When & Why did you get into Star Trek

Svalbard · 09-03-2009 11:59pm #1

For me, it was TNG. I remember stuff from season one (1987/88) which means I was 3 or 4! So pretty early then.
I distinctly remember the episode when Tasha Yar died and her funeral.

I suppose I was fascinated with the whole concept of the Star Trek universe, which seemed quite "real". I wasn't delusional or anything (I think!) but it was so well constructed and the characters so watchable and relatable. Commentators have said that TNG had a very "moral" center and I suppose I found this appealing and aspirational.

I also have a very early memory of seeing a Star Trek movie on TV (or it could have been the cinema). I remember them being on an ice planet, so it was probably Genesis from Star Trek III: The Search for Spock.

PetKing · 10-03-2009 12:03am

Hmmmm, I was about 7 or 8 when Sky 1 started showing TNG, got into it, and got my family into it aswell because of it. My best friend growing up was a fan aswell so that helped!

Klingon Hamlet · 10-03-2009 12:11am

My dad took me to see Star Trek VI when I was 7. I'd seen some of the original series but from the dramatic dark musical cue, to the big explosion of Praxis, I fell in love.

Still prefer Wrath of Khan though! Liked some eps of TNG and DS9 but mostly they were preachy, condescending, dry and repetitive. Kirk and his crew always seemed fresh.

This new film seemed like a bad idea til I saw the new trailer. Wow.

I say again.

Wow.

nyarlothothep · 10-03-2009 12:17am

Same, pretty much was on constantly in my house, would watch the same rented star trek episodes constantly, for example the one where they get stuck on the planet with the weapons trying to kill them. I was fascinated by it, I would watch Star Wars repeatedly aswell, but I just gravitated to trek. Probably because it was a series which was broadcast regularly but also because I preferred the universe and found it more interesting.
The ultimately cool thing about trek is that it puts forth an enlightenment vision of the future which is very innovative for a tv show given that so many sci fi productions depict a nihilistic future. This appealed to me although I wasn't aware of it at the time.

It certainly almost felt like a reality parallel to this one, I guess due to the fact that it was a series on every week and you would catch up with it. I remember being totally spooked by Q Who, very distant memories of that being on a Saturday night on RTE 2, must have been 4 or 5 at the time. I experienced a resurgence in trek mania around 97 when First Contact was released and collected the fact files. I think the film you may be referring to is the Undiscovered Country, saw that in the cinema in 1991/92.

PetKing · 10-03-2009 12:23am

nyarlothothep wrote: »

It certainly almost felt like a reality parallel to this one, I guess due to the fact that it was a series on every week and you would catch up with it. I remember being totally spooked by Q Who, very distant memories of that being on a Saturday night on RTE 2, must have been 4 or 5 at the time. I experienced a resurgence in trek mania around 97 when First Contact was released and collected the fact files. I think the film you may be referring to is the Undiscovered Country, saw that in the cinema in 1991/92.

Those bloody fact files!! I dont care to think how much money I wasted on them!

Svalbard · 10-03-2009 12:27am

nyarlothothep wrote: »

Same, pretty much was on constantly in my house, would watch the same rented star trek episodes constantly, for example the one where they get stuck on the planet with the weapons trying to kill them. I was fascinated by it, I would watch Star Wars repeatedly aswell, but I just gravitated to trek. Probably because it was a series which was broadcast regularly but also because I preferred the universe and found it more interesting.
The ultimately cool thing about trek is that it puts forth an enlightenment vision of the future which is very innovative for a tv show given that so many sci fi productions depict a nihilistic future. This appealed to me although I wasn't aware of it at the time.

It certainly almost felt like a reality parallel to this one, I guess due to the fact that it was a series on every week and you would catch up with it. I remember being totally spooked by Q Who, very distant memories of that being on a Saturday night on RTE 2, must have been 4 or 5 at the time. I experienced a resurgence in trek mania around 97 when First Contact was released and collected the fact files. I think the film you may be referring to is the Undiscovered Country, saw that in the cinema in 1991/92.

Yeah, I think it was the bright future envisioned by Roddenberry that was a big part of the appeal. I wanted to live in that kind of world.
I collected those fact files too! Have loads of em still somewhere, about 8 folders.

