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Spoiler shields up! This article discusses plot details from the latest episode of "Star Trek: Lower Decks."

If "Star Trek: Lower Decks" must end with its fifth and final season (which /Film's Jacob Hall reviewed here), it might as well go out swinging for the fences. That seems to have been the approach from creator/showrunner Mike McMahan and the writing team as a whole so far in this series, in all fairness, but season 5, episode 6 takes this Mo to even greater heights. Titled "Of Gods and Angles," the story sees the crew of the USS Cerritos having to don their diplomacy hats in order to mediate between two disgruntled factions of photon-based lifeforms: alien races made up of cubes and spheres, hilariously enough. Yet, as ridiculous and silly as this gets, the main plot doesn't even take the title for the nerdiest moment of the episode. No, that honor...

This post contains spoilers for the latest episode of "Star Trek: Lower Decks."

We should have known where "Star Trek: Lower Decks" season 5, episode 6, "Of Gods and Angels," was headed the second a giant green hand showed up in the opening credits. The self-referential animated sci-fi comedy series has taken the USS Cerritos crew to a lot of familiar places in the "Star Trek" universe over the past five seasons, and for their latest adventure, the show's writers decided they should boldly go back to one of the campiest episodes of the original "Star Trek" series. That's right, folks: it's time to revisit "Who Mourns For Adonais?"

"Who Mourns For Adonais?" was never going to be the most illustrious episode of "Star Trek: The Original Series," especially since it aired as the second episode of season 2, following up the series' high point, "Amok Time." In contrast to that episode's fascinating,...

Banijay Rights has teamed up with Twisted comics to turn selected Black Mirror storylines into comic books.

Black Mirror season seven is currently in the works, but Charlie Brooker’s cult series is about to leap off the screen, too.

Banijay Rights has teamed up with Twisted Comics to bring some of the series’ storylines from the screen to the page, as reported by Deadline. Twisted Comics will be creating “immersive comic books comprising iconic Black Mirror storylines” that will be available in mid-2025.

“It has long been a dream of mine to extend Black Mirror – one of my ‘hero brands’ – into comic book form. Now that dream is a reality, and I believe fans of the show will love what we are planning. Watch this space,” said Neil Gibson, the founder of Twisted Comics.

A dedicated website will go up in early 2025, and fans will be able to pre-order the books.

Imagine a world without Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock on Star Trek: The Original Series. It's hard to fathom, isn't it? Nimoy began the role back in the 1960s and continued portraying the stoic Vulcan off and on through the 2013 movie Star Trek Into Darkness. Almost fifty years is a long time to be known as one character, but according to Nimoy's widow, Susan Bay Nimoy in an exclusive interview with People, the actor knew the part was "right for him."

But Nimoy's family wasn't on board with him taking on the role with Susan saying "his family didn't want him to do it." She added that she thought "they didn't understand his attraction to it: you know, shaving the eyebrows, wearing that Spock haircut." But she knew the character was a "perfect fit" for her husband of twenty-six years.

Every actor that takes on a Star Trek role...

The next series that Star Trek has expressed interest in is the jointly-created live-action comedy from Tawny Newsome and Justin Simien. The show involves two resort workers, which some fans are speculating work on Risa, that discover their day-to-day exploits are being broadcast to an entire quadrant of the galaxy. Currently, the series has not been greenlit by Paramount, but according to Newsome, who is one of the writers, she is being told to keep writing.

In a recent interview with CinemaBlend, Newsome said that "we keep writing it, and we keep turning things in, and they keep saying, 'Please keep writing.' So, as long as they allow us to do that and they don't say, 'Stop. Close your computers and go home,' we'll continue making it."

Paramount asking for more scripts is a definite strike in the win column for the fledging series, as this makes it...

The 1994 film Star Trek: Generations showed us the final moments in the life of Captain James T. Kirk, as played by William Shatner. In the 2016 film Star Trek Beyond, we learned that Kirk’s great friend Spock, as played by Leonard Nimoy, had passed away, acknowledging the fact that Nimoy himself passed away in 2014. The newly released Star Trek short film 765874 – Unification, which was created by the VFX studio Otoy, catches up with Kirk in the afterlife in the moments after his Star Trek: Generations death and takes him on a trip through space and time so he can be reunited with Spock in the last moments of his life. It’s a sweet idea, and you can check it out in the embed above.

I am a fan of the Star Trek movies, but I have barely seen any of the TV shows, so I’m not well-versed enough...

William Shatner appears in 765874 – Unification: a quietly moving tribute to 1994’s Star Trek: Generations and the late Leonard Nimoy.

