As a young’n, I used to come home from school and fry up some grated potato, slather it in secret sauce, and settle in for some TV time. There was no cable and no satellite TV. Choices were limited to whatever the 3 networks had to give. I wasn’t down for the guy who wore the train conductor suit who introduced some olden goldies. I also wasn’t that excited about a 20 year old sci-fi show with low budget special effects and a pointy-eared main character.
I had no use for Star Trek. My nerd die had been cast in Star Wars. In my head I was a potato eating Princess Leia; full of strength, beauty and sass and destined to live in love with the handsome, perfectly imperfect Han Solo. Consequently, I could’ve cared less about the adventures of James T. Kirk.
I watched just enough of the Next Generation to be able to think it’s funny to say “Make it so, Number One” and to be moderately impressed when I saw Will Wheaton at Medieval Times.
I didn’t understand the show’s following, but I could appreciate it.
For reasons unknown to me, original Star Trek is my current treadmill treasure. And, ermagherd! Where has this been my whole life?!
There will be still-relevant life lessons that are sincerely acted (or overacted) interlaced with a dog with a furry costume with a unicorn horn. Their 1967 selves just hold the dog and straight faced proclaim that they have found an alien life form that is “a good specimen.”
Makes me whip my head around from my stationary walking position to see if anyone else saw it. Searching for someone who won’t think I’m too crazy if I blurt out, “You guys! They have a DOG in a COSTUME and they’re pretending it’s an ALIEN!!!”
And just when I think I’m lost to the campiness of things such as the filter used on Captain Kirk, gaudy painted backdrops, or how Spock’s eyeshadow is better than mine, I get sucked back in with some other truly poignant moment.
Today, after they figured out what was going on with the “alien,” Spock spelled out the necessity of duality in humans in a way that made me take pause.
“We see indications that it’s his negative side which makes him strong, that his evil side, if you will, properly controlled and disciplined, is vital to his strength. Your negative side removed from you, the power of command begins to elude you”
There’s been a lot moments where I set out to mock the “planetary landscapes” of studio whatever and then found myself thinking, “that f’kr Spock is right!”
It’s fascinating to me that someone was creative enough to imagine all the ridiculous wildness that is Star Trek, but still have some truly deep insights into humanity and such progressive positions and ideas for 1967. I recently watched the Black Mirror series. It too had a lot of “whoa” moments. (and of course some “I need to take a brain shower” moments). I wonder if watching Star Trek when it was new was a similar experience. Maybe not. Maybe the people of the time were just watching it for mini skirts with beehive hair and shirtless men.
The past-me potato princess would have never properly appreciated this show. We need life experiences to help us mold who we are and what we’re capable of taking in. I probably would have missed at least 2/3 of the gloriousness that is this show back in the day. I needed a brain old AF to be able to let it all sink in.
Though I’m captivated, there’s not a risk of joining the Church of Trek (it’s really a thing). My fascination will probably stay at the level of trying to suck other people into my delighted wonder, and continuing to work on my Captain Kirk rolls. Man rolls in a lot of fights. I fully intend to exit a room that way someday. Maybe the meeting has done the classic social work thing where it’s gone on longer than needed, likely because someone is too worried about feelings to be direct. I’m just going to get up, and roll the fuck out. That should move the meeting aptly to a close.
It could be that I’m the only person left who’d never watched it. If not, dude…it’s a great way to spend time.
But even if you have seen it, maybe hit it again. Take some comfort in knowing that if you’re in an existential crisis, it’s not unique to your time and space. As it turns out, 1967 writing about the struggles of 2260’s humans are still applicable to 2021. Kirk figured a solution to the salt vampire, you can figure out how to overcome your thing too.
Or just watch it to see dogs in costumes.
Thanks for reading!
Bifocals and Barbells 