Blog #17: More Star Trek 'What If?' Scenarios, Part II

- Season 2 Dr Crusher was replaced by Dr Pulaski in an attempt to create another 'Dr McCoy' type of character. She left after 1 season but what would it have been like had she stayed on the series??

I actually like the character of Pulaski, maybe even more than that of Doctor Crusher. At first they made her just a little too ignorant and the Writers attempt to have her be the Doctor McCoy of this series just didn't work. But as season 2 ofTNG went on the character of Pulaski became better and I liked what she added to the series. In my mind she almost became the 'mother' figure of the show. I think the show would have been fine with her, but from what I understand she was not happy with the role so if she had stayed for another season she may have eventually wanted to leave the series anyway.

 

 

 

- What would Trek have been like if Majel Barrets character 'Number One' had remained the First Officer and not Spock?

It just wouldn't have been the same. I like Majel Barret and she was a fine actress but Spock was able to get away with that type of character because he was an alien from a logical society. But to have a female human acting like that just didn't work in the original pilot. Had they changed the character and had her be more human like it could have worked. Although apparently the female viewers in the test audience for 'The Cage' pilot didn't like that character. But having a woman in that authority position would have been a bold statement in the 60's. I think it would have been alright to have the 'Number One' character in the Shatner series, as long as Spock was there too. Without Spock being there to help create the Kirk-Spock-McCoy dynamic I don't think the 'Number One' character would have been a part of said dynamic, and that is something that gives Trek it's heart and it would have not been.

 

 

 

- James Doohan was know for his accent ability and it is said it was he and Roddenberry who decided on the Scottish accent. What if Scotty had been English or Australian?

Doohan was quoted as saying he chose the Scottish accent because historically Scotts are renowned Engineers. But he was a master of accents having used his skills previously up here in Canada on the CBC. If he had been a different nationality I think they would have had to change his characters name too. Well maybe not his whole name but they couldn't really give him the nick name 'Scotty', well I guess they could have. Well he wouldn't be able to drink 'Scotch' on the show... well i guess he would be able to do that too. I guess the conclusion is that nothing really would have been different, he just would have sounded different. I know he wouldn't have been able to play the bagpipes at Spocksfuneral in Star Trek 2....no he could have done that too. Guess this was a pointless scenario...