Why Star Trek?

Post by **Teaos** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 12:58 pm

This is something I have been wondering for awhile now. Why do you like trek?

A lot of the members here seem to not really like the latter seasons, seem to have a big problem with Starfleet and the Federation. In fact reading the posts of some members I find it hard to work out if they like anything at all about trek. Yet here they are a a star trek forum linked to a technical site.

We all must be fans of the show. More than just a passing enjoyment as we are here debating stuff.

So why do you like it?

Post by **Captain Seafort** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 1:17 pm

There's a difference between accepting that the underlying philosophy of TNG+ Trek, the schizophrenic nature of Starfleet, and the design of their ships is plain stupid, and disliking the plots built onto that basic framework. TOS, the TOS movies, TNG and DS9 were all examples of solid storytelling, the movies and later DS9 in particular, and that's what made Trek enjoyable. Once that qualtity of storytelling was lost, Trek went downhill fast (I only watched the last couple of seasons of Voyager intermittently, and gave up on Enterprise altogether a few episodes into season 2).

Blackstar the Chakat · Mon Oct 15, 2007 1:35 pm

I just loved seeing life in the future. That's why I loved DS9, where the characters were realistic, and Voyager where they were occasionally a disfunctional crew. Enterprise season 4 was also great. Best season of trek since DS9. Well until that last episode.

Post by **Teaos** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 1:45 pm

Yes thats why I loved it. The characters were great. I could just imagin sitting around with them in a holodeck having fun. They were every day people doing a job. And I personally have no problem with starfleet as a whole so it doesnt bother me as much as others.

Granitehewer · Post by **Granitehewer** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 2:00 pm

A) Following the family dynamics of the characters and watching them develop and grow, learn and pain, like a galactic soap opera.
B) The politics, philosophies, and morality, or lack of
C) Interwoven plot threads and the coherent construction of a universe
D) sexy ships, big battles
E) Pure escapism

Post by **Teaos** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 2:03 pm

But why star trek over others?

I enjoy other shows but there has always been something special about Trek. Other shows have good characters and decent plots. What sets trek apart?

Granitehewer · Post by **Granitehewer** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 2:15 pm

For me (so this isn't gospel, or me preaching one world view against all others); farscape can be too erratic, esoteric, surreal and flippant at times....stargate gets too tedious with almost every world, being a coniferous one, and the storylines losing momentum-although the character development was brilliant....babylon 5ive was great but for me, several of the key characters/actors were wooden and just archetypes... but trek manages to have some variety of plot and scenario etc, yet retains its familiar family dynamics, and can have characters which develop, learn and pain, and which can break the mould of a stereotype, eg Quark.

Blackstar the Chakat · Mon Oct 15, 2007 2:25 pm

Well, Trek has the most optimistic view of the future. The Stargate series is often trying to fight off the Replicators and the Wraith or whoever else starts trying to blow up Earth or Atlantis. Andromeda is all "the commonwealth is gone, let's pick up the pieces." And those are just off the top of my head.

Post by **Mikey** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 2:55 pm

I think it was, as Blackstar touched on, the underlying message of evolving, learning, bettering the state of thing-kind. That, and the development of the milieu, which far outstripped any other sci-fi excepting maybe 'Wars.

Jim · Post by **Jim** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 3:50 pm

I liked Star Trek (not so much OS), Star Wars (ep4-6), Babylon 5, Stargate, etc etc etc... but I think one reason I liked so many different scifi shows is because to me it is simple and pure escapism. If the story is good, I liked it. Certain episodes of every series were not good, but you have that in everything. I never got too deep into any of the universes (save SW books) so non-cannon errors never really bothered me much.

It's escapism, it's fun, and it's interesting. Who could ask for more?

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 5:19 pm

While I enjoy TOS as it's the first scifi show I ever watched, it's been eclipised by many others for preferred viewing. BSG, Firefly, the Aliens-verse, B5, Terminator, Predator and my all time favorite: Red Dwarf all rate higher than Trek. TOS has some good stories but the later series piss all over it. Too much preaching. TOS message was "we're flawed but trying", the later series message seemed to be "watch the sunshine fly out of our ass", especially Voyager.

Jim · Post by **Jim** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 5:50 pm

Cpl Kendall wrote:TOS message was "we're flawed but trying", the later series message seemed to be "watch the sunshine fly out of our ass", especially Voyager.

That's what happens when you put a woman in charge! ZING!

jk

Sionnach Glic · Post by **Sionnach Glic** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 5:57 pm

A lot of the members here seem to not really like the latter seasons, seem to have a big problem with Starfleet and the Federation. In fact reading the posts of some members I find it hard to work out if they like anything at all about trek.

Would I be correct in guessing that that refers to me?

As for why I like Trek, there is one simple reason.

TOS > All Trek

Although, I would hardly rate Trek as my favourite series. Shows like Battlestar Galactica and Stargate I hold far above even the best episodes of Trek.
Sci-fi in general just captures my imagination, and I love a good debate (bet you all didn't see that coming!), so here I am.

sunnyside · Post by **sunnyside** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 6:05 pm

For me I like the development of the background. For most of a ships operations they at least come up with some consistant technobable.

Also because I've seen it. I don't watch too much TV these days so I haven't even seen Firefly. Though I do like Trek for breaking from the typical sci fi molds in that the characters tend to have to solve problems without just shooting everything in sight. And then there is the while "explorers not warriors" and prime directive business to make for interesting plots. I think this tends to make for more interesting message boards as well.

On that note I'm discovering that Trek also has kind of a Rorschach test thing going on. Different people will see and focus on different things in the series, and interprit things differently. For example I don't know how many issues Captain Seafort and I would be able to agree on in Trek, he's just got such a different view. And it's not just him, a lot of people just have very different takes on things.

Jim · Post by **Jim** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 6:25 pm

Rochey wrote:

I have seen that image before. Cracks me up every time. I was actually just sitting here giggling.