Discovery tackles current political divide

[Noname Given]

http://ew.com/tv/2017/09/07/star-tr...l&xid=entertainment-weekly_socialflow_twitter

Star Trek: Discovery to tackle Trump-era political divide

Exclusive: ‘The Klingons are going to help us look at certain sides of ourselves and our country’

Star Trek was/is better when someone from the production team didn't effectively/openly shout:

"Hey, look we're going to be doing allegories to the current political/social situation!"

It usually goes over better if the viewer doesn't realize until AFTER they've seen the episode/story.

 

[mattyhugh]

30% of the fans will think it doesn't go far enough, 30% will think it's just more of the lying liberal media lies, conspiracy and fake news!1!!!1! and the remainder will be like, "What politics?"

30% percent of the audience are Herberts

 

[BillJ]

I'm sick of politics but wasn't that the whole point of Trek to begin with? To tackle the issues of the day?

Well, no. The point of Star Trek was to give Gene Roddenberry a regular paying job.

I don't mind issues here and there that deal with the modern world, but I don't need to be beaten over the head with it by Star Trek for fifteen episodes. Shows like The Handmaid's Tale and others do a much better job dealing with today's issues.

 

[Kor]

30% of the fans will think it doesn't go far enough, 30% will think it's just more of the lying liberal media lies, conspiracy and fake news!1!!!1! and the remainder will be like, "What politics?"

You forgot the ones who will identify with the Klingons and think they're right.

Kor

 

[DarthPipes]

To be fair, anyone who voted for that idiot deserves the ridicule.

Tolerant as always. And the left wonders why it keeps losing elections...

 

[Borgminister]

Mr. Gerry Mander knows why...

And Trump isn't a Republican or Democrat--just out for his brand. Remember Never Trumpers? They were/are Republicans.

Oops. Never mind, thought I was in TNZ there for a second...

 

[Longinus]

Tolerant as always. And the left wonders why it keeps losing elections...

"You were mean to me and called me an idiot and a bigot so as a revenge I will prove you right by voting for an idiot and bigot!"

 

[johnjm22]

I like allegory. You can do allegorical stories on all sorts of issues. It doesn't always have to be political. It just annoys me that the allegory they choose is the most obvious and played out one of them all.

If it's on the nose and preachy it's going to be very fatiguing.

 

[Psion]

I like allegory. You can do allegorical stories on all sorts of issues. It doesn't always have to be political. It just annoys me that the allegory they choose is the most obvious and played out one of them all.

If it's on the nose and preachy it's going to be very fatiguing.

If it's on the nose and preachy, I'm just not going to watch it. There will be almost a thousand hours of Trek I'll like better to amuse myself with.

 

[ominous_thunk]

To be fair, we haven't seen much more than a glimpse of the show. It's much too soon to tell if it'll be preachy or on the nose. And even if it is, there's plenty of precedent for that in classic Trek. Just ask Lokai and Bele.

 

[mattyhugh]

To be fair, we haven't seen much more than a glimpse of the show. It's much too soon to tell if it'll be preachy or on the nose. And even if it is, there's plenty of precedent for that in classic Trek. Just ask Lokai and Bele.

Private Little War, the examples go on and on.

 

[ominous_thunk]

Private Little War, the examples go on and on.

Good call, totally forgot about that one. Given how far television has come as a medium in the last 50 (yikes, 51 now) years, I'd imagine that we'll see something a little more nuanced. I don't think that any Trek has been apolitical. That is to say, I think that pretty much every iteration of Trek reflects political or social concerns.

The current toxic environment around political discourse might be new, but Trek's willingness to go there isn't, IMO.

 

[AutoAdmin]

A new news article has been published at TrekToday:

According to Star Trek: Discovery Showrunners Aaron Harberts and Gretchen Berg, the show will touch upon modern day politics using the Klingons....

Continue reading...

 

[Kemaiku]

Tolerant as always. And the left wonders why it keeps losing elections...

I'm not part of the American "left" so that means nothing.

 

[RAMA]

Trek has been called by historians and observers the most liberal franchise in the history of television. If Trek "loses half its audience" then what the hell were they paying attention to in the first place?

Frankly, the show should be pushing the boundaries and buttons a little bit. Hopefully, they go far enough to make people angry. Too many complacent people around.

RAMA

 

[BillJ]

To be fair, we haven't seen much more than a glimpse of the show. It's much too soon to tell if it'll be preachy or on the nose. And even if it is, there's plenty of precedent for that in classic Trek. Just ask Lokai and Bele.

But Lokai and Bele were fun to watch. That was a gulf that got larger and larger between TOS and the spinoffs. I want exploring space to be fun to a degree. It'll be tough to stay with the show if its House of Cards in space.

 

[Kemaiku]

Star Trek was never a safe space. It had it's nose firmly wedged in issues every single time. I really don't know what other people where watching before now that they think otherwise.

 

[BillJ]

Star Trek was never a safe space. It had it's nose firmly wedged in issues every single time. I really don't know what other people where watching before now that they think otherwise.

Giving a quick message from week to week is quite a bit different than spending fifteen week of Klingons reflecting the current political climate.

 

[JamesRye]

Star trek has always been allegorical and left leaning. It's good if it pisses some people off. That's what art should do, provoke a reaction. I'm English, but it always amazes me that so many conservatives enjoy Star trek, which is anti capitalism and highly critical of religion. Unlike the rest of the world, we can't laugh at America for electing Trump, because we've been even more stupid with Brexit. Something the last Star trek production pointed out.

Sad.

 

[Kemaiku]

Giving a quick message from week to week is quite a bit different than spending fifteen week of Klingons reflecting the current political climate.

I admit I am mighty jealous that you've been months into the future, traveled back to tell me that that's how it happens.

I'll still watch, and still pay. But it's nice to know, thanks, future traveller man.