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Star Trek - Full Cast & Crew

• 73   Metascore
• Drama, Fantasy, Science Fiction
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Captain Kirk, Mr Spock, Dr McCoy and the USS Enterprise crew seek out new civilisations in this seminal sci-fi series.

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Assoc. producer, cinematographer, production company, art director, sound effects, special effects.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW: The cast of 'Star Trek: The Original Series'

• " Star Trek " debuted 56 years ago on September 8, 1966.
• After the show, the cast of the original series remained sci-fi icons.
• Only three stars of " The Original Series " are alive today, after Nichelle Nichols' death in July.

William Shatner led the crew of the USS Enterprise as Captain James T. Kirk.

"Star Trek" was originally going to be focused on a different  captain, Captain Christopher Pike, played by Jeffrey Hunter. A pilot was even filmed, called "The Cage," but it didn't make it to airwaves until the '80s. Gene Roddenberry, the creator, eventually retooled the show and cast Shatner as a new captain, Kirk. Some footage from "The Cage" was then reused for a season one episode called "The Menagerie."

Before "Star Trek," Shatner was famous for his role in an iconic " Twilight Zone " episode, "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet," in which he played a man recently released from a mental hospital who becomes convinced he can see a creature on the wing of the plane he's flying on. It aired in 1963, three years before "Star Trek."

In addition to his "Star Trek" roles, Shatner acted in "T.J. Hooker" and "Boston Legal," hosted "Rescue 911," and he has written numerous books. He finally made it to the final frontier in October 2021.

Though he's 91 years old, Shatner has shown no signs of slowing down. After "Star Trek" was canceled in 1969, he briefly returned to voice Kirk for the "Star Trek" animated series. In 1979, he again reprised his role as Kirk in " Star Trek: The Motion Picture ." He'd continue to do so regularly until 1994's "Star Trek Generations." He even directed one of the "Star Trek" movies: " Star Trek V: The Final Frontier. "

Besides "Star Trek," Shatner starred as the titular police officer on the '80s procedural "T.J. Hooker" and narrated " Rescue 911 ," a show that consisted of dramatic reenactments of real crimes.

Other roles that you might recognize Shatner from: a pageant host in " Miss Congeniality ," attorney Dennis Crane in " The Practice " and its spin-off " Boston Legal " for which he won two Emmys , and in the 2016-2018 reality show " Better Late Than Never ," in which Shatner, Henry Winkler, George Foreman, and Terry Bradshaw traveled around the world and experienced different cultures.

The actor is set to appear in the upcoming "Masters of the Universe: Revolution" series on Netflix. He also finally made it to space himself during a Blue Origin flight in October 2021, making him the oldest person to go into space at 90.

Shatner has written multiple books, both fiction and non-fiction over the course of his career. His 2016 book, " Leonard: My Fifty-Year Friendship with a Remarkable Man ," was about his friendship with "Star Trek" co-star Leonard Nimoy, who played his on-screen better half, Commander Spock.

Walter Koenig was cast as Ensign Pavel Chekov because of his resemblance to the Monkees' Davy Jones.

While Chekov was Russian, Koenig was born in America and based his accent on his parents' accents — they were Russian immigrants. Koenig was cast because, according to legend, he was supposed to help attract young girls as viewers due to his resemblance to teen idol Davy Jones. He even wore a Davy Jones-esque women's wig for the first seven or eight episodes, he told TV Insider in 2016.

Koenig's mainly recognized for his on-screen role as Chekov, though he became a pretty prolific screenwriter in the '70s. He wrote episodes for the "Star Trek" animated series, anthology series "What Really Happened to the Class of '65?" and children's series "Land of the Lost."

Koenig appeared in the 2018 film "Diminuendo."

Koenig, 85, (he's turning 86 on September 14) still makes frequent appearances on the "Star Trek" convention circuit, as well as acting in the occasional film. He appeared in 12 episodes of " Babylon 5 " in the '90s, voiced himself in an episode of "Futurama," and also voiced Mr. Savic on the Netflix animated series " Stretch Armstrong and the Flex Fighters. "

While not all of the "Star Trek" cast were on great terms, Koenig and his co-star George Takei remain close. Koenig was even the best man in Takei's wedding in 2008.

