Sunday, August 21, 2011

Where No One Has Gone Before -- Star Trek As We Know It Blogfest



Monday is Ellie Garratt's Star Trek As We Know It Blogfest. (Hey, it's Monday somewhere). I'm supposed to talk about five of my favorite Star Trek episodes. Now keep in mind, I became a fan, when Star Trek was being broadcast live, back in the day when you got summer reruns, and then the shows were never seen again. Yes. Back before syndication or cable.

I discovered Classic Star Trek when I was 13, and we were living on the Navy base at Sangley Point, in the Philippines. We never got newly run shows, so we were a season behind. You know what they say: There's nothing too good for our troops overseas. And that's just what they get, nothin' too good. I was so excited to get back to the States and watch the new season. Unfortunately, it was last (half) season. The network had tried to kill the show after season 2 but there'd been such an outcry from fans that they brought it back and put it in a time slot guaranteed to kill it.

It was several years before syndication came around, and we were finally able to see some of those old shows again. And I can't even tell you the thrill to see a Star Trek movie! Sadly, it was abysmal. If the fans hadn't been so rabid and dying for something new, I think the franchise might have died there. But then they did Wrath of Kahn, which for me, captured everything that had made Star Trek so fun.


Well, enough ancient history.

My five favorite episodes
City on the Edge of Forever
Poignant time-travel tale, when Kirk and Spock have to go after a drug-crazed McCoy (accidental needle poke) who manages to change something in the past so drastic they must put things right. Even if it means sacrificing the woman Kirk has come to love. If the urban legend is true, this episode brought the first swear word to broadcast TV, when Kirk says near the end, "Let's get the hell out of here."

The Trouble With Tribbles
I alternated between crushing on Spock and Scotty. I loved the scene in this episode where Scotty is keeping his cool while on leave with his crew mates as the Klingons insult everything they could think of. It's not until they insult the Enterprise that Scotty loses it and everyone ends up in a brawl.

Star Trek, The Next Generation
 I was excited yet resistant when this new series began. I wanted it to be good but felt a bit like a betrayer if I liked it too much. Well. It's my favorite of all the Star Trek variations.

The Child
One of my favorite scenes is in this episode, where the new ship's doctor doesn't get Data. Here's the interchange:
Dr. Pulaski: Dah-ta, look at this.
Data: 'Day-ta'.
Dr. Pulaski: What?
Data: My name. It is pronounced 'Day-ta'.
Dr. Pulaski: Oh?
Data: You called me "Dah-ta".
Dr. Pulaski: What's the difference?
Lt. Commander Data: One is my name. The other is not.

The bolding is mine. I love Data, which probably explains why the next is also one of my favorite episodes.

The Measure of a Man
This is one of my all-time favorite episodes. A Commander Maddox wants to understand how Data's positronic brain works and gets Star Fleet to authorize him to dismantle Data for research purposes even though it could destroy Data in the process. Captain Picard challenges the ruling and is given the opportunity to make his case. But Riker must serve as the opposing counsel and, if the judge determines he hasn't given his side of the argument everything he has, she will rule against data. Picard must prove that Data is a sentient being and a legal citizen rather than property of the Federation.


The Best of Both Worlds
This was a 2-part cliffhanger episode where Picard was taken by the Borg and brought into the Collective. Had us hanging on the edge of our seats all dang summer.

Resistance is futile.

Wanna bet?
Seven of Nine (my Leaky Lounge Name, btw) with Captain Janeway from Voyager
Seven of Nine (Dobby is freeeee!)

The Borg made such a delicious nemesis. So much better than the pathetic Ferengi.
Quark from Deep Space Nine
I thought Q was hilarious, especially as he evolved in the series.
Favorite Films
Star Trek (2009)
And the newest Star Trek film was freaktastic! I saw it in the theaters six times and sat there with a stupid grin on my face all the way through all six viewings.Seriously! Who would have thought Sylar could be Spock? Or Eomer could be Bones?
The Wrath of Kahn. 
I cried. It felt like my favorite uncle had died.
Star Trek IV, The Journey Home
This movie was hilarious! It showed all the fun interactions between the characters that made us fall in love with the series in the first place.
 Star Trek Generations
I loved this film that brought Classic ST Kirk and TNG Picard together on the same screen (even though episodes of TNG had both Spock and Sarek, Spock's father). It was a passing of torch. The King is dead. Long live the King.
Star Trek First Contact
Who couldn't love Data kicking the Borg Queen's arse or our unlikely hero in Zefram Cochran?

