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To The Journey: Looking Back at Star Trek: Voyager

To The Journey: Looking Back at Star Trek: Voyager is an upcoming production from David Zappone 's 455 Films [1] and Le Big Boss Productions (Canada) [2] set to examine what made Star Trek: Voyager special twenty-five years after the series premiere, through new interviews with the cast and crew. The documentary conception came about because of the success of Zappone's prior Star Trek: Deep Space Nine documentary, What We Left Behind . [3] The title references a toast given in the series finale, VOY : " Endgame ".

The working title had previously been A Long Way Home: The Star Trek Voyager Documentary . [4] By March 2021, the film was being reported as yet untitled. [5]

On 19 July 2024, it was reported that the now titled documentary was nearing completion, and that its Paramount Theater premiere was expected to take place in early November that year. [6]

Fundraising campaign [ ]

Production launched an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign on 1 March 2021 , raising more than $450,000 in the first twenty-four hours. [7] By 15 March 2021 , the campaign had become the most successful Indiegogo documentary campaign ever, reaching more than US$740,000. On March 28, the campaign funding reached and exceeded the one million dollars mark, [8] The Indiegogo concluded three days later, on 31 March 2021 , having collected US$1,260,245 from 11,728 backers, almost double the US$630,000 raised by What We Left Behind , and broke the record as the all-time most successful documentary crowdfunding (a title previously held by Who the F*@% is Frank Zappa (Save the Vault, Tell the Story) , at US$1,126,036.) [9] [10]

Features made possible by having reached various fundraising goals include additional 3D graphics and animations, filming a November 2021 cast reunion in London, expanding the film from 60 to 90+ minutes, composition of an original score for the film, and licensing the original title music from Jerry Goldsmith . [11]

External links [ ]

• VoyagerDocumentary.com – official website
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• The Voyager Documentary at X (formerly Twitter)
• 2021 David Zappone interview at TrekMovie.com
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'Star Trek: Voyager's' triumphant creation stars in crowdfunded documentary 'To the Journey'

Engage this new teaser for the upcoming doc project "To the Journey: Looking Back at Star Trek: Voyager."

These are grand times to be a "Star Trek" fan, as the rising tide of new "Trek" TV series, classic show anniversaries, concept art books, tie-in novels, video games and comics set in the Starfleet sphere are all contributing to a blossoming renaissance of interest.

Riding that surging swell is an upcoming documentary on the making of one of the most popular "Star Trek: The Next Generation" spinoffs, "Star Trek: Voyager." 

A new teaser video for "To the Journey: Looking Back at Star Trek: Voyager" was recently released to give followers of the pioneering series a hint of what's to come. The show, which ran from 1995 to 2001 on UPN, lasted for 172 episodes over seven seasons and depicted the USS Voyager's endeavors while traversing the galaxy's remote Delta Quadrant. 

You can check out our Star Trek streaming guide to see where to watch "Star Trek: Voyager" and any other Trek series that may catch your fancy. That includes " Star Trek: Discovery, " " Star T rek: Picard " and a preview for the May 5 release of " Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. "

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"Voyager" represented milestones in "Star Trek" lore as it became the first series to feature a female commander, with Kate Mulgrew 's solid performance as Capt. Kathryn Janeway , as well as the only Asian male co-starring as a series regular at the time, with Garrett Wang (Ensign Kim). The new making-of retrospective highlights that "Voyager's" unique cast chemistry remains intact after 20 years.

Packed with fresh interview snippets with cast members Wang, Robert Duncan McNeill, Robert Beltran, Ethan Phillips, Tim Russ, Robert Picardo and Kate Mulgrew, in addition to "Voyager" executive producers Jeri Taylor and Rick Berman, this project's preview promises a definitive exploration of how this successful spinoff was created and has endured.

"To the Journey: Looking Back at Star Trek: Voyager" has been years in the making, as producer/director David Zappone first announced back in early 2020 that shooting would start aboard Star Trek: The Cruise. The COVID-19 pandemic put a swift but temporary halt to those plans, and filming picked up in late 2020. 

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A crowdfunding effort provided more momentum in March 2021, when the campaign blasted through its goal of $150,000 less than a day after it launched, eventually collecting over $1.3 million — the most money ever pledged for a crowdfunded documentary.

"To the Journey" is currently moving into the final stages of production, and the documentary is slated to start appearing at fan events and on streaming services, and will become available for purchase in late 2022.

For more "Voyager" goodness, dive into our guide to the best episodes of Star Trek: Voyager !

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Jeff Spry is an award-winning screenwriter and veteran freelance journalist covering TV, movies, video games, books, and comics. His work has appeared at SYFY Wire, Inverse, Collider, Bleeding Cool and elsewhere. Jeff lives in beautiful Bend, Oregon amid the ponderosa pines, classic muscle cars, a crypt of collector horror comics, and two loyal English Setters.

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'Star Trek: Voyager' cast spills all the tea in new documentary trailer

From Kate Mulgrew to Garrett Wang, cast members reveal behind-the-scenes secrets of this iconic  Trek  series.

Credit: CBS via Getty Images

Star Trek: Voyager  is getting the documentary treatment and, if the first trailer for  To the Journey   is any indication, fans will be getting a very candid peek behind the curtain of the classic  Trek  series. 

The extended trailer made its debut on TrekMovie.com this week, with nearly seven minutes of cast and crew interviews that provide a glimpse into the creative struggles and Hollywood headaches that surrounded Voyager 's seven-season run from January 1995 to May 2001. Captain Janeway herself, Kate Mulgrew , offers a blunt recollection of her early days in the role, acting on set under the judgmental eyes of Paramount and then-UPN TV brass following the infamous departure of the show's original Janeway, French actor Geneviève Bujold.

Garrett Wong, who played Ensign Harry Kim, reveals that he was "the only Asian male series regular" on television at the time. Of any TV show. (And TV still has a long way to go to bridge that representation gap).

Other highlights include: Executive producers Jeri Taylor, Brannon Braga, and Rick Berman discussing the origins of the show and actor Robert Beltran, who played a member of the terrorist group the Maquis before becoming Janeway's first officer, shares insights into when former cast mate Jennifer Lien (who played Kes) was fired from the show. 

To the Journey is set for release later in 2022. Watch the trailer below. 

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TREKCORE: What stage is the Voyager documentary at now, with your first interviews coming just before pandemic lockdowns started happening throughout the world — and what are your current priorities for the project?

