Because "Star Trek" is set in a presumably idyllic future -- when war is at an end, money has been removed from the equation, and diplomatic togetherness rules the day -- one will see few open displays of tribalism or jingoism. No one in "Star Trek" can yell about how much they love their country because, functionally, there are no countries. At least not on Earth. Occasionally, Chekov (Walter Koenig) will express pride, or even smugness, about his Russian heritage, but his attitude couldn't be read as "patriotism." Instead, he has become a smaller part of a large human tapestry, now united and working together to explore the galaxy, expand knowledge, and share ideas.
Perhaps ironically, the widespread multiculturalism of the United Federation of Planets is dressed in military uniforms and sails about the heavens in starships armed with phasers and photon torpedoes. "Star Trek" has all the visual trappings...
Perhaps ironically, the widespread multiculturalism of the United Federation of Planets is dressed in military uniforms and sails about the heavens in starships armed with phasers and photon torpedoes. "Star Trek" has all the visual trappings...
- 6/3/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
There were multiple crossovers between the original "Star Trek" and "Star Trek: The Next Generation." This first happened in the 1987 pilot episode of the latter, wherein DeForest Kelley appeared as a very elderly — 137! — Dr. McCoy. Then in 1991's "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country," Captain Kirk (William Shatner) and Dr. McCoy were put on trial in a Klingon court, and their Klingon defense lawyer was played by "Next Generation" Worf actor Michael Dorn. There is some debate as to whether or not Dorn was playing an ancestor of Worf's in that film. What's more, Sarek (Mark Lenard) appeared on "Next Generation" in an episode devoted to him.
Later still, Spock (Leonard Nimoy) appeared in a two-part episode of "Next Generation" as a rogue diplomat trying to reunify the Romulans and the Vulcans. Luckily, Vulcans are very long-lived. And finally, Scotty (James Doohan) appeared on an episode of "Next Generation," having...
Later still, Spock (Leonard Nimoy) appeared in a two-part episode of "Next Generation" as a rogue diplomat trying to reunify the Romulans and the Vulcans. Luckily, Vulcans are very long-lived. And finally, Scotty (James Doohan) appeared on an episode of "Next Generation," having...
- 5/13/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
In the original "Star Trek," only three actors were credited at the start of the show: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, and DeForest Kelley. For many watching the series -- and for the actors especially -- those three were the leads, while the rest of the recurring ensemble were mere supporting players. Shatner, Nimoy, and Kelley certainly had the most screen time on "Star Trek," yet they often advocated for more. Eventually, Shatner and Nimoy became such whiny spotlight hogs that show creator Gene Roddenberry had to write an angry letter, demanding the actors stop whining and get back to work.
Trekkies, however, knew better than Shatner and Nimoy. "Star Trek" was always an ensemble piece about a core cast of multiple characters. In addition to the three "leads," the show also regularly featured chief engineer Scott/Scotty (James Doohan), communications officer Uhura (Nichelle Nichols), Ensign Chekov (Walter Koenig), Yeoman Rand...
Trekkies, however, knew better than Shatner and Nimoy. "Star Trek" was always an ensemble piece about a core cast of multiple characters. In addition to the three "leads," the show also regularly featured chief engineer Scott/Scotty (James Doohan), communications officer Uhura (Nichelle Nichols), Ensign Chekov (Walter Koenig), Yeoman Rand...
- 5/12/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Director J.J. Abrams' philosophy toward making his 2009 reboot of "Star Trek" likely involved a lot of uses of the words "high octane" and "kicked into overdrive." The characters in Abrams' "Star Trek" resemble the ones we all remember from the 1966 TV series, but electrified for a modern, action-hungry audience. Kirk (Chris Pine) is not just a captain who rules by instinct and occasionally snogs alien women (as William Shatner did), but a rash, skirt-chasing, destructive young punk who gets into bar brawls. Spock (Zachary Quinto) is not merely a logical scientist who, under rare circumstances, lets his human emotions slip through his stony visage (as Leonard Nimoy was), but a perpetually annoyed pill who, more regularly, is given to flights of rage and/or romance.
In the case of Sulu (John Cho), he is not merely a capable pilot with unusual hobbies, a great sense of humor, and a...
In the case of Sulu (John Cho), he is not merely a capable pilot with unusual hobbies, a great sense of humor, and a...
- 5/4/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
J. Michael Straczynski's "Babylon 5" began its life as a two-hour TV movie called "Babylon 5: The Gathering" which aired on February 22, 1993. There was some controversy about the series, however, as Straczynski pitched his space station series to Paramount as early as 1989. Paramount turned Straczynski down, and he took his series to Warner Bros., who approved. Suspiciously, only two months after Warner announced "Babylon 5," Paramount announced their own space station series, "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine." In a Tweet from 2018, Straczynski claimed that Paramount "put their show into high gear, spending four times what we did so they'd make it to air first." Indeed, "Deep Space Nine" first aired on January 3, 1999, beating "Babylon 5" by a month and a half. No legal action was taken against Paramount, but there has been a certain amount of bitterness ever since.
Additionally, the "Babylon 5" TV series didn't begin airing in...
Additionally, the "Babylon 5" TV series didn't begin airing in...
- 4/29/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
J.J. Abrams' 2009 "Star Trek" feature film wasn't so much an adaptation of the 1966 TV series as it was a film version of how non-Trekkies view the franchise. To explain: on the TV series, Captain Kirk (William Shatner) is typically depicted as being judicious, stern, and decisive. Because of the few times Kirk solved problems with his fists, however, he has gained a (perhaps unfair) reputation for being a reckless cowboy, an insufferable lothario, and a flippant charmer. Abrams' version of Kirk (Chris Pine) rolled with those misconceptions, making a "high-octane" version of the character. Indeed, all the characters are now broader, more passionate versions of themselves. This is in addition to each of them being secret super-geniuses, deeply expert in at least one field of science, language, medicine, or engineering.
Case in point, Chekov (Anton Yelchin) knows how to operate a transporter in such a way that he can...
Case in point, Chekov (Anton Yelchin) knows how to operate a transporter in such a way that he can...
- 4/28/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Viacom, the parent company of Paramount, underwent a dramatic split in 2005, causing the TV rights to "Star Trek" and the movie rights to "Star Trek" to be divided among two separate companies. This meant that if the movie-owners wanted to make a new feature film, they would have to license "Star Trek" iconography from the TV-owners. Under the conditions of such a liscense, a movie had to look legally distinct from the old TV show. What a headache.
This situation led to the creation of the Kelvin-verse, a "Star Trek" continuity that took place in a parallel timeline. The 2009 "Star Trek" movie featured the same ships and characters as the 1966 "Star Trek," but altered into something similar-yet-different. New actors played younger versions of the 1966 originals, and the U.S.S. Enterprise was now twice as big. Director J.J. Abrams also made the new movie more dramatic, action-packed, and full of explosions.
