Star Trek Voyager— Still a Marvelous Journey

While exploring the science fiction archives of Netflix, I noticed Star Trek Voyager among the offerings. Not only did I watch most of those Star Trek episodes first run, I've seen the original series (TOS) and the next generation (TNG) many times since those now venerable shows went into syndicated re-run status. But I had not seen much of Voyager since it originally aired on the now defunct UPN network. I'm surprised at how well it has held up. That is the beauty of futuristic science fiction, isn't it? Since no one knows exactly what our world or even our galaxy will be like in a few hundred years, this late '90's version is still worthy.

Basically, the plot of this version of Star Trek is that a new Federation ship, Voyager, is thrown some 70,000 light-years away from known space, while chasing a band of rebels. Due to the destruction of the rebel's ship, as well as heavy casualties on Voyager, the crews combine, under the leadership of Captain Janeway, and set off for home. Star Trek Voyager combines many typical science fiction themes, but the underlying one is even older— the journey. Like Odysseus, the crew of Voyager meets new friends and enemies along the way.

When it was in production, critics complained about many aspects of the show, and some of those criticisms are still valid. Yes, the first female captain to command a weekly journey into space sometimes makes "silly" decisions. But Kate Mulgrew does a good job of portraying a new captain, on a new ship, in a situation that she is certainly not prepared for, shepherding her crew as they make their seven-year journey through the Delta Quadrant. The other characters were interesting, as well. For the most part, Voyager was blessed with extremely good acting and good special effects. The scripts are more uneven, but some of them are quite good. I think that, taken as a whole, Voyager is better than any other Star Trek series, apart from the original, which is set apart by its iconic status.

Voyager was not without its faults, however, and critics seemed to love pointing out the flaws. Yes, they should have run out of shuttle craft long before they built the Delta Flyer, because those little rascals kept blowing up. Maybe those fancy replicators which remain off-line except for emergencies were used to replicate shuttle craft. Running out of shuttles would probably constitute an emergency. And, despite what some critics have said, Captain Janeway does not threaten self-destruction in every episode. I know, because I have watched most of them in the past couple of months. She does have more than one episode where she bellows, "All hands, abandon ship." Still, a weekly series calls for at least one crisis a week, so all that drama is necessary to keep viewers entertained.

One of the more interesting ploys by the producers of Voyager was eliminating one female cast member (the character Kes) and introducing a "sexy" gal in a catsuit instead (Seven of Nine.) But, if a science fiction show can intelligently use sex appeal, then the evolution of Jerri Ryan's Borg sex symbol must qualify. As her character assimilates human characteristics, the writers were able to explore many aspects of humanity. And fiction has long served as a means of discussing human behavior without taking it on too directly. While this series stars an ensemble cast, Seven of Nine was a character with plenty of room for growth, and the writers did not disappoint. Apart from a few two-part episodes, each 45 minute story can stand alone, but there were many "story arcs" which allow greater character development (of villains as well as principals) and more complex plots. By the time the series ends, and I did not want it to end, each character is like an old friend.

For fans who discovered Star Trek via the big screen reboot of a couple of years ago, or for anyone who missed Voyager originally, this series offers great science fiction entertainment, without feeling dated. It is available on DVD and via online services such as Netflix. Viewers will be treated to action, adventure, and fascinating people.

Star Trek as the Mother of Invention

This is an odd post for Mother's Day, but it is tough to discuss it without writing about my mom, myself, or other family members.

But, as one who appreciates gadgets, I am grateful to science fiction authors for dreaming up some of the useful objects that we take for granted. Like other science fiction yarns, Star Trek is a mother of invention.

The original series of Star Trek was telecast in the mid-60s, and there were not many computers around. Those that were in existence then were low in processing power and huge in size. They recorded data on large spools of magnetic tape. During its three-year run, the characters on STOS used objects which resembled computer disks. They also used wireless (blue-tooth) ear phones, projectile free weapons, and even flip open communicators that look quite similar to Motorola's flip phones.

In my youth, I just thought that science fiction writers were a bit prophetic. However, more reading has helped me understand that SF writers may be helping fulfill the prophecies in their fiction. Among the most ardent fans of SF on the page and one the screen are engineers and scientists, and they derive some of their inspiration from SF. So, the reason we have flip phones is because an engineer saw Captain Kirk chatting with his ship, and decided to build a device which can actually do that.

Since the Enterprise was only a space-going vessel, characters used shuttlecraft to make some short trips down to planets, and this concept no doubt inspired the name and some functionality of the space shuttle fleet which came along a few years after the series ended.

