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In the "Star Trek" episode "Miri", the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise beams down to a planet that, quite mysteriously, has the same continental layout as Earth. When Kirk (William Shatner), Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley), Spock (Leonard Nimoy), and Yeoman Rand (Grace Lee Whitney) beam down to investigate, they find a burned-out, post-apocalyptic wasteland. The only survivors are children, and Kirk will eventually learn that all the planet's adults were wiped out by a fatal virus centuries before. The virus also turned the adults mad, and they turned to badgering, hunting, and harming the planet's uninfected children. The children remember this time, and have come to see all adults as sinister and untrustworthy, calling them "grups," short for "grown-ups."

The same virus, as a side effect, also slowed the aging of the children, so they have been kids for over 300 years,...

The 1990s were a truly magical time to be a "Star Trek" fan. Not only were the films from the original series wrapping up but there were three "Star Trek" shows airing almost concurrently: "Star Trek: The Next Generation," "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," and "Star Trek: Voyager." There were some great moments for overlap between the various shows, creating a shared universe that grew richer with each new addition. Not only that, but the franchise's use of time travel has made it pretty easy for crossover between all eras, like Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) crossing paths with Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) in the somewhat audacious film "Star Trek: Generations." 

Because of this there was plenty of opportunity for stars to cameo in other shows once their own series had ended, a time-honored "Star Trek" tradition that continues to this day and has been especially embraced by "Star Trek: Lower Decks,...

The recent teaser trailer for Season 3 of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is not only exciting, but it also reminds us that Strange New Worlds is very much a prequel to the original Star Trek from 1966. With that comes a lot of overlap in characters between the two shows, with numerous Tos characters appearing in the main cast or as guest stars on Snw.

There are so many Tos characters across its 79 official episodes, however, that there is plenty of room to explore even more. While obvious untapped characters to feature might be the likes of Chekov, Sulu, or Dr. McCoy, it would be exciting to see some other characters from Tos appear. Perhaps some who have not received as much attention over the past 60 years.

Janice Rand

When Star Trek first started in 1966, Yeoman Rand (Grace Lee Whitney) was initially presented as a fairly major character. Early advertisements for...

The "Star Trek" franchise has always been pretty progressive, but for many years it could also be pretty darn difficult for the women who worked on it. Franchise creator Gene Roddenberry and some of his disciples, including "Star Trek: The Next Generation" and "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" producer Rick Berman, seemed to treat the female characters and the women that played them as eye candy and little more. Though "Star Trek: The Original Series" had only Roddenberry's wife Majel Barrett-Roddenberry as Nurse Chapel and Nichelle Nichols as Lt. Uhura, "Star Trek: The Next Generation" was set to have a little more equality, with big roles for women in counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis), Chief Medical Officer Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) and Chief Security Officer Tasha Yar (Denise Crosby). Unfortunately, by season 2, two of those women would be gone. 

In a panel at Star Trek Las Vegas in 2018 (via ScreenRant...

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In the "Star Trek" episode "The Devil in the Dark", the U.S.S. Enterprise visits a distant mining colony where the miners are being attacked and killed in the deep, subterranean tunnels by a mysterious creature. Captain Kirk (William Shatner) and Spock (Leonard Nimoy), sent to investigate, find that the creature can "burrow" through the rock using a naturally powerful acid, and that it seems to be deliberately destroying mining equipment, implying that it's intelligent. Eventually, Kirk and Spock find a mound-like animal called a horta, and Spock manages to mind-meld with it. The creature is able to burn words into a nearby rock, conforming its intelligence. 

Kirk and Spock find that the horta wasn't killing miners out of malice, but to protect the thousands of horta eggs littering the tunnels. It seems that horta go nearly extinct every so often,...

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The "Star Trek" universe is vast and complicated. Most of the "Star Trek" shows to date take place on Federation vessels or stations staffed by career officers on specific assignments. The franchise largely revolves around managerial professionalism and workplace propriety. There is respect for the chain of command, and orders are given and followed as a matter of course. Starfleet is a military organization, but with its militant strictness devoted to exploration and diplomacy rather than combat and conquest. Ships are assigned to distant areas of space where they are tasked with examining a curious pulsar or, say, to a disease-ridden world in need of medicine. The bureaucracy works in "Star Trek," and individuals go where they are needed.

As such, when a minor character appears on "Star Trek," Trekkies assume that they merely arrived on the U.S.S.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has done a lot of good for the original franchise. They've further explored characters, concepts, and opposing aliens that were made famous by the original series, thus giving those specific things and ideas more heft and weight to them. While still just a rubber suit, when James Kirk battles The Gorn commander, we're going to be well aware of what exactly is on the line.

It's the same thing for the relevance of Captain Christopher Pike and the depth of Nyota Uhura. These characters now matter more. Their characters have more weight to them. Their entire existences matter more, thanks to the tight writing in Strange New Worlds. This prequel show has helped further establish and cement a lot of original series aspects and we're hoping they can do it one more time.

With season three right around the corner, we're hoping that the new season will feature Janice Rand.

This article contains a reference to sexual assault.

