I'm tired of dystopia fiction
Yes, I'm tired of dystopia fiction. A sentiment I probably didn't need to repeat because it's in the title, but I really am. Nothing points this out more to me than Star Trek.
In a Star Trek vs. Star Wars internet argument I am firmly in the Star Trek camp and this is with eight years of working at The Death Star Lucasfilm (I kid, working at Lucasfilm was magical but I'm still a Star Trek person).
Star Trek used be be about hope. Even in the dark days of the 1960's cold war you could see hope for our future in Star Trek. They mange to comment on our then messed up world while being optimistic about the future. It's a lesson current Star Trek could learn from.
Next Generation followed in that tradition. There was conflict but also hope in what the future could be.
Voyager was still about hope and the ideals of the federation.
Deep Space Nine started out that way and then it became a serial about war.
Enterprise also started out in a hopeful future, then it became a show about war and dystopia.
Years later Picard showed up. How I wanted to like this show, but it's a bleak show in a bleak future.
And Discovery. WTF! Yes, they saved the future federation but it's a bleak dystopia world I don't want to relax in after a day of hard work.
And I won't get into the bad writing where every problem on Discovery is solved by deus ex machina or some mind-bending quantum physic problem being solved by some crew member in 30 minutes.
There is a lot of long overdue cast diversity in Discovery. They get some kudos for that. Just not for their writing.
I am holding out hope for The Captain Pike Show where they claim to get back to the roots of Star Trek. We'll see.
Lower Decks is great! It's funny and takes place in the Next Generation world.
Now comes the worst offender of them all: Star Trek Prodigy.
Prodigy is a show on Nickelodeon for kids but it takes place in a dark dystopia world. Did I mention this is for kids? Seriously? The first 45 minutes is fighting and killing and people trapped in a forced labor camp. Did I mention this is for kids?
Maybe it gets better after the first episode (which I didn't even make it through).
Prodigy should have been set on a Next Generation Enterprise-like ship. Next Generation had families on board and would have been a perfect setting for Prodigy. Smart and precocious kids getting into trouble and saving the day.
But in the optimistic future that we owe our kids.
P.S. No matter how bad these Star Trek shows get, I will still watch them all.
P.S.S. The Orville isn't "Star Trek" but it's a darn good "Star Trek" show. I hope it returns, but I don't have my hopes up. Stupid Pandemic.