# So. The age old question. Star Wars or Star Trek? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 5, 2003, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-age-old-question-star-wars-or-star-trek/159214 "2003-03-05T08:36:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2003, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-age-old-question-star-wars-or-star-trek/159214/61 "2003-03-09T07:19:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SPOOFE \* > There’s no “in theory” about it. However, a baseball-sized chunk of antimatter, when brought in contact with a similarly-sized chunk of antimatter, will NEVER, EVER, EVER create a large enough explosion to “blow the atmosphere off a planet”, as was claimed in one TOS episode. > … > Right. However, the Warp system itself is internally inconsistent, which tells me that the writers put ZERO effort whatsoever into maintaining internal consistency. > … > For example, in Star Trek V, the Enterprise travels to the center of the galaxy, some 40000 lightyears. However, in Voyager, it was stated that it would take the ship 75 years to travel 70000 lightyears… roughly 1000 lightyears in a single year. In other words, in ST5, the movie should have taken place over the course of 4 decades, at best. > … > Such inconsistencies are seen throughout the series… such as in DS9, where characters routinely return to Earth for a week (the trip from the Bajorran system to the Sol system should have taken a couple years in and of itself), or when the Enterprise is depicted as travelling from the Romulan Neutral Zone to Earth (First Contact) in a matter of hours (again, it should have taken years). > … > When there is an inconsistency in the observations, you know that you have a bad explanation. Clearly, we have a bad explanation. This is not science, fictional or otherwise. This is bad writing. Bad writing that ruined a good series. > … > Again, it would be good (fictional) science if it were internally consistent. It is not. Ergo, I declare it to be ludicrous. > … > Any “scientifically realistic” way to travel faster than light would be consistent in its observable patterns. Star Trek’s Warp travel is not. Well, I guess it bothers some geeks who want to spend their life studying _every_ Star Trek series and movie in order to point out every little inconsitency they can find. But that just doesn’t bother me that much. I realize that the episodes were all written by different people. Some are good, and some are not so good. I certainly don’t think you proved it’s **gibberish** because _one_ writer, for example, made an error calculating the time it would take to travel to the center of the galaxy. I mean, who the fuck cares? Is that _really_ germane to the plot? Trust me, a show with the strict scientific realism that you seem to demand would be boring as hell. And stop taking examples from Deep Space Nine and Voyager. Those shows were absolute crap. They don’t hold a candle to the original series. > [@](#): > > Actually, I consider Star Trek and Star Wars to be very similar, in that both are Space Opera more than anything else. The difference is, as I pointed out earlier, that George Lucas has never put much effort into trying to make his little romp seem like it’s even TRYING to be “hard” sci-fi. It gives the audience fun little gadgets that are cool as hell, and never, EVER bothers trying to explain how they work. I think that’s pretty much what _I_ said. > [@](#): > > In my opinion, this is the best way to go about it. Like I said, it’s apples and oranges. You obviously think apples are better than oranges. I don’t think they can be compared. > [@](#): > > Star Trek writers, on the other hand, thinks that by throwing the word “quantum” into the script at least nine times per episode, it magically becomes “realistic”. > … > So what if we’re not told that they emit a Phase Variance in the Tachyonic Induction Grid in Starboard Manifold 5-7C, accessible from Jeffries Tube Alpha-9? Yeah, but you’re taking the worst excesses from DS9 and Voyager, long after the writers ran out of ideas, and trying to make it sound like that’s what Star Trek was all about. It would be like me saying: “Look how crappy Jar Jar Binks is - I guess nothing good ever happened in _any_ Star Wars movie.” ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2003, 8:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-age-old-question-star-wars-or-star-trek/159214/62 "2003-03-09T08:47:30Z")
Oh, god… you know I have to vehemently disagree with another Trekker if you’ve got me siding with a Star Wars fan. > [@](#): > > I realize that the episodes were all written by different people. Some are good, and some are not so good. The writers shouldn’t be held responsible for the final aired product anyway. If you want to have a series that doesn’t contradict itself constantly (which Trek sadly does) you _need_ quality control in the form of editors or something. Hell, if nothing else, hire some fanboys for cheap. I, for one, would work minimum wage for a chance to have something to do with Star Trek. I’m sure there’re tons of others out there that’d do the same. > [@](#): > > I certainly don’t think you proved it’s gibberish because one writer, for example, made an error calculating the time it would take to travel to the center of the galaxy. I mean, who the fuck cares? I care. And so do other devoted fans. I’ve _always_ been bothered by the fact that in Star Trek V (written by William Shatner of all people… he should have known better) the Enterprise managed to make it