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Star Trek

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This article is about Star Trek, the science fiction media franchise. There is a separate article about the Star Trek project of Apple Computer, Inc.
File:NCC 1701-D.jpg
The Starship Enterprise: NCC-1701-D

Star Trek is a science fiction television franchise created by Gene Roddenberry in 1966 which tells the tale of the crew of the starship Enterprise and of their adventures "to boldly go where no man has gone before". The original show was cancelled in 1969 due to low ratings, but became phenomenally popular in syndication. To date, five additional TV series and ten motion pictures set within the Star Trek universe have been released. Along with Star Wars, Star Trek is one of the most popular science fiction entertainment franchises of the late 20th century.

The original series

(1966-1969)

File:Stamp-ctc-star-trek.jpg
The iconic original Enterprise went where no man had gone before.

The first pilot episode, The Cage, was made in 1964. It was rejected by the US television network NBC for being 'too cerebral' and having 'not enough action'. Despite this, network executives were sufficiently impressed to commission a second pilot, Where No Man Has Gone Before; from the original pilot, only the character of Spock (played by Leonard Nimoy) remained.

Initially, Star Trek (often abbreviated ST:TOS for "The Original Series") did not meet with much success. Ratings were low, and advertising revenue was lackluster. However, when threats of cancellation loomed in the show's second season, the show's very devoted and active fanbase ran an unprecedented campaign, petitioning NBC to keep the show on the air. They succeeded in gaining a third season, but the show was moved to a Friday night "death slot", and was finally cancelled at the end of its third season.

It has been claimed that after the show's cancellation, when demographic-based ratings became available, the show turned out to have extremely good demographics.

However, the fans – who dubbed themselves Trekkies (or Trekkers) – made reruns of the show popular, and created a market for later series and movies based on Roddenberry's work. The stories of Star Trek are now a recognized part of American culture, and are gaining in international popularity as well. Partly due to lobbying from fans of the series, NASA agreed to name its prototype space shuttle the Enterprise.

Many episodes of the first series involved an encounter with a power much greater than that of the ship and its crew. These powers took many forms: advanced alien races with psychic powers; rogue alien machines; and even, in one case, a god. Sometimes a member of the ship's crew would acquire godlike powers in some freak accident, almost invariably bringing doom upon themselves or the crew. A cautious attitude towards automation prevailed; in many episodes, Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) freed alien cultures from repression by dictatorial computers.

Most situations of this type were resolved when the power in question came close to enslaving (or destroying) the ship and crew, only to be saved by Kirk. His usual strategy was to outwit the "enemy" with a deus ex machina, often accompanied by an impassioned appeal to humanistic values.

The original series also infrequently showcased encounters with other advanced spacefaring civilizations including the Klingons and the Romulans, both of which were involved in separate "cold wars" with the Federation.

Outstanding episodes of the Original Series include "The Menagerie" (the original show's only two-part episode, written by Gene Roddenberry and partially derived from the unused pilot "The Cage"), "The Trouble with Tribbles" (written by David Gerrold), "The City on the Edge of Forever" (written by Harlan Ellison), "The Devil in the Dark", and "Balance of Terror". While most episodes of TOS were self-contained, there were several notable themes that wove themselves throughout the entire series. Arguably, the most important was the way that Star Trek explored, confronted, and questioned the major issues on American minds in the '60s, like sexism, racism, nationalism, war, and peace. Roddenberry believed that if people were shown new perspectives on these issues, they would view those issues differently in their everyday lives.

The Original Series is also noted for its sense of humor such as the friendly yet pointed bickering between Spock and Dr. Leonard McCoy (DeForest Kelley), and episodes like "The Trouble with Tribbles", "I, Mudd" and "A Piece of The Action" which were written and staged as comedies. This humour is much more subdued in the following series and movies, with the exception of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.