ZAPPONE: We didn’t stop totally during COVID. I have to say we also couldn’t have done it without Garrett Wang (Harry Kim). Garrett has been such a supporter, and helped us with the launch immensely, as you’ve probably seen on social media and in our pitch video, and Tim Russ (Tuvok) and Robbie McNeill (Tom Paris), and Ethan Phillips (Neelix), Alice Krige (Borg Queen), everyone, and let’s not forget Connor! That’s actually my favorite part of the– [laughs] Just when Connor Trinneer ( Enterprise’s Trip Tucker). pops up.

We filmed a very extensive interview during COVID with Garrett — in person, because I do not want to resort to Zoom for this production — and we were able to get a very extensive interview with Robbie McNeil before he left for directing work in Canada. Others too, like Brannon Braga and Andre Bormanis.

I did not want to stop totally during the pandemic, and lose our momentum. We have done some interviews but now it’s akin to Deep Space Nine. We went into the crowdfunding with a good amount of it under our belt but this allows us to now do this right.

We are now looking at studios, we are hopefully going to be able to build a set to film in-person interviews like we did with What We Left Behind . Our priority now is really logistics, figuring out where to shoot.

The difference here is this cast is a bit spread out over the country. We might need multiple stages. I intend to do what we did with What We Left Behind . I’m not going to limit it to just the actors.

We’re about to interview series co-creator and showrunner Jeri Taylor; as many people know she hasn’t contributed to anything like this in a long time, but we’re going to be traveling to her and interviewing her in person. Rick Berman has already said yes.

We intend to go hopefully as deep into the production side and the writing side, as we did in What We Left Behind .

TREKCORE: You’re still early in to the ‘story’ development for the film, but do you have particular parts of Voyager’s history that you’re already eager to dive into — like Mulgrew’s turn as the first lead-role female captain?

ZAPPONE: Absolutely. Yes, you hit it right there. It’s the influence of these incredibly strong women on that show. Of course, it’s primarily Kate, but it’s Roxann Dawson (Torres), Jeri Ryan, and I would argue for Jennifer Lien (Kes) in the early seasons. Yes, the impact of how that changed television, and how that led to this whole revolution in STEM for women. That’s an avenue that we’re going to be exploring.

The other thing that’s interesting to me is the fact that the show was on a network it helped launch — UPN — I want to delve into that and the pressures that the producers were feeling… but I’m hoping to get the Paramount-side point of view as well.

But it’s really is up to the people that were involved — and where those stories take us — that will determine our role. I never go into these documentaries with a roadmap. We have an idea of the questions that we want to ask, but really, it’s going to depend on where the interviews take us.

TREKCORE: Several of us have been speculating wildly about the million-dollar “never-before-seen Voyager surprise” teased on the Indieogogo campaign… any hints?

ZAPPONE: I wish I could get into detail, but I really can’t.

From the Deep Space Nine film, I learned that this kind of project can’t just be talking heads; you can’t just cut from interview to interview to interview to interview to episode clip. We need something more than that, and for  What We Left Behind , the “DS9 Season 8 Writers’ Room” segment gave us that.

For Voyager , the truth is, we’re not sure yet exactly what kind of ‘surprise’ we are going to do — because we don’t own Star Trek . I will say, though, that we’re hoping to do something with the actors themselves, which will take a lot of negotiation and approval.

We have very high aspirations!

TREKCORE: What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learned about Voyager from the work you’ve done so far for the documentary?

ZAPPONE: Well, certainly, I’d heard what everybody else heard which is, “Oh, Voyager was not that great.” “The cast doesn’t get along.” I heard all these rumors. I was a fan from the jump, from 1995. I was in. I didn’t believe any of that. I knew the show was quality. There’s so much crossover between the creative from Deep Space Nine , Next Generation , Voyager , it’s the same group.

But also, being told by some people, “Well, there’s not a strong enough fan base for Voyager .” That’s the biggest surprise — and wow, did they underestimate the passion of these fans!

Let me just touch on the Star Trek Cruise . I can’t tell you how fortunate we are to have been on that last year — it was the only physical reunion that the Voyager cast had, since everything else was cancelled by the pandemic. More than that, the company that runs the Star Trek cruise let us use their Broadway-quality theater that they have on the ship.

The days on that ship were some of the longest days I’ve ever had in production. We were working 18 hour days, and happily. We just invited fans to come in and just tell us about what Voyager meant to you. That’s where I realized that  Voyager fandom really runs deem — and it’s got a lot of younger people in it, too

It’s not just people my age who watched it the first time around, it’s garnered an entire fandom, just like Deep Space Nine , an entirely new fan base from streaming. I think the episodic nature of Voyager lends to that. Yes, the metric that I’ve heard and everybody’s heard is that I think six out of the top 10 streamed Star Trek episodes on Netflix are Voyager . Now I get it.

TREKCORE: Will the film touch on the “continuing voyages” of the  Voyager crew — like Jeri Ryan coming back for Picard and Kate Mulgrew returning for Prodigy ?

ZAPPONE: Oh, absolutely — I can’t imagine that we would not cover that. I’m not going to limit it and just stop at “Endgame,” because the story doesn’t stop there. I mean did you see that terrific animated Janeway in the First Contact Day panels?

And what is she holding? That iconic coffee cup, which is proven to be one of our most popular Indiegogo perks — the demand for that coffee cup replica was one of the biggest surprises of the fundraiser.

I wish I could take credit for that — but that came from Paul Camuso who runs the William Shatner store . He said to me, “You know, Dave, I know the company that made that coffee mug they used in  Voyager , and we can get them recreated. People will want that mug!”

I’m blown away by the success of it.

TREKCORE: I’ve got to ask about your plans to remaster Voyager footage into high definition. Will you be using the same methods as you did for the DS9 documentary, assuming you get the green-light from CBS?

ZAPPONE: We’ve discussed everything with CBS and I can’t imagine that they’re going to have a problem with letting us move forward; they were thrilled with how well our DS9 remastering work turned out. We have so much DS9 footage, you wouldn’t believe how many hours we scanned.

That said, CBS Digital — the company that we used for the DS9 remastering, who also did the work for the  Next Generation Blu-ray project — no longer has their enormous scanning machines to scan the film, so now we need to find a new company and a new way to do this.

That part of the process is very difficult.

TREKCORE: We know that CBS doesn’t have easy access to a lot of the original Voyager CGI effects shots, because they didn’t have a preservation method in place.

ZAPPONE: No, and you you’d have a tough time finding computers to even run those. Those are all ancient computers at this point.

TREKCORE: Given that Voyager relied more heavily on CGI than Deep Space Nine did, is that going to make it more challenging to include some of the show’s effects sequences, like that high-def “Sacrifice of Angels” clip?

