n_e_star_trek

Hello internet, I'm n_e_star and I am a Trekkie.

I don't remember a time in my life were there wasn't Star Trek - my parents watched "The Next Generation" when it first aired and my five-year-old self watched along with them.

Then came "Deep Space Nine", my introduction to Star Trek books - there was one point when I owned every "Next Generation" and "Deep Space Nine" (and a fair number of the TOS and companions) book published by Pocket Books - the dark time when Voyager aired on a cable channel (which my parents refused to get) and finally the wonderful glee of seeing my 'ship become cannon on "Enterprise".

But in the years since "Enterprise" went off the air my devoted love for the show curled up for a long nap, but now the the release of the new movie that love has reawakened.

I'm on a voyage to rediscover why I love this universe, these characters, so much. I'll be watching every episode from all five series, along with the movies, and reviewing them here.

So join me as I boldly go... to the TV.

TNG cast member Wil Wheaton is releasing a 5-10 minute long podcast in which he reads parts of his new book "Memories of the Future".

"Memories of the Future" is an amazingly funny episode by episode recap of the first season of The Next Generation.

You can find links to download the podcast, and buy the book, at Wil's blog - http://wilwheaton.typepad.com

Captain's log, Stardate 2712.4. A signal from planet Exo 3. Doctor Roger Korby has been located, he and part of his expedition remaining alive due to the discovery of underground ruins left by the former inhabitants of this world.

This episode gives us a chance to find out more about the lives of the crew. Head Nurse Christine Chapel gave up a career in bio-research to be on the Enterprise, after her fiancé, Roger, went missing.

After five years of hoping, Christine is given the chance to reunite with Roger, but he is not the man she remembers. His morals have changed and he is now consumed with creating a race of androids, to the point that he produces a copy of Kirk.


Things That Stood Out:
Even in a race of asexual robots, the girls still wear skimpy clothes.

Captain's log, stardate 45429.3. While on a mapping survey of sector two-two-one-three-nine, we are conveying a delegation of Ullians to Kaldra Four. These telepathic historians conduct their research by retrieving long-forgotten memories.

Everything is fine and dandy in Enterprise land, until Troi, Riker and Crusher fall into comas. This is one of those plots that kind of hits you over the head with a morality lesson. Yes, we get that memory invasion is a metaphor for rape; yes, even though most of the people in the 24th century have are moved on, there are some that are just as violate as we are now.

Things That Stood Out:
The conversations between Gordie and Data, especially the one where Gordie admits that he's can't remember how he spent his last birthday. I'm going to guess that there was something more then Synth-Ale in the punch.

Captain's log, Stardate 1329.1. We've taken aboard, from unregistered transport vessel, its captain and three unusual females. These women have a mysterious magnetic effect on the male members of my crew, including myself. Explanation unknown at present.

Harcourt Fenton Mudd is a larger then life character that is just brilliant. More idiot then real villein, Mudd bumbles his way from one misadventure to the other, dragging Kirk along from the moment their paths cross.

Captain's Log, stardate 1672.1. Specimen-gathering mission on planet Alpha 177. Unknown to any of us during this time, a duplicate of me, some strange alter ego, had been created by the transporter malfunction.

Shatner really get to show off his acting chops in this episode, playing both Good!Emo!Kirk and Evil!Sexy!Kirk. His acting really struck in the rape scene, the way he started out trying to convince Janice that he'd been wanting her for a long time, then moved on to anger.

And I think someone needs to give major props to the dog for putting up with all that shit being glued to it's head.

Things That Stood Out:
The away team managing to survive -120 degree weather with only some sheets and phaser warmed rocks. This is taking it just a bit to far.

Captain's Log. Our position, orbiting Psi 2000, an ancient world, now a frozen wasteland, about to rip apart in its death throes. Our mission, pick up a scientific party below, observe the disintegration of the planet.

One of the classics, the Enterprise away team brings a virus on board the attacks the emotional/mental control of the crew. O'Rilly proclaims himself Captain, Sulu chases people with a sword (while shirtless), Nurse Chapel confesses her love to Spock, Spock has a beautiful emotional breakdown and Kirk wishes the weight of command could rest on someone else.

This episode is also the first time Scotty says, "I can't change the laws of physics."

Things That Stood Out:
Spock's breakdown - The way Leonard Nimoy played this was just so beautiful. The sight of Spock staggering from sickbay after Christin's confession repeating over and over "I'm sorry" is just heartbreaking.


"He's Dead" Count: 1 (said by Nurse Chapel).

Captain's log, Star date 1312.4. The impossible has happened. From directly ahead, we're picking up a recorded distress signal, the call letters of a vessel which has been missing for over two centuries. Did another Earth ship once probe out of the galaxy as we intend to do? What happened to it out there? Is this some warning they've left behind?

The Enterprise crosses the barrier of the galaxy, which somehow gives Gary Marshall superpowers and really, really, creepy silver eyes.

Kirk has to make the decision whether or not to kill his former friend, who has turned into a self proclaimed god.

Things That Stood Out:
The planet that Kirk tries to strand Marshall on is Delta Vega aka the planet Spock strands Kirk on on the reboot. Kirk was nicer, because the TOS 'verse Delta Vega is rocky but otherwise livable, whereas Reboot Delta Vega is a frozen wasteland filled with predictors.

Captain's Log, star date 1533.6. Now manoeuvrings to come alongside cargo vessel Antares. Its Captain and First officer are beaming over to us with an unusual passenger.

So much is made of Cap. Picard's dislike of children, but in this episode we get to see that Kirk's seems to have the same opinion; in the first scene Kirk's tells the kid he's being rude, then after that he tries to avoid the boy as much as possible.

Unfortunately, Charlie's got a crush on Yeoman Rand, and some freaky mind power, which means Kirk gets sucked into playing Dad.

Things That Stood Out:
Uhura's song about how seductive Spock is, and Spock's sly little grin while she's singing.
Kirk's red workout tights.

Captain's log, Stardate 1513.1. Our position, orbiting planet M-113. On board the Enterprise, Mister Spock temporarily in command. On the planet the ruins of an ancient and long-dead civilisation. Ship's surgeon McCoy and myself are now beaming down to the planet's surface. Our mission, routine medical examination of archaeologist Robert Crater and his wife Nancy. Routine but for the fact that Nancy Crater is that one woman in Doctor McCoy's past.

The episode really does pack a punch - lost loves, alien life forms and an ethical struggle.

The alien costume seemed kind of corny now, but the effects, Nancey's transformations, still hold up.

Things that stood out: Uhura's silver nail polish and Jance's woven hair-do. They're both just too cool.

"He's Dead" count: 2

The copy I found aired after the first movie came out. It had an introduction by The Great Bird of the Galaxy himself, in which Gene talked about the process that brought about the pilot, the reasons way it was rejected and how parts of it managed to make into the show.

The special effects really got my attention. While today we can have a computer make a life-like rendering of a ship moving through space, back then a lot of thought went into how to do things - the credit shot with the backdrop, moving stars, scale modal combo is effective in conveying motion.

Also, I need to mention the fact that Jeffery Hunter was hot!

There were two moments that really stood out for me.
1. The character of Spock - in this episode he isn't the Vulcan we know, but just some alien who is fine smiling when he comes upon a humming plant.
2. The line said by Vina - "They rebuilt me, everything works, but they had never seen a human. they had no guide for putting me back together." This stood out because of it similarity too a line from the Doctor Who episode Empty Child/Doctor Dances.