You know that late sequence in 2001: A Space Odyssey where Dave Bowman (Keir Dullea) sees different versions of himself at varying stages of his life? There’s a touch of that cosmic eeriness to 765874 – Unification, a short film released to mark the 30th anniversary of Star Trek: Generations.

That 1994 film was, of course, the last big-screen appearance from William Shatner’s James T Kirk, and the new short is a tribute to both his work throughout the franchise and those who co-starred with him, not least the great, dearly-missed Leonard Nimoy. This is an official film, too, not a fan-made piece – meaning Shatner himself appears, albeit digitally de-aged, as well as the likeness of Nimoy, with permission from his family’s estate. You’ll also find Robin Kurtis as Saavik,...

"Star Trek: Lower Decks" is about to tackle arguably the most sacred of franchise traditions ... with a twist, of course. On one hand, the general setup of two disgruntled alien factions veering precipitously close to the edge of war represents as classic an episode structure as it gets. Famed Starfleet captains such as Kirk, Picard, Janeway, Pike, and more have all had to plunge headfirst into fraught diplomatic relations between warring species and somehow find a way to deescalate tensions as amiably as possible. On the other, well, only "Lower Decks" would satirize this trope to such an absurd extent: featuring alien beings whose only real difference is that, well, one is made up of spheres and the other is made up of cubes.

Never change, "Lower Decks." Never change.

This ongoing season marks the fifth and final installment of the irreverent, yet wholesome animated series (/Film's Jacob Hall heaped...

When Denise Crosby left Star Trek: The Next Generation in the first season, Michael Dorn's character, Worf, moved into the position of the Chief of Security of the Enterprise. It was a natural progression as Worf had been working under Crosby's Lt. Tasha Yar. And Worf remained in that position throughout the entirety of the series and the continuing movies.

In 1995, Dorn joined Star Trek: Deep Space Nine for the series' fourth season. It wasn't news that was revealed to the cast beforehand. In fact, Nana Visitor, who play Major Kira, on the series, learned about Dorn's role during a fan convention. And the knowledge made her nervous because Crosby had said that "every time I was there, Worf is looking over my shoulder."

In an interview with Trekmovie, Visitor shared that she knew fans had an issue with her character so she worried that Major Kira might be on the chopping block,...

If you think the most innovative science fiction shows are found on the Syfy Channel, think again: these days, they’re more likely on Apple TV .

Over the past decade, the premium streamer has quietly amassed a library of sci-fi shows that offer new ways to explore the genre.

These shows lean on the classics but are largely shaped by how we’re experiencing life in the present moment.

(Courtesy of Apple TV )

Apple TV is definitely not the only champion of sci-fi today, but its popular shows Foundation and Silo are great examples of two new directions the genre seems to be moving in.

Hard Sci-Fi Versus Soft Sci-Fi

Just like other broad entertainment genres, sci-fi contains a ton of different subgenres depending on how nerdy you want to get. The biggest of these subcategories are hard and soft sci-fi.

A super basic “righty-tighty, leftie-loosey” shorthand way to keep...

In a thrilling update for Star Trek enthusiasts, the Roddenberry Archive has released a new short film titled “Unification,” bringing back some beloved faces from the original series.

This production, in collaboration with Otoy, continues to honor the legacy of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry.

“Unification” is not just any short film; it stands out by bringing William Shatner back to the screen as Captain Kirk. Shatner reprises his iconic role in a reflective piece about Kirk’s past experiences.

The film employs a mix of archival footage and CGI to portray a younger Kirk, a technical marvel that allows Shatner to embody the character once more, despite his age.

Interestingly, Sam Witwer steps in alongside Shatner, adding a fresh element to the portrayal of Kirk.

The narrative culminates in a poignant scene where Kirk and Spock, suffering from illness, watch a sunrise together.

The role of Spock is gracefully handled by Lawrence Selleck,...

The Frasier reboot just wrapped up its second season, although it has yet to be picked up for a third by Paramount . Dont worry, we have a feeling that the misadventures of Dr. Frasier Crane will never end, even if that means that Kelsey Grammer has to personally go door-to-door and perform one-man episodes of Frasier in every living room in America.

In some ways, the second season of Frasier 2.0 was a big improvement on the first, namely because it didn’t feel like it was desperately trying to justify its existence at every turn. But while Season Two included some of the most effortlessly Frasier-like episodes, it also gave us the most contrived attempt to recapture the magic of the original — the episode in which Frasier visits his old Kacl studio.

While that episode arguably didn’t work at all, less conspicuously nostalgic episodes, like the penultimate “Murder Most Finch,...

When it comes to sci-fi franchises that have stood the test of time, there's little that competes with Star Trek. Star Trek: The Original Series started up back in 1966, and the cast and crew are still celebrated for it all these years later.