ZAPPONE: I don’t think so. Because we’re going to use the same brilliant effects people that we use on What We Left Behind . We have access to a lot of those original files through Ben Robinson, who runs the Star Trek Starships Collection for HeroCollector.

Plus, we’ve got people like Dan Curry, Mike and Denise Okuda… everybody is helping us. We’re going back to the original people that worked on the show to help us recreate these sequences.

I don’t think it’ll be any more difficult — at least I hope not.

TREKCORE: So with all that said, what’s the timeline look like for the project, from now to a world premiere?

ZAPPONE: Well, I’ve been kind of careful in my predictions, only because of COVID and what it’s done. I’m speaking to you from from Paramount Studios which for three months was closed down and we couldn’t access its facilities.

I was informed three hours before it was shut down last year, meaning our editor had to rush over here, grab all the computers, hard drives, and everything else, and get out — and if we hadn’t done that, we would have gone for months without anything to work with, even our footage from the cruise.

I’m very optimistic, now that vaccines are rolling out and things are opening up; I mean, things are looking pretty good here in Los Angeles. As long as we continue on this course, I’m hopeful for fall-winter of 2022.

TREKCORE: Finally, with all you’ve worked on in your previous projects, and this  Voyager one… have you thought at all about turning your attention to  Star Trek: Enterprise ?

ZAPPONE: You know, I could be evasive, and give you some kind of cheeky answer — but of course, I would love to tell the story of Enterprise . Absolutely I would.

I’ve become very close with those actors. It didn’t go the seven years the other shows went, but they did amazing work in that series. I would be remiss, I think, in stopping here.

Yes, my intention is 100% to move on to Enterprise .

For more of this discussion with the film’s director/producer David Zappone, be sure to listen to the extended interview on this special edition of WeeklyTrek.

We’ll keep bringing you all the latest news on  To the Journey: Looking Back at Star Trek: Voyager as we move closer to the film’s release!

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STAR TREK: VOYAGER Cast Reminisce in Documentary Teaser

Star Trek: Voyager might not have ever had the same amount of attention as The Next Generation received. But it also ran for seven seasons, and was groundbreaking in its own way. And not just for having Star Trek’s first female captain with their own series. Although that was indeed a milestone. There remains a sizeable fanbases for the adventures of Captain Janeway and her lost crew. Especially once the show found new life on streaming.

Now, via Gizmodo , we’ve learned that the crew behind the excellent Deep Space Nine documentary What We Left Behind have locked their scanners to Voyager. In production now is To The Journey , which chronicles the difficulties and triumphs of seven years lost in the Delta Quadrant. And they’ve released a six-minute teaser to give fans an idea of what to expect, which you can watch above.

From the looks of that clip, it seems most of the main cast reunited for this documentary. Of course, we’ve got Captain Janeway herself, Kate Mulgrew. But it also features Tim Russ , Garrett Wang, Robert Beltran, Robert Duncan McNeill, Ethan Phillips, and Robert Picardo. We still don’t know if  Roxann Dawson , Jeniffer Lien, or Jeri Ryan were involved at all. But as they haven’t finished filming the documentary yet, hope springs eternal. Roxann Dawson is a prominent television director these days, and of course, Ryan is currently playing Seven of Nine again on Star Trek: Picard .

Voyager had as many wild behind-the-scenes antics as any other Trek series. Maybe even more. Their original Janeway, French actress Geneviève Bujold, was replaced with Mulgrew while the pilot was still filming. The addition of Seven of Nine (and the show’s sudden lopsided focus on her) also created a lot of drama. And then TNG and DS9 writer/producer Ronald D. Moore came aboard in season six, but left abruptly when he realized the freedom he had on the other Treks would not happen on Voyager , which had to carry a whole network on its shoulders. We imagine one or all of these things will receive attention.

For more information on To The Journey , head on over the film’s official website .

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The Star Trek: Voyager Documentary Named "To The Journey"

Star Trek: Voyager has a crowdfunded record-breaking documentary which now has an official title:...

Published: Mar 24, 2021, 5:00 pm Updated: Oct 20, 2021, 3:50 am

Star Trek: Voyager has a crowdfunded record-breaking documentary which now has an official title: To the Journey: Looking Back at Star Trek: Voyager and it will be like the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine documentary that is titled What We Left Behind: Looking Back at Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .

The title has a reference to the series finale of the show. Star Trek: Voyager originally aired from 1995 to 2001 which is the fifth series of Star Trek . The Earth is then set in the 24 th century and is part of the United Federation of Planets. The Starfleet of USS Voyager attempts to return back home after the crew got stranded in the Delta Quadrant located at the far side of the Milky Way.

The episode begins with the flash-forward of the Voyager crew returning home and finally having their own reunion as Reginald Barclay calls for a toast to their successful journey home with the words "To the Journey."

The campaign was funded by fans and viewers and will be released in a few days. It has earned more or less $860,000 and is considered to be the most-funded documentary campaign in the history of Indiegogo. Still, the team behind the documentary is set with the perspective to becoming the most successful crowdfunded documentary ever and considering this regardless of the platform for release.

They are targeting $900,000 or more for a successful remaster of all the footage which will be used for the documentary. The producer and co-director of the documentary are David Zappone.

Related: Star Trek Actor Creates First AI Version That Can Interact With People Even After He's Gone

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Pulled to the far side of the galaxy, where the Federation is seventy-five years away at maximum warp speed, a Starfleet ship must cooperate with Maquis rebels to find a way home. Pulled to the far side of the galaxy, where the Federation is seventy-five years away at maximum warp speed, a Starfleet ship must cooperate with Maquis rebels to find a way home. Pulled to the far side of the galaxy, where the Federation is seventy-five years away at maximum warp speed, a Starfleet ship must cooperate with Maquis rebels to find a way home.

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• Goofs There is speculation that the way the Ocampa are shown to have offspring is an impossible situation, as a species where the female can only have offspring at one event in her life would half in population every generation, even if every single member had offspring. While Ocampa females can only become pregnant once in their lifetime, if was never stated how many children could be born at one time. Kes mentions having an uncle, implying that multiple births from one pregnancy are possible.

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Every Star Trek TV Theme Song Ranked: From TOS and TNG to Discovery and Beyond

Star Trek has some of the best music in television history. And here's how the greatest themes stack up with one another.

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“Space… the Final Frontier.” Those words have a certain sound to them, and not just because you hear the voice of William Shatner or Patrick Stewart saying them. They have a sound to them because they’re associated with music, specifically some of the most iconic themes in television history.

