6 Comments | Posted: August 21st, 2009 | Filed under: Star Trek
If you enjoy Star Trek but, like me, tend to be vague on the finer points of continuity and anything that doesn’t feature James T Kirk, Memory Alpha is the site you’re looking for. It’s a nerd-wiki with pretty high standards, offering up insights into episodes, “factual” bits about the Star Trek universe and, of course, ridiculous shit that comes about when you’ve got an obsessive-compulsive audience and 40 years of television and cinematic minutiae to cover in extreme detail. I thought I’d do us all a favor and mimic The Internet’s Own Chris Sims and dive into their fetid swamps (OK, I’m cicking the “random entry” link) and see what we can pull out for examination.
First up: two minor characters and an episode!
First Appearance: “Think Tank,” Voyager
Yes, that’s Jason Alexander, playing a vagina-skulled alien who worked for a pan-galactic problem-solving consultancy known as The Think Tank. They zipped around to and fro, taking care of treaties and ensuring peace was to be had in as many places as possible, as long as they got paid, sort of like Blackwater without the whole shooting-civilians-in-the-face schtick. The plot of “Think Tank” revolves around Kurros wanting compensation from the crew of Voyager after helping them handle a sticky situation, demanding payment in the form the ship’s quantum starslip drive, one of Neelix’s recipes, Chakotay’s Ace McCloud toy, and…Seven of Nine.
Of course Space George Constanza asked for the zeppelin-breasted robot chick.
Voyager happily acquiesced, causing the show’s abrupt downward spiral and cancellation three weeks later. (Please note that this did not really happen. Voyager limped along for two more seasons, culminating in a finale that I don’t remember anything from outside of the re-appearance of Alice Krige’s creepy head-and-cleavage-with-no-body Borg Queen.)
First Appearance: “And The Children Shall Lead,” the good Star Trek
Ray was part of a group of children that survived the mass suicide that swept the Federation’s colony on Triacus, following the teachings and demands of a malicious space ghost (no, not that one) they named Angel. This perfectly idiotic plot point occurs because kids are stupid and have never seen an episode of Star Trek. Guess what? They get rid of the creature (which, naturally, feeds off their devotion) thanks to some emoting on the part of William Shatner. Heir to a beer fortune, Ray was a favorite guest on the Starship Enterprise, particularly in the Engineering, Medical, and Getting Crazy Fucked Up departments.
Original Air Date: January 12, 1968
Everything you need to know about this episode is contained in this image:
24 Comments | Posted: May 8th, 2009 | Filed under: Star Trek
1.
This movie chugs right along. There’s a bit of a sag in the second act, but it was nice to have a breather, honestly. For something that’s spawned from a franchise that became positively overladen with technobabble and speechifying, this movie does not waste the viewers time or insult their intelligence one bit. I’ve never been terribly impressed with Abrams’ direction before, but this felt downright inspired in places.
2.
The whole matter of this being a reboot is handled very elegantly. If you’re an original Trek nerd and the three lines of dialogue explaining how the new status quo works doesn’t please you, then you’re stupid and you’re wrong and I hate you. C’mon, you accepted “Mirror Mirror” and goateed Spock for over 40 years and this is going to cheese you off? I know way, way more about Classic Trek‘s supposed history than any person should and I was positively delighted with how respectful this movie was of What Happened Before while making it possible for someone with only the barest knowledge of things to not feel that they’re missing out on anything.
3.
Everyone on the Enterprise is there for a reason: they’re smart, they’re competent, and they contribute. That made me terribly happy, actually, as TOS focused so much attention on Kirk, Spock and McCoy that the rest felt like bit players instead of supporting cast most of the time. I was particularly pleased to see that Sulu and Chekov became more than chauffeurs and the guys who press buttons to make lasers happened – their solutions to multiple problems made me smile. Yes, I am a nerd.
4.
There’s some very surprising changes to the mythos. None of them upset me one iota, and I could argue for the one that seems to have cheesed fans off the most using reference material from the original series. I’m very curious about how certain character arcs may be handled in a potential sequel.
5.
From the clean redesigns of well-known icons to the cinematography, obvious care was taken to make sure every shot and every setpiece seem iconic, but never in an obvious way. The first shot of the new Enterprise did put a lump in my throat, I’ll admit. I have a strange affection for her, but not in the James T Kirk manner.
6.
When I walked out of the theater, I texted my friend Josh with “I don’t think I’ve ever been happier after seeing a movie.” Every actor inhabited their role well, every moment seemed to fit perfectly, and there were some big fuck-off explosions. I’ll be seeing it again in the theater, very soon.
Please note that the comments to the post currently contain things that are close to being spoilers without actually crossing any real plot point lines that you wouldn’t know from the ads.
5 Comments | Posted: March 27th, 2009 | Filed under: Design Fetish, Star Trek, Wild Enthusiasm
Trekmovie.com has a
nice selection of European posters if you want to look at that sort of thing. This one really stands out to me as it feels very futuristic while not being over-rendered and photoshoppy, plus it uses lots of white space. I’m a sucker for lots of white space.
KURROS
RAY TSING TAO
