So, the first real lip-to-lip kiss (or forced pressing) between a Caucasian and an African American on TV in the US was Shatner and Nichols. I'm glad we finally got there.
What are your controversial Star Trek opinions?
- Thread starter Amasov
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In terms of racial/ethnic/national inclusivity, TNG was way ahead of DSC. Good that it finally has some LBGT characters, but it's very American-centered. Are we to believe that non-American Humans are lesser?
Also, it fails on other fronts... like having someone who strikes first (for racist reasons, she only had the reputation of Klingons as a whole to go on) as protagonist/hero/character that gets complimented by other characters every other sentence.
DSC is the neoliberal of supposedly progressive shows.
(though I think your previous interlocutor wasn't thinking about it in these terms and came from a much more right-wing position)
Here's a controversial opinion... I thought "In the Pale Moonlight" was a disaster. Not because of its content, but its placement.
One episode previously, we are introduced to Section 31, the secret organization that does the Federation's dirty work.
Then... Sisko basically acts like the Federation's dirty work falls to him.
Bringing the Romulans into the war had "job for Section 31" written all over it in 6-foot day-glo orange letters. So if you're going to have Sisko do it, why introduce S31 at all?
One episode previously, we are introduced to Section 31, the secret organization that does the Federation's dirty work.
Then... Sisko basically acts like the Federation's dirty work falls to him.
Bringing the Romulans into the war had "job for Section 31" written all over it in 6-foot day-glo orange letters. So if you're going to have Sisko do it, why introduce S31 at all?
Section 31 was already chasing their own remedy to the war. The plague they unleashed on the Founders, they would've contaminated Odo during "Homefront"/"Paradise Lost". Plus, they could've been pursuing other remedies we never got to know about.
The first inter-racial kiss was really between Uhura and Chapel. Although they didn’t lock lips.
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Even so, it would have been far better to flip flop those two episodes. Sisko and Garak could have had Bashir do some of the legwork in "Moonlight", which would have explained why S31 took an interest in him rather than Sisko (as a religious icon, the latter would be too highly visible to be of use to them).
I'm not saying both episodes shouldn't exist. "Moonlight" is highly regarded, and "Inquisition" had William Sadler in it (you know, the guy who actually managed to steal scenes from acting powerhouses Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman in "The Shawshank Redemption"). Just criticizing the placement.
I'm not saying both episodes shouldn't exist. "Moonlight" is highly regarded, and "Inquisition" had William Sadler in it (you know, the guy who actually managed to steal scenes from acting powerhouses Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman in "The Shawshank Redemption"). Just criticizing the placement.
I was hoping for the first Asian Female Captain with Michelle Yeoh.
She lasted for all of 2 episodes before being shunted to recurring guest character.
Are we ever going to have a Asian Captain as the main protagonist / Captain?
She lasted for all of 2 episodes before being shunted to recurring guest character.
Are we ever going to have a Asian Captain as the main protagonist / Captain?
I thought Demora Sulu would be the first, tbf. I don’t even know if she was featured in an episode or film, but she was at the right place and time.
She was in "ST: Generations", and was an ensign.
It was a glorified Cameo / Homage to Hikaru Sulu.
WTF is with Hollywood mix & matching Asian Ethnicities and roles played by actors?
Hikaru Sulu is of Japanese Heritage = George Takei = Correct matching relative to real life actors heritage
TNG = No Asians on main cast, Recurring Guest: Keiko O'Brien = Japanese Heritage = Rosalind Chao (Chinese Heritage) = Incorrect matching relative to real life actors heritage
DS9 = No Asians on main cast, Recurring Guest: Keiko O'Brien = Japanese Heritage = Rosalind Chao (Chinese Heritage) = Incorrect matching relative to real life actors heritage
VOY = Harry Kim = Korean Heritage = Garret Wang (Chinese Heritage) = Incorrect matching relative to real life actors heritage
ENT = Hoshi Sato = Japanese Heritage = Linda Park (Korean Heritage) = Incorrect matching relative to real life actors heritage
ST Reboot Film = Hikaru Sulu = John Cho (Korean Heritage) = Incorrect matching relative to real life actors heritage
Why can't they cast to the correct ethnicity or make adjustments like in Agents of SHIELD where Chloe Benett had her character adjusted to reflect her IRL half Caucasian / half Chinese heritage?
Hikaru Sulu is of Japanese Heritage = George Takei = Correct matching relative to real life actors heritage
TNG = No Asians on main cast, Recurring Guest: Keiko O'Brien = Japanese Heritage = Rosalind Chao (Chinese Heritage) = Incorrect matching relative to real life actors heritage
DS9 = No Asians on main cast, Recurring Guest: Keiko O'Brien = Japanese Heritage = Rosalind Chao (Chinese Heritage) = Incorrect matching relative to real life actors heritage
VOY = Harry Kim = Korean Heritage = Garret Wang (Chinese Heritage) = Incorrect matching relative to real life actors heritage
ENT = Hoshi Sato = Japanese Heritage = Linda Park (Korean Heritage) = Incorrect matching relative to real life actors heritage
ST Reboot Film = Hikaru Sulu = John Cho (Korean Heritage) = Incorrect matching relative to real life actors heritage
Why can't they cast to the correct ethnicity or make adjustments like in Agents of SHIELD where Chloe Benett had her character adjusted to reflect her IRL half Caucasian / half Chinese heritage?
I’m not sure a lot of westerners understand or appreciate the differences.
They just have to tick the box ‘Asian actor’, and that is considered efficient enough.
Like how in the "Hunt for Red October" movie, they cast Sean Connery playing straight British Accented Russian???
Sean Connery didn't even try to hide his British-ness. He was the most British Russian I've ever seen or heard on film.
They seriously couldn't just hire Walter Koenig for the Russian Antagonist role?
I think what drives hollywood execs is profits. They don’t care about ‘getting it right.’
It shows
Not that it makes much of a difference but Connery's character was Lithuanian in the film.
Well, that's what Roddenberry was going for.
The sucky thing about Hollywood is that Hollywood will no go unless they see money as a possibility. So, it's a vicious cycle that they don't cast appropriately because they don't see money and they won't see money until they cast appropriately.
What incentive have audiences given for them to "get it right?"
Not much, really.
My replies aren’t working first time, lately. After I got put in the naughty seat for a day
My replies aren’t working first time, lately. After I got put in the naughty seat for a day
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Really. Especially since Harry was so generic, his heritage was irrelevant. Just give him a Chinese/Taiwanese last name and you're good to go.
That would've been nice if it happened, but it didn't.
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