This situation led to the creation of the Kelvin-verse, a "Star Trek" continuity that took place in a parallel timeline. The 2009 "Star Trek" movie featured the same ships and characters as the 1966 "Star Trek," but altered into something similar-yet-different. New actors played younger versions of the 1966 originals, and the U.S.S. Enterprise was now twice as big. Director J.J. Abrams also made the new movie more dramatic, action-packed, and full of explosions.
- 4/22/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Ensign Ro Laren (Michelle Forbes) first appeared in the "Star Trek: The Next Generation" episode "Ensign Ro", and she introduced an interesting character dynamic to the series. Whereas most of the characters on "Next Generation" were wholly devoted to Starfleet principals and unwaveringly loyal to Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart), Ensign Ro felt that Starfleet frequently let suffering go unacknowledged. She was combative and disobedient as a result, often openly defying her captain and responding to diplomatic solutions with belligerence.
Forbes' performance was so assured and defiant, however, that Ro's disobedience never felt impulsive or immature. Her reactions were organic and principled, revealing a hardened but understandable heart. Ro only appeared in eight episodes of "Next Generation," but she was always welcome to shake up the system and offer metaphorical headbutts to her commanding officers.
Ro's final "Next Generation" episode was "Preemptive Strike" wherein she found herself sympathizing with a group...
Forbes' performance was so assured and defiant, however, that Ro's disobedience never felt impulsive or immature. Her reactions were organic and principled, revealing a hardened but understandable heart. Ro only appeared in eight episodes of "Next Generation," but she was always welcome to shake up the system and offer metaphorical headbutts to her commanding officers.
Ro's final "Next Generation" episode was "Preemptive Strike" wherein she found herself sympathizing with a group...
- 2/18/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
When a franchise has established itself as a pop culture favorite for as long as "Star Trek" has -- currently, going on 60 years -- imaginative storytellers truly have no limits when it comes to honoring such history. In 2009, J.J. Abrams went out of his way to make his prequel film "Star Trek" exist in its own alternate universe entirely, ensuring that his new franchise addition could co-exist within the timeline while never once meddling with any of what happened to Spock, Captain Kirk, and all the other heroes of the starship Enterprise. Justin Lin's "Star Trek Beyond" directly incorporated the death of Leonard Nimoy into the plot (along with an end-credits tribute to the late Anton Yelchin), paying homage to an icon in the most respectful way possible. But one of the most heartwarming examples of this tradition comes from a recurring character in "The Original Series" that most...
- 2/9/2024
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
Ensign Pavel Chekov, played by Walter Koenig, first appeared in the "Star Trek" episode "Catspaw", the first episode of the show's second season. The appearance of a forthrightly Russian character, and a hero at that, communicated to Trekkies that the Cold War of the 1960s was not only over but that Russians would now be working in harmony with American characters like Captain Kirk (born in Iowa) and Dr. McCoy. In the role, Koenig brought a great deal of energy and humor, happy to interject into formal conversations to point out that Russians actually founded most of the Earth's most important innovations. Although already 30, Koenig also communicated a youthful energy, serving as a vital counterpoint to the judicious commanding officers on the U.S.S. Enterprise.
Koenig has remained loyal to "Star Trek," having appeared in 36 episodes of the original series and in eight feature films (a picture of him...
Koenig has remained loyal to "Star Trek," having appeared in 36 episodes of the original series and in eight feature films (a picture of him...
- 2/8/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
"Star Trek: The Motion Picture" was the onscreen reunion of the Enterprise crew, premiering in 1979, a decade after "Star Trek" was canceled. What more casual Trekkies may not know is that (most of) the cast had already come together again in that interim (and I don't mean just for "Trek" conventions).
That reunion would be "Star Trek: The Animated Series," which aired for 22 episodes from 1973 to 1974. The series was made in the style of the original, but there were a few changes in the medium shift. Stories were told in a breezy 20+ minutes, not the hour-long packaging the live-action show had used. Since animation doesn't have to worry about makeup expenses, "The Animated Series" featured much more (and much weirder) aliens than "Star Trek" had.
The animation was done by Filmation, nowadays mostly remembered for their stiff animation on programs like "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe." The cast...
That reunion would be "Star Trek: The Animated Series," which aired for 22 episodes from 1973 to 1974. The series was made in the style of the original, but there were a few changes in the medium shift. Stories were told in a breezy 20+ minutes, not the hour-long packaging the live-action show had used. Since animation doesn't have to worry about makeup expenses, "The Animated Series" featured much more (and much weirder) aliens than "Star Trek" had.
The animation was done by Filmation, nowadays mostly remembered for their stiff animation on programs like "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe." The cast...
- 2/1/2024
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
At the beginning of William Shatner's 1989 film "Star Trek V: The Final Frontier," the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise-a is on shore leave, taking a much-needed breather while their ship undergoes extensive repairs and improvements. Scotty (James Doohan) and Uhura (Nichelle Nichols) are overseeing the repairs back on the ship. Chekhov (Walter Koenig) and Sulu (George Takei) are hiking together in Yosemite while Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley), Captain Kirk (Shatner), and Spock (Leonard Nimoy) set up their own camp nearby. This must not be a very long shore leave, otherwise I assume these people would all be at home visiting their families and not hanging out with their co-workers.
At night, McCoy, Kirk, and Spock gather around a campfire, cook beans, and enjoy marshmallows. Everything is comfortably low-tech. Kirk and McCoy attempt to introduce Spock to the Earth tradition of singing songs around the campfire, teaching him the lyrics to "Row,...
At night, McCoy, Kirk, and Spock gather around a campfire, cook beans, and enjoy marshmallows. Everything is comfortably low-tech. Kirk and McCoy attempt to introduce Spock to the Earth tradition of singing songs around the campfire, teaching him the lyrics to "Row,...
- 1/30/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
The "Star Trek" episode "The Apple" contained one of show creator Gene Roddenberry's favorite tropes: a remote, agrarian species living in harmony with nature, overseen by an ineffable technological marvel. In "The Apple," the Edenic planet of Gamma Trianguli VI is the home of a sexually innocent, childlike species that is granted their every wish by an all-powerful computer called Vaal. Vaal appears to be a giant snake-like head carved into the rock, but the Enterprise discovers that it is a machine intelligence that has kept the locals in a perpetual childlike state. They are immortal, but also have never had to work, nor are they allowed to "touch" (that is: have sex). Naturally, it will be up to Kirk (William Shatner) and the crew of the Enterprise to destroy Vaal and teach the aliens that growing up is necessary, and that having sex is okay and super-fun.
The...
The...
- 1/26/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
In the "Star Trek" episode "A Private Little War," Captain Kirk (William Shatner) finds himself in the middle of an ethical conundrum. The primitive, agrarian society on the planet Neural, ordinarily peaceful and gentle, has suddenly been granted access to rifles, a technology far ahead of their capabilities. It seems that an evil Klingon named Krell (Ned Romero) has been arming half of the Neural citizens, hoping to perpetuate a vicious civil war. Kirk's initial instinct is to arm the losing side with the same weapons, although others point out that doing so would merely escalate the conflict, not end it. Kirk argues that the losing side would, with weapons, at least be given a fighting chance.
