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How Did “Star Trek” Aim to Be Progressive With Its Casting Choices?

If you’re going to make a television series about future versions of diverse Earth folk living in harmony and equality, you have to portray said Earth folk living in harmony and equality. Star Trek’s (1966) central cast spoke to this central…

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What is the significance of the different colored uniforms in “Star Trek”?

Quick Answer: Star Trek uniforms represent different occupational fields within Starfleet, the organization which represents most of the franchise’s central characters. Each field has its own color. These colors change between series and films,…

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Why Do Many People Identify as a “Star Wars” or a “Star Trek” Fan? Does It Have to Be Either/Or?

People say it all the time: “I’m more of a Star Trek than Star Wars fan.” People ask it just as often: “Are you more into Star Trek or Star Wars?” ...Can it not be both? Personally, I have never understood the question’s assumption…

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What is the origin of the Vulcan hand greeting in “Star Trek”?

Quick Answer: The famous Vulcan hand greeting in Star Trek was created by Leonard Nimoy. It is actually the physical representation of the Hebrew letter “shin,” and comes from a Jewish prayer ceremony Nimoy remembered witnessing as a child…

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The Beginner’s Guide to “Star Trek”

With 700+ hours of storytelling in the Star Trek universe, where does a newcomer even begin? The easy answer is “start at the beginning,” watching the 76 episodes of Gene Roddenberry’s original Star Trek (now dubbed “The Original…

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How does “Star Trek Beyond” reveal Sulu’s sexuality, and why does it matter?

Quick Answer: Hikaru Sulu, a character from the original “Star Trek” television series, is revealed to be gay in the new film from the franchise reboot “Star Trek Beyond.” This decision has received mixed reactions from the Trekkie…

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The Beginner’s Guide to “Star Trek: The Original Series”

The Star Trek universe is beloved by legions of people from all ages, walks of life, and origins. But for the unfamiliar, starting on Star Trek for the first time can be overwhelming with 700+ hours of TV, over a dozen movies, and novels and…

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In “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan,” why does Khan so strongly dislike Kirk?

Quick Answer: The backstory of Khan and Kirk comes from an episode of The Original Series titled “Space Seed.” In the episode, Khan, a genetically-modified human is awoken by the Enterprise crew after 100 years of being frozen in stasis. He…

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How Do Vulcans Get in the Mood for Sex if They Are Emotionless?

Star Trek lore regularly makes use of the Vulcans, a fictional humanoid race it depicts as logical, emotionless, and stern. They hail from the planet Vulcan and are characterized by their advanced intelligence, powerful sense of honor, and, to…

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What inspired Rihanna to write “Sledgehammer” for “Star Trek Beyond”?

In a new featurette, Rihanna proclaims her life-long love of Star Trek. Explaining the inspiration for her song “Sledgehammer” in the upcoming Star Trek Beyond (2016), Rihanna says her dad showed her Star Trek when she was a little girl and…

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What Does “Impulse Power” Mean in “Star Trek”?

In the Star Trek universe, people travel all across space searching for new forms of life with the intent of furthering the knowledge and perspective of humanity as a whole. In doing so, they typically pilot their spacecrafts at various iterations…

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What Was “Star Trek” Creator Gene Roddenberry’s Vision for the Series?

Star Trek (1966) is, as show creator Gene Roddenberry once said, like “Gulliver’s Travels in space.” Every episode is both a suspenseful action story and a morality tale, set out to simultaneously entertain and provide enriching thought…

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Why don’t “Star Trek” uniforms have any pockets?

Star Trek uniforms are one of the most identifiable wardrobe items in the history of film and television. From the red shirts of ill-fated away team members in The Original Series (1966-1969) to the iconic suits of The Next Generation’s…

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How was the Klingon language developed?

By all accepted definitions of the term, Klingon qualifies as a real language. It is the structured written and verbal means by which Klingons communicate in the fictional Star Trek (1966) universe. It may not be as extensive and complete as…

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How Did “Star Trek” Reflect 1960s Sentiments About War, Peace, and Other Social Issues?

Star Trek first aired in 1966, the year the United States substantially increased its presence in the Vietnam War, which sparked immediate protests by citizens and leaders alike. The year also saw the Surveyor 1 space probe land on the moon,…

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Why Do Some “Star Trek” Fans Enjoy Pairing Kirk and Spock as Lovers?

Kirk/Spock (originally called “slash” for the backslash between the names to signify their pairing as a romantic couple) has been a part of Star Trek (1966) fandom from its earliest days. Before the Internet, fan writers and artists shared…

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The 5 Most Analyzable Films & TV Shows to Watch on Netflix Right Now

Is the winter weather keeping you inside this weekend? There are likely some responsible things that you should do: catch up on laundry (yawn), start your taxes (ugh). But let’s face it—those ideas don’t excite anyone. When the weather…

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How does “Star Trek Beyond” measure up to our expectations of “Star Trek,” both the old and rebooted?

Quick Answer: The original series of the 1960s was a Star Trek of ideas. The Trek of today is beholden to its makers: it’s a Star Trek of nostalgia and summer blockbusters. In Star Trek Beyond, The Fast and the Furious franchise director Justin…

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What are the differences between the different “Star Trek” series?

Quick Answer: Star Trek has been around for over 50 years, resulting in multiple television series which look and feel very different from today’s television. From the over-saturated colors and procedural storytelling of the Original Series…