The Forbidden Planet International Blog Log

Until I saw a post by Kevin Melrose on Newsarama’s blog I had no idea today was Star Trek’s Birthday. “No bloody A, B, C or D,” as Scotty put it during his guest shot on The Next Generation, the original Trek, starting its five-year mission to explore strange new worlds on September 8th, 1966. Born at the height of the Space Race and the challenge to realise the dream of walking on the Moon who would have thought a 60s show cancelled after three seasons (and almost before that. saved by a fan letter-writing campaign, an early taste of how fans loved it) would go on to conquer the world and infuse itself into popular culture, not to mention inspiring countless people, from those involved in civil rights and race relations (Nichelle Nichols being told personally by Martin Luther King that the fact she as a black woman was right there, visible on the bridge of a mainstream TV show every week in American homes made her important) to writers, artists and scientists (some of whom, like Stephen Hawking, would make guest appearances in the sequel shows) and countless ordinary fans who enjoyed the stories, loved the characters and often found the recurring theme of tolerance – aired during a violently disturbing time – uplifting.

(the original Constitution class starship USS Enterprise, (c) Paramount)

And its still going – a new motion picture due next year, new classic and Next Generation Trek comics being published by IDW and even Trek manga (although that concept isn’t new, I remember Atelier Lana’s Star Trekker manga which saw another Starfleet crew go back in time Star Trek IV style but in order to visit 20th century Japan and eat whales). I wonder if Gene Rodenberry ever dreamt of how successful Trek would become when he was trying to interest the networks in pitching an idea of ‘Wagon Train to the stars’. Happy birthday, Star Trek – live long and prosper. (to mark the occassion Joe is now off to don his favourite pointed ears and chase his cats around the house with a toy phaser. Its good exercise. Plus the phaser lights up and makes noises, which amuses him).