First this is something I've been thinking about for a while. I first started thinking about this maybe 5 or 6 years ago. At the time I was watching some youtube video reviews for Star Trek TOS, a show I grew up with. I enjoyed watching them, until one day I watched a rant about how certain people can't be and were never real fans. And that Star Trek was never meant for us. That same video said that I shouldn't be watching any of the creators content, because it was not meant for me. It was completely motivated by a political agenda.
But it did getting me thinking, What is it about Star Trek that I do like?
(as a side note: politics is the easiest way to kill a friendship. And I try in my daily life to not talk politics, either in real life or on-line. I'm human, and sometimes I fail, but I try.)
This is my opinion, your opinion maybe different and that's ok. As long your difference don't result in name calling, and just being a jerk.
I've been further motivated to think about this recently after again being told that Star Trek was never meant for me.
So here is the deal, Star Trek at least classic Trek TOS, TNG, Voyager, DS9, Enterprise were meant for everyone. Everyone could find something they liked about any of these shows. They could also find plenty they didn't like about some of these shows. And at times they all could agree an episode was just plan bad.
I'm looking at you "Code of Honor" and "Angel One" from TNG, And plenty from my personal favorite series TOS - I'm looking at you "Turnabout Intruder", but there are a few to choose from, and not everyone agrees.
Now as I said TOS is my personal favorite series. It was in syndication when I was young, it was something that I could watch almost every day after school. And I can remember wanting to see what adventures the crew got into. With the exception of a few episodes it didn't matter which order you watch them in. You always got the feeling that Kirk, Spock and McCoy had been working together for a long time. Even the secondary characters of Scott, Uhura, Sulu, and later Chekov you knew who these people where, they all had back stories, they had all been together for a while. In my head canon Chekov had been on the ship for a while, and finally got prompted to the bridge.
The stories were for the most part written so they didn't talk down to the audience.
There really wasn't a villian, not the way we currently think of villian anyway. There were a number of antagonists. Every antagonist was written smartly, they all had motivations as to way they were the way they were. It was never clear who was right or wrong, generally speaking there was a lot of gray.
The Romulan's were not written to just be evil people who hate The Federation. They had lives, they had families, they had jobs and they had character.
Same with The Klingon, these people were not evil, they were doing a job. They had lives, they had families, they had character.
In some episodes you even feel sorry for the antagonist, Charlie X, The Horta, Mudd.
It's the rich act of making the main antagonist relatable, and in a short period of screen time conveying a history - The stories for the most part were well written. And in some cases re-written many times so they could get it just right. Or as right as you can in 45 mins.
But does this explain why I am a fan? No not really, I mean good story telling is part of it.
Is it the ships? Maybe, but probably not the ships that most would think.
I was a big fan of the Romulan war bird - that ship is in my top ten list of best ships. Don't get me wrong The Enterprise is on the list. But I've always been a fan of the smaller ships. The DY-100 was by far my favorite Earth ship. When the Miranda class first showed up on screen, that quickly became one of my favorites. I really like the smaller ships.
So is it the ships that make me a fan, maybe? Not really, yes, I like them. But honestly in TOS we really only get a handful of ships to look at. TOS mostly focuses on The Enterprise and other Constitution class ships. Yes, you have Romulan War Birds, and Klingon D7s both of which are just as iconic as The Enterprise.
Is it the side characters? Perhaps one of the best known Harcourt Fenton Mudd, also probably the one that has had the most stories outside of the main cast. (Someone fact check me on that - but it seems that way). He is someone that has had a large history created for him. Someone that operates on just this side of the law. Sometimes described as a con-man, or smuggler, but there is more to the man.
Yes, I think when I saw Mudd I realized you don't need to be in Star Fleet to have adventures. Here the universe got much bigger. You can be part of The Federation, but still independent. You can still work for yourself, there are still rules you need to (or should) follow. But if you want to be a trader, an entrepreneur you can be.
I mentioned the Horta earlier, here is a mother figure who only does what it needs to do to protect the babies. In a short amount of time you get a picture of just how much responsibility she has. And just what it is will to do in the name of that responsibility. She is tasked with protecting an entire race. We get a near complete idea of what this creature is, what motivates it, and what it is will to do. We get a idea that it doesn't like the idea of killing, but it has to.
