Most Offensive Star Trek Movies and Episodes

[Jayson1]

And sanctions is not something the Enterprise can decide right there on the spot. That'd be like a US Navy cruiser unilaterally deciding on sanctions for Saudi Arabia because of the way they legally and culturally treat women, LGBT, and other minorities.

It just doesn't work like that.

I know but I figure in the land of tv you can sort of imply that will happen by getting a message from a Admiral or someone simply saying that they might start a investigation. KInd of like how we never know what will happen on that planet in "The Hunted were you basically leave the ex-soldiers holding weapons at it's planets leader. All you really need is what you get with Picard saying "tf the government survives tonight, and I suspect it will inform them that the Federation will be wiling to help the ex-soldiers with their conditons."

Jason

 

[Bad Thoughts]

Thankfully there are many season 1 episodes that set the bar higher than those two examples of "epic fail". Which includes "Symbiosis", which is nowhere near as bad as its reputation makes it out to be.

The episode in which not only can you not get treated for your illness, but not even sharing the diagnosis is presented as a virtue? No, this is a terrible episode. Whereas some other first season episodes had backwards portrayals of "primitive peoples," this one shows "heroic" people acting backwards.

 

[FormerLurker]

I feel I must say this about the miniskirts:

First, the three actresses who wore them most often are the ones who demanded that they be dressed in them. They have all said as much several times over the years. The argument that they were forced to do so is therefore ingenuous and insulting to those three women.

Second, while they are uncomfortably short by modern standards, that was a popular fashion at the time the show was made. As such, it isn't that surprising that the actresses on the show were outfitted in them in the first place.

Third, and most important, the only thing that's really wrong with them is the idea that there is no other choice of uniform for the women. Each actress that came on the show should have been given the choice of wearing pants or skants. But again, the era the show was made was rife with casual sexism from all sides, and many in the production staff just didn't notice it at the time. YMMV, but they aren't that bad.

 

[Jayson1]

The episode in which not only can you not get treated for your illness, but not even sharing the diagnosis is presented as a virtue? No, this is a terrible episode. Whereas some other first season episodes had backwards portrayals of "primitive peoples," this one shows "heroic" people acting backwards.

Wasn't this another issue though were the Prime DIrective was the issue of helping the people? I always felt Picard's idea of not allowing them to use Federation tech to fix their ships as a way to help without breaking the Prime Directive was actually pretty good. Only thing I would change is ask if the Federation can send a ship back in 6 months or so. By this time the lie should be public and know which means it would give the Federation more leeway to help them since they figured it out on their own.

Jason

 

[fireproof78]

"Profit and Lace" for treating a sex change operation as comedy. Ethics, smethics.

"Wolf in the Fold" for so many reasons, namely Scotty's "resentment of women" or some nonsense. Don't ask me to rewatch it.

"The Child" and "Offspring" for making light of rape.

Those are off the top of my head.

 

[The Wormhole]

Well, one of the more offensive things seen in Star Trek, IMO, is that up until very recently (last year, in fact) the only place we saw any evidence of homosexuals in the entire franchise is the Mirror Universe, the place that is meant to be the Star Trek universe turned evil and wrong.

"The Child" and "Offspring" for making light of rape.

Okay, you're going to have to explain to me, how exactly does The Offspring make light of rape? IIRC, there's nothing in that episode that even goes near rape in any manner whatsoever.

 

[fireproof78]

Well, one of the more offensive things seen in Star Trek, IMO, is that up until very recently (last year, in fact) the only place we saw any evidence of homosexuals in the entire franchise is the Mirror Universe, the place that is meant to be the Star Trek universe turned evil and wrong.

Okay, you're going to have to explain to me, how exactly does The Offspring make light of rape? IIRC, there's nothing in that episode that even goes near rape in any manner whatsoever.

Whoops, my bad. The episode is an ENT one called "Unexpected." Not sure where I got "The Offspring" and apologies all around.

 

[The Wormhole]

Well, that makes a bit more sense. I'll admit, I never really thought of Unexpected as rape before, but I suppose Trip does get taken advantage of and ends up pregnant as a result.

