On Sat, 3 Jan 1998, KSHMEYER wrote:
>
> Please forgive, but I am new to this listserv and though I probably haven't
> lurked enough, I would like to comment on the current discussion regarding
> Star Trek. I am a true Trekker. Have been since the fourth grade when the
> original Star Trek made its debut. I am sure many of you know about it
> history, but in the discussion regarding the Vulcans and the matriarchial
> nature of their society and the changes the "suits" at DesiLu and NBC
> required. I believe that if you watch the episodes carefully you will notice
> that, with the exception of Surak, Spock's father, almost every major
> authority figure has been a woman, so Roddenberry basically stuck to his
> original idea.
You notice that the Romulans have an even stronger tradition of
female leadership. Though I do like Diane Duane's novel "My Enemy, My
Ally," in which a Romulan starship capitain bids fair to becoming their
version of Gaius Marius! >
However, as to what he had originally proposed, having a female starship
> captian, that was thoroughly rejected. Majel Barrett, who played Captain
> Pike's Number 1, was originially slotted to play the captain of the
> Enterprise.
I saw the original pilot along with comments like "She was
considered too cold." I kept looking for "coldness" and saw that she was
the only woman in that movie who acted in a professional manner! The
others either screamed and trembled or fussed like mother hens. Good
grief - a woman officer couldn't win in those days!
This the suits scrapped and instead we ended up with the
> glorified secretaries, although Nichelle Nichols' portrayal of Uhuru,
> eventually broke the mold and in one episode sat in the captain's chair. As
> for strong women, some of the guest appearances would be worth noting, but
> most of the program remained trapped decade in which it appeared.....the late-
> sixties....go-go boots, mini-skirts, beehive hairdos, and the rest of the
> sock-it-to-me trappings more appropriate to "Laugh-in"
>
Uh --- have you seen the tight miniskirts (thigh straps!) worn under
business jackets that Hollywoood has defined as proper female
businesswear this past 30 years?
> As for Next Generation, Roddenberry's first improvement was the mere addition
> of more lead female characters. While criticized, because Troi was a
> counselor and Crusher a doctor, both caretaker-nurturer roles, many forget
> that Denise Crosby played Lieutenant Yarr, the head of security. That role
> unfortuantely came to an end when the actress decided series television was to
> limiting and opted out of her contract halfway through the first season. As
> Generations had too many major characters Michael Dorn's Worf simply filled in
> the spot and no one was ever hired to take her place. However as the series
> evolved, both Troi and Crusher took on more authoative postures, with Crusher
> in "All Good Things Must Come to an End," captains a medical ship. (And I
> will agree 100%, Michelle Forbe's role of Lieutenant Ro was outstanding and
> Berman offered her a continuing job, but Forbes opted to making just a few
> guest appearances, leaving her open to take other jobs that would come her
> way.)
Roddenberry liked to see T&A, but also believed in strong women.
Much like Heinlein!>
>
DS9 was the first major science fiction to open with two strong female
> characters. Nan Visitor's portrayal of Major Kira is dynamite. Some of the
> material the writers have given her over the years is some of the best work
> for a woman working episodic television. Over the years the role of Dax has
> also improved, but that is due to the improvement of the actor in the role.
> Terry Farrell was not an accomplished actor when she came to the part. I must
> also point out that the writing on this show has been chaotic at best.
> However, since Rene Echivaria has come to the helm in the role of executive
> producer, the writing has improved. Many of the best episodes made on
> Generations were his episodes and now he pens many of the episodes on DS9.
>
Strong women became fashionable around that time, so they didn't
have to buck the suits. Note also Babylon 5's Delenn and Ivanova.
> As for Voyager, I have to agree, that while I watch out of loyalty to the
> franchise, the characters have not captured me the way the characters on
> Generations did,or even DS9. Here I fault the writing. While the women in
> the cast play strong characters I haven't found the spark that attracts my
> attention. I take that back, Jeri Ryan's portrayal of Seven of Nine is the
> most provacotive character on the show and I am hopeful that the producers
> will fulfill the potential of this character as well as the other female
> characters on the show.
>
"Now, sit right down and I'll tell a tale
A tale you can't endure
About the people lost in space
Aboard the Voyager...."
> While I'm writing about episodic science fiction seen on television, I would
> like to sight Claudia Christian's Commander Susan Ivonova on Babylon 5
> (unfortunately due to a contract dispute she will not appear for the fifth
> season). Here is a dynamite woman and one of the best. If you have not seen
> B5 and are lucky enough to have cable, TNT is showing a first-run movie
> tomorrow and then beginning Monday running the entire program from day one
> Monday through Friday. This is a dynamite series period with some wonderful
> women's roles. Mira Furlan's Ambassador Delenn is another well worth knowing.
>
> Thank you for the space.
>
>
Patricia (Pat) Mathews
mathews@unm.edu
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