Trek for Rookies - Quick Reference Guide

Last year, met with some very complicated health problems and found myself essentially immobile for seven months. Right before the worst of it began, I had ordered all three seasons of Star Trek: The Original Series on Blu-ray because I was so impressed with Abrams' 2009 reboot. After watching only three or four episodes of TOS, obsession kicked in.

I proceeded to watch all five series (plus the animated series) within a six month time frame. That's around four episodes per day (including weekends and holidays.) Being so weak as even unable to hold up a book, Trek helped keep me sane.

With my newly found "Trekkie" status, dove into the world online, trying to connect with others that had found the same fascination.

I noticed one particular trend: There were tons of other people that loved Abrams' big screen efforts, and wanted to get into the TV series, but didn't know where to start. When asked the question,"Which series should I begin with?" I was left speechless.

I would always defer these Trek rookies to others that had more experience, but I quickly discovered that many veteran Trekkies had rather, shall we say, strong opinions. Views shaped by many years, if not decades, of experience within the Star Trek franchise.

Therefore, this past summer, I started a series on ActionAGoGo.com entitled Trek for Rookies. Click here for the initial post: Trek for Rookies Overview. (If this link, or any others within this article, don't function properly, either right click on "Open Link In New Tab" or just go to the Action A Go Go main page and enter "Trek for Rookies" in the search engine.)

One of the primary reasons for creating the series was so that rookies could have a quick read to see where they might begin their journey in the world created by Gene Roddenberry. And having now completed posts regarding all five series, decided to sum everything up in this one article. A reference guide, if you will.

Please find below quick summaries of each series, as well as links to the full length articles. My intention is not necessarily to give detailed in-depth analyses, explaining plot lines and so forth, but to give a taste of what each series holds.

Members of the crew from Enterprise.

No, I don't own a Starfleet uniform. I haven't been to any Trek conventions. I don't know most episodes by name. And I haven't been a Trekkie for decades. However, as a rookie that has watched every series back to back, within just a matter of months, maybe my perspectives will help others.

When I am now asked the question,"Which should I watch?" I always respond,"All of them!" And if you can, I usually recommend one of two routes:

1) Watch them in the order that they were filmed, starting with TOS and finishing with ENT, just as I have done.

2) Watch them in the chronological timeline of the Trek universe, starting with ENT and finishing with VOY.

However, if you don't have the time to binge on Trek, here's a basic run down of each of the series, including links to the original TFR posts. There's a Trek series for everyone.

Enterprise
For many, especially the younger crowd, I’d recommend starting with ENT. It happens chronologically in the story line before the other four and it's pacing, editing and special effects are more modern. It helps set up the entire Trek universe. And it shows how many of the things other series take for granted really need to be appreciated. TFR: Enterprise Full Length Post

The Original Series 

If you have a solid attention span and an existentialist sense of humor; if special effects don't make or break a series for you; if you find it interesting to explore ethics and morality; if you want to understand how the most popular science fiction franchise ever had it's start; then Star Trek: The Original Series just may be what's right for you. TFR: Original Series Full Length Post

7 of 9 from Voyager

The Next Generation
If a phase pistol were put to my head, or if I was threatened with life imprisonment on Rura Penthe, and I had to choose only one series to recommend, it would be Star Trek: The Next Generation. It ran a full seven seasons and maintained high levels of excellence in its writing, acting and directing. It is also the most accessible of the Treks, with potential to appeal to people from all walks of life. Also, Gene Roddenberry himself worked on it, allowing him to try things he could only dream of doing with TOS. If you only plan on watching one Trek ever (although I don't understand how that could be possible), then my vote would be for TNG. TFR: The Next Generation Full Length Post

Deep Space Nine
An anomaly amongst the five series, since it takes place on a fixed space station, not a starship that's traversing unknown parts of the galaxy. If you like dark, gritty, drama; If you like complex, long running story arcs; If you’re watching Trek not so much for inspiration, but for intensity; then DS9 might be the show for you. There’s one thing that is certain: Since I entered the Trek fandom, there’s one series that seems to have the most enthusiastic, dedicated and passionate following. They refer to themselves as “Niners.” And who knows? Maybe you’ll fall into that category. TFR: Deep Space Nine Full Length Post

Garak from Deep Space Nine

Voyager
If you don’t have much time (ie: plan on taking a year or two to get through one series) and are intent on a multi-cultural cast with strong Alpha Female characters, VOY might be a good place to start. However, I'd really, really recommend minimally watching TNG first just to get some context. And of course, the optimal situation would be to watch it in the context of all five series! TFR: Voyager Full Length Post

Conclusion & Gratitude
If you've followed the articles over the past few months, heck...if you even just made it through this one, I thank you for taking the time to read.

