A lot of the original series was pretty crappy, too. But it was iconic, memorable. What is this sh!t.
Dr. Smith on Lost in Space was maybe gay, but he was also outrageously funny, both in his deviousness and over-the-top cowardice, and his interactions with Robot. Nobody was willing to ruin that fun by wondering what he was hanging around with Young Will Robinson for, at least not until recently.
TOS was left wing propaganda too. Think of the half white half black Frank Gorshin episode. Very left wing and very good science fiction.
Good science fiction can be left wing, but it also has to not suck.
Used to be, gay characters had to justify their presence by being entertaining, witty, sometimes chivalrous towards the ladies because they had no sexual agenda. Now, all they do is show up and be gay, or tran, or whatever.