This is, of course, a heavy-handed, Roddenberrian deconstruction of the Vietnam War, which was happening contemporaneously. In "Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry's eyes, Americans were interfering in a civil war they had no vested interest in.
This is, of course, a heavy-handed, Roddenberrian deconstruction of the Vietnam War, which was happening contemporaneously. In "Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry's eyes, Americans were interfering in a civil war they had no vested interest in.
- 1/23/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
On the morning of January 23, 2024, actor Gary Graham, star of the "Alien Nation" TV series, the cult classic "Robot Jox," and multiple-time "Star Trek" supporting player, passed away at the age of 74. Graham had a prolific acting career, appearing in single episodes of many of the hottest TV shows of his day, including "Starsky & Hutch," "The Incredible Hulk," Knots Landing," "CHiPs," "T.J. Hooker," "Hunter," "M.A.N.T.I.S.," "Diagnosis Murder," "Ally McBeal," "Jag," and "Nip/Tuck." He had an easy demeanor, allowing him to play comedic affable characters just as well as intense, serious ones.
Trekkies likely know Graham best for playing Soval on "Star Trek: Enterprise." Soval was the snippy Vulcan ambassador who oversaw Earth's very, very slow transition from post-war ruin to a thriving society ready for space exploration. In the timeline of "Star Trek," humanity discovers warp-speed flight while the world is recovering from nuclear devastation. On the very first Earth warp flight,...
Trekkies likely know Graham best for playing Soval on "Star Trek: Enterprise." Soval was the snippy Vulcan ambassador who oversaw Earth's very, very slow transition from post-war ruin to a thriving society ready for space exploration. In the timeline of "Star Trek," humanity discovers warp-speed flight while the world is recovering from nuclear devastation. On the very first Earth warp flight,...
- 1/23/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
More than 40 years ago, in 1982, director Nicholas Meyer's "The Wrath of Khan" revitalized "Star Trek," overcoming its low budget to be the shot in the arm that "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" failed to be.
This was the second time that the "Star Trek: The Original Series" cast reunited on the silver screen. With how long it has been, it's sadly unsurprising that most of the original "Star Trek" main cast is no longer with us. Spock's sacrifice and emotional last exchange with Kirk in "The Wrath of Khan" are even sadder and more poignant now with Leonard Nimoy's real-life passing in 2015.
Even most of the film's own supporting cast have passed on. Ricardo Montalbán, who delivered the performance of a lifetime as Khan Noonien Singh himself, died in 2009 at age 88. However, a select few of the movie's cast are still with us.
Read more: Celebrities You...
This was the second time that the "Star Trek: The Original Series" cast reunited on the silver screen. With how long it has been, it's sadly unsurprising that most of the original "Star Trek" main cast is no longer with us. Spock's sacrifice and emotional last exchange with Kirk in "The Wrath of Khan" are even sadder and more poignant now with Leonard Nimoy's real-life passing in 2015.
Even most of the film's own supporting cast have passed on. Ricardo Montalbán, who delivered the performance of a lifetime as Khan Noonien Singh himself, died in 2009 at age 88. However, a select few of the movie's cast are still with us.
Read more: Celebrities You...
- 1/14/2024
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
If one visits the legendary Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood, California (now called the Tcl Chinese), one can see the handprints of the cast and creator of "Star Trek." On the event of the franchise's 25th anniversary in 1991, Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols, William Shatner, George Takei, James Doohan, and DeForest Kelley all put their handprints on the cement next to their respective signatures. According to a story Takei told at a "Star Trek" convention (that this author personally attended), the cast were instructed to sign their names but not to put their hands in the cement. Takei, hating the restriction, plopped in his handprint anyway, and his fellow cast members immediately followed suit.
Leonard Nimoy, as visiting Trekkies will see, slapped his hand into the cement with his middle and ring fingers parted and his thumb out, arranged in the traditional Vulcan salute seen so often throughout "Star Trek."
That...
Leonard Nimoy, as visiting Trekkies will see, slapped his hand into the cement with his middle and ring fingers parted and his thumb out, arranged in the traditional Vulcan salute seen so often throughout "Star Trek."
That...
- 1/6/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
When reading actor Brian Cox's memoir "Putting the Rabbit in the Hat," I was disappointed that he didn't mention his work on David Fincher's superlative "Zodiac." Throughout the book, Cox shows no reluctance to burn bridges, and given his ribbing of "Succession" co-star Jeremy Strong's method acting, I was eager to see if he'd have similar words about Fincher's infamous perfectionism. Alas, no such stories exist.
True to its title, the 2007 "Zodiac" film is about the Zodiac killer, the still unidentified murderer who left Northern California quaking with fear as the 1960s closed. The film spans the 1960s to 1980s (with an epilogue in 1991), focusing on the killings and then Robert Graysmith's (Jake Gyllenhaal) investigation years later.
One of the movie's earlier sequences recreates an episode from October 22, 1969. Someone claiming to be the Zodiac said he would dial into Jim Dunbar's Kgo-tv (local to...
True to its title, the 2007 "Zodiac" film is about the Zodiac killer, the still unidentified murderer who left Northern California quaking with fear as the 1960s closed. The film spans the 1960s to 1980s (with an epilogue in 1991), focusing on the killings and then Robert Graysmith's (Jake Gyllenhaal) investigation years later.
One of the movie's earlier sequences recreates an episode from October 22, 1969. Someone claiming to be the Zodiac said he would dial into Jim Dunbar's Kgo-tv (local to...
- 12/31/2023
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
At a time when syndicated science fiction was just Star Trek series, it took some guts on Warner Bros’ part to try something darker and more experimental with J. Michael Straczynski’s Babylon 5, designed to tell a sprawling epic that was more political than it was space opera. The show arrived thirty years ago and was successful enough to spawn spin-off five telefilms and a short-lived spinoff, spanning 1993-2007.
The core of it, the 110 episodes from the original five-season series, have been remastered and collected on a nice Blu-ray box set from Warner Home Entertainment. Also included is the original pilot film.
Set in the 23rd century, the Earth Alliance has found its place among star-faring races, notably the Minbari and the Centauri. Some of these races are fine with humans; others wish them gone. Then there are the Vorlons, and no one knows what they want.
Babylon 5 is a gigantic,...
The core of it, the 110 episodes from the original five-season series, have been remastered and collected on a nice Blu-ray box set from Warner Home Entertainment. Also included is the original pilot film.
Set in the 23rd century, the Earth Alliance has found its place among star-faring races, notably the Minbari and the Centauri. Some of these races are fine with humans; others wish them gone. Then there are the Vorlons, and no one knows what they want.
Babylon 5 is a gigantic,...
- 12/19/2023
- by Robert Greenberger
- Comicmix.com
The three-season NBC run of "Star Trek" in the late 1960s (aka "The Original Series") was not a smooth ride for anyone at any level of production. Each hour-long episode cost, in 2023 dollars, over $1 million to produce (with the classic "The City on the Edge of Forever" being particularly pricey), which, given the series' Nielsen ratings struggles, was a huge problem for the network (which pulled the plug on the show in 1969 much to its rabid fans' consternation). Also tricky, the stars' salaries. William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy played chicken with NBC in pay negotiations, basically daring the execs to fire them.
