Star Trek primer

With the new Star Trek movie coming out in May and the hype machine going at a full Warp 9.5, I figured it was time to write this up. I’m targeting this for really any sort of causal viewer who is looking for some more info about Star Trek, though I believe my wife and a few friends will benefit from it just as well.

The concentration will be on the original series, though I’ll be touching on the spin-offs and movies.

So, without further ado . . .

STAR TREK
(The Original Series [TOS]; 1966-1969)
Taking place in the mid-23rd century, the original Star Trek chronicled the adventures of Captain Kirk as he led the USS Enterprise NCC-1701through the galaxy on a five year mission, seeking out new life and new civilizations. Along the way, Kirk and his crew were confronted with amazing discoveries as well as an abundance of conflicts - both personal and professional.

Crew:
Captain James “Jim” T. Kirk (William Shatner)
Sucessor to Captain Pike, Kirk took a very hands-on and professional way of commanding the Enterprise. While willing to jump head-first into danger and to stare his enemy straight in the eye to get them to back-down, Kirk was also just as willing to resolve a conflict with diplomacy.

Lieutenant-Commander Spock, Science Office (Leonard Nimoy)
Half-human, half-Vulcan science officer. Loyal to a tee to both Starfleet and Captain Kirk, Spock presents the logical side to every argument – even in the face of his own inner turmoil. This conflict between his cold logic half and his passionate human side has led to tension between him and his father, Ambassador Sarek. Spock also enjoys a strong friendship with Captain Kirk and a rivalry with Dr. McCoy.

Doctor Leonard “Bones” McCoy (DeForest Kelly)
An old southern doctor that believes in both medicine and the body’s ability to heal itself, McCoy is one of Kirk’s best friends and serves as counter to Spock’s logic. A passionate and emotional human, McCoy is a advocate for saving lives.

Chief Engineer Montgomery “Scotty” Scott (James Doohan)
Scotty, a Scottish Engineer, is referred to as a miracle worker by the crew the Enterprise. Incredibly hard-working and dedicated, Scotty has helped save the Enterprise countless times.

Lieutenant Uhura (Nichelle Nichols)
Communications officer and very social and warm to the rest of the crew.

Lietutenant Hikaru Sulu (George Takei)
Navigation officer; fun-loving and athletic.

Ensign Pavel Chekov (Walter Koenig)
Navigation/Tactical officer; wet behind the ears, but ethusiastic. Promoted to bridge crew during second season.

Secondary characters:
Nurse Christine Chapel (Majel Barret-Roddenberry)
Yeomen Jancie Rand (Grace Lee Whtiney)

Notable/Recurring villains:
Khan
(“Space Seed”, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn)


Harry Mudd
(“Mudd’s Women,” “I, Mudd,” “Mudd’s Passion” [TAS])

Kang
(“Day of the Dove,” “Blood Oath” [Deep Space Nine], “Flashback” [Voyager])

Kor
(“Errand of Mercy,” “The Time Trap” [TAS], “Blood Oath,” ‘The Sword of Kahless,” “Once More Unto the Breach” [all three Deep Space Nine])

Koloth
(“The Trouble with Tribbles,” “More Tribbles, More Troubles” [TAS], “Blood Oath” [Deep Space Nine])

Trelane
(“The Squire of Gothos”)

Episodes:
Full episode listings can be found on StarTrek.com, but here’s what I recommend for the fickle viewer. Others may add or subtract to this list. It’s also worth noting that I’m more in favor of the “Remastered” episodes as opposed to the original cuts, mainly for the special effects and better quality picture. That being said, the original versions have a little more to them, as “Remastered” cut out a few small scenes here and there.

