I just wanted to reiterate my comments that I thought Hoshi was looking especially pretty in "Proving Ground". Was it lighting? Slight makeup change? The camera actually lingering on her for more than half a second at a time?

I must admit, as a language student, I was very excited about the Hoshi character. It's damn hard translating on the fly and when you're stressed, it's even harder. And in those first few episodes, I was trying to find the grammar that she was hearing/learning.

But then came Two Days and Two Nights and she mispronounced a very easy French phrase. And in the series opener she corrected a student for mispronounciation, which stuck in my craw right away. Which is why I'm picking on her now. (Late, but still...)

But, despite that nit-pick, I hope they bring back that translating Hoshi again. The new languages are fascinating to me, wish I had the time to study them.

ETA--She did learn that perfection isn't required very early on, but it was just something about the character that bothered me. And it took Quantum to teach that sometimes good enough isn't just for horseshoes and handgrenades. But she's definitely grown since then. Now, if we could see her translate more.

Looks like Linda's turning belly-up on the series.

It's too bad that she's already coming out and saying how ready she is to "move on" when the prognosis of the show hasn't been released yet.

Not entirely surprising, seeing as how she was set on using Trek as a career launchpad. Now that it's in jeopardy, she's positioning herself for the jump.

I think it's unfortunate and not really considerate of her fellow castmembers to be advertising that fact already.

No question about that. If Enterprise doesn't get cancelled, she'd still be under contract, though, right? Or does she have a negotiation coming up?

She'd still be under contract, I'm sure.

I don't read that interview the same way. I seriously doubt she'd try to squirm out of her contact if the show gets renewed. I just see her trying to see the bright side of cancellation.

She feels isolated? I know how to fix that. (Linda, if you're reading this, and I assume you aren't, my e-mail's in my profile.)

I didn't say I saw her trying to squirm out of her contract, I'm just sorry for how she's being so open about "moving on" when it's really more the time to be a team player. At least until the final decree comes through.

I'm with you, keckler, it seems insensitive at the very least. I've been taking acting lessons for less than a year, but already I've absorbed enough of the performance mind set to feel that would be a violation of cast spirit.

I guess I never got the Hoshi-is-a-loner feeling from the character. She made a real effort to make nice with the MACOs. She reached out to Reed for the birthday food episode. She tried to bond with T'Pol for her anxiety attack therapy. She's real friendly with Phlox. She got laid on shore leave! Granted, none of those story lines ever went anywhere but I don't see how that suddenly makes Hoshi a loner.


I interpreted that as loneliness from being the only language, etc. genius on the ship. And maybe no one is reciprocating her attempts to reach out to others.

Me neither, but I don't think they devoted sufficient screen time to the character for us to reach a conclusion about it one way or another.


But she didn't get to participate in the beer-drinking, which earned some mild ire from keckler.


But she didn't hang out with anyone on the crew while on shore leave, and I don't think she even told anyone about bedding Dracula.

She did seem to be forming a friendship with Phlox, though. Perhaps if they were still giving her screen time, they might explore it further. "Doctor's Orders" might have been better if Hoshi had been in T'Pol's place, although that wouldn't have really worked.

Yup, I had the same reaction. Not that I feel she needs to dish about that aspect of her personal life to be considered not a loner. Especially since they were making an obvious comparison between how Reed and Trip were acting all braggy and then not getting laid and Hoshi keeping her own counsel and actually getting laid.

I do see how she is somewhat loner-ish and I think that's the fault of the writing and not giving her much screen time at all.

I feel the same way. I think the writers just don't care about this character, so she doesn't have anything really written for her. If there are any "loner" implications being given in the writing, it's probably just the writers excusing their almost utter lack of concern for this character. I'm sure if they could just inexplicably drop her from the show (a la Judy Winslow from Family Matters), they'd do it. It's not so easy to do that in Star Trek, though.

