Read this article! "Exploring the Universe, One B-Movie at a Time" by David Hadju.I've never before read an article that completely and concisely explained what was so immensely entertaining and importantly different about Star Trek: The Original Series. Hadju, a professor at the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism, author, and music critic at The New Republic magazine, totally nails what made ST:TOS unique.
It sounds like Hadju grew up like many of us did, devouring television and movies and making connections between everything we saw. His appreciation and understanding of the special pastiche of cultural influences which came together in Roddenberry's original vision for Star Trek is dead on and faultless. Explaining Trek's special magic doesn't ruin the illusion, it makes it even better.
What a delightful and insightful article! Hadju nails it and in the process actually makes Star Trek even more culturally relevant than ever.
The sketch at the top of the post is artist Ted Mcgrath's witty illustration for the piece. Hilarious!
3 comments:
I saw this article in the NYT and thought it was an interesting take. Star Trek has often been called "Wagon Train to the Stars". But I think the appeal back then (and today) is more of an idealistic longing for the unknown, exploration, and a future that is decidedly different. Maybe its just me, but the few episodes where Spock, Kirk and company found themselves time warped into a Wild West set or dressed like gangsters in a Jimmy Cagney movie, were the ones that I found least appealing. But anything with a fantastic and original alien culture had me glued to the set. BTW I finally read New Yorker review and it smelled like some serious sour grapes. Although he did give some well deserved Kudos to Zach Quinto.
I guess it's most amazing that despite the earthbound necessities of filming a television show in the mid-1960s, there was so MUCH that was futuristic, after all!
So many interesting "Trek" articles coming out now! :-)
The coverage for Trek has been incredible. I've never seen so many articles. It is definitely a vibrant topic and it caught everyone in a tidal wave of interest. Dusty old Paramount franchise? NEVER! Trek has more legs than a Millipede!
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