With the venerable show celebrating its 55th anniversary this year and Star Trek expanding faster than a ravenous Mugato’s waistline, what better time is there to delve into the history behind that legendary first series than now, and who better to steer that ship than the former editor of StarTrek.com and Starlog legend Ian Spelling and Hero Collector writer and editor Ben Robinson. Their love and affection for Trek is immediately evident; while slickly presented as all Hero Collector releases are (ongoing kudos to the design team for another slick and easy-on-the-eye book), this is a SWALK-covered love letter to Trek, taking us from the earliest days of Roddenberry’s dream project through the difficulty of making a pilot that wasn’t picked up to the joy of a second pilot – something unheard of in its day – and then success as the show goes to series.
With Strange New Worlds warping its way towards us, the book gives us a great chance to get to know the characters of the first pilot The Cage. Captain Pike, Number One, Yeoman Colt, characters who for decades were a lost chapter of missed opportunities for Trek but will soon blossom into adventures sure to endear themselves to fans old and new. In addition, we get to meet the actors behind those roles, including new interviews with Laurel Goodwin and Carey Foster and then step forward a few months as an up-and-coming Canadian actor takes a role that will soon become iconic. Then, with the arrival of William Shatner in his signature role of Captain Kirk, Roddenberry, Desilu, and NBC were off to the races. Here the book kicks into top gear, looking at the opening narration and the actor behind Kirk, fresh new interviews scattered throughout the book as we dip into key episodes and deep dive into the legendary characters of the series.
The Vulcans, the Romulans and the Klingons are given heavy focus, iconic races who became staples of the show during the original series and later its movie sequels, while the technology of the 23rd century is featured, all accompanied by fascinating artwork and images, many of which have never been seen before. You can’t talk Trek without discussing its then state-of-the-art visual effects, that instantly memorable main theme by Alexander Courage or the design of the shows star the Enterprise (yes, the USS Enterprise is the true star of Star Trek, giving us the viewer thrilling but safe passage from planet to planet every week ). All deeply interesting and beautifully written, but it’s the insight of the actors interviewed for the book that is the heartbeat of the show, their contributions thoughtfully laced through the book as they reminisce about their days aboard the Enterprise. There have been books looking at the original series’ history, and this does an admirable job of retreading old ground while making it feel fresh and vibrant, but this isn’t a guide to the original series; it’s a celebration. Viewed through that lens, this is a heartwarming success.
Star Trek: A Celebration ends with a look at the Star Trek set tour in Ticonderoga in New York, built from blueprints given to tour owner James Cawley by original series costume designer William Ware Theiss. Largely unconnected to the making of that classic series, but as clear an example of the influence Star Trek had on its own and future generations. Certainly something worth celebrating.