According to "Star Trek" historian Marc Cushman, the network decided they'd had enough of Nimoy's hardball act; rather than bring back the hugely popular (with fans at least) Mr. Spock, they opted to write the character out of the show and bring in a brand new Vulcan. However,...
According to "Star Trek" historian Marc Cushman, the network decided they'd had enough of Nimoy's hardball act; rather than bring back the hugely popular (with fans at least) Mr. Spock, they opted to write the character out of the show and bring in a brand new Vulcan. However,...
- 12/11/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Walter Koenig came to "Star Trek" in only its second season, but he is part of the series' legacy thanks to his role as Ensign Pavel Chekov (not to mention being one of the few major "The Original Series" actors still with us). An American TV show featuring a Russian character as a good guy during the height of the Cold War? That was just one of the ways that "Star Trek" pushed the envelope.
Unfortunately, as you Trekkies reading know, "Star Trek" lasted only two more years after Koenig joined the cast in 1967; NBC canceled the show due to low ratings and the last episode first aired on June 3, 1969. That cancellation wasn't the end for "Star Trek" — it's a full-blown media franchise now — but it seemed like it was at the time.
Recently interviewed by TrekMovie.com, Koenig claims he knew well ahead of time that "Star Trek" wouldn't...
Unfortunately, as you Trekkies reading know, "Star Trek" lasted only two more years after Koenig joined the cast in 1967; NBC canceled the show due to low ratings and the last episode first aired on June 3, 1969. That cancellation wasn't the end for "Star Trek" — it's a full-blown media franchise now — but it seemed like it was at the time.
Recently interviewed by TrekMovie.com, Koenig claims he knew well ahead of time that "Star Trek" wouldn't...
- 12/10/2023
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
David Carson's 1994 film "Star Trek: Generations," set mostly in 2371, began with a flashback to 2293 when Admiral Kirk (William Shatner), Commander Chekov (Walter Koenig), and Captain Scott (James Doohan) attended the maiden voyage of the U.S.S. Enterprise-b. In the original draft of the script, the Enterprise-b scenes were meant to include the entire original cast of "Star Trek," so Leonard Nimoy and DeForest Kelley refused because their roles were insignificant and they didn't like the story. Nichelle Nichols and George Takei likewise turned down the film.
"Generations" involves a colossal negative space wedgie -- a spatial energy ribbon called the Nexus -- that scoops Kirk out of the Enterprise-b and holds him in a form of temporal stasis for 87 years until Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) can enter the same wedgie to retrieve him. Chekov and Scotty don't play a major part in the story. They are essentially there...
"Generations" involves a colossal negative space wedgie -- a spatial energy ribbon called the Nexus -- that scoops Kirk out of the Enterprise-b and holds him in a form of temporal stasis for 87 years until Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) can enter the same wedgie to retrieve him. Chekov and Scotty don't play a major part in the story. They are essentially there...
- 12/3/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Walter Koenig joined the cast of "Star Trek" in 1967 as Ensign Pavel Chekov, the feisty Russian upstart who was always quick to point out that a lot of human culture originated in his home country. He was often hot-headed and a little brash, but always capable.
By the events of the 1982 film "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan," Chekov had been promoted to the rank of commander and served as the executive officer on board the U.S.S. Reliant underneath Captain Clark Terrell (Paul Winfield). In that film, Commander Chekov and Captain Terrell were captured by the revenge-bent Khan (Ricardo Montalbán), who forced miniature Ceti eels into their ears. The eels burrow into their hosts' brains and make them docile and suggestable, forcing Chekov to turn against Starfleet and aiding Khan in his evil schemes. By halfway through the film, Chekov is reunited with his old captain, James T. Kirk (William Shatner). Luckily,...
By the events of the 1982 film "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan," Chekov had been promoted to the rank of commander and served as the executive officer on board the U.S.S. Reliant underneath Captain Clark Terrell (Paul Winfield). In that film, Commander Chekov and Captain Terrell were captured by the revenge-bent Khan (Ricardo Montalbán), who forced miniature Ceti eels into their ears. The eels burrow into their hosts' brains and make them docile and suggestable, forcing Chekov to turn against Starfleet and aiding Khan in his evil schemes. By halfway through the film, Chekov is reunited with his old captain, James T. Kirk (William Shatner). Luckily,...
- 12/2/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Clockwise from top left: Candy Cane Lane (Prime Video), Your Christmas Or Mine 2 (Prime Video), The Flash (Warner Bros.)Image: The A.V. Club
Prime Video—perhaps more than any other streaming provider—is really leaning into Christmas-themed movies this December. Eddie Murphy plays a family man desperate to win...
Prime Video—perhaps more than any other streaming provider—is really leaning into Christmas-themed movies this December. Eddie Murphy plays a family man desperate to win...
- 11/29/2023
- by Robert DeSalvo
- avclub.com
The premise of Glen A. Larson's 1978 sci-fi series "Battlestar Galactica" was high-concept and complex. It took place far from Earth, at the end of humanity's millennium-long war with a species of robots called the Cylons. The Cylons themselves were built by a long-extinct race of humanoid reptiles, and they seem poised to offer the same fate to humankind. Feeling that the writing was on the wall, a human named Count Baltar (John Colicos) betrayed humanity and sided with the Cylons, putting the robots hot on the trail of the Battlestar Galactica, a massive starship carrying most of the galaxy's last-known humans. Their goal is to find a long-lost "thirteenth tribe," a human colony that was said to have settled on a distant planet called Earth.
The assumption for viewers was that "Battlestar Galactica" was set in the distant future, but at the end of the 24th episode of its only season,...
The assumption for viewers was that "Battlestar Galactica" was set in the distant future, but at the end of the 24th episode of its only season,...
- 11/19/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
In the world of "Futurama," no one is allowed to utter the words "Star Trek" without facing arrest and severe legal penalties. It seems that by the year 3000, Trekkies had gone from being a loose-knit group of geeks to being a full-blown religion. After years of a Trekkie religion, schisms began to form in the church, leading to inevitable and prolonged Holy Wars. To solve the problem once and for all, humanity agreed to load every episode of the original series onto a rocket and launch them into deep space where they would never darken humanity's doorstep again. The severed heads of William Shatner, Nichelle Nichols, Walter Koenig, DeForest Kelley, and George Takei -- all of them kept alive in jars -- were also loaded onto a rocket and sent into space. Leonard Nimoy's head stayed on Earth and took a job in the local Head Museum. James Doohan's fate was not shared,...
- 11/6/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
When you have a lot of episodes of a TV series, and you have a lot of TV series that all have a lot of episodes, and you also have a lot of books and comic books and video games and movies, and they're all telling stories in the same world and about the same people, there's a word that's going to come up sooner than later. And that word is "canon."
