Afaik the "Spock = genetically engineered" thing was definitively introduced in Spock's World, and it became official when the XI writers took that book from fanon into canon.
So, yeah, the Bashir plotline was definitely conceived of under the old regime derived from TOS, when all genetic engineering is automatically messing with intellectual traits to make people "smarter" a la Khan and company. (The Eugenics Wars of 1996? Who remembers them?)
I really like what it does to Bashir as a character, though, however much I think the Federation's ban on genetic engineering is stupid. (And oh do I.)
That two-parter is one of my favorites. And Ziyal's conversation with Quark is awesome. (And yes, the changeling!Bashir thing was definitely meant to be completely out of nowhere; it was a real shocker in broadcast.)
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So, yeah, the Bashir plotline was definitely conceived of under the old regime derived from TOS, when all genetic engineering is automatically messing with intellectual traits to make people "smarter" a la Khan and company. (The Eugenics Wars of 1996? Who remembers them?)
I really like what it does to Bashir as a character, though, however much I think the Federation's ban on genetic engineering is stupid. (And oh do I.)
That two-parter is one of my favorites. And Ziyal's conversation with Quark is awesome. (And yes, the changeling!Bashir thing was definitely meant to be completely out of nowhere; it was a real shocker in broadcast.)