The Roddenberry Archive, which is dedicated to preserving the memory of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, has been keeping the hype going by producing a series of short films in conjunction with Otoy. The latest short, titled "Unification," is special, since it features the return of multiple cast members from The Original Series. Watch it above!

"Unification" is an abstract, contemplative short that seems to be about Captain Kirk thinking back on his life. William Shatner, who played Kirk for years, returns for the short, although actor Sam Witwer also stands in for him. The short ends with Kirk and an ailing Spock admiring a sunrise together.

Any actors who sign a contract to appear on "Star Trek" should undergo a special kind of training that prepares them to be mobbed by Trekkies. Even actors who only appeared in minor roles are well-remembered by the franchise's many obsessives, and every single one of them will likely have to, at least a few times in their lives, weather the affection of autograph-seeking fans and trivia-ready nerds. The actors from the original "Star Trek" likely had to bear the most public scrutiny over the years, but even the stars of newer shows like "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" can draw crowds. 

Leonard Nimoy likely had to develop stock answers to any curious fans he met in public, and would have had to eventually understand that, even if he was out at a meal, or merely shopping and minding his own business, a Trekkie could walk up to him and strike up a conversation.

The latest episode of NBC’s medical drama Brilliant Minds delves into deep themes of aging, sexuality, and self-discovery. It features a remarkable guest appearance by Susan Bay Nimoy, the widow of “Star Trek” star Leonard Nimoy.

The episode follows Dr. Oliver Wolf, played by Zachary Quinto, who meets a captivating patient named June, played by Nimoy. June, an 82-year-old woman, causes conflict with her adult children due to her increased sexual activities. This plot dives into difficult subjects such as personal autonomy and aging.

Quinto personally recommended Nimoy for the part, praising her energy and commitment. “She hasn’t acted in 30 years, but she has so much to offer,” he told me. The actor sees the show as a chance to fight prejudices about elderly people and their right to live completely.

The episode also develops Wolf’s storyline, which includes a new relationship development with Josh (Teddy Sears...

The lore around Star Trek's pilot is fascinating, as the one that everyone saw originally was actually the second one filmed. The original was called The Cage and it featured a vastly different array of characters than the one that made it to air. That one is called "Where No Man Has Gone Before" and it succeeded where the original failed.

A major reason for that was the casting. We've talked before about how William Shatner didn't feature as James Kirk in the original pilot, instead having Jeffrey Hunter play Christopher Pike. A change that made the Star Trek series truly take hold in the modern zeitgeist. Yet, one of the other big additions that often gets overlooked is the casting around Shatner.

Namely, the guest stars. In this case, the performance of Gary Lockwood as Gary Mitchell. Lockwood's turn as Mitchell, a friend of Kirk who starts to...

More than 20 years later, Lindsay Lohan is getting the band back together for Freakier Friday.

In the upcoming sequel to her 2003 Disney film, which premieres Aug. 8, 2025 in theaters, Lohan’s character Anna Coleman will reunite with her high school garage band Pink Slip, which also consisted of pals Maddie (Christina Vidal) and Peg (Haley Hudson).

“Pink Slip is back together, the band. Yes!” Lohan recently told Jimmy Fallon as she appeared on The Tonight Show. The announcement comes after Vidal and Hudson were previously confirmed to reprise their roles in the sequel.

“We just finished [filming] in August,” she said. “It’s just been such a labor of love to make happen. And Jamie [Lee Curtis] and I, even at the table read, we were just smiling so big. I don’t think we were acting well, because we were so happy. But the movie’s funny, it’s really funny.

In 1994, William Shatner appeared for the last time in a Star Trek film or series, starring once again as James T. Kirk. That year was the release of Star Trek Generations, the first film featuring the crew of The Next Generation and the last film featuring the crew of the Original Series.

It was a spiritual and literal passing of the baton, with Shatner's Kirk meeting Patrick Stewart's Jean-Luc Picard just before Kirk dies for good. It was the end of Shatner's run with Star Trek, and while he's done many conventions, interviews, and documentaries for Star Trek, he's never returned in a creative sense.

That is, until now. Exactly 30 years ago, Shatner took his final bow as James Kirk, walking away from the role he made famous in his early 60s. Now, in his early 90s, Shatner is back in the seat again. Though, not in the captain's chair.

Over the past couple of years, conversation around AI has been virtually inescapable for any part of the economy, but especially in entertainment. The dual strikes of 2023 put the technology under a bright spotlight, and a series of deals in the year since labor peace was achieved offer more clues about how it is reshaping the landscape.

This month, at the historic crossroads of Hollywood and Vine, hard by the Capital Records building and the Pantages Theatre, AI talk found a home in the industry’s back yard at Infinity Festival. Unfolding just hours after the jolt of Election Day, the seventh annual edition of the fest brought together various constituencies from across entertainment and technology trying to orient themselves in a changing world.

