Lessons Learned From Star Trek

By Nicholas H. Kovacs, O.F.S.

This is the third edition of "Lessons Learned from Star Trek". This updated e-book is a collection of articles, which in an entertaining way, discuss important philosophical and moral issues, that our world is facing, by using the themes from the science fiction series, Star Trek. If you are a Trekkie, nor never heard of the TV series; this book is for everybody, and provides an entertaining overview of the franchise. Our world is facing so many problems today, and humanity needs to look to the lessons seen in Star Trek, as the perfect guide to help all of us discuss as a society, on how we can come together to create a better world. The world needs Star Trek, now, more than ever!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Jan 29, 2021
• ISBN: 9781716171161

Book preview

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Introduction:

The Original Series and The Birth of The Star Trek Universe

Star Trek is a science fiction series created by Gene Roddenberry. Gene was born on August 19, 1921 and died on October 24, 1991. In his early years, Gene flew 89 combat missions in the Army Air Forces during World War II.  Following the end of the war, he worked as a commercial pilot, and later joined the Los Angeles police department. After some time as a police officer, Gene entered the world of Hollywood and was writing stories for TV shows. He created his first television series, titled, The Lieutenant, in the year 1964. After some success in Hollywood, he decided to launch his Star Trek story idea. Gene Roddenberry’s vision for Star Trek was to be like a wagon train to the stars. He envisioned his characters to be like pioneers of old, going out exploring strange new civilizations. Gene believed that all of humanity could work together and set aside their differences for a common goal, i.e., space exploration.

Sadly, this story concept was rejected by most production companies. It wasn’t until Lucille Ball, the famous Hollywood comedienne, and actress, who owned Desilu Productions, saw something in Gene, and let him launch his Star Trek project. On September 8th, 1966, Star Trek aired on television and became one of the biggest and longest-lasting franchises of all time. It is important to note, that Gene’s wife Majel Barrett-Roddenberry, played many characters throughout the entire Star Trek franchise. She played: Number One (the Enterprise’s premier first officer), Nurse Christine Chapel, Ambassador Lwaxana Troi (a telepathic alien from Betazed, who was a comic relief character in another franchise project), and the voice of the computer on most Federation ships and stations (the voice was heard in The Original Series and in other franchise projects).

Star Trek’s first television series was The Original Series (TOS), which took place in the 23rd Century. The first pilot episode was titled, The Cage, with Captain Christopher Pike (played by Jeffrey Hunter), in command of the USS Enterprise (ship registry number: NCC-1701). The mission of the Enterprise is to explore strange new worlds, and to seek out new life and new civilizations, with humans and aliens, working together in friendship. In the pilot episode, we are introduced to the first time to the Vulcan character named Mr. Spock (played by Leonard Nimoy). The Vulcan species have pointed ears, and slanted eyebrows. This pilot episode sadly failed, and another pilot episode, titled, Where No Man Has Gone Before was created. This second pilot continued the theme of the first, but it had new characters. In this second pilot, Captain James T. Kirk (played by William Shatner), was named the commanding officer of the USS Enterprise and continued Captain Pike’s mission. Captain Kirk was a ladies’ man and would get into a fistfight with evil aliens. Captain Pike on the other hand was more reserved, which in the ‘60s, the culture wanted action and romance, making the character of Captain Kirk the perfect character for the time. The only reoccurring character Gene kept from his original pilot, was the half Human, half Vulcan alien, named Mr. Spock (played again by Leonard Nimoy). Some people in the entertainment industry disagreed with Gene’s decision to keep the character of Mr. Spock for the second pilot, believing that the character didn’t provide any value. Thankfully, Gene trusted his instincts and kept the character of Mr. Spock for the second pilot. It is important to mention, that Gene found an ingenious way of recycling his failed first pilot, by merging it into an adventure with Captain Kirk. This recycled pilot was turned into a two-part episode, in season one, titled, The Menagerie. In The Menagerie, we discover that Captain Christopher Pike was made disabled due to an accident, and needs help from his old friend, Mr. Spock.

It is important to mention, that in the first pilot, Mr. Spock was just a science officer, but in the second pilot, Mr. Spock was Captain Kirk’s science officer and first officer. With the success of the second pilot, the series began focusing on establishing a theme of Spock on a quest to try to understand humanity, by having his logical and emotionless, Vulcan personality, clash with the Humans on board the Enterprise. This quest to better understand humanity created some great philosophical lessons and humor. Through Spock, we get to learn a lot about Vulcan culture, customs, and society. Although Spock had difficulties understanding humans, and frustrated his human shipmates with his emotionless personality, at times, he was however loved by his human shipmates and he felt the same towards them.

Since Gene had to go back to the drawing board with his Star Trek series idea, different characters had to be created. Gene’s second attempt at his Star Trek vision introduced new notable main characters, who have become iconic characters in science fiction. Besides Kirk and Spock, the names: Hikaru Sulu (played by George Takei), Nyota Uhura (played by Nichelle Nichols), Pavel Chekov (played by Walter Koenig), Dr. Leonard McCoy (a.k.a., Bones, and was played by DeForest Kelley), and Montgomery Scott (a.k.a., Scotty, and was played by James Doohan), have all become household names. The characters of Uhura and Sulu especially were monumental, because Sulu was an Asian man, and Uhura was a black woman. Although the Civil Rights Movement achieved legislative victories in 1964, and 1965; there was still some residual racism and prejudice beliefs in America when Star Trek aired in 1966. The fact that these two officers were working on an equal level to people with white colored skin, was revolutionary at that time. As the saying goes: the rest is history. Although Kirk was close to the rest of his crew, he was close to McCoy and Spock.

