Star Trek

[The Good]

This may or may not be a taboo topic, here, but who else here regularly watches Star Trek, in any of its incarnations (TV series, films), or considers themselves to be a fan? Or, perhaps you watch it only occasionally? Please do share your thoughts on the series.

Barely half an hour ago, I had finished watching the episode Amok Time, in which Spock has the intense mating urge known as "Pon Far," and in order to overcome it, he must return to Vulcan for the ritual. I won't go further than that now, however.

I would have to say The Original Series is my favorite of the television series, but The Next Generation is a close second, with Deep Space Nine, Enterprise, and Voyager being ranked from being most to least of my interest.

I have been a Star Trek fan for at least three years, so far, definitely before the new 2009 film, with my interest beginning mainly with TOS, or The Original Series.

What was the last episode that you've seen, and of which series? Did you like the episode? Did it strike you in any particular manner, as being special or unique?

 

[lostinthe50's]

Living in a split house.

I have to say I have been a Star Trek fan for over 2 decades. I love the original series but will watch any of the Star Trek shows. When I said i live in a split house, I meant that I am a trekkie and my beautiful girlfriend is a trekker. You might ask yourself what is the difference. A trekkie is a fan of the orig. series and a trekker is a fan of TNG. It makes for a interesting relationship but we have managed to make it through it. Wow we are some nerds....but it is nice to find a beautiful woman who love any kind of Star Trek...btw....she bought me a Klingon to English dictionary for my birthday a year ago...so what more could I ask for.

 

[achi11es]

A fan of the original series...can't beat the trio of Kirk, Spock and McCoy. Of the Next Gen, my fave episodes were the ones were Picard plays out his PI fantasies, right down to smoking Camel Non-Filters.

 

[Blackthorn]

I was 13 or so when the series originally aired and I still love the original series. I thought the Next Gen was all right, but I really loved DS9. It doesn't compare to the Original, because the Orig was groundbreaking (they actually "went where no one has gone before") and none of the others can say that.

The only knock is that too few episodes have fedoras.

 

[Land-O-LakesGal]

Live Long and Prosper

Ok I admit it I am a Sci Fi dork and I really enjoy all versions of star trek. The latest movie was excellent.

 

[B.J. Hedberg]

Bela Oxmyx, Dixon Hill, an android in a fedora, and sleek starships, you can’t go wrong with Star Trek.

I still have a collection of Star Trek encyclopedias, Micro Machine Starships, and unassembled models from my well spent youth. Would have to say the Original Series and Next Generation are my favorites. I just watched TNG “All Good Things,” last weekend (one of my favorite episodes) and saw TNG “The Enemy” on TV late last night; two fantastic episodes with my favorite Romulan villain, Tamalak. Star Trek and Bonanza, two shows that always taught a lesson (even if you didn't agree with it) – unlike most reality TV shows today.

 

[MisterCairo]

I'm a big fan of the original series, and most of the original crew movies. Next Gen was a HUGE disappointment for me, modern, politically correct mush.
And why couldn't Wesley wear a red tunic and get beamed down to hostile planets?

"Ensign Expendable to the transporter room...".

Enterprise would be my second choice, as DS9, etc., were just more of the same.

 

[B.J. Hedberg]

And why couldn't Wesley wear a red tunic and get beamed down to hostile planets?

I concur.

 

[LordBest]

My mother was a big fan of the Original Series, as a result I grew up on Next Generation when it came on television here, back when I was five years old. Enjoyed Deep Space Nine and Voyager. Watched the first season of The Other Series, proclaimed Star Trek dead and never refer to the series by name. I loathed it. Went to see the new film, highly skeptical, came out utterly enthused and proclaimed Star Trek alive once more.

 

[Dav]

Hello my name is Nick and I'm a Trekkie!
It feels so good to finally confesslol

 

[Doctor Strange]

I watched from Day One - September 8, 1966 - when I was 11-1/2 and totally primed. I'm one of those people who wrote letters to NBC to bring back the show for its third season. I memorized The Making of Star Trek when I got my hands on it. I went to some of the earlierst conventions, saw TMP on opening day, watched all the subsequent series virtually in their entirety (except DS9, seveal seasons of which coincided with the mega-exhausted-and-overwhelmed period of my kids early childhood).

Re the new film... Obviously it's a crowd pleaser, and it succeeded in rebooting the franchise for a new century. But I didn't much like it: it was very dumbed down, had the worst excuse for "science" ever seen in any Trek, and repeatedly had cult-of-personality and dumb luck replace the old Starfleet-is-a-fair-meritocracy approach. And by invalidating the old timeline, it was a real slap in the face to those of us who've followed Trek faithfully since 1966. So I'm in no hurry to see what they come up with next...

 

[Navin323i]

This may or may not be a taboo topic, here, but who else here regularly watches Star Trek, in any of its incarnations (TV series, films), or considers themselves to be a fan? Or, perhaps you watch it only occasionally? Please do share your thoughts on the series.

Barely half an hour ago, I had finished watching the episode Amok Time, in which Spock has the intense mating urge known as "Pon Far," and in order to overcome it, he must return to Vulcan for the ritual. I won't go further than that now, however.

I would have to say The Original Series is my favorite of the television series, but The Next Generation is a close second, with Deep Space Nine, Enterprise, and Voyager being ranked from being most to least of my interest.

I have been a Star Trek fan for at least three years, so far, definitely before the new 2009 film, with my interest beginning mainly with TOS, or The Original Series.

