Ask Slashdot: How To Introduce Someone To Star Trek? 634
First time accepted submitter red$hirt writes "I have a few friends, plus my girlfriend, who I would like to introduce to Star Trek. They do have a general interest to watch it, but I'm not sure what's the best way to start. There are so many series and movies and I would like to pick an order that keeps them interested. My first idea is to start off with a few good TNG episodes, and then let them watch First Contact. What does Slashdot think? I'm sure some of you have introduced others to Star Trek before. How did you do it, and how successful were you? Which particular episodes would you recommend watching for someone who is completely new to all this?"
Odd question. (Score:5, Insightful)
Sometimes I'm glad that I'm old. Sheesh, "Introduce" somebody to Star Trek. What a weird concept.
Re:What not to! (Score:5, Insightful)
Why not? I think it's the best. It's pretty much a soap opera in space. Story arcs some tech babble thrown in.
Re:Voyager (Score:2, Insightful)
Also Voyager is the worst piece of star trek fiction to choose from, so it can only get better from that. Unless your friends are autistic there is no reason at all to watch Voyager. Star Trek 5 is a better use of their time, hell. Enterprise season 1-3 is better than Voyager.
what not to see (Score:2, Insightful)
Don't let them watch any episodes of Enterprise (with the possible exception of "In a mirror, darkly"). It's the only way to retain your credibility.
Re:Well... (Score:5, Insightful)
Also, don't fucking go on a massive rant about Subject X. If she asks, "What is Warp?" Just say, "It lets the ship go faster than light." Don't regurgitate the entire Memory Alpha article that you've memorized or possibly helped write.
Don't bother (Score:4, Insightful)
Take it a little farther (Score:5, Insightful)
Worked for me. Although, to tell the truth, Valerie watched some Star Trek with me before Stanley came along.
Depends on the girlfriend (Score:4, Insightful)
What does your girlfriend like to watch? Start with the episodes/movies that are closest to that. For some people, "Star Trek: First Contact" is the best intro. For others, it's the JJ Abrams reboot, for others it's DS9, etc. "Star Trek: Insurrection" is often referred to as "Star Trek: Date Movie" for good reason; that might be a starting place.
Re:Next Gen Q (Score:5, Insightful)
No, while Q was acted well, he was the worst plot device in the entire franchise and is guaranteed to put off any new viewer. Even worse than the holodeck on Voyager.
Re:Khaaaaaaaaaan!!!!!! (Score:4, Insightful)
As for series - start off with TOS, then I'd do ST:Enterprise, then ST:TNG, then Voyager and DS9.
Drinking games ... (Score:4, Insightful)
Don't foist too much of the geeky stuff on them, have fun with it ... drinking games!
Every time McCoy says "dammit", everybody drink. Every time Spock says "fascinating", drink. Every time Kirk gets his shirt off, drink. Every time an un-named red-shirt gets killed, drink. Every time Uhura says "scanning all frequencies", drink.
Of course, if you're watching next gen, any time Wesley saves the day, they mention tachyons or other particles with magic properties, or Deanna Troi wears the cheerleader outfit, or Warf drinks prune juice ... drink.
But, in the end, maybe just let sleeping dogs lie ... your friends may never really appreciate your beloved Trek, and in the end may decide it's not something they like. It isn't everybody's cup of tea.
Re:Khaaaaaaaaaan!!!!!! (Score:5, Insightful)
It's fucking hard to get through the campiness of TOS, though.
I mean, Space Hippies [youtube.com]. That's pretty much the best way to make someone never want to watch a Trek show again.
Re:My advice (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Khaaaaaaaaaan!!!!!! (Score:5, Insightful)
Bitch all you want about the /. moderation system, but that is correct in every possible way with the exception of a new Funny/Informative rating.
Re:Well... (Score:5, Insightful)
If "It lets the ship go faster than light." is too technical, it is time for a new girlfriend.
Shared interests = good relationship (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:My advice (Score:5, Insightful)
The joy in Trek is largely nostalgic. As a kid Star Trek was one of the first "grown up shows" I watched. While it covered issues and topics I didn't always get until I was older, but a Space Ship, Aliens who wern't scary, and cool tech, was enough to keep me interested. As I got older and watching the shows over again I found more complexity in the plot. As I went into adolescence it was a family approved show with babes in tights or short skirts where you sometimes get a panty shot. Then you get more of the plot. After that it is a lot nostalgic of when you were a kid and life was easy.
