Well over a year ago the kids and I began watching MacGyver, episode by episode. Early this summer we finally finished watching the entire series including two made-for-TV movies. We decided to begin a new series together and have begun watching Star Trek Enterprise, which to those unfamiliar with the premise, takes place chronologically before the events of the 1960's television program. Last week we watched the newest Star Trek film Into Darkness, which led to some questions about conflicting timelines and character roles brought about by the reboot. Since we had watched The Wrath of Khan quite a while ago, I thought that revisiting the original series, picking-up with The Search for Spock would be interesting, and answer some questions. As the end titles rolled, and the "MCMLXXXIV" copyright appeared I began to wonder about my own Star Trek experience. I definitely remember seeing Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home in the theater with my dad; I would have been about nine years old when it was released. I know that I saw The Wrath of Khan (which was Star Trek II) at a relatively early age, because the Earwigs still stir-up memories of fear. But I didn't see it in the theater during its original theatrical release because I would have only been five years old, therefore I must have seen it on VHS or during some re-release. I honestly don't know which I saw first, and I'm not sure which of the other original cast films I have ever seen. Add to that a very spotty viewing record of the original television series; I know that I haven't seen more than half the episodes, and surely they have been out of order. My grasp of the Star Trek canon is extremely limited, now that I stop and think about it. That being said, I am perfectly content with my knowledge of the subject, and I enjoy exploring new episodes and films with my children. I am intrigued by the concept that their experience is similarly jumbled as mine, yet significantly different as well. I hope that years from now they can share Star Trek with their children too -- that is if the can overcome the "nerd" stereotype as I have.
*My review of Star Trek III: The Search for Spock is simply this: Couldn't they have named it something else, allowing for some element of surprise when Spock is discovered?... oh I'm sorry, I should have said "Spoiler Alert!"
