Television has significantly influenced sociopolitical debate for generations, challenging established notions of race, gender, and shared social norms and values. However, despite television's social significance, some might argue that storytelling does not retain substantial influence, with Jason Holland stating in the "Independent" that television is a "pale substitute" to cinema and therefore lacks social impact. In this analysis we will explore the socio-political influence maintained by one of the most diverse and progressive broadcasts of the 1960s: "Star Trek" (NBC, 1966-1969). Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay During the 1960s, at the time of the release of "Star Trek," Hollywood was dominated by Anglo-Saxon men, keeping most roles within films and television. This absence of diversity leads to a notable lack of roles for ethnic minorities, causing a notable gap in representation compared to the thriving Black, Asian and Hispanic communities (contributing 11%, 0.6% and 3.5% respectively % in the 1960s). This, however, seemed to change with the introduction of the original "Star Trek" series, which portrayed strong, independent characters who crossed racial lines to land a leading role: the seductive "Uhura" (played by Nichelle Nichols) for playing the first black woman she saw on television who wasn't "a waitress" and who was even considered an inspiration to young black people, including the infamous Whoopi Goldberg, now an entertainment mogul. In fact, “Star Trek,” excluding a diverse cast, was the first show to depict an interracial kiss in 1968. This was highly controversial since Hollywood had banned depictions of interracial relationships from 1930 to 1956 and U.S. laws prohibited interracial marriages until 1967. Although it was only a small step in the right direction, it sparked debate among communities to challenge racial prejudices caused by generations of systematic institutional racism and, henceforth, enabled representation among communities developing to offer as inspiration. However, despite this, many would argue that the diversity of some characters may have a more harmful purpose than initially intended. The character “Uhura” could be said to go through a process of fetishization explored by the Marxist Pietz, also known as commodity fetishism, states that “false consciousness based on objective illusions…[can transform] material objects into commodities that conceal the exploitation". social relations, shifting value consciousness". Furthermore, this view of fetishism is situated as the point at which objective institutional systems are "personified" by individuals. In short, the idea that "Uhura" is that of the "forbidden fruit ", her strong role could simply be diluted into her being that of a sexual being, moreover a strong and black character. In terms of social relevance, "Star Trek" has always pushed the boundaries, as well as promoting the people's interest in science, many argue that the focus of the show has consistently diverged from that original intent and moved away from its scientific purpose, to encourage a more politically correct approach, with the show centering a world in which gender and racial equality was being achieved When the show was created, Altman notes, NBC was pushing hard for diversity in its casting, on shows like "I Spy" with Bill Cosby, which began in 1965, partly as a push. by Stanley Robertson ofnetwork, who was one of the few African-American television executives. “Diversity was important to him, and he was dealing with racism,” Altman says. “In a way, he was the Sidney Poitier of television.” The series featured Nichelle Nichols, who played communications officer Lieutenant Uhura, a rare position of authority at the time.a black female television character. This idea promoted, once again, the breakdown of established prejudices about race and gender and largely influenced the accepted social norms and values ​​of the 1960s, leading to further political discussions and debates and legislative reform. On the other hand, the show perpetuated ongoing thoughts. and concerns regarding colonization and exploitation. The premise of the show was that of teams exploring the universe on a "civilizing mission", whereby they indoctrinated other galaxies into their alliance, furthermore, those who did not comply were considered enemies of the states and fought in areas such as the ' neutral zone'. This, despite "Star Trek's" wonderful attempt to create a diverse cast is foreshadowed by their imperialistic quality, further perpetuating notions of colonization in a modern era, drawing on the idea that those who are not integrated into modern Western civilization are savages and brutes. Furthermore, George Byron Koch, discussed the idea of ​​the "Fear of the Other", whereby, like people, a key defining characteristic of human society is tribalism: its tendency to gather into groups that define themselves based on have certain common characteristics and differentiate themselves from other groups and individuals who do not share these characteristics. The idea of ​​“fearing the unknown” within “Star Trek,” however, could draw on the social and political attitudes held by America in the 1960s toward foreign countries, as if it served as a metaphor through which individuals reflect and mask their ignorance of other cultures and desire to conquer and Westernize third world countries. The show also explores notions of communism and a classless society. In the book "The Ultimate Star Trek and Philosophy: The Search for Socrates", writers Kevin S. Decker, William Irwin, Jason T. Eberl all argue that the show challenges notions of materialistic possessions and classless society as originally explored by Marx, arguing that the show discusses the concept of "utopia" and how, as a society, we can transcend capitalist greed for the greater good of exploration and travel. However, despite this, stereotypes and traditional roles associated with race and gender still remain, with no women always taking command of the "Enterprise" in the original series, maintaining a white male protagonist to take on the starring role of Captain. Additionally, even though there were more progressive elements to the show from my modern perspective, women still play a minimal role in the show, they are often portrayed as weak or hysterical and emotional and supporting roles are filled by "people of color". unlike the white male majority and the two main white males. No racist insults are hurled, although there are more than a few digs at women. Furthermore, despite having a cohesive society with an abundance of diverse alien species, many prejudices still remain between humans and their respective peers. Kirk often mocks Spock for not conforming to human standards of humor and sarcasm, and also mocks his dual heritage for the sake of comedy. This still refers to the "fear of the unknown" which, despite the integration of different species, still maintains a social stigma towards other cultures,.