It must also be mentioned that some media platforms that show TOS, may at times order the episodes in a different sequence. Although some media platforms count the second pilot to be the fourth episode of the first season, in the chronology of the Star Trek universe, the second pilot is technically the second chapter of Gene Roddenberry’s Star Trek creation. Even with these technical chronological glitches by some media platforms, the out of sync chronology of episodes still works, in telling the story of the adventures of Captain Kirk. To learn more about the Enterprise Kirk commanded, check out the non-canon book, Star Trek: The U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701 Illustrated Handbook by Ben Robinson, et al.

In The Original Series, we learn that Earth is part of an interstellar organization, known as the United Federation of Planets (UFP). The Federation is an organization of multiple planets, united together with Earth as the capital, in a peaceful alliance between humans and aliens. Humans are one of the founding members of the Federation. The Federation is what we would consider to be the interstellar equivalent of the United Nations. The Federation government is built upon many of the constitutional principles of the United States, such as having a president, who is elected from one of the member planets and can be either a human or an alien. The office of the Federation president, which is the executive branch of the Federation, is located in Paris, France, while the legislative branch of the UFP, which is called the Federation Council, is located in San Francisco, United States. Furthermore, just like the American president is the commander-in-chief of the United States military; the Federation president is the commander-in-chief of a military type organization, known as Starfleet Command, as well. The Federation practices the American constitutional principles, that no citizen, regardless of status within the Federation (president, civilian, etc.), is above the law, and that all citizens of the Federation are equal to each other, in every aspect of Federation society. Basically, Federation citizens have constitutional and democratic rights, which are similar to what American citizens have today.

Starfleet Command is equivalent to what we would consider being a mixture of NATO, the United States military, and the NASA division of the Federation, all rolled up into one organization. Starfleet has two purposes: the first purpose is to do scientific research, through space exploration; and the second is to defend the Federation from her enemies. Occasionally, Starfleet does Good Samaritan work, such as rescuing Federation colonists from a natural disaster or answering a mayday (distress call) from a non-Federation citizen. The headquarters for Starfleet Command, including Starfleet Academy, are both located in San Francisco. It is important to emphasize, that Starfleet is a combined military service (e.g., the United States Space Force, the United States Navy, etc.), which means, every Starfleet officer embodies all aspects of every branch of the United States military, in whatever position they hold in the organization. Starfleet Command didn't originally start off as a combined service, until the Federation was established.

The principles of Starfleet, such as in the area of the ranking of personnel (e.g., ensign, captain, admiral, etc.), ship terminology (e.g., helm, bridge, engineering, torpedo, etc.), and regulations in all areas of Starfleet operations, and life as an officer, are built upon naval concepts. Starfleet has even incorporated the concept of the JAG court, which is used by the United States Navy, for its officers. Even many of the Starfleet vessels mentioned in the Star Trek universe, such as the USS Enterprise, can trace their lineage to real-life naval vessels in human history. Starfleet also continues the tradition of naming vessels after the names of famous people, places, historical events, etc., just like what is done in the United States Navy, for example. For two interesting non-canon books, which give an overview of all the history and schematics of Federation ships, check out: Star Trek Shipyards - Star Trek Starships: 2151-2293 The Encyclopedia of Starfleet Ships, and Star Trek Shipyards - Star Trek Starships: 2294 to the Future The Encyclopedia of Starfleet Ships, both books by Ben Robinson, et al.

It must also be stated, that there is an admiral who is the head of Starfleet, whose position is called Chief in Command (C-in-C), and answers directly to the Federation president. There are also admirals who are in charge of different divisions/agencies in Starfleet Command, such as Starfleet Security, and Starfleet Medical. Admirals are also in charge of different sectors of Federation space, and give orders to the ship captains in the fleet, to carry out different missions for the Federation. It must also be stated, that throughout Starfleet history, ranking terminology and positions, have changed from generation to generation. Just like in the real world, organizations change with the times; Starfleet Command adapts its positions and ranking terminology for its personnel, as the years progress; sometimes recycling outdated positions, when circumstances need it. The terms Federation, and Starfleet, are words that have become globally recognized, as Star Trek lingo. 

One of the most important aspects of Star Trek, which has made the franchise iconic, is the aliens in the Star Trek universe. Thanks to Gene’s determination in keeping Mr. Spock, the Vulcans have become a globally recognized science fiction species. The Vulcans are a peaceful race and are founding members of the Federation. This species is founded on the principles of logic and has a very long lifespan. The Vulcans are a physically strong species, and keep their emotions to themselves. The Vulcans are one of the primary alien races throughout the entire Star Trek franchise. In The Original Series, we learn about the telepathic capabilities of the Vulcans. Other concepts in TOS about the Vulcans are introduced, such as the Vulcan salute, the mind meld, and the nerve (neck) pinch. More information about the Vulcans was provided in other franchise projects.

