Jonathan Frakes has made it clear on multiple occasions that he hates the Star Trek: TNG episode, Code of Honor, because of its racist undertones. The season one episode sees the Enterprise come across an alien race called Lionians, who are from a primitive culture. The problem was that the Ligonians were represented like an African Tribe and were exclusively played by African Americans.
Jonathan Frakes has long been campaigning for the ban of this episode, which is contrary to the image the franchise has of pushing boundaries (via Trek Movie).
I was told, or I was under the impression, that it had rubbed so many people the wrong way that it was pulled. I think they should take it out of the rotation. I think it is a great time to make that kind of – as small as it is – to make that kind of a statement would be fabulous.
The episode is still available for streaming, but Frakes has long called for its ban. Actress Denise Crosby, who had a major role in the episode as Tasha Yar, also pointed out how awkward it was to perform in the episode as she is needlessly s*xualized and objectified.
Many Star Trek Episodes Have Been Banned During Their Original Broadcast
Jonathan Frakes’ call for a ban on Star Trek: TNG is not a new thing for the actor/filmmaker. He has criticized early episodes of the show before and even called out certain characterizations not working logically. Similarly, a ban on Star Trek episodes is not exactly new for the franchise either, as it has faced several over the years.
While no episode has been federally banned in the USA, the UK has banned several episodes due to sensitive content. Since the original series, episodes like Miri, which featured kids who were affected by a disease and implied to be dead, were banned in the UK. So was the episode The Empath, which featured scenes of torture.
The reasons for the ban have ranged from disturbing imagery to dealing with potentially controversial themes. The episode, Patterns of Force, was banned in Germany due to the heavy Nazi insignia featured in the episode.
Star Trek’s Legacy Will Be Whitewashed if Jonathan Frakes’ Hated Episode Is Banned
The season one Star Trek: TNG episode, Code of Honor, has been controversial for years now, especially after the franchise has prided itself on pushing social, political, and racial boundaries on TV. The franchise has been widely regarded for its strong political statements and creator Gene Roddenberry’s Utopian vision of the future, where there is true equality.
However, there have been quite a few episodes that go against this notion, with Code of Honor being one of them. And, while Jonathan Frakes’ demand is valid, it might come across as whitewashing the franchise’s image and removing its faults. Any future fans of the show deserve to know that Star Trek has made mistakes as well.
Banning an episode and removing something like Code of Honor will only erase the history of the show and do little to combat the overt racism shown in the episode. Talking about it and statements from the cast and crew, like Frakes and Denise Crosby, is important and provides a better message. It shows how far the franchise has come, despite being regarded as perfect.
What do you think of Code of Honor? Should it be banned? Comment below.
Star Trek: TNG is available to stream on Paramount+.
