Social Commentary in this new Star Trek show

[Nerys Myk]

Humans. So illogical. Sad.

 

[Captain of the USS Averof]

Definitely an episode(s) about alien refugees settling on Federation planets. And a Starfleet admiral(s) objecting/banning them because of "security risks"…

"Make The Federation Great Again"

 

[Guy Gardener]

I must protest. To offer the Klingons a safe haven within Federation space is suicide. Klingons would become the alien trash of the galaxy. And if we dismantle the fleet, we'd be defenceless before an aggressive species with a foothold on our territory. The opportunity here is to bring them to their knees. Then we'll be in a far better position to dictate terms.

Been there, done that.

 

[Captain of the USS Averof]

Been there, done that.

You're forgetting that…

"Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country is a “touchstone” for Star Trek Discovery".
--Nicholas Meyer

So it's more like been there, getting inspired by it and expanding it even more.

 

[Guy Gardener]

Sexy young Gorkon at the beach in a thong?

 

[Nyotarules]

I have it on good authority that a Vulcan politician named "T'Rump" plans on grabbing Earth by the ears.

T'Rump, son of V'Las the slum landlord

 

[zar]

You're forgetting that…

"Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country is a “touchstone” for Star Trek Discovery".
--Nicholas Meyer

So it's more like been there, getting inspired by it and expanding it even more.

Klingons banning alien refugees because they carry a virus that will turn their blood pink?

 

[Logopolis]

Here's a preview of the wall the Federation will establish to prevent the Romulans from entering the neutral zone:

Spoiler

I also expect an episode concerning FAAAAAAAAKKE news:

Spoiler

 

[Tenacity]

"Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country is a “touchstone” for Star Trek Discovery".
--Nicholas Meyer

Translation; Discovery episodes will have obscure Shakespearean titles that have little to do with the episode's actual stories.

 

[Mudd]

Here's a preview of the wall the Federation will establish to prevent the Romulans from entering the neutral zone:

Spoiler

I also expect an episode concerning FAAAAAAAAKKE news:

Spoiler

Have we ever seen anyone in a post-22nd century Trek series or movie watching the news?

 

[Spot261]

Have we ever seen anyone in a post-22nd century Trek series or movie watching the news?

None spring to mind.

 

[Guy Gardener]

Reporter Jake Sisko used to make journalism right in front of us.

Print media outlived TV.

How odd.

Oh.

"A briefing with Neelix" was more Wendy Williams than Anderson Cooper, but it got the job done.

http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/A_Briefing_with_Neelix

 

[a thousand-yard stare]

Translation; Discovery episodes will have obscure Shakespearean titles that have little to do with the episode's actual stories.

or they'll go hunting whales...

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

I'd RATHER see a good story. Star Trek is entertainment. If hey can make a social comment while telling a good story, fine; but lets have a GOOD story first.

I have a strong feeling you will not see that. Modern TV is quick to jump on soapboxes at the expense of story, so I will not be surprised if Discovery follows the same pattern.

Of course Star Trek should be about social commentary-- that's what made the original show classic Americana, and it's something that the sequel series all did to varying degrees. To be Star Trek, though, it must be allegory without hatred and present positive change, or at least the seed of positive change, rather than mere cynical aggression-- in other words, it should be a lesson for both the Right and the Left.

Considering the current state of the entertainment business, expect the allegories to be one-sided and usually aimed at the new U.S. administration.

 

[Captain of the USS Averof]

Translation; Discovery episodes will have obscure Shakespearean titles that have little to do with the episode's actual stories.

As you like it.

 

[cultcross]

Have we ever seen anyone in a post-22nd century Trek series or movie watching the news?

The 'Federation News Service' got name dropped a number of times in DS9's later seasons but we never really learned what they actually produced. Jake 'writes' for them so the implication is they produce written news at the very least. Given the way we see characters on Star Trek absorb information (ordinarily text form on PADDS) this is likely their primary output. Videos to dispense information aren't something we see very often which is odd given that their communication systems are visual even when that gives no enhancement to the communication at all - literally two people sat at desks looking at each other sat at desks across millions of miles.

As for the ripped -from-the-headlines stuff, fine to do it, but the test for me is 'does it work without the allegory'? The episodes of Trek that work as stories despite the social commentary being half a century out of date ended up far superior to those where the commentary rather suppressed the story.

 

[Mudd]

Yeah, peculiarly enough there don't seem to be mass media or anything really resembling cyberspace in Trek.

Another aspect of its 1960s future, I guess.

 

[Guy Gardener]

Fallout from the Eugenics War.

Maybe everyone is 4 times smarter and can speed read 10 times faster than normal goons from the 20th century?

 

[CorporalCaptain]

Have we ever seen anyone in a post-22nd century Trek series or movie watching the news?

We saw reporters recording the news at the start of Star Trek Generations, with camera-things on their heads.

 

[Mudd]

Good point.