Most Offensive Star Trek Movies and Episodes

[Jayson1]

All I can say in defense of the show in general on that point is that it was barely the '90s when that episode came out. Trek may try to project an idealized future, but it's always projecting from whenever it's actually being made.

That's true but I think other shows at that time would still have a token gay character from time to time even back then. Granted the token gay character might be played for laughs which might even be worse. I'm trying to think of a postive gay character from back then and the only two I can think of are characters I'm not even sure if they were gay. Wasn't Martin Mull's character on "Roseanne" gay and also their was a black male on "Northern Exposure" as well who was either friends with the -DJ or the guy who lived in the Bio-Dome played by Anthony Edwards?

Jason

 

[UssGlenn]

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.

There are a couple subtle references in DS9 both involving Dax. "Rejoined" is an allegory about having a relationship your society disapproves of, but the fact that they are both women is never mentioned. In "Rules of Acquisition" Dax thinks it's great Pel loves Quark and is shocked moments later to find out Pel is a female, showing that if both of them had been men it would be a non issue.

 

[donners22]

Can't beat Spock's rape joke at the end of The Enemy Within.

Devoting a whole Voyager episode to a thinly veiled parallel of recovered memories in rape allegations comes close, though.

 

[Timewalker]

Absolutely. The first season version of the TNG crew is pretty insufferable with all their going on about how superior they are to those poor dumb 20th century humans who were watching their show. Apparently modesty wasn't one of the superior traits humanity picked up in 400 years.

I could point out that if a person from a time even as recent as the 1950s were brought forward to our decade, we'd be sure to tell them how enlightened we are in 2017... and they'd be perfectly justified in calling us on our hypocrisy and BS, just like we call the Enterprise crew on theirs (and I sincerely hope that at some point offscreen, that at least one of these people would have told Picard and Riker to take their superiority complex and stuff it).

Dear Doctor - The Dr. Phlox's idea that a certain species is dying of a wide spread condition is because evolution meant them to be- they were a "evolutionary dead end".

Except he admitted he found the cure for it already--he just didn't think they should give it to them, because he felt they were meant to be wiped out by evolution.

W.T.F.???

I didn't watch most of the Enterprise series, and it looks like I didn't miss a damn thing. This is utterly vile, not to mention a profound misunderstanding of how evolution works.

Evolution isn't some "force" that makes judgments on whether or not a species is "meant" to be extinct. Species either adapt to changing conditions, or they don't. Nature doesn't make moral judgments, so if the Enterprise hadn't come along, fine - that species would have become extinct.

But if Phlox had the means to save them and give them a second chance to adapt... why not? This would be like some alien wandering past Earth, having the cure for cancer, and withholding it because without it, we'd be an "evolutionary dead end."

Turnabout Intruder

- I would say this one, but I like it too much. It's more funny to me than anything. But there is some pretty sexist stuff in it depending on who you ask.

Yes, there was a lot of sexist stuff in this episode. But Janice Lester had severe psychological issues, and I do think that she was projecting a lot of her own perceptions onto Starfleet as a whole. Just because SHE couldn't be a starship captain, that doesn't mean that other women couldn't.


Regarding a previous comment: someone upthread mentioned the skant uniforms in TOS. There was at least one episode in which a female crew member wore a tunic and pants; it was in "Charlie X" and she was one of Charlie's victims. She staggered out of the rec room with a twisted body, barely able to move.

 

[Nightdiamond]

W.T.F.???

I didn't watch most of the Enterprise series, and it looks like I didn't miss a damn thing. This is utterly vile, not to mention a profound misunderstanding of how evolution works.

Evolution isn't some "force" that makes judgments on whether or not a species is "meant" to be extinct. Species either adapt to changing conditions, or they don't. Nature doesn't make moral judgments, so if the Enterprise hadn't come along, fine - that species would have become extinct.

But if Phlox had the means to save them and give them a second chance to adapt... why not? This would be like some alien wandering past Earth, having the cure for cancer, and withholding it because without it, we'd be an "evolutionary dead end."

What makes it so is that the way it is written, the way he says it. It does sound "scientific". It's the stuff we're used to hearing on a sci fi show. But when you actually pay attention to what he says, Phlox almost goes into pseudoscience territory. Or eugenics.