 

[Bad Thoughts]

Wasn't this another issue though were the Prime DIrective was the issue of helping the people? I always felt Picard's idea of not allowing them to use Federation tech to fix their ships as a way to help without breaking the Prime Directive was actually pretty good. Only thing I would change is ask if the Federation can send a ship back in 6 months or so. By this time the lie should be public and know which means it would give the Federation more leeway to help them since they figured it out on their own.

Jason

They want to withhold treatment: fine. What makes the situation truly contemptible is that Doctor Crushed withholds the diagnosis, consulting with others who are not the patient, and then is ordered to continue to do so. For that there is no justification. It is a complete violation of the patient's trust in the physician.

ETA: The whole thing about the warp coils was creative, but it real life it is bullshit.

 

[fireproof78]

Well, that makes a bit more sense. I'll admit, I never really thought of Unexpected as rape before, but I suppose Trip does get taken advantage of and ends up pregnant as a result.

Since she knew it could result in conception and yet just told him it was a "game" it taes on a weird angle.

 

[galad2003]

Do some of you not understand the Prime Directive? You don't interfere because time and again it has been shown that interfering often leads to worst consequences.

Then the show presents that scenario and shows us the moral implications of the Prime Directive and the moral struggles to follow it.

You guys are listing episodes that are meant to make us think about the moral implications and saying the episode is offensive. The episode was designed to make you think about how wrong the culture is to reprogram the gay person and how hard it is for the Enterprise crew to sit back and do nothing. That ending makes you think. A happy feel good episode where the Enterprise blows the hell out of the planet and makes them do the right thing wouldn't nearly have the dramatic effect.

 

[Random_Spock]

STID is offensive to my senses.

Same here. It's the only Star Trek that I really just didn't like.

 

[Ensign Ogahd Ahmganadai]

Do some of you not understand the Prime Directive? You don't interfere because time and again it has been shown that interfering often leads to worst consequences.

Then the show presents that scenario and shows us the moral implications of the Prime Directive and the moral struggles to follow it.

You guys are listing episodes that are meant to make us think about the moral implications and saying the episode is offensive. The episode was designed to make you think about how wrong the culture is to reprogram the gay person and how hard it is for the Enterprise crew to sit back and do nothing. That ending makes you think. A happy feel good episode where the Enterprise blows the hell out of the planet and makes them do the right thing wouldn't nearly have the dramatic effect.

This is the perfect way to phrase it.

Now, when we've seen Starfleet officers behaving in morally reprehensible ways with no comeuppance, that truly is offensive.

 

[Jayson1]

They want to withhold treatment: fine. What makes the situation truly contemptible is that Doctor Crushed withholds the diagnosis, consulting with others who are not the patient, and then is ordered to continue to do so. For that there is no justification. It is a complete violation of the patient's trust in the physician.

ETA: The whole thing about the warp coils was creative, but it real life it is bullshit.

I can see that though in the vein as she is not just a doctor but also a starfleet officer so it comes down to what is more important. If the Prime Directive is their number 1 directive I think it will win out in most cases. Also I think Picard orders her not to help if I am not wrong so I think the choice was taken out of her hands. I do recall her not agreeing with Picard when he made his command at the end.

Jason

 

[Lynx]

"Fury" (Voyager)
A badly written, sick, morbid, insulting piece of crap.
The worst episode ever in any TV series.

 

[JamesRye]

For me to find something offensive, I would have to take it seriously enough to allow it to affect me in that way. So no. There are real things in life worth being offended by. I'm not going to worry about a tv show.

We live in a world where everybody is offended by everything. I choose not to be.

Yeah, I know what you mean. Certainly, many enjoy being offended and even search it out - plenty of click bait sites out there. The reason I was posting the synonyms was to show that 'offensive' doesn't always have such a narrow definition. For example, there are certainly episodes that I find displeasing.

I cant recall ever being truly outraged by a TV show (assuming the news doesn't count). The closest would be Game of Thrones, where I found some scenes to be 'torture porn' which I don't go in for. Again, I might not use the term offensive, but rather a synonym like provocative, impolite and yes - shocking.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

"Fury" (Voyager)
A badly written, sick, morbid, insulting piece of crap.
The worst episode ever in any TV series.

...and, SCENE.

 

[Bad Thoughts]

I can see that though in the vein as she is not just a doctor but also a starfleet officer so it comes down to what is more important. If the Prime Directive is their number 1 directive I think it will win out in most cases. Also I think Picard orders her not to help if I am not wrong so I think the choice was taken out of her hands. I do recall her not agreeing with Picard when he made his command at the end.

