Friday 3 September 2010

Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 1

See? There's not that many women...
Here is a 1 star review of that most despicable of TV shows, Star Trek: The Next Generation season 1. Be warned this post contains graphic sarcasm from the start:
Having watched all three seasons of the Original Star Trek (with Shatner and Nimoy, which was brilliant) (It's not that brilliant, many of the episodes are awful), I was looking forward to watching Star Trek 'The Next Generation', but I couldnt have been more disappointed. (Couldn't you? Really? What if you opened the box to find only Hitler? Who then jumped out and set your mother on fire?)

Apparently, alot of the old trekkies that watched TNG didnt like this first series (That's the first I've heard of this), but they only have a vague reason why.. 

Here's why. (Oh thank the Lord that you are going to enlighten us)

TNG started in the late 80's, a good 15-20 years after the feminist movement began in the US, and it really shows in this first season of TNG. (And suddenly, things turned ugly)

In this version of Star Trek, alongside the Captain, there is a female 'empath' called 'Troi', who can physically 'feel' emotion from crew mates and aliens (What's with the inverted commas?). Everytime something happens, Captain Picard turns to her, and she contorts her face and says things like "I feel great sorrow, captain..." (And? Are you angry that a MAN has to ask a WOMAN for advice?). The Chief Medical Officer is now also female (So? Lots of doctors are women), but considering 'Bones' from the original series behaved like an hysterical female (Sexist stereotyping much?), there isnt much change in the charactor character. Head of Ship's Security Lieutenant Yar, is, again, female (What a bitch, how dare she hold a position of authority. Women should stay in the kitchen making dinner and darning socks). One of the oddest things about this first season is the first 6 episodes. In 2 of those episodes, the female Lt. Yar talks about 'rape squads' when she was a young girl on her home planet. Why that needed to be injected into Star Trek, I really have no idea (It's called character back-story. It's what good TV shows do). Whats more, in these opening episodes, the aliens that the enterprise encounter are male barbarians, who say things like "FEMALES?! CLOTHED?! SERVING ABOARD A STARSHIP?!" (You are referring to the Ferengi who appeared in episodes 5 and 9. I'm pretty sure these were the only aliens who could possibly be described as 'male barbarians'), while the crew of the enterprise smugly look down on them (Those feminist pricks). There's a definate definite misandric (The term is misandrous) undertone to those first 6 episodes. (No. There isn't. Equality isn't misandrous. It's equal)

It gets less man-hating as you go through the season (How can it? It wasn't 'man-hating' to start with), but episodes keep popping up where female charactors characters are seen as victims of the 'male' charactors characters/aliens, who are backward savages (Do they? I hadn't noticed. Maybe because I don't have a chip on my shoulder larger than the Taj Mahal). 

The best example of the feminization in this first season, is in episode 18 'Home Soil'. An alien is onboard the Enterprise, and the ship starts to lose power, and the female engineer says "WE CANNOT STOP IT CAPTAIN! IT MAY AFFECT THE SURGERY.. OR THE NURSERY.." (I agree. We should definitely let those sick people and young children die. That'll teach them for being defenseless. Any man who thinks otherwise is a pussy) !! hilarious. (No. Just no.)

There are no real male charactors  (other than the Captain, and thats debatable) (True except for LaForge, Riker, O'Brien, Worf, Wesley, many of the background characters and arguably Data is masculine. I'm pretty sure Picard is a man, to be honest. He doesn't have breasts for one thing). Commander Riker's face looks asthough as though he's just been divorced by his wife (Have you just been divorced? Is that where this hatred of anything female has come from?), and Lt. Commander Worf, an alien from the Klingon warrior race, seems to have been neutered. (You know, except for his near-constant anger and general ΓΌber-manliness)

Also, The crew seem to be godless (Yes. Welcome to the world of Star Trek. That's the way Roddenberry wanted it), and look down on 'primitive' alien religions (When? Examples please), which I found quite annoying. Personally Im not religious, but I didnt like how matter-of-fact and condescending they were about it. (Again, when?) 

There are a couple of episodes which arnt aren't overly feminised (All episodes, in fact) , 'Arsenal of Freedom' is particularly good. 

If your you're buying this as a present for a young boy as a christmas present or for a birthday, better to get Star Trek - The Original Series (with Captain Kirk, Spock, and bones Bones). (Or better yet, ignore your ridiculous 'review' (I use this word very loosely here) based only on your prejudices, and get them this very good set)

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