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There's some great potential for Star Trek characters to get their due in audio dramas, and the franchise should explore that!

A big project coming for Star Trek fans is the upcoming Khan audio dramatization. Naveen Andrews steps into the role Ricardo Montalban made iconic as Khan Noonien Singh, the genetically engineered tyrant who clashed with Kirk in "Space Seed" and The Wrath of Khan film.

The audio drama will focus on Khan in his exile on Ceti Alpha V, explaining how he survived and what turned him into the madman of the second film. It will use some books and comics for the tale, but the push is an audio drama of a story that was ignored on film. 

It makes fans wonder what other Trek characters could benefit from an audio series. Sure, there are the big ones of the main crews, but also a lot of recurring...

The biggest mystery of NCIS actually happened behind the scenes, as one of its former stars disappeared from the face of the earth. Zoe McLellan played Special Agent Meredith “Merri” Brody in the first two seasons of the NCIS spinoff, NCIS: New Orleans. She left the show after the second season finale of the show.

According to her ex-husband, Jean-Pierre Guy Gillain, he hadn’t seen or heard from McLellan or their son, Sebastian Gillain, since April 2019. He believed that his ex-wife took away their then-four-year-old son amidst an ugly custody battle. While McLellan filed abuse charges against her ex-husband in early 2020, her whereabouts have remained a mystery since then.

According to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, a felony warrant was issued for McLellan for kidnapping on May 14, 2021. Sebastian Gillain’s photo is up on the website, with his mother McLellan cited as the primary suspect. It...

In many ways, Star Trek: Enterprise is the black sheep of the franchise. The prequel to the original series, it ran on the Upn network from 2001-2005 and featured the adventures of Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula) and his crew aboard the Nx-01 Enterprise, the first Starfleet vessel to achieve speeds of warp 5 or better.

Enterprise wasn’t well-received by some fans of the franchise, and one common complaint was the show’s theme song, “Going Where My Heart Will Take Me.” It was the first series to have a lyrical opener (although the original series theme does have lyrics written by Gene Roddenberry that were never used), and became a weird bone of contention that caused one fan to take his opinion all the way to the gates of the Paramount Studios film lot, where he would catch the eye of the show’s star, Scott Bakula.

It’s...

Quantum Leap's fandom has only expanded after NBC aired the 2022 revival, which was canceled after only two seasons. Thankfully, the reboot series is getting a second wind this August on streaming.

Quantum Leap fans can relish the reboot series when it hits Netflix on Aug. 14. The 2022 revival adopted the original's premise, story beats, and characters; Ernie Hudson plays Quantum Leap project head Herbert Williams, also the war veteran Sam Beckett (Scott Bakula) leaped into in the 1990 episode "The Leap Home (Part 2) – Vietnam." Susan Diol also reprises Beth, the wife of Al Calavicci from the original. The reboot stars Raymond Lee as physicist Ben Song, and like Sam, Ben is transported to the past and into the bodies of different people.

Bakula first hinted at the Quantum Leap reboot in September 2021, sparking rumors he would revisit the role. Alluding to conversations he had with series creator Donald P. Bellisario, Bakula...

While Star Trek: Enterprise certainly has its share of detractors, many fans enjoy it as a prequel to the original Star Trek series, where Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula) heads up a crew that travels in Enterprise Nx-01, the first Starfleet vessel to achieve warp 5, nearly 100 years before the Ncc-1701 takes flight.

Over a 4-year run, the show featured some great guest stars who gave life to some memorable antagonists, so let’s take a look at a few that left a definite impact on the series and the franchise itself.

1. Dean Stockwell as Grat in “Detained”

In the episode “Detained” (S01E18), Hollywood veteran Dean Stockwell plays Colonel Grat, the head of a Suliban internment camp who imprisons Captain Archer (Scott Bakula) and the ship’s navigator, Travis Mayweather (Anthony Montgomery). Grat and his people are at war with the Suliban, and Grat sees himself as a man who...

The Star Trek franchise turns 60 years old next year, and it’s hard to believe how it’s grown! From the original series, which ran for three seasons from 1966 to 1969, to today’s fare like Picard, there seems to be a series to suit anyone’s taste. While some fans let their instincts guide them, they may skip a series after seeing negative reviews online or hearing them from friends.

With so much content out there, it's hard for new fans to choose which series they might like. While not every series is a bona fide hit, some have been judged unfairly, so it’s time to take a look at three shows that definitely deserve their due!

1. Star Trek: The Animated Series

This series ran for 2 seasons, from 1973-1974, and includes 22 episodes. It starred the voices of the original cast, minus Walter Koenig, due to budget constraints. James Doohan voiced his own character,...

Star Trek: Enterprise is often considered the dark horse of the franchise. This original series prequel is set nearly a century before Captain Kirk and his crew venture out on their 5-year mission, a time before the Federation existed and Starfleet was still in its infancy.