Jason

First, the Prime Directive should not apply. They picked them up rather than let them die in their ship. Moreover, they gave the diagnosis of their technological problems without any Prime Directive problems; diagnosing their health is no different. Indeed, as long as the concept of addiction existed in their culture, their should be no Prime Directive issues. Nothing requires them to share technology or science in order to provide the diagnosis. Crusher did not even use exotic technology to come to her conclusion, just observation.

Second, and this is where the morality of the episode comes into question, the diagnosis belongs to the patient, not to the public. Once Crusher determined that there was no issue with contagion, she had no business withholding it from the patient and no business spreading the information willy-nilly around the ship. We never get a full picture about how the Federation conceptualizes the individual or what her/his/its rights are, but the suggestion is that they are at least an improvement upon what is enjoyed in "the western world." Patient's bills of rights have been the governing documents of hospital associations since the 1970s, including the rights of patients to complete information about their conditions. Why would the Federation walk this back? Why would the Prime Directive moderate this? Once they are in a position to be diagnosed, their should be no further issues. Furthermore, withholding the diagnosis at least implicitly supports a lie. What did Picard say about first duty of Starfleet officers to truth? Even saying that they are not dying from the plague would be better than what she, via Picard's orders, did.

 

[Jayson1]

First, the Prime Directive should not apply. They picked them up rather than let them die in their ship. Moreover, they gave the diagnosis of their technological problems without any Prime Directive problems; diagnosing their health is no different. Indeed, as long as the concept of addiction existed in their culture, their should be no Prime Directive issues. Nothing requires them to share technology or science in order to provide the diagnosis. Crusher did not even use exotic technology to come to her conclusion, just observation.

Second, and this is where the morality of the episode comes into question, the diagnosis belongs to the patient, not to the public. Once Crusher determined that there was no issue with contagion, she had no business withholding it from the patient and no business spreading the information willy-nilly around the ship. We never get a full picture about how the Federation conceptualizes the individual or what her/his/its rights are, but the suggestion is that they are at least an improvement upon what is enjoyed in "the western world." Patient's bills of rights have been the governing documents of hospital associations since the 1970s, including the rights of patients to complete information about their conditions. Why would the Federation walk this back? Why would the Prime Directive moderate this? Once they are in a position to be diagnosed, their should be no further issues. Furthermore, withholding the diagnosis at least implicitly supports a lie. What did Picard say about first duty of Starfleet officers to truth? Even saying that they are not dying from the plague would be better than what she, via Picard's orders, did.

The Federation does seem to have some shaky views when it comes to individual rights. Everything from Tuvix being killed,Worf being punished for kiling Duras even though he was following Klingon law to the clones being murdered by Riker and Pulaski to even little things like how people can just walk in on you while your on the holodeck. They seem to follow the concept of what is best for the greater good which means doing anything that might change the political situation of a planet will be seen as more important than even the lives of a patient who have been addicted to drugs. While they did rescue them I think their is a difference between saving people dying on a ship before it explodes than getting involved in some kind of arrangement between two different worlds. I think they are counting on the drug addicted people to basically figure out the problem on their own before they will add anymore help. Granted it's been awhile but when Picard tells him that he isn't going to give the the parts to fix their ship I forget how it explains it to them. Does he tell them they are hooked on something that is a drug? They must have wondered why he reversed a command that he was going to do. One thing I find most weird though is that if they no longer have space flight between worlds why are the bad aliens beaming down to the planet. Won't they be stuck their? No a good place to be when people find out you have been exploiting them.

Jason

 

[suarezguy]

A few episodes of DS9 felt a little too bloodthirsty or cavalier, especially their endings, especially "Blood Oath," "The Assignment" and "For the Uniform". OTOH Picard was at times too passive, somewhat "Darmok" and especially the ending of "Liaisons," way too accepting and forgiving of having been kidnapped.

"That Which Survives" and "Bounty" seemed pretty misogynistic, both exploitative and fearful of female sexuality.

"Darkling" was way too glib about Gandhi.

The ending of "Sons of Mogh," in trying to be controversial but not too controversial, was awful with Bashir performing (probably without consent) a memory-wipe.