If they're that bored with her, they could at least kill her off - or are they worried about taking flack for getting rid of their Asian actress? It's not that I *want* them to kill Hoshi; I like Hoshi (at least, my own mental conception of Hoshi). But it's stupid to pay this actress to do basically nothing and stupid to write this character just so that they have a "regular" in all of the bridge positions ...

I agree with you wholeheartedly LadyBunbury. They could always bring her back for flashbacks or alternate universes if they needed to. And having Hoshi get killed during The Mission would certainly up the level of angst for everyone else.

Surprised no one's bumped this. So, do you suppose we're losing Linda Park? Do you think she'll manage the amazing thespian feat of looking bored while screaming?

I've got the feeling Hoshi's toast. The show has already been showing this season that it's not afraid to kill characters, and what better to draw more interest to the show than by killing a regular? And she's bored being there anyway, so why not her?

I'm sure she'll go out like a fine officer. Poor Hoshi. So young. So pretty. So boring.

Ugh -- if they kill off Hoshi we'll have to deal with so MUCH Quantum Guilt since he badgered her into coming aboard in the first place.

That's an unpleasant thought. He'll furrow himself into an implosion. It'll be like a black hole of furrow.

Now that we know how Ms. Park feels about the role, it will almost be anti-climactic if they kill Hoshi. To me, there is some pathos lost.

I guess we won't have to worry about that after tonight. He looks determined to finish her off himself.

Thus upping the guilt.

Guys, you're all making me worried. They can't kill Hoshi. They just can't. Okay, maybe Linda Park isn't lighting up the screen with her performances anymore. She's bored, and both Trineer and Blalock have had sufficient screen time to surpass her. But still, Hoshi's an awesome character. Adding an extra encryption layer when she's supposed to be decrypting? Awesome. I actually said, "Ha!" on her behalf at the Reptilians. Trying to throw herself off the balcony? Awesome.

Plus, so pretty. Yeah, I know, it's shallow, but still: so pretty.

I agree, Cleo, but I'm wondering whether she asked to be released from the show. I mean, with all the lack of screen time and the constant uncertainty on the set about the show -- there's only so much you could put up with when you don't even feel that wedded to the show anymore. You know?

I agree as well, Cleo. It's hard to watch such pretty be tortured.

Also, as much as Park may feel she's underused on the show (and I can't argue with her on that), what are her chances of making it big outside of this show? Unfortunately, Hollywood isn't still too with it when it comes to casting a variety of Asian American actors other than the already famous few, and she hasn't really shown any stellar ability that warrants special attention for herself.

Not that other Trek actors who have left have necessarily had better prospects lined up. Or about a zillion other TV actors.

But yeah. There was a thing on VH-1 I was watching where some people were talking about portrayals of Asians on TV, and they mentioned a near-complete list of Asian regulars on TV shows. And George Takei, Garrett Wang, and Linda Park were, like, half the list.

Well, I'm not going to lose sleep over it until after next week, anyway.


Absolutely. Totally. Hell, my job's been like that more than enough lately, so I can practically sympathize.

If she does go, I hope the words "blaze of glory" are somehow involved.

But they killed off a semi-regular this week. Why do it when you have another death lined up?

I doubt Hoshi's gonna die. I am gonna miss Hayes though. Or, really, I'm gonna miss Steven Culp.

Phew! She didn't die.

I really liked seeing Archer trying to get Hoshi working on the schematics of the weapon. Although it's easy to interpret that as him being a jerk, I liked what he was trying to do for her. He was trying to keep her busy and focused, because when she wasn't she was guilt-tripping and swiss-cheese-brained. Also, by finding a way to destroy the weapon, she could make up for giving the Xindi the third code. Not that anyone else would hold it against her, but she would be guilt-ridden for the rest of her life. But I think this will help alleviate her guilt.

Also, I really liked her behavior in the firefight aboard the weapon, just wanting to hide. After three years of her getting better with the dangers of space exploration, and more and more brave, I loved that this experience sort of knocked her back into her shell. I mean, poor Hoshi, but I do enjoy seeing characters tormented like that. I hope we see a little more of her reverting to scaredy-cat next season, and then eventually conquering it.

