star trek best themes

Ranking The ‘Star Trek’ Themes

Music has always been a huge part of Star Trek , from 1966 and that fanfare to the modern stylings of Star Trek: Discovery , which begins its second season this week. Over the course of 13 movies and seven television series, not to mention a boatload of video games, various composers have tried their best to musically represent Gene Roddenberry ‘s vision of gunboat diplomacy and utopian societies. But which theme reaches maximum warp first? Which of the many pieces of music can deal with the most phaser hits and deciphering technobabble? Let’s find out.

15. Enterprise

Legend has it that when Enterprise launched there was a petition to ask the producers to ditch the opening theme. This is no surprise, I only wish I cared about the show back then to sign it. There’s no point beating around the bush here: it’s a dreadful theme. Probably the worst thing is that it’s not even original. It was written by super-songmeister Diane Warren for Rod Stewart to sing in the horrible Robin Williams picture Patch Adams , a movie so bad even the man it was based on came out to say how much it sucks. Even Russell Watson , who sings it for the show, does a poor Stewart impression, and it’s really the one and only reason for Netflix’s “skip intro” button to exist.

14. The Animated Series

While Star Trek only got one more live-action series after its initial cancellation, it did get a third lease of life in cartoon form in the shape of Star Trek: The Animated Series , which received 22 episodes from Filmation between 1973 and 1974. Most of the principal cast returned to voice the characters, but the task for the music for the entire series fell to two people, Yvette Blais and Jeff Michael , otherwise known as Ray Ellis (Blais was his wife) and Norm Prescott (who had two sons, Jeff and Michael). Ellis was a producer and arranger who had previously worked with the likes of Billie Holiday and Emmylou Harris as well as composing for the 1960s Spider-Man animated show, while Prescott was one of the Filmation producers along with Lou Scheimer. Being fair, their theme is heavily based on the Alexander Courage TV theme, but it’s still a decent tune. I guess they couldn’t afford to use any music from the live-action show, but for what it was it worked.

13. The Voyage Home

On the surface, Leonard Rosenman wasn’t really a bad choice. He was a famous composer with a back catalog anyone would wish for, such as East of Eden, Rebel Without a Cause, Fantastic Voyage , and Barry Lyndon among others. So while he might have been an odd choice for “the one with the whales,” especially after James Horner , he was nevertheless a good one. His score, however, well let’s just say it has divided fans a fair bit. His main theme isn’t that bad, a strong brassy effort with the pomp and circumstance you’d expect, but it just doesn’t feel like the right tone. It doesn’t help that the theme’s bridge is taken straight from the bridge of his theme from Ralph Bakshi’s 1978 animated Lord of the Rings . FFS, Lenny.

12. Deep Space Nine

Dennis McCarthy didn’t have much luck in 1987 when his theme for The Next Generation was rejected in favor of Jerry Goldsmith ‘s movie theme, but the stars were with him in 1993 when Deep Space Nine came around. The producers initially requested Goldsmith but he had another project at the time, so McCarthy finally got his chance. And it’s a strange theme. It was always going to have a different feel, with the show about a space station rather than the naturally propulsive starship, and it has a rather gentle feel to it, like a stately fanfare. A more dynamic arrangement was created for season four onwards, but it didn’t change much. It’s wonderful in its full concert arrangement, and in a solo piano arrangement McCarthy later did, but it was the one weak link in DS9 ‘s chain.

11. Generations

We meet again, Mr. McCarthy. Despite heavily featuring the TNG theme in marketing, the producers of Star Trek Generations decided to plunk for Dennis and he actually did a fine job, composing a stirring and muscular theme that works very well with horse riding scenes and Shatner making breakfast for Picard. It also blends in well with the original fanfare, which was pretty much a requisite for everyone but Jerry Goldsmith. The film and score get reasonably short shrift when it comes to fan debates, but both are better than their reputation. Unfortunately, McCarthy is now composing music for the films of convicted felon Dinesh D’Souza, which is about as far from the principles of Star Trek as you can get.

10. Discovery

The new kid on the block is yet another example of the division of fans today on social media. Discovery is an interesting case, it’s definitely different than previous Trek s, especially with heavy violence, interspecies intercourse, and a couple of F-bombs in its first season, but it’s gotten better and better to the point where it feels to me like it’s Star Trek . And it has a pretty great theme by omnipresent TV composer Jeff Russo that takes the modernistic approach while still remaining true to what has come before. Russo’s own theme is a wonderfully stirring and adventurous melody that fans out like the intriguing shape of the vessel before segueing to the classic fanfare at the climax. More, please.

For the last installment of the original film series, Jerry Goldsmith tried something different. Instead of something more heroic, the score is dominated by the theme for Shinzon, Tom Hardy’s genocidal Picard clone hellbent on conquering everything, including his twin. Goldsmith’s theme is economic, only using five notes, but it’s versatility allows it to be used in different modes throughout the film, often in a tragic tone. But perhaps the best is the end credit suite version, where it’s beautifully drawn out into a stunning full orchestral concert rendition that perhaps does the best job of musically describing Picard and his villainous equal.

8. Star Trek ’09

Everyone remembers the first time Michael Giacchino ‘s thrilling theme for the alternate universe adventures of the Enterprise appears properly in the film; when Kirk et al are transported to the flashy new hot rod of a ship for the first time. Known as “Enterprising Young Men,” the cue begins with an initial ostinato representing Starfleet cadets as they travel via shuttle, with the orchestra building and building with a fanfare of its own until the Enterprise is finally revealed and that huge brass melody soars. A classic moment that shows the power of the theme and why it really is the main theme of these movies, despite the end credit use of the ’60s tune.

7. The Undiscovered Country

For the 1991 sendoff of the original crew, director Nicholas Meyer picked a young composer named Cliff Eidelman to handle scoring duties, and he subsequently turned out one of the best scores in the series. While he used the original fanfare fairly liberally, his own theme was a wonderful tribute to the exploration and adventure of the franchise, a richly textured and emotionally resonant melody that hit exactly the right notes of nostalgia and optimism, allowing for a perfect goodbye to those we had spent decades traveling with.

6. Insurrection

Insurrection is usually remembered as a lesser-known entry and proof of the odd-numbered curse. But whatever you think about the film, Jerry Goldsmith’s sweet-natured main theme for the Ba’ku people is a gorgeous reminder of the composer’s ability to write memorable themes that stick with you beyond the film — often a good thing considering some of the pictures Goldsmith scored. The youthful nature of the Ba’ku is reflected in the delicate opening phrasing and the way the melody develops, a beautifully innocent theme that is eventually corrupted when the Federation step in.

