Ravenspeaker

Here is what is wrong with what we pretend is the culture today in one casting decision: a rule in storytelling is 'what it's about is who it's about' and generally we want the characters we are learning about to stick out in some way. It's easier to figure out who they are if there is something about them that has more of some trait than the average person would, less of it or they are completely unlike the typical Joe entirely.

The original Star Trek is so memorable because each of the main characters does this. One of my favorite characters was Uhura whose name is a slightly mispronounced version of the word "freedom" in Swahili. Nichelle Nichols was almost too much for my pre adolescent senses and I always loved her.

The next time they cast the character they found Zoe Saldana who also managed to keep me awake at night as a full grown man. I had a girlfriend at the time from Kenya who informed me Ms. Saldana could easily pass for a resident of Nairobi walking down the street. Great casting decision.

Most people are unaware there is a new person in the role these days. Most people are unaware there are new Star Trek episodes available. Why?

A part of the problem is explained in the casting. We are accustomed for Uhura, for example, to be a super model. The new actress plays her as competent at her job and other things we are told is what we are supposed to admire in women because no one is ever supposed to notice if a woman is good looking. Only terrible people like good looking women and there is something wrong with you if you aren't in love with someone who is nice and maybe a few pounds over weight and has a boyish haircut.

It's the preaching in today's culture that fails. I probably would be good friends with the actress whose name i never learned because the New Star Trek is almost unwatchable and knows better than me what the right attitudes about everything should be. None of the traditional stories I tell manage to come across that way even though they are about morality.

The next Uhura should be smart, competent and friendly while being drop dead gorgeous. Enough with the preaching already.

Your friendly neighborhood Ravenspeaker