Here’s a little quiz for you: What TV show features bad scripts, worse acting, and the cheesiest sets, props and special effects imaginable … and yet has maintained a devoted (dare I say “cultish”?) fan base for 45 years?
Hint: It boldly went “where no man has gone before.”
If you guessed “Star Trek” (the original series), you’re right.
I’m devoting a few precious brain cells and column inches to this show today because … well, you’ll see why in a moment.
The other day, my husband Joe walked into the room humming the theme song from the original “Star Trek” series. I had left him unattended with the TV remote, so it wasn’t hard for me to guess what he’d been watching.
In fact, it’s often easy to figure out what Joe’s been watching or thinking about by listening to what he’s humming or whistling. Like a musical version of one of those psychological “ink blot” tests. Very handy.
“So, you’ve been watching ‘Star Trek,’” I said.
“Yeah, I was,” he answered. “You know, I never realized how awful the writing was on that show.” (I resisted the urge to say, “Duh.”)
We then began a rather in-depth critique of the series, at the conclusion of which Joe said, “Yeah, but I love it anyway.”
I shook my head in wonder. I have not been assimilated into the “Star Trek” cult, so its appeal baffles me.
“It’s sentimental,” Joe explained. He said he watched the show as a teenage nerd … er, I mean future engineer. He said “Star Trek” was the first “good” science fiction show on television, “good” being defined, in this case, as anything more entertaining than the Indian-head test pattern TV stations used to broadcast after they went off the air at night.
I really don’t think it’s Joe’s fault that he likes “Star Trek.” Engineering types are drawn to the show like moths to the flame, or like protons to electrons … or something. In fact, one internet encyclopedia says this: “It (the original ‘Star Trek’) was, however, highly popular with science fiction fans and engineering students, despite generally low Nielsen ratings. The series later became popularin reruns and found a cult following.”
Lots of those engineering students, like my husband, are now all grown up and are still faithful fans, even though they’ve probably seen every episode at least a dozen times.
I bet most have never really stopped to assess why they like it. How very unengineer-like of them. I thought engineers were always assessing things. It’s what they do.
Even the lowest-budget sci-fi show on the air today is of higher quality than “Star Trek,” with its cardboard sets, over-the-top writing, and Capt. James T. Kirk’s obnoxiously predictable flirtations with space babes.
But millions of fans still watch it because it’s nostalgic and familiar.
After this conversation with my husband, I thought about how it’s good to occasionally stop and consider why we like what we like, and do what we do. Many diversions, like “Star Trek,” are pretty harmless, but other things we enjoy might not be so benign.
While the Bible teaches that our eternal destiny is based upon what we believe about Jesus Christ, occasionally taking inventory of our choices and habits is, nevertheless, important. The start of a new year seems like a great time to ask ourselves, “Why do I do what I do?”
After all, one day God is going to “beam us up” and ask that very question.
“So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God.” (Romans 14:12)