When Paramount decided on launching a third Star Trek series set in the time of The Next Generation , Jerry Goldsmith was the only sane choice. The composer’s subsequent theme is a triumph, a melody that at first sounds somewhat subdued but is really keyed into the emotional plight of Voyager ‘s crew, being lost 70,000 light years away from home. Goldsmith gives a real mythic quality to the piece, and it’s a fitting theme for a ship that traveled for seven long years before finally getting home. Emmy-winning, too.

4. The Wrath of Khan

Star Trek II is often regarded as the film that truly kickstarted the movie series, and from that, there is a very definite decision to open the film and score with the original fanfare. However, what really makes it a success is James Horner’s sweeping nautical theme, itself a callback to Roddenberry’s original concept of Star Trek as “Horatio Hornblower in space.” It’s a stunning theme and is beautifully used throughout both II and III as an emotional crux for Kirk and Spock, with the B-section used as the A-theme in the latter film. It has hallmarks of Horner’s previous work, especially his score for Roger Corman’s Battle Beyond The Stars , but remains its own thing and an integral part of the franchise’s musical history.

3. First Contact

After Generations passed the torch to the TNG crew, along came their first solo film where they fought the evil Borg to the strains of a terrific Jerry Goldsmith score (with additional cues by his son Joel Goldsmith ). It’s a fine action work, but what really stands out is his spectacular main theme, for once not a march but a more emotional and evocative piece reflecting the human elements of the story, pulled along by one of the most gorgeous melodies you’ll ever hear. It connects Picard and Lily in the film, but its best use is as a triumphant closer for the climax of the film, where Farmer Hoggett meets the Vulcans. Stunning.

2. The Original Series

It’s impossible to overstate just how important this theme is to Star Trek ; it is Star Trek . Those four opening notes, that fanfare, that sweeping theme. It was an incredible time for television scoring and some of the best of that era came from the tales of the Enterprise . Of course, Jerry Goldsmith’s name comes up, as he was originally asked to write it but couldn’t (yet would still write themes for shows like The Man From U.N.C.L.E. and The Waltons ) so it fell to Alexander “Sandy” Courage, who couldn’t have done better. Over the show’s lifetime, it had three different flavors for the main melody; electric violin, cello, and soprano (I prefer the cello), and it’s still an instant musical memory for millions of people, and pop culture itself.

1. The Motion Picture

It may have been thought impossible to have a musical theme for Star Trek other than Courage’s piece, yet none other than Jerry Goldsmith showed everybody with his theme for the 1979 big-screen debut, Star Trek: The Motion Picture . Initially struggling to come up with something, Goldsmith eventually pulled out of his hat a powerful and stately march to underscore the adventures of the new Enterprise . The theme was so successful that it became the main theme of The Next Generation in 1987, and so to certain generations, it is Star Trek . And really, you couldn’t ask for a better piece of music to represent the sheer adventure, romance, and humanity of the franchise. A bold new musical step, but one that so far, hasn’t come near to be bettered.

Related Topics: alexander courage , cliff eidelman , dennis mccarthy , james horner , jeff russo , Jerry Goldsmith , leonard rosenman , michael giacchino , norm prescott , ray ellis , rod stewart , Star Trek

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Every STAR TREK Opening Theme Song Ranked from Worst to Best

Find out which is the greatest opening in Star Trek television history. Star Trek is the most iconic television show ever. It’s also spawned one of the most successful movie franchises ever made.

Part of its success is the Star Trek theme song. The original song is so iconic people know it even if they’ve never seen an episode of the show. Over the years there have been many spin-offs of the show which each used a new theme song. Some have been brilliant and some have been horrible.

Most recently Star Trek: Discovery is airing   on CBS All-Access . Soon the upcoming Picard series will introduce a new theme song. We don’t know if the opening for Picard will match up with some of the others. But it’s time to look back at the history of the Star Trek opening songs and rank them from worst to best.

Make it so.

11. Star Trek: Enterprise Season 3-4 (2003–2005)

Composed by Dennis McCarthy

Enterprise’s theme song is the first (and last) time Star Trek uses a contemporary song for the opening. Dennis McCarthy scored the pilot episode. Executive producer Rick Berman promised something new for Star Trek’s sixth spin-off series. He said the opening would “be using a little bit more contemporary kind of music. […] It’s not all of a sudden that the show is going to be scored with electric guitars. It’s going to be a little hipper.”

The song “Faith of the Heart” is written by Diane Warren and sung by Rod Stewart for Robin Williams’ comedic-drama Patch Adams (1998). The song was a hit and charted at number three on the US Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks and number 60 on the UK Singles Chart. It’s used for Star Trek and sung by Russell Watson . It’s a good song and some of the lyrics match up with the idea of space travel.

You have to inspire the courage of the producers for trying something new but it doesn’t work. There’s a tradition of Star Trek shows opening with a grand orchestral theme. This song sounds like a Rod Stewart concert. After fans complained the song is different in the third and final season of Enterprise .

The new version has a higher pitch and is sped up. They added tambourine and a more pronounced electric guitar. Star Trek managed to make a bad decision even worse.

10.  Star Trek: Enterprise  Season 1-2 (2001–2002)

Dennis McCarthy first made music for the Next Generation pilot episode and scored dozens of other episodes. McCarthy later composed the theme for the shows  Deep Space Nine and  Voyager. Plus he scored the soundtrack for movies like  Star Trek: Generations . 

The opening of  Enterprise uses the song “Faith of the Heart” sung by British crossover opera singer Russell Watson. Fans hated it so much that fans created many petitions to get rid of it. “[We] urgently request that you remove [‘Faith of the Heart’] and in its place utilize a score that is without vocals, as traditionally used by [the] ‘Star Trek’ television series,” one petition said.

“We wish to express our unmitigated disgust with the theme song that has been selected for the new ‘Enterprise’ series,” another online petition said. “It is not fit to be scraped off the bottom of a Klingon’s boot.”

“I’m in the horrible minority of people who like the song,” Rick Berman defended the song telling Sci-Fi Wire . “I think it fits beautifully. I think it’s a song that’s got a lot of hopefulness and uplifting qualities to it. And I like it. I’ve met a lot of other people who like it, but I’ve also heard a tremendous amount of banter about people who don’t. And what’s a Star Trek series without something for people to hate?”

Whatever you think of the song it was used as a wakeup call for NASA missions .

9. Star Trek: Enterprise Season 4 “Mirror Darkly” (2005)

Composed by Dennis McCarthy & Kevin Kiner

In 2005 the series Enterprise traveled to an alternate “evil mirror universe” for several episodes. To complete the feel that the show had traveled to another world they changed the opening. The theme song has a more militaristic tone and a darker feel.

