Eric and Bryan continue their discussion of Star Trek episodes that travel to key points in history with guest Jeremy Commandeur. Enjoy!
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Where Star Trek Has Gone Before
RED ALERT!!! – SPOILERS ABOUND – RED ALERT!!!
Stop now if you haven’t seen the movie. Bookmark this, go watch it and then return.
I love Star Trek. I love it. If you follow the blog then you already know I’m not a Trekkie, for Trekkie doesn’t even sum it up. I had to create an entire religion (Trekkism) to explain my devotion for the franchise. So in 2009, when J.J. Abrams released his rebooted version of the original series, I was skeptical. I remember the nervousness I felt watching the first few minutes, thinking to myself, “Ok, here we go. Please don’t screw this up!” By the end of the first 15 minutes, I could clearly see where he was going, with his alternate timeline/parallel universe. Later in the movie, they even take the time to spell it out on screen for anyone that hasn’t figured it out yet. This development in the plot was equal parts predictable and pleasing. Every fan in the audience was relieved; here was our out. Now Abrams could do whatever he wanted (within reason) and we could enjoy the ride.
And we’re back! Fresh off of their appearance at BayCon 2013: Triskadekaphobicon, Eric, Bryan and guest Kevin Sutorius delve into the history of science fiction, and key figures/works that pushed the genre forward.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:01:28 — 35.7MB)
When I was young I grew up watching Star Trek. One of my earliest memories was sitting next to my father on the floor watching the awesomeness that is Star Trek: The Next Generation (TNG). I had only a basic understanding of what I was seeing, being that I was only 5 or 6, but it was enough to captivate me. Each week I’d watch, learn, and be inspired. The characters became like fIgures from ancient myths. You had the impossibly old and wise teacher, the artificial being striving to become human, lovers torn apart and reunited, the warrior outcast who finds a family, hell, even a blind man that can see! And of course, a powerful but companionate leader. I followed them all for years, never missing an episode. Then came a fateful day when their adventures came to an end. “All Good Things…”, the last episode of TNG to air. It was a very emotional experience for me, bringing me to tears. I then realized what had happened.
Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations
I was skeptical as I walked into the theater to watch Star Trek Into Darkness. After seeing early trailers for the film, I felt let down. What I saw was something that looked more like the Avengers than any Star Trek movie or TV show that I’ve seen. As J.J. Abrams has showed us before, this is not Gene Roddenberry’s Star Trek. But that’s okay. As I watched the opening sequence and got to experience Kirk and crew violating the Prime Directive, I wondered if that was a metaphor for what Abrams was doing with the series.