Captain Archer (Scott Bakula) commands the crew of the Nx-01 Enterprise, one of the first space vehicles capable of traveling at warp 5, and faces a variety of antagonists during their adventures. However, several of these characters made to square off against Archer feel like they never quite left the writing room whole.

1. The Suliban

These aliens were connected to the show’s Temporal Cold War storyline, with changeable appearances and skin the texture of wet sand. They had a variety of abilities, including invisibility, shape-shifting, and night vision. While these were compelling, the execution was not consistent, and the abilities felt shoehorned in to...

NBC’s time-travel drama Quantum Leap is about to find new life on Netflix. Following its abrupt cancellation after just two seasons and a streaming blackout that left fans in limbo, the 2022 revival of the sci-fi series will soon be available for streaming. The new iteration, a continuation of Donald P. Bellisario’s original 1989 classic, followed Dr. Ben Song, played by Made for Love’s Raymond Lee, a brilliant physicist who revives the Quantum Leap project to unravel the mystery of Sam’s disappearance. While the revival generated excitement among longtime fans and newcomers alike when it premiered on NBC in 2022, it struggled to maintain momentum during its sophomore season.

Season 2 was plagued by multiple time slot changes, resulting in erratic viewership that led to a gradual ratings decline. Despite its fan base, NBC pulled the plug in April 2024. Initially, NBCUniversal floated the idea of relocating the series to Peacock,...

Netflix has now picked up the divisive remake of a beloved ‘80s sci-fi series, with the platform all set to stream the two seasons of the show. While the platform has become infamously synonymous with canceling shows way before their time, the streamer is also good at picking up lesser-known or underappreciated gems. And such is the case here. Beginning back in 2022, the revival of Quantum Leap picks up three decades after the original series, with a new team led by physicist Ben Song (Raymond Lee) having been assembled to restart the project in the hope of understanding the mysteries behind the machine and the man who created it. Everything changes, however, when Ben makes an unauthorized leap into the past, leaving the team behind to solve the mystery of why he did it.

The two seasons of Quantum Leap star Caitlin Bassett, Mason Alexander Park, Nanrisa Lee, and Ernie Hudson alongside Raymond Lee,...

With a juggernaut of a television franchise like Star Trek, delving into the lore by creating a prequel series was undoubtedly a challenge for the writers of Star Trek: Enterprise. This was the first show to feature what life was like before the Federation existed.

Set in 2151, almost 100 years before Kirk and his crew set out on their 5-year mission, the show follows the adventures of Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula) and his crew in the first Enterprise, the Nx-01. The show ran from 2001-2005, and many Star Trek fans disregard it; however, the series was a necessary prequel, and those that followed it owe Captain Archer and the Nx-01 their due.

Enterprise is the first Star Trek to have a crew venture out into deep space without a guidebook from Starfleet or the Federation. In fact, the Federation had yet to form when Enterprise began, and deep space travel was not yet common.

In the "Star Trek: Enterprise" episode "A Night in Sickbay", nothing of consequence happens. The Enterprise doesn't encounter a new life form, there are no reality-altering spatial phenomena, no new characters make their introductions, and no one dies. Even on an interpersonal level, nothing is broken down between the characters. No one begins dating, no one gets divorced, and no one bones. At most, Captain Archer (Scott Bakula) admits begrudgingly that he is sometimes physically attracted (and just physically) to his first officer T'Pol (Jolene Blalock). As soon as he admits it, though, he acknowledges that it would be the height of impropriety to ever mention it again. 

Most of the episode involves Archer, well, spending the night in sickbay after his beloved beagle Porthos becomes ill with a mysterious infirmity. Dr. Phlox (John Billingsley), a Denobulan, is upbeat, optimistic, and feels he can help Porthos, but admits he's not...

So you’ve decided to start watching Star Trek! Congratulations on your choice, as this enduring sci-fi series has had a profound effect on pop culture and the growth/development of much of today’s technology.

With numerous Star Trek series available on streaming services, starting with this venerable franchise may seem confusing at first. Where do you begin? Does each series stand alone, or is the entire universe connected? If you’re unsure about taking your first steps into where no one has gone before, Redshirts Always Die is ready to help you with this guide to watching Star Trek in chronological order!

Some Star Trek series have little connection to others, while others take place within the same timeline. The events of Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, for example, occur simultaneously, but in different parts of the galaxy. They also each reference episodes of...

June is already upon us, and some savvy Star Trek fans (like Yours Truly) are looking ahead to the holiday season and how to incorporate their favorite series and characters into their decor. Christmas ornaments are a great place to start, so from now until December, Redshirts Always Die will spotlight one Hallmark ornament per month, beginning with the dashing Jonathan Archer from Star Trek: Enterprise.

Who is Jonathan Archer?