One common complaint I hear from non-Trekkies is that they see it as a form of escapism, and in a way they're correct. However, following a sports team or watching "reality" TV are forms of escapism as well. The primary difference being that Trek is a form of escapism that points to what may be and what can be. It highlights the potential for humankind. It indicates that only reason is needed to be a good human and to have a thriving society. It places logic and compassion above all else. Racism, war, sexism, politics, money and organized religion are not needed. It lifts one up in a world where so many want to hold others down.

Live long and prosper.

Here are some other Trek related articles that may be of interest.

Trek for Rookies Supplemental: How to cope with the ENT theme song.
Klingon Wisdom!
Star Trek Into Darkness - Haters are illogical!
Sumner Goes Full Vulcan!
Sumner's Kolinar Results
Five Klingon Phrases Every Geek Should Know
Star Wars vs Star Trek: This. Ends. Here! This. Ends. Now!

Stephen Sumner is the science fiction columnist for Action A Go Go. He's proficient in Klingon swearing and has attempted the Vulcan process of Kolinar (with only mild success.) His favorite sci-fi series include Firefly, Battlestar Galactica and Star Trek. He can be followed on Twitter at https://twitter.com/VierLights or on the Tumblr machine at http://vierlights.tumblr.com/. 

What? You thought I'd forget a picture of Sir Patrick Stewart...the greatest actor who potrayed the greatest character EVER in the history of everything in the entire known universe?

Read More

Trek for Rookies - The Original Series

Title
Star Trek: The Original Series

Original Air Dates
September 8th, 1966 - June 3, 1969

Main Story Line
"Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its five-year mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before."

In all sincerity, approaching this series has been the most difficult. An iconic show that first went on the air 47 years ago. Man. Whatever I write, some people will be upset. That being said, please keep in mind this is commentary by a Trek rookie, for Trek rookies (and those that are on the verge of becoming part of the fold.)

The Captain

James Tiberius Kirk (William Shatner)

Action oriented. Ladies' man, regardless of what planet is being visited. Although quick to act, inner turmoil regarding ethical issues is apparent. As with all other Captains, extremely loyal to his crew, and expects the same in return. Commanding presence, yet sense of humor is ever present. Of all five Captains, most prone to using violence to solve problems.

L to R: Scotty, Chekov, Bones, Chapel, Kirk, Uhura, Spock, Sulu.

Primary Characters
Commander Spock (Leonard Nimoy) Half Vulcan, half human. The only non-human on the crew. Serves as counterpoint to Kirk's impulsiveness. Quite often is blamed by other characters for not being "human enough." However, from my point of view, his ability to let reason overcome emotion is a goal for which all humans should strive.

Chief Medical Officer Leonard "Bones" McCoy (DeForest Kelley) Highly ethical and always well intentioned, but quite often grumpy. If Kirk is "action" and Spock is "logic", then Bones could be described as "heart."

Lieutenant Commander Montgomery "Scotty" Scott (James Doohan) - Whenever the Captain asks for more power to the warp drive, Scotty is always able to find it. Very fond of the drink. Always ready with a smile. Unbelievably patient. Criticize him, Starfleet, even the Captain, and he'll keep his cool. But disparage the Enterprise? Fists will fly.

Communications Officer Nyota Uhura (Nichelle Nichols) - From all I've gathered, the first major female African-American character on television. This was a major step considering that only a few years before this show aired, segregation still existed in the U.S.

Helmsman Hikaru Sulu (George Takei) - Again, another major breakthrough. TOS aired twenty years after WWII. Many people's lives were scarred by that war and a good portion of the TV viewing audience still viewed the Japanese as "the enemy." And if you think that 20 years is a big deal, their 1946 is like our 1993. Doesn't seem that far away.

Navigator Pavel Chekov (Walter Koenig) - Once read that Chekov was brought on-board to be "the cute guy" to appeal to the younger female demographic. Also lead to much humor. However, when TOS aired, we were at the height of the Cold War with the Soviet Union. Taking on a Russian character and having him function peacefully was a major risk. Would be similar to having someone from Iran on a series today.

Nurse Christine Chapel (Majel Barrett) - A seemingly minor character, but still of note. She eventually went on to play Lwaxana Troi in TNG and DS9. Her voice was used for the majority of the on-board computer interfaces throughout most of the series. And she also was married to the creator of Star Trek, Gene Roddenberry.

Alpha-Delts
Special note: Throughout the TFR series, it is usually at this point where I list Alphas (the good) and Deltas (the not so good.) However, for TOS will be combining them as Alpha-Delts. Simply put, the things that many may find awesome about the series may be exactly the same things that turn others off.

Acting: The 1960s were very much a different time. It would be difficult to say that anyone on the show (with maybe the exception of Nimoy) was acting according to modern standards. I would venture to state that they were in character. Melodrama more than drama. Some may think it cheesy, whereas other may find it refreshing.