Janice Rand's comeback was the best part of Star Trek: Voyager's season 3 "Flashback" episode, which also featured many other callbacks to previous Star Trek projects. The episode also featured the return of Captain Hikaru Sulu (George Takei) and his ship USS Excelsior, depicted through a flashback set during the events of Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. Sulu's return was a fun surprise, but Rand's appearance marked the exciting return of Commander Janice Rand. The commander is portrayed by actress Grace Lee Whitney, who was fired from Star Trek: The Original Series under allegedly unfair circumstances.

Rand's departure from the show after season 1 was surprising, but Whitney landed roles in future Star Trek projects. Rand returned to the franchise in the 1979 Star Trek movie as Transporter Chief of the new version of the Enterprise, and then she appeared in...

"Star Trek," as many may know, wasn't a huge hit during its initial 1966 to 1969 run. The series always struggled with low ratings, and only received a third season after a passionate letter-writing campaign kept it on the air. The third season, luckily, pushed "Star Trek" up to 76 episodes, which was just enough for syndication deals. "Star Trek" began airing in reruns in the early 1970s, and only then did the series find a wider -- and widely obsessive -- audience. Reruns allowed Trekkies to watch episodes multiple times, and develop their own theories about the Enterprise, about the show's technical devices, and about the characters' backstories. 

The first official "Star Trek" convention was held in September 1972, and show creator Gene Roddenberry began showing up at subsequent cons to discuss his show and hear from fans about what they liked. I am convinced that it was during the convention circuit years...

Gene Roddenberry captured the imagination of millions with Star Trek: The Original Series, which premiered in 1966. The series starred William Shatner in the role of Captain James T. Kirk, who led the USS Enterprise on missions across different pockets of space. It gained immense popularity for its ingenuity and social commentary.

Gene Roddenberry created Star Trek, starring William Shatner as Captain Kirk (Credit: NBC).

Despite Roddenberry incorporating certain progressive themes in the series, the creator remained adamant about one rule he had imposed on the writers. According to Shatner, Roddenberry had prevented any sort of a romantic relationship between the crew of the USS Enterprise. Thus, Roddenberry’s rule allegedly prevented Shatner from dating one of his co-stars.

William Shatner Revealed the Military Rule Gene Roddenberry Imposed on Star Trek Writers

William Shatner gained prominence for his portrayal of Captain James T. Kirk in Star Trek: The Original Series, which...

Trekkies will be able to tell you that "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry was notoriously strict when it came to his famed sci-fi series. Indeed, writers for "Star Trek: The Next Generation" have gone on record saying how much they hated the notorious Roddenberry Rule when it came to story. It seems that Roddenberry was insistent -- especially in the "Next Generation" days -- that there be no interpersonal conflict between the show's main characters. In Roddenberry's view, a Federation starship was a ruthlessly efficient place, and the crew all got along with professionalism and respect; there was to be no insubordination, no bickering, and no professional resentment. That's an idyllic view of the future, of course, but it was terrible for screenwriters who felt they needed conflict in order to create drama.

But Roddenberry stood fast, holding his rules in place for many years. When he died, executive producer...

In the "Star Trek" episode "Miri", the Enterprise happens upon a distant planet whose geography, by mysterious coincidence, appears to mirror that of Earth's. The denizens of this parallel Earth appear to be human, although the planet had been nearly wiped out by a mysterious plague. The only survivors are the planet's children; the plague seems to coincide with puberty. The children live in fear of grown-ups -- nicknamed "grups" -- because they were once targeted out of spite by the world's dying adults and, as such, are suspicious of Captain Kirk (William Shatner) and his visiting away team.

Oh yes, and the children are all incredibly long-lived on this planet. The oldest of them appears to be 12, but is, in fact, over 300. Additionally, Kirk -- in a very unsavory twist -- has to use his masculine wiles on the titular 12-year-old Miri in order to convince her that adulthood won't be so bad,...

At the beginning of Nicholas Meyer's "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country," Captain Hikaru Sulu (George Takei) is in command of the USS Excelsior, a prototype spacecraft with a newfangled transwarp drive allowing it to travel faster than any ship yet built. The Excelsior was first glimpsed in "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock," and Sulu, still serving on board the USS Enterprise at the time, stared at new the ship in utter awe. He couldn't have guessed at that moment that he would one day be its captain. 

Sulu's captaincy gave the character a satisfying arc. When audiences first saw him in the original "Star Trek," he was a helmsman bearing the rank of lieutenant. In "Star Trek VI," made 25 years later, he was finally in command. If one accepts expanded universe lore culled from ancillary books and the like, Sulu would eventually become an Admiral and...

This article contains a reference to sexual assault.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds elevates classic characters like Chapel, Uhura, and Una Chin-Riley with new backstories and relationships. Strange New Worlds could also redeem Janice Rand with a more meaningful character arc and establish her as a Star Trek heroine. Introducing Cadet Rand on Strange New Worlds could provide a fresh start, paving the way for her eventual place on the Enterprise.

