Every major male character on Star Trek got a love interest except Sulu. Kirk was routinely shown to have them, Spock had several, McCoy had old flames, Chekhov got his, and even Scotty, who would rather spend time with technical manuals, tried to get it on with some women. But not Sulu. Racism of the times?
Sulu -- the forgotten lover and racism of the times?
- Thread starter Gassy Man
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Um, no.
Sulu was a secondary character, possibly tertiary. The lack of a story focusing on Sulu isn't racism, it was lack of interest.
Face it, Takei wasn't that good an actor. He might be better now, but I haven't seen anything to prove it to me.
Anyway, there was never a story that required a Sulu love interest. Case closed.
Sulu was a secondary character, possibly tertiary. The lack of a story focusing on Sulu isn't racism, it was lack of interest.
Face it, Takei wasn't that good an actor. He might be better now, but I haven't seen anything to prove it to me.
Anyway, there was never a story that required a Sulu love interest. Case closed.
THIS SIDE OF PARADISE was originally written for Sulu, but it soon became a Spock ep because Nimoy was a co-lead. Not a love interest ep, but the outline for WOLF IN THE FOLD was written with Sulu suspected of the murders, but an early note from D. C. Fontana suggested giving the part to Scotty as she felt Doohan was a far better actor than Takei.
Sir Rhosis
Sir Rhosis
I also think there was a pecking order. After Kirk, Spock, McCoy, next in line was Scotty, and since Chekov was sort of the George Harrison of the cast, he fit right in with the space hippies. I think Sulu would have evenually had a love interest, but like Chekov, I don't think it was a priority. I think we would have also seen some backstory on Uhuru and maybe a love interest (old flame) if the series lasted.
Uhura had the Salt Monster illusion guy, but I don't think that counts.
What ticks me off is people calling racism when anyone of color doesn't get the same as someone else (not of color?). If you spend all your time looking for racism that's all you'll see.
There's no way to make a tight, interesting tv show that includes everything that every special interest group wants to see to satisfy their individual constituencies. Especially 50 years in the past.
Geeze, Louise.
What ticks me off is people calling racism when anyone of color doesn't get the same as someone else (not of color?). If you spend all your time looking for racism that's all you'll see.
There's no way to make a tight, interesting tv show that includes everything that every special interest group wants to see to satisfy their individual constituencies. Especially 50 years in the past.
Geeze, Louise.
On the other hand, he did on two occasions have a lusty armful of Uhura. Mirror Sulu and Naked Time Sulu, that is.
I think there were a few other small Sulu & Uhura moments - enough that I think Sulu had an interest, at least. They might have gone somewhere with that, I suppose, given a few more seasons to play around in.
As it is, it wasn't until the Trek novels and comics that I recall Sulu getting any real action:
I think there were a few other small Sulu & Uhura moments - enough that I think Sulu had an interest, at least. They might have gone somewhere with that, I suppose, given a few more seasons to play around in.
As it is, it wasn't until the Trek novels and comics that I recall Sulu getting any real action:
Oh, please. There's a long and storied hsitory of treating Asian American males as asexual. If you spend your time denying that there's racism that's all you will see.
But that's just it -- every other major, regular male character got a romantic interest, and some more than once. Sulu is the only one where this is conspicuously missing.
That at least shows it was considered -- though I would take exception that James Doohan is a better actor.
Sulu was not a major character. That's the flaw in your premise. At best he was a secondary character. More like tertiary.
Saying that I'm denying racism is just, in my opinion, stupid.
This is a 50 year old TV show. Enjoy it or don't.
Saying that I'm denying racism is just, in my opinion, stupid.
This is a 50 year old TV show. Enjoy it or don't.
Not according to Memory Alpha and other sites: http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Main_characters.
But based on your premise, nor were McCoy, Scotty, or Chekhov, Only Shatner's and Nimoy's names appear in the opening credits of Season One, with DeForest Kelly added only starting with the second season.
The flaw in your premise is that racism couldn't possibly be an explanation.
Walter Koenig complained that the 'love interests' he had in 'Spectre' and 'Eden' were superficial. Maybe Takei just wanted more serious parts. After all, he did eventually get command of his own starship.
George Takei was a much better actor than Jimmy Doohan. If there was a reason why Sulu didn't have any love stories, it's lost on me. Maybe George didn't express an interest in that sort of thing and if he'd piped up, Gene would've made it a point Sulu got to kiss up on some Smokin' Hottie. Unless there's a paper trail on this, it's all conjecture, anyway.
I hate the Dr. McCoy love stories, though, and Praise be to Allah, there's only like 2 of them: Nancy the Salt Addict and that Oracle woman. Bones was already a bit old to be Playing the Field, he didn't need no romancing, he was already given plenty else to do. And Spock's romances all had some catch involved.
The Spore Chick was possessed with a plant fungus. When he kissed up Zarabeth, it was only because he was in commune with his barbarian ancestors 5000 years in the past. His betrothed was already with another Man, when Spock returned home, with his raging hormones. Checkov's blondes were out of his league and only were with him, in the first place, because it was in the script. That is, there was no believability factor, involved.
Out of all of them, only Kirk had the normal romances. The ones worthy of remembrance. Like Edith Keeler, with her sexy little accent. And, uh ... who else? That little robot number Leonardo da Vinci introduced him to ...
I hate the Dr. McCoy love stories, though, and Praise be to Allah, there's only like 2 of them: Nancy the Salt Addict and that Oracle woman. Bones was already a bit old to be Playing the Field, he didn't need no romancing, he was already given plenty else to do. And Spock's romances all had some catch involved.
The Spore Chick was possessed with a plant fungus. When he kissed up Zarabeth, it was only because he was in commune with his barbarian ancestors 5000 years in the past. His betrothed was already with another Man, when Spock returned home, with his raging hormones. Checkov's blondes were out of his league and only were with him, in the first place, because it was in the script. That is, there was no believability factor, involved.
Out of all of them, only Kirk had the normal romances. The ones worthy of remembrance. Like Edith Keeler, with her sexy little accent. And, uh ... who else? That little robot number Leonardo da Vinci introduced him to ...
Didn't you just defeat your own argument?
The major characters were Kirk, Spock, and (by your definition from season two forward) McCoy.
Trying to insert racism into anything is, in my opinion, a weak argument. Stand up, or step aside.
This is pointless. Over and out.
No, actually I supported my original claim that Sulu was a major character. It was your argument that was defeated . . . by yourself.
One of these guys looks like he was auditioning for a part in a Cheech & Chong film....
That was Sulu. Kirk and Spock seem mildly concerned about it.
One of these guys looks like he was auditioning for a part in a Cheech & Chong film....
This is how I see it, as well.
Besides (since it's been brought up), in the overall big picture, Sulu is show to have had time to have a family by the time of Generations, so it's arguable that he's had a chance to be more in love than any of the rest of the regular characters!
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