When Star Trek: Enterprise premiered in 2001, fans got their first look at Captain Jonathan Archer (played by the always-delightful Scott Bakula), the captain of the Enterprise Nx-01, the first Starfleet vessel to explore space. Jonathan’s father, Henry, was the inventor of the warp drive engine and one of the designers of the ship his son commanded.

Archer is outgoing, intelligent, and born to explore the final frontier. He also commands with a personal touch, making connections with his crewmembers during off-duty hours.

Anson Mount plays Captain Christopher Pike on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, but he reminds audiences that Pike isn't the true lead of the Star Trek prequel series. The long-awaited Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 premieres July 17 on Paramount+. Meanwhile, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 4 is filming now, ahead of the cast and crew returning later this year for the production of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 5, which was announced as the final season.

Strange New Pod interviewed Anson Mount on the red carpet at Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3's premiere, which was held at the Tribeca Film Festival. Mount mused that he hopes audiences enjoy Strange New Worlds' "Planet of the week... Big idea of the week" formatbefore explaining that the real lead of the series isn't Captain Pike, but the USS Enterprise. Read Mount's quote and watch the video below:

You know, there...

A one-night-only reunion concert of The Connector, benefitting the Committee to Protect Journalists, took place on Monday June 16, 2025 at 7:30pm at Webster Hall. See photos from the event here! The concert featured original cast members from the 2024 World Premiere production, including Scott Bakula, Ben Levi Ross, and Hannah Cruz; as well as the original orchestra, led by Jason Robert Brown on piano. The Committee to Protect Journalists was founded over 40 years ago as a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization with the mission of defending journalists who report the news despite facing tremendous risks. Over the years, their advocacy has helped win dozens of positive legal reforms, convictions in scores of journalist murders, and the release of hundreds of jailed journalists. Cpj has also provided direct...

We still have a ways to go until NCIS: Origins season 2 airs, but we’re already looking forward to who we may eventually see from the original NCIS pop up on screen. With the season one finale introducing us to a younger Lara Macy, who else might we expect?

Over the two-decade span of the show’s run, NCIS has brought us so many different characters we have come to know and love. Many of them had a past interaction with Gibbs, like Macy, who we knew had investigated Gibbs for the Hernandez murder.

NCIS: Origins brought this arc to life, and now that we know, we will also get to know Gibbs’s second wife, Diane. The showrunners teased another possible appearance by someone from NCIS: Origins.

Dwayne Pride had been introduced to the franchise as one of five fellow law enforcement officers who worked together with Gibbs on a case involving a killer.

As far as starships go, there are few that are more iconic and enduring than the starship Enterprise from the "Star Trek" franchise. The flagship of Starfleet, the exploratory and military branch of the United Federation of Planets, the Enterprise boldly goes where few have ventured in the cosmos. Given the legacy of the name Enterprise in the Federation, numerous vessels across the franchise's extensive history, each with their own memorable captains and crews. Of course, even sharing the name, not all starships are created equal, and that especially includes the Enterprise.

Many of the various Enterprises have their own vocal defenders, while some have barely left an impact on the wider "Star Trek" legacy. The following list contains the multitude of Enterprises seen throughout the movies and TV shows, including differences in design and their role in the franchise's ongoing narrative. While there are time-displaced starships included, this list...

A one-night-only reunion concert of The Connector will benefit the Committee to Protect Journalists on Monday June 16, 2025 at 7:30pm at Webster Hall. The concert will feature original cast members from the 2024 World Premiere production, including Scott Bakula, Ben Levi Ross, and Hannah Cruz; as well as the original orchestra, led by Jason Robert Brown on piano. Tickets go on-sale beginning Friday, May 15 at 10am. The Committee to Protect Journalists was founded over 40 years ago as a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization with the mission of defending journalists who report the news despite facing tremendous risks. Over the years, their advocacy has helped win dozens of positive legal reforms, convictions in scores of journalist murders, and the release...

There's a high chance you've watched more shows cast by Tiffany Little Canfield in the past year than anyone else. The six-time Emmy nominee is the casting director on Only Murders in the Building, Paradise, and Doctor Odyssey, among others.

Little Canfield has been with Only Murders since the beginning, which means she's been there for every season finale murder that sets up the following season's mystery. "Usually, like way before we really, really start with the concept of it, that is a conversation that we start brainstorming ideas," she tells Gold Derby at our Meet the Experts: Casting Directors panel. "I'll get a call like, 'Ok, we're doing like this. I think it was literally like, 'We need to do the famous actor, like who's gonna play our three in the movie version?' And so that is where it sort of started. And there was lots of fun...

Few actors outside the main cast members of each Star Trek series have appeared repeatedly throughout the franchise than Jeffrey Combs. Combs, who was born and raised in California, began appearing in several Star Trek series during the mid-1990s. From Star Trek: Deep Space Nine to Star Trek: Enterprise, Combs made guest appearances and even played recurring characters that fans grew to admire.

