Star Trek - some thoughts from a newbie fan

Well, it's happened.  Somewhere between watching the recent film versions (thanks Paola!) and deciding to catch a random episode of the original series that's airing on the public TV station, I've decided I really like Star Trek!  And I never imagined I would get into the show.  It's early days yet - I haven't even finished the first season on Netflix (I just recently switched to streaming for Netflix btw - good times) but each episode is so addicting!  And curse you Netflix for adding a plot synopsis to the next episode which forces me to click play!  (Curses in a good way?)

I know there are a lot of Trekkies out there who can really do justice to what this show is all about, so for now, I wanted to talk about why I'm starting to like the show so much.  And if anyone is on the fence about watching it, maybe this post will help!

The first thing I wasn't expecting from this show was how polished it is for the time it was made.  Some of the special effects aren't great, but on the other hand there are some special effects that really look good!  And the show doesn't feel as cheesy as I thought it might be - in fact the characters really pull off the story lines and make me believe in this world.  From the first few episodes, the crew of the Enterprise already have such great rapport, and I'm riveted by the times when we get to see how the crew lives - like their rec room and their private rooms.  Because it seems like it would be a lot of fun to live on the Enterprise.  Except, of course, when the ship is heading into mortal danger every other episode.

I also find it interesting how internal these first few episodes of the series are - there are a lot of dangers that affect the mind and while it is a little redundant, I still find things trying to take over your mind fascinating.  It also makes for some great suspense when people they think they can trust are definitely not trustworthy.  The stories are really solid as well as the acting and special effects and I am really impressed by how thought-provoking and emotionally involving this show can be.  There's a part of me that compares this show to Classic Doctor Who and while I'm watching Star Trek, sometimes I think of what the Doctor would do in a similar situation.  For instance there was an episode (the first one that aired - "The Man Trap") where the creature is the very last of it's kind.  That creature didn't fare so well in Star Trek, and I feel like the Doctor would have had more sympathy with it and would have given it more of a chance to change it's path.  Obviously the basic philosophy is different in the Star Trek world, but it does make sense given these are humans, and humans have their weaknesses.  I don't know if I'll be a rabid fan of Star Trek like I am with Doctor Who, but I definitely plan to watch more and give it a shot!