to the center of the galaxy in such a short amount of time. Earth is pretty damn close to the edge of the galaxy, relatively speaking… even as a ten year old kid watching the movie for the first time, I knew better. There was no way they could have gotten there that fast. > [@](#): > > Trust me, a show with the strict scientific realism that you seem to demand would be boring as hell. He’s not saying the show should be realistic… he’s saying that the laws of science _as established in the show_ should be consistant. And I agree. Granted, I love Trek regardless of its errors but if I could somehow make all its continuity errors disappear, I would in a heartbeat. It makes the show that much better. > [@](#): > > And stop taking examples from Deep Space Nine and Voyager. Those shows were absolute crap. They don’t hold a candle to the original series. Ugh. I can’t believe you can type that and mean it. TOS was garbage. DS9 was vastly superior to the Kirk, Spock, and McCoy show in most every regard that I can think of. Sure, DS9 had some truly atrocious stories such as the shrinking runabout and Sisko being part Prophet but that pales in comparison to tripe such as Spock’s brain being stolen, Kirk convincing every computer he comes into contact with to self destruct, and the Enterprise somehow foiling god after god after god. By the way… TOS only had 79 hours. DS9 and Voyager together had about four hundred. Why would he want to disregard over half of Trek’s library? ---
**Author:** ![Fibber\_McGee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a6a055/32.png) [@Fibber\_McGee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fibber_McGee)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2003, 9:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-age-old-question-star-wars-or-star-trek/159214/63 "2003-03-09T09:15:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by blowero \* > \*\* > And stop taking examples from Deep Space Nine and Voyager. Those shows were absolute crap. They don’t hold a candle to the original series. > \*\* Of course, you have to realize this statement invalidates any point you may have been trying to make. ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2003, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-age-old-question-star-wars-or-star-trek/159214/64 "2003-03-09T19:52:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Aesiron \* > TOS was garbage. DS9 was vastly superior to the Kirk, Spock, and McCoy show in most every regard that I can think of. Please tell me you’re joking. For the love of God, tell me you’re joking.:eek: ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2003, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-age-old-question-star-wars-or-star-trek/159214/65 "2003-03-09T20:17:10Z")
Of course the young pup is kidding. Just remember, Without TOS, there would not have been TNG, DS-9, V’ger, Movies, Ent, Trek-a-thons, Trek fic, etc… Live long, and show a little respect, y’all! :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2003, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-age-old-question-star-wars-or-star-trek/159214/66 "2003-03-09T23:04:54Z")
I’m grateful for the rabid Trekkies of yesteryear managing to keep the Original Series on the air and allowing it to blossom into the cultural force it is today but I can’t stomach a single episode of it. TNG and DS9 are both great series and my two favorite shows ever. I rank TOS alongside Voyager. ---
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-age-old-question-star-wars-or-star-trek/159214/67 "2003-03-10T00:35:27Z")
WARS! ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-age-old-question-star-wars-or-star-trek/159214/68 "2003-03-10T00:52:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Fibber McGee \* > \*\*asking to be called a Trekker instead of a Trekkie is like being asked to be called a Dork instead of a Geek. \*\* Whatever happened to Nerd and Fanboy? ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-age-old-question-star-wars-or-star-trek/159214/69 "2003-03-10T01:04:03Z")
TREK! – **viva, the unrepentant geek** ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-age-old-question-star-wars-or-star-trek/159214/70 "2003-03-10T01:11:21Z")
Hmmmm, this is nothing. Try posting this on [theforce.net](http://theforce.net). hooboy. -Proud member of the EUDF. ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-age-old-question-star-wars-or-star-trek/159214/71 "2003-03-10T07:45:07Z")
Well, I didn’t realize we were comparing Star Wars to Deep Space Nine and Voyager. In that case… STAR WARS! ---
**Author:** ![Madawc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@Madawc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Madawc)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-age-old-question-star-wars-or-star-trek/159214/72 "2003-03-10T08:08:53Z")
**TREK** no reason. just don’t like the sound of war lol. i like star wars, and like star trek series. it was a coin toss and trek won the best 2 out of 3. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-age-old-question-star-wars-or-star-trek/159214/73 "2003-03-10T08:30:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tristan \* > \*\*To debate anything else is mental masturbation. \*\* This is perhaps true, but it’s still fun as hell and nobody’s going to stop anytime soon. Just like real masturbation. p.s. Star Trek, but mostly because of the number available. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-age-old-question-star-wars-or-star-trek/159214.md?page=3)