Star Trek
Set in a quite different setting (I don’t think we are in Kansas anymore), Star Trek also requires (like the Wizard of Oz) that additional characters be acknowledged. The Star Trek narrative isn’t all about Kirk, McCoy and Spock. It is also about the crew members of the Enterprise – and Uhura, Sulu, and Scotty in particular. These three characters not only represented diversity of background, they also represented the flexibility of style. Each of them could be brave, smart or caring depending on what the situation demanded of them.
Many of the story lines concerned Kirk, McCoy or Spock being out on their own. One of them was stranded on some alien celestial body. Being left alone, each of them often engaged their strength in an inappropriate or overused manner. Kirk’ bravery led to foolhardy actions that got him in trouble. McCoy’s caring led him to sacrifice himself in a manner that hurt rather then helped the situation he was in. Spock’s analytic skills were overused, leaving him with little appreciation of the human factors that ultimately determined success of failure. It often took one of the three other members of the crew to save Kirk, McCoy or Spock from their strength. At the end of each episode, we find all six of the main characters assembled on the flight deck. They are offering us a portrait of Rainbow Integration and Collaboration. The stage is set for a future adventure. Kirk, McCoy, Spock, Uhura, Sulu, and Scotty are ready to continue going where no person has gone before—searching for another Pot of Gold!
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