Star Trek Insurrection
I loved this film for a number of reasons. One was that it had lots of humor in it as the crew members experience a bit of rejuvenation (wish I could get some), Picard found a lady love (finally), and they fixed the messing up stuff they'd done between Riker and Troi (they were always meant for each other). Most of all I love that it's Data who sees the ethical thing that must be done and does it. His line: Lock and load.


I'll always remember a comment Nichelle Nichols made on a TV show many years ago. She said, "I'd rather be star trekkin' than star warin'." I'm a big Star Wars fan, too, but she raises a good point.

So what are your favorite Star Trek memories?

46 comments:

  1. The only Star Trek I've watched is the 2009 movie. And it turned me into a Sci-Fi fan. :)

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  2. What a great list! I forgot all about Q, whom I just loved. The Borg and 7 of 9 are favorites of mine also. Love the photos.

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  3. If my book blog were more of a personal blog I would absolutely post this there. Instead I'll just do it here, if that's okay. I'm a ridiculously huge ST geek, and rather happy about it!

    DS9 is my favorite of the series, although I started watching ST probably when there were reruns of TOS when I was realllly little and then more so when I saw some TNG and then while Voyager and DS9 were airing. Character exploration is one of my favorite things in the world (no exaggeration!) and so when I started watching DS9 it was perfect: ST and amazing storylines.

    So I'll do my favorite DS9 episodes (in no particular order):
    "Whispers", "In the Pale Moonlight", "Far Beyond the Stars", "The Wire", and "Duet".

    I agree with you about so many things and could go on and on but I don't want to take over the comment area. Thanks for such a wonderful and fun post!

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  4. Emy - better late than never! =D

    Belle - Star Trek does such a wonderful job with its fun characters.

    Kaye - what an awesome selection of episodes. We've got all those on tape.

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  5. My grandmother actually is the person who got me hooked on Star Trek. She was into collecting the memorabilia all the episodes on VHS, and had random things like Bird of Prey Christmas ornaments, books like "The Ferangi Rules of Acquisition", and even a full-sized arcade pinball machine.

    TNG is my favorite series, but "The Voyage Home" is my favorite movie. It's just too funny!

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  6. I have also been hooked from the beginning, to the very end, can't wait for the next Star Trek movie. Q was also my favorite nemesis and I like the way he bothered Janeway too.

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  7. grand list, i found it difficult to pick movies... cause i like them all... well except that one...

    jeremy

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  8. Oooh I have to admit when the first ST movie came out, I thought "?!?!?" Now that I'm older and more ancient, I can watch the uncut version and appreciate its aesthetics. I mean the crew, the ship, the settings all looked so darned good. Shame about the pacing and the script! LOL!

    Yes, thank heavens for Wrath of Khan!

    Brilliant ST memories here, thank you! take care
    x

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  9. Wonderful memories of years ago when I watched Star Trek on TV,

    Yvonne.

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  10. Awesome list! I love Next Generation the best too.... such great stories. I'll never forget being a kid and watching Spock die either.... those films were a part of my childhood as much as cartoons on Saturday mornings. :)

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  11. PS.. how was I not following you already?? DUH! ;)

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  12. Great entry. I still haven't seen part 1 of best of both worlds. I know poor Jean Luc became Borg but i never saw how.

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  13. Those were wonderful, Donna. I love the borg, especially 7 of 9. And Data is also one of my favorite characters. Besides, rub the ferengi's ears once and you've got them eating out of the palm of your hand. :)

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  14. great trek post! everybody loves the tribbles!
    and the voyage home is the best, even as a stand alone!

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  15. What an awesome post! I loved The Voyage Home and Star Trek (2009) but I AM a new Star Trek fan so I don't have many episodes to base it on LOL!

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  16. Great choices! I loved the newest Star Trek movie too.

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  17. "The Best of Both Worlds" -- holy cow, I remember that Part I cliffhanger like it was yesterday. Picard, a BORG?!

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  18. A fabulous list. Data had so many brilliant episodes, didn't he? So many great memories.

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  19. Best of Both Worlds rocked!

    The Star Trekkin Star Warin' comment are fighting words :).

    Nice to meet you and you've got a new follower.

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  20. Oh I love meeting other folks who watched Star Trek 2009 six times!!! (I felt a little guilty over that).

    I'm glad you listed Insurrection, too. I need to watch that again! And I seriously thought i had seen every NG episode, but I don't remember the Measure of a Man!!! Must fix that immediately!

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  21. I too am a big fan of the J.J. Abrams reboot of the franchise. Can't wait for part 2.

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  22. This is a very thorough review of the Star Trek series. I think Hollywood will continue to find creative ways to reinvent the series for future generations.