It works well, especially when shown along with images showing how Earth entered into a long-standing war. Considering it replaced a pop song it’s even more impressive. Unfortunately, it only lasted a few episodes before going back to “Faith of the Heart”.

8. Star Trek: Discovery  (2017-2019)

Composed by Jeff Russo

When CBS started work on the Star Trek prequel Star Trek: Discovery they hired Jeff Russo to compose a new opening theme. Russo has started in a ’90s alternative rock band named “Tonic”. After that, he started composing songs for video games and television shows. He won an Emmy for his work on the FX series Fargo .

He describes himself as a life-long fan of Star Trek and Jerry Goldsmith’s work on The Next Generation in particular. The theme for Discovery sets itself apart because they decided to focus on emotion rather than exploration. It starts with the familiar fanfare for Star Trek and then uses stringed instruments to give a sense of mystery and hope. It ends with the theme again which implies the future of the franchise.

It’s a solid piece that relies on fan recognition. So it doesn’t stand out on its own.

7. Star Trek: The Original Series (1966–1969)

Composed by Alexander Courage

The theme for Star Trek played over every episode in the show’s three seasons. It’s called “Where No Man Has Gone Before”. It’s an instrumental piece and opens with a monologue by William Shatner starting with “Space. The final frontier”. The song itself relied on wind instruments and percussion by bongo drums, which was a popular instrument at the time.

Alexander Mair “Sandy” Courage Jr. was an Academy Award-nominated, Emmy Award-winning composer, arranger, conductor, and orchestrator of television shows and movies like Jurassic Park (1993), Star Trek: First Contact (1996), and Hello, Dolly! (1964).

Courage was inspired by the Richard Whiting song “Beyond the Blue Horizon,” giving him the idea for a song which was a “long thing that…keeps going out into space…over a fast-moving accompaniment.”

The original song is a masterpiece of its time evoking a feel of adventure and excitement and has been used in several pieces for Star Trek since then. Unfortunately, it feels dated. Bongo drums fell out of fashion decades ago. The operatic singing by  Loulie Jean Norman feels out-of-place. Iconic, but not quite as good as others.

6. Star Trek: The Animated Series (1973–1974)

Composed by Ray Ellis (Yvette Blais), Norm Prescott (Jeff Michaels)

Raymond Spencer Ellis arranged many hit records in the 1950s and 1960s. He later started working with Filmation on their animated series. He used his wife’s name “Yvette Blais” as a pseudonym. Norman Prescott was co-founder and executive producer at Filmation Associates and worked with Ellis on the theme song. He used the pseudonym “Jeff Michael” after his sons Jeff and Michael.

Paramount decided to revive the original series for a Saturday morning cartoon. They decided to make the theme more modern.

Like the original song, it starts with Shatner’s monologue “where no man had gone before”. Then it moves onto a song with a much faster pace and tone than the original. The tone is slightly different as well but manages to capture the same feel of the original song. Plus, there’s no singing.

5. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Season 1-3 (1993–1995)

Jerry Goldsmith was contacted to do the theme song but declined because of scheduling problems. Dennis McCarthy has done a ton of work on Star Trek and he admired the Star Trek: The Next Generation song. He said that he loved the trumpets and French horns in the theme so McCarthy used wind instruments to write the song for DS9 .

It’s different from other songs because it’s the first show to focus on a starbase instead of a spaceship. So the feel of the song is very different for the fourth television spin-off. Berman said he wanted to emphasize the loneliness of the station. McCarthy told SyFy he wanted the theme to say, “We are alone” and he accomplished it. It’s different but beautiful. In 1993 he won an Emmy for “Outstanding Individual Achievement in Main Title Theme Music” on DS9.

4. Star Trek: Picard (2019-)

Composed by Jeff Russo

CBS All Access went in a different direction with the theme song for Picard. Instead of relying on strings and a large orchestra to play the song it goes smaller. The song is thoughtful, serene and melodic. It’s not bombastic like the N ext Generation  theme or slow like  Deep Space Nine.

But it does owe a debt to the 90s Star Trek series. In the TNG episode “The Inner Light” Picard is knocked unconscious by an alien probe. He lives 40 years of life as an alien scientist named Kamin in the span of a few minutes. During the episode, he hears a flute song played by his “son” Batai (Daniel Stewart). After Picard returns to his normal life, he still remembers how to play and plays a melody on a flute. That flute and song have a special place in Picard’s life since it’s the family he never had but “lost”. It’s not a coincidence. The composer said he wanted to use a flute to evoke some of the feelings from the episode.

Russo told  The Ready Room  he wanted to “change to a feeling of emotional contentment for him because as we come to see, he lives on a chateau. And it’s sort of what we always thought would happen at the end of The Next Generation, and those movies where he would always sort of end up … That was his happy place. And then I wanted to … evoke how he has been awoken again.”

It ends with a small section of the theme from  Star Trek: The Next Generation . It’s lovely, thoughtful and moving.

3. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Season 4-9 (1996–1999)

For the fourth season to the final season, the song changed. It’s actually better in many ways. The show had changed by the fourth season. New characters joined the show like Leeta (Chase Masterson) the Dabo girl. Other characters, like Worf (Michael Dorn) from Next Generation, returned. The starship USS Defiant was added to allow the show to travel to different parts of space.

All these changes led the producers and McCarthy to rework the theme song to make it lighter. The reworked song makes the show brighter and gives more hope. Star Trek is all about hope and it fits wonderfully.

2. Star Trek: Voyager (1995–2001)

Composed by Jerry Goldsmith

Jerry Goldsmith is a legend in the industry with a long list of awards including 18 Academy Award nominations. He won an Oscar for The Omen (1976) and was nominated for Star Trek: The Motion Picture in 1979.

Unlike The Next Generation which used music from his movie Star Trek: The Motion Picture, he decided to write a new song. The song is a beautiful sweeping theme that has stunning pictures of the ship soaring through space. The Voyager theme is somber and lonely but not sad. It’s uplifting.

The Voyager opening theme song is wonderful.

1. Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 1-7 (1987–1994)

Composed by Dennis McCarthy, Jay Chattaway, Ron Jones, Alexander Courage, Jerry Goldsmith

When the producers were planning out the first Star Trek show in decades they wanted to make sure the music would meet fan expectations. So they turned to the work of Jerry Goldsmith and used a piece from Star Trek: The Motion Picture. Specifically, they took a piece that played several times in the soundtrack. The first time is before the Enterprise’s first warp test.

The song is perfect for the opening as it has a feel of hope and majesty. The original song was performed by a 100-piece orchestra. Too much for a TV show so they scaled it back and McCarthy led the original orchestration of a slightly different version of the song.

