In the realm of television characters having grand adventures while navigating outer space have captivated audiences for decades. Star Trek: The Original Series (1966-1969) certainly help birth one of sci-fi’s most memorable franchises and gave a name to fandom which would also start a standard for fans of anything and everything. Firefly (2002-2003) debuted on television screens many years later as a sci-fi offering that also mingled with facets of the Western genre. Both Star Trek and Firefly identify as television shows belonging to space opera, a subgenre of science fiction. Both shows teach morality lessons, have limited (and somewhat problematic) representations of female characters and lastly have reached cult status.
Both television shows teach morality lessons set in locations unfamiliar to most—outer space. The audiences were kept engaged by the …show more content…
There were a number of Star Trek episodes exploring the conflict of and giving parables about the Vietnam War under the pretense of simply being some television show set in space. Star Trek was one of a many mediums being pushed to challenge, engage and help open up dialogue about the American military presence in other countries. The 1967 episode titled, "The City on the Edge of Forever" features the Captain and First Mate-- Kirk and Spock time traveling to early 1930’s America to retrieve an accidently drugged crew mate whose actions destroy the future that is already set in place. While they are there Kirk meets and experiences a doomed love affair with Edith Keeler, a woman who, if , she lived would later become the leader of a peace movement that would radically change the outcome of future wars that countries like America would participate
Both television shows teach morality lessons set in locations unfamiliar to most—outer space. The audiences were kept engaged by the …show more content…
There were a number of Star Trek episodes exploring the conflict of and giving parables about the Vietnam War under the pretense of simply being some television show set in space. Star Trek was one of a many mediums being pushed to challenge, engage and help open up dialogue about the American military presence in other countries. The 1967 episode titled, "The City on the Edge of Forever" features the Captain and First Mate-- Kirk and Spock time traveling to early 1930’s America to retrieve an accidently drugged crew mate whose actions destroy the future that is already set in place. While they are there Kirk meets and experiences a doomed love affair with Edith Keeler, a woman who, if , she lived would later become the leader of a peace movement that would radically change the outcome of future wars that countries like America would participate