CMO Phlox

[Alelou]

I would agree with that.

I often find Phlox funny (I agree, Distracted, that it was a funny line), but I imagine if I were truly his patient I might not find it amusing. However, I think he also has a real motivation for his line -- it's not just a dumb joke. Malcolm presumably did need to put up with the pain to get better. Anyone who has life-saving surgery has to put up with pain and discomfort to get better. But if you have people wincing or crying or annoyed or angry at you all day because you have to give them shots or do other things to them that hurt and scare them, you'd probably go insane if you didn't develop a fairly dark sense of humor about it.

Or maybe you'd get suicidal. I read somewhere that dentists have the highest rate of suicide. Can't vouch for its validity, though.

[Cogito]

I would disagree with that. While Phlox obviously did have a well developed sense of humor, and the differences in cultural sensibilities often did lead to amusing awkwardness. I felt John Billingsly managed to portray a very well rounded personality, with virtues, flaws, and vulnerabilities. Quite a feat considering he wasn't given a great deal of material on par with his abilities as an actor. But then again, nobody was, not even Mr. Bakula.

Yeah. The cast varied from outstanding to pert, but they each portrayed characters that interested me and made me feel that, with the right material, they could have been really great. Scott Bakula comes across as a very likeable fellow and I think that it's a testament to his acting ability that he managed to portray an arrogant and petulant Archer so convincingly. John Billingsly I think took a character who had the potential to be as annoying as Neelix, and made him somebody that was quite alien but also thoroughly likeable.

[WarpGirl]

As a recipient of more bone and nerve surgery than anyone ( especially at age 6) should ever have to deal with, I have to say that sometimes tough love has a place in the medical profession. To give someone treatment sometimes the cure is worse than the illness. I'm sure both the distinguished MD's on this board know that. Frankly, it sucks more for most Drs. than it ever does for the patient. I don't blame the man for having a coping mechanism, it seemed that his humor also helped the patients.

Cogito please don't be too harsh on Neelix, he has a special place in my heart. And he's awesome if you watch him on Demerol! I spent a lot of time watching VOY in the hospital.

[Alelou]

Scott Bakula comes across as a very likeable fellow and I think that it's a testament to his acting ability that he managed to portray an arrogant and petulant Archer so convincingly.

??? This is one of those moments when I wonder if we watched the same show.

Personally, I think Bakula was at his worst when trying to act angry, as it doesn't seem to come naturally at all. See MU episodes for worst case of this EVER. See that cut scene in the shuttle bay. I still suspect they actually cut that out because the acting was just so awful. (Which, by the way, seems to have been what the director demanded, so it's not necessarily the poor actors' fault. They may still have nightmares about it.)

[Cogito]

I guess I just saw Archer being a jerk and thought "Archer is being a jerk again" rather than "Scott isn't doing a very convincing impression of being angry".

[Alelou]

If you're talking about the first season, I can get that (at least a little) -- although I thought it was less angry than an unpleasant combination of defensive and patronizing. It was a strange choice for them to make with that character, since although it increased the dramatic conflict with T'Pol it made Archer far less sympathetic out of the gate. When I look at "Fight or Flight," the second episode and such an awful one, I ask myself what the hell they were thinking. In that episode he does indeed look stupid and petulant. Trip and T'Pol are already bonding as they try to deal with him. It might even be realistic for an untested new captain learning the hard way, but you just don't do that to your lead (or your audience).

[putaro]

Personally, I think Bakula was at his worst when trying to act angry, as it doesn't seem to come naturally at all. See MU episodes for worst case of this EVER.

I agree that Bakula's not so good at angry, but the MU episodes are so far gone that it can't all be him - the director's gotta take some responsibility for it as well (you know, a little direction might have helped - "Scott, you don't need to shout in this scene"). Perhaps they were trying to play it tongue-in-cheek (though he would have bitten his tongue off) and it didn't come across.

[Alelou]

Why do I think that somewhere I read CT talking about how the director had urged them to really go for broke, act like pirates or something like that, so he did a scene way over the top as a kind of joke, and then the director said, "Okay, print it." Meanwhile, he's thinking, "What? No! Wait! That was a joke!"

Who knows. Judging from the out-takes I would guess CT wasn't really a jokester. I get the impression the guy mostly just wanted to get his scenes done and GO HOME already.

[Silverbullet]

Doctor distracted, glad that yu will listen to someone wh actually has a problem. I am afflicted with Diabetic Neropathy and the other one whose name I cannot remember right now . It inteferes with pain medication. What happens is that instead of easing pain the pain medication incrases it.

Whatever,two simple broken bones have laed to hell. It has made me so depressed that I break down at times.

I have been living inpain for weks now becuase of this damned stuff.

I had a relapese yesterdday but am better today.

SB

[Cogito]

Your absence yesterday was noticed. I'm glad to see that you're feeling better (or perhaps I should say 'less bad') today. I almost wrote 'back on your feet' there but I guess that would have fallen flat. And no, that wasn't a reference to your latest adventures. Oops, perhaps I'd better stop digging!

Good to see you back, anyway.