Since its female characters are a testament to Star Trek's commitment to representation, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds can save a Star Trek: The Original Series character and finally portray her in a three-dimensional way. Some of Strange New Worlds' best episodes of its first two seasons involve Nurse Christine Chapel (Jess Bush), Ensign Nyota Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding), and Lt. Commander Una Chin-Riley (Rebecca Romijin), proving the prequel's dedication to elevating classic Star Trek characters. Even new characters who weren't in Tos,...

In the original "Star Trek," only three actors were credited at the start of the show: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, and DeForest Kelley. For many watching the series -- and for the actors especially -- those three were the leads, while the rest of the recurring ensemble were mere supporting players. Shatner, Nimoy, and Kelley certainly had the most screen time on "Star Trek," yet they often advocated for more. Eventually, Shatner and Nimoy became such whiny spotlight hogs that show creator Gene Roddenberry had to write an angry letter, demanding the actors stop whining and get back to work.

Trekkies, however, knew better than Shatner and Nimoy. "Star Trek" was always an ensemble piece about a core cast of multiple characters. In addition to the three "leads," the show also regularly featured chief engineer Scott/Scotty (James Doohan), communications officer Uhura (Nichelle Nichols), Ensign Chekov (Walter Koenig), Yeoman Rand...

Director J.J. Abrams' philosophy toward making his 2009 reboot of "Star Trek" likely involved a lot of uses of the words "high octane" and "kicked into overdrive." The characters in Abrams' "Star Trek" resemble the ones we all remember from the 1966 TV series, but electrified for a modern, action-hungry audience. Kirk (Chris Pine) is not just a captain who rules by instinct and occasionally snogs alien women (as William Shatner did), but a rash, skirt-chasing, destructive young punk who gets into bar brawls. Spock (Zachary Quinto) is not merely a logical scientist who, under rare circumstances, lets his human emotions slip through his stony visage (as Leonard Nimoy was), but a perpetually annoyed pill who, more regularly, is given to flights of rage and/or romance.

In the case of Sulu (John Cho), he is not merely a capable pilot with unusual hobbies, a great sense of humor, and a...

Prior to his gig on "Star Trek" in 1966, actor DeForest Kelley spent 20 years traversing the wild and hoary world of episodic television and appearing in supporting roles in little-regarded feature films. His first professional screen acting job was a one-off performance in the one-season 1947 TV series "Public Prosecutor." The series holds the distinction of being the first-ever mainstream televised series to be released on film, instead of being broadcast live, which was standard at the time.

Between that show and "Star Trek," Kelley appeared on over 80 TV shows, often just in single episodes, but sometimes returning for two or three. He also had bit roles in films like "Variety Girl," "The Men," "Taxi," and "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral," playing Morgan Earp. He was just a hardworking character actor, taking the jobs that were offered him. There is an integrity to that approach.

In 1960, Kelley appeared in an episode of "Alcoa Theater,...

Star Trek 4 is crucial for the 60th anniversary celebration in 2026 to honor the franchise's legacy with a big-screen mainstream blockbuster. Star Trek 4 is in development with new screenwriter Steve Yockey. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds offers an opportunity to honor the 60-year milestone with Kirk and Spock on the USS Enterprise.

Star Trek 4 needs to be released in 2026 to properly celebrate Star Trek's momentous 60th anniversary. Star Trek: The Original Series premiered on September 8, 1966, and the franchise is going stong going into its sixth decade. The J.J. Abrams-produced Star Trek 4 is currently in active development with new writer Steve Yockey tackling script duties. Star Trek 4 has the opportunity to honor Star Trek's 60th-anniversary milestone and continue the adventures of Captain James T. Kirk (Chris Pine), Spock (Zachary Quinto), and the beloved USS Enterprise crew in Star Trek's alternate Kelvin Timeline.

In...

In the "Star Trek" episode "The Enemy Within", Captain Kirk (William Shatner) beams up from the planet Alpha 177 covered in a mysterious magnetic dust. Unbeknownst to any of the Enterprise crew, the dust has fouled up the transporter and created a second Kirk inside its memory buffer. After Kirk leaves the room, the second Kirk materializes ... but displays an altered personality. It seems that Kirk has been bifurcated into a gentle version of himself and a cruel, aggressive version of himself. For much of "The Enemy Within," the Evil Kirk stalks around the halls of the U.S.S. Enterprise, startling the crew and accosting Yeoman Rand (Grace Lee Whitney). Gentle Kirk soon realizes that he needs his aggression back in order to be whole. Eventually, the two Kirks confront one another. 

"Star Trek" had a modest budget back in the day, and it certainly didn't have the resources to...

Strange New Worlds enriches legacy characters, like Uhura & Chapel, without detracting from Tos portrayals. Classic characters like Lt. Scott have made surprising appearances, hinting at more to come in future seasons. Appearances by classic Star Trek characters like Janice Rand & Sybok would expand on their unknown backgrounds.

In its first two seasons, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds debuted updated versions of some of the characters from Star Trek: The Original Series, but several important faces have yet to be introduced. Following the adventures of Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) and the USS Enterprise, Strange New Worlds takes place before Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) takes over command of the iconic starship. Kirk himself has already made his Strange New Worlds debut, portrayed by Paul Wesley as a young lieutenant aboard the USS Farragut. Lt. Spock (Ethan Peck) also features prominently in Strange New Worlds, after having been introduced in...

