[chator]

Originally Posted by horatio

Some dynamics in the show might have been different with Ro instead of Kira.

Not because Kira was in the Resistance and because Ro joined the Maquis, that happened in TNG's last season (so it would not have happened had Ro been in DS9) and Ro might have gotten a Resistance background (just like O'Brien, a polymath, the Chekov of the 24th century, got some engineering skills); rather because she is not a Bajoran officer and more introverted than Kira. The latter seems to be most important in terms of interaction with other characters IMO.

Great observations, Horatio! When Michelle Forbes debuted on TNG i thought she was the most interesting character or guest star to appear on that show in a long while. She was the foil to TNG's established rhythm and family-like coziness. I think she was an unintended influence on both the Kira character and B'elana. Kira's personal history suits her better on DS9, they couldn't have had all those good stories that went back into the occupation period of Bajor without that. And Ro Laren would have been little more than a Federation interloper, someone with no real authority to speak about the occupation and what it had done to her people. Honestly, i think Michelle Forbes is a better actress and more formidable than Nana Visitor.

[kevin]

I think both are fine actresses in the parts they played.

[chator]

Originally Posted by kevin

I think both are fine actresses in the parts they played.

True, but I agree with the earlier comment that Ro Laren was somehow edgier. It worked remarkably well on TNG, I'm not sure it would have worked as well on DS9 which had its share of edgy characters; Edgy Commander Sisko, Edgy Security Chief Odo...

[horatio]

Originally Posted by chator

Great observations, Horatio! When Michelle Forbes debuted on TNG i thought she was the most interesting character or guest star to appear on that show in a long while. She was the foil to TNG's established rhythm and family-like coziness. I think she was an unintended influence on both the Kira character and B'elana. Kira's personal history suits her better on DS9, they couldn't have had all those good stories that went back into the occupation period of Bajor without that. And Ro Laren would have been little more than a Federation interloper, someone with no real authority to speak about the occupation and what it had done to her people. Honestly, i think Michelle Forbes is a better actress and more formidable than Nana Visitor.

Thanks, Chator. I agree, Ro was the more interesting character but Kira was better suited for DS9.

[kevin]

Originally Posted by chator

True, but I agree with the earlier comment that Ro Laren was somehow edgier. It worked remarkably well on TNG, I'm not sure it would have worked as well on DS9 which had its share of edgy characters; Edgy Commander Sisko, Edgy Security Chief Odo...

I agree she was edgy for TNG - in respect of DS9, she would have been more muted in impact I think.

[DevilEyes]

Originally Posted by kevin

I agree she was edgy for TNG - in respect of DS9, she would have been more muted in impact I think.

She would have fit on DS9, but she would've been far from the edgiest person there. Worf was "edgy" on TNG compared to the rest of the cast, but on DS9 he seemed like one of the safer and duller characters. Not that Ro could ever be safe or dull, but saying that Ro was edgier than Kira because Ro stood out as the rebel in the TNG crew, is a bit like saying that Liam Neeson is taller than Michael Jordan, because Neeson is taller than most of his co-stars, while Jordan did not stand out as tall compared to the rest of the NBA league.

Originally Posted by chator

Honestly, i think Michelle Forbes is a better actress and more formidable than Nana Visitor.

I disagree. They were both perfectly suited to their roles, but Nana Visitor made me feel for Kira a lot more than Forbes did for Ro.

[Roysten]

I think Ro's edginess was more due to the character being younger and angier than Kira, Ro felt at odds with most of the TNG crew and was very impulsive with how she interacted with them. Kira was similar in the earlier series of DS9 but grew into a more mature character who was more level headed, a good example is Rocks and Shoals, with Kira having to decide how to deal with the Dominion Occupation.

Honestly, i think Michelle Forbes is a better actress and more formidable than Nana Visitor.

I agree with Devileyes here, both were great in their respective roles and both could be very formidable and strong when the episode allowed. One disadvantage Forbes had though was that she got a lot fewer episodes where her character could be truly strong and passionate, not having a fully developed Bajoran plotline was partly to blame and.

[kevin]

Originally Posted by DevilEyes

She would have fit on DS9, but she would've been far from the edgiest person there. Worf was "edgy" on TNG compared to the rest of the cast, but on DS9 he seemed like one of the safer and duller characters. Not that Ro could ever be safe or dull, but saying that Ro was edgier than Kira because Ro stood out as the rebel in the TNG crew, is a bit like saying that Liam Neeson is taller than Michael Jordan, because Neeson is taller than most of his co-stars, while Jordan did not stand out as tall compared to the rest of the NBA league.

I think that brings up the interesting notion of 'fitting' - I think mileage does vary but I don't think Worf fit in all that well with the DS9 crew. Some he did work well with obviously, and the reason he joined was fair enough.

But, as one of the few Klingons in Starfleet he obviously stood out on TNG given the TOS past with them, and that was blunted on DS9 quite a lot. But he at least 'fit' on TNG better than DS9.

Similarly I'm not sure that Forbes and Ro would have 'fit' DS9, her Bajoran past notwithstanding. I think in terms of that show, I prefer Visitor and Kira of the two.

[horatio]

Great point, Kevin. I'd like to add that Worf stood out a bit more out in the beginning of TNG, partly because the characters was new, partly because of the writing (the most funny Worf moments are in the first two seasons).

[kevin]

True, although I think that the Worf humour was slightly liberally placed through a lot of the series, less so on DS9 though, I find.

It came back in the movies quite a bit though.