The Next Captain

[Bry_Sinclair]

Biting piece of social commentary here:

KIRK: You're black on one side and white on the other.
BELE: I am black on the right side.
KIRK: I fail to see the significant difference.

This actually makes a good point about Trek, in that by the 23rd Century humanity is colour blind. All the stupid little things that people freak out about in the 20th/21st centuries are dead and buried. People are just people, and alien species are accepted.

Temis = As for Trek being America in space, it is pretty obvious (well except for TNG, thanks to the presence Mr Stewart) especially when Scotty tells La Forge that he had been working with starship since Geordi's grandfather was in diapers (I know of no Scot that calls them that ).

 

[Skywalker]

The next captain won't be an alien, he or she will be a good old-fashioned human with round ears and a flat forehead.

I think either a Latin or an Asian captain would be nice. We've had four Western Europeans (three by way of America), one of them a woman, and one African American so far. But they should figure out who their captain is and what they're all about, first, and then cast based on that, rather than looking for a specific ethnicity first and then filling in the details later. If they find someone who doesn't match the initial character concept but turns out to be the best actor for the role, then they can go ahead and change whatever needs to be changed.

 

[USS Triumphant]

It just occurred to me that if you really want a lot of social controversy and discussion, they should have a tall, blond-haired, blue-eyed, physically-fit, and obviously Germanic man or woman as the next captain.

 

[BillJ]

It just occurred to me that if you really want a lot of social controversy and discussion, they should have a tall, blond-haired, blue-eyed, physically-fit, and obviously Germanic man or woman as the next captain.

And have him as a descendant of Hitler's failed attempts at eugenics.

 

[The Inquisitor]

In all honesty I don't think it matters. Gay, straight or bi I don't think it would be much of an issue in the 24th century. Just like retarded concepts like racism dont exist in the trek universe I should imagine homophobia and the issues surrounding it would disappear also.

In regards to an earlier comment (forgive me I can't use the multi quote thing on my phone), gay people have experienced horrific struggles over the last 2 millennia. Different to that of ethnic minorities and women but no less brutal. They were rounded up, labelled and sent to concentration camps during WW2 along with any other groups the Nazis deemed 'undesirable'.

 

[Tarek71]

I think that for the next series the Captain should be homosexual, and definately played by a gay actor/actress.

Anyone else out there agree?

-Bry

Absolutely! I agree. I hope they do it. It would certainly go well with the recent vote on Dont Ask Dont Tell.

 

[Saquist]

Show two guys holding hands, a hug and embrace...show feelings...I think that needs to be done instead of the lust.

Why does it have to be OVERT?

I can agree with this, but then, I'm not overly fond of excessive PDAs regardless of the homo- or hetero- sexuality involved. If I'd want to tell a guy and a girl to "get a room", that applies to a gay or lesbian couple, too - and when watching general TV, I want story and effects, not smut. Smut is what porn is for.

My sentiments exactly.

The next captain won't be an alien, he or she will be a good old-fashioned human with round ears and a flat forehead.

I think either a Latin or an Asian captain would be nice. We've had four Western Europeans (three by way of America), one of them a woman, and one African American so far. But they should figure out who their captain is and what they're all about, first, and then cast based on that, rather than looking for a specific ethnicity first and then filling in the details later. If they find someone who doesn't match the initial character concept but turns out to be the best actor for the role, then they can go ahead and change whatever needs to be changed.

Indeed. I had not thought about a Asian Captain...preferably not Asian American...

 

[goofy]

Yeah, I don't mind a gay / lesbian / transgender (ie: Hermat) character with an obvious same-gender (or equally transgender) life partner as long as it doesn't come across as preachy or written to tasteless pornographic extremes.

I'd personally like to see more strong female Captains in fanfic.

 

[Avon]

how about an incredibly camp and flamboyant captain who's straight. or an asian klingon with a speech impediment. or a blind hispanic hermaphrodite vulcan-bolian. or an incredibly rascist and obese texan.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

It's part of how TV writers cram as many minorities into everything as possible so they can be like "See? It's not just rich straight white guys".

That's not how it works.

There is, however, a market-driven desire on the part of folks in the business to represent a broad demographic range in a lot of television fare.

 

[Red Ranger]

I'd like to see a half-human/half-Vulcan female captain myself. Perhaps one that favors her human side more than her Vulcan side at times...

T'Pol?

 

[C.E. Evans]

I'd like to see a half-human/half-Vulcan female captain myself. Perhaps one that favors her human side more than her Vulcan side at times...

T'Pol?

Nope. T'Pol was still quintessentially Vulcan.

I was thinking more along the lines of character who was very Human in both demeanor and appearance (no bowl haircuts), but perhaps had just the pointed ears to show one of her ancestors didn't come from Earth. If there was a character in her crew who was 100% Vulcan, the sharp contrasts between them could be stressed at times like night and day (or oil and water)...

 

[T'Girl]

or an incredibly rascist and obese texan.

Give him the verbal speech patterns of Loony-tunes Foghorn Leghorn;

Romulan: "Once again Captain Leghorn, you have violate the tenants of the neutral zone treaty."

Captain: "Yah knot from around here, are ya boy?"

Just like retarded concepts like racism dont exist in the trek universe I should imagine homophobia and the issues surrounding it would disappear also.

