TV NEWS
Only Adult Star Trek Fans Notice These 5 Things in The Next Generation
By MAX MILLER
Jean-Luc Picard’s (Patrick Stewart) reading habits are very old fashioned for someone from the 24th century, as he often quotes William Shakespeare.
Picard’s Tastes
20th century authors should be just as ancient to 24th century people as Shakespeare is in the 2020s. However, Picard never quotes Virginia Woolf, Toni Morrison, or James Baldwin.
Multiple characters on “The Next Generation” struggle with raising their own children or have complicated adult relationships with their own parents.
Parenthood Struggles
The best example is Worf (Michael Dorn) and his child Alexander (Jon Steuer, Brian Bonsall), who grows up in a split family. As a single father, Worf struggles to raise Alexander.
The Holodeck generates holographic worlds so realistic that they can be physically interacted with, and the futuristic tech has been used for pretty lude behavior.
Pervy Behavior
In “Hollow Pursuits,” an ensign uses the Holodeck to strike up a romance with a holographic recreation of Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) without the real Deanna’s consent.
Some of the aliens in “The Next Generation” embody some harmful stereotypes commonly applied to people in real life. The most notable example is the Ferengi.
Harmful Stereotypes
The Ferengi are short with exaggerated facial features, sharp teeth, nasally voices, they’re greedy, and obsessed with money. These stereotypes are harmfully used against Jews.
Fans love that Picard disobeys orders for a greater good, but his commanding of the Enterprise contradicts Starfleet’s hierarchy, which is based on real militaries.
Not A Real Navy
In real life, disobeying an order will get you court-martialed or worse. Most of Picard’s renegade actions take place in a gray area where obeying them wouldn’t clearly be wrong.