I hope next season we see her question her desire to serve again. After how she was tormented, I could completely understand if she said, "I've done my part, it's time for me to enjoy life again." I'd prefer that to scaredy-cat.

And I loved the scene with Archer too. He really seemed upset that he was making her work, but he needed the info. That was a really great scene.

Thankfully she was actually useful too and Quantum didn't endanger her needlessly. AND she didn't need the pad, instead she remembered it. I was dreading a whimpering, "I don't know."

In the second episode, Hoshi get embarrased that she screamed "like a twelve year old girl" after she freaks out on an away mission (she didn't expect corpses on hooks!). In the last season, they kinda got away from this aspect of Hoshi. Not that I want to see her deal with her apprehension every week, but I'm totally cool with the idea of a character in tense situations being afraid and uncertain, it gives them growth later when they acknowledge it and keep going. So I'm with Cleo's wish for some sense of the damage the Xindi did to Hoshi's confidence in the next season, and her dealing with it.
Props to Linda Park's excellent performance! Also props to Cleo...I always enjoy yer posts. (this is not a Rule of Acquisition #33 situation, I'm just sayin.)

In a way, the out-of-the-blue cliffhanger works well in terms of keeping Hoshi around. Because if they just got back to Earth with a heroes' welcome, it would be very natural for her to hand in her pips and join the private sector.

Too bad that she'd get put in a camp. What with the Japaneseness and all.

If the timeline's changed, that may not happen.

In an article on StarTrek.com, which is quite spoilery so I won't link it, they mentioned that Linda Park is dating Tom Hardy. You may remember him from such roles as Shinzon in Nemesis.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go get a Shinzon action figure and stick pins in it. The lucky bastard.

I never liked that Shinzon. How dare he try to share the screen with Patrick Stewart. And Hardy? What is he related Olliver?

Anyhoo, I'm "happy" for Linda. Hoorah.

Aww, our cute little bored one showed some real emotion when she saw her cap'n alive and well in the premiere. See, she can emote!

I really hope they start giving her something to do. Four years - hasn't she paid her dues?

*Erase "Vanishing Point" and "Hoshi and the Beast" from your minds*

Does anyone want to start a pool on how many lines Hoshi will average each week? Of course, she'll get just enough for us to actually count. Any takers? >holds out pen and pad<

I would like to start a Hoshi vs Travis line count. Gotta be careful, though. By the end of the season, I might run out of fingers.

Hee! I'm with it. Bet we don't even have to use the second hand. Poor woman.

Since it's been almost two months...

Has it ever been mentioned before that Hoshi was kicked out of the academy? I just find it hard to believe that it's been almost four years, and this is the first time Trip (or us) is hearing about this.

Agreed, but I'll just throw this out there ... in "Exile" much was made of her feeling isolated and lonely, even among the crew after all this time. Perhaps she's closed herself off as far as revealing much of her background.

Also, in the first few episodes of the first season, she was fighting her fear and trying to come off more like the rest of the crew, and less like a "screaming little girl." Maybe she thought that it wouldn't help her case if they all knew she'd been kicked out of the academy early on ... like between the screaming and the expulsion she was afraid they'd never trust her or take her seriously.

Now, the black belt ... geez, you'd think they'd have at least shown her practicing before. Oh, wait, that would would require giving her screen time.

oh, they could use the "Asian Factor" in Hoshi's case.

I live in an Asian country, and I've lost count on how many docile Asian girls I've met who scream at the slightest scare like a spider, and look soooooo very timid, yet own a black belt in some kinda martial art and can kick the daylights out of some guy.

If she was a Black Belt she sure did not show it when the Xindi kidnapped her.

Well there's a difference between knowing the stuff and being able to act on it at a moment's notice.