Even more so than the cold opens that accompany most episodes of Star Trek , the themes need to capture the franchise’s sense of wonder, optimism, and discovery. They need to evoke in the mind of the watcher an endless horizon just waiting for a Starfleet crew to find.

Every Star Trek TV theme achieves this goal, albeit some better than others. So here’s our ranking of every theme song from the most pedestrian to the most inspiring.

11. Star Trek: The Animated Series

It’s so much easier to admire Star Trek: The Animated Series than it is to enjoy it. As much as the show manages to evoke the spirit and feel part of the Original Series on a cheap TV animation budget, one has to look past a lot of clunkiness to get to the good stuff.

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The same is true of the new theme music by Filmation composer Ray Ellis, under the pseudonym Yvette Blais and Jeff Michael. At times, the TAS theme captures the sense of wonder found in the Original Series theme. But too often it’s thin and tinny, hampered by flat orchestration and poorly-recorded horns. The composition itself isn’t too bad, but it feels quintessentially 1970s, dated in a way the best themes do not. Instead of boldly going, The Animated Series theme keeps things stuck in the world of Filmation.

10. Star Trek: Picard

Star Trek: Picard wanted to move the main character away from the respected captain we knew from The Next Generation . This was an older, more contemplative man, living in disgrace from even the organization through which he built his legend. The Picard theme by Jeff Russo reflects those intentions, a soft, almost discordant piece of music that eschews the stirring confidence of the other themes.

Russo works in elements of previous Star Trek music, namely the march of the TNG theme and the tune from “The Inner Light.” But no part connects with the other, feeling like a series of fragments more than a complete whole. Although one appreciates the daring in Russo’s composition for Picard , it’s much less enjoyable than most of the other themes. A good idea in theory, but not in execution, like much of Picard itself.

9. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

So much of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is about making something new with the familiar. Spun off from the very different Discovery , Strange New Worlds puts viewers back on the Enterprise , filled with familiar characters, including Uhura, Spock, and James T. Kirk himself. The theme by Jeff Russo tries to do the same, right down to the traditional spoken word intro, this time delivered by Anson Mount as Captain Pike.

Except, unlike the rest of SNW , the theme feels like a retread of glory days instead of a new interpretation of classic ideas. The song isn’t bad, combining the marching cadence of the TOS theme with the wistful hope of the modern themes. It’s a pleasing composition, but also unsurprising. It sounds more like an update of the classic Trek theme, which isn’t bad, but is a bit underwhelming.

8. Star Trek: Lower Decks

Almost every complaint lodged against the theme for Strange New Worlds also applies to Star Trek: Lower Decks . Although far more irreverent, Lower Decks goes back to a fan-favorite point in time, during the 1990s series, and its theme reflects that setting. Chris Westlake, who worked with showrunner Mike McMahan on Solar Opposites , emulates the tone of ’90s Trek shows, especially TNG .

The propulsive tune has the sense of adventure that one wants for a good Trek theme, threaded with notes of wonder and whimsey. Some might complain that the tune doesn’t indicate the show’s comedic elements, but that’s part of the Lower Decks charm. The show pokes loving fun at Star Trek , coming from a place of deep knowledge and respect for the franchise, which the theme song reflects.

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7. Star Trek: Discovery

The farther we get from the show’s first few seasons, the easier it is to see Star Trek: Discovery as the experimental, off-beat franchise entry that it is. That experimental aspect is reflected in the way the theme song from composer Jeff Russo integrates elements of the classic TOS theme, but then moves in its own direction.

Instead of just launching forward, the theme holds back. A bed of soft bass holds the theme together, giving space for playful strings. But the theme plays out in loosely connected pieces, never really coming together, even when it returns to notes of the TOS theme at the end. All of these elements signal an evolving series, one that has no one single identity—fitting for Discovery .

6. Star Trek: The Original Series

Alright, let’s just get this out of the way. The theme to Star Trek: The Original Series is iconic. There’s a reason that so many modern Trek themes quote the original. That said, there’s a reason that these themes only quote the start, the tinkling chimes that accompany the “Final Frontier” speech or the confident strings that follow.

No one quotes the rest of the theme, and there’s a reason for that. While the melody itself is pleasing and fits the exploration ideas of the show, nothing else in the song from Alexander Courage works. The vocals are cheesy and irritating, the bongos are too busy, drawing attention from the best parts of the song. Courage’s composition deserves credit for setting the standard, but no one is upset that the themes moved on from there.

5. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Many ( including folks at Den of Geek ) put Star Trek: Deep Space Nine at the top of franchise rankings. The show’s moral complexity, its vision of different people and groups trying to come together, and its embrace of concepts such as large-scale war and religion make it hard to beat as the greatest entry in Star Trek history.

However, the theme by Dennis McCarthy doesn’t really hint at these titanic stakes—even after it was revamped in later seasons. Instead, the slow, contemplative theme evokes loneliness and even stagnation. A solo trumpet drives the theme, playing over the warm strings that rise and fall away. It makes for a beautiful work, but not one that stays in the mind like others.

4. Star Trek: Prodigy

Star Trek: Prodigy is easily the most unique of the Star Trek shows. Directed at kids with an animation style that recalls the Star Wars series on Disney+, yet still a sequel to Star Trek: Voyager , Prodigy doesn’t necessarily sound like an idea that would succeed. And yet, with its team of plucky kids and fantastic stories about established characters like Janeway, Chakotay, and Wesley Crusher , Prodigy embodies the Trek ethos better than any other current show.

That unique approach is highlighted in the show’s theme, which comes from none other than Michael Giacchino. The tune owes a debt to Voyager , unsurprisingly, but there’s also a lot of his work from the Kelvin universe movies in there, too. A warm, confident melody pushes the song forward, giving way for occasional moments of reflective calm and explosive propulsion. The song reflects the excitement of the show, in which a bunch of rowdy kids follow in the footsteps of respected travelers.

3. Star Trek: Enterprise

Yes. Really. Of course, we all recoiled in disgust the first time that we heard the lyrics “faith of the heart” greeting us to Enterprise’s premiere “Broken Bow.” Why abandon the orchestral themes that have always been part of the series? And why abandon them for a terrible adult contemporary number, one written by Diane Warren for the awful Robin Williams vehicle Patch Adams ?

But something strange happens by the time you get to episode 8. You start singing along. The radio-friendly licks and obvious hooks sink in and feel, somehow, right. And when the more up-tempo version kicks in with season three, we’re all channeling our inner Russell Watson to belt out our feelings. I guess you could say it’s a long road to loving “Where My Heart Will Take Me,” but we all get there eventually.

