Celebrating Forty Years...
September 8, 1966. It was a Thursday much like any other. A new American television season was about to begin. NBC was going to be premiering a new science-fiction show, though there was nothing particularly remarkable about that. Every other network had a sci-fi show, from Lost In Space to The Time Tunnel to Voyage To The Bottom of The Sea. This night, at 8:30, NBC would broadcast their first episode of a show called Star Trek.
It was called "The Man Trap", a love story on the surface, but there was another angle as well: an alien creature who is the last surviving member of its species--and Our Heroes are forced to destroy it when it attacks them. It was moving, tragic, and very, very cool. Definitely not like anything anyone had ever seen on sci-fi television at that time. It was new. It was different. And that is why, despite a premature cancellation after a mere three seasons, it has survived to this day, spawning four spin-off series, a Saturday morning cartoon, and ten feature films (and counting). Not to mention novels, comics, RPGs, and video games. There is a rich, epic world, with a wonderful mythos that has been explored by countless of writers, directors, and actors...and fans like me. And it will continue to be explored for (hopefully) many more years to come.
With a mantra of exploration and discovery, and a message that hey, maybe people don't suck so much as we like to think they do, Star Trek is a refreshing escape from the day-to-day grind. If you're tired of this world's cynicism and jaded philosophies, do yourself a favour and pop a couple episodes into the DVD player. You'll be treated to some good stories, great writing, and interesting characters. In short, something worth watching.
Here's to the fortieth anniversary of Star Trek. And here's to forty more.
Be seeing you,
Steven
It was called "The Man Trap", a love story on the surface, but there was another angle as well: an alien creature who is the last surviving member of its species--and Our Heroes are forced to destroy it when it attacks them. It was moving, tragic, and very, very cool. Definitely not like anything anyone had ever seen on sci-fi television at that time. It was new. It was different. And that is why, despite a premature cancellation after a mere three seasons, it has survived to this day, spawning four spin-off series, a Saturday morning cartoon, and ten feature films (and counting). Not to mention novels, comics, RPGs, and video games. There is a rich, epic world, with a wonderful mythos that has been explored by countless of writers, directors, and actors...and fans like me. And it will continue to be explored for (hopefully) many more years to come.
With a mantra of exploration and discovery, and a message that hey, maybe people don't suck so much as we like to think they do, Star Trek is a refreshing escape from the day-to-day grind. If you're tired of this world's cynicism and jaded philosophies, do yourself a favour and pop a couple episodes into the DVD player. You'll be treated to some good stories, great writing, and interesting characters. In short, something worth watching.
Here's to the fortieth anniversary of Star Trek. And here's to forty more.
Be seeing you,
Steven
posted by Steven | 11:27 AM
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