Unaired Pilot: The Cage
Aired Pilot/First Episode: Where No Man Has Gone Before

Season One (recommended):
The Corbonite Manuever
Mudd’s Women
The Man Trap
The Naked Time
Charlie X
Balance of Terror
Dagger of the Mind
The Conscience of the King
The Galileo Seven
The Menagerie, Parts One and Two
Shore Leave
The Squire of Gothos
The Arena
Tomorrow is Yesterday
Space Seed
This Side of Paradise
The Devil in the Dark
Errand of Mercy
The City on the Edge of Forever

Season Two (recommended):
Metamorphosis
Who Mourns for Adorias?
Amok Time
The Doomsday Machine
The Changeling
Mirror, Mirror
The Deadly Years
I, Mudd
The Trouble with Tribbles
Journey to Babel
By Any Other Name
The Ultimate Computer
The Omega Glory

Season Three (recommended):
The Enterprise Incident
The Tholian Web
Day of the Dove
Plato’s Stepchildren
Let That Be Your Last Battlefield
The Cloud Miners
The Savage Curtain
All Our Yesterdays

Final Episode: Turnabout Intruder
It should be noted, however, that while this is the last of episode of the original series, most fans recognized Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country as the “true” finale.


STAR TREK: THE ANIMATED SERIES
([TAS] 1973-1974)
Star Trek: The Animated Series was launched in 1973 after syndicated reruns of the original series did impressively well in the ratings. Personally, I haven’t seen much of this show, so I can’t really recommend any of it. It was just recently added to the Star Trek canon.


STAR TREK MOVIES (PART ONE)
After the success of Star Wars and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Paramount sought to revive Star Trek in movie form. The Original Series cast took the helm (as it were) for the first six movies, with the seventh film (“Generations”) serving as a coda of sorts and passing the torch to the “Next Generation” cast.

STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE
(1979)
Two years and a massive refit later, the Enterprise is put back into service. Captain Kirk takes command again after promising it to Commander Dekker. With the old crew reunited, the Enterprise goes and faces with a massive energy cloud containing a mysterious living ship within.

STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN
(1982)
During a routine training mission, Admiral Kirk and his crew are forced to confront a villain from the past – Khan. However, Khan now has a powerful weapon - Project: Genesis - at his disposal. And the ante for Kirk just grows higher as his son and ex-lover become entangled in the conflict.

STAR TREK III: THE SEARCH FOR SPOCK
(1984)
Reeling from the events of the previous film, the Enterprise crew are restrained from returning to the Genesis planet in the hopes of restoring their fallen comrade. Thus, Kirk and his senior staff steal the Enterprise – only to become involved with the Klingons, who seek the destructive nature of the Genesis planet.

STARK IV: THE VOYAGE HOME
(1986)
Returning from their exile on Vulcan with a stolen Klingon Bird-of-Prey, the crew of the Enterprise must travel back in time in an effort to answer the call of an alien probe that is accidentally destroying Earth’s atmosphere.

STAR TREK V: THE FINAL FRONTIER
(1989)
A Vulcan cult leader captures the newly-launched Enterprise-A and takes both it and the crew to the center of the universe in the hopes of finding God.

STARK VI: THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY
(1991)
The Klingon Empire, on the verge of complete and total collapse, seeks out a peaceful alliance with the Federation. The Enterprise is subsequently ordered to escort the Klingons to Earth for negotiations. However, when an assassination occurs, the crew is embroiled in a conspiracy to ensure that the Federation and Klingons remain enemies.


STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION
([TNG]; 1987-1994)
75-80 years after the original series, Captain Jean-Luc Picard leads his crew aboard the USS Enterprise NCC-1701-D as they continue Starfleet’s exploration of the galaxy. Their travels aren’t always easy, though, as they encounter danger from the Romulans, the Klingons, the Ferengi, and make first contact with the Borg.

I won’t be going as in-depth here)

Crew:
Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart)
Commander William T. Riker (Jonathan Franks)
Lieutenant-Commander Data (Brent Spiner)
Lieutenant-Commander/Chief Engineer Geordi LaForge (LeVar Burton)
Lieutenant Worf (Michael Dorn)
Doctor Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden)
Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis)

Additional crew/Recurring characters:
Lieutenant Tasha Yar (Denise Crosby) (Season One only)
Ensign Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton)
Guinan (Whoopi Goldberg)
Ensign Ro Laren (Michelle Forbes)
Chief Miles O’Brien (Colm Meany – left after season five)
Doctor Katherine Pulaski (Diana Muldaur)
Chacellor Gowron (Robert O’Riely)
Lieutenant Reginald Barclay (Dwight Schultz)
Kurn (Tony Todd)

