Sources:
Star Trek (2009) Bechdel Test
Star Trek Into Darkness Bechdel Test
Interview with Gene Roddenberry
Star Trek (2009) Budget
Star Trek Into Darkness Budget
Because I’ve been thinking about all of this a lot lately, and I decided I should probably channel that thought into something.
Sad that this really hasn’t changed in decades.
Back when Star Trek: Voyager was in production, there was a lot of discussion about representation on TV, including in popular media like Entertainment Weekly. White males were a much bigger percentage of TV characters than in real life. There were fewer minority characters in the ‘90s than in the previous decades. La Raza and the NAACP were threatening boycotts because people of color were so underrepresented. While over 50% of Americans were female, only 33% of the characters on TV were.
And though Voyager had a surprisingly high percentage of minority regular characters (one no Trek before or since has matched), they stuck to that 67% male ratio. To the point of getting rid of Kes to bring in Seven, even though Neelix was widely viewed as the most expendable.
Discovery has a female lead, and women in significant supporting roles, and that’s great…but women are still underrepresented, with the main cast being just 25% female. According to Robert Duncan McNeill, DIS is going out of their way to hire female directors…but they’re not willing to field a cast that’s 50% female.
Hollywood is well aware of this issue, and has been for decades. I think they are willing to do something about it…but not to the point of losing money. And more than 33% female is “too many girls” in the eyes of a big chunk of viewers.