It opens with the opening of the original Star Trek theme. Then Patrick Stewart says a version of the “Where no man has gone before” monologue. After that, the song begins and blows the doors off. It’s the best theme Star Trek has ever had and set the standard for all other openings.

Which is your favorite Star Trek theme song? Which one do you hate? Let us know in the comments below!

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All 9 Star Trek TV show theme songs ranked from worst to best

By camila domingues | nov 7, 2023.

Who doesn’t love a good intro song? Let’s look at all the ones that had us jamming before our favorite Star Trek episodes.

Welcome to the ultimate cosmic countdown where we traverse the musical star fields of the Star Trek universe . Our mission? To rank the iconic opening anthems that have been the gateway to countless adventures among the stars.

These theme songs have done more than just precede episodes of our favorite Star Trek TV shows – they’ve captured the essence of exploration and the pioneering spirit of the beloved franchise. From the whimsical to the wondrous, the serene to the soaring, every intro has left an undeniable mark on the hearts of Trekkies across the galaxy and in the fandom of science fiction as a whole. But which ones truly stand out as the best in Star Trek’s expansive universe of shows?

Buckle up as we set our phasers to ‘fun’ and warp into the world of Star Trek intros – where each note tells a story and every melody takes us boldly where no one has gone before. Oh yeah, and let’s rank them as we do so.

9. Star Trek: Enterprise (“Where My Heart Will Take Me”)

The theme song for Star Trek: Enterprise , delightfully titled “Where My Heart Will Take Me,” is a refreshing departure from the classic sounds that have long accompanied the voyages of the Starfleet. Featuring the vibrant voice of Russell Watson, this pop ballad injects a warm, human touch into the saga, striking a chord with its buoyant message and Watson’s earnest performance. Though it falls into the ninth spot in our musical trek through the stars (ha), its unique melody captures the essence of adventure in a way that’s as endearing as it is unexpected.

In a collection of scores that speak to the grandeur of space exploration, “Where My Heart Will Take Me” stands out as a song that, while straying from the orchestral majesty typically linked with Star Trek , and celebrates the franchise’s pioneering spirit in its own right. It’s a testament to the diversity of the Star Trek universe, a place where human (and alien) emotions finds its voice amidst the echoes of the unknown.

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Published Jun 21, 2023

10 Favorite Star Trek Musical Pieces

For World Music Day, let's look at how music played an intrinsic part of Star Trek's enduring legacy.

StarTrek.com / Rob DeHart

From the first notes of Alexander Courage’s theme for The Original Series up through Michael Giacchino’s soaring scores for the most recent films, and everything in between, music has been an intrinsic part of Star Trek’ s enduring legacy.

Music plays a big part in helping me with my writing. Classical, film scores, and pretty much anything else without actual lyrics, is a candidate for helping me “get in the zone” as I push words. When it comes to writing Star Trek , you might guess that I listen to a lot of music from the different episodes or films, and you’d be right. To be honest, though, it isn’t only a tool for working. I also just simply enjoy it as a fan. I own the scores for all of the feature films, as well as the complete soundtrack collection from The Original Series and a smattering of selections from each of the other television series. I even have a suite of music from The Animated Series . Hey, it’s for work, people.

"The Way to Eden"

StarTrek.com

Naturally, I have my favorite pieces and cues. Doesn’t everybody? I could write for days about the music of Star Trek and how it inspires my writing, or how it’s just something I enjoy listening to during long drives. Given my “Ten for Ward” format, I’d only be scratching the surface so far as compiling a list of music from any of the series or films, so I’m hoping folks will chime in with their own favorites.

Still, I’m going to be cheating a bit here and there, rather than just trying to limit my selections to ten individual pieces of music. This isn’t intended to be a definitive or “best of” list, and I’m not citing each television series’ standard opening or closing music, as those are easy picks, but otherwise? Here’s a list to get the discussion started.

“The Doomsday Machine,"  Star Trek

"The Doomsday Machine"

To tell you the truth, I could fill up several lists just with music from The Original Series before I even thought about moving on to anything else. I forced myself to pick one example, and I think it’s a doozy. How many films of the era wish they could’ve had a musical arrangement as compelling as the one created by composer Sol Kaplan for this fan-favorite episode?

It’s space opera at its finest as Kaplan punctuates the tragedy of Commodore Matt Decker and the torment inflicted upon him by the mammoth automaton that has destroyed his ship, the U.S.S. Constellation . Likewise, the cues servicing the battle between the machine and the Enterprise are first-rate, and the entire score is a high water mark for a series where music was already one of its defining strengths.

“Stealing the Enterprise, ”  Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

James Horner had already hit it out of the park with his score for Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan , and he comports himself well with this follow-up. However, the original release of the third film ’s soundtrack was something of a disservice to him, as it omitted many of the pieces that set this movie’s music apart from the previous film.

The 2010 “Complete Score” release corrects that oversight, even though my favorite cue appeared on the original vinyl album. While borrowing and reworking some elements from his Star Trek II music, Horner still offers an exhilarating piece that highlights the hijacking of the Enterprise from space dock by Admiral Kirk and his command crew.

“Life Is A Dream (End Credits),”  Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

It’s impossible to overstate the importance and lasting appeal of Jerry Goldsmith’s musical contributions to Star Trek . His score for Star Trek: The Motion Picture holds a permanent spot on my personal “Top 10 Film Scores Ever” list.

However, his end theme for the fifth movie is my favorite variation of the end credits theme he created for the first film. There’s a little more pomp and flourish in the now-familiar notes, and Goldsmith does a masterful job weaving other themes from the film, including a new take on his familiar “Klingon” music, as well as Alexander Courage’s iconic “ Star Trek fanfare.”

“Borg Engaged” and “Captain Borg,”  Star Trek: The Next Generation

"The Best of Both Worlds, Part I"

Star Trek: The Next Generation 's third season ending cliffhanger, "The Best of Both Worlds, Part I," deserved its own score worthy of the silver screen, and Ron Jones delivers in fine fashion for this episode as well as the next season’s “Part II.”

The ominous image of the massive Borg cube on the Enterprise ’s viewscreen and — later — the shock of seeing Jean-Luc Picard assimilated by the Borg Collective is rammed home by Jones’ haunting themes, which are just two highlights from a superb score written for one of The Next Generation ’s most memorable episodes.

“Sign Off,”  Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country

Kirk bids farewell to Captain Sulu and the Excelsior , before the entire Original Series cast says goodbye to us after 25 years of bold adventures in the final frontier. This moving piece by composer Cliff Eidelman, accompanying Captain Kirk’s final log entry along with William Shatner and the rest of the cast affixing their signatures to the end of the film, perfectly underscores the melancholy felt by so many longtime fans as we realized that “our” Star Trek had finally come to a close.