2. Star Trek: The Next Generation

Yes, this is a cheat. The music used in Star Trek: The Next Generation first came from Jerry Goldsmith’s score for Star Trek: The Motion Picture . But, honestly, do you associate that stirring march with Kirk in his pajamas, staring at the viewscreen? Or do you picture Jean-Luc Picard and Data and Q? Of course, it’s the latter, even if we’re watching a way-too-long sequence of the saucer section of the Enterprise-D separating.

The theme is a better fit for TNG than TMP anyway because it’s all about moving forward. Goldsmith’s composition strides forward, not even pausing for a second to second guess itself. Even when it softens for a reflective middle section, the theme keeps marching ahead, boldly going, all the way to its final triumphant flourish, keeping Trek alive for the next generation and beyond.

1. Star Trek: Voyager

Star Trek: Voyager may be the least loved among the first five series, but it has the most perfect theme of the entire franchise. Jerry Goldsmith nails it, combining the forward march of TNG with the sense of wonder from TOS and the loneliness of DS9 . This is a show about a ship lost in a distant quadrant, holding to their exploration ideals while remaining confident that they’ll get home.

Those aspects combine in the central tension of the theme, with the brass punching out its main melody and soft strings rising up, adding hints of sadness. Throughout the song come occasional chimes, highlighting the hopeful moments in Voyager ‘s journey, while never forgetting the danger and sadness in their plight. It’s everything wonderful about Star Trek , all presented in one minute and 40 seconds.

Joe George | @jageorgeii

Joe George’s writing has appeared at Slate, Polygon, Tor.com, and elsewhere!

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‘To The Journey’ Wraps Up Campaign As Most Successful Crowdfunded Documentary In History

| April 1, 2021 | By: Anthony Pascale 30 comments so far

At midnight on March 31st, the one-month-long campaign for the Star Trek: Voyager documentary wrapped up its crowdfunding campaign with a whopping total of $1,260,245. This sets a new record for documentary crowdfunding.

Breaking the record… with a little help from some friends

The campaign for the Voyager documentary almost doubled the one for What We Left Behind , the Deep Space Nine doc from the same team, which brought in around $630,000 in 2017. Over the month of March, To the Journey was supported by a total of 11,728 backers, with the last 1,700 coming in the final two days of the campaign. They were spurred on with a little help from Star Trek celebrities: Voyager star Kate Mulgrew tag-teamed with DS9 star Nana Visitor to get the word out.

Thank you so much, Nana! You heard the Major, only one day left! https://t.co/Tjhwh53yvy — Kate Mulgrew (@TheKateMulgrew) March 30, 2021

The previous record for a crowdfunding documentary was $1,126,036 for the Frank Zappa doc Who the F*@% is Frank Zappa (Save the Vault, Tell the Story) , produced and directed by Alex Winter (of Bill and Ted fame). And as the Voyager doc approached the number one spot, Winter actually joined in to push it over, offering his support on Twitter.

I'm in! Help make it happen for The Star Trek Voyager Documentary https://t.co/ohuDGkpPaU #indiegogo via @indiegogo — Alex Winter (@Winter) March 28, 2021

Producer thanks the fans… and TrekMovie readers

TrekMovie has given T o the Journey and its campaign extensive coverage, including our revealing interview with producer and co-director David Zappone last week. And this morning Zappone sent over a message for the fans expressing his appreciation for all the support:

“The entire “ To The Journey ” Voyager Documentary Team wishes to thank the amazing fans of Star Trek.  When we first went into planning for this documentary we were hampered by Covid and the pandemic shut us down just as we started filming in what was supposed to be the 25th Anniversary of Voyager’s Premiere.  In bringing forward this crowdfunding to 2021 our expectations were all over the place as to how well we would do in a world still recovering from shutdowns and work stoppage.  We knew we could probably get a documentary made that would make the fans happy but never did we even dare to dream we would end up as the number one crowdfunded documentary in history.  We promise that we will create the absolute best documentary for Voyager.  I also want to thank  TrekMovie.com for all of the wonderful support they have given to us during the crowdfunding and to continuing to work with them going forward.”

Now comes the hard part

As noted in that TrekMovie interview, To the Journey has a lot of work to do. The campaign expanded the scope of the documentary with ten stretch goals that include increasing the runtime to 90 minutes and remastering footage from Voyager in HD. They are now focused on continuing production with more interviews, including follow-ups. The team is also planning on filming the Voyager reunion at October’s Destination Star Trek convention in London.

How to keep in touch and support the doc

The 455 Films team will continue to send updates through their supporters’ newsletter and provide updates on the Indiegogo campaign page and via social media. They plan to share videos and photos during the production process to give fans a taste of what’s to come.

There are also still some perks available on the Indigogo page , including the opportunity to reserve a copy of the Blu-ray/DVD combo pack or digital release.

Visit the official site at voyagerdocumentary.com , or follow VOY Documentary on  Twitter ,  Instagram , and  Facebook .

Find more news and analysis for Star Trek documentaries .

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Congrats to the producers and the VOY-Team. This is very nice, although, I wish the DS9-Doc would have gotten this attention and more covert advertising by the new-Trek-producers. Are they afraid everyone could see that DS9 is actually better than everything they have produced so far?… Just thinking.

What a sad comment.

begone troll

Does everything has to be a contest?? My god, it’s just a documentary, it doesn’t mean one show is ‘better’ than the other and DS9 is my favorite show. I think we should just be happy that Star Trek proves yet again how loyal and dedicated the fanbase can be when they truly want something to happen. Stop making every little thing into a nerd fight. DS9 got a great documentary, hopefully so will Voyager.

But ds9 was a better show.

That’s a valid opinion, but there’s no need to slam another Star Trek show using the comparison.

Sorry but Voy will always come up short next to ds9.

Again, what does ANY of that have to do with this documentary??? Second time I’ve asked this. I find it interesting you skipped my post.

So are you suggesting DS9 is the only one that deserves a documentary in your view because you think it’s the best? Some people have too much time on their hands.

Which has literally nothing to do with this documentary or fans of this show. I swear even though I been a Star Trek fan most of my life, I don’t understand how most of them think. It’s not a competition or race. DS9 already had it’s documentary, so why does it even matter?? Can other shows not have things because they simply aren’t perceived as good as that show? What is even the argument? Good grief.

No, DS9 is not ‘better’ then Star Trek today, and Voyager is not in a competition with DS9 in any way; everyone behind the scenes and in front of the camera celebrates both, so should you.