Jeffery Combs: a varied career

After studying theater arts in California and Washington, Combs set his sights on Hollywood and moved to Los Angeles. He began landing roles quickly, including Whose Life Is It Anyway, The Man With Two Brains, and From Beyond. In 1985, Combs would embody the character of Herbert West in the film adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft’s Reanimator as well as two sequels. He’d enter the Star Trek universe in the mid-1990s.

Combs’ many alien guises

Combs first appeared in...

Brent Spiner’s take on Data in Star Trek hit deeper than most fans realize. For many on the autism spectrum, Data wasn’t just a quirky android, he was the only character they truly connected with.

Logical, socially awkward, yet deeply curious about emotion, Data mirrored what it felt like to navigate a world that doesn’t always make sense. Spiner once acknowledged this, noting how powerful that connection was.

Long before representation became a buzzword, Data quietly became a beacon for those who felt different. He didn’t just want to be human, he wanted to understand it. And that made all the difference.

Brent Spiner on why Data meant everything to autistic Star Trek fans Brent Spiner in Star Trek: Insurrection | Credits: Paramount Pictures

Brent Spiner always knew Star Trek: The Next Generation fans were passionate, but what he didn’t see coming? That his android alter ego,...

In 2005, it appeared that "Star Trek" was pretty much over. And, rather tragically, it ended with more of a whimper than a bang. "Star Trek: Voyager" had finally completed its run in May of 2001, and a new prequel series, called just "Enterprise" at the time, was slated to begin the following September. When the World Trade Center Incident occurred on 9/11, though, the national mood changed overnight. The public was very suddenly uninterested in a sci-fi franchise about peace and diplomacy, and turned their attention to grittier, more violent, revenge-based entertainments like "24." "Star Trek" had been flagging in the ratings for a while anyway, but when "Enterprise" debuted on September 24, it seemed doomed from the start.

The "Star Trek" death knell became official in 2002 with the utter failure of "Star Trek: Nemesis," the lowest-grossing "Star Trek" movie to date. Meanwhile, "Enterprise" was eventually re-titled "Star Trek: Enterprise," and it began dabbling with long-form,...

Christopher Plummer not only won an Academy Award, a Tony Award, and an Emmy Award, but he co-starred in one of the most beloved movies of all time and played the villain in both a popular Star Trek feature film and a cult-favorite Star Wars knock-off. He also had several other interesting Star Trek connections.

Plummer, who died in 2021 at the age of 91, won his Oscar for his supporting performance in Beginners (2011), in which he co-starred opposite Star Wars actor Ewan McGregor. He took home two Emmys in his long career, one for Arthur Hailey’s the Moneychangers in 1977 (Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie) and the other for Madeline in 1994 (Outstanding Voice-Over Performance). And he earned two Tonys as well, one for Cyrano in 1974 (Best Actor in a Musical) and another for Barrymore in 1997 (Best Actor in a Play). As for the movie we described as...

Some Star Trek series were fortunate enough to cast experienced actors in major roles, but few generated the excitement and buzz around Star Trek: Enterprise when the show’s producers announced that Scott Bakula would take the captain’s chair for the series. Bakula, who’d experienced success with NBC’s Quantum Leap, agreed to take the role when producers explained the show’s premise and setting, which takes place 100 years before Captain Kirk and his crew begin their 5-year mission. Star Trek: Enterprise enjoyed a 4-season run on the Upn network, and some fans return to the series on streaming simply to enjoy Bakula’s presence and his portrayal of Captain Jonathan Archer, as the veteran actor has a loyal fanbase that’s built steadily since his early days on the stage and screen.

Scott Bakula’s early career

Scott Bakula was born in St. Louis, Missouri on October 9th,...

Star Trek fans know and appreciate the acting talents of those chosen few fortunate enough to take the role of captain across several series ever since the original television show aired in September of 1966. While each actor brought something special to the series he or she starred in, they all have other surprising talents that lie outside the acting world.

1. William Shatner: A part-time scribe

While Wiliam Shatner is an Emmy-winning actor and known to millions as Captain James T. Kirk, he is also an accomplished novelist. In addition to several Star Trek-related books, he created the 9-book series Tekwar (with assistance from ghostwriter Ron Goulart.)This series takes place in 2044, in Los Angeles, where ex-police officer Jake Cardigan tries to clear his name by working as a private investigator after being framed and cryo-imprisoned for nearly 5 years. While reviews for the series were mixed, it spawned a...

Fans of the Star Trek franchise have always met new series with a mix of excitement and trepidation, but few are more divisive than Star Trek: Enterprise. From questionable production values to slow-moving plot arcs, some fans feel the series doesn’t fit in with other Trek shows (and don’t even get some people started on the theme song.) However, Star Trek: Enterprise did give the franchise some memorable characters, with one of the most notable being Andorian Thy’lek Shran (Jeffery Combs). From helping other characters in the universe grow to adding an element of grumpy humor reminiscent of Dr. McCoy, Shran’s character improves the lives of those around him, whether he intends to or not.

