Editorial: Star Trek's Lost Purpose

[Kurt Rohmer]

Says who? Contemporary Earth wasn't even shown until TMP, and there's no one definition of what constitutes a "utopia"; it doesn't have to be a society without currency. I don't think it's at all unreasonable to say that a future Earth free of war, violence, and starvation, that's also ecologically sustainable (thanks in part to unlimited colonization potential in an infinite cosmos), and in which all humans enjoy basic civil liberties amounts to a utopia. And all those conditions are is pretty much inferred, if not necessarily stated outright, in TOS, are they not?

and if i recall, we were only shown San Francisco, heart of the Federation... we never got to New York, Paris, Berlin, heck, we didn't get to see Johannesburg or New Dehli or Tokyo... but we have characters who hailed from those locals.... cost savings for Paramount i guess.

 

[Kurt Rohmer]

But even then, that was never the intent with TOS. Right off the bat, in the very first episode we know space pimps are a thing and our heroic Captain is actually seriously considering becoming one. And when he voices that thought, the response he gets is "nah, that's not the life for you" rather than any sort of condemnation of the idea. Go a little further in the first season and we find out humans conquered Vulcan. Even in the second season when the Federation was established within the narrative, it wasn't a happy union as it is stated in Journey to Babel half the Federation is ready to go to war with the other half.

Now I can already see the arguments of "early days weirdness" or whatever, and that might even be true to a certain extent. But the point remains that at no point when TOS was in production did anyone involved with it ever consider it to be taking place in a utopian world. Not even Gene Roddenberry Himself. As previously stated, TOS regularly spoke out against utopia as something to avoid since it could only lead to stagnation. TNG was the one which decided utopia is okay, and even that didn't last. Just in the first season alone, the one where Roddenberry had the most influence to peddle Gene's Vision, we learn a human colony which collapsed into complete anarchy ruled by rape gangs. To say nothing of Berman's other 24th century shows, DS9 regularly deconstructing utopia and Voyager using one of those deconstructions in its core premise, even if it did end up being famously ignored as the series went on. Talking about the Maquis, in case anyone hadn't figured that out.

a prescient, and accurate view

 

[Kurt Rohmer]

With all due respect, musical eps and Muppet eps are simply beyond the pale for Trek.

agreed.. i always cringe at actor service, when they don period pieces and go Shakespeare, just as a filler episode, or because the actors want to play dress up. when they are already playing dress up.

 

[Kurt Rohmer]

Have you watched TOS?

i will repeat, the continuous beatings upon the dead horse shall continue, until moral improves.

 

[1001001]

a very thoughtful and nuanced position to take but i would argue Star Trek lost its throne of importance after the first three seasons. that's it. as you very well remember, it almost didn't make it out of its own incubation. but its' prescience at taking an unflinching look at the social mores of the 1960's was beautifully captured upon the airwaves. but that was it. the newness, the in your face study of the social issues that was cast upon a slightly unsuspecting populace of the American Public. it is that newness and chutzpah of illuminating uncomfortable truths that made TOS shine so brightly, once it gained just a smidge of traction. it was that newness that has departed. and showing 15 different gay couples and trans individuals isn't a hidden fight in America that needs exposing, especially amongst dedicated fans that have shown support to the lgbtqia since the 1970's, it is simply more bellowing at the "choir". the fighting over social stigmas are openly had in heartland America. it carries no dazzle. no newness of purpose. everything now is iteration and costume changes

simply my meager two pence, thrown upon the heaping pile... or more accurately the bottomless wishing well... I would love to see how the federation came about when corporations ruled the planet. that might be interesting. ahem. very very informative, yes?

actors without lines, who enjoy announcing their own exit, stage left.

aside from the fact that law enforcement in america is under no obligation to tell the truth to individuals during an investigation... you touch upon a very important topic, especially important to this one, who was at one point in his life, an eagle scout, who takes such concepts of truth telling and maintaining honor, as a very important personal trait. i agree with you, the idea that a representative of the Jurisprudence, utters a misdirection to illicit a response and when the response is not their liking, the admonishment changes to directive. why not simply state "hello, before we proceed, you must take a urinalysis. nothing moves forward until you do."

old and cranky here too! yeah, i still get a kick out of some of the newer material, seeing how things have progressed technologically, but the beating of dead horses until morale has improved has definitely begun to sour to such a point, i'd rather gut a bantha and crawl inside (i know i know) then suffer the insufferable.

i wish i could edit my fast responses... "than to suffer the insufferable" i'm so quick to post i don't editorialize my own material.... smh at my own stupidity

Please use the multi-quote function, instead of posting so many times in a row.

Like this.

Thanks, and welcome.

 

[ThankQ]

i wish i could edit my fast responses...

You can You should see a little "Edit" link in the bottom right or your post.

EDIT: Bottom left. See?

 

[The Wormhole]

^^^IIRC, Editing a post doesn't come available until a poster reaches a certain rank based on post count.

 

[Tim Walker]

I liked some of the DS9 mirror universe episodes. But it's not enough to base a whole series on.

I also thought "In a Mirror Darkly" (ENT) was well done. But I agree, I doubt that you could base an entire series on the Mirror Universe. It may well be that the episodes already seen have exhausted the potential.

 

[Tim Walker]

I think that what made the Mirror Universe work was-initially, novelty (TOS)-and the striking contrast to mainstream Trek. But the novelty is now gone.

 

[Kurt Rohmer]

Please use the multi-quote function, instead of posting so many times in a row.

Like this.

Thanks, and welcome.

as soon as i figure out these darn Taken controls.... oh ok.. there we go...

 

[fireproof78]

f

How do we know they never thought about it? Maybe it was too expensive for their 1990s budgets.

Correct. Even Relics almost didn't happen because it was too expensive, and technology was continuously evolving that rotoscoping in modern actors with past footage became cheaper so Trials and Tribble'ations could happen.

There's a lot of tech taken for granted at times in the 2020s, and paving that way was a lot of innovation in the 90s.