Yeoman Janice Rand, the character played by Grace Lee Whitney in the original "Star Trek," only appeared in eight episodes of the show, but she left an impression. By Whitney's own description, Janice Rand was a "girl next door" type, adding a relatable element to the wild sci-fi setting of a series set in the 23rd century. While Captain Kirk (William Shatner) conversed and analyzed with Spock (Leonard Nimoy), Rand was busy doing petty jobs, filing paperwork, and distributing refreshments. I can't speak for other Trekkies, but when imagining myself getting a job on the U.S.S. Enterprise, I imagine being a yeoman is all I'd be qualified for.

Whitney has said in her autobiography "The Longest Trek: My Tour of the Galaxy," that Rand was written out of "Star Trek" because she had too much chemistry with Kirk. The relationship between Janice and Jim could easily have developed into something romantic,...

In Nicholas Meyer's 1991 film "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country," Hikaru Sulu (George Takei) had moved from merely being a helmsman on the U.S.S. Enterprise to being the captain of a brand-new ship: the U.S.S. Excelsior. This new ship was equipped with a technology called transwarp drive, allowing it to fly more swiftly and nimbly than any other ship before it. In "Star Trek VI," Captain Sulu was exploring space near a Klingon moon called Praxis when a mining disaster caused the entire celestial body to explode. Later in the film, Captain Sulu would charge to the rescue, saving the Enterprise from a sneak attack by a cloaked Klingon vessel.

Captain Sulu's on-screen adventures ended there, although non-canonical sources continued to explore the character's career. In 1994 and 1995, a trio of audio-only adventures called "Transformations," "Cacophany," and "Envoy," all starring Takei, were released on CD and cassette,...

Yeoman Janice Rand was initially intended to be a major character in Star Trek: The Original Series but was written off the show after season 1. The decision to remove Rand from the show was influenced by the network's desire for Captain Kirk to not be tied to one love interest and financial reasons. Actress Grace Lee Whitney, who played Rand, later revealed that she was sexually assaulted by a studio executive on the set of Star Trek, which she believes played a role in her departure from the show.

Yeoman Janice Rand (Grace Lee Whitney) was initially part of Star Trek: The Original Series but was written off the show after season 1. Star Trek - now dubbed Star Trek: The Original Series - premiered in 1966 and ran for 3 seasons on NBC before being canceled. Many characters from Star Trek: The Original Series, especially Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner), Mr.

On the morning of January 23, 2024, actor Gary Graham, star of the "Alien Nation" TV series, the cult classic "Robot Jox," and multiple-time "Star Trek" supporting player, passed away at the age of 74. Graham had a prolific acting career, appearing in single episodes of many of the hottest TV shows of his day, including "Starsky & Hutch," "The Incredible Hulk," Knots Landing," "CHiPs," "T.J. Hooker," "Hunter," "M.A.N.T.I.S.," "Diagnosis Murder," "Ally McBeal," "Jag," and "Nip/Tuck." He had an easy demeanor, allowing him to play comedic affable characters just as well as intense, serious ones.

Trekkies likely know Graham best for playing Soval on "Star Trek: Enterprise." Soval was the snippy Vulcan ambassador who oversaw Earth's very, very slow transition from post-war ruin to a thriving society ready for space exploration. In the timeline of "Star Trek," humanity discovers warp-speed flight while the world is recovering from nuclear devastation. On the very first Earth warp flight,...

Star Trek has a long history of exploring the concept of doppelgangers and has featured various characters encountering their own duplicates. Captain Kirk, Lt. Commander Data, Captain Picard, Commander Riker, Chief O'Brien, Captain Janeway, The Doctor, Spock, Lt. Boimler, and Captain Pike have all encountered their own doppelgangers. These doppelganger encounters have resulted from transporter accidents, time travel, or the creation of duplicates through technological advances, and have led to interesting storylines and character development.

Sometimes, the Star Trek universe gets weird, and there have been many times throughout the franchise where characters have come face to face with another version of themselves. The idea of doppelgangers has fascinated humanity since ancient times, and storytellers throughout history have crafted stories about strange twins or doubles of people. Ever since split-screen technology became more popular around the 1960s, film and television creators have been finding ways to tell stories about duplicates.

Lore's debut in Star Trek: Tng's "Datalore" resembles Tos' "The Enemy Within" with evil doppelgangers wreaking havoc on the Enterprise-d and requiring reintegration. Star Trek has a long history of exploring the concept of evil twins and doppelgangers, from the Mirror Universe in Tos to DS9, Discovery, and Picard. Lore and Data's story in Tng is just one example of the many doppelganger stories in Star Trek, starting with Captain Kirk's evil double in Tos.

Star Trek: The Next Generation introduced Lore (Brent Spiner) as the evil brother of Lt. Commander Data (also Brent Spiner) with a story that recalls a classic episode of Star Trek: The Original Series. In Tng season 1, episode 13, "Datalore," Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) takes the USS Enterprise-d to visit Omicron Theta, the planet where the android Data was found by Starfleet years before. As the Enterprise crew explore the now desolate planet,...

