I have been having a SciFi filled couple of weeks. It started two weeks ago when my kids spent several days with me. Duncan got interested in watching Star Trek: Enterprise with me. The SciFi channel runs four episodes every Monday night. I had missed the final season because I was in Lithuania, so I have been catching up. Duncan loved the show, so I decided to show him some of the original Star Trek episodes.

Although I have all of the original episodes on VHS, they are all in storage (as were most of my belongings while we were in Lithuania — I still haven’t gotten them out). So, we went to Blockbuster. They did not have the original TV series in the store, but I got Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. My son loved it. And, because we had joined the Blockbuster on-line rental program, we get three DVDs at a time through the mail.

When the kids are not here, I am using the time to catch up on a few other series. Battlestar Galactica (the new series) came out while I was in Lithuania, so I have not seen it. I am currently in the middle of the second season, and I have to say that I am impressed. And because I never saw the original Battlestar Galactica when I was a kid, I am getting all of those episodes through the mail as well. I have made very good use of the two week free trial of Blockbuster on-line rentals.

I have also stumbled on the remastered Star Trek episodes as well. Again, this is something I missed while out of the country, but I caught my first episode tonight. It was “The Omega Glory,” where we get to hear Kirk’s very dramatic reading of the preamble to the U.S. Constitution.

For those who don’t know, Paramount has remastered all of the original Star Trek episodes. The color is better, and they have removed scratches and stains on the film. That part I think it great. What I am not so sure about is the fact that they have replaced all of the external shots of the ship and planets with computer generated models. Although I enjoy seeing new views of the Enterprise, there is something about messing with the originals that seems sacrilegious somehow.

I am pleased, though, that my son has started watching Star Trek. Watching the original episodes for the past few weeks has reminded me how truly wonderful that show was. It has also reminded me why Kirk was my hero as a boy and still is my hero now that I am an adult.

Several of the episodes I have watched so far have been ones dealing with the issue of struggle. Repeatedly, Star Trek had episodes where humans would find paradise but discover that life without any challenges is problematic.1 There is a great quote at the end of This Side of Paradise. McCoy says that this is the second time that humanity had been thrown out of Eden, and Kirk responds, “No, this time we walked out on our own.” Kirk goes on to say:

“Maybe we weren’t meant for paradise. Maybe we were meant to fight our way through. Struggle. Claw our way up, scratch for every inch of the way. Maybe we can’t stroll to the music of the lutes. We must march to the sound of drums.”

That last bit of martial imagery aside, it is an interesting idea, especially in light of the Gospel. Humanity seeks for paradise, but Jesus comes as a suffering savior. Humans crave the easy life, but Christ tells us to take up our cross and follow him. Paradise, even the paradise of salvation, comes only through suffering and struggle.


  1. The episodes I have seen lately on this topic are This Side of Paradise and Return of the Archons. [back]
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