Other alien races were created in The Original Series, and incorporated into other franchise projects as well, such as the Andorians, the Orion slave girls, Tellarites, and Tribbles. The Andorian species have blue skin and antennae on their head. This species was introduced in The Original Series in the fifteenth episode, of the second season, and is a founding member of the Federation as well. The Orion slave girls were first introduced in Gene’s original pilot episode, The Cage. They were also shown again in the eleventh and twelfth episodes of season one, and appeared in the sixteenth episode of season three, as well. The Orion species has green colored skin, which could feature yellowish to bluish undertones. The Orion slave girls are scantily clad, green colored women, who are very sexually provocative towards males of all species. These Orion women specialize in a very provocative dancing style, that is similar to what is done in Middle Eastern cultures, as a form of entertainment for men, and are also prostitutes. The Orion slave girls have become a globally recognized sexual icon in the genre of science fiction, and have been incorporated into other Star Trek franchise projects. In other franchise projects, we get introduced to Orion men. In TOS and other franchise projects, we learn about the criminal nature of the Orion culture as well.

The Tellarites are a furry humanoid creature and are a founding member of the Federation too. The Tellarites first appeared in the fifteenth episode of season two, in TOS. The last alien species that TOS popularized throughout the entire franchise, are the Tribbles. The Tribbles are an adorable fluff-ball creature, that makes cooing sounds, and has a tranquilizing effect on the nervous system of most humanoids. Although most humanoids are drawn to the Tribbles, there are some humanoids such as the Klingons, who are not. The Tribble species are not drawn to certain types of humanoids, such as the Klingons, as well. Tribbles multiply at accelerated rates, becoming a menace species throughout the galaxy. This adorable species first appeared in episode thirteen, of the second season.

The Original Series introduced many of the most influential adversaries in sci-fi history, that were incorporated into future franchise projects. Some of these adversaries played a major role within the franchise, and others have played a minor one. Khan Noonien Singh (played by Ricardo Montalban) is an example of a major adversary, who was incorporated into future franchise projects. Khan is one of the greatest evil villains in Star Trek history. Khan, a genetically enhanced human from the twentieth century, was introduced in the twenty-forth episode of the first season. Khan was a unique adversary in Star Trek, because the majority of the adversaries in the franchise, were not an individual, but that of a group of aliens. The two alien races are known as the Klingons and the Romulans. They were major adversaries of the Federation in The Original Series and were created in this series as well.

In the twenty-seventh episode of season one, the Klingons were introduced. The Klingons are a dictatorial, war-mongering race, that meddles in the affairs of the Federation. Like the Vulcans, the Klingons have become a globally recognized aspect of the Star Trek franchise. The Klingons have appeared in many franchise projects and have had different looks for the species in these other franchise projects. The Klingons are also a physically strong species and specialize in martial arts. Klingons like to use daggers and swords. They also use energy-type weapons known as disruptors. More information about this warrior race is provided in other franchise projects. The Romulans first appeared in season one, episode eight. The Romulans are a militaristic, dictatorial race, and are constantly meddling in the affairs of the Federation as well. The Romulans are an offshoot of the Vulcans and the Romulans share some of the same biology as their cousins. Compared to the Vulcans, who keep their emotions to themselves, the Romulans however, are more expressive with their emotions, similar to Humans. Romulans are also very secretive people. The Romulans have appeared in other franchise projects too and at times the Romulan species have had slight facial differences within the franchise, but still have that Vulcan look. The Klingons and the Romulans both use stealth technology on their ships, called a cloaking device.  The vessels used by the Romulans and Klingons became iconic imagery in TOS and were very popular with the fans. The evolution of Romulan and Klingon ships can be seen in other franchise projects. 

The next TOS adversary species worth mentioning, is the Gorn. The Gorn played a minor adversary role in the franchise, and are a super-strong reptilian race, which became popular due to their first appearance in the nineteenth episode of the first season. Although the Gorn appeared in another franchise project as an enemy as well, it was never declared in canon in the Star Trek universe, if peace was ever established with the Gorn. Lastly, the Tholians are another mini enemy, which first appeared in TOS season three, episode nine. The Tholians are a hermaphroditic spider-like species, which are aggressive due to their xenophobia. Sadly, canon never fully developed if peaceful relations were ever established with this species. The Tholians were briefly shown in another franchise project, and at times referenced in others. For example, characters in other series mention in passing their aggressive nature, and their capability to create silk, but we never see much more of this interesting species.

The Writing Style of Gene Roddenberry and The Message of Star Trek

Although Gene didn’t write every story for Star Trek, he made sure that the stories written by himself and others, were not only full of adventure and excitement but would discuss specific moral truths that humanity needed to hear as well. For example, in the 1960s, some episodes would address racism, segregation, and communism. This differs from Star Wars (created by George Lucas), for example. In Star Wars, the stories are fast-paced, and the focus is on special effects and space battles, with little reflection on moral issues. Also, with Star Wars, there often seems to be a tendency for there to be a recycled plot, with the Rebel Alliance constantly fighting the Galactic Empire. With Star Trek, on the other hand, each story has a new adventure, with an interesting new threat or foe. Gene Roddenberry’s Star Trek was more like a Shakespearean play, never shy to entertain, but also teach a lesson at the same time. Even with the death of Gene Roddenberry, Star Trek has continued in Gene’s footsteps, by continuing to create entertaining stories that discuss important moral truths. Star Trek also follows the tradition of having its stories bring forth a puzzle that needs to be solved. This mystery is less a murder mystery, but more a situation, where humanity encounters the truly unknown and seeks to solve the puzzle. Gene said it best, about what Star Trek is, when he once spoke the following:

