Judith Proctor's Journal

Star Trek military is loosely based on the US Navy, but there are some major differences.

It's interesting to speculate as to why.

A conversation with a friend sparked off a few thoughts.

The original Star Trek series aired in 1966. I'd wondered (given the lack of fraternisation restrictions in Trek compared with newer shows like Stargate) whether Trek predated women in the US Navy.

Murray did some searching on the US Navy's website, and found a lot of information here:

http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq48-1.htm

It appears that women were first recruited in 1908 as nurses, then more were recruited for clerical jobs in 1917, just before the USA entered WWI. They were, however, kept ashore. It was only in 1979 that women were posted aboard ship, and then on ships that would not be in combat. Such postings did not take place until 1994.

Which seems to back up my premise. Women on board ships came long after Classic Trek (so all credit to Gene Rodenberry).

We know relationships were allows in Classic Trek as there's a marriage between two crew members in one episode. (and indeed, with a mixed crew on a five-year mission it really could not be any other way). The more important consideration is relationships between people of different ranks, specifically officers and enlisted men. (And doubly so if they're in the same line of command)

I think being a Stargate fan made me especially aware of the line of command issue. The ongoing 'almost romance' between Carter and O'Neill was frozen for season after season for this reason (and also, because the network knows that UST sells better...).

So, where does this specifically relate to Trek?

Kirk for example, in the Classic series, was wise enough never to have relationships (canonically) with members of his crew. A wise decision and one the US Navy would probably have approved. It's very hard to avoid the appearance of favouritism, it's probably bad for morale and it may well affect the decision as to who to send into a dangerous situation.

See the US Navy on their fraternisation policy. Note that it isn't just sexual relationships that are prohibited, activities like lending money also constitute fraternisation between officers and enlisted man.

So, Kirk is in the clear.  He may still be James 'T for tomcat' Kirk, but he only shags women outside his crew.  He might have gotten away with a relationship with a bridge officer as they're officers, but probably not a very good idea in practise as they're direct line of command.

However, my big issue with the movie( (cut tag for the very few who haven't seen it yet) )

This is a lovely little story and I really like the way the Sandman characters have been used.  They feel right.

Went to see the new Trek movie for the third time yesterday. This is a record for me.  I don't think I've ever seen a movie twice before, yet alone three times.

I'm hoping lots of my friends have seen and enjoyed it, because I think this is going to become a new fandom for me, and I'd hate to be there without the rest of you.

I'm trying to work out why the movie works so well for me.  I'll ponder non-spoilery stuff and then do spoilery stuff behind a cut tag.

Captain Pike - Bruce Greenwood does an excellent job.  In the original series, Pike was the captain of the Enterprise before Kirk and features in the episode 'Menagerie'.  He's a much more interesting and well-developed character in the movie and I like attractive older men.

Having said that about older men, I have to add that Chekov is cute beyond belief and Kirk (Chris Pine) is virtually jail bait.

Uhura is strong-willed and intelligent and speaks all three dialects of Romulan.

McCoy is wonderful.  Karl Urban is McCoy to the life.  He feels like DeForrest Kelly.  He has the mannerisms, the dialogue and I love him.  His relationship with both Kirk and Spock is spot on.  And the script-writers have given him some lovely classic lines: "pointy-eared, green-blooded hobgoblin"

Zacchary Quinto does an excellent Spock - very close to Nimmoy's performance (there are moments when you could almost swear he was Nimmoy), and yet, perhaps because he isn't Nimmoy, he isn't my favourite character from the film.

Sulu was the only one who didn't really grab me.  Nothing I can fault, but I definitely preferred George Takei's version.

Scotty took a while to grow on me. He feels least like the original character. However, by the third watching I'd become a convert. I like his sense of humour.  At one point, viewing a scene of complete chaos on the bridge, he just stands there watching and says: "I *like* this ship."

Pine's version of Kirk really shouldn't work, except that it does...  If you had told me that Kirk would be my favourite character, I'd have laughed in your face:--( Read more... )