"Canon" is sometimes used synonymously with "continuity," the idea that stories should remain consistent in their depiction of events, characters, and information so as not to break the illusion of reality they collectively create. But canon goes beyond that. Canon is supposed to be official. It literally was created to describe religious texts, in reference to dogmatic and holy scriptures. So in the realm of a fictional universe, canon is supposed to be something that is definitely real to the characters,...
"Canon" is sometimes used synonymously with "continuity," the idea that stories should remain consistent in their depiction of events, characters, and information so as not to break the illusion of reality they collectively create. But canon goes beyond that. Canon is supposed to be official. It literally was created to describe religious texts, in reference to dogmatic and holy scriptures. So in the realm of a fictional universe, canon is supposed to be something that is definitely real to the characters,...
- 10/10/2023
- by William Bibbiani
- Slash Film
Gene Roddenberry's celebrated sci-fi TV series "Star Trek" debuted on September 8, 1966, and recently celebrated its 57th anniversary. Initially, "Trek" wasn't terribly popular, and only managed to make a third season thanks to a coordinated letter-writing campaign (a campaign that Roddenberry was accused of orchestrating and encouraging himself). It wouldn't be until after "Star Trek" was canceled in 1969 that its popularity would significantly begin to grow. Thanks to a sweet infinite syndication deal, "Star Trek" reruns were common, and a cult began to form. By the early 1970s, the first "Trek" conventions began to appear. Naturally, conventions were a great place for the show's stars and creators to congregate and share production stories with a rising tide of obsessives. Fans were able to talk to and get autographs from William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, Nichelle Nichols, Majel Barrett, Walter Koenig, George Takei, James Doohan, and Grace Lee Whitney, as...
- 9/26/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
The latest "Star Trek" animated series, "Very Short Treks," attempts to honor — or at least revisit and poke fun at — arguably the most underrated series in the nearly 60-year-old franchise. "Star Trek: The Animated Series" was a two-season Saturday morning cartoon show starring most of the original cast and written by many of the original writers, which filled in the gaps left in the historical records after the Enterprise's five-year mission got cut short by CBS.
While "Star Trek: The Animated Series" could be a little hit-and-miss (just like every other "Trek" show) it expanded on the original series in crucial ways. The animation was limited, but there was no longer any need to hold back on ambitious creatures and concepts due to budgetary concerns. So the cartoon featured an array of bizarre worlds and life forms that had never been possible on the show before and have rarely been explored since.
While "Star Trek: The Animated Series" could be a little hit-and-miss (just like every other "Trek" show) it expanded on the original series in crucial ways. The animation was limited, but there was no longer any need to hold back on ambitious creatures and concepts due to budgetary concerns. So the cartoon featured an array of bizarre worlds and life forms that had never been possible on the show before and have rarely been explored since.
- 9/12/2023
- by William Bibbiani
- Slash Film
The 1967 revision of the "Star Trek" writer's guide starts by asking the reader a simple question: "Can you find the major 'Star Trek' format error in the following 'teaser' from a story outline?"
"Star Trek" is a franchise that comes with many rules and dictums, many derived from its late creator, Gene Roddenberry. Other times they came from story editors and producers across the franchise's nearly-60-year history. And all of them are fiercely debated among fans in countless fanzines, convention halls, and chat boards, as well as on social media.
But rules are made to be broken, aren't they? Or, at the very least, broadly interpreted... like Starfleet's non-interference directive by some captains. And, to paraphrase Kirk, risk was "Star Trek's" business from day one. So let's look at 13 times when the makers of "Star Trek" took a risk and broke the mold.
Read more:...
"Star Trek" is a franchise that comes with many rules and dictums, many derived from its late creator, Gene Roddenberry. Other times they came from story editors and producers across the franchise's nearly-60-year history. And all of them are fiercely debated among fans in countless fanzines, convention halls, and chat boards, as well as on social media.
But rules are made to be broken, aren't they? Or, at the very least, broadly interpreted... like Starfleet's non-interference directive by some captains. And, to paraphrase Kirk, risk was "Star Trek's" business from day one. So let's look at 13 times when the makers of "Star Trek" took a risk and broke the mold.
Read more:...
- 8/28/2023
- by Maurice Molyneaux
- Slash Film
The "Futurama" episode "Where No Fan Has Gone Before" introduced an interesting wrinkle to the universe. It seems that in the early 31st century, all of "Star Trek" had been banned, and one could be arrested merely for saying the words "Star Trek" in public. Fry (Billy West) mentions in a video store that the first six "Star Trek" movies average out to "pretty good." Everyone in the store immediately drops to the floor and Fry is quickly bundled out by his friends.
It seems that, in the future, "Star Trek" fandom had become so intense that it mushroomed into a full-blown religion all its own. In the years after its formation, the Trekkie religion quickly became violent, with various schisms forming within the church. Imagine old-school Trekkies getting into bitter arguments with the fans of "Star Trek: Discovery," but with gunplay. Fry, a closet Trekkie this whole time, is...
It seems that, in the future, "Star Trek" fandom had become so intense that it mushroomed into a full-blown religion all its own. In the years after its formation, the Trekkie religion quickly became violent, with various schisms forming within the church. Imagine old-school Trekkies getting into bitter arguments with the fans of "Star Trek: Discovery," but with gunplay. Fry, a closet Trekkie this whole time, is...
- 8/19/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Since its debut in 1966, Star Trek has boldly gone to nearly every cultural aspect of modern life. The franchise has included 13 feature films with various crews, numerous board and video games, hundreds of action figures, commemorative plates — you name it, and there’s probably a version with a Starfleet logo on it.
But despite all this exploration into other media and fields, Star Trek remains best on television. And after a long drought, the franchise is finally thriving again in its original medium, despite the bumbling of its parent company Paramount. Even with Picard done and Discovery entering its fifth and final season, multiple series are still in production, including the acclaimed Strange New Worlds.
But as the greatest Trek theme song reminds us, it’s been a long road getting from there to here. The Original Series was canceled after a budget-strapped third season in 1969 and only built its following in syndication.
But despite all this exploration into other media and fields, Star Trek remains best on television. And after a long drought, the franchise is finally thriving again in its original medium, despite the bumbling of its parent company Paramount. Even with Picard done and Discovery entering its fifth and final season, multiple series are still in production, including the acclaimed Strange New Worlds.
But as the greatest Trek theme song reminds us, it’s been a long road getting from there to here. The Original Series was canceled after a budget-strapped third season in 1969 and only built its following in syndication.
- 8/17/2023
- by Kirsten Howard
- Den of Geek
Layla Sarakalo has exactly one (1) credit on her IMDb page. In Leonard Nimoy's 1986 film "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home," she played a passer-by on the street who stopped briefly to talk to Pavel Chekov (Walter Koenig) and Nyota Uhura (Nichelle Nichols), who sought the location of nuclear vessels parked in Alameda, California. The scene sticks out in the memory because of Keonig's notorious pronunciation of "vessels" as "wessels." Koenig, as one might predict, has been asked to say "wessels" at multiple Star Trek conventions over the years, and is quite likely very sick of it. Keonig turns 87 in September, so please stop asking.