Recurring villains:
Q (John DeLance)
Commander Sela (Denise Crosby)
Lursa (Barbara March)
B’Etor (Gwynyth Walsh)
Duras (Patrick Massett)
Lore (Brent Spiner)


STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE
([DS9]; 1993-1999)
Deep Space Nine, formerly a station manned Cardassians during the destructive occupation of Bajor, has come into hands of Starfleet and the Bajoran government. While at first, the Federation seeks only to aide Bajor in reconstruction and recovery, a wormhole is discovered nearby. Not only does it pique the curiosity of Starfleet, but it also serves as a religious discovery for the Bajoran. And, on top of all this, it puts Deep Space Nine and Bajor at a political crossroads. The Klingons, the Romulans, the Cardassians, the Breen, and (from the Gamma Quadrant on the other side of the wormhole), the Dominion all become involved in massive political and religious battle that threatens to engulf most of the galaxy.

Crew:
Commander/Captain Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks)
Major/Colonel Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor)
Lieutenant-Commander Jadzia Dax (Terry Ferrel) (Seasons 1-6)
Lieutentant Ezri Dax (Nicole de Boer) (Season 7)
Chief Miles O’Brien (Colm Meany)
Doctor Julian Bashier (Alexander Sidding)
Lieutenant-Commander Worf (Michael Dorn) (Seasons 4-7)
“Constable” Odo (Rene Auberjonois)
Quark (Armin Shimmerman)
Jake Sisko (Cirroc Lofton)

Reoccuring Characters:
Garek (Andrew Robinson)
General Martok (J.G. Hertzler)
Rom (Max Grodenchik)
Morn (Mark Allen Sheppard)
Leeta (Chase Masterson)
Kieko O’Brien (Rosalind Chao)
Kirayoshi O’Brien
Molly O’Brien (Hana Hatae)
Kasidy Yates (Penny Johnson)
Michael Eddington (Kenneth Marshall)
Cadet/Ensign Nog (Aron Eisenberg)
Ishka (Cecily Adams)
Grand Nangus Zek (Wallace Shawn)
First Minister Bareil Antos (Phillip Anglim)
First Minster Shakaar Edon (Duncan Regehr)
Admiral Ross (Barry Jenner)
Tora Ziyal (Melanie Smith)

Recurring Villains:
Gul Dukat (Marc Alaimo)
Kai Winn Adami (Lousie Fletcher)
Female Changeling (Salome Jens)
Weyoun (Jeffery Combs)
Damar (Casey Biggs)
Brunt (Jeffery Combs)


STAR TREK: VOYAGER
([VOY]; 1995-2001)
While tracking a band of Federation rebels called the Maquis, the USS Voyager is thrown across the galaxy into the far reaches of the Delta Quadrant - 70 years from home at maximum warp. Together with the Maquis, Voyager must travel across the expanse of the Delta Quadrant and face down threats from scores of species - including the Borg, Kazon, Viddians, Voth, and more . . . while still up-holding Starfleet’s mission of peaceful exploration.

Crew:
Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew)
Commander Chakotay (Robert Beltran)
Lieutenant-Commander Tuvok (Tim Russ)
Lieutenant B’Elanna Torres (Roxann Biggs-Dawson)
Lieutenant Tom Paris (Robert Duncan McNeill)
The Doctor (Robert Picardo)
Ensign Harry Kim (Garret Wang)
Neelix (Ethan Phillips)
Kes (Jennifer Lien) (Seasons 1-4)
Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) (Seasons 4-7)

Recurring Characters:
Captain Braxton (Allen G. Royal; Bruce McGill)
Icheb (Manu Intiraymi)
Admiral Owen Paris (Richard Herd)
Suder (Brad Dourif)
Naomi Wildman (Scarlett Powers)
Lieutenant Samantha Wildman (Nancy Hower)
Vorik (Alexander Enberg)

Key/Recurring Villains:
Seska (Martha Hawkett)
Culluh (Anthony DeLongis)
Q (John DeLancie)
Mrs. Q (Suzie Plakson)
Q Jr. (Keegan DeLancie)
Borg Queen (Susanna Thompson, Alice Krige)


STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE
([ENT] 2001-2005)
Set 150 years before Captain Kirk took command of the Enterprise, Star Trek: Enterprise follows Captain Jonathan Archer as he commands the USS Enterprise NX-01 – the first Warp 5 vessel to explore space. His historic journey pits him and his crew against not only the Klingons and Romulans, but other races as well – including the Suliban and the Xindi, two races tied to a Temporal Cold War. Archer also proves important in bringing together the founding worlds of the Federation.

Crew:
Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula)
Sub-Commander T’Pol (Jolene Blalock)
Commander Charles “Trip” Tucker, the Third (Connor Trinneer)
Lieutenant-Commander Malcolm Reed (Dominic Keating)
Lieutenant Hoshi Sato (Linda Park)
Ensign Travis Mayweather (Anthony Montgomery)
Doctor Phlox (John Billingsley)
Porthos (a dog)

Recurring Characters:
“Crewman” Daniels (Matt Winston)
Admiral Forrest (Vaughn Armstrong)
Major Hayes (Steven Culp)
Rivers (Seth MacFarlane – yep, Family Guy)
T’Pau (Kara Zediker)
Captain Erika Hernandez (Ada Maris)
Ambassador Soval (Gary Graham)
Commander Shran (Jeffery Combs)
Koss (Michael Reily Burke)
T’Les (Joanna Cassidy)


Recurring/Key Villains:
Vosk (Jack Gwaltney)
“Future Guy” (voiced by James Horan)
Silik (John Fleck)
Arik Soong (Brent Spiner)
General K’Vagh (James Avery)
Antaak (John Schuck)
Klaaang (Tommy “Tiny” Lisner Jr.)


STAR TREK MOVIES (PART TWO)
Beginning with Star Trek: Generations and following the end of their series, The Next Generation continued the motion picture portion of Star Trek’s franchise. While Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise never made it to the big screen, they have had mentions and appearances throughout the four films. The USS Defiant appears in Star Trek: First Contact, and Worf (at the time, a recurring character on DS9) appears in all four movies; Admiral Janeway appears in Star Trek: Nemesis, as does mention of the USS Archer, a ship named after the captain of the NX-01.

STAR TREK: GENERATIONS
(1994)
The mad Doctor Soran seeks to re-enter the time ribbon called the Nexus, which allows those who enter to live out their greatest fantasies. Unfortunately, this means destroying millions of lives and wiping out entire star systems. Aided by the time-lost Admiral Kirk and dealing with his tragedies, Captain Jean-Luc Picard must put a stop to Soran’s terror.

STAR TREK: FIRST CONTACT
(1996)
The Borg have returned to conquer Earth! But even after stopping their invasion, the crew of the Enterprise-E must chase them back into the past, where the Borg seek to assimilate the Earth during the launch of Zephram Cochrane’s first warp ship and the eve of first contact with the Vulcans.

STAR TREK: INSURRECTION
(1998)
In the middle of an area called the Briar Patch, a rustic civilization called the Ba’ku holds the key to a veritable “fountain of youth.” However, corrupt forces within the Federation have teamed with a race called the Son’a, who has dark ties to the Ba’ku. Now, Captain Picard and his crew must defy orders to protect the Ba’ku.

STAR TREK: NEMESIS
(2002)
After Riker and Troi’s wedding, the Enterprise-E is drawn towards Romulan space by the detection of an android similar to Data. From there, they are invited to Romulus proper to meet with the new head of state - a clone of Picard named Shinzon. Shinzon has rallied the slave-populace of Remas in overthrowing the Romulan senate. Under the false pretense of peace, Shinzon not only seeks to kill Picard to save his own life, but to also destroy the Enterprise and eventually, Earth itself.

Which brings us to . . . STAR TREK (2009)

Not much is known about the plot, save that it involves a Romulan named Nero and 24th century Ambassador Spock, both traveling back in time to when Kirk and Spock first meet. It seeks to tell the origin story of the crew of the Enterprise. While it may contradict some information, writers have assured fans that the timeline will not be altered in any huge way.

Like I said, you can visit www.startrek.com for more information. Memory-Alpha is just as good. If I get inspired enough, I may write on of these about the Star Trek books, which are now focus on the Enterprise and Next Generation eras of Star Trek since the spotlight is turning to the original series again. They’re just as good as the shows. Trust me.