Spoilers Star Trek: Strange New Worlds - Season 3 Viewing (Spoilers)

[Morrus]

Basically, what we'd want for her was what we used to call a "filler" episode. There's no room for them now. Sorry.

I've watched a bunch of interviews with the cast, and they have an Ortegas-heavy episode coming this season. Whether that's what they're doing with it, I don't know, but they have been repeatedly saying that Ortegas gets some development soon. Folks just be impatient.

 

[Umbran]

I've watched a bunch of interviews with the cast, and they have an Ortegas-heavy episode coming this season. Whether that's what they're doing with it, I don't know, but they have been repeatedly saying that Ortegas gets some development soon. Folks just be impatient.

I'm aware.
I'm just speaking to why they don't do her development while she's suspended.

 

[Umbran]

Whilst I kind of get it, especially for "premier TV"-type shows, it's a real pity, because so few shows have a chance to breath now. It's no wonder people, even younger people, keep going back to older shows with slower pacing and more exploration of characters and so on.

Heaven's knows my wife and I are doing a lot of re-watching of older shows these days.

 

[MarkB]

She's not in action while suspended. In the past, with 20+ episode seasons, maybe they'd give us one that's really quiet, and not much happens, such that we could explore her at rest, so to speak. But with short seasons, each episode needs to be major stuff happening, which she's not supposed to be involved with while suspended.

Basically, what we'd want for her was what we used to call a "filler" episode. There's no room for them now. Sorry.

She's not on duty while she's suspended. That doesn't mean she wouldn't find a way to help out in a crisis, in some manner other than trying to fly something.

 

[Umbran]

She's not on duty while she's suspended. That doesn't mean she wouldn't find a way to help out in a crisis, in some manner other than trying to fly something.

But then, why bother having her suspended for the story if it doesn't keep her from engaging? There's nothing specific about the suspension that we cannot do without for her character building.

It isn't like they restrict folks from working outside their expertise - with M'Benga doing work in thrusters and stuff. They've had Uhura work down in Engineering. Have a story where, suspended or not, you have Ortegas just not be able to reach the bridge in a crisis, and you get the same basic effect, even without suspension.

As before - I think the suspension would have been a nice frame for an Ortegas story, if they had space for "fillers" (which, properly done, are usually character development stories). But, I don't think they have space in the schedule to use that frame well.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Agree, it would have been a good idea to take away flying the ship from Ortegas for a while, so she, and the audience, can learn what else there is to her.

 

[Stalker0]

But then, why bother having her suspended for the story if it doesn't keep her from engaging? There's nothing specific about the suspension that we cannot do without for her character building.

Because a suspension is a way to communicate to the viewer that Ortegas "seriously messed up". She was suspended, which goes on her record. Whether 1 week or 3 months, the scene itself communicates that Una isn't letting this one slide.

Now I still believe this will come up again later in the season, but the scene itself already has impact beyond what they further choose to do with it.

 

[Umbran]

Because a suspension is a way to communicate to the viewer that Ortegas "seriously messed up".

The question is whether that is ESSENTIAL to an episode of character development for her or not. As in: can they absolutely not do development for her if she isn't suspended, or something? Not "would it have been cool", but "is it necessary.

If not, the complication it imposes on the narrative for the episode overall may not be worth trying to deal with. it. As you note, they can refer to it without having it in place for the episode.

 

[Ryujin]

The question is whether that is ESSENTIAL to an episode of character development for her or not. As in: can they absolutely not do development for her if she isn't suspended, or something? Not "would it have been cool", but "is it necessary.

If not, the complication it imposes on the narrative for the episode overall may not be worth trying to deal with. it. As you note, they can refer to it without having it in place for the episode.

Hopefully it's a Chekhov's Gun and will later be of significance.

 

[Umbran]

Hopefully it's a Chekhov's Gun and will later be of significance.

I can't say I really care that much. There's tons of way a character can go without keying off one suspension from duty as a central element.