Star Trek speaks to some basic human needs: that there is a tomorrow—it's not all going to be over with a big flash and a bomb; that the human race is improving; that we have things to be proud of as humans. No, ancient astronauts did not build the pyramids—human beings built them, because they're clever and they work hard. And Star Trek is about those things. (Gene Roddenberry interview-September 20, 1988, included in Star Trek: The Next Generation-Season Five-seventh DVD-Special Features: Mission Logs: Year Five- A Tribute to Gene Roddenberry)

To learn more about Gene Roddenberry and his vision for Star Trek, check out Gene Roddenberry: The Last Conversation: A Dialogue With the Creator of Star Trek by Gene Roddenberry, et al. This interesting book not only talks about Gene’s philosophical thoughts, but also showcases his memories about creating Star Trek. This book is a great treasure because it is the last recorded interview of Gene, who is not only one of the most beloved creators of a popular science fiction TV series but is also one of the greatest writers of science fiction history as well.

The Rise of Trekkies

Sadly, The Original Series (TOS) finished only three seasons, ending the series in 1969. The TV critics were not too kind to Gene’s vision, plus the Nielsen Ratings while on NBC were low, guaranteeing cancelation. Although the series was canceled, the executives at NBC, did, however, allow it for broadcast syndication. Most of the TV networks during that time decided to use Star Trek re-runs to fill in scheduling gaps on their stations. Little did the executives at television networks realize, that more people were watching Star Trek during the re-run phase, than during its original airing. Although the critics killed The Original Series from having a fourth season, they couldn’t kill the love from the fans towards Star Trek.

Little did the critics know, that a campaign was starting to mount with the fans, who were becoming known as Trekkies. Trekkies started to demand in a letter writing campaign to the television executives, that Star Trek continues with more seasons. It was at this time, that a Star Trek movement was beginning to happen. Sadly, the television studios rejected the idea for a fourth season, but the fans didn’t lose hope in the idea of Star Trek coming back to life. The Trekkie movement kept growing and growing, and the series was increasing in popularity.

So why was Star Trek becoming a popular television series? There are many reasons for this, but some of the reason for this, was because The Original Series was filled with action, adventure, comedy, and romance. Many of TOS episodes, dealt with exciting things, such as time travel, unusual accidents, strange diseases, and alternate realities, which were seen in episodes, like: Mirror, Mirror, The Enemy Within, The Naked Time and Tomorrow is Yesterday. Mirror, Mirror, for example, showed us an alternate reality, known as the Mirror Universe, where there was an evil empire that was reminiscent of the brutality of the Roman Empire.

These entertaining TOS concepts (time travel, unusual accidents, strange diseases, and alternate realities) became very popular with Trekkies and were eventually incorporated into future franchise projects too. Besides the interesting adventures which delighted the fans, there were also interesting gadgets, which tantalized the imagination of the viewers as well. Many pieces of technology in TOS, that have become staples in the Star Trek universe, which are globally recognizable today, became popular with fans as well. Some such examples of these technologies are; the food replicator, matter to energy vice versa transportation device known as the transporter, and the communicator. All of the cool gadgets, fun space adventures, and lovable characters, turned Star Trek into a cult classic. Star Trek never would have turned into a globally recognized franchise, if it were not for its devoted fans. Fans wanted Star Trek to continue, and a rebirth movement was starting to happen.

Star Trek Rebirth: More TV Adventures:

First New Series: The Animated Series

Eventually, the entertainment industry heard the wishes of the fans in wanting more adventures with Captain Kirk, and a Star Trek resurrection was starting to happen. This resurrection started with Star Trek: The Animated Series (TAS) on September 8th, 1973, which people like to consider to be the unofficial fourth season of TOS. There was a total of 22 episodes in TAS. Interestingly, Chekov did not appear in this animated TV series. New characters, however, were created. These characters were: M'Ress (a female Caitian Starfleet officer) and Arex (a male Edosian Starfleet officer). William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, George Takei, Nichelle Nichols, Majel Barrett-Roddenberry, and James Doohan, not only played the voices of their beloved characters from TOS, but they also played the voices of other characters in this animated series as well.

The Animated Series was sadly never considered to be canon, in other words, authoritative. Even though The Animated Series is not considered to be canon, some elements of the cartoon series were however salvaged, and incorporated into later canon projects. Although the cartoon series is not canon, it is still a worthwhile series to watch. Star Trek: The Official Guide to the Animated Series by Aaron Harvey, et al., is a great resource to understand more about this amazing, non-canon animated series.

Failed Series: The Original Series Phase II

Since the cartoon series was never considered an official canon series, a new live action canon television series, with Captain James T. Kirk and his crew, was planned in the late 1970s. This new series was supposed to be the second phase to TOS, and was intended to be called Star Trek II. Sometimes, this new series is labeled as, Star Trek: Phase II.  Sadly, the plan for a new live action TV series with Captain Kirk didn’t work out, and the new series was never created. However, some ideas that were planned for the new Kirk series, were salvaged and saved for future franchise projects.

Although the new live action TV series with Captain Kirk was dead; the rebirth movement for Star Trek, however, was not. In the 1970s, there were even discussions about a big screen adventure with Captain Kirk, which would continue the adventures of the beloved captain. Plus, deep in the mind’s eye of Gene Roddenberry, he was dreaming up of an entirely new series, with a new captain commanding the USS Enterprise, as an exciting new way to bring his beloved Star Trek back to life. It would take some years for this next generation of Star Trek to air, and fans could hardly wait to see a live action Star Trek series back on TV once again.

