Whats With Zelenka?

[Wrath Of Odin]

Whats with Zelenka in the last few episodes first he's made out to be some sort of up himself genius and so much better than Shepard when there discussing finding out where Daniel and Rodney went. And then to add insult to injury he's upstaged by a Teenager who somehow manages to do what he cant. And lets not forget the episode where he was stuck in the tiny room with Carter wheres he's made out to be some sort of pervert weirdo.

I was reallly hoping somehow he would end up being a main character on Universe but I suppose thats not gonna happen after reading the casting call.

[jenks]

His friends call him Quagmire.

[Cheshyre]

Thank you, Jenks. I was meaning to clean my monitor. The water spray did so nicely.

Onto the topic at hand...

I don't think when Zelenka told Sheppard that he couldn't dumb down the math enough for him to understand it was meant to be an insult. I realize Sheppard could have been in MENSA, but I imagine there are some math concepts that are so far advanced that people without some rudimentary knowledge of the basics of that concept would have a hard time getting it. Also, Zelenka isn't just explaining things to Sheppard, but also to the audience.

As for being upstaged by a teenager, I don't think he was, really. That kid, who grew up working on hyperdrives and basically built her own, SHOULD know more about it than Zelenka. Now, if you changed the playing field to Atlantis, I doubt the kid would be able to hold her own against Zelenka. It's not saying that Zelenka is suddenly incompetent; he was just a little out of his element in that particular situation.

And I never got that he was portrayed as a pervert when he was stuck in the transporter with Carter. It was more like he was flustered and uncomfortable with the situation and trying to "look good" in front of the boss.

[the fifth man]

Thank you, Jenks. I was meaning to clean my monitor. The water spray did so nicely.

Onto the topic at hand...

I don't think when Zelenka told Sheppard that he couldn't dumb down the math enough for him to understand it was meant to be an insult. I realize Sheppard could have been in MENSA, but I imagine there are some math concepts that are so far advanced that people without some rudimentary knowledge of the basics of that concept would have a hard time getting it. Also, Zelenka isn't just explaining things to Sheppard, but also to the audience.

As for being upstaged by a teenager, I don't think he was, really. That kid, who grew up working on hyperdrives and basically built her own, SHOULD know more about it than Zelenka. Now, if you changed the playing field to Atlantis, I doubt the kid would be able to hold her own against Zelenka. It's not saying that Zelenka is suddenly incompetent; he was just a little out of his element in that particular situation.

And I never got that he was portrayed as a pervert when he was stuck in the transporter with Carter. It was more like he was flustered and uncomfortable with the situation and trying to "look good" in front of the boss.

I agree with you completely. On all three counts.

[MelbournePates]

Thank you, Jenks. I was meaning to clean my monitor. The water spray did so nicely.
As for being upstaged by a teenager, I don't think he was, really. That kid, who grew up working on hyperdrives and basically built her own, SHOULD know more about it than Zelenka. Now, if you changed the playing field to Atlantis, I doubt the kid would be able to hold her own against Zelenka. It's not saying that Zelenka is suddenly incompetent; he was just a little out of his element in that particular situation.

Plus he was much more concerned with repurcusions and safety then the teenager who was always out to impress.

In First Contact he was shown to be almost as brilliant as Mckay in the way he handled the power build up in the gate, there was nothing more anyone could've done and in doing what he did he saved the lives of many on Atlantis.

[JackHarkness_Hot]

Teenagers are just cocky young individuals, however, I liked the teenager, she held her own (like she did activate a hyperspace window hence saving thr Daedalus when Zalenka said he couldn't) and she had a lot of spunk.

[kymeric]

Whats with Zelenka in the last few episodes first he's made out to be some sort of up himself genius and so much better than Shepard when there discussing finding out where Daniel and Rodney went. And then to add insult to injury he's upstaged by a Teenager who somehow manages to do what he cant. And lets not forget the episode where he was stuck in the tiny room with Carter wheres he's made out to be some sort of pervert weirdo.

I was reallly hoping somehow he would end up being a main character on Universe but I suppose thats not gonna happen after reading the casting call.