Many aspects of starship life in the series were modeled after the British Royal Navy as it existed in the age of sail. Roddenberry said he pitched the series to the network as "Wagon Train to the Stars", fearing they wouldn't understand his "Horatio Hornblower in Space" saga. Captain James T. Kirk calls to mind Captain James Cook, leader of British voyages of exploration. In the series, the ship's doctor, Dr. McCoy, and its science officer Spock, are confidants of the captain. This reflects practice in the 1800s, when the captain was felt to need someone outside the line of command who could speak to him as a (near-)equal. There would typically have been only one such person, and he might not have been a doctor. The most famous example of this role is the voyage of Charles Darwin on the HMS Beagle, where his official position was entirely to serve as a companion to the captain.

The connection to traditional naval practice is reflected in such small details as the three-toned "captain's whistle" that is heard when the captain appears, and relatively static nature of battles, in which ships fire at each other from a distance. In contrast to the world of Star Wars, no inspiration has been drawn from the aircraft carrier of more modern naval war.

Society and Star Trek

Star Trek: The Next Generation added much more background information on the Federation, a diverse union of starfaring cultures centered on Earth. The Federation does not use money; it is dominated by the economic condition known as abundance, enabled by advanced replicator technology.

Abundance, or lack of scarcity, means that everyone can satisfy all of his material needs and wants. Working, buying and selling is not necessary; therefore money is (arguably) obsolete. This is not always the case, however, since some stories revolve around the need to obtain or deliver particular resources or objects, which apparently can not be replicated, and references to commerce also appear.

In the Federation, unpleasant emotions such as greed or jealousy are greatly reduced, since possessions no longer have any value beyond that of sentiment. Characters, especially Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), often expound upon how people of the Federation now strive only to better themselves and their fellow man, often in response to a question like "But what do you do all day?".

Many episodes and films revolve around a threat to the status quo that is resolved by the crew, and usually everything is back to normal by the closing credits. This plot device is popularly known as the "reset button". The device is a common bane of serialized programs, and by the time of the end of Voyager and Deep Space Nine the writers had mostly switched to the "story arc" model.

Roddenberry was an ardent proponent of egalitarian politics, and frequently used the shows to showcase his vision of a future society based on those principles. The original series had a prominent African (Bantu) female crew member, Nyota Uhura (Nichelle Nichols). Nichols was one of the first African-American women to hold any major acting role on American television. Only 21 years after the bombs fell on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Star Trek had an ethnic-Japanese officer, Hikaru Sulu (George Takei). In the second season, perhaps in response to Soviet complaints that the "international" crew contained no Soviets, a Russian character, Pavel Chekov (Walter Koenig) was added.

Many of the alien species encountered in the series are strikingly similar to humans, to the point that they can form relationships with humans and produce mixed-race offspring. In the TNG episode "The Chase" it is explained that many primordial worlds of the Federation that were beginning to evolve life were "seeded" by an ancient race of spacefarers, so that their dying race would live on in various forms around the galaxy.

The Vulcan first officer Mr. Spock was at first rejected by network officials who feared that his vaguely satanic appearance might prove too disquieting. However, Spock went on to become one of the most popular characters on the show, arguably due to his role as the peaceful, logical, calm foil to Dr. McCoy's impassioned, old-fashioned, fiery personality.

Modern viewers might find the old series' portrayals of minorities and women backward, but the program was progressive and daring for its time. One of Star Trek's claims to fame is that it featured the first televised kiss between a white character and a black character in the United States. In an episode that used mind control as a ruse to break this taboo, Captain Kirk and Uhura were forced to share the first interracial kiss on American TV (episode number 67, "Plato's Stepchildren"). However, while they were shown embracing, they did not actually kiss - Kirk's head turns to block the view of the kiss at the last moment. Scenes with and without the kiss clearly shown were filmed, but they decided to push the envelope to have the kiss, but not quite enough to actually show it. The series also showed a very powerful alien species, the Klingons, as resembling Earth Asians rather than powerful white Europeans. Opinions are divided on whether this was a reference to Red China, or an attempt to maintain a balanced view of ethnicity.

Star Trek: The Animated Series

(1973-1974)

Main article: Star Trek: The Animated Series

Star Trek: The Animated Series was an animated TV show set in the fictional Star Trek universe. The official name of the series was simply Star Trek, but the designator "The Animated Series" is added by fans to differentiate it from the original Star Trek (or Star Trek: The Original Series). Generally, the animated series is considered non-canonical.