Gene Roddenberry's celebrated sci-fi TV series "Star Trek" debuted on September 8, 1966, and recently celebrated its 57th anniversary. Initially, "Trek" wasn't terribly popular, and only managed to make a third season thanks to a coordinated letter-writing campaign (a campaign that Roddenberry was accused of orchestrating and encouraging himself). It wouldn't be until after "Star Trek" was canceled in 1969 that its popularity would significantly begin to grow. Thanks to a sweet infinite syndication deal, "Star Trek" reruns were common, and a cult began to form. By the early 1970s, the first "Trek" conventions began to appear. Naturally, conventions were a great place for the show's stars and creators to congregate and share production stories with a rising tide of obsessives. Fans were able to talk to and get autographs from William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, Nichelle Nichols, Majel Barrett, Walter Koenig, George Takei, James Doohan, and Grace Lee Whitney, as...

Star Trek movies failed to give significant roles to Tos' female characters, such as Uhura, Chapel, and Rand. Uhura remained a supporting character with limited screen time, while Chapel and Rand only had brief cameos. The new female characters introduced in the movies were disposable and did not have lasting impact or appearances in future films.

Some of the first six Star Trek movies starring the cast of Star Trek: The Original Series are great, but even they failed Tos' female characters. After years in syndication maintained the TV series' popularity, Star Trek made the leap to the big screen in 1979's Star Trek: The Motion Picture. Over the next 12 years, Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner), Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy), and the crew of the USS Enterprise would reunite a half-dozen times before riding off into the sunset in 1991's Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.

There was never...

In the expansive "Star Trek" universe, some of its brightest stars embarked on unforeseen journeys, abruptly departing the franchise to both the dismay and intrigue of fandom.

Why didn't Kirstie Alley return as the beloved Lt. Saavik? What prompted Jeffrey Hunter to relinquish the role of Captain Pike? Who ejected Gates McFadden's Dr. Crusher from the airlock? How come Diana Muldaur, her replacement, endured only a single season? Why did Wil Wheaton part ways with Wesley Crusher? And why was Grace Lee Whitney, as Yeoman Janice Rand, dropped from the cast even before the original series premiered in 1966?

These departures stemmed from a myriad of forces: financial constraints, contract negotiations, miscasting, yearnings for new horizons or strange new opportunities, life-altering events, creative and personal conflicts, or a blend of these influences. Most were unexpected and frequently controversial. Whether these exits bolstered or hindered the franchise, the judgment is yours,...

Captain Janeway's decision to kill Tuvix is a controversial moment in Star Trek: Voyager, as she ends the life of a sentient being for her own benefit. This goes against Starfleet's ideals of respecting all new life and finding peaceful solutions. The use of a radioactive isotope to separate Tuvok and Neelix's personas was a quick fix suggested by the Doctor, but it didn't give him enough time to find an alternative solution that could have saved Tuvix's life. Janeway appears wracked with guilt after making the decision to kill Tuvix, highlighting the moral complexity of the situation and adding to the controversy surrounding her actions.

The decision by Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) on how to solve a problem like Tuvix (Tom Wright) is one of the biggest controversies in Star Trek: Voyager, if not the entire franchise. The Voyager episode "Tuvix" is an episode in the transporter malfunction subgenre.

Gene Roddenberry regretted firing Grace Lee Whitney from Star Trek and expressed remorse before his death in 1991. Whitney's character, Janice Rand, was eliminated from the show due to the network's desire for Captain Kirk to have more female friends. Rand's character had potential for further development and had a significant impact on fans who continued to support her despite her absence from later seasons.

Gene Roddenberry boldly went where no one has gone before in television and film history. But amid all his success thanks to the Star Trek franchise, he still regretted axing one member from the sci-fi saga’s family tree. During the first season of Star Trek: The Original Series, Grace Lee Whitney portrayed the part of yeoman Janice Rand, but Whitney was fired after only appearing in eight episodes.

Before Roddenberry passed away in 1991, he expressed having felt remorse for firing Whitney. And his sentiments...

Only one Star Trek movie shows the entire cast of the original series together on-screen: Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. In the movie, the crew time travels to 1986 to save Earth by retrieving two humpback whales. The shot of the entire crew together is at the end of the film during a court-martial scene.

Amazingly, only one Star Trek movie - Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home - features a shot of the entire cast of Star Trek: The Original Series together on-screen. Star Trek IV saw Admiral James T. Kirk (William Shatner) and the crew of the USS Enterprise time travel to 1986 San Francisco to retrieve two humpback whales in order to save the Earth. Although every main cast Tos cast member appears in the first six Star Trek movies, the entire crew was seen together in the same shot only once.

On Twitter, Zx Geoff Owen (@NCC...

