the biggest controversies of Trek

[Kross]

The morality (or lack thereof) of In the Pale Moonlight.

That the one where Garak assassinates a Romulan and frames the Dominion for it?

 

[JiNX-01]

^ Yup!

 

[Nerys Myk]

I'd say ENT being Star Trek/canon is a pretty big one. Especially since it wasn't even called Star Trek for it's first two Seasons, and then had the Star Trek brand haphazardly ramrodded into it in order to try to salvage some ratings.

Like that actually determines canon.

 

[Kross]

Just remembered one - Worf saying the N word.

 

[IlogicalOne]

Mr. Spock's half brother Sybok in ST lV: The Finale Frontier.

 

[spinster]

Star Trek : Enterprise

 

[Navaros]

Like that actually determines canon.

I don't see why it wouldn't. Seems perfectly logical to me that if it ain't called "Star Trek", then it ain't a Star Trek canon product.

 

[The Exile]

Shatner's wig.

 

[Da'an]

Just remembered one - Worf saying the N word.

When was this?

 

[The Wormhole]

Just remembered one - Worf saying the N word.

When was this?

Only thing I can think of is maybe Far Beyond the Stars. Although, that technically wasn't Worf.

Come to think of it, I don't think the Worf-based character in that episode said it. The Jake-based character said it, I think.

 

[ImperialPhX]

Just remembered one - Worf saying the N word.

I don't believe you. :O

 

[Ensign_Redshirt]

Like that actually determines canon.

I don't see why it wouldn't. Seems perfectly logical to me that if it ain't called "Star Trek", then it ain't a Star Trek canon product.

By that logic, "Torchwood" isn't part of "Doctor Who" canon, "Caprica" isn't part of nuBSG canon, "Crusade" isn't part of "Babylon 5" canon, and "Angel" isn't part of "Buffy" canon... among other examples.

 

[Bill Morris]

Just remembered one - Worf saying the N word.

I don't believe you. :O

I think what Worf's alternate character in DS9: Far Beyond the Stars said was "just another colored boy that can hit a curve ball," and it was Jake's alternate character that actually uttered the N-word, but even then not directed at anyone but mention of the word itself.

 

[ImperialPhX]

Just remembered one - Worf saying the N word.

I don't believe you. :O

I think what Worf's alternate character in DS9: Far Beyond the Stars said was "just another colored boy that can hit a curve ball," and it was Jake's alternate character that actually uttered the N-word, but even then not directed at anyone but mention of the word itself.

Wow... I don't even remember that! I'm re-watching DS9, so when I get there I will look out for that scene. What I really wanna know is,... how did they get away with broadcasting the N word on TV without getting into trouble? Are we sure it was really the N word?

 

[ImperialPhX]

Oh wait! Was that the episode that was based in old-timey times? It makes SOME sense if it was that episode. Not that it makes it any more appropriate...

 

[Ensign_Redshirt]

"Well I got news for you... today or a hundred years from now don't make a bit of difference – as far as they're concerned, we'll always be niggers."
- Jimmy (Jake Sisko)

http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Far_Beyond_the_Stars_(episode)#Memorable_Quotes

 

[Bill Morris]

My own bit of controversy: Does "This is not your father's Star Trek" mean "This is not to be taken as Star Trek canon"?

 

[Botany Bay]

• Grace Lee Whitney's firing from TOS
• Star Trek V
• The revolving door of staffers in the early days of TNG
• The public feuding between members of the TOS cast
• Berman not being removed from his job despite episode after episode of tedious drivel and constantly dropping ratings
• Star Trek : Enterprise

And Gene Roddenberry is involved in so many, he gets his own section

Roddenberry and :

• his abandonment of TOS
• then his taking credit for everything that ever happened on TOS
• his disastrous effort as producer of TMP

I'm sure there are plenty more involving him.

 

[Star Wolf]

- That Kirk and Uhura kiss shouldn't be a problem if it had been done naturally. The fact that they had to kiss because they were forced is what bugs me about it. I know, it's partially because of social norms at the time, but I find the fact that two people of different races had to be forced under mind control in order to kiss more offensive than the simple reality of an interracial kiss.

- I'm sure all the deaths are controversial, except Spock's. Star Trek has a really bad record when it comes to executing major character deaths in a dramatically effective manner. Tasha, Kirk, Data, David Marcus/Kirk, Dax, and the guy who died on the last episode of Enterprise (forgot his name) all had lame, cheap deaths.

- The adjustment of the Borg Collective structure for "Star Trek: First Contact" with the addition of the Borg Queen seems to be a huge controversy here, although I don't think it should be. I thought it was a necessary alteration in order to make them effective big screen villains and the Borg Queen added a lot of juice to the movie.

Charles "Trip" Tucker III.

The Kirk/Uhura kiss was the first interracial kiss on television.

That is a Star Trek legend. Sammy Davis Jr kissed Nancy Sinatra on TV a year before without being forced by aliens to do it.

 

[barnaclelapse]

I'd say Kirk's death and the new movie are the two biggest that I've ever been personally exposed to.

Though I think the controversy with the new movie wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. I remember seeing it for the first time and thinking the opinions would be very even, very sharply divided from the Trek community.