Star Trek II - IV: The Spock Trilogy - 10 Things You Never Knew

The Spock Trilogy of films stand out today as some of the purest and most entertaining stories in Star Trek history and arguably are the reason that the franchise has survived as long as it had. They came from a cancelled TV show and a big budget film that would not see critical acclaim. They were, technically, never meant to exist if all that had come before was to be believed.

Thanks primarily to writer/director Nicholas Meyer, producer Harve Bennett and Leonard Nimoy himself, these films saved Star Trek, giving it a new lease of life in the '80s. From the popularity of these films, the Next Generation was commissioned and the good will generated by them ensured that the franchise didn't die with the Final Frontier.

They allowed older actors to take on powerful roles. The aging Kirk and Spock were by no means young men, nor was Patrick Stewart in taking on the role of Picard and the most recent entry to the franchise further gives credence to the fact that older, more experienced actors/characters can carry a story.

They were also a marvel of technical effects. The Mutara Nebula turns up again in the Next Generation, as does the shot of Spacedock. The explosion of the Enterprise is re-used in the Voyage Home and the reveal of the Enterprise A is a joy inducing moment. These are among the strongest entries in the franchise, showing the Original Series crew at their very best - a timely revisit, almost the exact same amount of time that it has taken Star Trek Picard to revisit the Next Generation.