Co-chaired by Sony Imageworks Cto Mike Ford and production chief Mandy Tankenson, the event welcomed visual effects pioneer Rob Legato; Agbo Chief Scientific Officer Dominic Hughes,...

They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but for "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" director Nicholas Meyer, having another movie pay direct homage to his work was more irritating than flattering. In an interview with Midnight's Edge in 2018, Meyer revealed that he had some pretty complicated feelings about the 2013 J.J. Abrams film "Star Trek Into Darkness," which took more than a little inspiration from "The Wrath of Khan." Despite a marketing campaign that tried to hide the fact that Benedict Cumberbatch was playing a version of Khan Noonien Singh, the genetically-enhanced tyrant previously portrayed by Ricardo Montalbán, audiences soon realized that "Into Darkness" is almost an explicit riff on "The Wrath of Khan" right down to its tragic ending, albeit with a bit of a twist.

"Into Darkness" is the second "Star Trek" film set in the Kelvin timeline, which split from the original series...

In honor of the 30th anniversary of Star Trek: Generations, the movie in which Star Trek: The Original Series' Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) breathed his last, Roddenberry Archive has released as short film that brings back...well....Kirk.

Yes, most of what you will see is CGI, but Shatner does provide voiceover in this magnificent eight-minute film. Executive produced by both Shatner and Susan Bay Nimoy, "Unification" also brings back Robin Curtis as Saavik and includes Sam Witwer as a young Kirk.

Using CGI as well as live-action footage, the film, created by both the Archive and their technology partner Otoy (in cooperation with Paramount), is the fourth in a line of short films released by Roddenberry Archive [via Trekmovie], but it's this one, with voiceover from Shatner himself that actually takes fans back to pivotal moments in Star Trek history. Not only do we see Kirk as we last saw him on Generations,...

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In 1953, Billy Wilder scored a critical and commercial success with his film adaptation of Donald Bevan and Edmund Trzcinski's stage play "Stalag 17" (one of his 14 best films according to /Film). Set in a World War II Pow camp behind Nazi enemy lines, the movie is a rambunctious account of how imprisoned soldiers misbehave and attempt to make their captors' lives miserable. They're also ever on the verge of hatching a new escape plan, though they wind up having a rat in their ranks who complicates their efforts.

Given that World War II was a desperately bloody affair on both the European and Pacific fronts as the Allies fought to save civilization from the clutches of genocidal vermin, you might not think it appropriate for artists to find humor anywhere within the conflict. But the ability to laugh when...

When it comes to Star Wars authors, it makes sense to start at the very beginning. Alan Dean Foster has been contributing to the Star Wars universe since the 1970s, helping to expand the universe in its earliest days.

Here are 5 facts about Star Wars author Alan Dean Foster that you may not know. 

1. He wrote the very first Star Wars book

Alan Dean Foster is known as the first person to ever contribute to the Star Wars expanded universe, writing the Star Wars novel Splinter of the Mind's Eye. The book was published just a year after the original Star Wars was released. This is the first book to expand the story of Star Wars beyond the movies, but it technically isn't the first book. The official novelization of Star Wars had already been released, making Splinter of the Mind's Eye the second Star Wars book ever published. The...

Idw’s new comic book title “Star Trek: Lower Decks”, now available, adapts the animated “Star Trek” spoof TV series, written by Ryan North and illustrated by Philip Murphy, with a main cover by Derek Charm:

“…the crew have beamed off the mysterious ‘USS Bonaventure’ and onto an equally mysterious surface of an unknown world, significantly raising the statistical likelihood of death and injury.

“Finally, the crew is up to their necks in adventure. There's the senior staff's safety to confirm, a weird planet to escape, and an alien race that wishes to learn more about mentorship... through a battle royale!

‘’Jadzia Dax’, ‘Montgomery Scott’, ‘Kathyrn Janeway’, ‘T'Pol’, and ‘Jean-Luc Picard’ are the mentors and the ‘Lower Deckers’ are the mentees. May the best student live…”

Click the images to enlarge…...

Star Trek: Lower Decks dropped the fifth episode of their final season this past week. The episode, entitled "Starbase 80?!" focuses on the often-mentioned, but never-seen starbase of the same name. It's the episode that finally brings us to the long-told starbase and with it, a series of interesting callbacks and references.

Lower Decks may over-rely on callbacks and mentions to previous series and films of Star Trek but it is fun to try and find all the little references. So this week, we opted to point out our three favorite references or callbacks from the episode.