Star Trek: The Next Generation

(1987-1994)

In 1987 a new series was launched, Star Trek: The Next Generation (abbreviated ST:TNG or TNG), which featured a new crew, a new plotline, and was set nearly a century after the original series. In contrast to the original series, the crew of the USS Enterprise NCC 1701-D tended to have encounters with other races that were technologically equal in nature. A considerable number of the episodes involved "non-encounter" related plotlines such as temporal loops, character dramas, and various natural disasters.

While there were several encounters with advanced races, the crew of the Enterprise was less inclined to be tricky and hostile, favoring peaceful negotiation. In some cases, encounters were resolved in an entirely humorous way.

A major change was the more dedicated observation of the Prime Directive, which states that the advanced Federation shouldn't interfere with the technological or sociological development of other cultures. This was often used as a plot device to create moral conflict within characters, when they saw races in need of help that they were legally bound to ignore.

However, the most noticeable difference between TOS and TNG was that the series had strong historical ties between episodes. Items, enemies, and characters from previous episodes and seasons often reappeared, giving the series a much stronger sense of continuity. One major recurring character, Q, even bookended the series, appearing as the Enterprise's first major opponent in "Encounter at Farpoint", and closing the series by forcing Captain Picard and crew into an ultimate test of human resourcefulness in the final episode, "All Good Things...". His Puck-like behavior and calculated mayhem in many episodes throughout the series made him the most influential antagonist of the Enterprise-D crew, as had been planned from the series' beginning.

Star Trek: The Next Generation introduced three new enemy races – the Ferengi, the Borg, and the Cardassians – while introducing an alliance with the Klingons and a continued "cold war" with the Romulans.

Roddenberry continued to be credited as executive producer of Star Trek: The Next Generation, but his influence lessened as the series progressed. Also, he passed away in October 1991, midway through the series. With the addition of producer Rick Berman, the series slowly took on a more active nature and came to rely more and more on action and warfare. This became evident in later episodes of TNG, and was the basis of the ongoing plotlines of most of the following episodes.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

(1993-1999)

In 1993, Paramount launched Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (also called DS9), which ran concurrently with The Next Generation for one year and continued after TNG ended. DS9 was a departure from the established Star Trek formula, in that it was the first series not to feature the Enterprise and its crew. Instead the series chronicled the events surrounding Deep Space Nine, a remote Federation outpost on a former Cardassian mining station, near a wormhole to the Gamma Quadrant.

Deep Space Nine left behind some of the utopian themes that embodied the previous versions of Star Trek, focusing more on war, political compromise, and other modern-day themes. Commander Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) was forced to work with a fractured Bajoran government, with his first officer, Major Kira (Nana Visitor) being a former underground resistance leader who initially did not welcome the Federation's assistance in running the station.

Throughout the series, loyalties and alliances changed continually, as alliances with the Cardassians were made, broken, and made again, a short conflict with the Klingons flared up, and the Federation found itself allied with the Romulans. The Ferengi of Deep Space Nine were no longer an enemy of the Federation, but rather a neutral power whose neutrality was mostly respected.

The episode "Rules of Acquisition" almost casually introduced the Dominion, a ruthless empire in the Gamma Quadrant headed by the Founders. The Dominion eventually went to war with the Federation, the Klingons (and later the Romulans), after allying themselves with the Cardassians (and later the Breen) to gain a foothold in the Alpha Quadrant. This story arc took up most of the final two seasons of the show. Another example of DS9's darker, more controversial plot material is Section 31, a secret police division in Starfleet Intelligence. This undemocratic shadow organization justifies its unlawful, ethically questionable tactics by claiming that it is essential to the continued existence of the Federation. Section 31 is prominent in several episodes of the Dominion War plot arc.

Star Trek: Voyager

(1995-2001)

Star Trek: Voyager first aired in 1995, right after The Next Generation concluded. It was set in the same time period as Deep Space Nine, but on a ship again - the USS Voyager. In the pilot episode, Voyager is sent on a mission to locate a ship piloted by a cell of the Maquis, an anti-Cardassian terrorist organization. During a chase through the Badlands, the ships are transported to the other side of the galaxy by an ancient alien device. The two crews are forced to integrate after the Maquis ship is destroyed by Kazon raiders.

