Manager of the FUTURE!

[sesquipedality]

In Star Trek: Deep Space 9, there is a certain pattern in crisis conversations.  Usually they are between Cisco and O'Brien and go something like this:

Cisco: Is there any way to re-energise to molestators?
O'Brien: Well I could reroute the capitulation circuit to cross-cut the tachyon pulse which should reverse the direction of chronon emissions.
Cisco: Good plan, chief.  How long will it take?
O'Brien: Two days
Cisco: You have half an hour.

Is it just me, or is demanding things faster than people say they can do them not a very useful management technique?  Is there something about stating a time limit with sufficient authority that slows down time, or something?

Comments

[thegreenman.livejournal.com]

The real point here is that much TV writing in the states is done by groups of writers to a specific formula - the above scenario is simply there to insert the necessary sense of jeopardy at a specific point in the plot...

[sesquipedality.livejournal.com]

Indeed. Mostly I'm drawing attention to it as a cheap trick used by lazy writers to give the appearance of increased tension which doesn't really work because *they made all the numbers up*. Contrast this with the episode where the Cardassian mutiny supression program on the station computer kicks in which does an excellent job of using the protagonists' reaction to the situation to raise the stakes and drive the tension in the plot.