George Takei played Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu, a helmsman on the Enterprise.

Over the course of the show, Sulu was revealed to have many interests outside of Star Fleet, most famously fencing. At the time, Sulu was one of the first Asian characters on TV who wasn't explicitly a villain, and instead was a fully formed hero.

"Up until the time I was cast in 'Star Trek,' the roles were pretty shallow — thin, stereotyped, one-dimensional roles. I knew this character was a breakthrough role, certainly for me as an individual actor but also for the image of an Asian character: no accent, a member of the elite leadership team," Takei told Mother Jones in 2012.

Takei originally was supposed to play Sulu as an astrophysicist, but the role was changed to helmsman. Before "Star Trek," Takei also appeared in " The Twilight Zone " like his co-star William Shatner, among other '50s and '60s procedurals.

Takei is still acting to this day, though many people know him now for his social media presence.

Who says an 85-year-old doesn't know how to use social media? Takei's Facebook page has 9.5 million likes to date, and he has 3.4 million followers on Twitter .

In addition to his continued acting in films like "Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank," " Kubo and the Two Strings ," "Blazing Samurai," and "Mulan," and TV shows like "Heroes," "Supah Ninjas," and " Star Wars: Visions ," Takei is an activist. He came out as gay in 2005  and began working as a spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign.

Takei also starred in the 2012 musical "Allegiance," which was based on his and his family's experiences during Japanese internment in World War II.

Nichelle Nichols played Lieutenant Nyota Uhura, a translator, communications officer, and linguistics expert.

Uhura was one of the first Black television characters that didn't have a menial job — instead, she was in a position of power. She and Shatner were also involved in what is thought to be the first interracial kiss on American TV.

Nichols stayed with the show for all three seasons, but it wasn't without drama. She was tempted to leave during the first year, but none other than Martin Luther King Jr. convinced her to stay. She told the New York Post in 2011 that when she told him that she wanted to leave, he told her, "You can't do that. You have the first non-stereotypical, non-menial role on television. You have created strength and beauty and intelligence. For the first time, the world sees us as we should be seen. It's what we're marching for. You're a role model and whether you like it or not, you belong to history now."

She also released an album in 1967, "Down to Earth." In between "Star Trek's" cancellation and its return on the big screen, Nichols starred in the 1974 blaxploitation film " Truck Turner ," as Dorinda, a madam.

Nichols died in 2022 at the age of 89. She had retired from public appearances in 2018.

From 1977 until 2015, Nichols was involved with Women in Motion, a recruiting program for NASA to help get more women involved in the space program. In July 2020, a documentary about the program finally secured distribution and will be released in 2021, Deadline reported. 

"Nichelle Nichols not only was a trailblazer in Hollywood, she was a trailblazer for the future of our society. She took the fight for Civil Rights, diversity and inclusion and gender equality to new frontiers with NASA which continue to serve America's space program today. She was ahead of her time," said executive producer Ben Crump.

Nichols also appeared in " The Young and the Restless, " "Heroes," and " Futurama ." She was diagnosed with dementia in 2018 and subsequently retired from public appearances.

In July 2022, Nichols' son announced on social media that Nichols had died at the age of 89 .

Leonard Nimoy played Captain Kirk's first officer and close friend Commander Spock.

Spock was the only alien member of the original crew, as he was half-human, half-Vulcan — an alien race from the planet Vulcan whose residents operate solely from a point of logic, not feelings. Much of the show's comedy came from Spock and Kirk's differences and their amusement at each other. His frequent farewell, " Live Long and Prosper ," accompanied by the Vulcan Salute, are among the most recognizable pieces of the "Star Trek" canon.

Nimoy had multiple small parts in B movies and TV shows before booking "Star Trek," including an episode of " The Man from U.N.C.L.E. " alongside future co-star William Shatner, as well as an episode of " The Twilight Zone ."

But once "Star Trek" premiered, Nimoy would be forever linked with his Vulcan counterpart, and he mainly did voice work after the show ended. He also reunited with Shatner for an episode of his show, "T.J. Hooker."

Nimoy died in 2015 at the age of 83. He played Spock for the final time in 2013's "Star Trek Into Darkness," meaning he played the role for almost 50 years.

