Sci Fi on TV part 1... Star Trek

Sci-Fi on TV part 1?
Star Trek


By Che Gutierrez

A hard to miss entity in sci-fi tv history was the program Star Trek. An obvious one. But unless you wear the honorable badge, ?trekkie,? you wouldn?t have known that Star Trek?s now 40 year-old legacy had a less-than-warp-speed start. (I make no guarantees this article will not be sprinkled with cheesy Trek puns).

Star Trek was first set in motion by a thriving writer/producer by the name of Gene Roddenberry in the 1960?s. It premiered on NBC in 1966, existing for only three seasons- less than half of Star Trek- The Next Generation?s lifespan. Held dormant, it seemed later that time and possibly a transforming culture nurtured the fame and word of Star Trek, holding its spotlight until the years following when it became a household name and kids began calling flashlights ?phasers? (mine were light-sabers though). In the early 70?s the idea of an animated Star Trek series came to life- airing first in 1973, and running for 22 episodes. Occasionally referred to as TAS, the sparkling series featured most of the same characters as the original, was a hit, and ended up receiving an Emmy. It also included Gene Roddenberry as a producer.

The next most dominant Star Trek extension was Star Trek- The Next Generation, airing from 1987 to 1994. Bravely presenting an entirely new cast of unique characters, The Next Generation was highly anticipated by fans from all over the world. It featured a new, bald yet magnetic captain named Jean-Luk Picard, who led The Enterprise across space, encountering puzzles, testing morality and views, bumping into a creepy character named ?Q,? and eventually breaking into pieces in a movie rendition (a very emotional time for some, I can imagine). Presenting fresh special effects, thus allowing a more defined and imaginative representation of it?s creatures and environments, The Next Generation landed at the perfect time.

After breaking the ice, Star Trek- The Next Generation handed the flame to its parallel companion, Star Trek- Deep Space Nine. DS9 also aired for 7 seasons, running from 1992 to 1999. Expanding on characters and cultures glimpsed at in The Next Generation, DS9 dove (Deep)er into it?s plots, presenting new imaginative (but lifelike) creatures and characters, such as an interesting, symbiotic parasite known as Dax. The ship?s strong-willed captain, Benjamin Sisko, had to juggle the tasks of running the ship, and raising his son, who was also onboard for the voyage.

Moving along, I present the next Star Trek anecdote, Star Trek- Voyager. Voyager took off in January of 1995 with Captain Janeway, played by Kate Mulgrew, at the reins of her brand-new exploratory ship. Further spreading the possibilities of a universe of unusual and exceptional characters and entities, Voyager allowed us to meet characters such as a quizzical perfectionist hologram, ?The Doctor,? and a ?friendly? retired Borg, Seven of Nine, played by Jeri Ryan. Captain Janeway, also, interacted with Picard on several occasions, confirming his continuation?in a universe of exploding perishing spaceships.

Enterprise, the last Star Trek leg on TV to date, began airing in the fall of 2001. A significant departure from previous Treks, Enterprise presented a tamer, more ?tv friendly? version of Star Trek, possibly borrowing the prequel strategy from another place (light-sabers?Tatooine?a little kid).

From start to finish, Star Trek?s lifespan began a couple years before men landed on the moon, possibly proving a point, and extended to a time when the general public was accepting of other life forms, thus settling down into mainstream tv-land. Although highly original and captivating in the beginning, Star Trek bloomed in the 90?s do to the wild interest invested in it (and because of Data).



Did men ever go back to the moon?????.



CHE GUTIERREZ ?2006

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