The first episode of Trek I ever saw was the ToS episode with aliens that had half-white and half-black faces and were engaged in a race war over which side was which. It has never been subtle, and for good reason. Nuance generally doesn’t work well with bigots. If you want to get people to examine their beliefs you need to shove the mirror in their face.
The only thing that’s changed is what is getting shoved in your face. ToS doesn’t make you uncomfortable? Good for you, you’re not a Jim Crow level racist. Some of the new stuff makes you uncomfortable? Maybe you think about why it makes you uncomfortable instead of complaining about it.
A little off the point: I actually think it’s less in your face. In the episodic series when they did something along these lines it was usually the main focus of the entire episode. With the newer serialized seasons it’s usually a b-plot. They can devote a little more time to the b-plots when they have a whole season to resolve the main story but it’s still not the main focus.
There’s also an episode where literally Abraham Lincoln shows up, talks to Uhura, and comments on how much things have changed in the future. Real subtle stuff!
I am getting too many replies now to write a full fledged answer to each, sorry. I just want to tell you that you should keep in mind that you don´t actually know me personally, that I was friends with gay dudes 30 years ago already and that you should maybe try to be less judgemental. The new stuff does not make me uncomfortable. It simply annoys me that in NuTrek cheap virtue signalling and queer baiting took the place of good sci-fi storytelling. I am fine with it if you perceive that differently though. Enjoy your favorite Star trek shows, I for myself will enjoy my DS9 rewatch.
Respectfully, no, I’m not going to “try to be less judgemental.”
I see a show that continues it’s long tradition of inclusiveness and respect for all people by including characters that are sexual and gender minorities. I then see people who claim to be fans, not just of the show, but also of what it has always been trying to do, complaining about it doing what it’s always done.
I’m going to judge. I have judged, and I’ve found you wanting.
You are of course entitled to your opinion. However, you should know that you are not in a position where your opinion could concern me in the slightest.
It should be clear to any reasonable person that I have no need whatsoever to apologize to strangers on the internet for having my own opinion. The way you take yourself way too seriously sounds pretty megalomaniacal. Also, banned for trolling.
No one is asking you for an apology, just an example.
Surely you can do that, right? This thing that’s so pervasive it’s ruined entire seasons for you, you must be able to remember one scene from one episode where it actually happens.
It should be easy, shouldn’t it? Especially since there’s no shortage of examples of old Trek being decidedly unsubtle in this thread. Strange how that user never seems to respond to those…
I disagree with you. Since I can see from your comments that challenging your ideas even a little bit makes you think everyone is a scary troll and you block them, you should go ahead and block me, too.
lol. Yeah… I’m gonna just believe the guy that used the term “queer baiting” unironically… For Pete’s sake, man, be at least a little more subtle with your bigotry if you’re going to play the ”I have gay friends” card.
The first episode of Trek I ever saw was the ToS episode with aliens that had half-white and half-black faces and were engaged in a race war over which side was which. It has never been subtle, and for good reason. Nuance generally doesn’t work well with bigots. If you want to get people to examine their beliefs you need to shove the mirror in their face.
The only thing that’s changed is what is getting shoved in your face. ToS doesn’t make you uncomfortable? Good for you, you’re not a Jim Crow level racist. Some of the new stuff makes you uncomfortable? Maybe you think about why it makes you uncomfortable instead of complaining about it.
A little off the point: I actually think it’s less in your face. In the episodic series when they did something along these lines it was usually the main focus of the entire episode. With the newer serialized seasons it’s usually a b-plot. They can devote a little more time to the b-plots when they have a whole season to resolve the main story but it’s still not the main focus.
There’s also an episode where literally Abraham Lincoln shows up, talks to Uhura, and comments on how much things have changed in the future. Real subtle stuff!
I am getting too many replies now to write a full fledged answer to each, sorry. I just want to tell you that you should keep in mind that you don´t actually know me personally, that I was friends with gay dudes 30 years ago already and that you should maybe try to be less judgemental. The new stuff does not make me uncomfortable. It simply annoys me that in NuTrek cheap virtue signalling and queer baiting took the place of good sci-fi storytelling. I am fine with it if you perceive that differently though. Enjoy your favorite Star trek shows, I for myself will enjoy my DS9 rewatch.
Respectfully, no, I’m not going to “try to be less judgemental.”
I see a show that continues it’s long tradition of inclusiveness and respect for all people by including characters that are sexual and gender minorities. I then see people who claim to be fans, not just of the show, but also of what it has always been trying to do, complaining about it doing what it’s always done.
I’m going to judge. I have judged, and I’ve found you wanting.
You are of course entitled to your opinion. However, you should know that you are not in a position where your opinion could concern me in the slightest.
You seemed concerned when you tried to tell me what to do.
Concerned enough to claim a
blackgay friend to excuse yourself.It should be clear to any reasonable person that I have no need whatsoever to apologize to strangers on the internet for having my own opinion. The way you take yourself way too seriously sounds pretty megalomaniacal. Also, banned for trolling.
No one is asking you for an apology, just an example.
Surely you can do that, right? This thing that’s so pervasive it’s ruined entire seasons for you, you must be able to remember one scene from one episode where it actually happens.
It should be easy, shouldn’t it? Especially since there’s no shortage of examples of old Trek being decidedly unsubtle in this thread. Strange how that user never seems to respond to those…
I disagree with you. Since I can see from your comments that challenging your ideas even a little bit makes you think everyone is a scary troll and you block them, you should go ahead and block me, too.
lol. Yeah… I’m gonna just believe the guy that used the term “queer baiting” unironically… For Pete’s sake, man, be at least a little more subtle with your bigotry if you’re going to play the ”I have gay friends” card.