“Overture,”  Star Trek Generations

Star Trek Generations

Despite its name, this is actually the end credits theme for the first film to feature the cast of The Next Generation . The stirring theme incorporates music from other cues that Dennis McCarthy crafted to give weight to scenes set in the Nexus as well as defining the courage of our heroes, including Captain Kirk’s valiant acts at both ends of the film. Capping off the whole thing is an emotive rendition of the classic “Star Trek fanfare” that acts as a true passing of the baton from one generation to the next.

“Flight of the Phoenix ,” Star Trek: First Contact

Star Trek: First Contact

The score for Captain Picard and the Enterprise -E’s second film outing is an underrated effort by Jerry Goldsmith, who once again succeeds at combining familiar themes with new pieces that give each Star Trek film its own musical identity.

For this piece, the legendary composer’s son, Joel Goldsmith, brings vitality, hope, and triumph to what in one respect is the “birth” of the Star Trek universe to come as Zefram Cochrane (with the help of Riker and La Forge) pilots the fragile Phoenix spacecraft on humanity’s first warp speed flight.

“Bride of Chaotica,”  Star Trek: Voyager

"Bride of Chaotica!"

David Bell’s unrestrained musical homage to Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers is an utter treat on all counts. Though the episode also includes cues more consistent with Voyager ’s usual lower-key offerings, the “Captain Proton” pieces are delightfully loud and bombastic, in keeping with the 1930s science fiction movie serials to which they’re paying loving tribute.

“In A Mirror, Darkly,”  Star Trek: Enterprise

"In A Mirror, Darkly, Part I"

What begins as a beautiful callback to Jerry Goldsmith’s themes from Star Trek VIII: First Contact takes on a sinister twist as Dennis McCarthy plunges us headlong into the cruelty of the “Mirror Universe.” The score for this landmark two-part episode includes a new theme to accompany an alternate take on the series’ opening credits sequence, preserving the effect of the entire storyline taking place in the parallel universe with no connection to our own. McCarthy goes all-out as he accentuates all of the backstabbing and scheming weaving around the story’s action sequences, including a foreboding final cue as Hoshi Sato declares herself “Empress.”

“Enterprising Young Men,”  Star Trek  (2009)

Star Trek (2009)

While fans debate the merits of the most recent Star Trek movies, few take issue with the effort composer Michael Giacchino channeled into his musical scores . Nowhere is that more evident than this signature piece from the first film, which encapsulates in rousing fashion the energy of these “new” Star Trek voyages as well as the journey of this modern, bold incarnation of our beloved heroes.

Okay, that’s my 10, and that was playing fast and loose with my own rules. Now it’s your turn. What’s your favorite piece of Star Trek music? Let us know on Social!

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This article was originally published on May 29, 2015.

Dayton Ward (he/him) is a New York Times bestselling author or co-author of numerous novels and short stories including a whole bunch of stuff set in the Star Trek universe, and often collaborating with friend and co-writer Kevin Dilmore. As he’s still a big ol' geek at heart, Dayton is known to wax nostalgic about all manner of Star Trek topics over on his own blog, The Fog of Ward .

Screenrant ranked the Star Trek themes but only one is truly the king to us

By chad porto | jun 5, 2022.

Screenrant ranked their Star Trek themes but only one is truly top of the charts.

Liking something is solely subjective. Just getting that out of the way. You can like what you like, I can like what I like, there are no problems there. Screenrant took that idea and ran with it by ranking their picks for best Star Trek theme songs.

Again, it’s subjective. No one has to agree, but dare I say, I think I’m the only one who wouldn’t put Enterprise’s theme at No. 10. I love that song, and it’s fantastic. That said, I don’t blame anyone who says it’s not “Star Trek” because I don’t disagree. It’s like Metallica’s St. Anger. I think the album is good and fans would’ve liked it if it wasn’t by Metallica. Brands have a certain level of expectation, and Trek’s theme songs generally are less poppy.

Still, I wouldn’t say that Enterprise’s theme song is the worst, nor would I say the original series Star Trek theme is the best. Screenrant believes it is, and that’s fine, that’s their opinion. Yet, mine is different and dare I say, correct.

ScreenRant’s List

• 10 Enterprise (2001-2005)
• 9 Discovery (2017-Present)
• 8 The Animated Series (1973-1974)
• 7 Deep Space Nine (1993-1999)
• 6 Prodigy (2021-Present)
• 5 Lower Decks (2020-Present)
• 4 Voyager (1995-2001)
• 3 Strange New Worlds (2022-Present)
• 2 The Next Generation (1987-1994)
• 1 The Original Series (1966-1969)

What is my pick for the best theme song in Star Trek history?

The best theme song, in my correct opinion, isn’t The Original Series, The Next Generation, or Strange New Worlds. No, my pick for the best them is Star Trek: Voyager, the fourth song on their list.

The song just invokes hope. Considering all that the crew has been through, the idea that they’ve suffered and will continue to suffer just to get home is so heartbreaking. Yet, to see the crew still so optimistic as the series continues is endearing. They truly embrace the idea of hope.

The theme song of Voyager is able to capture that essence. Like seeing the sun after a terrible thunderstorm, that’s what the theme feels like to me. Like a storm breaking.

Despite being sent across quadrants, losing half of their crew, having to partner up with terrorists, and still finding the hope to continue is inspiring.

Just like the theme.

Next. The Top 100 episodes in Star Trek franchise history according to metrics. dark

• April 2, 2024 | Interview: Wilson Cruz, Mary Wiseman And Blu Del Barrio On ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Season 5
• April 2, 2024 | Pluto TV Adds Dedicated ‘Star Trek: Deep Space Nine’ Channel
• April 2, 2024 | Alex Kurtzman Teases Star Trek “Surprises” Coming Up, But Greenlighting ‘Legacy’ Is Out Of His Hands
• April 1, 2024 | Interview: Sonequa Martin-Green Talks Burnham’s Journey Into The Final Season Of ‘Star Trek: Discovery’
• April 1, 2024 | ‘Section 31’ Movie Director Says It’s A “Different” Star Trek + New Character Details Revealed

NATO Explains Why The Theme For ‘Star Trek: First Contact’ Was Played At Sweden’s Induction Ceremony

| March 30, 2024 | By: Anthony Pascale 26 comments so far

Earlier this month Sweden officially joined NATO, becoming the 32nd member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. There was an official ceremony welcoming Sweden at NATO HQ in Brussels, raising their flag to join the other nations in the defense alliance. The Swedish delegation was led by Crown Princess Victoria and Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, welcomed by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. A military band was on hand for the ceremony and there was a surprising bit of music from the final frontier that got things started. TrekMovie has the exclusive to explain what happened.