New Series: The Next Generation

Many years went by, and fans were excited to discover, that their dreams for a new live action TV series were finally going to come true. On September 28th, 1987, a new canon series on television debuted, titled, Star Trek: The Next Generation (TNG). TNG is considered the official successor to The Original Series. In TNG, there was a new crew and a new captain, plus the series took place 100 years after the adventures of Captain Kirk. Jean-Luc Picard (played by Sir Patrick Stewart) was the new captain introduced for the new live action TV series, and he commanded the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) in the 24th Century. This series lasted seven seasons. Captain Picard continued to explore strange new worlds, just as Captain Kirk did, a century earlier.

Captain Picard was a different type of captain compared to Captain Kirk. Kirk was the type of captain who easily got into fistfights and was a ladies’ man. Picard on the other hand, was more reserved and kept his personal feelings to himself. In many ways, one could say that elements of Captain Christopher Pike’s reserved personality, was recycled into the character of Captain Picard. Although Captain Picard had a reserved nature, he however was not afraid to fight when needed, but would do so less than Kirk. As the series progressed, we learn more and more about Picard’s personal life and feelings, such as his passion for Earl Grey tea, classical music, Shakespeare, love life, and detective mysteries. Star Trek Picard: The Classic Chronicles by Titan, and Star Trek: The Wisdom of Picard edited by Chip Carter, are great resources to learn more about this great captain.

It must be noted, that TNG did not overwrite TOS, it simply expanded upon it. At times, characters in TOS would appear in TNG. In TNG pilot episode, Dr. Leonard McCoy (played by DeForest Kelly), who is now an admiral, made a brief appearance on board the Enterprise-D at the age of 137. In season five, episodes seven and eight of TNG, the Enterprise-D crew meet Spock (played by Leonard Nimoy), who is now an ambassador. Later in the series, in season six, episode four, the crew of the Enterprise-D meet Captain Montgomery Scott (played by James Doohan), in a very unusual way. Mark Lenard who played Spock’s father in The Original Series, also reprised his role as Ambassador Sarek in the twenty-third episode of season three and the seventh episode of season five. The addition of Sarek also allowed us to learn more about the Vulcan species, specifically in the area of old age. These appearances by McCoy, Spock, Scotty, and Sarek, symbolize a passing of the torch from one series to the other; bridging the two shows together. Another interesting crossover element between the two series, was the reference to TOS episode, The Naked Time, in TNG episode, The Naked Now.

Compared to Kirk’s Constitution-class Enterprise, the Enterprise-D was a larger, and more advanced ship. The Enterprise-D was built to be more of a luxury liner, compared to her predecessor. Kirk’s Enterprise had a crew population of 430, while the Enterprise-D had a population of 1012. Unlike Kirk’s Enterprise, Picard’s Enterprise-D’s population was not just Starfleet personnel, but it also included the families of the Starfleet officers onboard. Since families were living onboard, the Enterprise-D even had schools for children. Since the Enterprise-D is a luxury, family-friendly ship, she had lots of recreation activities such as the holodeck. It must be noted that the concept of the holodeck has been seen in other franchise projects as well. One such example was taking the concept from the non-canon The Animated Series episode, The Practical Joker, and making it canon in TNG.

The Galaxy-class Enterprise-D also had an impressive feature, where she could separate into two pieces, and behave as two separate ships for situations of emergencies or combat. It must also be noted that the Enterprise-D was the flagship of the Federation and Starfleet. A fascinating in-depth non-canon technical manual, titled, Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual by Rick Sternbach, et al., provides incredible technical detail of the amazing Enterprise-D. Also, check out the non-canon book, Star Trek The Next Generation: The U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D Illustrated Handbook by Ben Robinson, et al., for more information.

Besides ship designs in the 24th Century being enhanced, the equipment used by Starfleet personnel in the 24th Century was greatly enhanced as well. For example, instead of the flip open communicator which looked more like a cell phone in the time of Captain Kirk; Captain Picard and his crew used a combadge, which was pinned to their uniforms to communicate with each other, and to the computer. Another interesting aspect of TNG, was that the special effects in making the show evolved greatly in 21 years, which made the Enterprise-D look more realistic than her predecessor did in the ‘60s. Even with all the cool new features in TNG, there were at first mixed feelings from the critics, and fans, towards the new Enterprise not being commanded by Captain Kirk. Eventually, as time progressed, Captain Picard and his crew grew on the critics, and fans. TNG turned into a big success, paving the way for future series. As an interesting side note, it must be stated, that in 2006, the Star Trek franchise and CBS, remastered The Original Series with new and enhanced special effects, making this classic series look more realistic. With the changes in technology throughout the decades, the Star Trek franchise has constantly made sure to impress the fans with the newest visual technology of the time with their shows.

Besides TNG impressing the fans with amazing special effects, TNG also impressed the fans with the introduction of the second most infamous adversary in Star Trek history, next to Khan, known as the Borg. The Borg first appeared in the sixteenth episode of the second season and has become a major enemy in the franchise, appearing in other franchise projects. The Borg are an evil cybernetic (part machine, and part organic) zombie-like species, who are bent on enslaving all life (human and alien) into cyborgs. The Borg are so powerful that one ship can destroy the Federation since they can instantly respond by adapting to any tactic that is used against them in combat. This forces the Federation to constantly be thinking of new ways to defeat them. In TNG, we are introduced to the famous cube-shaped vessel which the Borg operate as their main staple ship. This cube-shaped ship has become an iconic sci-fi image. The Borg also have the capability of traveling long distances in shorter periods using a transwarp conduit capability. The transwarp conduit was a subspace tunnel that allowed a vessel to travel faster than a traditional warp. The Borg became so popular that they were incorporated into other series.

