Bridge People
Posted by BloodtidetheRed@reddit | TNG | View on Reddit | 14 comments
So....what do all the background people on the bridge do? Other then replace the Main Characters when they go off to have fun?
We see them in nearly every episode. Standing there, pushing buttons. But doing what? What is so important that it needs to be done, standing on the main bridge, for a whole shift?
They can't be doing too much important tasks, as they might be suddenly called to main a bridge station for hours.
So are they just given busy work?
We also see a lot of blue uniforms back there, but why? We never see a blue officer at conn or ops, right?
froot_loop_dingus_@reddit
Making sure all the panels are wired to blow at the slightest jostling
Business-Decision719@reddit
This is Starfleet. These people may be "nameless human-looking ensign #78" today, but one day they might be a CMO, ship's counselor, science officer, chief engineer, operations department head, security chief, maybe even first officer. Maybe, one day, captain. Perhaps eventually even admiral.
Plus, as Q says , "it's not safe out here." At any given moment, something could happen, parts of the bridge crew might be possessed, or trapped on the planet, or getting eaten by a tar monster, whatever. For all we know, the helmsman might end up in command. There's still going to have to be someone to steer the ship, man the comms, fire the weapons, whatever our main heroes usually do on the bridge.
You ideally don't want someone's first time on the bridge, to be the first time they're needed on the bridge.
My head canon is they schedule promising offers who usually work downstairs to take shifts on the bridge from time to time, let them try out different bridge stations, watch the bridge crew in action, and generally start acclimating to the overall environment of commanding a starship. We even see them giving Wesley opportunities on the bridge, when he is still a promising civilian. (Well, acting ensign I guess, field commission so he doesn't have to wait for the Academy.)
Also sometimes they do check in with these people, hear out their perspective on a course of action, listen if they have a creative idea, etc. Maybe not everyone who's on the bridge is doing something that needs to be done on the bridge rather than elsewhere, but there's probably a sense that a lot of people will eventually need bridge experience.
weirdoldhobo1978@reddit
The terminals behind the tactical station are science and engineering stations, so if you see a random blue suit on the bridge that's where you're most likely to see them.
Doing...science...stuff.
LiahKnight@reddit
I'm assuming the actual senior staff are meant to use those, but they're usually in engineering proper or whatever lab they're in, so most of the time it's filled with extras.
dinosaurkiller@reddit
Those terminals are configurable. Jellico has, I believe 2 of them repurposed and manned at all times in preparation for conflict with the Cardassians.
Set_the_Mighty@reddit
Getting hit with exploding EPS conduit in a cinematically pleasing way is also a requirement.
BoiledStegosaur@reddit
Just like the astronauts on the ISS, I imagine different departments have ongoing research, experiments, and other projects happening on the ship at all times. Crew on the bridge may be accessing sensor arrays or other equipment to conduct these various projects.
Remember the episode when Picard couldn’t use the replicators because astrometrics was running an experiment? I loved that real ‘slice of life’ writing to give us insight into how the enterprise functions.
weirdoldhobo1978@reddit
"Oh, crap. I bricked the replicators and it's the Captain's tea time. What do we do?"
"Call Phleg in Astrometrics and tell him to start defragging all the navigational data from the last six months. We'll say they're running an experiment."
ExpectedBehaviour@reddit
The bridge stations are: Science I; Science II; Mission Ops; Environment; Engineering. So, presumably, they're doing science things, mission ops things, environmental things, and engineering things.
thirdeyefish@reddit
If I recall correctly, the stations are Science, Science II, Environment, Operations, and Engineering. Science and Sci II are going to be running those scans on the planet/comet/stellar nursery/whatever they are exploring when the call to action comes. Operations is going to be monitoring and directing maintenance and repair to various parts of the ship. Engineering is a summary of various things going on in engineering. Control is possible from there but speed and freedom are reduced.
These stations can be reassigned on the fly, which is why you see those stations used to do library searches. Also, when Jelico takes command, the stations all get changed to reflect imminent battle.
iamthepita@reddit
Passing messages
owlpellet@reddit
We see Worf and Data tap people out when they walk onto the bridge, so I assume that they're the assigned people and in most cases are driving the boat, but we the viewer happen to see the crisis moments when The Boss is going hands on. When this happens they're on standby to reverse the polarity.
ryhoyarbie@reddit
I’m assuming the people in the back are monitoring things and send the information back to their department heads like engineering, ops, etc. It’s about as much fun as being stuck in a transporter room with nothing to do.
As for why there are no people in blue manning the operations or helm station, operations officers wear gold and helm officers wear red. People in blue work in science and medical. If someone in a blue uniform were to man one of those stations, there’s probably a crises going on.
Used-Gas-6525@reddit
Blueshirts are science/medical staff. They ain't driving the ship. Honestly, they put the randos in because it's a big set and if it was just populated by the 6-7 people we know, it would look empty. And that's not a good look for the Federation flagship.