Special Effects/Make-up/Costuming: There are children in grade school today that can create CGI that the makers of TOS could only dream about. Low-budget graphics and models were used for the series, which was operating under severe budgetary constraints. There are episodes in which one can see walls on the set shaking! Again, some may find this distracting or unintentionally humorous. But it is fascinating to see what was done in an era without CGI. For many, the absence of high tech imagery is more endearing than a negative. And in any case, when the series was brought to Blu-ray, there were touch ups. Still...there's something to be said about the awesomeness of a rubber Gorn suit.

Gorn!

Editing: For anyone under 20, let me explicitly state that attention span will be required. Today, a film or TV show's editing is fast. There can be up to twenty camera angles within a minute. TOS was on the air when television was still in its infancy. A time when directors thought "We'll treat it just like theater on the stage, point the camera, now act!" While some may think,"This is rather slow, isn't it?" others may appreciate the minimal pace.

Writing: Most of my life, my impression of Star Trek, particularly that of TOS, was that of a show about green alien women and men with ray guns. However, after watching the first few episodes, obsession set in. Hard. Why? I discovered that even with its coating of cheese, the vast majority of writing for TOS was brilliant. Morality tales wrapped in, I dare say, existentialism. Turns out all those "geek Trekkies" that many made fun of were actually more tuned in with truth than people who claimed to be "normal." If I were the Secretary of Education, I would do all within my power to ensure that TOS was utilized within the school system as a method of teaching a multitude of ethical concepts. And to counteract a popular myth: You don't have to be smart to watch Star Trek. You just have to want to think.

A lighter moment during a break in filming.

Who Should Watch Star Trek: The Original Series?

As always, if someone new to the Trek realm asks me,"What Trek series should I watch?" I always respond,"All of them!" Either do what I did, starting in the order that they were filmed, or if someone is really young, I'd recommend going with the chronological order of the Trek universe, starting with Enterprise, so that the editing and special effects are more timely.

However, say that a person only has a limited amount of time, maybe taking a year or two to get through a series? Then what?

In the previous four articles, I shared how each different series might fit with a particular type of mind. So, who would best be served by TOS?

If you have an attention span and an existentialist sense of humor; if special effects don't make or break a series for you; if you find it interesting to explore ethics and morality; if you want to understand how the most popular science fiction franchise ever had it's start; then Star Trek: The Original Series just may be what's right for you!

Up next on the launch pad? A final overview of the Trek franchise, giving a simple synopsis as a quick reference guide.

If you have the time and inclination, here are links to previous articles in the series. (If you have any problems with the links, just right click "Open In New Tab" or go to the Action A Go Go home page and enter "Trek For Rookies" into the search engine.)

TFR - Overview
TFR - Enterprise
TFR Supplemental - How To Cope With The Enterprise Theme Song
TFR - Voyager
TFR - Deep Space Nine
TFR - The Next Generation

And here are some other Trek related pieces that may be of interest:

Klingon Wisdom!
Star Trek Into Darkness - Haters are illogical!
Sumner Goes Full Vulcan!
Sumner's Kolinar Results
Five Klingon Phrases Every Geek Should Know
Star Wars vs Star Trek: This. Ends. Here! This. Ends. Now!

Stephen Sumner is the science fiction columnist for Action A Go Go. He's proficient in Klingon swearing and has attempted the Vulcan process of Kolinar (with only mild success.) His favorite sci-fi series include Firefly, Battlestar Galactica and Star Trek. He can be followed on Twitter at https://twitter.com/VierLights or on the Tumblr machine at http://vierlights.tumblr.com/.

Read More

Trek for Rookies: Voyager

Title

Star Trek: Voyager

Original Air Dates

January 16, 1995 – May 23, 2001

Don’t let the innocent face fool you. Captain Janeway could put a Gorn in its place.

The Captain 

Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) 

The first and only female Captain within the five series. Intense presence of command. She does not play. Think Katharine Hepburn. Knows how to be sociable, but always in the context that she’s the Alpha. Petite in build, but would have absolutely no reservation in trying to clock a seven foot Klingon if called for. Wants, and knows how, to build people up. Considering her circumstances, she is always resolute and has levels of determination perhaps more intense than any other of the Trek Captains. And she likes her coffee. A lot.

Top row, left to right:  Kim, The Doctor, Tuvok, Neelix.

Bottom row, left to right: 7 of 9, Chakotay, Janeway, Paris, Torres.

Primary Characters

First Officer Chakotay(Robert Beltran) – The Spencer Tracy to Janeway’s Hepburn. Calm and focused. And one of the rare Hollywood characters where the Native American lineage is portrayed with honor and completely absent of cliché.