Racism certainly exists in the 24th century. The Cardassians are generally racist and the majority of Vulcans are consistently very racist towards non-Vulcans.

In term of homophobia, having a GLBT captain would be a statement to modern audiences, TOS might be given a pass in this area, but from TNG onward it's become very apparent that Star Trek is actively avoiding the subject, Star trek need to have a gay (male) main character, and it need to be a Human character too. Not some hot alien lesbian, that would be too easy. Star Trek needs to take a big bite.



.

 

[BillJ]

In term of homophobia, having a GLBT captain would be a statement to modern audiences, TOS might be given a pass in this area, but from TNG onward it's become very apparent that Star Trek is actively avoiding the subject, Star trek need to have a gay (male) main character, and it need to be a Human character too. Not some hot alien lesbian, that would be too easy. Star Trek needs to take a big bite.

.

Is there any data to back this up? I think people here have assigned a desire to mainstream audiences that simply doesn't exist. Star Trek 2009 was the most successful of the feature films and it was nothing more than a cop-buddy movie with cool explosions, there wasn't a deep social message to be found within ten light-years of the film.

YMMV.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

There's a thread in this very forum arguing that the next captain "has" to be human because an alien captain would be too scary/offputting/hard for the audience to identify with.

If Trek fans can't even make the small leap to identify with Trek aliens (who after all, are just humans with certain personality types emphasized and maybe a few cosmetic changes to foreheads or ears) enough to accept one as the lead character of a series, I think we're wildly overestimating just how tolerant Trek fans actually are. Perhaps they really are narrow minded and fearful of challenges to the status quo. Which would explain why gays don't appear in Star Trek unless they're "safe" (hot lesbians).

 

[BillJ]

There's a thread in this very forum arguing that the next captain "has" to be human because an alien captain would be too scary/offputting/hard for the audience to identify with.

If Trek fans can't even make the small leap to identify with Trek aliens (who after all, are just humans with certain personality types emphasized and maybe a few cosmetic changes to foreheads or ears) enough to accept one as the lead character of a series, I think we're wildly overestimating just how tolerant Trek fans actually are. Perhaps they really are narrow minded and fearful of challenges to the status quo. Which would explain why gays don't appear in Star Trek unless they're "safe" (hot lesbians).

You know, I love 'hot' lesbians. But, for me, the same rules apply to them that I apply to any other character... is there an interesting reason for them to be there? What do they add to the story that their absence would deprive us of?

That's the question no one seems to be able to answer. YMMV.

 

[Tarek71]

There's a thread in this very forum arguing that the next captain "has" to be human because an alien captain would be too scary/offputting/hard for the audience to identify with.

If Trek fans can't even make the small leap to identify with Trek aliens (who after all, are just humans with certain personality types emphasized and maybe a few cosmetic changes to foreheads or ears) enough to accept one as the lead character of a series, I think we're wildly overestimating just how tolerant Trek fans actually are. Perhaps they really are narrow minded and fearful of challenges to the status quo. Which would explain why gays don't appear in Star Trek unless they're "safe" (hot lesbians).

You know, I love 'hot' lesbians. But, for me, the same rules apply to them that I apply to any other character... is there an interesting reason for them to be there? What do they add to the story that their absence would deprive us of?

That's the question no one seems to be able to answer. YMMV.

The interesting thing here is that no one even asks if there is a "reason" for a hetero character to appear. Its just assumed as normal. The reason gay characters should appear is that gay people exist in the general population and in the population of those who serve in uniform. No other special reason required.

The reason one might make a point about including a gay character is historic under representation and exactly the phenomenon we see here. Where hetero is assumed, and no one thinks twice about it. Nor is it ever an issue as to how to let the audience know the character is hetero. It doesnt even come up. At some point a love scene is written. Not even with the point of letting the audience know that the character is hetero. Its just written in because romance and sex are normal parts of human life.

 

[Skywalker]

If Trek fans can't even make the small leap to identify with Trek aliens (who after all, are just humans with certain personality types emphasized and maybe a few cosmetic changes to foreheads or ears) enough to accept one as the lead character of a series, I think we're wildly overestimating just how tolerant Trek fans actually are. Perhaps they really are narrow minded and fearful of challenges to the status quo. Which would explain why gays don't appear in Star Trek unless they're "safe" (hot lesbians).

Yeah, but it's not the Trek fans who the network would be worrying about. It's the casual viewers who might have a harder time watching a wholly alien captain who would, by necessity, occupy a majority of the screen time.

 

[Avon]

considering how low trek audiences got with enterprise, i doubt that a new series would hook many casual viewers. they may as well push the boundaries of 'normal'.

Make the captain a non-humanoid. some kind of hideous instect-squid. make him fall in love with a human. make a human fall in love with it.

Why just have a token gay main character? have three. observe them not be stereotypes. observe them scanning for cloaked ships or fixing whatever it is they fix in jefferies tubes.

they may as well go for it.

 

[Orcus]

I think that for the next series the Captain should be homosexual, and definately played by a gay actor/actress.

Anyone else out there agree?

-Bry

Why don't we target an audience demographic whom the public still feels it's okay to ridicule, sneer at, present as an idiot and generally discriminate against as a matter of course?

Why not make the next captain Welsh? Or a smoker...?