There is no in-universe explanation for the disappearance of Yeoman Janice Rand (Grace Lee Whitney), an enlisted officer often seen on the bridge of on the U.S.S. Enterprise. Yeoman Rand appeared in eight episodes of the original "Star Trek" series, usually sporting an elaborate beehive hairdo. The story goes that Whitney was cast in "Star Trek" because she had worked with show creator Gene Roddenberry on an unsold pilot called "Police Story." Rand was a resolute but emotionally vulnerable character who often provided distress or confusion in a scene to communicate seriousness to the audience. Yeoman Rand didn't have a rank (naval yeomen merely perform clerical duties), putting her outside of the ultra-professional auspices of Starfleet formality. Her reactions to extreme scenarios, then, were allowed to be more natural and organic.

Why did Yeoman Rand disappear from the show? Years later, Whitney would reveal that she left "Star Trek...

Where to Watch Powered by The position of yeoman in Star Trek originated from the US Navy and served as assistants to the Captain, performing administrative work and attending to various duties. In the original series, women rarely served as high-ranking officers, so the yeoman position allowed for more female representation, often portraying them as attractive objects of desire. In modern Star Trek shows, the position of yeoman has been abandoned due to advancements in technology, making their administrative work unnecessary and easily automated.

Though various yeomen appeared over the course of Star Trek: The Original Series, subsequent Star Trek series have rarely featured crew members with that title. The most prominent yeoman character was Janice Rand (Grace Lee Whitney), who served as the yeoman for Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) aboard the USS Enterprise. After Whitney's departure from Tos following eight episodes of the first season, various young...

Yeoman Rand leaving the Enterprise has long been a Star Trek mystery, but the franchise actually answered this question long ago. Yeoman Rand was an important character in the original Star Trek’s first season - so important she was included in early promotional materials. However, Rand soon disappeared from the show. Yeoman Rand’s absence was never explained until 1981’s Star Trek #12, first published by Marvel Comics.

Played by Grace Lee Whitney, Yeoman Rand was an integral character during Star Trek’s early days. As Captain Kirk's yeoman, Rand handled administrative duties on the Enterprise. Rand played substantial roles in a number of episodes, such as 'Charlie X' and 'The Naked Time.' Intended as a love interest for Kirk, Rand was soon written out of the show; the official reason for her dismissal was the producers wanted to keep Kirk open for other women, but some say...

Warning: This article contains Spoilers for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, season 2, episode 3, "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow".A drastic change to the timeline in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds creates the latest of 10 versions of the legendary Captain James T. Kirk (WIlliam Shatner). Sent back to stunt humanity's progress, Romulan time agent Sera (Adelaide Kane) creates an alternate timeline where Earth never founded the Federation. In this timeline, James T Kirk (Paul Wesley) is already Captain of the United Earth Fleet ship Enterprise, and is fighting a war against the Romulan Star Empire. Without the Federation, its member species are forced to deal with the Romulan threat individually, establishing the Empire as a dominant force in the galaxy.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 3, "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow" is far from the only time that Star Trek has introduced an alternate-universe version of Captain James T. Kirk.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is poised to serve the quintessence of the spacefaring franchise: The voyages of the U.S.S. Enterprise—albeit during the captaincy of James T. Kirk’s immediate predecessor, Christopher Pike (Anson Mount). The Paramount+ series—spun off from Star Trek: Discovery—has announced the start of its production and revealed its primary cast. Interestingly, one newcomer in particular bears a noteworthy resemblance to a forgotten character from original Star Trek pilot “The Cage,” whose general era this series will showcase.

An announcement by Paramount has officially welcomed Star Trek: Strange New Worlds cast members Babs Olusanmokun, Christina Chong, Celia Rose Gooding (Broadway’s Jagged Little Pill), Jess Bush and Melissa Navia. However, the characters this new quintet will portray have yet to be revealed. While the majority of the diverse bunch do not seem to line up with established characters from “The Cage,” blonde-haired,...

One of the splashier WW2 combat sagas adapts Norman Mailer’s respected book but ends up a bona fide mess. Aldo Ray, Cliff Robertson and Raymond Massey flail about in a compromised screen story, augmented with side-dish appearances by sultry Barbara Nichols and — even though she’s allowed to contribute almost nothing — famous ecdysiast Lili St. Cyr. Let the search for outtakes begin.

The Naked and the Dead

Blu-ray

Warner Archive Collection

1958 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 131 min. / Street Date August 28, 2018 / available through the WBshop / 21.99

Starring: Aldo Ray, Cliff Robertson, Raymond Massey, Lili St. Cyr, Barbara Nichols, William Campbell, Richard Jaeckel, James Best, Joey Bishop, Jerry Paris, Robert Gist, L.Q. Jones, Max Showalter, John Beradino, Saundra Edwards, Lydia Goya, Val Hidey, Taffy O’Neil, Liz Renay, Grace Lee Whitney.

Cinematography: Joseph Lashelle

Film Editor: Arthur P. Schmidt

Original Music: Bernard Herrmann

Written by Denis Sanders & Terry Sanders from the novel by Norman...

Billy Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond’s lavish movie boils down to a dirty party joke, but they struck gold just the same. Audiences flocked to see Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine reunited in a fantasy Parisian red light district, in a show that looks like Disneyland for fans of Playboy cartoons.

