Fox News was roasted by social media users after David Marcus, an opinion columnist who has pushed COVID-19-related conspiracy theories, wrote a screed accusing the creators and writers of Star Trek: Discovery of delving into "woke politics."
Marcus accused the show's writers of "electioneering" by featuring former Georgia gubernatorial candidate and voting rights activist Stacey Abrams in a cameo as the President of the United Federation of Planets.
He also pointed to "a weird plot twist" in the pilot episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds in which the January 2021 Capitol riot "is depicted and blamed for starting a Second American Civil War and the destruction of the planet."
Although Marcus noted the original Star Trek series "always delved into cultural and societal issues," adding it "has always been credited with diverse casts, with tackling issues like saving the whales... and with reflecting American and global foreign policy," he nonetheless said these two examples demonstrate these programs' penchant for "pure partisan politics."
He went on to write that:
"Ultimately, the problem here is that this kind of political signaling is alienating for those fans who are not part of the Democrat Party political tribe."
"As a fan myself, it hasn’t made me turn off the shows, but it’s jarring and also breaks the narrative spell of fantasy and science fiction which is why people tune-in in the first place."
Marcus suggests the political and social discord in the United States today could be because the country lacks "a shared set of strong stories that help explain our world."
He concludes Star Trek writers should choose "universality" over partisanship, American entertainment "is awash in bitter partisanship" and it "leaves Americans too few places to ponder their lives and communities outside the context of red versus blue."
Star Trek has for decades been noted as a landmark progressive television franchise and the show left a significant mark during its initial run in the 1960s, coming at a time of significant political, social and cultural upheaval in the United States.
Multiple episodes across the show's many iterations over the years have tackled subjects as diverse as racial strife, unbridled capitalism and class warfare, the legacy of colonialism, gender politics, the impacts of war and conflict and even the dangers of automation.
The show's legacy of multiculturalism and progressive representation in television continues to captivate audiences today, as evidenced by the franchise's continued expansion and commitment to a progressive vision of the future.
The article soon caught the attention of television producer Robert Hewitt Wolfe, who is best known for his work as a writer on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and for developing and producing the series Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda.
Hewitt called Marcus a "moron," adding he and Fox News "can quote me on that."
Actual #StarTrek writer: \u201cYou\u2019re a moron.\u201d\n\nYou can quote me on that.https://twitter.com/foxnews/status/1525517574196408322\u00a0\u2026— Robert Hewitt Wolfe (@Robert Hewitt Wolfe) 1652586998
Others also chimed in and pointed out the absurdity of Fox News criticizing a show that has a long record of standing against conservatism.
You could spend five years at a temple in the mountains studying how to be the most perfectly wrong about stuff and still not develop the skills to be this wrong.pic.twitter.com/PXEvhzzfc8— Adam Rogers (@Adam Rogers) 1652572994
#StarTrek was born woke and political. The cast was intentionally diverse. Star Trek storylines covered racism, misogyny, trans rights, abortion, LGBTQ love, etc. Star Trek featured TV's first interracial kiss in an episode that is *still* not aired in several Southern states.https://twitter.com/FoxNews/status/1525517574196408322\u00a0\u2026— Emily Kinkead (@Emily Kinkead) 1652675445
nothing to see here in CLASSIC STAR TREK just a bunch of *squints* people of all different alien races coexisting without capitalist structures like monetary incentives or class warfarehttps://twitter.com/FoxNews/status/1525517574196408322\u00a0\u2026— caro (@caro) 1652661986
Um, it was always known for trailblazing on cultural issues...https://twitter.com/FoxNews/status/1525517574196408322\u00a0\u2026— Dr. Rachel Pienta (@Dr. Rachel Pienta) 1652644876
"Star Trek" has been 'woke' from day one, forever imagining a world that the typical Fox News viewer would never fit into.\n\nIf one is white & also conservative in America, you haven't actually been paying attention to Star Trek, or to either DC or MARVEL comics, for that matter.https://twitter.com/FoxNews/status/1525517574196408322\u00a0\u2026— \ud83d\udc1d\u2696\ufe0f Bernie is the reason why Roe is dead. \ud83d\udd95\ud83c\udffe (@\ud83d\udc1d\u2696\ufe0f Bernie is the reason why Roe is dead. \ud83d\udd95\ud83c\udffe) 1652636305
Classic "Tell me you know nothing about Star Trek without telling me you know nothing about Star Trek" stuffhttps://twitter.com/FoxNews/status/1525517574196408322\u00a0\u2026— Drew (@Drew) 1652647890
This is like if someone said they liked to listen to Rage Against the Machine before their music got political.https://twitter.com/FoxNews/status/1525517574196408322\u00a0\u2026— Faith (@Faith) 1652656517
My brother in surak have you WATCHED Star Trek?https://twitter.com/foxnews/status/1525517574196408322\u00a0\u2026— Julian/Eddie \u2022 Friend of Spock (@Julian/Eddie \u2022 Friend of Spock) 1652633548
Don\u2019t you feel silly? Don\u2019t you feel stupid? Don\u2019t you feel a little ashamed?https://twitter.com/FoxNews/status/1525517574196408322\u00a0\u2026— Noah Fortner (@Noah Fortner) 1652637069
Although Star Trek: Discovery is not a ratings behemoth, it has a devoted fanbase and received awards recognition from numerous entertainment organizations.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds premiered earlier this month and received a positive critical reception. It has already been renewed for a second season that will premiere in 2023.
