10 Star Trek Episodes That Hit Different Now
They may have been innocuous at the time, but how have these episodes of Star Trek aged?
When writing anything, from script to prose, it's impossible to know how an audience will react as the years go on. Unless a writer has the ability to see into the future, every word that they pen will be a product of their time. Sometimes, this can set up a story for another writer to pick up as the years go on.
When you look at a franchise that's run as long as Star Trek has, there are always going to be episodes that will either age better than others or suddenly find themselves to be way more important than anyone may have suspected at the time. That random little moment the writer threw in to fill some time? Yep, that's just become one of the most important threads in the history of that character. Weave lightly, friend. Weave lightly.
Then there are episodes that may not have been revisited in the actual franchise but have become far more important, or problematic, all on their own, as time has continued to march on. There are examples here of slightly prophetic storytelling, along with examples of how time has come to view them differently.
10. Star Trek: Generations
Star Trek: Generations is a film that keeps getting better with age. As the first Next Generation film, it mostly succeeds in establishing that crew in the movie universe. While Nimoy and Kelley's absence is felt in that opening scene, the entire section aboard the Enterprise-B is still a heart-pounding way to start the film.
There are several parts of the film that hit a little differently now. The death of Robert and Renee was devastating at the time, knowing as we did that Picard didn't have any children, nor was he likely to at that stage. However, the introduction of Jack Crusher has given this plot a little more hope that hadn't been there before. So, still a tragedy, but not quite the all-encompassing one originally thought.
The crash of the Enterprise-D saucer section is one of the most spectacular parts of the film. The flames on the front of the hull, the sheer level of destruction, and the assurance in Picard's log that it cannot be salvaged spelled doom for the noble ship. Then, along comes Star Trek: Picard and those doors to Hanger 12. The emotions that come to the surface when the recovered saucer section, now with an added star drive section from the USS Syracuse, are hard to describe. As an audience, we watched her die. As an audience, we watched her come to life again.
Finally, the death of James T. Kirk has been given its own addendum, as the legend's body is stored at Daystrom Station, as part of Project Phoenix. Death truly does mean nothing in the Star Trek universe.