Welcome Fellow Trekkies! The GTD Get to Know You thread
- Thread starter Alidar Jarok
- Start date
Quapla!Hi there!
I am a newbie - very glad to be here with others to whom Star Trek means something. I've been a fan all my life, but am only recently stepping out into the world of others who love the show. I have to admit I'm coming out of the shadows now because of the news surrounding Discovery, much of which I find very disheartening. That said, I'm excited to find a place to talk with other people about the show, in all its iterations.
When I was a kid, TOS, was in reruns on Friday and Saturday nights and I never missed it. Starting with Wrath of Khan, I went to every movie as they came out (missed the original, because I was still too little to be paying much attention) and I originally poo-pooed TNT when it emerged on the scene.
I didn't watch a complete episode of TNG until the night the final episode aired for the first time. I thought, what the hell, I'll try it - and it blew my mind. Watched that series through end to end and fell in love with it as well, really seeing it as the natural evolution of what Roddenberry had been attempting in the 60s.
In latter years I've watched all the other series in their entirety. And I've enjoyed them all, to differing extents, though my favorites have remained TOS and TNG.
I've been incredibly excited by the prospect of Discovery coming out - until I've begun to realize just how far afield they appear to be going. It's not that the look is more Star Wars than Star Trek. It's not even that they appear to be abandoning even marginal respect for any timeline or "cannon." For me, it's that they appear to be abandoning the very thing that has always distinguished Star Trek from other SciFi series - it's optimistic view of humanity's future.
While there are certainly favorite story-lines, plot points, characters, character relationships that I personally would love to see respected, if not adhered to, that isn't nearly as important to me as adhering to Gene Roddenberry's view of humanity as having moved past the darker elements of our collective nature to a place where we are driven, in unity, by the desire to push forward and explore the universe in search of connection and knowledge.
There are two things Alex Kurtzman recently said of Discovery and how much it deviates from that principle at comicon that threw me. The first was that ""We live in very different times. Every day we look at the news ant it is hard." The second was his comment that "Star Trek has always been a mirror to the time it reflected." I would actually argue that the opposite is actually true.
Star Trek emerged on television right in the midst of the Cold War, the Vietnam war, and the civil rights movement. It ran through 1969, an insanely tumultuous time during which the Kent State Riots occurred, huge anti war protest movements took place, Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy were shot. I'm pretty comfortable saying that every day people watched the news back then it was hard too.
But Rodenberry, who had experienced war himself as a bomber pilot in WWII, determined that instead of holding a mirror up to the times, he would instead show the world just how unbelievably awesome our future could be.
TOS included Starfleet members who were Russian, despite the incredible fears generated by the ongoing Cold War, Japanese, despite the still existing stigmas from WWII, and African American, in the throws of the Civil rights movement. Instead of mirroring the times, he attempted to show people a future that we could move towards, that could operate as a beacon, where people of all races strove together to make the best moral decisions they could under extraordinary circumstances. The conflicts may have been drawn from current events, but they showed humanity collectively trying to wrestle with them.
There are tons and tons and tons of harsh and gritty sci-fi tales. I love many of them. But in an extraordinary and very meaningful way, Star Trek has always been different. Whether it was TOS, TNG, Voyager, DOS or even Enterprise, the vision of humanity trying to be its best - that beacon to a brighter future - has always been at its heart. I think if Star Trek loses that, it's not really Star Trek anymore.
Thanks for reading. I look forward to getting to know you guys!
I am a newbie - very glad to be here with others to whom Star Trek means something. I've been a fan all my life, but am only recently stepping out into the world of others who love the show. I have to admit I'm coming out of the shadows now because of the news surrounding Discovery, much of which I find very disheartening. That said, I'm excited to find a place to talk with other people about the show, in all its iterations.
When I was a kid, TOS, was in reruns on Friday and Saturday nights and I never missed it. Starting with Wrath of Khan, I went to every movie as they came out (missed the original, because I was still too little to be paying much attention) and I originally poo-pooed TNT when it emerged on the scene.
I didn't watch a complete episode of TNG until the night the final episode aired for the first time. I thought, what the hell, I'll try it - and it blew my mind. Watched that series through end to end and fell in love with it as well, really seeing it as the natural evolution of what Roddenberry had been attempting in the 60s.