Shran is an excellent foil for Captain Archer

Andorians are not known for having a friendly or open manner, and like others of his kind, Shran is, at first, rather xenophobic.

Jonathan Frakes may have joined the Star Trek franchise as an actor, playing William Riker. But he will forever be attached to the franchise due to his contributions as a director too. Along with his The Next Generation co-star LeVar Burton, Frakes directed multiple episodes of the franchise, with his work being as recent as Strange New Worlds.

Frakes also reprised his role as Riker in several other shows, including the ill-fated series finale of Enterprise. The prequel series’ premature cancellation led to a hiatus in the franchise that lasted more than a decade, and the ending was quite controversial. Frakes agreed and mentioned that his appearance was unnecessary.

Star Trek: Enterprise wanted to please fans and brought in Jonathan Frakes in the finale A still from Star Trek: Enterprise | Credits: Paramount

When the going gets tough, a good cameo can fix anything (just look at the MCU). After the...

Scream Factory’s June home video line-up consists of 4K upgrades for a pair of deep cuts from masters of horror: George A. Romero‘s Monkey Shines and Clive Barker‘s Lord of Illusions.

Monkey Shines will be released on 4K Ulltra HD + Blu-ray on June 3.

The 1988 sci-fi horror film has been newly restored in 4K from the original negative with Dolby Vision.

Romero wrote the scripted, based on Michael Stewart‘s 1983 novel of the same name. Jason Beghe, Kate McNeil, John Pankow, Joyce Van Patten, Christine Forrest, Stephen Root, Stanley Tucci, and Janine Turner star.

Disc 1 – 4K Uhd:

4K Restoration From The Original Negative (new) Presented In Dolby Vision (Hdr-10 Compatible) Audio: DTS-hd Master Audio 5.1 & 2.0 Stereo Audio Commentary With Film Critic Eric Vespe And Author Daniel Kraus (new) Audio Commentary With Director And Writer George A. Romero

Disc 2 – Blu-ray:

4K Restoration From The Original Negative (new) Audio: DTS-hd Master...

I remember when I went to my first Star Trek convention in 1990, at a medium-sized venue outside of Buffalo, NY. I met James Doohan, Denise Crosby, and George Takei, bought my first cosplay shirt, and won a prize during a trivia contest because I knew what “Savvik” meant. Having been the definition of “square peg” during my 12 years of public education, attending this convention made me feel like I had finally found others like me, so I’d like to give back by offering a few tips for anyone about to jump into the fandom fray and attend their first convention.

Drink your warp-speed juice

Preparing to have the stamina for a Star Trek convention means 3 words: caffeinate, caffeinate, caffeinate! Whether you prefer coffee, tea, or energy drinks, packing beverages that give you the energy of a Vulcan during Ponn Farr (without all the urges to kill those around you...

When you think of 1960s sci-fi shows, what titles come to mind? The earliest, campiest iteration of "Star Trek" is a no-brainer, as is anthology standard-bearer "The Twilight Zone." You might recall "Lost in Space," the original run of "Doctor Who," or even "The Jetsons," but the chances are "The Invaders" won't be on the tip of most peoples' tongues.

The short-lived ABC series about an alien invasion was unlike any other show of its time, but it remains more a cult classic than a part of the zeitgeist to this day. "The Invaders" ran for two seasons, with future "Perfect Strangers," "The Stuff," and "Maniac Cop" writer Larry Cohen as its mastermind and prolific early TV producer Quinn Martin executive producing. Unlike the flying saucer stories that would populate the decades to come, "The Invaders" was more a paranoid bureaucratic thriller than a little green men-filled horror story. Roy Thinnes,...

If you’re not a regular sci-fi or fantasy fan, there are still plenty of genre shows out there to watch!

One would think that if you’re on this website, then you’re automatically a fan of sci-fi and fantasy TV. Several shows have been able to connect with mainstream audiences, like Lost and Game of Thrones. But some might be a bit harder for casual viewers to get into. They are still great, they’re just more for folks already familiar with the genre.

It helps that these shows have great writing, excellent actors and often some stunning story arcs. For casual fans, these 15 sci-fi and fantasy shows are worth tracking down!

Rebecca Ferguson as Juliette Nichols in Silo season 2. Image: Apple TV+. 1. Silo

One of Apple TV+’s hottest shows, Silo has a pure sci-fi setup: thousands of people live in a city underground, having been told...

Production on the fifth season of the hit comedy series Only Murders in the Building is underway. Now, an exciting update has been revealed with the announcement of the season's first new guest star.