Irma La Douce

Blu-ray

Kl Studio Classics

1963 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 143 min. / Street Date July 17, 2018 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95

Starring: Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, Lou Jacobi, Herschel Bernardi, Hope Holiday, Bruce Yarnell, Joan Shawlee, Grace Lee Whitney, Paul Dubov, Howard McNear, Cliff Osmond, Diki Lerner, Ruth & Jane Earl, Tura Satana.

Cinematography: Joseph La Shelle

Art Director: Alexander Trauner

Film Editor: Daniel Mandell

Original Music: Marguerite Monnot, André Previn

Written by Billy Wilder & I.A.L. Diamond from a play by Alexandre Breffort

Produced by Edward L. Alperson, I.A.L. Diamond, Billy Wilder

Directed by Billy Wilder

Although there’s...

Star Trek is probably the most successful science fiction franchise of all time spanning six decades of science fiction storytelling. In the series, I will be looking at the highlights of all the past episodes from each season of all five TV shows that went before leading up to the new series Star Trek: Discovery that will be airing in the fall of 2017.

Star Trek: The Original Series – Season Two

Development

The ratings for the first season of Star Trek were low which, in previous years, would have seen the series cancelled straight away, but NBC decided to renew the series for a second season – mainly because it appealed to a younger audience. The series was given an episode order of 26 episodes, which in future years became the average number for an episode order of Star Trek.

There were a few changes in the Season 2: like cast member Grace Lee Whitney, who played Yeoman Janice Rand quit the show due to personal reasons; they introduced a new character called Ensign Chekov, who was brought in to appeal to the younger audience and he had a very Beatles like hairpiece in his early episodes – as this season progressed they got rid of the hairpiece and let him have his own hair(!); and also they added DeForest Kelley (McCoy) to the opening credits which made him the third lead character in the series from that point on.

The character of Mr Spock became a breakout character and a sex symbol after the first season had aired, and in this season there were many episodes centred around Spock – such as the seasons opening episode ‘Amok Time’ which was set on his home planet Vulcan and where Kirk and Spock have to fight to death.

Writers

Some of the writers from the first year returned to write scripts for the second year – including as Gene L. Coon and D. C Fontana. They were joined by new writers such as John Merdyth Lucas, Robert Sabaroff and John Kingsbridge who wrote some classic episodes of this season, like ‘Patterns of Force’ which had that common theme in the original series of Star Trek where they beam onto a planet that represents an alien society ;in the context of earth history like in this episode it represents Nazi Germany in the 1930s. There were many episodes like that in this season, another being ‘A Piece of the Action’ which represents an alien society in 1920s gangster culture. Another standout episode in this season was ‘Mirror Mirror’ where members of the Enterprise crew were transported on an alternative Enterprise. This episode famously had a badass Mr Spock with a beard and the crew kill each other to move up in rank.

Top 5 Episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series – Season Two

5) The Gamester of Triskelion

In this episode Captain Kirk and his companion are kidnapped into slavery and trained to become gladiators. It’s a real “starter episode” if you want to get into the original series; and your always wondering how Kirk and crew are going to get out of this one. It’s one of the many cliché episodes where they have a lot of stylized fight scenes and Kirk gets the girl. But overall it’s a little bit of fun.

4) A Private Little War

In this episode the crew of the Enterprise see the interference of a once peaceful planet from the Klingon Empire. It’s another one that tackles a social issue of the time, which is the Vietnam War, which was at it’s height in 1968 when this episode aired. It’s an episode I have always enjoyed – even if it’s flawed somewhat.

3) The Doomsday Machine

The Enterprise has discovered a planet destroying weapon and a Commodore that puts the crew of the Enterprise in danger, in crazy mission of revenge. This is one of most popular episodes of the original series. The highlight of the episode is the performance of William Windom, who played the vengeful Commodore Matt Decker, and his obsession of wanting to destroy the planet destroying weapon The Doomsday Machine.

2) Mirror Mirror

First of many “Mirror Universe” episodes and I think this is still the best – come on who doesn’t like seeing the crew of the enterprise being bad to the bone for one episode? Plus Spock has a beard and is being as bad ass as ever!

1) Amok Time

I’m sure you saw this one coming… could it really be any other episode? What’s not to love about this episode and visiting Spock’s home planet and watching Kirk and Spock fight to the death? And that brilliant ending where you see Spock almost being human.

Star Trek is probably the most successful science fiction franchise of all time spanning six decades of science fiction storytelling. In the series, I will be looking at the highlights of all the past episodes from each season of all five TV shows that went before leading up to the new series Star Trek: Discovery that will be airing in the fall of 2017.

Star Trek: The Original Series – Season One

Original Broadcast: (September 8th 1966 – April 29th 1967)

Development

After a failed attempt at selling Star Trek to NBC with the pilot ‘The Cage’, starring Jeffrey Hunter as Captain Christopher Pike, NBC told Gene Roddenberry to film a second pilot with a more “action & adventure” orientated plot – which was unheard of at the time. Roddenberry complied and wrote two story outlines: one being ‘Mudd’s Women’ and the second being ‘The Omega Glory’ both of which were produced later on the series...

