• schema@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    24
    ·
    edit-2
    2 months ago

    One problem with popular side characters is that they often get ruined when the writers notice the popularity and make them appear more and more.

    Sometimes the scarcity of something is part of the appeal. This also goes for popular adversaries.

    • VindictiveJudge@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      14
      ·
      2 months ago

      This also goes for popular adversaries.

      Especially if they keep getting defeated, which makes them less threatening each time they show up. Looking at you, Borg in VOY. Farscape’s writers came up with Harvey specifically so they could have Scorpius make frequent appearances without diminishing his threat level.

    • Infynis@midwest.social
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      3
      ·
      2 months ago

      Garak was a round character played by an actor that absolutely understood the role. He would have done just fine with more appearances

  • Hugin@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    13
    ·
    2 months ago

    In DS9 the less human like the character is the more interesting they tend to be.

  • pseudo@jlai.lu
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    5
    ·
    2 months ago

    loving a supporting character is something but wait to experience second lead syndrome. That’s another level of pain.

  • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldM
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    1
    ·
    2 months ago

    No offense to Stamets and Culber, but the award for best gay couple in Star Trek definitely goes to Bashir and Garak.

    • Zakkull@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      0
      ·
      2 months ago

      Please stop with this nonsense that anytime two guys are good friends they are gay for each other.

      • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldM
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        2 months ago

        It’s not nonsense:

        Garak was initially intended by actor Andrew Robinson to be omnisexual. Indeed, Garak’s first encounter with Bashir is very clearly sexually charged, which Robinson has stated was intentional. Though the pair would eventually become good friends, his primary interest in Bashir at the outset was sexual. That aspect of the character was eventually dropped for some disappointingly cowardly reasons.

        The idea of a queer character on a Star Trek show was routinely vetoed by executive producer Rick Berman. Berman believed any hint of non-heterosexuality on Star Trek would have alienated a significant portion of the franchise’s fan base across America in the '90s. It’s an unsurprisingly reductive point of view, especially for a franchise as famous for its progressive politics and social messaging as Star Trek. It also flies in the face of the views of Star Trek franchise creator Gene Roddenberry, who was advocating for LGBT representation by the early days of Star Trek: The Next Generation in the late '80s.

        https://screenrant.com/star-trek-ds9-garak-queer-rick-berman-veto/

        And I choose to headcanon that we just didn’t see any of the physical affection on screen.