Per Deadline, acclaimed actor and comedian Keegan-Michael Key has joined the cast of Only Murders in the Building for his role in Season 5. Details about his character have not been revealed, but it will be for a recurring role. The season will focus on solving the murder of Lester (Teddy Coluca), and while it's not yet known which other actors might guest star in Season 5, the new episodes will, of course, bring back series stars Steve Martin, Martin Short, Selena Gomez, and Michael Cyril Creighton.

RelatedMartin Short Sets Career First With SAG Award Win for Only Murders in the Building

Martin Short picks up a major win.

The series is known for its guest stars, and...

In the world of Gene Roddenberry's "Star Trek," the bulk of the galaxy is overseen by an off-screen mega-bureaucracy called the United Federation of Planets, or just the Federation for short. The Federation is sort of like a supra-un that binds hundreds of civilized, technologically advanced planets in a widespread and benevolent pact of mutual aid. "Star Trek" is meant to take place in a post-scarcity society, and that's largely because so many planets are finally able to properly reallocate their resources. Starfleet is the regimented space navy that the Federation employs to engage in missions of exploration, study, and delivery. 

The concepts of "the Federation" and "Starfleet," however, took a while to fully form on "Star Trek." In the episode "Tomorrow is Yesterday", Captain Kirk (William Shatner) refers to his organization as the United Earth Space Probe Agency. It wouldn't be until "A Taste of Armageddon" that the...

Thanks to a universal love of coffee, fans of the larger NCIS-verse this Monday night got an update, of sorts, on the teams based out of Los Angeles, New Orleans, Hawai’i and Sydney.

In this week’s episode of CBS’ NCIS, titled “Bad Blood,” Special Agent Timothy (Farragut) McGee (played by Sean Murray) put on his World’s Best Dad hat to help his and Delilah’s forever-off-screen twins do well with their school’s annual winter fundraiser.

More from TVLineGayle King to One-Up The Morning Show By Going to Space With Katy PerryBeyond the Gates Video: Tamara Tunie...

There are a lot of characters in Star Trek. While plenty are dearly beloved, many others are loathed, despised, or simply forgotten. Sometimes, those sentiments are deserved. Sometimes, but not always. Here, we’ll explore some characters that deserve more attention or credit than they get.

Of course, it’s hard to determine what makes a character underrated. In some cases, it can be that the fans don’t rate or praise a character as highly as they deserve. Other times, it’s that the stories themselves underserve the characters in some way. Making these judgments is obviously subjective, but I will try to explain my rationale all the same.

Also, for this list, characters who were introduced in the current era of Star Trek (basically Discovery till now) will not be included. There are certainly underrated characters in these shows, but their newness means that the fandom’s estimation...

Arguably, three of the most popular franchises in recent (or past or future) memory are Back to the Future, The Lord of the Rings, and Star Trek, and the stars of all three recently appeared at a Vancouver convention. Christopher Lloyd, John Rhys-Davies, and William Shatner all appeared at the recent Fan Expo Vancouver and posed for an iconic photo together.

Lloyd, who played Dr. Emmett “Doc” Brown in the Back to the Future trilogy, posted an epic photo to the social media site X that featured himself, Star Trek’s Captain James T. Kirk (Shatner), and The Lord of the Rings trilogy’s Gimli (Davies). Lloyd captioned the picture: “The final frontier, the future, or middle-earth…your choice.”

The final frontier, the future, or middle-earth…your choice pic.twitter.com/hRpwhSOEj3— Christopher Lloyd (@DocBrownLloyd) February 23, 2025

RelatedJohn Rhys-Davies Was the Perfect Gimli, But He Nearly Played a Very Different Character...

To paraphrase the famous comedian, Rodney Dangerfield, some people just get no respect. When it comes to Star Trek, there are a few shows and films at the bottom of the pile that deserve to be there. Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Short Treks, Star Trek: The Animated Series, and of course, Star Trek: Section 31.

Yet, anyone who claims Star Trek: Enterprise is bad is simply not telling you the truth. Enterprise is fantastic. It's a constantly engaging and consistent series that should've been the perfect swansong to the Brannon Braga era of Star Trek on the Upn (later CW) network. It was the prequel series of the franchise. The story that should've started it all. A series that was anchored by a sci-fi legend and, at the time, the biggest name Star Trek had ever pulled to lead a brand-new franchise.

After all,...

Master Replicas, a UK-based toy company, has, per Trek Core, announced a new licensing deal with Paramount Consumer Products that enables the company to bring the modern Star Trekera to fans in the form of action figures and accessories. Master Replicas tends to be a more affordable option than high-end Exo-6 museum grade replica collectibles.

Also announced, along with the deal, is a whole new line of 4.5” action figures - the same size as the popular Playmates figures from the ‘90s. Master Replicas’ new licensing agreement includes current and past Paramount Trek shows like Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Star Trek: Picard, Star Trek: Lower Decks, Star Trek: Prodigy and the new Star Trek: Section 31 Paramount+ film, as well as the upcoming Star Trek: Starfleet Academy show.