Sounds Swedish

The flag ceremony was held on March 11 in Belgium. As the assorted officials gathered and the flagbearers prepared to raise the Swedish flag, the band started off the event playing the main theme from Jerry Goldsmith’s score for the 1996 film Star Trek: First Contact . You can see and hear the moment below from the live stream replay via Sky News.  [music starts after first 15 seconds]

This bit of Trek showing up at such an auspicious occasion eventually got noticed by some fans. Certainly NATO’s mission of an alliance of partners working together to “guarantee the freedom and security of its members” fits with the ideals of the United Federation of Planets and Starfleet, but it still is curious. TrekMovie reached out to NATO to find out more about  First Contact showing up for Sweden’s big moment, and they replied.

A NATO official tells TrekMovie:

“Ahead of ceremonial military events, the band will often play a range of popular music, with the band given discretion with respect to which music to play. Jerry Goldsmith was a masterful film composer, as exemplified by his work on Star Trek’s “First Contact”. At the ceremony itself, the national anthem of Sweden and the NATO anthem were played.”

The same official noted that next week NATO is celebrating its 75th anniversary. There will be a ceremony complete with military bands and they are expected to again be playing a range of popular songs as guests arrive. It’s not known if Star Trek will be part of their repertoire.

Definitely Swedish

While it’s clear the musical director for the military band was a fan of Jerry Goldsmith, it could be they are also enough of a Trek fan to see a connection to the alliance and the themes of First Contact , which showed humanity’s first encounter with an alien race. Meeting the Vulcans in the aftermath of a world war began a new era of galactic cooperation that is held up as an idealized future for humanity.

Zefram Cochrane greets the Vulcan visitor to Earth in Star Trek: First Contact (Paramount Pictures)

They may also be a big enough fan to remember the specific connection between First Contact and Sweden. In the film, the USS Enterprise-E travels back in time from the 24th century to 2063. When Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) tries to explain the Borg to 21st century local Lily Sloane (Alfre Woodard) you get a bit of a recurring Sweden gag…

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Alternatively, First Contact took place in the aftermath of a nuclear war…

Er, yeah, wasn’t there also a passing mention of the “Eastern Coalition” or some such? I think it’s when they’re under attack from the Borg sphere.

Yes. The Eastern Coalition was heavily involved in WWIII

Okay, thanks.

This was wonderful. as Frakes tweeted.

FC was best Trek movie in many a die hard fan and casual fan/general movie audiences eyes (it was deemed so by many critics and fans when it came out and for a good few years until Wrath came back to the fore and won out in the end) and FC made Trek ‘cool’ for a while, so cool I could buy a STFC caramel filled chocolate bar in my local newsagent (Trek wasnt ‘cool’ again until ST09/ID, and before FC? maybe you could say TWOK or TVH or some of TNG were a ‘cool’ times for Trek, maybe )

The Swedish government has great taste in music.

My favourite score in Star Trek (along with the score to the relaunch of the Enterprise-D in Picard).

Are you talking about “Make it So” on the S3 Picard soundtrack? I listen to it every morning. It’s my favorite too.

That’s the one!!! An incredible piece of music!

Mine too. I LOVE it! 🖖😍👍📯🎶🤝🇸🇪

Same here dear! 😊

This is great! I had forgotten the Borg sounds Swedish gag in FC. I bet that was the fun inspiration for the selection. LOL!

That takes me back. I remember seeing First Contact in the theater in ’96 and the Borg/Swedish gag getting a big laugh. That was a fun night.

Seeing it for the first time, on the big screen back in 1996 — with a really fun, “borgified” laser show with quotes, images and music (!) from the movie directly above the audience, right before the feature — was a great night for us, too! 💨🌫💥🌫💨

What a great 🎶 choice for this event! 🖖😍

A Borg laser show? Awesome!

It was so well done, it must’ve been an officially licensed event that the German CinemaxX chain of theaters ran for their screenings. Wondering now, if it was basically the official trailer (or an extended version of it) as a laser show… maybe somebody else around here can confirm that part of it? 🤷‍♂️

Amazing. Historic. So proud. What an honor for the franchise, for the fans.

It actually sounds like a national anthem.

Goldsmith is my favorite composer in the history of the world bar none but I find the FC theme to fall under the heading of coming across as just ‘graduation day’ music, which is something that happens with some lesser John Williams stuff too. I’m not just picking on the biggies … Dennis McCarthy’s GEN score has the same effect on me, a little more distracting than engaging.

There’s a history with JG’s stuff being trotted out inappropriately (like Trump using AIR FORCE ONE music during a campaign instead of the more appropriate Vader/Imperial March or Nazi Germany’s Horst-Wessel-Lied), but I think the FC stuff might actually be more appropriate for NATO than for the movie.

Interesting, kmart. So, how would you rank your Trek score preferences? For me, it depends on my own mood. Of course, JG is a giant. I also like parts of Horner’s music and the eeriness and mysteriousness of Russo’s Picard s1 theme.

TMP and TFF and TWOK are my fave scores (and films.)

“ like Trump using AIR FORCE ONE music during a campaign instead of the more appropriate Vader/Imperial March or Nazi Germany’s Horst-Wessel-Lied ” How very one-sided of you. You should have left politics out of this. Some would see it as the opposite.

Some ALWAYS see it as the opposite. That’s what makes for horse-racing. Nice to see you out in the open on this.

One word: Priceless.

Fantastic! A great choice. Such a great score to a great film.

Too bad this didn’t happen on actual First Contact Day. But close enough! This is a great theme and a great nod to Star Trek.

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10 best Star Trek apps in celebration of its anniversary

Star Trek celebrated its 50th anniversary back in 2016. It’s amazing the franchise has lasted this long and generated such a large cast of memorable characters. Picard will always be the be the best captain, but I also don’t think Voyager is bad, so what do I know? There are tons of new ways to engage with Star Trek on your mobile devices. Most of the apps on our list will let you read or watch the series — it’s really easy these days. There isn’t much else but do we need anything else? Let’s look at the best Star Trek apps for Android.

The best Star Trek apps for Android

• FANDOM for: Star Trek
• Google Play Books

Movies Anywhere

Netflix or cbs all access, ntsenterprises apps, your web browser.

Price: Free / Comic prices vary / $5.99 per month

Comixology is arguably the best app for comic book fans. Star Trek has few a comic book series and most of them are here. The app acts as an excellent reader for comic books, with a few different viewing options. Additionally, comics are usually reasonably priced. Plus, the app syncs between devices, and comics are downloadable for offline reading if needed. Most of the comics go for between $5 and $10. However, you can also do $5.99 per month and read all of the comics you want. The choice is yours.