Oh yell yes, DS9 was a far better show than the current crop. In terms of storytelling for certain. New shows may look nicer (to an extent), but *nothing* in Discovery can hold a candle to some of Trek’s best episodes of TNG or DS9.

It’s not about competition. It’s about the overall fact, that DS9 was simply a better show. Not just for it’s time, but still. Only negative with it today, is not being remastered in HD.

He’s not wrong.

No, your opinions are still not facts. Discovery, Picard, and Voyager are amazing shows and not in any way lesser to DS9.

Wow that is something. Although it’s a little sus that 1700 came in the last two days. Is that number more like 1701?

Just kidding. I hope this is not an April Fool’s joke. This looks really cool.

Voyager, while not perfect, is a great show. Looking forward to the doc.

I forgot to check back late. My bad….. :-(

It’s almost embarrassing how much Trekkies love Star Trek!

Congrats to those involved in the fundraising for such an accomplishment. Even though Voyager is probably my least favorite series, I’m still looking forward to the documentary.

I have to love Alex Winter for this. Cant wait for him to support the Enterprise doc -> “Volle Kanne, Hoschi!”

Well, we all know “Bunt ist das Leben und granatenstark“ XD

lol. Excellent. I want this as the title for the Enterprise doc.

Halt… Was ist für ein Mist, den ich da sehe?

I wonder how much of the the KM vs. JR controversy it’ll cover, if any.

I wonder if they’ve rounded up The Rock. And Joel Grey.

I am lifelong Trek fan, and I watch everything Trek, but Voyager is my least favorite one. It had such promise, but they just played it save and never let the show breath and find it’s own way. Time and time again they let opportunities for great storytelling just fade away. They establishes Seska as a formidable opponent and built up a great rivalry between her and Janeway and then they abruptly killed her off. They introduced Neelix and Kes as this alien couple and then always made them seem more like brother and sister. They built up a big deal over the Doctor’s name only to whiff. They never let the show embrace the changes of time being away on the ship and their lives. I can go on and on. But probably the biggest blunder of all was sticking to the old series finale trope. If there ever was a show that needed to show something about what happened after, it was Voyager. Producers with confidence in their audience ( Battlestar Galactica/DS9) would have had Voyager get home a couple episodes Before the finale and shown us what we all wanted to know such as; how was a reclaimed borg received? and what about the Maquis members? Did they have to stand trial? So many missed opportunities.

So happy to see this! Voyager was never my favorite show, but I honestly always loved it, even with its flaws. It actually went from my number 5 show for probably the least decade to my number 3 show in the last few years. I’ve gotten to appreciate it more over the last few years as I started rewatching a lot of it. Yes, it still had major problems, but every show did (or does) at some point. I just always loved Janeway herself and just love the total exploration vibe the show had. It truly felt like Star Trek on every level even if the execution could’ve been stronger.

I’m so happy for the voyager doc team. Voyager was my first contact with star trek. I watched the pilot on UPN when it first aired. It was a childhood favorite.

Happy they are getting the documentary treatment, but man I don’t get all the love, it really wasn’t that good of a show. What a horrendous ending.

Obviously most people disagree with you, hence it being the most re0-watched ‘Trek on Netflix. It was lightyears ahead of Picard and Disco.

Didn’t love the ending either but loved the show as a whole. And I finally decided to just see how the show is rated on some of the various review sites and Voyager is actually pretty good.

Rotten Tomatoes: 77%/ 76% audience score IMDB: 7.8/10 Metacritic: 66. That is on the low side but that’s based on only 10 critic reviews. TNG is rated at 51 with just 8 critic reviews. But the Voyager audience score is 8.2/10.

These are all above average scores. NOT amazing, but clearly respectful reviews. Voyager is a very popular show. Not as high as TNG or TOS, but a pretty solid show and much higher than all the new shows so far, certainly the audience scores.

I can’t wait to see this, finally some proper Star Trek.

Screen Rant

Star trek: chief o'brien's "redemption" arc also turns him into a franchise bad-ass.

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Star Trek's Greatest Bromance Is Finally Returning

I’m glad voyager’s tom and b’elanna are no longer star trek's only successful romance, is star trek’s scotty really a miracle worker how uss enterprise’s engineer got his famous nickname.

Warning: contains spoilers for Star Trek: Defiant #18!

Chief O’Brien has embarked on a “redemption” journey in the Star Trek universe, and it has also made him a franchise badass. Chief O’Brien’s character arc was one of the franchise’s most compelling. O’Brien is one of Starfleet’s best engineers, and he has made his grand return to the franchise in the pages of Star Trek: Defiant. In issue 18, he embarks on a new mission, changing him forever.

In a first look at September Star Trek: Defiant #19, one of the franchise's greatest bromances, between Bashir and O'Brien, is set to return.

Star Trek: Defiant #18 is written by Christopher Cantwell and drawn by Angel Unzueta. On Earth, Chief O’Brien is preparing to head back into deep space. Doctor Bashir alerts O’Brien to Worf’s dilemma, and the Chief decides to help. O’Brien heads to the Defiant’s last known location in the Delta Triangle. He finds the ship adrift and under attack from Kzinti raiders. O’Brien manages to quietly beam aboard the ship, and when he is discovered, he takes out all six of the Kzinti single-handedly.

With the Defiant at his control, O’Brien sets course for the Delta Quadrant.

Chief O'Brien's Star Trek Character Arc, Explained

O'brien has been forced to confront his legacy.

Chief O’Brien, played by Colm Meaney, was perhaps one of the best developed characters in the Star Trek franchise, and his progression is a joy to watch. Fans first met O’Brien in the pilot episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation . His minor role in that episode impressed fans and the producers, and O’Brien was soon back as a recurring character. O’Brien would later transfer to Deep Space Nine as Chief of Engineering. Deep Space Nine’s final episode brought O’Brien’s story to a close, as he headed to a teaching position at Starfleet Academy.

When O'Brien debuted in "Encounter at Farpoint," he was wearing red, meaning he was in the command division. He would transfer to engineering later.

Yet recently, in the pages of IDW’s Star Trek comics, O’Brien has been forced to contend with his legacy, especially during the Dominion War. In a previous issue of Defiant, O’Brien learned he was viewed in some sectors as a war criminal. During the War, O’Brien helped develop self-replicating mines. These mines were crucial to the Federation’s victory, but after the War they were used by the Romulans, the Cardassians and maybe even Section 31 to kill innocent people. O’Brien was aghast at the accusations, but it forced him to do some soul-searching.

Chief O'Brien's Starfleet Service Has Been Marked By Loss and Tragedy

"suffering o'brien" is a star trek meme.