In latter years I've watched all the other series in their entirety. And I've enjoyed them all, to differing extents, though my favorites have remained TOS and TNG.
I've been incredibly excited by the prospect of Discovery coming out - until I've begun to realize just how far afield they appear to be going. It's not that the look is more Star Wars than Star Trek. It's not even that they appear to be abandoning even marginal respect for any timeline or "cannon." For me, it's that they appear to be abandoning the very thing that has always distinguished Star Trek from other SciFi series - it's optimistic view of humanity's future.
While there are certainly favorite story-lines, plot points, characters, character relationships that I personally would love to see respected, if not adhered to, that isn't nearly as important to me as adhering to Gene Roddenberry's view of humanity as having moved past the darker elements of our collective nature to a place where we are driven, in unity, by the desire to push forward and explore the universe in search of connection and knowledge.
There are two things Alex Kurtzman recently said of Discovery and how much it deviates from that principle at comicon that threw me. The first was that ""We live in very different times. Every day we look at the news ant it is hard." The second was his comment that "Star Trek has always been a mirror to the time it reflected." I would actually argue that the opposite is actually true.
Star Trek emerged on television right in the midst of the Cold War, the Vietnam war, and the civil rights movement. It ran through 1969, an insanely tumultuous time during which the Kent State Riots occurred, huge anti war protest movements took place, Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy were shot. I'm pretty comfortable saying that every day people watched the news back then it was hard too.
But Rodenberry, who had experienced war himself as a bomber pilot in WWII, determined that instead of holding a mirror up to the times, he would instead show the world just how unbelievably awesome our future could be.
TOS included Starfleet members who were Russian, despite the incredible fears generated by the ongoing Cold War, Japanese, despite the still existing stigmas from WWII, and African American, in the throws of the Civil rights movement. Instead of mirroring the times, he attempted to show people a future that we could move towards, that could operate as a beacon, where people of all races strove together to make the best moral decisions they could under extraordinary circumstances. The conflicts may have been drawn from current events, but they showed humanity collectively trying to wrestle with them.
There are tons and tons and tons of harsh and gritty sci-fi tales. I love many of them. But in an extraordinary and very meaningful way, Star Trek has always been different. Whether it was TOS, TNG, Voyager, DOS or even Enterprise, the vision of humanity trying to be its best - that beacon to a brighter future - has always been at its heart. I think if Star Trek loses that, it's not really Star Trek anymore.
Thanks for reading. I look forward to getting to know you guys!
Good point. That is the exact opposite of reflecting the times. A real SF show is about showing something very much other than what was true about the world at the time of filming. Do they think the Feds were peaceful because times were mild, and it was easy to be that way? It's MORE important when the world's violent.
-----------------
Welcome.
Hello fellow sentients,
I'm Brian and I'm from Earth by way of Kentucky, USA. I've been a Trekker all my life (in fact, I vaguely remember watching TAS as a little kid during its original run). While other kids dreamed of jumping in x-wing fighters and blowing up death stars, I wanted to explore strange new worlds and boldly go where no one had gone before.
Although I have grown roots in other fandoms (DC, NCIS, BSG), Star Trek is the one closest to my heart. The themes it has consistently represented call out the best in humanity and are now needed more than ever.
Other personal info: I've had a couple of major transitions in the past two years -- a spinal cord injury and the loss of my job in the journalism industry -- that I'm still navigating through. I'm also an aspiring fiction writer, having gotten my start on alternate history boards and fanfic forums (I don't write to 'ship', I write to tell interesting stories.
I'm Brian and I'm from Earth by way of Kentucky, USA. I've been a Trekker all my life (in fact, I vaguely remember watching TAS as a little kid during its original run). While other kids dreamed of jumping in x-wing fighters and blowing up death stars, I wanted to explore strange new worlds and boldly go where no one had gone before.
Although I have grown roots in other fandoms (DC, NCIS, BSG), Star Trek is the one closest to my heart. The themes it has consistently represented call out the best in humanity and are now needed more than ever.
Other personal info: I've had a couple of major transitions in the past two years -- a spinal cord injury and the loss of my job in the journalism industry -- that I'm still navigating through. I'm also an aspiring fiction writer, having gotten my start on alternate history boards and fanfic forums (I don't write to 'ship', I write to tell interesting stories.
