Cultural Influence of Star Trek - Science-fiction, Fantasy, and Television

Science-fiction, Fantasy, and Television

The first television series with comparable story-line and set-up to Star Trek (aside from the genre rival Doctor Who) was the 1990s series Babylon 5. When pitching the series, the producer J. Michael Straczynski had hoped that television executives would think Trek had opened up the market for science-fiction on TV. However, he was told that Star Trek only created a market for more Star Trek and that the prospects for non-Trek related science fiction were seen as bleak. Eventually, Babylon 5 was greenlighted. Three script writers who had worked for Trek's original series were to write for Babylon 5 (including D. C. Fontana who had written for three different Trek series), and Star Trek actor Walter Koenig was cast in a recurring role. All this, and the strong similarities of the series' premise to "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" invited comparison to "Star Trek." In addition, Babylon 5 was the first television series since Star Trek to get nominated for or win the Hugo award for best science fiction drama, which had only recognized feature films in the media category since Star Trek. Gene Roddenberry's widow and Star Trek actress, Majel Barrett Roddenberry, publicly stated that her decision to do a guest star appearance on Babylon 5 was to stop the feuding and bickering among hardline fans of the two series, which broke out occasionally at science fiction conventions. Ultimately, the series ran for its intended length of five seasons, making it the longest running American space oriented futuristic television series outside of the Star Trek franchise.

Star Trek fandom in fiction

Some television series have major or supporting characters who are Star Trek fans with this affecting the storyline of the show. The major character of Xander on Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a Star Trek fan. The Season 5 episode The Replacement in which there are two Xanders is a simultaneous tribute to three episodes of the original series in which there are two Captain Kirks.

In crossover casting, two other television series have cast actors from Star Trek in shows in which other characters are Star Trek fans who frequently refer to Trek moments or cite Trek storylines. The character Hiro Nakamura on NBC's Heroes likes to describe his ability to teleport as "like Star Trek," and has often performed the Vulcan gesture to "live long and prosper." His father is played by original Star Trek cast member George Takei (Sulu). Additionally, Nichelle Nichols who portrayed Uhura in "The Original Series" and Zachary Quinto who acts as Spock in the 2009 movie "Star Trek" both play prominent roles throughout "Heroes".

Over a dozen actors from various Star Trek series have made guest appearances on one or the other of the Stargate series. In those series, Colonel Jack O'Neill makes unsuccessful pitches to name new space vessels after the Enterprise and also gives the Vulcan salute in tribute to Trek. In an earlier episode of Stargate: SG-1 O'Neill travels back in time to the 1960s and during an interrogation by an Air Force officer he refers to himself as "James T. Kirk, captain of the federation starship Enterprise". Another "Trek" reference is made when a character questions whether or not another team member can be "beamed up". The response is "What am I, Scotty"? Later in the series, advanced alien technology allows team members to "beam" up and down in manner similar to that seen on "Star Trek".

In the Cold War submarine film Crimson Tide, in a moment of crisis the USS Alabama executive officer played by Denzel Washington gives a pep talk to his young radioman referring to Kirk's telling Scotty they need "more power", or in this case the need to restore radio communications. For comic relief, the sitcom Frasier has a recurring Trek fan character, Noel. This plays a role in several episodes including one in which he deceives Frasier into believing a speech is written in Hebrew when it is really in the Klingon language.