Chief O’Brien is no stranger to trauma, and it has been a constant companion to his Starfleet service. As revealed in the fourth season Next Generation episode “The Wounded,” O’Brien was active during a war with the Cardassians in the early 2360s. O’Brien was forced to kill Cardassian soldiers, which haunted him for many years. O’Brien was prejudiced against Cardassians after that, and it was not until his time on Deep Space Nine that he finally worked through this trauma. Yet as seen in Defiant #17, some resentment towards the Cardassians still lingers.

Several episodes of the show featured O’Brien being captured and tortured, to the point where it became something of a dark joke among fans.

While O’Brien was able to largely process his feelings while on Deep Space Nine , his time on the station further compounded his mental health. Several episodes of the show featured O’Brien being captured and tortured, to the point where it became something of a dark joke among fans. In the fourth season Deep Space Nine episode “Hard Time,” O’Brien suffered his worst indignity: he was imprisoned and forced to live in a simulated prison for what he thought was 20 years. This episode is held up as a prime example of the “suffering O’Brien” meme.

Chief O'Brien is Getting His Star Trek Groove Back

Chief o'brien's journey of redemption makes him a badass.

Given Chief O’Brien’s extensive history of beatings and torture, it is not hard to see why he took a job teaching on Earth. Yet when faced with the next generation of Starfleet officers, O’Brien learned he did not enjoy a good reputation in parts of the galaxy. O’Brien tried to argue that he was not responsible for what happened with the mines post-Dominion War, but further soul-searching made him realize he was out of touch. O’Brien has leaped back into action, going into space for the first time since leaving Deep Space Nine .

Chief O’Brien’s new Star Trek arc has had an unintended, but welcome effect: turning him into a legit badass. O’Brien’s engineering prowess is well documented, and it is on display in Defiant #18. However, the issue also shows O’Brien’s tactical and fighting skills. He manages to run the Kzinti off the Defiant , despite the odds being stacked against him. Star Trek fans knew Chief O’Brien was one of the franchise’s greatest characters, and now his new mission has transformed him into a badass.

Star Trek: Defiant #18 is on sale now from IDW Publishing!

Celebrating Star Trek Day

By Bek 8 September 2024

Every year on September 8th, Star Trek Day is celebrated by fans around the globe. It’s a day to honor the sci-fi series that has transcended time, generations, and cultures since its debut in 1966. Whether you’re a long-time Trekkie or someone new to the galaxy, Star Trek Day is a reminder of the vast impact this franchise has had on pop culture, technology, and our vision of the future.

But why September 8th? This date marks the anniversary of the first episode of Star Trek: The Original Series airing on NBC in 1966. “ The Man Trap ,” the first televised episode, introduced viewers to a universe that would soon become an enduring cultural phenomenon.

A Legacy of Hope

What sets Star Trek apart from many other sci-fi franchises is its optimistic vision of the future. In a world often rife with tension and division, Star Trek has always presented a future where humanity has united to explore space for the betterment of all species. Gene Roddenberry, the creator of Star Trek, envisioned a utopian future where racial, gender, and cultural divisions had been overcome, setting the stage for the crew of the USS Enterprise to explore strange new worlds, seek out new life and new civilizations.

The themes of diversity, inclusion, and exploration are central to the franchise. With characters like Captain James T. Kirk , the cool and brave leader; Spock , the half-Vulcan, half-human who embodies the struggle between logic and emotion; and Uhura , a groundbreaking character portrayed by Nichelle Nichols, Star Trek has always pushed the boundaries of representation.

The Influence on Science and Technology

One of the most remarkable aspects of Star Trek is how it has inspired real-world science and technology. Many innovations we use today were once merely science fiction ideas on the show. For example:

• Communicators in the original series have often been compared to early flip phones.
• Tablets and touch-screen technology, common on Star Trek: The Next Generation, are now everyday tools.
• The tricorder , a portable device used by Starfleet to scan and diagnose, has inspired modern medical devices.

The message surrounding technology is clear: the future is ours to create, and technology can serve as a tool for positive progress.

A Franchise That Continues to Grow

With each new iteration of the series, from The Next Generation to Deep Space Nine , Voyager , and now Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: Picard , the franchise has kept pace with societal changes while maintaining its core values. It has never shied away from addressing complex social issues like war, peace, the ethics of artificial intelligence, or the environment.

Who could forget the ethical struggles faced by Captain Picard or the spiritual journey of Sisko in Deep Space Nine ? Even today, the series continue to challenge viewers to think critically about the direction of our own civilization.

Star Trek Day: A Celebration of Hope

At its core, Star Trek Day is a celebration of hope — the hope that humanity will grow, unite, and reach for the stars. The vision of the future presented by Star Trek is one where curiosity and cooperation can overcome the challenges of today.

So, whether you’re boldly watching Star Trek for the first time or you’re revisiting the classic adventures of the USS Enterprise, take a moment on September 8th to reflect on how Star Trek has inspired countless individuals to dream of a better future, one filled with exploration, innovation, and unity.

The Star Trek Team

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Published Sep 9, 2024

A 58-Year Trek Into The Stars

A retrospective on how generations of fans have found Star Trek.

StarTrek.com

On November 4, 1995, my mother went into labor in between a Chicago Bulls game and the airing of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 's 77th episode, " Starship Down ." Just a standard Trek adventure — the U.S.S. Defiant gets attacked by a Jem'Hadar ship and all the characters go through a variety of turmoils to try to survive. Solid enough premise, but if I had arrived just seven days earlier, I could've been born during the absolutely iconic " Rejoined ." Now, that would've been one hell of a way to enter the world.

Throughout my life, Star Trek has followed me every step of the way. I'd stumble into random episodes with my Trekkie father if I flopped down on the couch with him after school. Or, I'd rummage around my parents' closet and end up playing with a figurine Data in an interactive Enterprise shuttle — just like Polly Pockets, but with lasers. Even when I wasn't yet a Trekkie myself, Star Trek has always been there. But, Trek finally wormed its way into my heart when I was 13. On a boring summer day, I ended up in the basement looking for something to do.

"Encounter at Farpoint, Part II'

Normally I went for the bookshelves — that's where my mother hid her scandalous romance novels. But for some reason, be it the sun and moon sharing the sky that day or how I'd recently reorganized my room for maximum window-side stargazing, I found myself drawn to my father's ceiling-high collection of every single Star Trek: The Next Generation episode on VHS. Looking at the silver gloss on the box, decorated with stars and a cast of characters in cheesy '80s costume uniforms, I whimsically decided I was going to watch every single one.