El Aurian

The El Aurians are one of the more mysterious aliens in the entire history of Star Trek. A sworn and mortal enemy of the Q, they were powerful enough to make the Q Continuum take notice off them but not powerful enough to handle the Borg. With them comes a laundry list...

Star Trek has the ability to bring generations together. With each new series or film, the franchise affords itself a new viewer-base, not just through marketing, but through shared experiences. So much of the Star Trek fandom is passed down from parent to child, or from one older fan to a younger one.

The franchise has been able to thrive over the years because of the shared ability to experience Star Trek with one another. The fandom has been galvanized by that concept. Yet, it's not just the fandom that benefits from the fact that the older generation passes something down to the younger generation.

Those who make the shows and films we love so much do the same thing. Starting with The Next Generation, the first in the non-William Shatner-led Star Trek properties, the previous generation has always been there to lend a hand to the newer generation.

Star Trek: Voyager did a great job of establishing some major villians during its seven-year run. Species 8472 and the Hirogens come to mind, but when you think about really scary enemies who could give Voyager a run for its money, the Kazon don't even make the top ten list.

Introduced in Voyager's pilot episode, "Caretaker," the Kazon were meant to be a formidable species with an aggressive, territorial nature. Though they tried to come across as frightening (and even managed to give Voyager some serious trouble in a few episodes), overall, they just weren't that intimidating. Sure, they brought the weapons to the battles, but, in the end, they just weren't compelling enough to be the ultimate warriors to defeat Voyager or really even stay in the battle very long. They were phased out as the series went on, though, they appeared in every season of Voyager.

Perhaps it was...

A fun piece of trivia: one of J.J. Abrams' first professional gigs was writing the music for Don Dohler's 1982 horror cheapie "Nightbeast." Dohler, as B-movie fans might know, is the creative mind behind "The Alien Factor" and "Galaxy Invader," movies that were filmed mostly in the woods. Abrams has since become one of the preeminent makers of big-budget mainstream blockbusters, so it's fun to picture him as a teen handing over tapes to a hard-working schlockmeister like Dohler.

Abrams stuck with it, though, and eventually sold a film treatment to screenwriter Paul Mazursky when he was still in college. That treatment became Arthur Hiller's 1990 comedy "Taking Care of Business" with Jim Belushi. Abrams continued to rise through the ranks of Tinseltown from there, penning the scripts for films like "Regarding Henry," "Forever Young," and, uh, "Gone Fishin'." By the early 2000s, Abrams had enough clout to launch...

To date, there have been 13 "Star Trek" feature films, with a 14th movie, "Section 31," scheduled to debut on Paramount on January 24, 2025. The films are, many Trekkies would agree, various degrees of good and bad. Some of the "Star Trek" films are among the best sci-fi movies ever made, while others are handily the worst. Many agree that Nicholas Meyer's 1982 film "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" is the best one, although J.J. Abrams' 2009 "Star Trek" is the highest-grossing. The four films based on "Star Trek: The Next Generation" -- that is: "Generations," "First Contact," "Insurrection," and "Nemesis" -- are all pretty middling, although many like the Borg action from "First Contact." My personal favorites are Robert Wise's 1979 epic "Star Trek: The Motion Picture," for its cerebral grandiosity, and Meyer's "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country" for its political bent. 

The films also fluctuate wildly in mere production quality.

Star Trek Explorer finds the best talent to create the most entertaining stories for readers, and now that the magazine is winding down, we don't have many more to look forward to. But Titan Comics has put together a book of short stories that will certainly help ease some of the disappointment. And they were kind enough to send over a small excerpt of one of the stories so you can see the quality they are so good at bringing to light.

This story is in the latest collection of short stories, "Star Trek Explorer Presents Star Trek—A Year to the Day that I Saw Myself Die—and Other Stories." This collection includes original short fiction by Walter Koenig, known for portraying Ensign Pavel Chekov on Star Trek: The Original Series and the continuing movies as well as stories by David Mack, Michael Collins, and more. And these tales cover six series: Star Trek,...

What Do We Know About the upcoming series Star Trek: Starfleet Academy? More thank you may think. The Paramount original series will be the latest edition of the Star Trek universe and the first sequel series of Star Trek Discovery. With casting announcements, rumors, and more, we know a lot of what is to come. So, let’s jump in!

The series is set in the 32nd Century.

The twelfth Star Trek series since Gene Roddenberry’s original CBS show debuted in 1966, Starfleet Academy is the sixth small screen entry in the franchise since the debut of Discovery in 2017. Overseen by franchise-runner Alex Kurtzman, the new series was co-created with Noga Landau, who created the four-season-long Nancy Drew series for The CW. In development since Kurtzman’s original deal with CBS back in 2018, the series has gone through many iterations and timelines before settling on the future setting used since Discovery’s third season.

