This is one of my posts where I “review” Star Trek episodes. I will be giving each one a star rating. I sometimes will make some comments about non-political parts of them that I like or don’t like. I’ll sometimes use the issues raised in the episode to discuss similar issues in real life. And I will sometimes simply high-light the progressive politics of ST. ST is in-line with the three original themes of this blog, as I explain in the first ST post where I offer some general thoughts about ST.
I’m not very familiar with The Original Series and there might be some small amount of material there that would affect what I say about Star Trek (i.e. how often religion is mentioned)
Lastly. multi-culturalism is such a pervasive theme in ST that I only comment on it when it goes beyond the norm (i.e. inter-species partners).
“The Outcast” See this for a plot summary.
I have heard that many people don’t think this episode takes a good swing at homophobia. I’m not sure why. The two things I’ve heard are A) since almost all (possibly all) the J’naii are played by women, some have said that the J’naii seem less like a homophobic society and more like man-hating lesbians; and B) that Star Trek higher-ups thought it should put an end to calls for more movement in ST on the issue of homophobia.
To the former I say that I don’t see it that way and probably almost everyone who watched that episode understood the anti-homophobic message. To the latter I say that that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a good anti-homophobic episode, it just means that there is a problem with some people responsible for ST and they need to be pressured some more (even today, 15 years later, they STILL need to be pressured).
When in front of the judge, Soren says: “I am female. I was born that way. I have had those feelings, those longings all of my life. It is not unnatural. I am not sick because I feel this way. I don't need to be helped, I don't need to be cured. What I need and what all of those who are like me need is your understanding and your compassion. We have not injured you in any way. And yet we are scorned and attacked. And all because we are different. What we do is no different from what you do. We talk and laugh, we complain about work and we wonder about getting old, we talk about our families and we worry about the future. And we cry with each other when things seem hopeless. All of the loving things that you with each other, that is what we do. And for that we are called misfits and deviants and criminals. What right do you have to punish us? What right do you have to change us? What makes you think you can dictate how people love each other?”
It’s a pretty good speech.
A few other notes on the episode:
1. Dr. Crusher says that the inequality of women has disappeared.
2. Worf shows that Crusher is not 100% right when he makes some sexist comments. He’s also bigoted towards the androgynous J’naii. (this is not an example of progressive politics in ST, but is the exception to the rule)
I give the episode four stars out of five (since DS9 and VOY are my favorite series and TNG is behind them, I have decided I will give no TNG episode five stars)
“Cause and Effect” See this for a plot summary.
A non-political episode. I give it three stars out of five.
“The First Duty” See this for a plot summary.
A non-political episode. I give it two stars out of five.
“The Cost of Living” See this for a plot summary
A non-political episode. I give it two stars out of five.
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