Eh. The empathy factor might be bull from an objective standpoint, but consider that the suits in charge thought that Spock was too alien for viewers to connect with. I tend to cry "budget" in this case, too, granted, especially considering the laughable results of many of the few attempts to make truely alien beings that come to mind, but I woudn't be surprised if the powers that be honestly thought that their viewers had the empathetic range of a tricorder.