Thanks for responding. I understand your point about
the DS9 characters being, *on the whole*, more developed than the TNG
cast. I can't deny that Riker, Troi, and Geordi weren't as fleshed
out as their DS9 counterparts: Kira, Dax, and Chief O'Brien. So
I'm over a barrel on that one. But I will reiterate the fact that I think
character development is something that can go too far; and although
more overt changes might be made to someone, they're not always
desirable or believable. To employ an analogy, female bodybuilding
is a sport with which very little of the American population can identify.
In the judgment of most people, "The women look too much like
men; they don't look real or very good." But there are plenty of fitness
models that the public looks upon as objects of physical beauty -
certainly, these models train with weights, do cardio, diet, and so on,
but also obviously don't take their development too far with the use
of anabolic/androgenic compounds and "destroy their feminimity".
Likewise, I think some of the DS9 characters' development (note I said
some! - the
show is still awesome) is comparable to monstrous female bodybuilders:
Having trained for years and dieted to the point of having very low
bodyfat, these characters were "overbulked" with a bit *too much* depth -
to the point of seeming artificiality and surrealism - and then "the fat
was stripped off"/so much about them was revealed that, at least to me,
the more natural, realistic look (TNG) is more desirable. I guess the
parameters of what constitutes *realistic*, or desirable
character devel. is a matter of personal taste... Or perception of
reality!
Nah, seriously, that's my main argument: Even the underdeveloped,
not-fully-explored TNG favorites like Riker and LaForge seem more natural
than the sometimes hyped-up Bajoran militia(wo)men and bartenders.
And more natural (not meaning organic, of course) equals a more believable
character. Ficticious people do need to bear some sembalance to
real life. (And sometimes, in life, people *don't* change much.) One can
grow and develop without turning into a completely new person or have them
revealed to be such, like DS9 did in a way with Quark. More on that
later, though.
-Sean
Not sure
On 20 Jun 1997 21:55:35 GMT, wrobe...@aol.com (WRobert525) wrote:
> Hello. I participated in one of the last "DS9 v. TNG character
>development"
>threads I saw on this group, but since it's died down, I'd like to re-open
>it, like an old wound <g>, purely for heuristic reasons. Hell, more for
>fun.....
>
>-Sean
I dont think it is fair to say that Kiras' character was developed too
fast or unrealisticly. Kira grew up having to fight for her freedom,
and has earned the rank of Major in the Bajoran militia during a
wartime environment. However over the last 5 years, she has simply
learned how to live in a more peaceful environment.
From time to time we have seen the freedom fighter in her surface
again, or we see her dislike for Cardassians. For the most part
though, she has lightened up from when we first met her. I dont feel
the char dev. we saw in her was unrealistic its just this is a part of
her life where she is going through alot of change. What is the point
of fighting for your freedom, if your just gonna be left too bitter to
enjoy it.
Hey, do you think TNG's boy wonder was better developed than Jake?
Hehe
JIce