Although the conflict between the freedom-loving Maquis and the establishment Federation crew was explored in the first two seasons, the series concentrated on the exploration of the Delta quadrant during the Voyager's long trek home. On the way, the aptly-named vessel had to contend with organ-snatching Vidiians, the nightmare legions of the Borg, and the extradimensional horrors of Species 8472.

Star Trek: Enterprise

(2001-present)

In 2001, the newest series began, initially entitled Enterprise. Enterprise was set in 2151, ten years before the founding of the Federation, and was the first series to lack "Star Trek" in the title. It also contained more action, more of a focus on the dangers of space exploration with inferior technology, and a "Temporal Cold War" plot arc which seems to lead to a departure from the traditional Star Trek timeline. In the third season the show was renamed Star Trek: Enterprise.

A number of fans have voiced strong negative opinions about this latest incarnation of Star Trek, feeling the producers are simply there for the money, focusing on action and scantily clad female aliens instead of the more central themes of prior series. The intro to each episode, showing patriotic images from American space exploration along with a highly sentimental tune sung in a somewhat kitschy manner, is also a major departure from the more philosophical, intellectual and universal style of previous intros. The heroes in the series exhibit typical redneck/cowboy-like behavioral patterns and attitudes. Others have argued that the generally low ratings of the show are a result of the effort to market its host network, UPN, towards a younger male demographic. Enterprise has been the lowest rated of the Star Trek series.

The future of the Star Trek franchise

Marina Sirtis, Patrick Stewart, and Jonathan Frakes have suggested that no more Next Generation films will be produced; Brent Spiner and Leonard Nimoy are also no longer interested in reprising their respective characters. The low ratings of Enterprise, as well as the poor theatrical performance of Nemesis, have made the future of the Star Trek franchise uncertain. Some fans have reached the conclusion that Paramount should retire the franchise at least temporarily; some have said "Star Trek is dead".

Star Trek's fanbase has a number of suggestions to make regarding the future of Star Trek, and a number of movements and popular sentiments have arisen. Many want the heads of the franchise Rick Berman and Brannon Braga replaced; Majel Roddenberry, the widow of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, is occasionally proposed as a replacement. There is also a sizable movement to bring back Captain Kirk, as played by William Shatner, reversing his death in Star Trek: Generations to allow the character a more dignified end. Others suggest that the franchise itself should be retired – either permanently, or until enough time has passed that it could be brought back successfully.

The spring of 2004 saw the end of the third season of Star Trek: Enterprise, which has been renewed for a fourth season. Like its predecessors Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, and Voyager, Enterprise has required a couple of seasons to find a consistent footing, and has changed significantly from its original premise.

Rick Berman revealed in 2004 that preliminary work had begun on an eleventh Star Trek feature film. It is rumored that this film will be a prequel involving the Spock, Kirk, and McCoy characters played by new actors, perhaps entitled Starfleet Academy or Starfleet Command; however, rumors of such a prequel film have circulated several times during the 1990s, without ever resulting in an actual film. There has been in the past considerable demand among the fanbase for a film based upon Deep Space Nine, but interest in that series waned as the series finale brought the story to a close.

Other series

Topics, lists and figures

Television series

Motion pictures

Novels

See also the List of Star Trek novels.

Games

Theme park

Reference works

Cultural entities of Star Trek

Races of Star Trek

Places of Star Trek

Star Trek characters

Original crew of the USS Enterprise NCC 1701

Regular crew of the USS Enterprise NCC 1701

Regular crew of the USS Enterprise NCC 1701-D

Regular crew and civilians of the Federation Station Deep Space Nine

Regular crew of the USS Voyager NCC-74656

Regular crew of Enterprise NX-01

Other Characters

See List of Star Trek characters for a more complete listing of secondary characters.

Star Trek jargon

See also

It has been said that Star Trek created the Internet, in that many of its original non-military and non-computer-related bulletin boards, newsgroups, and websites were about the series.

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