With the semi-recent release of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" and the upcoming release of "Star Trek Beyond,' I want to discuss why I prefer Gene Roddenberry's universe to George Lucas'. I do admit that Star Wars certainly has it's merits. I love the concept of the Force, but Star Trek is better in numerous other aspects.
First off, the different Star Trek TV series address life on the Starship Enterprise very differently than in a series of movies. In the movies, life can really only be focused on as though you were skipping to the end of a video game to see the Boss Battle at the end. Each episode of Star Trek does have a conflict of sorts, but it is able to show an almost day-to-day display of the crew and how they are outside of the adventure. It allows for character development that is a lot more flowing and less forced.
Star Wars may have revolutionized the way that the film industry makes movies from a technological standpoint, but "Star Trek: The Original Series" was ahead of it's time in regards of diversity in the cast. This started with Lt. Uhura, played by Nichelle Nichols, who was one of the first African American women to have a role in a television show that is more than sitting in the background. Star Trek is also often credited to have one of the first interracial kiss scenes on television, between Nichelle Nichols and William Shatner.
Star Trek also addresses real social issues that are much more controversial and "real" than the classic Good vs. Evil that you tend to see in Star Wars and movies like it. Star Trek has confronted issues like drug abuse, racism, abortion and war crimes; and for the most part, before it was popular to do so.
Even as much as I love the concept of the Force, it is essentially space magic mixed with mythology. Star Trek, on the other hand, puts a lot more emphasis on science. Not just aliens and robots, but there is also a significant focus on fields such as medicine, botany, and biology. Real science fields are often either underrated or exaggerated in science fiction, where it is kept as realistic as it can in the futuristic setting. Characteristics like curiosity and critical thinking are also highly encouraged.
There are many more reasons that I prefer Star Trek to Star Wars, but these are a few that stand out to me. No matter what side of the argument you are on, both have their strong points and their drawbacks.
