The negativity against Star Trek is counterproductive

Not every Star Trek series is for every fan. 

If you look back since Star Trek: The Original Series began in 1966, you’ll see series in the franchise that not every fan liked. Some didn’t care for Star Trek: Voyager. I know someone personally who wouldn’t watch Star Trek: The Next Generation again if you paid her even though it’s one of my personal favorites. And for some, you can forget about trying to convince them to watch Star Trek: Enterprise or Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

For some reason, those who aren’t fans of Nu-Trek, as it has been called, are adamantly vocal about the series they don’t care for, and they have a vast numer of reasons, some which are hills they would die on, so to speak. (Star Trek: Picard and Star Trek: Discovery are two of the series that take beatings on a continual basis.) Certainly every one is entitled to an opinion, but there is a point where expressing disappointment becomes vitriolic and pointless.

It’s one thing to have an opposing opinion of Star Trek and quite another to attack those who work to create the series.

The writers, production designers, special effects artists, the cast, and everyone involved in bringing a Trek series to the screen work hard at their jobs, much like we do at ours. They are putting out what they believe to be their absolute best effort, and for fans to go on the attack can only be heartbreaking to them. I can speak from experience as I wrote a book years ago, and the reviewer said I must have been sick when I wrote it. I’ve toughened up since then, but, at the time, it was a kick in the stomach.

If a fan doesn’t like the way a show is being written, then they have every right to ask why something was written that way and to express opinions, but maligning the writers (or any member of the show) shouldn’t be something we as Trekkies (or as humans) do. Taking negative aim at any human being should be beneath us all. Say you disagree with how a show is being written or a character is being portrayed, but saying a writer doesn’t know how to write is unfairly critical and certainly isn’t going to encourage them to make any changes.

Why do I say unfairly? Because they are on staff as a writer. So someone obviously thinks they can write, and they have written a script, which many of us can’t say that we have. That, in essence, makes them a writer.

Being critical of the franchise is entirely your right, but going on the attack is counterproductive to any positive changes you hope to see. Who is going to listen to someone who attacks them? Have we ever changed someone’s mind after calling them a name? Or telling them they have no idea what they’re doing?

If you don’t like a show in the Star Trek franchise, you are entirely within your rights to express your opinion, but diplomacy goes a long way in this world, much like it does in the strange new worlds and civilizations that are being explored onscreen.

We can disagree without being cruel.

We can say we don’t like a series without demeaning anyone or their ability.

We can simply not watch a series we don’t like.

We don’t have to lob verbal missiles to get our points across.

The creative minds behind these series work to entertain us. Isn’t there enough hate in this world without continually bringing it into the Star Trek community?