Greetings, all!
I'm a new member. [Pause for applause]
Being old enough to remember when Star Trek (no bloody A, B, C, D, or TOS) premiered, and therefore being old enough to not remember when I first saw an episode, I'm surprised that I didn't sign up here sooner. More about me later, but on to actually posting on the main forums.
I'm a new member. [Pause for applause]
Being old enough to remember when Star Trek (no bloody A, B, C, D, or TOS) premiered, and therefore being old enough to not remember when I first saw an episode, I'm surprised that I didn't sign up here sooner. More about me later, but on to actually posting on the main forums.
Wow, and I thought it amazing that I remember seeing Wrath of Khan in theatres - having, as of that point, never seen a single episode of Star Trek, but being amazed at Mr. Rorke, not wearing a white suit, and as a bad guy!!!!
Greetings! BIpIv'a' !
Just a good ol Klingon from Texas, grew up watching a few episodes of tos on television (reruns) and relish the memory of seeing the ships and effects as they were then, later on watched tng, ds9 and voyager unfold everyweek...I admire and hope to be inspired to learn by all of you who can create models/prop replicas ect.
captain pike holds a special place in my heart symbolically.. happen to be the only one I know who enjoys all and everything trek so I may fall into that category of its more than a tv show....those set colours on tng were groovy and either I took too much acid in my younger years or had one of those intense dreams that burn into your inner being...but its like..........ive been there.
Q'APLA!
Welcome!
Um, that goes for ChasFink and comesect both 
Q'APLA!
Yikes, what's the story behind decapitating Pike?! Welcome...
Hi this is my first post. I'm 70 years old and I have seen every TV star trek more than once and of course all the movies more than once. My understanding was that many years ago they were not going to make any more Star Trek's for TV. I was so thrill that they are making another one and I have it in my computer so not to forget because my memory isn't what it use to be. There is no way I'm missing this one on Sunday unless I'm dead. I figure I should be OK because it's only less than 3 days away.
Hello - New Member Here!
I grew up on TOS in the 70's and have been an avid Star Trek watcher ever since. I even grew up to become a space scientist, which I think has to have been partially influenced by Star Trek. Anyway, joined on here to partake in Discovery discussions.
I grew up on TOS in the 70's and have been an avid Star Trek watcher ever since. I even grew up to become a space scientist, which I think has to have been partially influenced by Star Trek. Anyway, joined on here to partake in Discovery discussions.
I'm a long time trek fan. I watched reruns of TOS in my childhood. Watched every series and movies since then.
I think only Enterprise I watched after the fact but basically because of being too busy in life.
I have gone to one convention in my life. Shatner was the guest. I never dressed up as anything though. Had fun though.
I watch hockey. Love the player name Shattenkirk. Can't imagine why you can't like like that name
.
Never really got involved in any forums or social media on trek. Let's see if I can give this any time.
Pleasure to meet you all virtually.
I think only Enterprise I watched after the fact but basically because of being too busy in life.
I have gone to one convention in my life. Shatner was the guest. I never dressed up as anything though. Had fun though
.I watch hockey. Love the player name Shattenkirk. Can't imagine why you can't like like that name
.Never really got involved in any forums or social media on trek. Let's see if I can give this any time
.Pleasure to meet you all virtually.
Guess I better say hi,
I eased back on the ST when Voyager ended, caught the rebooted films and started watching Ent. for the first time at the start of the year.
Went to destination ST in the UK (Birmingham) earlier this year and felt at home even though it was my first real con. That familiarity and star trek "mentality" has reignited my comfort in the community and slowly I'm starting to open my heart again to a series and fandom i've missed terribly. Just got back from ST the exhibition in blackpool yesterday - had so much fun.
/ends rant sorry didn't mean to get sappy.
Greetings all. =/\=
I eased back on the ST when Voyager ended, caught the rebooted films and started watching Ent. for the first time at the start of the year.
Went to destination ST in the UK (Birmingham) earlier this year and felt at home even though it was my first real con. That familiarity and star trek "mentality" has reignited my comfort in the community and slowly I'm starting to open my heart again to a series and fandom i've missed terribly. Just got back from ST the exhibition in blackpool yesterday - had so much fun.
/ends rant sorry didn't mean to get sappy.
Greetings all. =/\=
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