Yes, there was a lot of sexist stuff in this episode. But Janice Lester had severe psychological issues, and I do think that she was projecting a lot of her own perceptions onto Starfleet as a whole. Just because SHE couldn't be a starship captain, that doesn't mean that other women couldn't

.

True, but some of the things that were said on that show...wow..lol

 

[Timewalker]

What makes it so is that the way it is written, the way he says it. It does sound "scientific". It's the stuff we're used to hearing on a sci fi show. But when you actually pay attention to what he says, Phlox almost goes into pseudoscience territory. Or eugenics.

By Phlox's "logic" he shouldn't ever treat sick people, because without treatment they could die - obviously an evolutionary dead end, right? Since they couldn't adapt to whatever it was that made them sick.

Yeah, I think eugenics is an apt term for it.

 

[Nightdiamond]

I think you're reading too much into it...Beverly as an individual would be entitled to have her own sexual preferences. That's a different from judging people based on their appearance.

ETA: NINJA!

Of course, Beverly doesn't have to choose to be with Odan or force herself to like her that way. She's 100% entitled to have a sexual preference. The problem comes in because the show would NEVER risk having her say something like that, because it would sort of ruin the perception of the 'perfect' 24th century human model.

So instead she says it's because of a human failing instead of just admitting, she didn't know the host would be a female. It just seemed like the show avoided the simple idea of sexual preferences like it was too controversial to show.

Maybe at the same time it boasted about humans evolving out of so many human failings, it should also have admitted certain things existed like---sexual preferences, or people are attracted by things like looks etc.

The entire sequence screams "preference" but also some homophobia because she doesn't admit it.

Beverly says send him in, she's smiling, then the smile turns sour, she's suddenly distant, she breaks the relationship, talk about human failings, then even looks a little uncomfortable when Odan gives her wrist a little goodbye kiss.

I think "The Host" looks bad from a symbolic level but from a logical level it makes sense that if she isn't attracked to woman she wouldn't be into the idea of having a romance with someone inside a female body. Personally all of this would look much better if Crusher said that or better yet if Trek, actually had some gay characters on the show. Even pointing out that gay people still exist would be better than what Trek did. Also the fact that Crusher's reason about constant change just comes off as weak. It felt like they didn't want her to come off as a bigot but at the same time they didn't want to offend the bible belt by even talking about same sex situations. Jason

Funny thing, I always thought her reaction was normal--the new host is a woman, she's a woman, of course she is going to end the relationship.

There's a term out there---"heteronormal" I think--it means heterosexual behavior is the default behavior.

Why couldn't she just say "Sorry, I prefer women, Odan"?

In a way, by having Beverly avoid admitting her preference, that was the show was unintentionally suggesting that the culture was still heteronormal.

It's like the show was saying it can't admit sexual preferences exist, yet heterosexual ones are the norm in Trek society.

 

[fireproof78]

By Phlox's "logic" he shouldn't ever treat sick people, because without treatment they could die - obviously an evolutionary dead end, right? Since they couldn't adapt to whatever it was that made them sick.

Yeah, I think eugenics is an apt term for it.

Indeed.

 

[MarsWeeps]

Star Trek has been lauded as a very progressive franchise, but there have been entries in this franchise that could be considered offensive.

Which episodes or movies do you consider offensive?

Well, given that today's generation seems pretty thin skinned compared to previous ones, combined with Political Correctness run amok, I'd say that any and all episodes/movies would be considered offensive by some.

 

[1001001]

Well, given that today's generation seems pretty thin skinned compared to previous ones, combined with Political Correctness run amok, I'd say that any and all episodes/movies would be considered offensive by some.

 

[Jayson1]

Can't beat Spock's rape joke at the end of The Enemy Within.

Devoting a whole Voyager episode to a thinly veiled parallel of recovered memories in rape allegations comes close, though.

The Spock bit in "The Enemy Within" I agree but i'm not sure what was wrong with that "Voyager" ep

Well, given that today's generation seems pretty thin skinned compared to previous ones, combined with Political Correctness run amok, I'd say that any and all episodes/movies would be considered offensive by some.

I agree that people seem to be thin skinned today but it's not just liberals but conservatives and frankly it started with conservatives. Rush Limbaugh has been winning for almost 40 years now and how many times have people complained about unimportant things like flag burning or weed smoking or a war on Christmas? Also many of those episodes that are now seen as offensive to liberals were also seen as offensive to conservatives for being to liberal? Who wants to bet that the TNG episode "The Outcast" which is now seen as offensive for not taking a bolder stand on gay rights were also being bitched about by those on the right for taking a stand for gay rights?