One of the greatest stories in TNG dealt with the assimilation of Captain Picard by the Borg, in the two-part episode, The Best of Both Worlds, and a devastating battle between the Borg and the Federation known as the Battle of Wolf 359. In this two-part episode, Captain Picard who has been captured and transformed into Locutus of Borg is forced to aid the Borg in conquering the Federation. Thankfully, the Borg plan is stopped by Captain Picard’s crew, saving the Federation from doom. Picard’s first officer leads the Enterprise in rescuing the captain from the Borg, returning him to his normal self, and destroying the Borg cube. This torturous event with the Borg greatly wounded Picard emotionally and psychologically. Although he is now one of the greatest experts on the Borg, Starfleet at times has fears that maybe a man who was once captured and assimilated by the Borg, might once again become one of them. Also, at times he desires to seek revenge against the Borg but reminds himself that you can’t make command decisions on hatred. The relationship with this experience with the Borg as Locutus is developed deeper as the series progresses, and is expanded upon even more so in future franchise projects. The great interest in the Borg has created more adventures which can be followed in many non-canon stories such as Star Trek The Next Generation: Vendetta by Peter David.

Another popular addition to the Star Trek universe introduced into ‘TNG was the mischievous alien known as Q (played by John de Lancie), who enjoyed creating havoc and ended up becoming comic relief throughout the entire Star Trek franchise. The Q species had extraordinary powers, that could do things such as bring fantasies to life, fling ships long distances, and move someone through time with a simple snap of a finger. Q was introduced in TNG pilot episode. Q appeared in many episodes within the series and appeared in other franchise projects as well. Some Star Trek experts, including the actor John de Lancie, theorize that the concept of the alien, Q, can be traced back to an alien named Trelane, in TOS episode, The Squire of Gothos. Also, many non-canon stories provide continuing adventures of Q and his encounters within the Star Trek universe. One such novel is written by the actor who plays Q, titled, I, Q: Star Trek: The Next Generation" by John de Lancie, et al.

It is important to note, that in TNG, the Romulans were still a major enemy, and reappear for the first time in TNG in the season one finale. The Romulans made many appearances throughout the series, and continue to be involved in other franchise projects as well. In TNG, we get the opportunity to learn more about the Romulan culture and society and are introduced to new Romulan ships.  In the series we are introduced to a more advanced Romulan Warbird, the D'deridex-class, than the Romulan Bird-of-Prey than that was seen in TOS.

In TNG series, we are introduced to some interesting main characters, who were part of Captain Picard’s inner circle. They are Data, Deanna Troi, William T. Riker, Geordi La Forge, Worf, Beverly Crusher, Wesley Crusher, and Tasha Yar.

Data was an android, with no emotions, and was the science and operations officer. Data was the first android to enter Starfleet. Data was created by Doctor Noonian Soong. Throughout the series, we learn more about Data’s family, and his quest to become more human. Data wished to be human, and many members of the crew assisted Data on his quest to be more human and to understand humanity, by providing guidance. Two such characters who were deeply involved in Data’s quest were Captain Picard, and his best friend, Geordi La Forge. As one of Data’s humanity experiments; he decided to procreate, by creating an android daughter named Lal. Sadly, Data’s procreation experiment didn’t work out in the long run, and Lal died. Lal was also indirectly referenced in another franchise project. It is interesting to note that Brent Spiner who played Data, also acted as many members of Data’s family tree in other franchise projects (human and android) such as the evil android brother named Lore, and his creator named Dr. Noonian Soong. Lore first appeared in the thirteenth episode of season 1 and made other appearances throughout the series. Doctor Soong, who Data affectionately calls Father, first appeared in the third episode of season four. Dr. Soong also appeared as a mental vision in Data’s mind, in the sixteenth episode of the sixth season and as a hologram in the tenth episode of the seventh season. It must also be noted that other characters in Data’s family tree were not portrayed by Brent Spiner who appeared throughout the series as well, such as Data’s mother, Juliana Soong, and grandfather, Ira Graves. Juliana appeared in the tenth episode of season seven, and Ira appeared in the sixth episode of season two.

Deanna Troi was the ship's counselor (psychologist), who was empathic and provided guidance to the crew. She was part human, and part alien (Betazoid), and used the capabilities from her alien half numerous times, to save the crew. Also, there was a constant subplot of discussions dealing with romantic feelings between Deanna and the first officer, Commander William T. Riker.

Another interesting aspect of TNG pertaining to characters was the roles of captain and first officer. In TOS in a majority of episodes, Captain Kirk and his first officer, Mr. Spock would leave the Enterprise to embark on away missions together. In TNG, however, it was stated immediately in the first season, that Starfleet had implemented a new policy in the 24th Century, dealing with away missions. This new policy stated that the captain of a starship should never leave the bridge and that it is the job of the first officer to go on away missions. Starfleet put forth this new policy, with the rationale, that since the captain is in the most important position, the captain must remain on his ship, since it is the safest place for him to be, and where all of the most important decisions of life and death take place. Of course, the captain could go on away missions per his/her prerogative, if he or she were to deem it necessary. With this new policy being implemented, Captain Picard’s first officer, Commander William T. Riker, led the away missions, while Captain Picard spent the majority of the time on the bridge. Number One was a nickname Picard used for Riker, throughout the series. In many ways, Commander Riker’s personality was similar to Captain Kirk’s; in that, both men were a ladies’ man, and both were men of action on away missions as well. Deanna and Will, both appeared in other franchise projects as well.