First, I did the math. If I watched two episodes a day, I could finish the whole collection before school started. As a chronic overachiever, I found it very normal to think, why not have a several-months-long summer project? And so, that evening I began my Trek journey with " Encounter at Farpoint ."

For 89 days, I watched two episodes every 24 hours — entertainment during lazy lunches, as background noise for writing afternoons, or the impetus for the perfect late night ice cream sesh. And when it was rainy, I committed to my crew and my full day with the TNG cast, cuddled in my favorite blanket. A pre-streaming binge, one might say. And when there were no VHS tapes left to watch, I even snuck into my parents' room, took my dad's special DVD Borg collection — the first Star Trek: Fan Collective from 2006 — and enjoyed all 14 episodes across Enterprise , TNG, and Voyager .

But I didn't stop there. I watched DS9 and VOY as a teen. Caught myself up on The Original Series and ENT in college. Then, when I was an adult with adult money, I got myself a Paramount+ account and delighted in Discovery , Picard , Lower Decks , Prodigy , and Strange New Worlds every week they aired. Trek has become an integral part of my life. And I'm not the only one. Not even close.

For the past 58 years, the Star Trek franchise has become an unimaginable influence and inspiration across media and fandom culture. From The Animated Series to the Kelvinverse , fanfiction to cosplay, Star Trek has spent decades sneaking itself into people's consciousness in the strangest and most sentimental ways. While the show hasn't always been on the air , Star Trek and its fans have made their mark .

Star Trek cast, Gene Roddenberry, and NASA administrators stand before prototype of the Enterprise shuttle, named due to a fan letter-writing campaign, in 1976.

In 1966, Star Trek started as one man's hopeful vision of science fiction and adventure . A hard sell of a show that required multiple pilots to get off the ground, Star Trek wasn't a network darling. In fact, the only reason it lasted as long as it did was because of the extreme dedication from the fans. They even, when fearing its cancellation in 1967, wrote and sent NBC over 100,000 letters about the show . Despite Star Trek not being the most popular program during its original release, those early Trekkies were — and are — persistent crowdfunding kickstarters and dedicated convention goers and fanfiction writers. They are iconic, culturally significant, and have spent decades supporting their favorite franchise.

Let's talk about the modern era of Trek . While Trekkies can argue to their heart's content whether the Abrams films or Enterprise or Discovery were "good Trek," every single one of those movies and series helped bring Star Trek into the new millennia. Grew the fandom to be bigger and better than it already was. There are tens of thousands of new, young Trekkies who started with Into Darkness or Lower Decks and then went back to watch all the other series. Teens are on Tumblr talking about Spirk right now , just like the original fans were writing zines about "The Premise" in the 60s . Star Trek has managed to be a staple of the 60s, the 80s, the 90s, the 2000s, the 2010s, and the 2020s, capturing the hearts of both new and old fans on such a massive, multi-generational scale unlike most any other franchise before it.

Star Trek: Lower Decks cast Jerry O'Connell, Noël Wells, Jack Quaid, and Tawny Newsome stand in front of a packed audience of Star Trek fans at Star Trek: Mission Chicago, 2022

And it's not just newbies, either. The spread of Star Trek shows throughout the decade — and especially the mass boom of Trek media this millennia — has sparked a Trek renaissance which has inspired older fans to return to the fandom of their youth. Sometimes it's a 60-year old superfan watching the latest episodes of Prodigy . Other times, all these new cockamamie shows send old Trekkies climbing down into their basements to grab their old tapes and watch their favorites from "the golden days." Whether you love it or hate it, modern Trek has been an inspiration to all.

Fittingly, just as science and technology define the Star Trek franchise, the evolution of the internet has grown the Star Trek community exponentially. Once, Trekkies had to stumble upon one another. Write letters to each other across the country. Coordinate for months to meet each other at Bjo Trimble's WorldCon Futuristic Fashion Show . Now, fans connect on Tumblr, Tiktok, Twitter, Reddit. There's Federation fanfiction writing groups on AO3 and Discord servers for gay Trekkies. This multi-generational saga of Trek has led to so many podcasts, video essays, fan sites, and communities all inspired by each person's unique Star Trek journey.

Alex Kurtzman, the creative lead and executive producer for all modern Star Trek series, has his own franchise-changing story with Trek . While he wasn't a Trekkie to begin with, working on 2009's Star Trek led him to doing tons of research on the franchise and becoming an avid fan. His work on the film franchise spurred him to work with Paramount to create six completely new Star Trek shows in eight years — doubling the amount Trek series that fans got for the first 40 years of the franchise's existence. And while he's had such a lasting impact on Trek , he's not the only big name who counts himself among Trekkies . Rihanna watched Trek with her dad. Tom Hanks ran home from school to watch new episodes of TOS. Robin Williams visited Star Trek sets (TOS and VOY) whenever he could and told Neelix actor Ethan Phillips that he was his favorite character. Nicholas Cage is an avid Final Frontier fan and refuses to contemplate starring in Star Wars because "I'm on the Enterprise . That's where I roll." No matter which Trek is your favorite, no matter how you express your love for the franchise, every piece of Trek media is somebody’s beginning to their Star Trek journey. But that journey isn't what brings us together. It's the fact we all ended up in the same place, loving this universe that Gene Roddenberry created.

Star Trek Has Always Been There for Fans | First Contact Day 2023

Star Trek having generations of shows for generations of fans — 13 series and 950 episodes over nearly six decades — has created a fantastic franchise with a Trek for every Trekkie. Picard for the broody drama crowd, Prodigy for the kids, Nemesis for the masochists and the Tom Hardy fans. I myself have found great joy and acceptance in episodes like " The Measure of a Man " and "Rejoined" and " I, Borg " — the exact right stories for a bisexual little kid who felt like an alien. Some people have newly created Strange New Worlds watch parties or religiously turn on the TOS movies every holiday with their families . There's a million ways to be a Star Trek fan and a million ways to find fans just like you. That's the real magic.

Star Trek has become a cultural touchstone. It's one of the longest running franchises. The Enterprise became the namesake for the first American space shuttle orbiter. It featured one of the first interracial on-screen kisses. It gave birth to fanfiction . But Star Trek 's willingness to feature vastly different characters and even very different tones of stories is what has created such a rich and expansive community around it. And with the upcoming, more teen-focused Starfleet Academy , the continuation of the nostalgic Strange New Worlds , and the grand finale of the comedic and beloved Lower Decks , there's so more opportunities than ever for Star Trek journeys to begin.

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Stephanie Roehler (they/she/he) is a freelancer who loves to write about video games, books, movies, TV shows, comics, and especially Star Trek.