Technical inspiration did not end with the original series. When Roddenberry's Star Trek, the Next Generation aired, the entire ship ran via touch interface. I can't view a rerun of STNG without seeing technical concepts which have made the jump from screen to reality. Notable STNG inventions in everyday use include their oft used PADD, which clearly helped inspire today's iPhone and iPad. The frequently used touch panels have inspired many kitchen gadgets, too. My microwave, my stove, and my dishwasher all use multi-colored touch pads, just like the USS Enterprise NCC 1701D.

The Borg of STNG and Star Trek Voyager relied heavily on nano technology. That is an up and coming method of enhancing everyday objects. Recently, I saw a pair of men's pants which professed to have a nano stain fighter woven right into the fabric.

Star Trek gave us five different television series, and the tech of Trek continues to inspire engineers and scientists to create more and better gadgets. In fact, you may have given one to your mom today.

A Perfect Conflict

When I was finishing my master's degree, the head of the English Department at North Georgia College related to me that some of my professors were concerned that I was just as apt to quote Star Trek as Shakespeare. To this day, and it is has been more than a score of years since I finished that degree, that complaint brings a half-smile to my face. While it was a matter of concern for the scholarly, I have always viewed my ability to blend modern literature with traditional literature as an asset.

Recently, I was watching a vintage episode of Star Trek, The Next Generation, on BBC America. In Suddenly Human the Enterprise rescues some Talarian trainees from a dying ship. The medical staff of the Enterprise is shocked to find that one of the cadets is a human. Dr. Crusher performs DNA tests and finds that the young man is Jeremiah Rossa, the grandson of a star fleet admiral, who was missing and presumed dead after the colony was attacked by Talarian forces. Since the admiral's only son was killed in the attack, Jeremiah is her only surviving offspring. Even more troubling, Crusher believes the boy might have been abused, since his body has endured several injuries during the time he has been with the Talarians. The young human calls himself Jono, professes to be the son of Captain Endar, and strictly adheres to Talarian traditions, including a total disregard for women in uniform, which causes quite a few problems for the fully integrated crew of the Enterprise, especially female officers Dr. Crusher and Counselor Troi. Wisely, Counselor Troi suggests the Picard mentor the boy, since he clearly displays affection for "his captain" and Picard reluctantly agrees. Meanwhile, Captain Endar shows up, acknowledges that he rescued the boy and adopted him by Talarian custom, and demands his return.

Picard faces a perfect conflict. On the one hand, Jono/Jeremiah is human, is the grandson of a star fleet admiral, and everyone expects him to be welcomed home. After talking with Captain Endar, Picard comes to realize that the young man was not abused, but suffered injuries in an effort to fit into to Talarian society and to make his adoptive father proud. Endar clearly cares deeply for the boy, although he dismisses the rest of humanity as weak alien creatures. Returning Jono would be violating the wishes of a superior officer, the grandmother. Both Troi and Crusher urge Picard to give Jono time to remember his humanity, while Endar threatens war and brings in backup warships to make good his ultimatum. Releasing Jono would defuse the war threat, and Jono clearly prefers his Talarian father to any of the humans, even Picard.

As the audience waits for Picard to come up with a solution to this well-developed conflict, Jono makes a surprise move. During the night, he takes a dagger and plunges it into Picard's chest. After the requisite commercial break, Crusher performs surgery, and Picard, though weak, asks to have Jono brought to his bedside. Instead of berating him, Picard asks, "Why? Why did you do it?" and Jono replies that he assaulted a superior officer and is prepared to die.

Picard insists on getting dressed and taking Jono to the bridge, where acting captain Commander Riker is ready to go to war for the admiral's son. Instead, Picard tells Endar that he made a mistake, and that Jono will be returned to him immediately. After Jono's attempt to have Picard execute him, Picard realizes that nurture does outweigh nature. Jono was reared by a Talarian, so he has fully embraced that culture. And life, unlike a video player, has no rewind button.

The viewer may be left saddened by this episode. The awakening humanity in Jono/Jeremiah is something the viewer wants to see develop. And, as humans, most viewers will sympathize with the grandmother and want to see her have what remains of her family restored, rather than see the gruff Captain Endar win the conflict.

This episode, first shown in 1990, is not especially satisfying, and that is what makes it great. Characters are just pawns, reacting to situations created by authors. Without facing conflict, characters can't be either cowards or heros. While most "professors" won't acknowledge it, science fiction can portray human emotions just as well as classic tales from centuries ago, and Suddenly Human is an example of soft science fiction at its very best.