No it definitely wasn't the undiscovered country. I remember the first time I saw that - the opening scene with the orchestral music culminating in Praxis exploding was very memorable. The memory I have is from when I was very young, probably before I ever saw TNG or knew what Trek was. Its funny how it had such an impact as to form some of my earliest memories, even though you couldn't expect a child that young to appreciate it.

On an aside the best movies in order:

1. The Wrath of Khan
2. The Undiscovered Country
3. First Contact
4. The Voyage Home
5. The Search for Spock
6. Insurrection
7. Generations
8. Nemesis
9. The Final Frontier
10. The Motion Picture

User45701 · 10-03-2009 12:58am

When i was 4 or 5 i had to say at home because i had the chicken pox and i remember watching Star trek TOS during the day, the first epsiode i remember is

McKoy: "God jim im beginning to think i can cure a rainy day"

ive always loved star trek, i remember when i moved school i tried to get people into it but i think they where to young to have any interest. They wanted to watch star wars movies instead - apparently they where "cooler"

Btw this new movie and the things that i have read that JJ and others have said worries me, i dont think jj can do a good trek movie, why even call it star trek? why not just call it by a different name? and have it as a random scifi movie

Rawr · 11-03-2009 2:30pm

When I was little nipper I first got into it watching Star Trek 2: The Wrath of KHAAAAANN!

All the fun of starship battles, Klingons, and Kirk & Co.
Back then I had no grasp of continuity, and thus when I was very little I always thought that TOS began after Star Trek V - The Final Frontier (confusion caused by the 'Space, the final frontier...' part introducing the original show.:D)

When I got a little older, I got my head together, and then began to watch TNG. From there on in, I was a major trekkie.

At least until the final seasons of Voyager and DS9 respectively. By then, I just occasionally followed the shows (used to nearly never miss an episode) and then by ENT it was over.

Johnny Storm · 11-03-2009 5:56pm

I first saw Trek in 1969 (?) or whenever it was first shown on the BBC. Doctor Who (starring Patrick Troughton, the real Doctor Who) used to be on BBC after Grandstand on Saturday afternoon and then one Sat there was Star Trek.

I cannot convey to you how truly mind-blowing it was to the then 9 year old me to see the Enterprise whip across the screen for the first time during the titles in glorious grainy crap-reception black and white. I can tell you it made a big impression. The first one I saw was "Charlie X".
It was in a totally different league to the SF that was then on TV (Dr Who, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Time Tunnel, The Invaders, Lost in Space etc). It was smart, serious and adult. Even the phrase "starship" was then shockingly cutting-edge.

ben bedlam · 12-03-2009 5:26pm

I got into it after seeing Seven of Nine, and imagining what she would look like naked.

Woden · 13-03-2009 6:36pm

About 15 years ago or saw I started watching TNG on Friday evenings which was on a 10pm slot on Sky 1 at the time. It was mainly initiated by the fact that I hated the late late show and there was not much else on!

hot2def · 17-03-2009 10:38am

my dad's name is Jim Kirk.no lie

soups05 · 17-03-2009 8:02pm

I got into star trek in the late 70s when i was around 8 years old.i loved all sci fi but trek was my fav cos the stories were so good. and even as a kid i enjoyed watching some never seen before crew member beam down to a planet with the main stars.
it was only a matter of time before he got killed. to a kid that was ace.

DenMan · 17-03-2009 8:08pm

I got into Star Trek in the 90's as RTE was airing The Next Generation episodes on a weekly basis. It is my favourite series of all time. I remember going to see Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country in the cinema (1991) when I was 12 years old. I'm a Star Trek geek (see I admitted it).

Lizzykins · 17-03-2009 8:13pm

1971 Star Trek TOS. Can't really warm to TNG or DS9. I'm an oldie!

chopperbyrne · 17-03-2009 8:35pm

When I first saw Search for Spock and Voyage Home that we rented from the video man (remember those?!!) when I was about four I was hooked.

Then Next Generation started on telly and I could get a weekly Trek fix.

azezil · 18-03-2009 1:21pm

Late 80s / early 90s I think it was that I first started watching TNG. I loved everything about it! I was a closet fan though, never showing it in public until I found a few friends in secondary school who shared my passion

When & Why did you get into Star Trek

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