Jason

 

[DimesDan]

Well, given that today's generation seems pretty thin skinned compared to previous ones, combined with Political Correctness run amok, I'd say that any and all episodes/movies would be considered offensive by some.

 

[fireproof78]

Well, given that today's generation seems pretty thin skinned compared to previous ones, combined with Political Correctness run amok, I'd say that any and all episodes/movies would be considered offensive by some.

 

[MarsWeeps]

Well, it was partly tongue-in-cheek and partly serious. Some of the things I've read about is war veterans not allowed to fly the US flag at their home because the HOA thought some of the neighbors might find it offensive,or the latest epidemic of statue toppling because someone is upset over historical events. It just seems that people are getting offended too often these days and causing a big stink over nothing. Granted, the internet has a lot to do with that because these stories are now at our fingertips all the time.

So, I'm sure that you can find someone offended by something in any Trek episode.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

Enterprise used Vulcan mindmelds as an allegory for AIDS.

I think political correctness is a more multifaceted debate topic than most people give it credit for. Our entire culture seems to be based on overreactions to overreactions to overreactions to reasonable reactions.

It starts with a genuine social injustice where a person or a group are subjected to unfair treatment, and people react appropriately trying to fix the unfair treatment. Then it turns into a cultural autoimmune disorder, people start reacting disproportionately to any expressed thought that seems to be along the lines of supporting the social injustice, shouting people down instead of talking to them and trying to win them over. Then, the rich people who benefit from the injustice turn to those people and rile up their anger for personal gain, and they react disproportionately to the disproportionate reaction.

Our current political scene is the result of this, and could be avoided if people couldn't so easily be made to see anyone they disagreed with as subhuman with the slightest amount of agitation.

Gay marriage isn't supported by the majority of Americans because people in favor of gay rights shouted people down and called them homophobes, it's supported by the majority of Americans because people spent more time getting to know gay people and realizing they were good people just like everyone else.

 

[The Old Mixer]

Let's make a deal: Keep this about Trek and it doesn't get locked.

 

[fireproof78]

Well, it was partly tongue-in-cheek and partly serious. Some of the things I've read about is war veterans not allowed to fly the US flag at their home because the HOA thought some of the neighbors might find it offensive,or the latest epidemic of statue toppling because someone is upset over historical events. It just seems that people are getting offended too often these days and causing a big stink over nothing. Granted, the internet has a lot to do with that because these stories are now at our fingertips all the time.

So, I'm sure that you can find someone offended by something in any Trek episode.

I can find someone to be offended about anything...which just takes all the fun out of it.

Where's George Carlin when you need him?

 

[1001001]

I can find someone to be offended about anything...which just takes all the fun out of it.

Where's George Carlin when you need him?

Everyone has already been asked to drop it. Please do so.

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

CRUSHER: Perhaps it is a human failing, but we are not accustomed to these kinds of changes. I can't keep up. How long will you have this host? What would the next one be? I can't live with that kind of uncertainty. Perhaps, someday, our ability to love won't be so limited.

Crusher claims her problem with the whole matter is an aversion to sudden and unexpected changes.

Imagine you're eating chocolate cake, your favorite food, and halfway through, it begins to taste like spicy chili. After drinking a glass of water, you begin to eat the chili, deciding you like it well enough, and it turns into a sour lemon, which makes your mouth pucker. You finish the lemon and three hours later, inside your digestive system, that food becomes a peanut butter sandwich, which you are deathly allergic to. Two minutes after getting treated for your allergic reaction, you're left with an aftertaste that reminds you of peppermint. What a roller coaster!

Compound that with the person who hosts the symbiont now having their own different personality, which may or may not assert itself to some degree or other, as well as the possibility that the combination of host and symbiont may produce an amalgam that is too different from the one you knew for you to handle.

 

[JonnyQuest037]

Compound that with the person who hosts the symbiont now having their own different personality, which may or may not assert itself to some degree or other, as well as the possibility that the combination of host and symbiont may produce an amalgam that is too different from the one you knew for you to handle.

That wasn't really a factor with the Trill as presented in "The Host," though. As I recall, Odan basically overwrote Riker's personality while he held the symbiont. The personality hybrid thing didn't really come into it until Dax was introduced on DS9.