My TNG reviews

[Cogito]

Hmm, I never really thought about it like that, but I can't disagree with the logic.

[Alelou]

I've forgotten more about Riker than I ever knew, but I could get on board with some of these points (some I honestly don't remember a thing about. Thomas Riker? Was that TNG?). I could not find anything interesting about him other than the occasional trombone bit. Troi was only interesting for her mother, though towards the end of the show they gave her a lot more to do than mope around so she got more bearable. During the pilot I remember being horrified and embarrassed by her and wondering what the hell they thought they were doing there.

[Kotik]

During the pilot I remember being horrified and embarrassed by her and wondering what the hell they thought they were doing there.

She was the same as 7of9 and T'Pol - the set of designated hooters to get the viewers of the hormone-controlled, pimple-faced variety hooked on the show. I don't think it was a coincidence that she wore those catsuits in season 1.

[Alelou]

I thought she wore a skimpy little mini-dress in season one ... rather like some of the extra guys did ... for the pilot, anyway. I haven't watched that series in a looooong time, though. Troi may have had an ample bosom, but I honestly never thought of her as the ship's babe. Is this a common perception of her?

Is it just my imagination, or aren't most ship's babes fairly chilly or unapproachable for some reason? 7 of 9 was Borg, T'Pol was Vulcan, Yar and Ro and Kira had tough girl/anger management issues (did they count as ship's babes?) and whatserhame was a Trill. Meanwhile, Troi was so damned girly and nurturing that I just don't see her as that unattainable beauty type. And Crusher was too old and maternal for the role.

[Kotik]

I think the designated babe can usually be identified by wearing something else than the rest of the ship. The 7o9 and T'Pol had the ridiculous catsuits and in the earlier seasons Troi was the only one with a 'uniform' that showed a lot of cleavage.

[Alelou]

You have a point, but I'm curious what other guys think.

[Asso]

Well, you know, the guys are very visual. And I am of a past generation, in addition. I'm afraid of not being cool (ie, not too much in unison with the current general way of thinking, even on the part of the today's young guys).

[Alelou]

Well, according to Wikipedia...

Initially, Sirtis/Troi was planned as the eye-candy of the show. Gene Roddenberry intended her to have four breasts, before his wife told him this was a poor idea.[8] Prior to filming, Sirtis was told to "lose five pounds" (5 pounds (2.3 kg; 0.36 st)), but thought herself that she had to drop even more, and was often wearing plunging necklines and form-fitting dresses. After six years, the producers decided to drop the "sexy and brainless" Troi and make her a stronger character:

So unless you two wrote that, that sounds like confirmation.

I'm glad Majel talked Roddenberry out of the four breasts (!). How would you even costume that kind of cleavage? (And I speak as someone who gave a character six not all that long ago.)

[Kevin Thomas Riley]

Well, this guy never cared much for Troi, no matter what she wore. I actually prefer the older Dr Crusher. And on VOY I liked B'Elanna better than 7of9. On DS9 I was never much into Jadzia Dax (Ezri is a different matter), liking Kira better. The only designated Trek Babe I got into was T'Pol.

But maybe I'm atypical...

[Kotik]

It's good to know that I'm not the only one, who thought that Beverly was the cutest babe on TNG

[CX]

I thought she wore a skimpy little mini-dress in season one ... rather like some of the extra guys did ... for the pilot, anyway. I haven't watched that series in a looooong time, though. Troi may have had an ample bosom, but I honestly never thought of her as the ship's babe. Is this a common perception of her?

Yeah, it is, including from the actress who played her.

Is it just my imagination, or aren't most ship's babes fairly chilly or unapproachable for some reason? 7 of 9 was Borg, T'Pol was Vulcan, Yar and Ro and Kira had tough girl/anger management issues (did they count as ship's babes?) and whatserhame was a Trill. Meanwhile, Troi was so damned girly and nurturing that I just don't see her as that unattainable beauty type. And Crusher was too old and maternal for the role.

None of them were really the ship's babe per-say, though Kira became more of one later on. Mostly on DS9 Dax filled that role, which can be seen by how she's practically poured into her uniform. Anyway, as far as how Seven and T'Pol were personality-wise, Braga is mostly to blame for that because he's kind of an odd cookie. Apparently the idea of an attractive woman who doesn't realize she's attractive or who is otherwise aloof appeals to him.

[Alelou]

It's heartwarming to hear Beverly was considered a babe! I guess nowadays they'd call her a MILF. (Though that's not a particularly heartwarming term... )

[Asso]

The only designated Trek Babe I got into was T'Pol.

But maybe I'm atypical...

I don't think you are, judging from me.

[Kotik]

It's heartwarming to hear Beverly was considered a babe! I guess nowadays they'd call her a MILF. (Though that's not a particularly heartwarming term... )

That men tend to think with the wrong head is a bad cliché. The attractiveness of a woman is mainly dependent on looks, but not entirely. Beverly and Troi were both played by attractive women, but I think Beverly is much more attractive due to her character. She's a strong woman with a maternal touch to her. That appeals to a lot of men. She also had a quirky sense of humour, while Troi had practically none (at least in the early seasons).

Secondly, attractiveness is not the same as sex appeal. Take Jolene/T'Pol for instance; She's not an unttractive woman, but when it comes to sex appeal, IMHO,there're two major turn-offs. First is the quite obvious boob-job. Not every man likes that or likes big boobs even. For me, Hoshi has a lot more sex appeal, which is probably why she had to loose her shirt in "Shockwave" - to appeal to the male contingent that doesn't drool over big hooters. And it works. That moment where Hoshi stands in front of Malcolm's quarters is much more fun than the first neuropressure striptease of T'Pol.
The second 'turn-off' with T'Pol are the rubber-boat lips, which are patently unattractive, especially when they botched up the lighting or camera angle. The ending scene of "Fusion" is probably the worst example. When Archer and T'Pol talk about dreams, her lips look so massive, she looks like someone you'd expect at your doorstep on Halloween The make-up artists made a much better job of "reducing" the massive lips in season 4.

[Asso]

See how things are perceived differently, my friend?
For me, Hoshi has less sex-appeal than a broom handle (sorry, Hoshi), whereas the naiveté of T'Pol in Harbinger is much sexiest than her inherent and undoubted sex-appeal itself.