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  23. Great job! I, too, really, really, love the newest ST movie. I'm a huge Karl Urban fan but could not see him as bones... until I saw the movie. He was great and had his intensity and his eyebrow thing down pat.

    The Voyage Home is my favorite out of the original movies. It has it all.

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  24. First Contact is my favorite of the films. James Cromwell is fantastic as Zephram Cochrane, a guy just out for a buck who becomes the most important figure in Earth's history. And is it just me, or is there some blazing sexual tension between Alfrie Woodard's character and Picard?

    Dan

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  25. I was a fan of the original Star Trek. Loved it. For some reason I never watched the later TV shows, but I did catch the last Star Trek movie and thought it was great.
    Fun blogfest!

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  26. Awesome post! Lots of people are doing Trekkie posts today:) Very cool!

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  27. The 2009 movie is my favorite, too. I bawled at the end of Khan. :)

    I enjoyed Quark and Q. They were both fun.

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  28. Great list! Data is one of my favorites too.

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  29. I love Data and all his funny lines. Great choices here.

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  30. Have always loved all the Star Trek incarnations. It's all just a replay of the "cowboys and Indians" theme from early westerns, only with a sophisticated touch of recognizing that Indians are people, too. One of my favorite characters was Odo in DS9. I loved their "alternate universe" episodes when they parodied themselves. And who couldn't love Lt. Worf, the man whose favorite drink was prune juice. Ah, the memories.

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  31. This blogfest is so interesting. Its fascinating to see the different views of Star Trek. For example, I didn't realize anyone liked "Insurrection." Not bashing you for it. I liked "Nemesis" for Tom Hardy and its interesting to see his career take off years later.

    Great list.

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  32. Oh my gosh. There was so much goodness in this post! Trouble with Tribbles is definitely one of those Best of the Best kinds of things. DS9 and TNG were my favorite spin offs. I love that thing with Data! One of my favorite Data moments was the one where Troi shot Data. And wouldn't you know it-- Youtube has a 30 second clip of it! :) I laugh EVERY SINGLE TIME.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTL1upt_Vak

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  33. Excellent choices! Your Leaky Lounge name, huh? I will remember that!

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  34. Oooh, I love The Trouble with Tribbles and Wrath of Khan! I also like Charlie X and The Menagerie.

    And, I absolutely love Galaxy Quest, which spoofs the whole Star Trek series!

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  35. Insurrection. I loved that episode! I really enjoyed your list, great one, too! :)

    ♥.•*¨Elizabeth¨*•.♥
    Can Alex save Winter from the darkness that hunts her?
    YA Paranormal Romance, Darkspell coming fall of 2011!

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  36. Hello, Donna. It's good to meet you. I wonder if I felt like a betrayer as well, and that was why I never got into any other Star Trek anything. I did enjoy the Abrams's reboot and will look forward to whatever comes next.
    Have a great week.

    -Jimmy

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  37. Love your list. Good to see ots of Borg. ;) They always made for good storytelling.

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  38. Yes this is an awesome post… I am off to plug my DVD in right now… maybe episode 52!

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  39. The Wrath of Khan was definitely a good one. :) Your Trekkie love is very evident here! So awesome - I love it when a show/movie just becomes an old friend. Great picks, here!

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  40. My father is a HUGE Star Trek fan. When I was a child I used to walk around with a headband over my eyes pretending to be Geordi. :) Doesn't everyone have some sort of Star Trek related memory?

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  41. I'm going to be avoiding projectiles this week; I know it.

    ...I've never seen Star Trek. :|

    Good luck with the blogfest, though! :)

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  42. My favorite is definitely the Trouble With Tribbles. I also like on TNG when Q puts humanity on trial.

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  43. Q gets my vote. Its great to see him on your list.

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  44. Thanks for warping over and sharing your choices with us. I do like the opening of "Insurrection" particularly.

    "Are you telling me that Data knew the difference between right and wrong when he took them hostage?"

    "I'm saying that in that moment, that's ALL he knew."

    If you get a chance, check out a fellow writer's zombie story and help me make him wear an embarrassing shirt next year! It's the ultimate grudge match between social media and the zombies. Details are here:
    http://kelworthfiles.wordpress.com/2011/07/19/prove-the-zombies-wrong-social-platforms-can-build-readership/

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  45. My favorite Star Trek Generations episode was the one in which Pickard gets pulled into the probe and lives an extra life. I loved the haunting image of him sitting there in the tubes playing the little tin whistle he got from his life there.

    In fact, I taught myself to play that song on my tin whistle. Now I need to find a tube to play it in...;o)

    That episode made him so much more human to me because he finally WAS a husband and father. How it must have ACHED to miss his wife and children. Kudos for that episode!

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