Up Till Now— The Autobiography of William Shatner

As a leading actor on Broadway, the Priceline.com pitchman, police sergeant T. J. Hooker, a "B" movie actor, Alexander the Great, a recording artist, a husband of four wives, a frequent guest star on 50s and 60s television shows, a motorcyclist, a voice over artist, a father of three daughters, the star of a reality show, a horse lover, science fiction author, and a "has been" who won a couple of Emmy Awards late in life, William Shatner has truly lived. Most of us just go about, in relative anonymity, for seven decades, give or take a few years. However, just about anyone in America, and many beyond these shores, know the name, the voice, and the face of Captain Kirk of the original Star Trek series. In his autobiography, there's about a hundred pages of Shatner's life before Star Trek. And, at the time, Shatner viewed Star Trek as a failed television series and moved on with his career. Without its syndication, his life, and our culture, would be different.

There are many reviews of this book online, so I'll focus instead on some general themes within it. First, Shatner's energy comes across, as well as his ability to poke fun at himself. His work ethic comes from his upbringing— his merchant father taught him to take advantage of all opportunities and to work hard to achieve success. Although he decided to become an actor early in life, Shatner seems to have been very worried, for years and years, about not having work. That, and the financial instability that is part and parcel of an actor's life, motivated him to say, "Yes!" to almost every money making opportunity, however taxing— or downright bizarre. Being willing to work has kept him working. Every performance seemed to lead to some other opportunity, and Shatner's energy and his courage stand out, even when he pokes fun at many of the ways he has made money over the years. I did laugh aloud a few times, and the good humor of it all does keep the reader smiling and turning pages.

Although this account of Shatner's life starts early and ends late, Up Till Now is not always a linear narrative. Sometimes he tells stories which are on topic, but not in the time line. As a man who is gifted in years, he has much to tell, so the disruptions add to the charm of the book. In addition to his lengthy acting career and the Star Trek phenomenon, Shatner does address his lack of success in marriage, and the account of his third wife's death is particularly heartbreaking. With surprising candor, Shatner places much of the blame for his divorces on his own shoulders. A man who works that much is not available to his family, and he does acknowledge that he did not learn to be married until after he failed three times. Although he does not focus on his children often, it seems clear that he has a good relationship with his three daughters. Also, as he rambles through his life, most of his major roles are fodder for a few pages, and he does discuss Boston Legal, his latest television series, at some length.

Fans of Star Trek will enjoy the insights that the original Captain Kirk shares, but those who are interested in acting on stage and screen will also find interesting observations about the actor's craft in Up Till Now. Shatner discusses his approach to roles, and he often contrasts his way with the methods used by co-stars. At times, Shatner is funny, at times his struggle evokes a mixture of pity and amazement. Who would have thought that after Trek, Shatner would live in the back of a pickup truck in New York City, eking out a living doing an off Broadway play?

During the portions of the book devoted to the original Star Trek and the five movies it spawned, Shatner frankly discusses the challenge of making a television series set in space, but with such a low budget that the cast and crew had to be very creative. The movies were more successful and made money, but he states that budget constraints also affected Star Trek V, which he directed. Shatner doesn't dwell upon the disagreements he had with some of his Trek co-stars, but he does mention that many of them viewed him as difficult, and he did not become friends with Leonard Nimoy until the original series was long behind both of them. As a fan of science fiction, and of Star Trek, I especially enjoyed his assertion that Gene Roddenberry saw Star Trek as the quest for intelligent life on the other side of a television screen.

For Shatner's fans and for Star Trek fans, Up Till Now is a must read. Many others will enjoy it, however, because William Shatner is an ubiquitous, iconic figure. And, really, this book is funny. Who else would auction his kidney stone on eBay? Or play the amazing Denny Crane? William Shatner may not be tall, but describing him as larger than life is an understatement.

Terminators

Recently, hubby and I saw the fourth film in the Terminator series, and I was reminded that the original film was more horror than science fiction. We both agree that the second film, a/k/a Judgment Day is the best of the series, and that the third movie was forgettable. So much so, that we did not plan to see Terminator, Salvation, until daughter recommended it. When this action packed, tense, dark dystopia came to a close, I laughed and asked, "Why do all of these futuristic films feature folks in ragged motorcycle clothes?" Really, I do believe the costumers for such films just rob the trash from behind biker bars and make darned sure everything fits skin tight.

