Star Trek Picard and Trek Taking on Modern Politics

[Admiral X]

And they highlight the problems with the show very well. The big one, for me anyway, is the fundamental change in the Federation. It's true that Star Trek as always been political to varying degrees of success (exploring a topic vs preaching), it's always been most successful when it changes whatever issue they are exploring to fit the universe rather than changing the universe to fit the topic. The latter is what nuBSG did that made me end up hating it in the end, and I'd say that STP isguilty of this now, too.

[BridgeConsoleMasher]

@BridgeConsoleMasher In that respect, I do get a slight sense of age-ism in regards to both.

I don't find ageism to be an active issue or concern in media.

Where do you find the problem?

[Fianna]

Trek has always been political, and commented on contemporary problems and social ills. But it has usually used the various planets and civilizations that the heroes visit to comment on those problems, while the Federation they hail from is meant to be the ideal to aspire to. Using the Federation itself as the representative of the social ills under discussion is thus, understandably, controversial.

[MrL1992]

Trek has always been political, and commented on contemporary problems and social ills. But it has usually used the various planets and civilizations that the heroes visit to comment on those problems, while the Federation they hail from is meant to be the ideal to aspire to. Using the Federation itself as the representative of the social ills under discussion is thus, understandably, controversial.

Except in Undiscovered Country, various incidents during the Dominion War, 'The Drumhead'?

Its important never to take your society for granted. If certain incidents occur and certain individuals are calling the shots, things can change, even to the extent of seemingly moving against a nation's founding principles. You have to be willing to stand up for them if you think they're being forgotten.

[MrL1992]

Trek has always been political, and commented on contemporary problems and social ills. But it has usually used the various planets and civilizations that the heroes visit to comment on those problems, while the Federation they hail from is meant to be the ideal to aspire to. Using the Federation itself as the representative of the social ills under discussion is thus, understandably, controversial.

Except in Undiscovered Country, various incidents during the Dominion War, 'The Drumhead'?

Its important never to take your society for granted. If certain incidents occur and certain individuals are calling the shots, things can change, even to the extent of seemingly moving against a nation's founding principles. You have to be willing to stand up for them if you think they're being forgotten.

[Al-1701]

I think that's the case. There have always been elements within the Federation, including people who wield an incredible amount of power and influence, who have isolationist, prejudicial, and/or attitudes that seem antathetical to the Federation. This is because there people are still human and can have these flaws even though society has moved on.

And these elements can be very convincing. Worf commented how easily he bought into Admiral Satie's conspiracy at the end of the "Drumhead". "Home Front" and "Paradise Lost" showed how easily Earth would accept becoming a police state in the face of the threat posed by Changeling infiltrators. The heroes really won because Satie and Ross overreached and they were able to catch them in that overreach.

So, this Federation is not out of the realm of possibility. The attack on Mars is yet another opportunity for fear to take root and those who prey upon fear to take hold. And this time they didn't overreach. They cancelled the Romulan rescue operation, but they're an ancient enemy of the Federation so the citizenry don't care. They ban synthetic life forms, but most citizens of the Federation do not see the effect of that. The Federation is not a police state, it is just more insular in the face of a Galaxy in trouble. For idealists like Picard, this is unacceptable. However, for many, it doesn't impact them so they just don't care as they go about their business.

And, apparently, the first season is going to concentrate on the rescue mission of the other twin. The more isolationist Federation is a backdrop of why Picard needs to build a crew of misfits and not have all of Starfleet behind him. The second season might do more with regards to the society.

[MrL1992]

SPOILERS FOR EPISODE 2


And the plot thickens, there's an external element to Starfleet's direction. Romulan infiltrators with a keen hatred for synthetics. Certainly there are still sceptic high ranking officers but there's an added wrinkle as to how they became so influential to begin with.

[Al-1701]

Unfortunately, that's the only thing of note in Episode 2. Things should pick up with Episode 3 which I've heard is the last episode that's going to take place mostly on Earth. So, we should start getting somewhere literally and figuratively.

And the Romulans are apparently harvesting this cube and its crew. They must be looking for a technological edge after being weakened politically by the supernova and losing their homeworld.

Some fun Star Trek Easter eggs. After seeing it in alternate futures, the comm badge design of the outlined arrowhead over two trapezoids is in the Prime Timeline. However, it did not come with the solid color shirts but rather a new take on the DS9 jumpsuits. In fact, the Romulans being on their heels from a disaster and Picard having a developing brain issue are also in the Prime Timeline too. So, aside from the super Enterprise-D, the uniform design, and Picard having a beard, "All Good Things" was a pretty accurate predictor of the future for TNG.

Though, it seems the Romulans aren't the only ones in a throwback mode for their ships. From what we could see, Starfleet's designs seem to take a lot from Discovery and the Kelvin Timeline.

[Enterprising]

SPOILERS FOR EPISODE 2

And the plot thickens, there's an external element to Starfleet's direction. Romulan infiltrators with a keen hatred for synthetics. Certainly there are still sceptic high ranking officers but there's an added wrinkle as to how they became so influential to begin with.

You also forgot the line that Romulans have "never" done any sort of work or research whatsoever relating to AI or Cybernetics. Apart from all those Romulan Cybernetic experts who would have traded anything to be in a place to take Data apart that Admiral Jarok told us about, and those experts Shinzon made use of to pull apart B4 and also re-programme him to be his spy on the Enterprise.

What's to bet one of these Romulan characters will also end up being a secret Data like android? Sorry I'm not thinking of something lame or stupid enough, maybe one will secretly be a Borg or something, since they're known so well for their spying and infiltration prowess.

[MrL1992]

You also forgot the line that Romulans have "never" done any sort of work or research whatsoever relating to AI or Cybernetics. Apart from all those Romulan Cybernetic experts who would have traded anything to be in a place to take Data apart that Admiral Jarok told us about, and those experts Shinzon made use of to pull apart B4 and also re-programme him to be his spy on the Enterprise.

What's to bet one of these Romulan characters will also end up being a secret Data like android? Sorry I'm not thinking of something lame or stupid enough, maybe one will secretly be a Borg or something, since they're known so well for their spying and infiltration prowess.

Given the Zhat Vash were so covert, they likely allowed some exploration of cybernetics by the Romulans, as long as it didn't go so far as to create sentient androids.

Shinzon was a political insurgent with his own agenda. He likely didn't know the Zhat Vash even existed.