Star Trek TOS HD

I've been watching the HD update of the original Star Trek series and I like the new updated special effects, the visuals of the Enterprise are outstanding, they really don't hurt the episodes at all, but one thing did stick out for me about the show. The characters of Sulu, Chekov and Uhura add nothing to the show, they exist simply to have someone Kirk can rescue at the last minute. I honestly don't see the reason for the universal love Trekkies have for these characters or their inclusion in the 80s Trek movies.

I have come to the conclusion that the only reason they became regulars was because they were members of a minority group. What Sulu and Uhura do could have been done by any number of a million actors in Hollywood. Black, White, Asian  or Native American and there was no reason these particular actors should have been elevated to the status of regular characters