WTF, Star Trek? Just, WTF?

[lizbee]

Captain's log, stardate [INSERT STARDATE HERE].

We have encountered a [SELECT AS REQUIRED]

[ ] Mysterious scientific phenomenon
[ ] Planet of noble savages
[ ] Race of highly advanced beings

However, we find ourselves confronted by

[ ] The mysterous scientific phenomenon is sentient ... and angry
[ ] The noble savages are controlled by a godlike computer
[ ] The noble savages are engaged in recreating Earth history
[ ] The race of highly advanced beings are selfish and dangerous and want to use humanity for their own ends

I have chosen to deal with the problem by

[ ] Blowing up the mysterious scientific phenomenon
[ ] Getting Mr Spock to mind meld with the mysterious scientific phenomenon
[ ] Destroying the godlike computer and making a speech to the Noble Savages
[ ] Just plain old making a speech to the Noble Savages
[ ] Seducing the nearest hot alien woman

The moral of this episode was

[ ] The unknown is mysterious and dangerous and should be destroyed
[ ] The unknown is mysterious and dangerous, and should be our friend
[ ] Religion is bad, mmmkay?
[ ] The Vietnam War is bad awesome excellent fodder for topical storylines
[ ] Alien space babes are gagging for it

In conclusion, I just watched "The Omega Factor" and almost died of embarrassment squick when Kirk won over the White Noble Savages by quoting the Pledge of Allegiance and US Constitution to them, while the Evil Captain Who Sided With the Evil Asians Communists looks on in futile fury. Only the knowledge that William Shatner is Canadian, and possibly found it as cringe-worthy as I did, saved me.

Comments

[liviapenn]

As far as morals are concerned, don't forget:

[] Pleasant, peaceful things & places are too good to be true. Kill them with fire.

[lizbee]

Oh, you're right. And any society where the women aren't sexually available is evil.

[prof_pangaea]

"the omega glory" is probably the most embarassing episode of star trek ever made.

[neigedens]

I couldn't even watch that one. Even the descriptions sounded embarrassment squicky. DDDDDDDD:

[katemonkey]

OH GOD I KNOW.

We were just cringing when that was on. It's PAINFUL.

[my_daroga]

That is, seriously, my least favorite episode ever. I can stomach a lot of the imperialist bullshit in the other episodes because (to me, anyway, and I know I'm not everyone) a lot of the time they do seem to have their hearts in the right place and the fail isn't deliberate.

But "The Omega Glory" is just gross.

For the opposite effect, watch Shatner's character in The Intruder give a speech meant to rile the local whites against school integration in a film that, sadly, still seems relevant today.

[fannishnonsense]

That's the thing about Star Trek, isn't it? When it's good it's great, but when it's bad it's damn near unwatchable.

[tree_and_leaf]

Oh God, I have been trying for years to forget that episode. I haven't managed it yet.

[biichan]

WE... THE PEOPLE. THAT WHICH YOU CALL EE... PLEB NEESTA. It's the Shatner speech patterns which make it particularly hilariously awful in my opinion.

[brigid31]

We use this episode as code word for sucking in my house. All someone has to do is start saying "We the bopple (or however you want to say it)" and everyone cracking up.

[kerravonsen]

Wait until you see "Spock's Brain"; you will cringe even more. Or perhaps not. I mean, "Spock's Brain" was bad, but at least they weren't quoting the US Constitution.

[phosfate]

"Spock's Brain" is fucking hilarious. "Omega Glory" is just...a warning of how terrible television can be.