Star Trek is BACK!!!

Celia Rose Gooding

You know how some people don't like to say "I told you so"? *shakes head* Not Trekkies.

Episodic, non-vulgar storytelling about humanity working towards the best version of itself is the blood and bone of Star Trek. And...*shrug*...we told you so.

I would have said something sooner, but I really wanted to make sure Star Trek: Strange New Worlds didn't disappoint. Four episodes in--with a really entertaining sneak peek at Episode 5--and it hasn't.

I have seen mostly rave reviews from die-hard fans, myself included. What I find amusing, however, is the surprise from critics that Gene Roddenberry's original style of storytelling still holds strong to this day, over half a century later.

I don't understand why it's so surprising, though. After all, the older the form of storytelling, the longer it seems to endure.

Beginning with the 2009 reboot (which I choose to no longer acknowledge), some people were upset that we went back into the past, and at first, I was too. After the infuriating way Voyager ended, and the abomination that was Enterprise we should've just picked up where Janeway and her crew left off.

But I've come to accept the fact that when you lose your way (as this franchise so painfully has), you sometimes need to go back to the beginning. And like it or not, Christopher Pike was the beginning of Trek.

I always felt Pike was superior to Kirk and deserved a full show of his own. The running joke right now is that this is the longest pilot-to-series process ever, but I think it all worked out. Not only did Jeffrey Hunter--the original Pike actor--not want to continue Trek, but we're finally getting a fleshed out Nyota Uhura (portrayed charmingly by Celia Rose Gooding), and we get to see Spock without Kirk...which we so desperately needed.

I'm sorry, but Spock was always "the cool friend", and if the 2009 reboot got one thing right, it's that in a show for geeks, the geek should always get the girl (or boy, or enby). Trek is not about jocks, bros, and other barbarians; instead, it serves to give diplomats, explorers, and scientists their due. Geeks get to save the day using their oversized brains, and it's glorious.

I can't wait for next week's episode; I'm already feeling the old inspiration coming back. I know this blog has been mostly dry for years, but I think we're on the cusp of a flood.

Stay tuned!