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Gene Roddenberry's optimistic space opera "Star Trek" debuted in September 1966, and it wasn't a hit. "Star Trek," while visually striking enough to warrant stories in TV guide, struggled through its first few years, rarely bringing in the types of blockbuster numbers that NBC would have liked. Indeed, many Trekkies can tell you that "Star Trek" only lasted into its third season thanks to a concerted letter-writing campaign from fans, begging that it be kept on the air. "Star Trek" wouldn't become popular until it was in syndication in the 1970s. Reruns allowed a new audience of obsessives to discover it, and eventually, "Star Trek" conventions began to form. "Star Trek" has been a pop phenomenon ever since. 

But like any long-running pop phenomenon, sometimes the creators run low on ideas. Indeed, longtime watchers of "Star Trek" can likely point...

For a time, cartoon shows followed the same formula as comics. Each week you'd get a new adventure and for the most part, there'd be no carryover from episode to episode. In more recent years, that's changed, with storylines having long-lasting consequences that can be felt episodes if not seasons later. No longer did you have to hope for a multi-part set of episodes for a continuation of importance.

Now, cartoons were being treated similarly to other long-form storytelling mediums, and engaging in rich, impactful storytelling. This started as early as the 1990s with shows like X-Men and Spider-Man the animated series', but you could probably find older examples than them.

This is now a concept that more and more cartoons (and shows as a whole) follow. No longer confined to the weekly format of storytelling, more and more shows tell complicated and engaging narratives across multiple seasons. Star Trek: Lower Decks...

Even actors can be starstruck. James Marsters proved that when auditioning for "Star Trek," an experience he does not look back on fondly. 

Marsters was and is most famous for playing Spike, the bleach blond, leather-duster wearing vampire limey on "Buffy The Vampire Slayer." Spike was the one vampire on the show who was too popular for Buffy to slay. After debuting in season 2 as a villain, he stuck around until the end, became a hero and even love interest for Buffy, and then jumped ship for the final season of spin-off "Angel."

TV writers are nerds, and "Buffy" is the north star for a generation of them. It's no surprise that Marsters has parlayed his time as Spike into a stable career in genre TV. He played Brainiac on "Smallville," the origin of Superman retold for the "Buffy" generation. Jane Espenson, a "Buffy" writer who showran "Caprica" (a "Battlestar Galactica...

(Welcome to Tales from the Box Office, our column that examines box office miracles, disasters, and everything in between, as well as what we can learn from them.)

It almost feels like an unwritten rule that if a franchise exists for long enough, a big crossover must happen. From worlds colliding on the small screen dating back to "I Love Lucy" meeting Superman in "Lucy and Superman" to massive crossovers on the big screen in comic book movies like "The Avengers," it's a tradition in Hollywood that goes back decades. So, inevitably, after nearly 30 years spanning multiple shows and movies, the time came for "Star Trek" to boldly go where it had never gone before.

1994's "Star Trek: Generations" united the two most famous Starfleet captains to ever live; William Shatner's James T. Kirk and Patrick Stewart's Jean-Luc Picard. Despite being separated by decades, science fiction shenanigans allowed...

Tawny Newsome is hard at work writing episodes of Starfleet Academy and loving every minute of it. Newsome told the audience at a Lower Decks' Q&a panel at Creation’s St-nj Star Trek convention that it was "Iso amazing to see something that you wrote being produced on that grand scale." And speaking of grand scale, Jonathan Frakes, who was at that same convention but a different panel, though he hasn't seen the set of the new series, told the audience at a Star Trek: The Next Generation panel, that he understands "the set is the most magnificent Star Trek set yet." [via Trekmovie] That's saying a lot when you've got sets like those for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and Star Trek: Discovery.

But enough about sets. Newsome, who is obviously excited for her path on Star Trek to be moving in this new direction, called the franchise "the most buoyant franchise in the world.

Starbase 80 has been a running joke throughout the 5-season run of Star Trek: Lower Decks. Although we got our first glimpses of it in Season 3's "Trusted Sources," we finally get to visit the station in full in this Season 5 episode, "Starbase 80?!"

Episode summary

After a trip to the ocean planet Piskes IX, the crew of the Cerritos begins experiencing navigational issues. Captain Freeman confers with the navigation officers about the issue in Cetacean Ops, where we see green sparks coming out of the water and incapacitating the beluga whale officers. Without warp, the only starbase in range is Starbase 80.

Mariner—who was briefly assigned there—and Freeman—whose Alternate Universe counterpart commands it—are both apprehensive about visiting Starbase 80, but they decide they have to. When the Cerritos crew gets there, they meet with Commander Kassia Nox, who comments that the station is in need of several repairs.

