Dear all (especially those enrolled in the SmithsonianX’s online course “Star Trek: Inspiring Culture and Technology”, on edX.org),
In this post I will try to answer the following question related to unit 2 of this interesting course:
- Which pilot best addresses the contemporary societal issues from when it was produced while taking the most advantage of the television format on which it was shown? Rank the episodes you watch in numerical order where 1 is the episode that best answers the question prompt.
Before answering it I will write my impressions about how each pilot episode was most socially and culturally relevant at the time it was aired.
- “The Cage” from the Star Trek: The Original Series
In this very fascinating episode, the crew of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) follow a distress signal to distant planet Talos IV. However, when they get to the planet they discover that the supposed survivors that emitted the distress signal were nothing more than just illusions created by the Talosians (telepathic aliens) the inhabitants of the planet, for the single purpose of capturing a human mate (in this case the USS Enterprise Captain Christopher Pike!) to repopulate their ravaged planet as breeding stock for a race of slaves.
Captain Christopher Pike facing a Talosian!
This pilot episode was produced between 1964 and 1965, but it was aired only in 1988! It was supposed to be the first series episode to be broadcast by NBC (National Broadcasting Company) in 1966, but it was rejected by being “too cerebral”, “too intellectual”, and “too slow” with “not enough action”! Therefore, it becomes difficult at least for me, to discuss if this episode was really culturally and socially relevant to 1966. Probably not, due to the most conservative way of thinking at that time. On the other hand, I’m sure that it was relevant in 1988 since the world was much more open-minded in terms of new cultures (civilizations) and sociability.
- “Where No Man Has Gone Before” from the Star Trek: The Original Series
In this interesting episode, with the purpose to investigate what happened to the SS Valiant (NCC-S1104), an Earth spaceship that was found after 200 years, the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) attempts to cross the galaxy. However, it encounters a strange barrier which damages the ship’s systems and warp drive, forcing a retreat. At the same time, nine crew members are killed and other two crew members, Gary Mitchell and Elizabeth Dehner, develop “Godlike” psychic powers which threaten the safety of the Enterprise!
Crew members Gary Mitchel and Elizabeth Dehner
With the cancellation of broadcasting of the original pilot episode “The Cage”, this episode became de facto the “official” pilot episode from the Star Trek: The Original Series. It was produced in 1965 and it was aired on September 22nd, 1966. In my opinion, it had some relevancy in terms of sociability at that time because it was an enjoyable episode to a family watch together after dinner and also culturally because the expression “where no man has gone before” implies the search for the unknown, in other words, different cultures! 😉
- “Encounter at Far Point” from the Star Trek: The Next Generation
In this very interesting pilot episode, the U.S.S. Enterprise (NCC-1701-D), on its first voyage, encounters Q, an omnipotent extra-dimensional being, who challenges Humanity as a primitive species. Captain Jean-Luc Picard and his crew try to slow down Q‘challenge and at the same time to solve the enigma of the Farpoint planetary station, inhabited by the Bandi, on the planet Deneb IV.
Captain Jean-Luc Picard being disturbed by Q!
Almost two decades later, at last, a new Star Trek TV series was produced for broadcasting syndication where this episode pilot was aired for the first time on September 28th, 1987. Personally I think that it had some significant relevance related to the contemporary societal issues from the end of the 80’s, such as an increase in the number of women in key positions. For instance, the new crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) has important positions being occupied by women: Commander Deanna Troi, Chief of Security Tasha Yar, and Doctor Beverly Crusher.
- “Emissary” from Star Trek: Deep Space 9
In this pilot episode, Commander Benjamin Sisko and a new crew of Starfleet and Bajoran officers take command of an abandoned space station, called Deep Space 9 (a former Cardassian mining station) and make an incredible discovery that will change: a stable wormhole leading from the Alpha Quadrant to the Gamma Quadrant. However, the main plot of this episode revolves around Commander Benjamin Sisko‘s emotional conflict with his past (his wife was killed three years ago) and how it can affect his future as station commander.
