Okay, so the new Star Trek is out and personally, I think it is great. Yeah, the story is a little dark and gritty for Trek, but this is still in the early days of the Star Fleet. It is set after the events of Enterprise but 10 years before The Original Series. I don't want to give too much away to those who haven't seen it and might want to, but right now it is mainly about the start of a war between The United Federation of Planets (Star Fleet) and the Klingon Empire.
New Episodes of Discovery air Sunday night on CBS All Access
There are lots of things Trekkies are complaining about...
1) It's on CBS All Access in America so if you want to watch it here you have to pay for it. Everywhere else it's on Netflix (which of course you still have to pay for).
2) They changed the look of the Klingons and gave them more than one race. Apparently, this isn't "Canon" because OMG we have learned everything about the Klingon Empire by now.
3) Klingons are cannibalistic. Also supposedly not "Canon" except for all of the times you know Klingons boasted about eating the hearts of their enemies, even Worf was afraid Dax would not get into Sto-Vo-Kor when she died because she had never done this.
4) It looks better than the original series graphically. You might want to have those campy 1960s graphics back, but this is a modern telling of the story and if the original had been this visually awesome it might have lasted more then three series. If you do truly miss those campy old sets and the banter between Kirk and Spock check out the fan made show Star Trek Continues (I can't explain how awesome a recreation it is, by the third episode you will believe he is Kirk).
Some of these may or may not be legitimate concerns... I personally enjoy the show and will continue to do so...
But one of the biggest complaints people have had regarding the show is the openly homosexual character Lt. Stamets played by Anthony Rapp, and while I can understand this kind of criticism coming from the extreme religious right I truly believe it should be antithetical to any true fan of Star Trek.
Lt. Stamets - Anthony Rapp
Star Trek has always been a series with a social conscience. It has always been about pushing the boundaries of technology and space, but also about pushing the boundaries of acceptance. We've seen such a diverse group of characters in Trek over the years. Strong black women like Lt. Uhuru. Amazing black captains like Captain Sisko of DS9. Russians, Asians, and Scottsmen, and aliens from other friggin planets all working together without a care in the world.... and you want to get upset that the new show has a gay character in it? Are you serious?
Star Trek has always generated controversy
Several stations would not air Kirk kissing Uhuru
Several stations would not air Kirk kissing Uhuru
What part of Gene's vision of openness and acceptance do you people not get? Gay people exist. Gay people contribute fully to society and have every right to love who they love. It's that simple. Hopefully, in the future, more people will understand that.
To those I have seen claiming that this is part of the gay agenda... damn right it is. What exactly do you think the gay agenda is though? Some shadow recruitment technique to turn us all gay thus saving the planets fashion sense for eons to come? No... the only gay agenda that is and ever has been is to be accepted just like everyone else. To be treated as human just like everyone else. To be able to love and be loved just like everyone else.
If you can't get that you shouldn't be watching Star Trek in any iteration at all.
"I think he would be 100 percent in favor of a gay character in 'Star Trek," said Roddenberry during an interview. "There's so much going on in the world today. I think he would love any sort of social issue being brought into 'Star Trek.'"