Nimoy is the only actor from the original series to appear in JJ Abrams' rebooted films, as he appeared in 2009's "Star Trek" and its 2013 sequel " Star Trek Into Darkness " as an older version of Spock who was trapped in an alternate universe.

In addition to acting, Nimoy was a photographer, recording artist, author, and director. He directed two "Star Trek" movies (" The Search for Spock " and "The Journey Home"), and "Three Men and a Baby," which became the highest-grossing film of 1987 .

Nimoy died in 2015 at the age of 83 due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

DeForest Kelley played the ship's curmudgeonly chief medical officer, Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy.

Bones, as he was affectionately called, was one of the oldest members of the crew, and thus got to be a bit more obnoxious than the rest of them. His frequent catchphrase, " I'm a doctor, not a ___, " is one of the most parodied lines of dialogue from the show.

Like his character, Kelley was older and a more established actor than the rest of the cast. Before the show, he had appeared in Westerns and historical films like " Gunfight at the O.K. Corral ," "Warlock," and " Raintree County " in the '50s.

Kelley died in 1999 at the age of 79, nine years after playing McCoy for the last time.

Kelley essentially retired from acting, besides playing McCoy, after the success of "Star Trek." He appeared in all six films starring the original cast, and appeared in an episode of " Star Trek: The Next Generation " as McCoy, as well.

While he wasn't much of a sci-fi fan, Kelley was proud of his "Star Trek" legacy. When asked what he thought his legacy would be, he explained that his character inspired people to enter the medical field. He told the New York Times , "These people [fans] are doctors now, all kinds of doctors who save lives. That's something that very few people can say they've done. I'm proud to say that I have.''

He died in 1999 at the age of 79 due to stomach cancer .

Majel Barrett had a recurring role as Nurse Christine Chapel.

Barrett was originally cast in the first version of "Star Trek" as Pike's first officer, but when that episode was scratched, so was her character. However, due to her romantic relationship with "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry (who she later married), she was brought back as Nurse Chapel (a divisive character).

Before the show, Barrett was in various bit parts in '50s and '60s shows, but her big break was " Star Trek ," which she stayed involved in for the rest of her life.

Barrett died in 2008 when she was 76 years old. Up until her death, she had been involved with every "Star Trek" series in some way, leading fans to call her the First Lady of "Star Trek."

Barrett reprised her role as Chapel in " Star Trek: The Motion Picture " and " Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home ." She also appeared in " Star Trek: The Next Generation " and "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" as Lwaxana Troi, the mother of Deanna Troi, a main character in "Next Generation." Her other involvement in the series was the voice of the computer in many of the other " Star Trek" films: "Generations ," " First Contact ," "Nemesis," and 2009's reboot.

She died in 2008 at the age of 76 due to leukemia . 

James Doohan played chief engineering officer Montgomery "Scotty" Scott.

Contrary to popular belief, the phrase " Beam me up, Scotty " is never actually uttered in the original series. The man on the other end of that command, Scotty, was played by Doohan, who was Canadian in real life, not Scottish.

Before "Star Trek," Doohan served in the Canadian military and was even on the beaches of Normandy during D-Day, and was a pilot as well. After the war, he began acting and became a successful radio actor. Like his co-stars, he also appeared in an episode of " The Twilight Zone ," and other popular procedurals. 

In the animated series, Doohan proved to be indispensable, with his talent for voice acting and accents. He voiced over 50 characters during the show's run.

James Doohan died at the age of 85 in 2005.

Doohan didn't find much success outside of the world of "Star Trek," and thus embraced his role as Scotty. He appeared in "Generations," as well as an episode of " The Next Generation ." 

However, his impact on the field of engineering cannot be overstated. He was awarded an honorary doctorate from the Milwaukee School of Engineering "after half the students there said that Scotty had inspired them to take up the subject," according to the BBC .

Towards the end of his life, Doohan suffered from Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, and retired from public life in 2004. He died the following year, at 85, due to complications from pneumonia .

Grace Lee Whitney appeared in the first season of the show as Yeoman Janice Rand.

Rand appeared in eight episodes of the show's first 15-episode season as a clerical and administrative worker aboard the ship, before Whitney was released from her contract. At the time, the story was that the show didn't have enough money to keep everyone, but years later in her autobiography, Rand accused an unnamed executive producer , whom she called "The Executive," of sexually assaulting her.

