Seen and Heard; Literary Cultures 2

Star Trek Discovery: Boldly The 2017 series Star Trek Discovery, Going Where No Series Has however, broke all stigma Gone Before surrounding the franchise. Not only A brief glimpse into the world of Star Trek, was the protagonist female, but so then Versus now. was the Captain, giving many female By Emma-Ann Cranston fans a second chance to enjoy a woman in a position of power. Since it was first aired in 1966, Star Sonequa Martin-Green, an African- Trek has been mostly a man’s world. American woman, plays the show’s Captain Kirk, Captain Picard, and a protagonist, Michael Burnham. dozen other white male characters Martin-Green managed to entirely litter the minds of Trekkers, and break the mould for protagonists though the series is one to be within the Star Trek universe. She reckoned with, it was occasionally was not a man, nor was she white. behind the times in its diversity. When asking a layman to name a female Furthering the representation of non- Star Trek character, chances are white characters in the Star Trek Lieutenant Uhura is the only one they universe, Captain Phillipa Georgiou, have heard of. Yet, when asking for a portrayed by Malaysian actress male character, dozens of Captains Michelle Yeoh, plays a large part in and Commanders spring to mind. Burnham’s life. Captain Georgiou is a well-respected and regarded member In the 1995 series Star Trek Voyager, of the federation and is only the Kate Mulgrew plays Captain Kathryn second female Captain to have been Janeway, the first female Captain to a central character in the Star Trek ever enter the Star Trek universe, a universe (a vastly small number solid thirty years after the franchise compared to the dozen or so male began. Mulgrew herself stated that it Captains we’ve encountered). And, to was ‘remarkable’ to be in such a improve female representation even position as Voyager scored the further, many of the background highest on the Bechdel test (a test characters, who feature on the bridge that states two women must be seen in nearly every episode, are women, to engage in conversation other than with the ratio of male-to-female one about a romantic attraction to a ensigns being average, a first for Star male character in order to be deemed Trek as rarely was a woman seen on equal) of all the series prior. the bridge in series prior. However, though the show was rife with female characters and Continuing to break the stereotypes interactions, there was a startling lack surrounding Star Trek was Anthony of non-white characters, with the Rapp. Rapp took on the role of Chief highest-ranking character of colour Engineer Paul Stamets, a gay man who being a Lieutenant; and a Vulcan at lives on the ship with his partner. that, not even a human being. Casting aside the alluded same-sex

Emma-Ann Cranston, Nottingham Trent University Seen and Heard; Literary Cultures 2

marriage of one of the main characters part of the science-fiction and fantasy in the 2009 film Star Trek, Stamets is universe, Fuller’s willingness to portray the first gay character to be seen alien diversity goes hand in hand with serving aboard ship. Rapp stated it his representation of various human was nice to finally see a gay couple in minorities, and therefore breaks the the Star Trek universe, ‘treated as any stigma surrounding Star Trek. other relationship would be treated’, and as the series unravelled we were However, the increase in diversity given the opportunity to watch their created controversy amongst some relationship mould and change as we bitter viewers, who claimed the show would any heterosexual relationship. should be renamed ‘Star Trek Diversity’ Stamets is a crucial character within and dared to even call the show ‘white the Discovery universe, as without him genocide’ and ‘a lady show’. This is the entire operation would have failed. absurd, and in fact the most watched Therefore, the decision to have such a episodes on Netflix in the last year focal character be in a committed were of Voyager, the only show, before homosexual relationship is one that Discovery, to feature a female Captain, was no doubt a risk, due to Star Trek, and its viewings at the time it was aired stereotypically, attracting a mainly were higher than those featuring a male heterosexual audience; however, male lead. In regards to comments Wilson Cruz, who plays Stamets’ about ‘too much diversity’, it is crucial partner onboard the ship, said that it to think back to The Original Series, ‘was a long time coming’, and the fans where televisions first interracial kiss agree. was witnessed between Captain Kirk and Uhura. Though Star Trek has not In terms of representation in the offered much in terms of diversity in its universe, it is not just human diversity major characters, there has always that we encounter. Though famously been the willingness to attempt a more the ‘bad guys’ we do get an insight diverse pathway through its minors. into the Klingons, with many scenes taking place on the Klingon warship. In a world where times are changing, Saru, one of the main characters, is and we are so much more aware of a also an alien of a type never explored lack of diversity, Star Trek Discovery in any previous series. does indeed make a startling discovery and through its successful Though in previous Star Trek series’ representation of those lesser we have been graced with alien represented minorities, the series is Starfleet officers, some even instantly more realistic than any of the becoming fan favourites, Brian shows prior. Discovery reached 9.6 Fuller’s decision to have such a large million views during its premier, placing focus on the Klingons, going so far as it as the second most watched Star to spend crucial parts of episodes with Trek pilot of all time. Is this amount of only Klingon characters, is a large views because it was more accessible, leap in favour of diversity. Though that more people owned a television or

Emma-Ann Cranston, Nottingham Trent University Seen and Heard; Literary Cultures 2 streaming device? Or is this due to the increase in characters representing the widely diverse fanbase? Despite it being thousands of years into the future, in space, with technology we could never imagine, there is someone for all of us to relate to within Star Trek Discovery.

Emma-Ann Cranston, Nottingham Trent University

Seen and Heard; Literary Cultures 2

Emma-Ann Cranston, Nottingham Trent University