MovieChat Forums > Star Trek: Picard (2020) Discussion > I don't like Star Trek trying to be real...

I don't like Star Trek trying to be realistic and reflective of today's societal problems...

posted 5 years ago by [deleted]
10 replies | jump to latest

...and this is what Picard and Discovery are trying to be.

What I loved about 1966-2005 Star Trek was that it felt detached from the real world, like escapism, with a utopian view of the future. Exactly why people liked Roddenberry's vision in the first place, although with some conflict to it, like DS9 and the later shows had. But whilst the themes of the present day were represented, it didn't hit us over the head with them, and there was still a sense of wonder to the whole thing.

But now, politics has entered the show far too much and made it feel as depressing as real-life. Some people may love that sort of negativity, but it does not belong in Star Trek!! Is it any wonder why ratings are tanking from older fans like me, and I would rather go back to the great old days, where there is more than enough material to keep us entertained?

[–] maximmm (3411) 5 years ago

Well - Picard did butt heads with starfleet command in the past -
The notion of many members threatening to leave if the federation takes on immigrants from a world which occupied many of the member worlds in the past is a realistic one even in that 'enlightened' future.

Basically, we are just being shown some of the darker elements of the future, which were always there, but not always apparent.

[–] kuku (3510) 5 years ago

Picard => about immigrants and problems between races and ethnic groups
ST Discovery => about problems between races and ethnic groups
Carnival Row => about immigrants and problems between races and ethnic groups
The Dark Crystal reboot => about problems between races and ethnic groups
The Witcher => partially about problems between races and ethnic groups
His Dark Materials => partially about problems between ethnic groups
Doctor Whoke 2020 => partially about problems between races and ethnic groups
Game of Thrones last seasons => partially about problems between races and ethnic groups
The Twilight Zone reboot => partially about problems between races and ethnic groups

All of it, of course, from a woke point of view and with a nice coat of preaching. Amen!

[–] JoWilli (21648) 5 years ago

get woke af

[–] Redsfan001 (6218) 5 years ago

I have not seen there series yet so I hesitate to comment.

But the original series DID have some episodes that deal with some contemporary problems/issues of the day.

1.' A Private Little War'..Vietnam
2. 'Let that be your last battle field'...race relations
3. (Episode with Gary Seven/Terri Garr I forget the name)... nuclear Armageddon.

I do see your point however..we are beaten over the head by the media about immigration.

[–] JoWilli (21648) 5 years ago

why did you delete your comment, it was good.

reboots are woke now, its just the culture we live in.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

Which comment?

[–] JoWilli (21648) 5 years ago

https://moviechat.org/tt8806524/Star-Trek-Picard/5e35dc2d7de8313919771153/deleted

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

Well, because the repliers were correct, Star Trek is about more than just space exploration, it does cover political themes a lot of the time. I just didn't feel like updating the OP.

[–] keithmovies (628) 5 years ago

Yes, there should be ample opportunity to write creative story-lines if given the opportunity. Looking at TNG episodes descriptions (and of course watching those episodes) you can see the benefit of that approach. Politics in Star Trek was very much "in Universe" with a metaphorical reference to contemporary issues. Emptied of intelligent exploration and speculative processes, the portrayal of issues in contemporary (sci-fi) drama seem more like lectures or political platforms than stories - that seems to be a major fault-line, where writers forget the fictional world and as you say the utopian ideals of Trek and look for opportunities to in a way coerce or indoctrinate the audience.

I don't think the classic Trek of the past few decades actually ignored realpolitic themes - it was right there all the way through. And it needed to be - the idealistic and progressive Federation society had to manage it's own membership planets, competition with aliens external to the Federation, corruption and conspiracies, and the defence against the incursion of hostile predatory races.

At core though, Star Trek is about exploration - scientific, cultural and philosophical. It needs space to do that, and is not supposed to be a noir drama. I like Game of Thrones but it doesn't mean that every popular show must reproduce and conform to those values, nor does Star Trek.

[–] mikethemartian (7003) 5 years ago

I thought Roddenberry said several times that original Star Trek had many stories that were allusions to events occurring in the 60s.