"I tried to do what he wanted me to, so I could get it over with. I knew, deep down inside, that I was finished on 'Star Trek.' At that moment, however, I didn't care about that. Nothing else mattered — not my tarnished virtue, not my career, not my role on 'Star Trek.' The only thing that mattered was getting out of that room alive," she wrote.

Whitney died in 2015 at the age of 85.

After getting written off the show, Whitney struggled with her career, and alcoholism. She credited co-star Leonard Nimoy with helping her get back on her feet and involved with "Star Trek" once again. She reprised her role in four of the original "Star Trek" films, and in an episode of " Star Trek: Voyager " alongside George Takei.

She died in 2015 due to natural causes at the age of 85.

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Star trek’s long road to tv began 60 years ago this month.

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Star Trek: The Original Series Cast & Character Guide

6 star trek planets controlled by computers, walter koenig says william shatner was “funny” & “made us all laugh” on star trek: the original series.

• 60 years ago, Gene Roddenberry took his first step towards bringing Star Trek to the screen with a successful meeting with NBC.
• "The Cage" was chosen as the pilot for Star Trek, but two other potential storylines were also pitched to NBC.
• While the show faced initial challenges, Star Trek: The Original Series went on to become a beloved science fiction classic.

It was 60 years ago this May that Gene Roddenberry and NBC embarked on the first step on their journey to bringing Star Trek: The Original Series to the screen. TOS premiered on NBC on September 8th, 1966, following a failed pilot, a radical overhaul, and a change of lead actor. Years before "The Man Trap" aired, Gene Roddenberry began shopping his Star Trek concept around various studios and networks, to no avail . In 1964, however, Roddenberry sold Star Trek to Lucille Ball's, Desilu production company, signing a three-year deal in April that year.

While Gene Roddenberry now had studio backing, he still needed a network partner to make his Star Trek dreams a reality . Despite Desilu's existing deal with CBS, Gene Roddenberry failed to sell his Star Trek Is... pitch document to the network, as they opted to go with Irwin Allen's Lost in Space instead. In early May, however, Gene Roddenberry had a successful meeting with NBC's Vice-President of Programming, Mort Werner, who asked him to provide him with three potential story ideas for a Star Trek pilot . Roddenberry and Werner's meeting was the first step on a long journey to get Star Trek on TV.

Star Trek: The Original Series features some of the most iconic characters in all of science fiction with the crew of the original USS Enterprise.

NBC Ordered Three Star Trek Storylines 60 Years Ago This Month - What Were They?

We know "the cage" was successful, but what else was on offer.

Of the three potential storylines that Gene Roddenberry pitched to NBC, "The Cage" was the one that was successfully mounted as a Star Trek pilot. For years, fans have speculated about what the two unsuccessful storylines could have been. There are some possible clues in Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek Is... pitch document, dated 1st March 1964 . The front page, which describes Star Trek with the keywords " Action. Adventure. Science Fiction " also outlines six potential story ideas.

Four out of six of these storylines are classic episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series in an embryonic form. "The Day Charlie Became God" could describe the second of Star Trek 's two pilots , "Where No Man Has Gone Before", but is also very clearly an early version of "Charlie X". The third story idea, "President Capone", would eventually be realized as Star Trek: TOS season 2, episode 20, "A Piece of the Action" . The fifth potential story idea, "The Women", is an early version of "Mudd's Women", which was one of the three ideas pitched as a potential second pilot in 1965 .

Other story ideas later in the Star Trek Is... document include "The Man Trap" and "The Mirror", which would later be adapted for episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series .

The 2013 reference book These Are the Voyages: TOS Season One by Marc Cushman and Susan Osborn reveals that "The Women" was also one of the three story ideas pitched to NBC in 1964. The final story was "Visit to Paradise", the outline of which was referred to in the Star Trek Is... pitch document as "The Perfect World". Although declined by NBC in 1964 in favor of "The Cage", "Visit to Paradise" would later be adapted as "The Return of the Archons", in which the USS Enterprise discovers a peaceful planet ruled by the evil computer, Landru .

Star Trek has introduced several planets controlled by computers, some with more positive results than others.

November 2024 Marks The 60th Anniversary Of Star Trek’s Unaired Pilot

Shooting on "the cage" began on november 27th, 1964..