See also:  The best comic book apps and readers for Android

FANDOM by Wikia

Price: Free

FANDOM is an excellent app for Star Trek fans. It’s a community database for the Star Trek universe, with hundreds of articles by fans, quick facts about characters, and all kinds of other stuff. Additionally, you can discuss the series with other fans, recommend changes to existing pages, and otherwise engage with other Trekkies. It’s a neat and interactive platform for fans of Star Trek, and also entirely free with no in-app purchases. There are ads, but they’re not bad. There used to be a FANDOM app for every individual topic, but the developers rolled everything into a universal app relatively recently so that’s what we’re linking to now.

Price: Free / Varies

Facer is a watch face app for Wear OS, with a variety of functional watch face themes. You can add stuff like weather, battery percentage, and other such functions. Yes, there are also several good Star Trek watch faces available. In fact, this is one of the best ways to make your Wear OS devices look like a Star Trek device. This is a neat way to express your love of Star Trek right on your wrist all the time. Facer is a free app. Some of the watch faces may cost a few bucks, but nothing serious. It’s relatively easy to use once you get used to it.

See also:  The best Samsung Galaxy Watch apps for your Galaxy Watch 3, Active 2, and more

Google Play Books / Amazon Kindle / Nook

Price: Free / Book costs vary

There are a bunch of Star Trek books and most of them are on various ebook outlets. Google Play Books, Amazon Kindle, and Nook are the big three. Google Play Books has the most friendly setup for Android users, though Amazon Kindle often has more competitive prices, and the Kindle devices provide a more natural platform for reading. Nook is a lot like Kindle but a little bit smaller in scope. In any case, most of the Star Trek novels are available on one or all of them. Amazon also lets you buy hard copies if you want those, too. Any of these make for good Star Trek apps.

See also:  The best eBook reader apps for Android

Price: Free / Movie prices vary

Movies Anywhere is an excellent video streaming service for movies. It lets you log into Amazon Instant Video, iTunes, Google Play Movies, Vudu, and a couple of others. You can watch any movie from any services you have purchased. You should be able to find basically any Star Trek movie you want between all of those services. After all, some here aren’t even available on streaming services like Netflix. Plus, the app has a decent UI, Chromecast support, and decent stability. It had a bit of a rough start, but it’s improved since its early days.

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Price: Free trial / $8.99-$15.99 per month

Perhaps the best option on the list is either Netflix or the CBS All Access streaming app. Both contain a very large number of Star Trek episodes. Netflix offers the original series, The Next Generation, Voyager, Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Enterprise, and the animated series. CBS All Access also has basically every episode of Star Trek out there, including the new series Star Trek Discovery. Hulu also has an excellent selection of Star Trek stuff. All these services cover the TV stuff better. You may need Movies Anywhere to watch all of the movies. All of these work as good Star Trek apps.

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Price: Free / Up to $3.99

NTSEnterprise is a developer on Google Play and, from the looks of things, a huge Star Trek fan. This developer has a ton of Star Trek themes, soundboards, live wallpapers, and other stuff. Most of the developer’s themes are for Total Launcher, so you’ll need it to use them. However, it’s probably the best looking and most functional LCARS theme on Google Play. The soundboards and live wallpapers are also excellent and the developer also has some extras like a note taking app, a GO keyboard theme, and some other neat stuff to complete the effect. The apps usually have a free version and a premium version. The most expensive app we saw was $3.99, but most are $1.99

Price: Free / $3.99 per month / $24.99 per year

Reddit is a good place for Trekkies to talk to one another, gather news about the series, and discuss old episodes and movies. There are a few Star Trek subreddits, including r/StarTrek, r/TNG, r/Voyager, and r/DaystromInstitute. They all handle different types of discussions and different parts of the franchise. The main Reddit app is fine. There are some good third-party Reddit apps as well. You can also get rid of ads and add a few additional features for $3.99 per month or $24.99 per year, but you absolutely don’t need that to enjoy it.

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Price: Free with in-app purchases

Zedge is probably the best app for ringtones, alarm tones, and notification tones. You can find a metric ton of Star Trek sounds for your phone here, including sound effects from various movies and shows. Most of them are high quality and Zedge even has some wallpapers as well. There are other ringtone apps and soundboard apps, but Zedge has more options. Plus, the vast majority of its content is completely free. It has a small marketplace for creators, but you probably won’t find Star Trek stuff there yet.

See also:  The best apps for notification tones and ringtones

Unfortunately, outside of NTSEnterprises and FANDOM, there aren’t a ton of Star Trek apps on mobile. However, there are still a metric ton of websites. There are sites to help you determine the current stardate, look up various timelines and summaries, and plenty of other websites for fans. It’s about as good as it gets for Trekkies since the app market for them is so small. Still, there are some entertaining sites out there for fans and the rest of the apps on the list should help fill in the blanks. We recommend Firefox because it was updated in 2020 with a bunch of good stuff and it’s actually pretty good.

See also:  The best Android browsers for surfing whatever website you want

If we missed any great Star Trek apps, tell us in the comments! You can also click here to check out our latest Android app and game lists .

Thank you for reading! Try these out too:

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• The best icon packs for Android (by developer)

Are you a nudist? Knitter? Golden Girls fan? There’s a cruise for that.

Whether you’re a swinger or just want to practice your golf swing, theme cruises have something for everyone.

Kaity Talley saw the announcement and knew she had to get on board: A cruise exclusively for Hallmark Christmas movie fans? With cookie decorating, tree lighting, movie marathons and karaoke?

“I got super lucky,” said Talley, 36, of Ontario, Calif. She landed a booking time that got her a spot on the cruise that turned out to be Taylor-Swift-concert- level popular. After it sold out quickly, organizers added a second voyage, which also sold out.

Talley, a Costco manager who also makes TikToks about cruises, expects to bring an entire Christmas wardrobe, ugly sweaters and all: “I’m going to be very corny on this cruise.”

The Hallmark cruise will make its maiden voyage in November, but it’s hardly the first event to gather an extremely niche community of fans and send them out to sea. Theme cruises have catered to groups as diverse as cat lovers , headbangers , Trekkies , conservative activists and zombie aficionados .

There are clothing-optional cruises, faith-based cruises, swingers cruises and cruises for people who want to practice their golf swing .

“If there’s something out there that people like to do, there’s probably a cruise about it,” said Chris Gray Faust, executive director of the news and review site Cruise Critic .

Theme cruises can take many forms, from a small group tucked into a larger sailing to a full-ship takeover. Some are put on by the cruise lines, but most are organized by a travel agency or production company that blocks rooms and venues or charters the entire ship. Those sailings must be purchased through that third party.