That said, the entire Terminator series exemplifies the concept of man vs. machine as it evolves from an attempt to make the world better, resulting in a monumental screw-up. That theme, one of the core themes in science fiction, is known as Utopia/Dystopia. The Mad Max films are dystopias, as are classic science fiction yarns such as Brave New World and 1984. Despite warnings from these more literary authors, as well as lesser known script writers, we still have folks believing that the way to make the world better is to change everything. Of course, that observation is belongs in the realm of social commentary, so I'll leave it to political pundits and get back to Terminator, Salvation.

In the latter, the special effects are top notch, and Christian Bale brings a brooding strength and determination to John Conner that has been lacking in previous films and television iterations of the character. Daughter said that she missed Linda Hamilton, but Hamilton's voice is used to help frame the character, as Bale's John Connor hovers over an old fashioned cassette player, listening to words of maternal wisdom.

Although Star Trek and Terminator fall into the same general genre, that of science fiction, they present opposite views of the future. In Trek, man's future is not without problems, but a certain amount of optimism is in order. In any of the Terminator films, the march toward the future is mostly a downward spiral. However, in each series, conflict abounds, and watching characters solve conflicts is the reason we keep coming back to the theatre, or renting those DVD's.

By Christmas, these futuristic tales will be available in stores or via Netflix, if you missed these summer sci fi films.

Great Minds Think Alike (but not)

I blogged about Galaxy Quest recently, and now I get an update from Sci Fi Dimensions touting their most recent post, which discusses Galaxy Quest. Great minds think alike, right? Maybe, maybe not. You'll have to hop over there to read their discussion about this film, which won a Hugo Award in 2000. For those of you who are not science fiction fans, the Hugo is the big one. It's the Oscar of science fiction. Famous episodes of television shows have won best dramatic presentation, such as the marvelous "City on the Edge of Forever" from the original series of Star Trek. Other films which won include such icons as Star Wars and Alien. My favorite science fiction author, Lois McMaster Bujold, has won best novel four times and won best novella for her superb "The Mountains of Mourning."

Will the new Trek win the Hugo this year? People are talking about it; that's for sure.

Star Trek Update

Over at the Sci Fi Dimensions ezine, which is now a blog, I read some of the recent reviews. While watching the reboot of Star Trek, I kept noticing that the writers borrowed some concepts, and Bill Ritch has pointed those out in this post. Hop on over and enjoy his "Name that Movie" entry.

Research Reading

I read for pleasure, for work, and for research. If I am lucky, I manage to blend all three of those, but more often than not, I only manage one or two at a time.

A while back, I read a book which combined pleasure and research, The Physics of Star Trek. I was only a decade old when the original Star Trek first came on television, and it remains a favorite, even though I realize that it was and is far from being cutting edge science fiction. However, such books as The Making of Star Trek and The World of Star Trek helped me understand that sometimes the writers and directors of TOS were constrained by the economic resources and special effects available in the mid sixties. Later Trek series and movies were able to move past some of those constraints, but once the rules of the Trek universe were set, even larger budgets and digital f/x have had to please the fan base. Sometimes the science in this science fiction holds up and sometimes it does not.

Since I am no scientist, I often don't understand what is real, what could be real, and what is just plain bogus. But, Lawrence Krauss's The Physics of Star Trek does a good job of explaining that, and it certainly illuminates many scientific principles along the way. As a fan, I enjoyed this book quite a lot. However, it was more than a fun read, it was also research for science fiction writing. In the early chapters of Trinity on Tylos, my spacefaring characters depend on inertial dampeners to keep them from going splat against the bulkhead when the ship moves at ultra fast speeds. That concept was one that I took from Krauss's book.

Other principles and concepts that he analyses include discussions of such Trek technology as warp drives, transporter beams, and the holodeck which was the scene of so many great episodes of Star Trek; The Next Generation. My favorite chapter, entitled The Most Bang for Your Buck, discusses the physics of antimatter drives. Apart from my actually understanding more of this chapter, it is also practical for writers of space opera. Somehow an author must get those ships moving rapidly through the universe or the settings and therefore the plot may be as static as the ships.

The Physics of Star Trek is entertaining, but not necessarily an easy read. Some of the scientific principles in it do take more thought than a casual read, but Krauss's style and frequent references to Trek episodes make this far more palatable than a textbook version of physics.

I do recommend this one for fans of Star Trek and anyone interested in understanding the physics of science fiction in print and on the screen.

A Brief History of SF

One of my main interests, in reading and on screen, is the various sub-genres of Science Fiction. However, it is important to know the past, so my "very brief" history of science fiction is now a short video.