Throughout the episode,...

In a thrilling update for sci-fi enthusiasts, Warner Bros. has announced plans to remake the 1956 film ‘Forbidden Planet,’ according to Deadline.

This ambitious project will see comic book writer Brian K. Vaughan, celebrated for his work on titles like ‘Saga’ and ‘Y: The Last Man,’ leading the charge with a fresh script that promises a new take on the original story.

The production will be helmed by Emma Watts, a veteran producer known for her work on major films such as ‘I, Robot’ and ‘Avatar.’ Watts’ experience with visually stunning and complex sci-fi films makes her a perfect fit for reviving this classic.

‘Forbidden Planet’ is a creative retelling of William Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest,’ set in the distant reaches of space.

The story follows Captain John J. Adams and his crew as they explore Altair IV to uncover the fate of a previous mission. They encounter Dr. Edward Morbius,...

Wherever you go, there you are. That iconic line has become a pop culture mainstay thanks to one of the strangest movies of the 80s, Buckaroo Banzai or, as it is formally titled, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension. This 1984 science fiction movie has been a cult classic for four decades and remains a fan favorite thanks to its virtually unexplainable plot. Part comedy, part action, part scifi, part martial arts, part musical, part western, part satire and part of a franchise that never came to be, Buckaroo Banzai may be the single most bizarre movie we have ever covered for this series.

A box office bomb when it was released, grossing only six million against a seventeen million dollar budget, Buckaroo Banzai holds a decent 68% rating on Rotten Tomatoes where critics sum it up succinctly as “violating every rule of storytelling and narrative structure in creating...

The Star Trek Universe is no stranger to star-power. The same franchise that helped William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy become pop-culture phenomenons also enhanced the careers of legends such as Sir Patrick Stewart and Chris Pine (in the Kelvin Timeline movies). It's also now spotlighting veterans of this generation such as Sonequa Martin-Green on Star Trek: Discovery and Anson Mount in spinoff series Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. The franchise appeals to people of all ages and one of the many (countless!) reasons for that is that it has been led by stars from different generations.

One of the biggest franchises of today is undoubtedly the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Debuting in 2008 with Iron Man, it enhanced the careers of Robert Downey Jr. Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, and Mark Ruffalo, while also launching the Hollywood careers of the likes of Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston. Oh yeah, and it...

The Live Long and Prosper Tribute Pendant that traveled to space aboard a Blue Origin rocket is officially up for auction at Propstore Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction. If you saw the recent news about the latest Star Trek collectibles' auction, you'll know that this is something fans will want to get their hands on. You can only bid on the pendant, which is being made available by Julie Nimoy and David Knight, today, November 14th.

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Llap Memorial sculpture which will honor Nimoy at the Museum of Science in Boston. Additionally, funds brought in from the auction will go towards supporting Copd research that is being conducted by Dr. John Belperio and his team at UCLA Medical Center.

How thrilled I am to honor my dad's legacy by creating awareness and raising money for Copd research.Julie Nimoy View...

We talk a lot about Star Trek beyond the scope of the series and films that the franchise makes. Though, we don't talk about it enough. Today, we're angling to make up for some of that. We've touched on toys, video games, and more, but today we're looking at a comic that was made that somehow went under the radar.

We've seen a lot of comics made, usually by Idw, over the last few years, but not a lot like this one. in this new book, you are smack dab in another adventure with the crew of the USS Cerritos, but this time, how it ends is up to you. That's right, this is a throwback to the iconic "choose your own adventure" books from the 70s and 80s.

in these books, which also came back hard in the 1990s, you pick which narrative path you want to follow, with...

Star Trek has a wide array of major names that fans flock to. Mostly, these are the captains. The types of characters that you build show around. Other times, secondary characters take over and dominate the fandom. People like Seven of Nine and Worf come to mind. Yet, while popular, these secondary characters aren't really the ones you want to build around.

Not after they've starred alongside other major names. They have their stories told, albeit not as the primary focus, but they get seen. They feel like complete characters. Yet, what about the quieter characters in the background who seem like interesting characters but we rarely get to see a lot of them?

Those are characters we'd like to see get their own shows. So which characters deserve their own shows after a season or more in the background?

Harry Kim

He had some really cool episodes in Star Trek: Voyager,...

This post contains spoilers for the latest episode of "Star Trek: Lower Decks."

"Star Trek: Lower Decks" season 5, episode 5, "Starbase 80?!," follows the U.S.S. Cerritos as it becomes stranded in space due to a mysterious navigational malfunction. With only impulse engines operational, the ship has no choice but to visit Starbase 80 for help. Starbase 80 had previously only been mentioned in hushed tones among the Cerritos' crew, as it is said to be cursed. At the very least, it's the worst place to work in all of Starfleet, even worse than the Cerritos.