And many many other side characters, really too many to name them all. But most have some kind of history behind them - not all of them, and a few were poorly written for sure. But most you get a since of who they are, what motivates them, and maybe even why.
I'm not including Klingons or Romulans as side characters, because lets face it there was a lot written about both.
So was it the side characters? Maybe, I mean most were interesting, and most left an impression.
Well what about the adjacent empires? Klingons, and Romulans - yes, here we have a few different stories about each, we get more of an idea of who these people are, and that they aren't "evil". Each when on to have rich, rich stories. Each had motivations, and characters that were both memorable and have history.
The Romulan showed what I believed was the first female commander in charge of a ship. At a time when The Federation doesn't yet have female captains. And she is a well written, driven, intelligent.
So here is where we can say The Federation is behind, even the Romulans have female commanders.
But was it the adjacent empires? No not really, I am happy to get to know them, but no it's not really way I'm a fan.
What about economics? Economics in TOS seams to me to be complicated. We see miners who are described as being rich, and we see no need for money. Yet many times Kirk has to spend something to get something. Credits are a form of currency. TOS is almost a post-scarcity society, I say almost because at times it's clear that Kirk needs something, that can only be found somewhere. Food was abundant, but people still worked hard and someone payed for items. This seems like The Federation need to hire contractors to mine, the contractors work not for personal betterment, but for monetary gain. What will this money get them? That's unclear. There are a few episodes that talk about buying planets! Buying involves money of some type. Now I believe money was becoming less a motivation at least in the federation, but it was still something that everyone knew about.
I would make the argument that even in TNG money is known, it's not the driving factor - but some races still use money, so there is a capitalist system that is known.
I would say in every version of Star Trek economics are complicated.
I would also think that Star Trek really isn't a Utopia - but it's not the same system we currently have either. Money is still a thing, but it's used rarely. It's actually used quite a bit in TOS, but later it seems to be used less and less.
Is it because they explore the galaxy? I think there is a lot to this, and I would give this a big yes. I really like watching the ship go somewhere, and the crew learn something.
SO after thinking about this for quite some time - I just think it's ALL these things that make me a fan. At least a fan of TOS, TNG, and Voyager.
Now here is something that is going to surprise. I've only seen a handful of DS9 - what I've seen I've liked. But I can say I'm a fan of DS9 - I completely know it is the favorite of a lot of people. But I just can't seem to get into that show.
Maybe it's because it has a story arc? maybe because it's set on a station? (It's probably because of the station! I can't get into Babylon 5 either - and I know it's because it's on a station.) See I like ships, and while DS9 did add the Defiant - IMHO it was too late for me. Thou I will say the few episodes I've seen have all be set on the Defiant going some where. So yeah it's the station.
I'm mixed about Enterprise, I really wasn't a big fan of it being a prequel. But the stories were mostly good, and the characters were all well written. It's not my favorite, but it's not unwatchable either. It has good moments, and it has bad moments just like the other series. But if I had a choice of what to watch, it wouldn't be in my top choice.
There was a time many years ago, when as a fan I could say I really can't get into DS9 and or I really do like Voyager. And you'd get reasons why others like or dislike them. You wouldn't get called a name, you wouldn't be told you weren't a real fan. People would just agree to disagree and everyone would live on and be happy.
What I learned from Star Trek?
Probably the biggest thing is everyone is equal, and just because you don't agree doesn't mean the other person is wrong. You don't know what motivates them, or what life experiences they might have. And everyone needs respect. I don't have to agree, but I should listen to what you say. You should listen to what I say, and we should either come to a different understanding or agree to disagree with no hard feelings.
It's like when Kirk was hell bent on destroying the Gorn, only to find out that The Federation may have been in the wrong. And to the Gorn - The Federation were the "evil" invaders. Both sides were in the wrong, and both side could learn to work together (at least in theory).
I learned that money isn't or shouldn't be a motivation, but it is needed.
And I've learned that strength comes from within. If you think you can't do something, most likely you can't. But if you believe you can, you will most likely do it.
These are my own opinions, these are something I've thought about for some time.
I am a fan of Star Trek, and We don't have to agree to both be FANs. Also there are many reasons to be a fan of something, not just the ones I've listed. These are just some of the reasons I am a fan.
*** Rude, name calling, or otherwise hateful comments will be deleted. We are all fans, and can talk nicely to each other. ***