For most people the debat over TOS TNG DS9 VGR and ENT falls what you watched when you were 8-12 years old.
If you didn't watch Trek as a kid, you are probably not going to get that into it. For one the age of the shows covers many issues that are no longer a big deal. Second the plots and acting while ok are for the most part not spatactular.
That said... I think Deep Space 9 is the best bet. It isn't as campy as the other Trek and there is growth in all the charactors.
Leslie Nielsen (Score:4, Insightful)
If your friends have the remotest interest that will certainly reel them in.
Re:My advice (Score:4, Insightful)
For most people the debat over TOS TNG DS9 VGR and ENT falls what you watched when you were 8-12 years old.
I watched TOS during that age in my life, and yet DS9 is my favorite series, with TNG and Enterprise tied for next (both had some problems, but both also had some great episodes). And, Voyager was absolutely the most unwatchable (I've only seen the first couple of seasons).
To answer the original question, I second the motion of starting with "Space Seed" from TOS, then WoK. After that, go back to some of the better TOS episodes (if nothing else, "The Trouble With Tribbles" is absolutely required), then continue with the TOS movies (skipping VI). If they are still interested at that point, TNG or DS9 depending on whether they like a continuing storyline better than mostly stand-alone episodes. Even if DS9 is their choice, some of the better TNG episodes would still be worthwhile first to set some of the background for new technology.
Agreed. (Score:4, Insightful)
I tried to introduce myself to star trek, and deep space 9 was recommended online as the best series.
It completely turned me off star trek.
Don't lead w/the Movies... (Score:5, Insightful)
Your friends will enjoy the moves a lot more after they absorb the chemistry; McCoy + Spock don't really hit their stride until the end of the first season. Anyway, while people with no background in StarTrek certainly can enjoy the movies, people with some background in StarTrek will enjoy the movies at least twice as much. (I say it is worth the wait; you asked for how to best introduce your friends to Star Trek... so realizing there is no need to rush anything will help you do a better job with that introduction).
TOS stories are (mostly) all well done. And the concepts are ground breaking when you consider they were presented in 1968. Some of the social points are astonishing; equality, moral dilemmas, and so on - especially(!) when you compare them to other shows that were airing in the late 60's early 70's. (Myself, I like using TOS as a mirror to get a glimpse of that generation's culture.)
So... maybe show them 3 TOS episodes then leave it at that; more than that will risk burning them out. If they like TOS they'll follow up on their own, or come back for more "home video nights." (And if you can do it, go with the re-mastered TOS; they really do look nicely done).
Maybe for a later "video night" in a do a few TNG episodes. Or they may be grooving on working through TOS. *shrug* Either way, at that point, they will ask for more or just politely nod and focus on other things.
Lastly, and this could be the most important part, show some restraint in pacing and tempo with what you play for your friends. And express interest in what your audience likes and is passionate about; you might find something new that you like, and you will almost certainly learn more about your friends.
Re:My advice (Score:5, Insightful)
Beware of anybody that makes a living in skilled hand trades in a world with replicators.
Re:Shared interests = good relationship (Score:4, Insightful)
so... she can hate whatever it is he likes and not have to watch, but he still has to watch her relationship dreck-disguised-as-horror?
Re:Khaaaaaaaaaan!!!!!! (Score:4, Insightful)
The first film is great, not action oriented but really epic. It's a true science fiction film.
And because of this it's the perfect film for someone that is not a trekkie.
The first film's basically a drawn-out version of one of the original episodes (the Changeling) that starts pretty well and ends strong but has tons of dead space in the middle because the plot's too thin to support more than 45-50 minutes. You'd be better off watching the original episode or many of TOS episodes instead.
Re:I don't know the best way (Score:5, Insightful)
One could show Star Trek without Star Trek, by staring with good stories.
TNG: Darmok
DS9: The Visitor
VOY: Blink of an Eye
TOS: The Devil in the Dark, The City on the Edge of Forever
(and a few others)
Such stories are accessible to new viewers since they do not depend on much cannon or story arcs or character history to be fully enjoyable. The major cannon episodes that series fans enjoy for being loaded with many intersections of individual motivations, big conflicts, implicit story, and consequence (e.g., "The Best of Both Worlds") would be lost to anyone who had not been exposed to the big players and landmarks. Starting with character development episodes would bet too much on new viewers caring about the characters on first exposure, and similarly with arc development episodes.