Enjoy!

Star Wars at 30

Yep, on May 25th, the movie that finally made it cool to love science fiction was released. At that time there was little fanfare, because no one in the industry had a clue what was about to happen. I didn’t see it until a few weeks after the release, in the middle of summer, having read an article about this movie which was sweeping the nation. Fortunately for me, I was dating a guy who was a rabid fantasy fan, and he liked science fiction well enough. We saw it in Athens, Georgia, our most frequent date spot, and rode home in his mom’s metallic green Buick Skylark. What a seventies ride!

The movie itself is very much a product of the seventies, despite the “timeless” labels that fans foist upon it. However, for a generation whose parents laughed at the ridiculous stories set in outer space and who had fought for a chance to see Star Trek on Friday night, the lovingly produced Star Wars was an affirmation that these stories could appeal to a mass audience. Lucas and his crew believed they were filming something which would at best be a cult classic, but instead they made a movie which would change the film industry.

I’ve been doing a bit of research for my panel at SFSC, and in so doing, I contrasted the list of all-time box office champs based on actual dollars earned with a list adjusted for inflation. Either way, Star Wars ends up in second place. However, the “actual income” list is dominated by special effects science fiction blockbusters, even when they aren’t called sci-fi. Indeed, the so called prequels, Episodes I and III are also on this list, along with ET and the first two Spiderman movies. Modern movie fans love the films that Star Wars spawned, and that is clear when you look at what is popular now, verses what films made a big splash prior to it.

There were comparatively few special effects in the original Star Wars, due to budget constraints, but it was clearly a space opera, and the movie lovingly embraced the themes and plot devices of bygone eras. Margaret Mead dismissed it as, “just another western” and it may have been, but it was a western dressed up with space ships, blasters, and comic androids, along with the most menacing villain that anyone had seen in quite a while. The opening sequence dispelled any notion that Star Wars was like science fiction films of the past.

Thirty years have gone by, and some people don’t understand why this film was so important. But a look back at the cheesy science fiction like “Lost in Space” or a look ahead at the current box office champ list yields an answer for even the sternest critic. Star Wars made science fiction a genre for everyman, and that’s only one reason that I love it.

Con- ventions

When I rode motorcycles, which I did from roughly age ten when I got a used minibike, until age thirty-three, when I parked my Honda 650, many people got the wrong idea about my personality. I never owned a leather jacket, have no tattoos, and never smoked anything. I don’t even curse often. However, the bias against my favorite mode of transportation followed me despite a total lack of interest in Hell’s Angels, Harleys and especially choppers. I preferred bikes with more zip, actually.

Hopefully, reading and watching science fiction are not always associated with being terminally weird, either. Oh, some people will always associate sci-fi with nerds. My interest in science fiction began in childhood, as I watched Star Trek along side the early efforts of NASA, but I’m not obsessed with the genre nor as weird as the stereotypical sci-fi fan.

I attended a science-fiction convention once, some years ago, because one in Atlanta was hosting James Doohan and Michael Dorn, and my long term love of Star Trek won out over any concerns I had about Alanta traffic or the attendees. Both of these gentlemen made excellent speeches, and I loved getting their autographs. The con, as these are now called, was quite an experience. The dealer’s room— a huge place filled with vendors hawking overpriced pins, comics, magazines, and 8x10 glossy pics of TV and film stars— was amazing. Even more amazing were the costumes, both in number and variety. As I stood in line behind a woman who was trying to look like Uhura, the communications officer on the original Star Trek, she informed me that her young son had made her costume. I had no trouble believing that. Many of the other costumes were quite professional, however. Being dressed in business casual, which I always deemed appropriate for a weekend trip to Atlanta, somehow felt downright odd.

One of my very best friends has a son who publishes sequential art— that’s comic books in layman’s terms— who says I should try hawking Trinity on Tylos at science fiction conventions. A really up and coming science fiction writer from this area, a guy who has published fourteen books, is speaking at Liberty.con in Chattanooga and at Dragon.con in Atlanta later this year. So, perhaps that is good advice. Maybe I should dress up, too. Not as a Trek character, of course, but I could dress up as a biker, since I never did that when I rode the various motorcycles that I owned during my youth.

BTW, I still have my motorcyclist’s license, but I haven’t ridden anything on the street larger than my daughter’s scooter for a number of years. Motherhood is a great responsibility, not to be taken lightly. But I could get a black tee shirt and a leather jacket with star shaped studs, I suppose, and try the con-vention. What do you think?