NBC selected "The Cage" as their preferred Star Trek pilot at the end of July, 1964 . For the next few months, preparations were made to start shooting "The Cage", with Roddenberry submitting rewrites to NBC right up until the final draft being submitted on November 20, 1964. This was one week before Star Trek 's first scenes were shot on November 27; the conversation between Captain Christopher Pike (Jeffrey Hunter) and Dr. Phil Boyce (John Hoyt) about the incident on Rigel VII. Shooting on "The Cage" wrapped on December 28, 1964, with the Orion slave girl scenes the last to be filmed .

The day after shooting wrapped, Roddenberry received the USS Enterprise model for use in the show. NBC declined to take Star Trek further in February 1965, because the network believed it didn't have the mass appeal that they were looking for . However, Gene Roddenberry and Desilu convinced NBC to give Star Trek a second chance, and commissioned "Where No Man Has Gone Before" a month later. Star Trek 's second pilot was more positively received by the network, and NBC ordered it for broadcast in the 1966/1967 TV season, and the rest is history.

How Will Star Trek Commemorate Its Actual 60th Anniversary?

September 8th, 2026 is sooner than you think..

While nobody is expecting Star Trek to throw a big party to celebrate 60 years since the production of its failed pilot, the anniversary of "The Cage" is a reminder that Star Trek 's 60th anniversary is fast approaching. At this stage it's not clear how exactly Paramount will celebrate the massive milestone in 2026, but there have been some interesting recent developments. Paramount recently confirmed that a Star Trek origin movie written by Seth Grahame-Smith and directed by Toby Haynes is part of their 2025/26 slate.

The upcoming Star Trek movie was recently described in a Variety cover story as " an origin story of sorts for the main timeline of the entire franchise ". This suggests a movie that takes place between the 30th anniversary movie, Star Trek: First Contact and Star Trek: Enterprise . However, the story of Star Trek 's real-world creation could make for a fascinating Gene Roddenberry biopic , which would be a leftfield choice that could be greeted warmly by fans. Whatever direction it goes in, it seems like the Star Trek origin story will be the perfect way to kick off the celebrations in Star Trek: The Original Series ' 60th anniversary year.

All episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series are available to stream on Paramount+.

Star Trek: The Original Series

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Star Trek: The Original Series follows the exploits of the crew of the USS Enterprise. On a five-year mission to explore uncharted space, Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) must trust his crew - Spock (Leonard Nimoy), Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy (Forest DeKelley), Montgomery "Scotty" Scott (James Doohan), Uhura (Nichelle Nichols), Chekov (Walter Koenig) and Sulu (George Takei) - with his life. Facing previously undiscovered life forms and civilizations and representing humanity among the stars on behalf of Starfleet and the United Federation of Planets, the Enterprise regularly comes up against impossible odds and diplomatic dilemmas.

Dune Part Two: Similar Sci-Fi Franchises

• Complex political intrigue of Dune is mirrored in The Expanse , creating a tense atmosphere fans will enjoy despite scale differences.
• Star Wars' themes of destiny and power echo Dune's , with both featuring protagonists facing temptation and world-changing potential.
• The Faded Sun Trilogy offers a unique take on desert-dwelling warriors akin to Dune's Fremen, adding an alien perspective to similar themes.

Although Frank Herbert's Dune (1965) was once considered to be unfilmable, the recent success of Denis Villeneuve's take on the material has shown that this is far from true. Thanks to breathtaking visuals and strong performances by actors like Zendaya and Timothee Chalamet, the epic tale of Paul Atreides' revenge against the scheming Harkonnens has impressed fans and critics alike.

6 Things Dune Part Two Does Better Than Part One

The Dune movies may be long (clocking in at a combined 320 minutes), but they've left many fans hungry for more. Luckily, many much-loved elements of Hebert's narrative can be found in a number of acclaimed movies, books, and television shows. From classic franchises like Star Wars to lesser-known novels, there are plenty of options for fans looking to spice up their wait for Villeneuve's next movie.