What was the last episode that you've seen, and of which series? Did you like the episode? Did it strike you in any particular manner, as being special or unique?

What a great idea for a post! I'm a longtime fan (3+ decades) and though initially the original Star Trek series was my favorite one, I eventually became so hooked on the Next Generation series and later the Voyager series.

My favorite Next Generation episodes include the series finale (which was the last episode I recently saw... I've always liked the episodes that featured Q and Picard) and the episode where it goes into detail as to how Picard got an artificial heart and what his life would have been like if he had not underwent the events that led up to him getting an artificial heart... I like this episode because my heart is partly mechanical so I can relate to Picard, plus the episode helps to illustrate how our hardships define our character... had I not been born with a heart condition that required me to undergo 5 life threatening open heart surgeries then I'm sure I'd have been a completely different person... one who doesn't appreciate life to the extent that I do now.

It's a shame they didn't continue the Voyager series... i would have loved to have seen Data and Seven of Nine meet and interact with one another.

 

[Navin323i]

I watched from Day One - September 8, 1966 - when I was 11-1/2 and totally primed. I'm one of those people who wrote letters to NBC to bring back the show for its third season. I memorized The Making of Star Trek when I got my hands on it. I went to some of the earlierst conventions, saw TMP on opening day, watched all the subsequent series virtually in their entirety (except DS9, seveal seasons of which coincided with the mega-exhausted-and-overwhelmed period of my kids early childhood).

Re the new film... Obviously it's a crowd pleaser, and it succeeded in rebooting the franchise for a new century. But I didn't much like it: it was very dumbed down, had the worst excuse for "science" ever seen in any Trek, and repeatedly had cult-of-personality and dumb luck replace the old Starfleet-is-a-fair-meritocracy approach. And by invalidating the old timeline, it was a real slap in the face to those of us who've followed Trek faithfully since 1966. So I'm in no hurry to see what they come up with next...

That's really cool that you were one of the original folks who wrote to NBC to bring the show back for its 3rd season.

I would love to attend a Star Trek convention someday just for the sake of experiencing the craziness there.

 

[Navin323i]

Hello my name is Nick and I'm a Trekkie!
It feels so good to finally confesslol

Decades back I recall reading that fans of the series hated being called "Trekkies" and instead preferred to be called "Trekkers"... has this changed and now folks prefer to be called "Trekkies"?

 

[Dav]

Decades back I recall reading that fans of the series hated being called "Trekkies" and instead preferred to be called "Trekkers"... has this changed and now folks prefer to be called "Trekkies"?

Hi Navin
I have no idea what the preferred name is Trekkie or Trekker, I just thought Trekkie was a light hearted name for anyone who enjoys the series, at least among my mates anyway.
I know the hardcore fans might have a different opinion.
Live long and prosper.
Nick

 

[Navin323i]

Hi Navin
I have no idea what the preferred name is Trekkie or Trekker, I just thought Trekkie was a light hearted name for anyone who enjoys the series, at least among my mates anyway.
I know the hardcore fans might have a different opinion.
Live long and prosper.
Nick

Haha! No worries... Trekkie or Trekker, we all share the same love for the series.

Live long and prosper as well, my friend.

Navin

 

[Doctor Strange]

For many years, it was insider parlance to prefer "Trekker". Trekkers considered themselves serious fans of the real-world science and human drama of the series... as opposed to Trekkies, who were perceived as the lightweight, unsophisticated fans who wore the Spock ears and "I Grok Spock" buttons.

But there was never much real difference between Trekkers and Trekkies, and it's all over now. The days when Trek fans were an oddball subculture - vs. solid movie and TV mainstream - are long gone.

 

[Navin323i]

For many years, it was insider parlance to prefer "Trekker". Trekkers considered themselves serious fans of the real-world science and human drama of the series... as opposed to Trekkies, who were perceived as the lightweight, unsophisticated fans who wore the Spock ears and "I Grok Spock" buttons.

But there was never much real difference between Trekkers and Trekkies, and it's all over now. The days when Trek fans were an oddball subculture - vs. solid movie and TV mainstream - are long gone.

Thanks for the clarification, Doc. I laughed at the "I Grok Spock" button comment... what on earth (or Vulcan) does "grok" mean? lol

 

[cptjeff]

I'm a big fan of the original series, and most of the original crew movies. Next Gen was a HUGE disappointment for me, modern, politically correct mush.
And why couldn't Wesley wear a red tunic and get beamed down to hostile planets?

"Ensign Expendable to the transporter room...".

Enterprise would be my second choice, as DS9, etc., were just more of the same.

You couldn't be more wrong about DS9. In many ways, it's the most courageous of the treks in exploring hot button issues, and the depth of the stories and characters made it endlessly fascinating. I cannot think of any TV series, Star Trek or not, that used secondary characters and developed it's world nearly as well as Deep space 9 did.

The drawback is that you have to watch it as 176 installments of one long story rather then with each episode as a standalone. It's the epic poem as compared to the bedtime story.

Enterprise only got good in season 4 when they brought in fresh blood, but by then it was too late.

And of course, TOS is great. Never got too much into TNG, but they're pretty good too.

Also, if you want vintage attire, the Vic Fontaine episodes of DS9 are great.

 

[Dav]

I preferred the continuing sagas of DS9 and Voyager.
I've watched DS9 three or four times every time missing the episode when Dax gets killed:eusa_doh: