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"The Making of Star Trek" was my introduction to "Star Trek". Source: https://openlibrary.org/books (May be subject to copyright) |
It chronicled the 60 years of Star Trek over eight parts. When it came to the 1980s, it essentially reflected everything I recall. The decade started with the Star Trek movies picking up where the original series left off, and ended with a brand new series, the first in 20 years, called “Star Trek: The Next Generation”.
That pretty much sums up Star Trek in the 1980s.
As not seen on TV
Growing up, “Star Trek” was more an idea than a show for me. It was just over 10 years removed from going off the air, and no one in the three-channel universe was airing re-runs.
Growing up, “Star Trek” was more an idea than a show for me. It was just over 10 years removed from going off the air, and no one in the three-channel universe was airing re-runs.
The closest thing to “Star Trek” on TV, was the animated series, which had all the same characters with new stories. Yet that it is just on the outer fringe of my memory.
Beyond that, I had never seen a real, live Kirk, Spock, McCoy or any of the others on TV.
The written word
The biggest source of “Star Trek” information was books.
The biggest source of “Star Trek” information was books.
A writer named James Blish had novelized a bunch of the episodes based on their scripts. Some I had inherited from my older brother and sister when they went off to college. Others I bought myself, mostly used but at least one new from Coles Books. Alan Dean Foster had done the same thing with the animated series, novelizing the scripts into six books.
Episodes had also been published as photo novels. These were as close as I got to seeing the characters in real life. Each photo novel was like a comic book except with photos from that episode. They had the same thought and voice balloons comics do. They were really good too.
There were also books about “Star Trek” that took me behind the scenes of the show. There were two in particular that, not only did I love them, but they still stick with me.
“The Making of Star Trek” by Stephen Whitfield went through the history of the show, from Gene Roddenberry’s initial idea of “Wagon Train to the stars” right up to its production and cancellation. What differentiated this book was it included dozens and dozens of inter-office memos about the inner workings of the show
That’s where I also learned about some of the creative people involved, including Alexander Courage on sound, Bill Theiss on costumes, and Matt Jeffries who was the art director and props man. Jeffries became one of the may favourites, and an inspiration to me.
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I learned a lot about "Star Trek" from this book by David Gerrold. Source: https://www.ebay.ca/itm/125462386866 (May be subject to copyright) |
Part way through the 1980s, CBC finally did start airing “Star Trek” reruns on a weekly basis, but the time bounced all over the place and only on Saturdays. About that time, one of the cable channels they got in town aired “Star Trek” weeknights. I was able to see a few when I stayed over at my cousins in Brooks – but that was it.
The big screen
Everything changed in 1979, when all the talk and rumours became reality.
Everything changed in 1979, when all the talk and rumours became reality.
“Star Trek” was coming to the big screen. It would be the first new “Trek” in more than a decade.
It was a big budget, sprawling epic that was long on special effects, but much shorter on plot. It did very well at the box office, but disillusioned a lot of fans who were willing to give the producers one more chance, but they would have to make good.
They did.
The result was a string of “Star Trek” movies that, as a trilogy, would be some of the best “Star Trek” to date, but follow with a movie that left a lot to be desired.
The comeback
“Star Trek II” was initially titled “The Vengeance of Khan”, but was re-named “The Wrath of Khan”. To this day, it is considered by many as one of the best, if not the greatest, of the “Star Trek” theatrical films.
“Star Trek II” was initially titled “The Vengeance of Khan”, but was re-named “The Wrath of Khan”. To this day, it is considered by many as one of the best, if not the greatest, of the “Star Trek” theatrical films.
Released in 1982, it was a beautifully told story with many themes. Admiral James T. Kirk is beginning to feel his age, wondering what’s left to do. Then, while on the Enterprise, they are attacked by another Federation vessel, the Reliant. It turns out the Reliant has been commandeered by Khan, a man who Kirk had found, then inadvertently marooned on a planet that went from paradise to purgatory. Khan is hell-bent on revenge. While seemingly getting it, he discovers there is some technology called the Genesis Device, which can create life from nothing and, conversely, destroy existing life. Ultimately, Kirk is able to stop him but, in the process, Captain Spock, gives up his life. The movie ends with Spock’s funeral, but a last little teaser. The photon torpedo containing Spock’s body has crashed on the Genesis Planet.
The movie was a blockbuster smash, leaving one question: when was the next “Star Trek” movie coming out.
In search of
“Star Trek III: The Search for Spock” came out in 1984 and the title really explains it all. It turns out, before he died, Spock transferred his life essence to Dr. McCoy. The irony is palpable. Kirk and the rest of his old Enterprise bridge crew suspects the Genesis Planet could regenerate Spock’s body, and want to go back. However, the planet has been quarantined and declared off limits. So, Kirk and company steal the Enterprise and return to the Genesis Planet. By this time, it has attracted the attention of the Klingons. Meanwhile, Spock has, in fact, regenerated. In order to save him, Kirk battles the Klingons, destroys the Enterprise and uses the Klingons’ own Bird of Prey to get everyone to Vulcan where Spock’s body and mind are reunited.
“Star Trek III: The Search for Spock” came out in 1984 and the title really explains it all. It turns out, before he died, Spock transferred his life essence to Dr. McCoy. The irony is palpable. Kirk and the rest of his old Enterprise bridge crew suspects the Genesis Planet could regenerate Spock’s body, and want to go back. However, the planet has been quarantined and declared off limits. So, Kirk and company steal the Enterprise and return to the Genesis Planet. By this time, it has attracted the attention of the Klingons. Meanwhile, Spock has, in fact, regenerated. In order to save him, Kirk battles the Klingons, destroys the Enterprise and uses the Klingons’ own Bird of Prey to get everyone to Vulcan where Spock’s body and mind are reunited.
Whale of a trip
The third part of this trilogy, “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home”, came out in 1986. When Kirk and company return to Earth from Vulcan, they discover the planet is paralyzed by an unknown species. It turns out, they are descended from whales and are seeking communicaton. Sadly, whales are extinct on Earth by this time in the future. So, Kirk takes the crew in the Bird of Prey back in time to 1986 San Francisco, finds some whales, and returns them to the future to save the day.
The third part of this trilogy, “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home”, came out in 1986. When Kirk and company return to Earth from Vulcan, they discover the planet is paralyzed by an unknown species. It turns out, they are descended from whales and are seeking communicaton. Sadly, whales are extinct on Earth by this time in the future. So, Kirk takes the crew in the Bird of Prey back in time to 1986 San Francisco, finds some whales, and returns them to the future to save the day.
It was a great way to wrap it up. The creators also left a door open to future stories, when Kirk is demoted and sent back to the role he always loved best – captain of a starship.
For god sake
Producers should have left well enough alone, but they didn’t. In 1989, “Star Trek V: The Final Frontier” came out, and it was hugely disappointing. It was a self-contained story that had little connection to the rest of the movies. That can be okay, if the story is good, but this wasn’t. Kirk, Spock and McCoy end up going on an adventure where they encounter Spock’s never-before-heard-of brother on their way to meeting god.
Producers should have left well enough alone, but they didn’t. In 1989, “Star Trek V: The Final Frontier” came out, and it was hugely disappointing. It was a self-contained story that had little connection to the rest of the movies. That can be okay, if the story is good, but this wasn’t. Kirk, Spock and McCoy end up going on an adventure where they encounter Spock’s never-before-heard-of brother on their way to meeting god.
Truth be told, I cannot recount too many details about this movie. Whereas I recounted the previous three movies in detail strictly from memory, because I have seen them so many times, I have seen “Star Trek V” once. That was enough.
I thought it may be the end of the movies, but a funny thing happened on the way to the next movie.
A new “Star Trek” TV series launched.
The next generation of “Star Trek”
There had been rumblings of a new “Star Trek” TV series for awhile. I kind of lost track of that, because in the Fall of 1987, I had left home for university and that took all my time and attention.
There had been rumblings of a new “Star Trek” TV series for awhile. I kind of lost track of that, because in the Fall of 1987, I had left home for university and that took all my time and attention.
“Star Trek: The Next Generation” did launch in late September of 1987, and was set 95 years after the original series, on the Enterprise-D, the fourth iteration of the vaunted starship. There was a new crew with new characters.
Even after I heard about the show, I didn’t tune in, beyond the odd episode, until the summer of 1991. My first exposure to “The Next Generation” was an episode called “The Naked Now”, which to me seemed like a regurgitation of a really good original series episode called “The Naked Time”.
I thought, if they were just recycling old scripts I would pass.
When I finally tuned in, I was shocked and surprised that was not the case at all.
But that was the ‘90s.
Parting thoughts
Currently, there are numerous live-action “Star Trek” series, as well as two cartoon series. Looking back now, it seems impossible there was a time where there was no “Star Trek” on TV.
Currently, there are numerous live-action “Star Trek” series, as well as two cartoon series. Looking back now, it seems impossible there was a time where there was no “Star Trek” on TV.
Yet, it existed and fans cried out for more, because there was a market and a demand for new “Star Trek”.
Judging by the explosion of stories and series, they were right.
The existence of Star Trek Day, just reinforces the point.
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