Live long and prosper

by chuckofish

I have to admit I watched a couple of episodes of the original Star Trek with William Shatner the other night. It’s the 60th anniversary of the franchise you know–1966-2026! That’s hard to wrap my mind around, I have to tell ya. Sixty years.

You can even get a commemorative coin!

Yesterday was the actual anniversary of its first airing. I was in the fifth grade and my brother was in the tenth grade in 1966 and we watched it every week. My sister was only in the second grade but she may have watched it too.

We thought the show was hokey back then and I still do to a certain extent. The sets were cheesy and the costumes and wigs and makeup were terrible. But my opinion of William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk has actually improved over the years. I now recognize that he was quite handsome and darn appealing on the show. So for a further blast from the past, I may watch a few more episodes.

FYI: In 1967, Ricardo Montalban starred as Khan Noonien Singh, Captain Kirk’s foe in the “Space Seed” episode of “Star Trek.” His scene-stealing performance as a villain inspired the team to bring him back for the 1982 Star Trek movie that was named after his character: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Since Montalban is the TCM Star of the Month in September, they are showing Star Trek II on September 28–so mark your calendar! “From hell’s heart I stab at thee; for hate’s sake I spit my last breath at thee.”

Anyway, time barrels on per usual.