Movies (1979–2019) | Created by George Lucas

• First Movie: Star Wars Episode 4: A New Hope (1977)
• Latest Movie: Star Wars Eipsode 9: The Rise of Skywalker
• Other Media: Books, Video Games, TV Series, Animation, Comics

A young man with a close association to a desert planet is destined to play a vital role in overthrowing the galactic government, but may discover that power has a tendency to corrupt. If this premise sounds familiar, it's because it broadly sums up the character arcs of both Dune 's Paul Atreides and Star Wars ' Anakin Skywalker. In another universe, it might also have described Luke Skywalker—George Lucas even toyed with the idea of having Luke take his father's place as the franchise big-bad following Vader's defeat.

Outside the prequel movies, Star Wars lacks the political maneuvering central to Dune 's narrative, preferring to focus on a simpler good versus evil narrative. However, there are similarities to Herbert's space opera, with Jedi mind tricks coming across as a twist on the Bene Gesserit's Voice.

The Expanse

Television series (2015–2022) | created by mark fergus and hawk ostby.

• Premiere Date: December 14, 2015
• Total Seasons: 6
• Cast: Steven Strait, Thomas Jane, Dominique Tipper, Wes Chatham
• Based On: The Expanse novels by James S. A. Corey

While The Expanse (based on a series of novels by James S.A. Corey) lacks the desert imagery of Dune , it more than makes up for this by replicating Herbert's fiendishly complex web of political machinations. Devious political operators like Chrisjen Avasarala could even give the Harkonnens a run for their money, while the mysterious protomolecule has all the universe-changing potential of Arrakis' spice.

Dune: The Politics Of The Imperium, Explained

Admittedly, early seasons of The Expanse primarily focus on the political situation within the Solar System rather than reaching for Dune 's epic scale, but this does nothing to detract from the show's tense atmosphere. The Expanse may be different to Dune in terms of how it depicts the future, but its dense world-building and strong characters are sure to draw in fans of Herbert's work.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Television series (1993–1999) | created by rick berman and michael piller.

• Premiere Date: January 3, 1993
• Total Seasons: 7
• Cast: Avery Brooks, Rene Auberjonois, Colm Meaney, Cirroc Lofton
• Based On: Star Trek created by Gene Roddenberry

Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry famously disliked the idea of religion in his utopian future, but Deep Space Nine demonstrated that storylines which explored faith could make for gripping and thought-provoking television. Much like Paul Atreides, DS9 's Benjamin Sisko finds himself adopted as a religious figure, the Emissary of the Prophets, by a group of alien worshipers. Like Paul, Sisko is reluctant to accept this role, which will lead to him playing a dramatic role in galactic events.

Due to DS9 's ensemble cast and broad range of topics, Sisko's path towards godhood is far less central to the narrative than Paul's journey in Dune . However, the Star Trek series nonetheless manages to emulate the political backstabbing, epic warfare, and arc of an outsider being adopted into an alien culture that is central to Herbert's novels.

Novel (1968) | Written by Samuel R. Delaney

• Publication Date: 1968
• Publisher: Doubleday

Written when Delaney was just 25 years old, Nova imagines a future in which a resource vital for space travel, Illyrion, sparks a feud between rival human factions. The powerful Red family is desperate to maintain its hold over the flow of Ilyrion, while the upstart Lorq Von Ray aims to find a fresh supply of the power source at the center of an exploding star. The parallels to Dune 's conflicts over spice production are evident.

Dune: 6 Book Characters Missing From The New Movies

Nova also bears tonal similarities to Dune . Despite the book's futuristic setting, Delaney emphasizes elements of the historical and occult, such as the focus on great houses and the use of tarot cards in place of some technologies. Given Delaney's inventiveness, it's surprising that Nova has yet to be adapted for the screen, although a Neil Gaiman-led adaptation was announced in 2023.

Television Series (1993–1998) | Created by J. Michael Stracyznski

• Premiere Date: January 26, 1994
• Total Seasons: 5
• Cast: Mira Furlan, Bruce Boxleitner, Richard Briggs, Michael O'Hare
• Other Media: Novels, Comics, Short Stories, Animation

Denis Villeneuve's Dune movies have been rightly praised for their impressive visuals, so it might seem odd to compare them to Babylon 5 , a series which has not aged well in the looks department. However, despite some wonky early CGI and a tight budget, Babylon 5 remains one of the foundational texts of small-screen science fiction.