I'm not a black belt, but the tiny amount of experience I had in a self defense course once established for me that martial arts is about training the body to respond to certain stimuli automatically. Hoshi would have to have practiced for hours to establish enough proficiency to get to a black belt. She'd have exhibited that by now.

If you really want a wank: Maybe she was pretending to not be proficient in a martial art because she hates Asian stereotyping and wanted a fresh start. ;)

The more I've thought about it, the more Hoshi's characterization in "Observer Effect" bugged me:

1) She said she was never sent to the principal's office. So she was a by-the-book, follow-the-rules type as a kid, and a by-the-book, follow-the-rules adult, yet during her time in a semi-military school, she was rebellious enough to be bending the rules? I guess it's a rebellious age. And the reason I was a good kid was because when everyone else was breaking the rules, I was the one who got caught. So maybe this incident turned her back into the follow-the-rules type. But that's a bit of a reach

2) She went to Starfleet Academy. That blows my wank for why she wasn't carrying guns around early on. I thought maybe she was a science specialist who then got a Starfleet commission. But she actually went to the Academy, which means she must have learned to fire a phase pistol. So why, in "Broken Bow", is she weaponless?

3) I have no problem, from a stereotype angle, with Hoshi having a black belt. She's a good student, she's in great shape, so it's in character for her to have studied some martial art. But it should have shown before now. A better fight against the Xindi, a sense that she's not afraid of fighting bad guys, something.

Funny how a character with so little screen time can have so many seeming sudden contradictions introduced by one episode.

She never graduated. Maybe you need to be an Academy graduate (for whatever reason) to carry a weapon or she missed weapons training or something.

Utter fear of the moment?

I thought the Academy didn't exist in NX-01's time? I thought it was just flight school/general training that they were talking about.

Plus, I seem to remember she was trained on an older type of weapon in "Broken Bow" and they were all getting used to the newer phase pistols.

And they also showed in "Observer Effect" that she doesn't pilot a shuttlecraft all that well. (Then again, Trip wasn't the best either.)

It sort of makes sense that she was recruited by Starfleet for her language ability, and dropped out because she felt trapped in something she didn't exactly anticipate. But, wild and crazy breaking the rules Hoshi, especially after the "I never got sent to the principal's office" doesn't exactly mesh.

Despite the huge flaws, it was refreshing seeing Trip and Hoshi talking like normal people in the decon chamber. I'll take that even if it does introduce contradictory information, as long as Quantum isn't taking up every second of screen time. Now that they got their feet wet, here's hoping we see more of the same, only a bit more accurate.

I guess I'm alone in not having a problem with Hoshi's newly revealed history. I'm perfectly content with djspinnet's little asian girl explanation. Sure, she lacked confidence at the beginning of the series, but I think she just felt out of her element. She never intended to go out into space exploring.

As for the whole Starfleet Academy thing, Trip and Hoshi never called it that. They called it STC, which I'm guessing is an acronym for Starfleet Training Camp. It doesn't sound like the eqivalent of Annapolis or West Point like the Starfleet Academy we're used to, but more like an extension of Basic Training, not a 4 year replacement for college. If you look at it that way, it would make sense that Hoshi wouldn't have had a lot of practice on newer weapons. She's a linguist. She never expected to have to actually use weapons. Kind of like doctors, lawyers, etc. in the military.

As for the whole "never went to the principal's office, never break the rules" thing, she explained that the poker game wasn't actually breaking the rules. She was running it on weekends. Breaking her superior's arm is a bit of a stretch, but I doubt that she intended to break it. She was probably trying to stop him from destroying the game (I don't know. Maybe she was winning at the time and she overreacted.)

It does. Travis went there. He's said so a couple times.
Ah, I missed that point. That's an important distinction, right there. I'd always assumed she did something like that, which would include only limited weapons training. I must have just missed that point in the dialogue.
Yeah, but someone who skirts the line of the rules like that tends often to get sent to the principal's office. Violating the spirit of the law, if not the letter, gets you at least a talking-to. I'm just going to accept that she did it because she was entering a rebellious phase.