RelatedStar Trek: Strange New Worlds & Lower Decks Crossover's Live-Action Boimler Figure Up for Pre-Order

Museum-quality Exo-6 figures will feature Bradward Boimler from Star Trek: Strange New Worlds...

Hollywood veteran Peter Navy Tuiasosopo passed away during the early morning hours of Monday, Feb. 10, at the age of 61. He was best known for portraying E. Honda in Street Fighter (1994) and the lovable offensive lineman Manumana “the slender” in the sports comedy Necessary Roughness. The actor’s son, Manoah Peter Tuiasosopo, shared the sad news on social media in a poignant post, which praised his father’s touching life (via Facebook):

"Dear family & friends, [it is] with a heavy heart, my family and I want to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers. Our father, Peter N. Tuiasosopo, passed away this morning at 3:16 a.m. My dad lived an amazing life and in no way does his impact stop here. We will continue to live with him in spirit, and as saddened as we are, he is without a doubt in Heaven with his brothers, sisters, parents, daughter, and Jesus,...

Jeffrey Dean Morgan became a household name largely due to his performance as the ruthless Negan in The Walking Dead and The Walking Dead: Dead City. Negan is first introduced as an antagonist in the post-apocalyptic zombie drama, brutally murdering fan favorite Glenn (Steven Yeun) to establish himself as a major threat off the bat. Brilliant, sarcastic, and tyrannical, Negan menaces the survivors for seasons before somehow making a flip to the protagonist in the show's spin-off, thanks largely to Morgan's charisma and skill.

Morgan has a long history of portraying gruff, tough guy types. Sometimes, these roles are misunderstood anti-heroes, and other times, he plays outright heinous people. He has a tact for covering all shades of the villainous spectrum. Whether viewers love to hate him or just outright loathe him, Morgan knows how to bring a bad guy to life.

Morgan Briefly Plays an Alien In Star Trek: Enterprise...

One of the most iconic elements of Star Trek is arguably the design of Starfleet uniforms. Bright, primary colors, coupled with the iconic Starfleet delta often screams "Star Trek," even to people who are not fans of the franchise. Despite this, there has actually been a lot of variation in Starfleet uniforms over time. Here, I'll try to rank my (entirely subjective) top 10 Starfleet uniforms.

10. Grey shoulders, colored undershirt Avery Brooks as Benjamin Sisko, wearing the grey-shoulder-style uniform in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine | Paramount Pictures/CBS Entertainment

Originally designed by Robert Blackman for the 1996 film Star Trek: First Contact, the first appearance of these uniforms was technically in the Deep Space Nine episode "Rapture." Superficially, these uniforms appear to swap the color pattern of the shoulders and collars in the previous uniforms used on DS9—which were also used for all seven seasons of Star Trek: Voyager.

Upon closer inspection,...

Exclusive: The Weeknd is depicted as a curious toddler by filmmaker Eddie Alcazar in the new stop-motion short film Red Terror, an accompaniment to the song of the same name off his latest album release Hurry Up Tomorrow. The video can be viewed below.

Alcazar created the nightmarish fantasy film concept following a conversation with the multi-Grammy Award-winning singer and actor who requested that “a boy in a haunted forest” be the story’s focal point. From idea to concept to final product took Alcazar about three to four months to complete.

“The creative freedom and time I had working with Abel allowed us to dive deep into raw themes and bold techniques. By blending live action, stop motion, and VFX, we’ve crafted something truly unique—an experience that pushes boundaries while staying rooted in raw emotion,” Alcazar told Deadline on Saturday following the project’s drop.

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The "NCIS" franchise is amongst the most successful in the history of television. The flagship show is still going today after 22 seasons and is rapidly approaching 500 episodes. Created by Donald P. Bellisario and Don McGill, it's rivaled only by the monster that is "Law & Order" as far as long-running prime time shows go. More than the show itself, "NCIS" is the gift that keeps on giving as it has spawned several very successful spin-offs, most notably "NCIS: New Orleans." That series, which premiered in 2014, had a stellar run that anyone who creates a show could only dream of. Still, even very good things must come to an end. But why did this beloved show have to end?

"NCIS: New Orleans" ended its seven-season run in May 2021 after CBS decided to cancel the crime drama set in the Big Easy. The...

The first "Star Trek" television series of the 21st century was the prequel "Star Trek: Enterprise," running for four seasons from 2001 to 2005. Set approximately a century before the events of "Star Trek: The Original Series," the show covers humanity's early days exploring the galaxy. The series' central starship, the Enterprise Nx-01, is among the first capable of traveling warp five, with this enhanced speed giving it access to an expansive number of worlds. Commanded by Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula), the Enterprise leads the creation of what would become the United Federation of Planets.