When the crew arrives, they find the "Star Trek" equivalent of a long-ignored truck stop. Starbase 80's crew members wear uniforms that are two centuries out of date, while the station's diplomatic liaison, Cassia Knox (Nicole Byer), reveals that its technology hasn't been updated since the 2260s. That, Trekkies might instantly recognize, was the decade the original "Star Trek" series took place.

Although there have been many great works of science fiction throughout history, many people believe that Star Trek is the greatest sci-fi series ever. Even when there is fierce competition, the Trekkies will always manage to explain why their franchise is, without a doubt, the greatest one of them all.

Whether or not we agree with them, it is undeniable that Star Trek is a cornerstone of contemporary science fiction, and the entire franchise has pioneered the genre in more ways than one. Despite the fact that it is very, the series is still very much alive and continues to produce new works in a variety of mediums.

Among the currently airing works is the Star Trek: Lower Decks adult animated series, whose fifth and final season is currently airing. In it, the series has just introduced us to the franchise’s worst iteration of the famed Deep Space 9 station,...

This article contains spoilers for the latest episode of "Star Trek: Lower Decks."

"Star Trek: Lower Decks" has once again proven itself the most encyclopedic "Trek" show in the franchise. The animated comedy has long-since earned its reputation as the in-universe show that is most content when it's dropping a niche "Star Trek" reference, and its final season continues the trend with a trip to underfunded Starbase 80, home of a splinter Acamarian clan.

Who are the Acamarians? We'd forgive you for forgetting, since the alien species only made one "Trek" appearance before showing up on the new episode of "Lower Decks" season 5, and it was back in 1989. The group appeared in the aggressively just-okay "Star Trek: The Next Generation" episode "The Vengeance Factor," a season 3 outing that focused on negotiations between a band of rogue Acamarian raiders called The Gatherers and the group's more peaceful main faction. Chronology-wise, "Lower Decks...

Chris Pine is enjoying a night out with friends!

The 44-year-old Star Trek and Wonder Woman actor headed to the parking garage after grabbing dinner with a few friends at celeb hotspot Sushi Park on Wednesday night (November 13) in West Hollywood, Calif.

For his night out, Chris looked cool in a black and white jacket over a white shirt paired with navy pants and black velvet loafers.

Back in early October, Chris was spotted enjoying a day out in Los Angeles with his mystery girlfriend.

If you missed it, Chris was addressed the possibility of returning for the upcoming third The Princess Diaries movie that’s in the works!

Click through the gallery inside for 15 pictures of Chris Pine stepping out for dinner with his friends…...

Fans continue to wait endlessly (so it seems) for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' third season. The third entry in the hit show is scheduled for a 2025 release, with many expecting a summer-time date. Though the release of season three is up in the air, we have more and more news coming out about season four.

The show got a fourth season order despite season three still being in production due to the popularity of the series. Easily the biggest hit the franchise has had in years, if not decades, Strange New Worlds has united old and new fans alike under a new show that feels both contemporary and familiar.

That combination has gotten the show a list of awards, while also being one of the most streamed shows going today. So a fourth season is not only not shocking at all, it's a bit surprising that a season five...

There will never be a time when Star Trek fans stop collecting memorabilia. Whether they've built a home to showcase their collections or have a shelf to display their chosen few items, Trekkies dedicated to collecting all things Star Trek will continue to spend whopping amounts of money to bring home desired items. The most recent "Bid Long and Prosper" Star Trek auction from Julien's Auctions proved that quite well. [via Trekmovie]

This was a record-setting event as some Star Trek props sold for new world record prices. The highest was Captain Kirk's [William Shatner] hero phaser which sold for $910,000 after tweny-seven bids! That was definitely a record setter. Coming in secon was Kirk's communicator which brought in $780,000 after the exact same number of bids. That was estimated to sell for $100,000-$200,000!

It wouldn't be an auction without some Star Trek costumes up for bid, and Julien's didn't disappoint with William Shatner's command uniform,...

Star Trek has a history of making people suffer. In fact, if you look through series, up until Star Trek: Discovery and the Nu Era of Trek, you'll see that one character often gets it the most. Just about every series comes for one character more than any other, and in doing so, comes up with just the most twisted concoctions you can put someone through.

We're talking about the type of stuff that makes you feel existential dread just watching the episode play out. The kind of stuff that makes you just wonder how anyone can live with themselves after that type of thing happens. The moments that are so profoundly messed up, that it seems impossible to recover from.

So today, we're looking at just three of the most traumatic stories that Star Trek ever told, starting with the inspiration for the list.

Deadlock (Voyager) - This episode lives rent-free in my head.