Geordi La Forge was the chief engineer, who was blind and wore special glasses which allowed him to see. These special glasses were called a Visual Instrument and Sensory Organ Replacement (VISOR). In season one, Geordi took on several different tasks before settling into the role of chief engineer. Geordi became the chief of engineering in the first episode of season two. Geordi was Data’s best friend and was seen in other franchise projects. Worf was the chief of security and tactical officer. Worf was the first Klingon to enter Starfleet. As the series progresses, we discover that Worf has a son named Alexander, who was introduced in the seventh episode of season four. Alexander appeared occasionally throughout the series. Alexander also appeared occasionally in another franchise project. Through Worf and Alexander, we learn a great deal about Klingon culture, customs, and the emphasis of fatherhood in Klingon society. Worf not only embraced and valued Klingon culture, but he also embraced and valued Human culture too. In this series, we also learn about Klingon politics and its influence on Klingon society. We are also introduced to Worf’s brother, Kurn, in this series. Kurn was introduced in the seventeenth episode of season three and appeared a couple more times, not only in TNG but in another franchise project as well. It is interesting to note, that a Klingon Starfleet officer was a big deal when this series was released. Klingons in TOS (23rd Century) were the enemy, but in TNG (24th Century), Klingons were now an ally of the Federation. The Klingons in TNG were shown in a more positive light, disproving some of the misconceptions held by the Federation about the Klingons in TOS. In TNG we also get to see new types of Klingon vessels such as the Vor’cha-class ships. To learn more about Klingon ships, check out Star Trek Shipyards: The Klingon Fleet by Ben Robinson, et al.  In TNG we see the Klingons continue to be a warrior type of people, but we also discover they have a spiritual side.  Klingons also hold the value of honor in very high esteem and they follow the teachings of their spiritual leader named Kahless, who is also the founder of the Klingon Empire.

Beverly Crusher was the chief medical officer for six seasons. She was a widow and single mother. Beverly’s husband Jack served on the USS Stargazer (Constellation-class) which Jean-Luc Picard commanded, before he took command of the Enterprise-D. Jack sadly died under the command of Captain Picard and was a good friend of his. There have been some non-canon stories that deal with the adventures of Captain Picard when he commanded the Stargazer. There have been seven novels so far, starting with The Valiant (Star Trek The Next Generation) by Michael Jan Friedman and a non-canon comic book titled, Star Trek: The Next Generation: IDW 20/20 by Peter David, et al., which provide some extra entertaining adventures to the life of Jean-Luc Picard. Sadly, Picard’s best friend, Jack, died on a mission. Beverly had a gifted son, named Wesley Crusher. Wesley was a young gifted teenager who was an occasional helmsman, and an occasional engineer. Wesley is an especially unique character in this series since he was merely a teenager when he joined the crew. Due to his gifted intellect, he took on all the duties and responsibilities of his adult peers. Wesley’s gifted abilities helped save the crew many times. As the series progressed, Wesley learned more about his true abilities, and his ultimate calling in life, which was revealed in the final season. Since Wesley lost his dad and Captain Picard was a family friend, Picard became a father figure for Wesley, helping him grow into adulthood. Although Wesley was a main character for many seasons, his character appeared less as the series concluded. The final main character of interest is Tasha Yar, who was the chief of security and tactical officer before Worf. In the first couple episodes in the first season, Tasha Yar, a woman, held Worf’s post until she died in the line of duty, in season one, episode twenty-three. Since the pilot, Worf played a number of different roles but never held an important permanent position until Tasha’s death. Worf was then promoted to chief of security and tactical officer, in her place. Star Trek found unique and interesting ways to bring Denise Crosby, the actress who played Tasha Yar, back into the series, at different points throughout the seasons. Sometimes, the character of Tasha appeared as an image in somebody’s quarters for example, and Denise was also able to reprise Tasha two times, at different points in the series, through alternate reality episodes. Denise even played an evil Romulan named Sela, which was later discovered in the series, to be related to Tasha. Sela appeared multiple times throughout the series and made her debut in the 24th episode of season four.

This series featured several notable supporting characters, who appeared throughout the series as well. Some examples of these characters are Katherine Pulaski, Guinan, Ambassador Lwaxana Troi, Ro Laren, and Reginald Barclay. Katherine Pulaski was the chief medical officer for season two, who first appeared in the season two premier. According to canon, Doctor Pulaski filled in for Doctor Crusher while Beverly was on assignment at Starfleet Medical. One could say that Doctor Pulaski was the female version of Doctor McCoy. Like McCoy, Pulaski was scared of transporters and had a feisty attitude. Doctor Pulaski and Captain Picard respected each other but locked horns at times throughout season two about rules and procedure. Although Doctor Pulaski was a short-lived character, she was a good fill-in character until Doctor Crusher returned in season three.