Throughout its four-season run, "Enterprise" provided a unique approach to the "Star Trek" franchise, showing the origins of many of its familiar tropes and concepts. "Enterprise" also featured stories spanning multiple episodes, mixing longer-form storytelling with the franchise's usual episodic format. While "Enterprise" may have seen a mixed reception across its run, including a poorly regarded finale,...

Quick Links Taylor Sheridan Appears In an Episode of Star Trek: Enterprise Taylor Sheridan Also Appears In Yellowstone What's Next For Taylor Sheridan?

Yellowstone and Star Trek are two very different television franchises. The former is a bleak Western depicting the horrible things that one family has to do to protect their ancestral ranch. The other is an epic sci-fi saga depicting the adventures of multiple crews as they explore the vast frontier of outer space. One might not expect there to be any connection between these two franchises, other than the fact that both have found incredible popularity over the years, leading to all manner of different sequels and spinoff series. Nevertheless, these two franchises may not be as disconnected as some television fans may have initially thought.

Yellowstone has recently come to an end with its fifth and final season, which depicted the final struggle of the Dutton...

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's USS Defiant is the best-known starship by that name, but Star Trek's original USS Defiant impacted two Star Trek timelines. The Defiant Class Nx-74205 USS Defiant debuted in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 3. A heavily-armed warship designed, in part, by Captain Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks), the USS Defiant was the prototype of a new starship class designed to fight the Borg. DS9 repurposed the Defiant as Sisko's main weapon against the Dominion.

However, Star Trek: The Original Series introduced the first USS Defiant. A Constitution Class deep space heavy cruiser similar to Captain James T. Kirk's (William Shatner) USS Enterprise, the USS Defiant Ncc-1764 encountered the Tholians, with the crew going insane and killing each other. The Defiant was then trapped in a spatial interphase and vanished in Star Trek: The Original Series' "The Thiolian Web." Over 30 years later, Star Trek: Enterprise...

Star Trek's long history has seen its fair share of disasters. From Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) on Star Trek: The Original Series to Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) on Star Trek: Discovery, starship captains and their crews have been preventing disasters and saving people across the galaxy for as long as Starfleet has existed. But Starfleet cannot prevent every catastrophe. Whether due to war, natural disaster, or a targeted attack, the United Federation of Planets has weathered many storms throughout its history.

Almost every Star Trek series has seen at least one major disaster, although some had more of an impact on the franchise than others. For example, much of the Federation-Klingon war of 2256-2257 took place in the background of Star Trek: Discovery season 1, when the USS Discovery was in the Mirror Universe. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, on the other hand, devoted multiple seasons to the Dominion War,...

Star Trek: Enterprise was originally going to take place on Earth with a big lead-up to getting Enterprise bound for space. In the Star Trek: Enterprise season 1's Blu-ray bonus features, Brannon Braga said "it was a much more mud on the boots, gritty show set on Earth for the first large part of the season. So launching the ship was going to be a much bigger deal." [via Screenrant] Instead, the Enterprise is launched in the pilot Episode of the series, and though suffers from some growing pains, for the most part, it holds its own.

But that wasn't how the producers had pictured the starship at all. In fact, the Enterprise and its crew was supposed to get in over their head a lot. It was the first time in space with an untested starship, and there were supposed to be battles that severely damaged the Enterprise. The producers...

Ever since Mr. Spock's (Leonard Nimoy) first appearance in Star Trek: The Original Series, Vulcans have been a staple of Star Trek cannon. In shows like Star Trek: Strange New Worlds or Star Trek: Voyager among others, Vulcans stand front and center. In other shows, like Star Trek: The Next Generation or Star Trek: Discovery, Vulcans may not be on the bridge, but Vulcan characters nevertheless have a lot of influence. Even in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, where Vulcan characters are few and far between, the influence of Vulcans on the Federation as a whole remains palpable.

The reason for their influence is obvious: Vulcans are iconic. From their green blood to the elegant Vulcan nerve pinch that few non-Vulcans can replicate, the various Vulcans of Star Trek never fail to impress both audiences and crewmembers alike. But what really sets Vulcans apart are not their physical abilities,...

NCIS achieved only what a few television franchises could do, with widespread acclaim and lasting popularity. The procedural drama is filled with charismatic characters that have kept the audiences invested for decades.

Diane Neal in NCIS: New Orleans | CBS

It’s a franchise that’s built on its creators’ ability to expand and innovate, which led to several of its successful spin-offs. However, not every attempt was a success, and some ceased to exist just after a few episodes.

CBS shelved NCIS: Red — A risk that had no payoff A still from NCIS: Los Angeles | CBS

In 2013, we were introduced to a backdoor pilot for NCIS: Red and it aired in NCIS: Los Angeles’ fourth season. The series was set to be about a mobile team of agents who would solve crimes across the country, as they lived and worked together in close proximity.

They also had a promising cast,...