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How different would Trek be, if not for the Monkees?

SystemSystem Member, NoReporting Posts: 178,019 Arc User
edited March 2012 in Ten Forward
In the wake of the passing of Davy Jones of the Monkees, I am musing over the cultural impact that he, and the original pre-fab(ricated) four of the baby Boom generation had beyond music or musical situation comedy.

Regarding the appearance of Ensign Chekov in Star Trek: "According to (Walter) Koenig, the character was added to add Davy Jones-like appeal to the show and that the Russian heritage was added by Roddenberry indeed because he wanted to honor the fact that the Russians were the first people in space. In his first couple of episodes, Koenig indeed wore a Monkees style wig to look more like Davy Jones."

http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Pavel_Chekov
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2012
    Johnny Depp killed Davy Jones
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2012
    My aim really sucks. I thought I posted this in Ten Forward. 'facepalm
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2012
    Rickpa wrote:
    I

    Regarding the appearance of Ensign Chekov in Star Trek: "According to (Walter) Koenig, the character was added to add Davy Jones-like appeal to the show and that the Russian heritage was added by Roddenberry indeed because he wanted to honor the fact that the Russians were the first people in space.
    http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Pavel_Chekov

    The only thing different would be no Walter Koenig playing Chekov, without the Davy Jones hair. t could have been someone older still playing a Russian.

    Roddenberry was an actual Communist, had a Communist Party card and everything. Humans are a communist society, So there is no doubt someone playing a Russian was inevitable on the show. It may of not been Koenig, but "Nuclear Wessels" would still have made it in the script. :)
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2012
    Great. Now I can't get the image out of my head...

    Peter Tork as Kirk, Michael Nesmith as Spock, and Mickey Dolenz as "Bones" McCoy.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2012
    Humans are a communist society

    Oh boy, I fully expect you to be flamed about 100 different ways because of this single statement. I won't even go into how wrong you are, since I'm sure you'll read plenty of it.

    Hope you brought your flamesuit. ;)
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2012
    Oh boy, I fully expect you to be flamed about 100 different ways because of this single statement. I won't even go into how wrong you are, since I'm sure you'll read plenty of it.

    Hope you brought your flamesuit. ;)

    Yeah, I want to ignite the flamethrower on him… but… well… it isn’t fun to make fun of ignorant statements such as that. It would be similar to making fun of an American inner-city kid who didn’t know that Canada isn’t another State in the United States of America. :rolleyes:
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2012
    bluegeek wrote: »
    Great. Now I can't get the image out of my head...

    Peter Tork as Kirk, Michael Nesmith as Spock, and Mickey Dolenz as "Bones" McCoy.

    Thanks man! Now I can't get that image out of my head......LOL! Nesmith would've made a good Spock, wouldn't he? I can see Dolenz as Bones, too...hehe
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2012
    The only thing different would be no Walter Koenig playing Chekov, without the Davy Jones hair. t could have been someone older still playing a Russian.

    Roddenberry was an actual Communist, had a Communist Party card and everything. Humans are a communist society, So there is no doubt someone playing a Russian was inevitable on the show. It may of not been Koenig, but "Nuclear Wessels" would still have made it in the script. :)

    Roddenberry wasn't a communist, he was a hippy, get it right!
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2012
    Oh boy, I fully expect you to be flamed about 100 different ways because of this single statement. I won't even go into how wrong you are, since I'm sure you'll read plenty of it.

    Hope you brought your flamesuit. ;)

    On a colonial-era level that might have been a true statement, as things like the Fur Trade in the New World boiled down to a barter value system. When you're using a system of bartering in lieu of a currency, you essentially are working on a communistic or pseudo-communistic level (as whoever works for whatever goods is rewarded by having said goods). Otherwise no, world currency has evolved along a different path.

    All of that said and all of that irrelevant to the subject at hand, I wonder if the Banana Splits are going to pay tribute.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2012
    Teleon wrote: »
    Yeah, I want to ignite the flamethrower on him… but… well… it isn’t fun to make fun of ignorant statements such as that. It would be similar to making fun of an American inner-city kid who didn’t know that Canada isn’t another State in the United States of America. :rolleyes:

    Wait! Canada isn't a state? WTF? When did this happen? :D
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2012
    Oh boy, I fully expect you to be flamed about 100 different ways because of this single statement. I won't even go into how wrong you are, since I'm sure you'll read plenty of it.

    Hope you brought your flamesuit. ;)

    Really?? Then please tell me how i am wrong.

    Human Society in the Trek Universe is a Communist Society...NOT the Federation, but Human Society itself. It is what Communism should be, because the "State" can actually support its population thanks to Replicator Tech.

    What Communism should be, and how Communism is on Earth right now, is NOT the same. Communism can really only be fesable by a self sustaining entity. Which the Trek Universe Earth can.

    If you can tell me how Earth Society of Trek Universe, again NOT the Federation (they are 2 seperate entities) is not a Communist Society, then please present them.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2012
    If you can tell me how Earth Society of Trek Universe, again NOT the Federation (they are 2 seperate entities) is not a Communist Society, then please present them.

    Communism =! Socialism

    The Federation demonstrates Socialism at multiple levels, through the voluntary cooperation of (most) people in society. Unlike Communism, though, it has a proper system of voting, and not everyone is equal. There are still priviledges that the "common" person cannot have (large house or office, for example).
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2012
    Really?? Then please tell me how i am wrong.

    Human Society in the Trek Universe is a Communist Society...NOT the Federation, but Human Society itself. It is what Communism should be, because the "State" can actually support its population thanks to Replicator Tech.

    What Communism should be, and how Communism is on Earth right now, is NOT the same. Communism can really only be fesable by a self sustaining entity. Which the Trek Universe Earth can.

    If you can tell me how Earth Society of Trek Universe, again NOT the Federation (they are 2 seperate entities) is not a Communist Society, then please present them.

    Although I wholeheartedly agree with the intent of what you are saying, and have no desire to get involved in a slug fest over things like Marxism, the bathing habits of hippies, or the varying degrees of socialism exhibited by current political systems.

    I'm just here to say "You spelled feasible wrong.".

    Thanks for reading!
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2012
    Since the Earth of Star Trek has the general welfare of the population covered, it would appear to be socialist in some aspects, but it also is a great showcase for individualism, and in this way also seems quite libertarian. The Picard family estate with it's apparently privately own vineyards seems to speak of property rights thriving in the future. There is the Sisko family restaurant as well. People found the place they belonged in society without being forced, and equality wasn't forced. It is still understood that people were free to choose, and not in thrall to the state.

    I have always felt that Trek held the wise vision that extremes are to be avoided. The extreme of communism/collectivism is showcased in the Borg, while the other extreme of greed (Though it was not really capitalistic, rather a lawless acquisition of wealth) is found in the Ferengi. Indeed, Trek is "The Best Of Both Worlds!" :D
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2012
    bluegeek wrote: »
    Michael Nesmith as Spock.


    Spock with a wool hat *snicker* :D
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2012
    I don't think there would have been all that much of a difference if Chekov had not been inspired by Jones and the Monkees. Either the character would never had been introduced or else portrayed in a different sterotypical way to appeal to the primarily American audience in spite of Gene's personal beliefs about communism. Maybe he would have been based on Boris from the old Bullwinkle cartoons.:D
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