Sarakalo, however, only ever appeared in this one scene in "Star Trek" and hasn't acted before or since. According to her IMDb page, Sarakalo landed the role as an extra through a stroke of bad luck. In order to clear the San Francisco streets for the scene in question,...
Sarakalo, however, only ever appeared in this one scene in "Star Trek" and hasn't acted before or since. According to her IMDb page, Sarakalo landed the role as an extra through a stroke of bad luck. In order to clear the San Francisco streets for the scene in question,...
- 8/6/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
"Star Trek: The Animated Series," originally just called "Star Trek," debuted on September 8, 1973. It will soon be commemorating its 50th anniversary. To celebrate, as announced at this year's San Diego Comic Con, Paramount will be newly animating several "Star Trek" characters and tapping extant "Star Trek" actors to produce several promotional bumpers in the old "Tas" style. Jonathan Frakes will play Commander William Riker in one such bumper, Armin Shimerman will return to play Quark in another, while Doug Jones will appear as Saru from "Star Trek: Discovery."
The announcement was given by "Star Trek" creative consultant Casper Kelly, who previously worked on "Star Trek: Short Treks."
"Star Trek: The Animated Series" famously reunited most of the original series cast (Walter Koenig does not appear) and merrily continued the five-year mission of the U.S.S. Enterprise. James Doohan reprised his role as Scotty, but also took on a lot of the show's supporting characters,...
The announcement was given by "Star Trek" creative consultant Casper Kelly, who previously worked on "Star Trek: Short Treks."
"Star Trek: The Animated Series" famously reunited most of the original series cast (Walter Koenig does not appear) and merrily continued the five-year mission of the U.S.S. Enterprise. James Doohan reprised his role as Scotty, but also took on a lot of the show's supporting characters,...
- 7/21/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
In 1991, the original crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise signed off – literally – with Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country earning critical acclaim and the biggest box office for the franchise since The Wrath of Khan. With Star Trek – The Next Generation ending its successful seven-season run, the time was right to give the new crew the reigns to their big-screen franchise. But, all involved were wary of making what would be seen as just an extended episode. Thus the bold move was made to work in none other than James T. Kirk, who – gasp – would die in the movie’s climax, passing the torch to Patrick Stewart’s Jean-Luc Picard. That’s right; it’s time to tackle Star Trek Generations!
To shepherd the Next Generation’s move to the big screen, Paramount Pictures decided to give the reigns to the feature film over to Next Generation producer Rick Berman,...
To shepherd the Next Generation’s move to the big screen, Paramount Pictures decided to give the reigns to the feature film over to Next Generation producer Rick Berman,...
- 7/19/2023
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
This Star Trek: Picard article contains spoilers.
In 1994, the finale of Star Trek: The Next Generation was titled “All Good Things…” and now that ellipsis has been completed, with the inevitable phrase “…must come to an end.” In the series finale of Picard one era of the franchise very clearly comes to an end, while sneakily setting up a very hypothetical next next generation, too. Although the future of Star Trek in the 25th century remains unclear, and the franchise is once again expanding in other directions, it seems that for now, the story of the 1990s era has come to a close.
But the end of an era doesn’t mean the end of excellent callbacks to this golden age of Star Trek shows. Here are the biggest easter eggs, references, and shout-outs in “The Last Generation.”
Star Trek Intro Is Episode-Specific
After launching a boiler-plate Star Trek intro...
In 1994, the finale of Star Trek: The Next Generation was titled “All Good Things…” and now that ellipsis has been completed, with the inevitable phrase “…must come to an end.” In the series finale of Picard one era of the franchise very clearly comes to an end, while sneakily setting up a very hypothetical next next generation, too. Although the future of Star Trek in the 25th century remains unclear, and the franchise is once again expanding in other directions, it seems that for now, the story of the 1990s era has come to a close.
But the end of an era doesn’t mean the end of excellent callbacks to this golden age of Star Trek shows. Here are the biggest easter eggs, references, and shout-outs in “The Last Generation.”
Star Trek Intro Is Episode-Specific
After launching a boiler-plate Star Trek intro...
- 4/20/2023
- by John Saavedra
- Den of Geek
This Star Trek: Picard article contains spoilers.
In its third season, Star Trek: Picard has been all about voices from the past. Given the show’s title character, most of those voices have unsurprisingly come from the era of The Next Generation. But in the opening minutes of the Picard series finale, we hear a voice that goes back even further into Star Trek history: that of Original Series star Walter Koenig, who voices his character’s offspring, Federation president Anton Chekov.
“Do not approach Earth,” warns President Chekov in a transmission to Starfleet survivors, including the crew of the newly-revived Enterprise-d. “Signal of unknown origin has turned our young against us. They have been assimilated by the Borg. Our fleet has been compromised, and as we speak, our planetary defenses are falling. Sol Station is defending Earth as best it can, but we’re almost out of time. We...
In its third season, Star Trek: Picard has been all about voices from the past. Given the show’s title character, most of those voices have unsurprisingly come from the era of The Next Generation. But in the opening minutes of the Picard series finale, we hear a voice that goes back even further into Star Trek history: that of Original Series star Walter Koenig, who voices his character’s offspring, Federation president Anton Chekov.
“Do not approach Earth,” warns President Chekov in a transmission to Starfleet survivors, including the crew of the newly-revived Enterprise-d. “Signal of unknown origin has turned our young against us. They have been assimilated by the Borg. Our fleet has been compromised, and as we speak, our planetary defenses are falling. Sol Station is defending Earth as best it can, but we’re almost out of time. We...
- 4/20/2023
- by Joe George
- Den of Geek
The showrunner of the third season of "Star Trek: Picard," Terry Matalas, began the season with a few cute references and cameos to whet the appetites of nostalgia-hungry Trekkies. One of the first shots of the season was a slow pan over the belongings of Dr. Crusher (Gates McFadden), and sharp-eyed fans would likely recognize several trinkets and pictures and audio logs left over from "Star Trek: The Next Generation." For five episodes, Matalas played light and fair with additional nostalgic references, focusing instead on new characters, a new ship, and the story at hand.
In the back half of the season, however, the dam burst, and the cameos and references began coming fast and furious. There were small notable roles for Ro Laren (Michelle Forbes), Tuvok (Tim Russ), and Commander Shelby (Elizabeth Dennehy). The eighth episode saw the entire central cast of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" in the...
In the back half of the season, however, the dam burst, and the cameos and references began coming fast and furious. There were small notable roles for Ro Laren (Michelle Forbes), Tuvok (Tim Russ), and Commander Shelby (Elizabeth Dennehy). The eighth episode saw the entire central cast of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" in the...
- 4/20/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
This post contains spoilers for the series finale of "Star Trek: Picard."