Tactical Officer Tuvok(Tim Russ) – Vulcan. Very intense. Sheds light on much about the Vulcan culture.

Helmsman Tom Paris (Robert Duncan McNeill) – Baby-faced rogue with a heart of gold.

Chief Engineer B’Elanna Torres (Roxann Dawson) – Half Latina and half Klingon. You don’t want to mess with her or the warp core.

Operations Officer Harry Kim (Garrett Wang) – Since you’re reading this, chances are you’re a geek. And every geek clique usually has at least one Harry Kim. Super smart, funny, handsome, intent on romance. Yet, in the presence of ladies? His IQ drops about 50 points.

Check out this video for an intended romantic interlude with 7 of 9. The pressure got to him. I can think of a couple things he did wrong.

 

Chief Medical Officer/”The Doctor” (Robert Picardo) – He does not have an actual name because he’s an Artificially Intelligent hologram. Provides much comedic relief but also some of the most touching moments of the series.

Neelix (Ethan Phillips) – The only alien main character. Looks clownish and does provide laughs here and there. However, his being non-human is an excellent catalyst at times for reminding everyone else what being a good human is all about.

7 of 9 (Jeri Ryan) – Human, turned Borg, rediscovering what it means to be human again. Most commonly known for her curves, but the character provides some of the most intense and dramatic situations for analyzing and evaluating what it means to be human on a day to day functional level.

Main Story Line 

In the time line of the Trek universe, Voyager is the last to take place. While the USS Voyager is pursuing a Maquis ship (Maquis are either freedom fighters or terrorists, depending on with whom you speak), both end up being transported 75,000 light years to a completely unexplored quadrant of the galaxy. Even at maximum warp, it would take a ship 75 years to return home. The Maquis join with the Starfleet crew while trying to find an expedient method to return to Earth, encountering much drama and danger (internally and externally) along the way.

Alphas 

1. Ideologically, VOY is almost the embodiment of what Gene Roddenberry set out to create: a truly multi-cultural crew, where white/male/European isn’t all pervasive. Female Captain, Native American First Officer, African-American Security Officer, Latina Chief Engineer, Asian Operations Officer. Yes, there’s Tom Paris, but he’s only a piece of the puzzle, not the border that creates the framework.

2. I would like to say VOY has some of the best writing in the Trek franchise, but that’s not really it. It would be more apt to say it has some of the best story telling. After quite a few episodes, I wasn’t so much left with the feeling of “Whoa!” or “That was intense!” (although that doeshappen), it was more a feeling of “That was done really, really well.”

3. Since action takes place in a different quadrant of the galaxy, there’s a certain freshness to the series, where old standard fallbacks aren’t  relied upon for story and plot.

4. If you’re left-brain dominant or an introvert, you get a double-shot of awesomeness with both Tuvok and 7 of 9 on board.

Deltas 

1) The character Kes (Jennifer Lien) who was on the show for the first three seasons never really seemed to fit in. The character just seemed a bit too “hippy” for the Trek realm. Trading her out for 7 of 9 was a smart move.

2) The ship? I just kept thinking “spoon.” 

3) Over the last couple of seasons, the show succumbed to the same pitfall that TNG and DS9 fell into: overuse of the holodeck. Towards the end of the run of the show, it seemed as if the writers were running out of fresh ideas, and even some of the actors seemed a bit worn down.

4) From all that I’ve read, the ending of the series had mixed reviews. Not to give any spoilers away, I wasn’t too pleased with it myself. 

5) There’s a race of bad guys called the Kazon. I would consider them the most ill-conceived villains in the Trek realm. Best classified as wannabe Klingons that look too much like those little plastic troll dolls that have been left out in the sun to melt.
 

Who should watch Voyager? 

If you don’t have much time (ie: plan on taking a year or two to get through one series) and are intent on a multi-cultural cast with strong Alpha Female characters, VOY might be a good place to start.

However, if you intend on watching all five series, I’d recommend minimally watching TNG and DS9 before VOY for continuity of story line.

Next on the launch pad? 

I would like to write that TFR:DS9 will be posted next Thursday, but am being called into the Neutral Zone and am not sure what connectivity will be. The only way for you to know will be to check back. In the meantime, explore other awesomeness on Action A Go Go or revisit some earlier TFR posts:

 
Trek for Rookies: Overview

Trek for Rookies: Enterprise

Trek for Rookies Supplemental: How To Cope With The Enterprise Theme Song

Stephen Sumner is the science fiction columnist for Action A Go Go. He’s proficient in the art of Klingon swearing and is currently attempting the Vulcan process of Kolinar, the purging of all emotion. His two other favorite sci-fi series are Battlestar Galactica and Firefly. He can be followed on Twitter at https://twitter.com/VierLights or on the Tumblr machine at  http://vierlights.tumblr.com/

 

 

 

Read More