J. Michael Stracynzi's series features several Dune -adjacent elements, including an unforgettable portrayal of how power corrupts and some doom-laden prophecies. Babylon 5 is less tightly focused than Herbert's novels, as it covers a wide range of alien races in addition to conflicts between different human factions. The result is a living, breathing universe that rivals the journey of Paul Atreides in the script department, even if it can't compete in purely visual terms.

The Faded Sun Trilogy

Novels (1978–1979) | written by c.j. cherryh.

• Publication Date: 1978
• Publisher: DAW Books

The Faded Sun Trilogy comprises part of Cherryh's epic Alliance–Union Universe, a series spanning thousands of years and dozens of novels. Set following humanity's victory over the alien regul and their mri mercenaries, the trilogy focuses on the budding relationship between the human Sten Duncan and the mri Niun. The mri are a race of desert-dwelling warriors, much like the Fremen , and Duncan must learn their ways if he is to survive various challenges and betrayals.

While the first book in the trilogy, Kesrith , is particularly reminiscent of Dune due to its desert-planet setting, the later novels ( Shon'jir and Kutath ) also invite comparisons. The corpulent, scheming regul are not unlike Dune's Baron Harkonnen, although Cherryh's talent for creating truly alien cultures ensures that The Faded Sun novels never feel derivative. Indeed, Cherryh's foregrounding of mri characters offers an extraterrestrial perspective on human affairs that is absent from Herbert's saga.

Dune: Every Novel Written By Frank Herbert, Introduced

• Cast & crew
• User reviews

Return to Tomorrow

• Episode aired Feb 9, 1968

The Enterprise is guided to a distant, long-dead world where survivors of an extremely ancient race - existing only as disembodied energy - desiring the bodies of Kirk, Spock and astro-biolo... Read all The Enterprise is guided to a distant, long-dead world where survivors of an extremely ancient race - existing only as disembodied energy - desiring the bodies of Kirk, Spock and astro-biologist Ann Mulhall so that they may live again. The Enterprise is guided to a distant, long-dead world where survivors of an extremely ancient race - existing only as disembodied energy - desiring the bodies of Kirk, Spock and astro-biologist Ann Mulhall so that they may live again.

• Ralph Senensky
• Gene Roddenberry
• John T. Dugan
• William Shatner
• Leonard Nimoy
• DeForest Kelley
• 30 User reviews
• 13 Critic reviews

• Captain James Tiberius 'Jim' Kirk …

• Mister Spock …

• Ann Mulhall …

• Christine Chapel
• Lieutenant Hadley
• (uncredited)

• Command Lieutenant

• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Did you know

• Trivia As a lieutenant commander, Ann Mulhall has the distinction of being the highest-ranking female Starfleet character shown in The Original Series.
• Goofs Dr. Ann Mulhall wears a red tunic, but she is described as a astrobiologist, which should put her in the Sciences division and have her wearing a blue tunic.

Capt. Kirk : They used to say if man could fly, he'd have wings, but he did fly. He discovered he had to. Do you wish that the first Apollo mission hadn't reached the moon, or that we hadn't gone on to Mars and then to the nearest star? That's like saying you wish that you still operated with scalpels and sewed your patients up with catgut like your great-great-great-great grandfather used to. I'm in command. I could order this, but I'm not because Doctor McCoy is right in pointing out the enormous danger potential in any contact with life and intelligence as fantastically advanced as this, but I must point out that the possibilities - the potential for knowledge and advancement - is equally great. Risk! Risk is our business. That's what this starship is all about. That's why we're aboard her. You may dissent without prejudice. Do I hear a negative vote?

• Alternate versions Special Enhanced version Digitally Remastered with new exterior shots and remade opening theme song
• Connections Featured in The Moon Is... The Sun's Dream (1992)
• Soundtracks Theme Music credited to Alexander Courage , although a small part of the theme resembles the main title music for 'Hollow Triumph (1948)' by Sol Kaplan , who is not credited. Sol Kaplan did contribute music to numerous episodes and is so credited when applicable. Sung by Loulie Jean Norman

User reviews 30

• rodkb-62759
• Jan 11, 2020
• February 9, 1968 (United States)
• United States
• Official Facebook
• Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA
• Paramount Television
• Norway Corporation
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

• Runtime 50 minutes

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