The beginning of the final episode of "Star Trek: Picard," called "The Last Generation," begins with a shot of deep space, presumably a point-of-view shot from the Enterprise-d on its way to rescue a Federation under attack. The soundtrack plays a distress call from the president of the Federation, Anton Chekov, the son of Pavel Chekov (Walter Koenig) from the original "Star Trek." He warns all approaching ships to stay away from Earth as the Borg are infiltrating and any rescue attempt would be to risk assimilation. It will be up to the old Enterprise, reconstructed over the course of the last few decades, to mount a rescue.
The Chekov cameo was a fun Easter egg, of course, but that's not one of the episode's best.
The opening shot involved the camera appearing to sail through a small star cluster.
The beginning of the final episode of "Star Trek: Picard," called "The Last Generation," begins with a shot of deep space, presumably a point-of-view shot from the Enterprise-d on its way to rescue a Federation under attack. The soundtrack plays a distress call from the president of the Federation, Anton Chekov, the son of Pavel Chekov (Walter Koenig) from the original "Star Trek." He warns all approaching ships to stay away from Earth as the Borg are infiltrating and any rescue attempt would be to risk assimilation. It will be up to the old Enterprise, reconstructed over the course of the last few decades, to mount a rescue.
The Chekov cameo was a fun Easter egg, of course, but that's not one of the episode's best.
The opening shot involved the camera appearing to sail through a small star cluster.
- 4/20/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
This post contains spoilers for the Picard series finale, “The Last Generation.”
When this third and final season of Picard debuted earlier this year, I wrote that while on the one hand it was shameless fan service, on the other this was exactly what Star Trek fans wanted and needed after the show’s first two years were so disappointing. Simply bringing back the entire crew of The Next Generation — and giving most of them much better and richer material than what they got to play back in the Eighties...
When this third and final season of Picard debuted earlier this year, I wrote that while on the one hand it was shameless fan service, on the other this was exactly what Star Trek fans wanted and needed after the show’s first two years were so disappointing. Simply bringing back the entire crew of The Next Generation — and giving most of them much better and richer material than what they got to play back in the Eighties...
- 4/20/2023
- by Alan Sepinwall
- Rollingstone.com
When the third season of "Star Trek: Picard" began, this old Trekkie declared it to be the best "Star Trek: The Next Generation" movie we never got. This was a bit of a dubious comparison, as the four extant "Next Generation" movies never quite reached the intellectual highs of the TV series on which they were based. "Star Trek: Generations" was weirdly preoccupied with "passing the torch" moments, bending over backward to get Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and James T. Kirk (William Shatner) on screen together. "First Contact" was an enjoyable enough action picture, but it dumbed down a lot of the show's more interesting notions about the Borg, and, in being a full-scale action picture, only served to highlight how ill-suited the NextGen cast was for such a genre.
"Insurrection" more or less repeated the premise of the episode "Who Watches the Watchers", but tried to stage it as...
"Insurrection" more or less repeated the premise of the episode "Who Watches the Watchers", but tried to stage it as...
- 4/20/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
In the lore of "Star Trek," Starfleet Academy is located on Earth, just on the other side of the still-standing Golden Gate Bridge on San Francisco Bay. Any Starfleet officer on any "Star Trek" show has attended Starfleet Academy for several years, learning everything there is to know about diplomacy, tactics, xenolinguistics, starship engineering, history, and piloting. By the franchise's description, it's the most rigorous and intense college the future has to offer. Starfleet Academy is open to anyone aged over 16 years (or their home planet's equivalent) and not everyone makes it all the way through. Numerous stories in "Star Trek: The Next Generation" and "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" centered specifically on Starfleet Academy..
Non-Trekkies may recall Starfleet Academy being mentioned in "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan," and the school's notoriously unwinnable Kobayashi Maru test. Cadets are meant to fail to gauge their character and their command skills.
Non-Trekkies may recall Starfleet Academy being mentioned in "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan," and the school's notoriously unwinnable Kobayashi Maru test. Cadets are meant to fail to gauge their character and their command skills.
- 3/31/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
The original Star Trek came to an early end after just three seasons. That could have been the end of the wildly imaginative space adventure series, if not for its immense success in syndication. Like so many of the most enduring shows throughout television history, it needed some time to find its audience.
Creator Gene Roddenberry got his second shot at his monumental creation thanks to the second-run demand for more Starfleet adventures. Ultimately, it was a series of films that kept Star Trek alive until its return to television. But first, there was an attempt to make a sequel series for the small screen.
‘Star Trek’ nearly had a TV follow-up long before ‘The Next Generation’
Star Trek: The Original Series was a radical work for its time. It had character archetypes straight out of heady sci-fi novels, yet never seen on TV, like Leonard Nimoy’s objective-to-a-fault Spock.
Creator Gene Roddenberry got his second shot at his monumental creation thanks to the second-run demand for more Starfleet adventures. Ultimately, it was a series of films that kept Star Trek alive until its return to television. But first, there was an attempt to make a sequel series for the small screen.
‘Star Trek’ nearly had a TV follow-up long before ‘The Next Generation’
Star Trek: The Original Series was a radical work for its time. It had character archetypes straight out of heady sci-fi novels, yet never seen on TV, like Leonard Nimoy’s objective-to-a-fault Spock.
- 3/23/2023
- by Agustin Mojica
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In 1977, a movie you might have heard of called Star Wars came out and thoroughly shifted the kind of movies Hollywood considered blockbusters. Until then, the idea of an epic sci-fi fantasy grossing hundreds of millions of dollars was considered laughable, and the genre was regarded as B-movie material at best. Star Wars changed that thinking, and suddenly studios were bending over backwards flooding theaters with their own sci-fi epics. This led to Star Trek getting a crack at the big screen, with the original crew headlining a movie that, at the time, was one of the most expensive movies ever made. In this episode of Revisited, we dig into Star Trek: The Motion Picture.
Flashback to 1978. Star Wars was still making a mint, and Universal took the pilot episode for a Star Wars-knock-off series they developed, Battlestar Galactica, and released it in theaters. It made a stunning $41.8 million internationally,...
Flashback to 1978. Star Wars was still making a mint, and Universal took the pilot episode for a Star Wars-knock-off series they developed, Battlestar Galactica, and released it in theaters. It made a stunning $41.8 million internationally,...
- 3/5/2023
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
George Takei recently claimed that his Star Trek costar William Shatner was a “prima donna” during the filming of the 1960s television series.
The 85-year-old revealed his thoughts on his former colleague in an interview with The Guardian. He said there was camaraderie among the cast of the show, “except for one,” referring to Shatner, who played Captain Kirk.
The actor added that “none of us” got along with Shatner, and called him a “cantankerous old man.”
Takei characterized his costar as “self-involved” at the time.
In Memoriam 2022: 100 Great Celebrities Who Died This Year!
“He enjoyed being the center of attention,” he said of the young star. “He wanted everyone to kowtow him.”
George Takei is kind of like Mariah Carey. But instead of popping up once a year to sing Christmas songs, he shows up once a year to remind everyone that he still hates William Shatner.
— Eddie Steak (@EddieSteak) November 29, 2022
Shatner,...
The 85-year-old revealed his thoughts on his former colleague in an interview with The Guardian. He said there was camaraderie among the cast of the show, “except for one,” referring to Shatner, who played Captain Kirk.