Across film and TV, there have been many Star Trek projects that never got the greenlight. Such as these...

Since 1964 (yep) there have been Star Trek projects that simply didn't make it to the big or small screen. And before Star Trek's second (proper) coming in 1979's Star Trek: The Motion Picture, the franchise had more than its fair share of attempts to come to life, and then be reborn.

This lot in fact...

Star Trek – The (original) Original Series

Here's a thought – the original Star Trek series wasn't supposed to be the original Star Trek series.

The pilot that sold the show to NBC was in fact the second pilot, after the original, entitled The Cage, filmed at the end of 1964, was deemed too cerebral. That's on top of having other multiple issues that TV executives (and test audiences) of the time couldn't cope with – you know, like gender equality in the workplace.

Grace Lee Whitney, the actress best known for her role as Yeoman Janice Rand on Star Trek: The Original Series, passed away from natural causes on Friday at her home in Coarsegold, CA, the Associated Press reports. Grace's death was also confirmed by the official Star Trek website on Sunday, which celebrated the actress's colorful life, contribution to the beloved series, and longtime struggle with sobriety. Grace discussed her battle with alcohol addiction in her 1998 autobiography, The Longest Trek: My Tour of the Galaxy, where she admitted that her acting career floundered before she sought treatment. After getting sober, Grace returned for the movie franchise, reprising her role in Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. Grace's son Jonathan Dweck told the Associated Press that his mother had dedicated the last 35 years...

Grace Lee Whitney, the actress who played Yeoman Janice Rand on the original Star Trek, passed away Friday. She was 85. Per USA Today, son Jonathan Dweck said the star died of natural causes at her home in Central California. Whitney portrayed Captain Kirk's assistant for eight episodes of the original 1966 TV series before she was written out of the script. When Star Trek was reborn as a movie franchise in 1979, the actress returned as a chief petty officer in Star Trek: The Motion Picture. Her final appearance as Rand was in 1991's Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. William Shatner, who played Whitney's onscreen boss, tweeted Monday: "Condolences to the family of Grace. She was a...

She lived long. She prospered. Grace Lee Whitney achieved icon status as Yeoman Janice Rand in the original "Star Trek" series and spent 35 years helping fellow recovering alcoholics fight addiction. She died of natural causes on May 1 in Coarsegold, CA, at age 85.

Whitney only played Yeoman Rand in the first eight episodes of the Shatner/Kirk TV series, and -- the Associated Press reports -- in her autobiography, "The Longest Trek: My Tour of the Galaxy," she admitted her acting career was essentially halted by her alcoholism. She ultimately got help and regained her career with help from Leonard Nimoy, aka Spock, who also died in early 2015.

Whitney returned for the movies "Star Trek: The Motion Picture," "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock," "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home" and "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country." She was a regular on the "Star Trek" convention circuit for years but,...

Goodbye to a great. Star Trek actress Grace Lee Whitney has died at the age of 85, according to the Associated Press.  The longtime performer, who played Star Trek's Yeoman Janice Rand on Star Trek: The Original Series, passed away "of natural causes," the AP reports, on Friday, May 1, at her home in Coarsegold, Calif. The star's death was confirmed by the official Star Trek website, which celebrated Whitney's contribution to the beloved series, as well as her hard-fought, and ultimately successful, battle with sobriety. Whitney's son [...]...

Grace Lee Whitney, known to legions of Star Trek fans as Yeoman Janice Rand, died Friday in her Coarsegold, California home at 85, her son announced today. It was through Gene Roddenberry’s vision of the future that she would make her mark on popular culture. A mainstay of the Trekverse from the beginning, Whitney first appeared as Captain Kirk’s personal assistant during the first season of the original Star Trek. Appearing only in eight of the first thirteen episodes…...

Grace Lee Whitney, known to legions of Star Trek fans as Yeoman Janice Rand, died Friday in her Coarsegold, California home at 85, her son announced today. It was through Gene Roddenberry’s vision of the future that she would make her mark on popular culture. A mainstay of the Trekverse from the beginning, Whitney first appeared as Captain Kirk’s personal assistant during the first season of the original Star Trek. Appearing only in eight of the first thirteen episodes…...

Grace Lee Whitney, best known as Yeoman Janice Rand in the original Star Trek series, died on May 1 at her home in Coarsegold, Calif. She was 85.

Whitney was fired at the end of Star Trek‘s first season, but she went on to reprise her role as Janice in Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. She also guest-starred in a 1996 episode of Star Trek: Voyager that commemorated the 30th anniversary of the franchise.

In her autobiography The Longest Trek, Whitney opened...

Grace Lee Whitney, best known for portraying Captain James T. Kirk’s (William Shatner) personal assistant in the original “Star Trek” series, and several of its subsequent films, died Friday in her California home, The Fresno Bee reports. She was 85. Rand’s death comes just a few months after Leonard Nimoy, who portrayed Mr. Spock on the classic series. After appearing in the first eight episodes, Rand was released from her contract as part of a creative retooling of the show. She would not return to “Trek” until the franchise took the leap to the big screen with the 1979 release of “Star.