The Star Trek franchise has been clear on its politics since the beginning but the pilot episode of Star Trek: Voyager seemed to have inadvertently fumbled on what it primarily wanted to say. The pilot episode ‘Caretaker’ transported the titular Voyager into another dimension and made the ship collaborate with Maquis species.

However, the storyline of the Caretaker helping hundreds of its citizens by taking care of their needs was seen as a metaphor supporting the Republican politician Newt Gingrich’s controversial Contract with America agenda. Showrunner Jeri Taylor reportedly did not intend for it to do so.

Star Trek: Voyager’s pilot has eerie connections to Newt Gingrich’s Personal Responsibility Act A still from Star Trek: Voyager | Credits: Paramount

Star Trek has always been a political show and despite its sci-fi packaging, spoke about many issues plaguing society then. Creator Gene Roddenberry prioritized professional working relationships with minimal interpersonal conflict,...