The actor added that “none of us” got along with Shatner, and called him a “cantankerous old man.”
Takei characterized his costar as “self-involved” at the time.
In Memoriam 2022: 100 Great Celebrities Who Died This Year!
“He enjoyed being the center of attention,” he said of the young star. “He wanted everyone to kowtow him.”
George Takei is kind of like Mariah Carey. But instead of popping up once a year to sing Christmas songs, he shows up once a year to remind everyone that he still hates William Shatner.
— Eddie Steak (@EddieSteak) November 29, 2022
Shatner,...
- 12/3/2022
- by Miranda Dipaolo
- Uinterview
George Takei is done playing William Shatner’s game.
The “Star Trek” alums have been part of a very public feud for over 50 years, and Takei seemingly put it to bed by alluding to Shatner as a “prima donna” on set.
When asked by The Guardian if Takei got along with his fellow “Star Trek: The Original Series” stars, the actor answered, “Yes. Yes. Yes. Except for one, who was a prima donna. But the rest of us shared a great camaraderie.”
Takei continued, “One of the gifts from ‘Star Trek’ was not just longevity but colleagues that became lasting friends. My colleagues were part of my wedding party in 2008. Walter Koenig, who played Chekov, was my best man. We asked Nichelle [Nichols, communications officer Uhura] to be our matron of honor but she said: ‘I am not a matron! If Walter can be the best man, why can’t I be the best lady?...
The “Star Trek” alums have been part of a very public feud for over 50 years, and Takei seemingly put it to bed by alluding to Shatner as a “prima donna” on set.
When asked by The Guardian if Takei got along with his fellow “Star Trek: The Original Series” stars, the actor answered, “Yes. Yes. Yes. Except for one, who was a prima donna. But the rest of us shared a great camaraderie.”
Takei continued, “One of the gifts from ‘Star Trek’ was not just longevity but colleagues that became lasting friends. My colleagues were part of my wedding party in 2008. Walter Koenig, who played Chekov, was my best man. We asked Nichelle [Nichols, communications officer Uhura] to be our matron of honor but she said: ‘I am not a matron! If Walter can be the best man, why can’t I be the best lady?...
- 11/28/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
This post contains spoilers for the latest episode of "Star Trek: Lower Decks."
One of the plot elements in the latest episode of "Star Trek: Lower Decks," called "Trusted Sources," is that the U.S.S. Cerritos is going to be scrutinized by a visiting journalist named Victoria (Alison Becker). She is ready to interview crew members, and is always accompanied by a levitating camera. She is on the ship to write a story about a new initiative proposed by Captain Freeman that would direct Starfleet vessels to follow up on alien species that hadn't been heard from in years. The initiative is an excuse for "Lower Decks" to make sequels to any random episode of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" that they pleased under the storytelling auspices of standard operating procedure.
The episode they choose to revisit is "Symbiosis," an episode from NextGen's first season. That episode saw the U.
One of the plot elements in the latest episode of "Star Trek: Lower Decks," called "Trusted Sources," is that the U.S.S. Cerritos is going to be scrutinized by a visiting journalist named Victoria (Alison Becker). She is ready to interview crew members, and is always accompanied by a levitating camera. She is on the ship to write a story about a new initiative proposed by Captain Freeman that would direct Starfleet vessels to follow up on alien species that hadn't been heard from in years. The initiative is an excuse for "Lower Decks" to make sequels to any random episode of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" that they pleased under the storytelling auspices of standard operating procedure.
The episode they choose to revisit is "Symbiosis," an episode from NextGen's first season. That episode saw the U.
- 10/20/2022
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Chicago – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com audio review of the new 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray version of 1979’s “Star Trek: The Motion Picture,” the first film of one of the most successful film franchises in movie history, spun off from the original breakthrough sci-fi TV series of the 1960s. Beam me up.
What is 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray? Well, compared to the picture quality of a regular Blu-ray disk, it has a resolution Four Times the pixel value, creating a spectacular in-depth picture experience.
Rating: 4.5/5.0
Ten years after the original series left the TV airwaves, the crew of the Starship Enterprise – Chief Engineer Scott (James Doohan), Weapons Officer Chekov (Walter Koenig). Communications Officer Uhura (Nichelle Nichols) and Helmsman Sulu (George Takei) – are reassembled under a new commander, Captain Decker (Stephen Collins). Before he can launch the reconditioned ship, Admiral James T. Kirk (William Shatner) brusquely comes aboard and relieves Decker of his command.
What is 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray? Well, compared to the picture quality of a regular Blu-ray disk, it has a resolution Four Times the pixel value, creating a spectacular in-depth picture experience.
Rating: 4.5/5.0
Ten years after the original series left the TV airwaves, the crew of the Starship Enterprise – Chief Engineer Scott (James Doohan), Weapons Officer Chekov (Walter Koenig). Communications Officer Uhura (Nichelle Nichols) and Helmsman Sulu (George Takei) – are reassembled under a new commander, Captain Decker (Stephen Collins). Before he can launch the reconditioned ship, Admiral James T. Kirk (William Shatner) brusquely comes aboard and relieves Decker of his command.
- 9/13/2022
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
In a world going through a rough time, it's nice to be able to tell you some lovely, if bittersweet news. The world lost Nichelle Nichols on July 30, 2022. Nichols, of course, played the role of Lieutenant Nyota Uhura on "Star Trek," breaking new ground for Black women in television. Lt. Uhura shared the first interracial kiss on a network TV series with Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner). When she wanted to leave the role to pursue another job, none other than Martin Luther King Jr. -- whose own family watched the show -- convinced her not to because of how powerful it was to see a Black woman on TV in a high ranking position during the height of the civil rights movement.
Nichols' role inspired so many people, from Whoopi Goldberg to NASA astronaut Mae Jemison, the first Black woman to go to space. (Both went on to appear in "Star Trek" shows.
Nichols' role inspired so many people, from Whoopi Goldberg to NASA astronaut Mae Jemison, the first Black woman to go to space. (Both went on to appear in "Star Trek" shows.
- 8/25/2022
- by Jenna Busch
- Slash Film
While "Star Trek: Lower Decks" is a delightful workplace comedy in its own right, Trekkies have been having a ball combing through every episode looking for cute references to classic "Star Trek" episodes. In the first season episode "Veritas," the characters visited a museum of alien artifacts that featured a 50-foot humanoid skeleton that appeared to be wearing a tattered blue Starfleet uniform. This, for the well-trained eye, was a reference to the "Star Trek: The Animated Series" episode "The Infinite Vulcan" wherein a species of intelligent plant people cloned a giant version of Spock to be their leader. At some point, that giant clone died and, by the 24th century events of "Lower Decks," ended up in an alien archive lightyears away. For the uninitiated, that skeleton was a spooky background detail. For Trekkies, it was everything.
The new season of "Lower Decks" premiered today, and it comes barreling...
The new season of "Lower Decks" premiered today, and it comes barreling...
- 8/25/2022
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
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