They make a few jokes of him in season four, and he saved the day once. Hes that quirky I.T. guy we all work with who we give some $#!^ just for fun now and then.

[Rosehawk]

I don't think when Zelenka told Sheppard that he couldn't dumb down the math enough for him to understand it was meant to be an insult. I realize Sheppard could have been in MENSA, but I imagine there are some math concepts that are so far advanced that people without some rudimentary knowledge of the basics of that concept would have a hard time getting it. Also, Zelenka isn't just explaining things to Sheppard, but also to the audience.

I agree. Zelenka was by no means insulting Sheppard intelligence. Sheppard wanted a clear description of what Zelenka was doing and Zelenka was trying to find a way to communciate it quickly to a person who hadn't studied the math. Using the word 'dumb' was the quickest way to get across just how complicated the math was that he was using.

As for being upstaged by a teenager, I don't think he was, really. That kid, who grew up working on hyperdrives and basically built her own, SHOULD know more about it than Zelenka. Now, if you changed the playing field to Atlantis, I doubt the kid would be able to hold her own against Zelenka. It's not saying that Zelenka is suddenly incompetent; he was just a little out of his element in that particular situation.

Zelenka was definitely out of his element. It was obvious Zelenka had his doubts because it was such a crude hyperdrive while the girl had been working on these for 10 plus years would have total confidence, afterall she hadn't gotten them blown up. If she didn't have confidence in her abilities to work on the Travelers engines and hyperdrive, the Travelers wouldn't have her working on them. And to be honest, if anyone told an adult that a teen was doing something as complex as keeping a ship running, and that adult not knowing all the details, I think just about any adult would be a skeptic until proven otherwise.

And I never got that he was portrayed as a pervert when he was stuck in the transporter with Carter. It was more like he was flustered and uncomfortable with the situation and trying to "look good" in front of the boss.

I think the reference was more to the elevator scene when he glanced at Sam's assets. They were in a tight situation, he happened to turn and got an eyeful....most people would have looked. Radek did turned away. He didn't do anything wrong.

[Cheshyre]

I think the reference was more to the elevator scene when he glanced at Sam's assets. They were in a tight situation, he happened to turn and got an eyeful....most people would have looked. Radek did turned away. He didn't do anything wrong.

Agreed. He glanced; he didn't stare. If that supposedly makes him a pervert, then some people have very low standards.

[Voxyn]

I spent that whole scene in the transporter looking at them.

Spoiler:

Joke

I agree that Zelenka is not insulting to Sheppard.
He told what he was thinking when asked a direct question.
Now if it was Rodney instead of Zelenka it would have been something like, "Sorry but this is so incredibly complicated I don't think I can explain it to you. And even if I could it would be a waste of time because this is the best way to find them and I'm the only one on this planet that can do it. Now will you please let me work?!"

[CarnalPIE]

And Rodney would be correct! LOL

[jenks]

McKAY: You can say you don’t like him. It’s fine! I don’t like him!
KELLER: Oh, he’s certainly a unique guy. (She grimaces briefly at Sam.) He’s always telling me how nice my hair smells – it’s a little weird.

lol

[Voxyn]

OK that DOES sound a bit weird.
But to me that just says that Zelenka is an awkward guy not used to chatting with hot ladies.

He knows he should be nice and perhaps give a compliment.
He's just too awkward to give one that isn't creepy.

[DragonLadyK]

OK that DOES sound a bit weird.
But to me that just says that Zelenka is an awkward guy not used to chatting with hot ladies.

He knows he should be nice and perhaps give a compliment.
He's just too awkward to give one that isn't creepy.

Or he just trying to figure out what shampoo she used since Ronon said he liked it. *cough*

By the way, "redardedly" is spelled with a d. Not "retartedly." ^^

DragonLady

[Cheshyre]

OK that DOES sound a bit weird.
But to me that just says that Zelenka is an awkward guy not used to chatting with hot ladies.

He knows he should be nice and perhaps give a compliment.
He's just too awkward to give one that isn't creepy.

The awkwardness makes sense. To be fair, though, we don't know the context of the compliment. It's entirely possible the situation would have made it less creepy than Keller implied (if that's what she meant to imply, anyway).

But, I cackled at that scene just the same.