h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

" I'm intrigued that the original plan had a woman character doing [Spock]'s job "

It went further than that. The original plan had her bearing some of Spock's emotionally-suppressed characteristics. In the original pilot, Spock is more clearly emotional - grinning like a loon in delight at some singing plants, for example - while the first officer is so buttoned down she doesn't even have a name.

In some ways, the "no female first officer" could be seen as simple sixties sexism. You could look at it another way, though - it would inevitably and depressingly have led, sooner or later, to the 'letting-her-hair-down' storyline, she'd have ended up banging Kirk, and then where do you go with it? And knowing what we know of notorious womaniser Roddenberry, this is even more inevitable. Which makes the execs' ruling against it seem just sensible, and arguably massively improved what would otherwise have been a more formulaic show.

Whereas with Spock in that role, there was what is now called bromance, but there was no danger of it ever jumping the shark.

I saw the film last night. Quite a lot of exhilarating action. I never thought I'd see Spock running after Khan at top speed. I usually think of Spock calmly standing somewhere and giving lofty advice. This cast is built for action. Even Scotty finds himself running through an enemy starship.

Spock was always nails in fight!

One bit I particularly liked was when he tried the Vulcan shoulder-grip-stun thing on Khan and he screamed - but didn't go down.

Nails in fight? That sounds like a local idiom. What does it mean?

Hard as nails. Normal (British) English expression.

Thanks for explaining.

And since you are not familiar with the phrase, I will add that it should probably read "Spock was always nails in a fight" rather than "nails in fight".

Ah yes, sorry. Talking gibberish again!

We're like residents in a global village [a digital village, for that matter]. I find it intensely stimulating to come here and be part of other people's lives, nevertheless knowing that sometimes they'll say things I don't quite get, and I'll throw in an expression that I *thought* everyone else would get, but they don't. I'm not the same as I was ten years ago, when I was newby on h2g2. It's been a fun ten years.