Commander Benjamin Sisko at uneasy with the presence of Captain Jean-Luc Picard
It was originally aired on January 03rd, 1993 and even being an pilot episode with almost no action and more philosophical and reflective, it was quite interesting since this Star Trek series was the first one that was based on a space station instead of a spaceship. I haven’t found here a strong connection in terms of social and cultural relevance with the beginning of 90’s, except the fact that it was the first time the highest rank position in the interstellar fleet was held by a person of color (in this case, a black one).
- “Caretaker” from Star Trek: Voyager
In this pilot episode for a new Star Trek series the USS Voyager (NCC-74656) is swept away to the Delta Quadrant more than 70,000 light-years from home, by an incredibly powerful being known as the “Caretaker” while searching for a missing Maquis ship with a Starfleet spy aboard. The “Caretaker” is a name given to the Nacene entity who assumed responsibility for protecting the Ocampa (a species that lived on the planet Ocampa). Some also called him “Banjo Man”, since he communicated with crew members from the USS Voyager through an illusion in the form of an elderly human playing a banjo.. 😉
The Caretaker at his disguised environment…
This pilot episode related to a new Star Trek spaceship, the USS Voyager (NCC-74656), was aired for the first time on January 16th, 1995. I have found here a strong link in terms of social and cultural relevance with the middle of 90’s. For instance, there was a significant increase in the cultural diversity of the crew since the Operations Officer aboard the USS Voyager was Ensign Harry S. L. Kim, an Asian male. In addition, I think it was the first time that appeared a black Vulcan, Tuvok, (as the Tactical Officer and Chief of Security) on the screen! It’s also worthwhile to mention that, for the first time ever, a woman was assigned to the most important rank position inside a spaceship , i.e, Captain Kathryn Janeway. 🙂
- “Broken Bow” from Star Trek: Enterprise
In this pilot episode after nine decades has passed following Zefram Cochrane‘s visionary warp drive system in space and the First Contact that followed, the human race has been slowly guided by the Vulcans toward developing the Warp Five engine. Then, at last, Earth finally launches its first spaceship of exploration, the Enterprise NX-01. Commanded by Captain Jonathan Archer, and against the objections of the Vulcans, it departs on an urgent mission to return an injured Klingon to Qo’noS, the Klingon homeworld!
Humans and Volcanoes watching a speech by Zefram Cochrane
This episode was originally aired on September 26th, 2001 and despite of the horrible terror attacks that happened in US two weeks earlier, it had a very good audience around the country. On my point of view I haven’t found a strong relevance to the social and cultural events that marked the beginning of this century. On the contrary, our world was starting to divide between “us and them” after the terror attacks that happened on September 09th, 2001, but on the other hand, this specific episode shows the attempt to live peacefully with alien races, despite enormous cultural differences..
- “The Vulcan Hello” from Star Trek: Discovery
This pilot episode is set roughly a decade before the events of the original Star Trek series and shows the beginnings of the Federation–Klingon cold war. The “Vulcan Hello” was a term used by Commander Michael Burnham to describe how the Vulcans dealt with their encounters with Klingons in the aftermath of a fatal clash near H’atoria in 2016, which led to the destruction of a Vulcan ship. Following that fateful event, and because “Vulcans never made the same mistake twice,” any future contact made with the Klingons was answered with immediate weapon’s fire as a sign of strength and respect. 😉
First Officer Michael Burnham and Captain Philippa Georgiou of the USS Shenzhou (NCC-1227) in a relatively primitive planet
This very interesting pilot episode was aired on a special occasion by CBS (Columbia Broadcast System) by the first time on September 24th, 2017. However, later it was released only on the streaming service CBS All Access (along with the second episode, and the rest of the series in subsequent weeks). Maybe because it’s still recent I cannot see any relevant link to the current social and cultural events of out time..
Therefore, based on my assumptions above I rank the pilot episodes for each Star Trek TV series in a descending order where 1 is the best episode that addressed the contemporary societal issues from when it was produced:
- “Encounter at Far Point” from Star Trek: The Next Generation
- “Caretaker” from Star Trek: Voyager
- “Where No Man Has Gone Before” from Star Trek: The Original Series
- “Emissary” Star Trek: from Deep Space 9
- “The Vulcan Hello” from Star Trek: Discovery
- “The Cage” from Star Trek: The Original Series
That’s it! I really hope you’ve enjoyed reading this starlog. 😉
See you on next month! 🙂
The Star Trek canon