Guinan is another supporting character in this series. She was an alien bartender who ran a lounge onboard the Enterprise-D, called Ten Forward. Guinan first appeared in the season two premier and made occasional appearances throughout the rest of the series. She also appeared in other franchise projects as well. Guinan is a person who is cloaked in mystery, and a member of an alien race known as the El-Aurians. Guinan is remarkably old, and information about her species is limited. However, according to canon, the Borg invaded her home world, so there remains only a small number of her species left. Although it is not well defined in canon, we do know that Captain Picard and Guinan have known each other for a long time. As the series progressed, we see small hints and clues as to how their friendship came to be, but still preserving some mystery to this friendship at the same time. Additionally, though not explicitly stated, one would even get the impression that there may have been a romantic relationship between Guinan and Jean-Luc Picard at one point in time. Guinan has the ability to see past space and time, and because of her advanced age, she is full of wisdom to share. The El-Aurians have been nicknamed listeners, because they are good at listening, and providing advice to others, making Guinan the perfect bartender.

Although Ambassador Lwaxana Troi is a supporting character, she is an important addition to the Star Trek universe. One of the first elements that makes her important, is that the actress who played Lwaxana Troi, was Gene Roddenberry’s wife, Majel Barrett-Roddenberry. Ambassador Troi first appeared in episode eleven of season one. Ambassador Troi is a telepathic alien from the planet, Betazed, a widow, and the mother of Deanna Troi. Lwaxana was a comic relief character, and appeared throughout the series, annoying the Enterprise-D crew. Mrs. Troi also made appearances in another Star Trek project. Ro Laren is another supporting character in the series worth mentioning. Ro was a Bajoran helmsman on the Enterprise and was the character who introduced us to the Bajoran people. She didn’t appear regularly but did, however, appear eight times in the series. Her character was introduced in the third episode of season five and left the Enterprise to join the Maquis in the twenty-fourth episode of season seven. Reginald Barclay is the final supporting character worth noting. Barclay was an engineer who first appeared in the twenty-first episode of season three. He was a troubled man, who had many difficulties in his life. He was addicted to the virtual reality simulation device known as the holodeck, he spoke with a stutter, was always late, and was very shy around people. Even with all of his problems, Barclay helped save the Enterprise-D crew on a number of occasions. Despite Barclay’s many flaws, his fellow crewmates learned to adjust to his unique behavior. Eventually, Barclay was able to form friendships with his fellow crewmates and became a valued engineering asset. Although the character Barclay did not appear in many episodes in TNG, he did, however, appear as a crossover character in other franchise projects.

In TNG series, we are introduced to some new important major alien races, which expand the Star Trek universe. They are the: Bajoran, Ferengi, Trill, and the Cardassian races. All of these races were incorporated into other series, and information about these species were expanded upon in other franchise projects. In TNG, we learn that the Bajorans were formerly oppressed by an alien race known as the Cardassians. The Bajorans first appeared in the third episode of the fifth season. The Bajorans as a species, have wrinkled noses. When it comes to the Ferengi, we discover that they are a greedy used car salesman type people, who will cheat their customers for money, and utilize pirate-like tactics when necessary. The Ferengi were introduced in the fifth episode of the first season, and the males of the species have very large ears. The females of the species have limited rights, such as not being allowed to wear clothing. The Ferengi overall, have no hair and are bald and short in stature. The Trill are a symbiotic race, which we discover in season four, episode twenty-three. In TNG, the Trill was first revealed to have a boney-like ridge on their forehead. In later franchise projects, it was revealed that most of the Trill species are distinguished by two rows of spots going down each side of their bodies, from forehead to toe. Since the Trill is a symbiotic species, the symbiont can be placed in different hosts regardless of the gender of the host, from generation to generation.

Lastly, we are introduced to the Cardassians in season four, episode twelve. Cardassians constantly have a love-hate relationship with the Federation and practice a brutal dictatorial police state mentality in their culture, that is military centered. The species have light-gray (almost white) colored skin, with two thick, vertical neck ridges that receded back to the crown of their head. They also have an inverted tear-shaped ridge in the center of the forehead. Near the end of the series in season seven, there was a subplot that dealt with the birth of a group of Federation and non-Federation, anti-Cardassian freedom fighters. These rebels, known as the Maquis, used terrorist and guerilla tactics, to further their cause against the Cardassians. Following the introduction of the Maquis in season 7, episode 24, they were incorporated into other series as well.

This series also dealt with stories dealing with time travel, and alternate realities. One such time travel and alternate reality adventure dealt with an encounter with the Enterprise-C. This adventure took place in episode fifteen of season three. To learn more about the Enterprise-C, check out the non-canon book U.S.S. Enterprise Haynes Manual by Ben Robinson, et al. TNG ended on a high note in the year 1994, with an action-packed time travel adventure with Q, while leaving the door open for other adventures.

New Series: Deep Space Nine

Two more series were later introduced following TNG, dealing with the 24th Century. The dramatic series, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (DS9), dealt with Captain Benjamin Sisko (played by an African American actor, named Avery Brooks). In this series, Sisko begins with the rank of commander and is later on promoted to the rank of captain. The Starfleet captain commanded a former Cardassian space station, named Terok Nor, now Deep Space Nine; which is now under the control of the Federation and the Bajorans. The premise for this series was built around Benjamin Sisko aiding the Bajorans, who we saw in TNG, in pursuing the path of joining the United Federation of Planets. Furthermore, throughout the series, we see Bajor reclaim its identity as a newly liberated planet and reclaim its identity