Trips are often scheduled during off-peak times, such as January through March or October and November. Prices are higher than a standard cruise, generally reflecting the extra programming or additional perks that passengers get.

Experts say specialty sailings have exploded in recent years as cruise lines have expanded and consumers have sought out more meaningful ways to travel.

“Overall, the travel industry is getting so much more experiential in a number of ways, and theme cruises are the ultimate experiential vacation,” said Chris Hearing, a partner and executive director at Entertainment Cruise Productions , a major organizer of theme cruises. “You get immersed, in our case, in week-long theme cruises where from the moment you walk on the ship, you are surrounded by people that are completely into Star Trek or Comic-Con or motorcycles or ’80s or ’90s music.”

Another producer, Sixthman , got its start in 2001 with a rock-themed event featuring Sister Hazel. This year, the group will pull off 23 cruise events, and the schedule calls for 27 next year, said CEO Jeff Cuellar.

A gateway for cruise newcomers

As the cruise industry builds more ships and tries to cultivate new audiences to fill them, Gray Faust said theme cruises often serve as an entry point.

“It brings a lot of first-time cruisers into the fold,” she said. “They’re fans of whatever the theme is. The fact that it’s on a cruise is almost secondary.”

Howard Moses, a travel adviser, created a site called themecruisefinder with a business partner several years ago and said there are more than 700 cruises listed at any given time, from small groups to full-ship charters.

“It has blossomed in the last I would say 10 to 12 years,” he said.

Talley, who booked the Hallmark Christmas cruise, said theme cruises got her hooked on sailing. She spoke to The Washington Post from Miami after departing a chef-focused cruise and right before boarding a regular sailing on another cruise line. She has been on the Sail Across the Sun cruise, featuring Train and several other acts, four times.

“There’s just concerts happening the entire time,” she said.

Swifties, Trekkies and crafters

Some event production companies sell the opportunity to be in close quarters with the objects of fan affection. Sixthman, which is owned by Norwegian Cruise Line, pitches the events to singers, chefs and others as a way to interact with their die-hard fans who will follow and support them anywhere. And for those fans, it’s a tough chance to pass up.

“You’re not just spending an afternoon, you’re spending your vacation with them from breakfast to lunch to dinner to cocktails and activities,” Cuellar said.

Even though the Hallmark Christmas cruise — which is being put on by Sixthman — hasn’t named the stars who will sail, Cuellar said the event was the fastest sellout in the company history.

“Within like 48 hours of the first sellout, there were people already putting mugs on Etsy that said, ‘I survived the Hallmark presale,’” he said. “You talk about a passionate audience.”

Other cruises are entirely fan-driven, without the presence of any stars.

Jessica Malerman and two friends and fellow travel agents came up with the “In My Cruise Era” trip in October during another group cruise with their agency, Marvelous Mouse Travels . There’s no affiliation with the Taylor Swift empire, but the trip has already sold the maximum 199 staterooms it reserved on megaship Allure of the Seas in October 2024.

Events will include dance parties, trivia, cocktail parties, friendship bracelet swapping and karaoke.

“What people want is the connection and they want to make friends and they want to go on vacation and have a sense of community,” Malerman said.

Chad Kampe, the owner of Flip Phone Productions, put on the first — and second — Golden Fans at Sea cruises in early 2020 after organizing a “Golden Girls”-themed bar crawl several years before. The company produces drag shows across the country.

The sailings have included themed dances, costume contests, caftan welcome parties, scavenger hunts, performances from the Golden Gays drag troupe, appearances from people with ties to the show and some very competitive trivia sessions.

“The ‘Golden Girls’ trivia is the most intense trivia you’ve ever seen,” Kampe said.

The events take place on regular voyages, meaning passengers might end up surprised by the surplus of Blanches, Dorothys, Roses and Sophias. In year one, Kampe said a biker group was also on board.

“They loved us,” he said.

Many theme cruises are organized around hobbies or other special interests.

Melissa Gower, founder of Craft Cruises , organizes an average of 10 knitting cruises a year. The knitters and their needles don’t take over the whole ship, but the sailings include instructors, social gatherings and “private fiber-related tours,” she said.

“I have people who traveled with me in 1999,” Gower said. “They’ve been on 30-plus knitting cruises, and they’re still booking travel with us.”

How to find (or avoid) a niche cruise

The Theme Cruise Finder website allows people to search according to category for upcoming trips. Often, sales will open up during an event for the people on board, so it can be difficult to get a reservation on a popular repeating cruise.

Gray Faust said travelers will often comment on Cruise Critic forums about their surprise at being on the same ship as some kind of group. She said a friend ended up on a cruise with Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans “and she hates Tampa Bay.”

In 2016, more than 1,500 vacationers who thought they were taking a regular Bahamas cruise ended up sharing space with then-Patriots player Rob Gronkowski and fans on Gronk’s Party Ship.

Gary Bembridge, a cruise YouTuber who runs the site Tips for Travellers , recommends people search online for the name and date of a cruise they’re considering to see if a theme cruise shows up at the same time.

Moses, one of the founders of the theme cruise site, is co-president of a separate business, The Cruise & Vacation Authority , which organizes theme cruises as one of its services.

“In general, theme cruises are way more fun than a regular cruise because you’re traveling with like-minded people,” he said.

And if someone isn’t like-minded on a shared ship, he said the theme group tries to be understanding.

“We try to be very respectful of the other guests on board,” he said.

More cruise news

Living at sea: Travelers on a 9-month world cruise are going viral on social media. For some travelers, not even nine months was enough time on a ship; they sold cars, moved out of their homes and prepared to set sail for three years . That plan fell apart, but a 3.5-year version is waiting in the wings.

Passengers beware: It’s not all buffets and dance contests. Crime data reported by cruise lines show that the number of sex crimes has increased compared to previous years. And though man-overboard cases are rare, they are usually deadly .

The more you know: If you’re cruise-curious, here are six tips from a newcomer. Remember that in most cases, extra fees and add-ons will increase the seemingly cheap price of a sailing. And if you happen to get sick , know what to expect on board.

The Future of ‘Star Trek’: From ‘Starfleet Academy’ to New Movies and Michelle Yeoh, How the 58-Year-Old Franchise Is Planning for the Next Generation of Fans

“I can’t believe I get to play the captain of the Enterprise.”

“Strange New Worlds” is the 12th “Star Trek” TV show since the original series debuted on NBC in 1966, introducing Gene Roddenberry’s vision of a hopeful future for humanity. In the 58 years since, the “Star Trek” galaxy has logged 900 television episodes and 13 feature films, amounting to 668 hours — nearly 28 days — of content to date. Even compared with “Star Wars” and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, “Star Trek” stands as the only storytelling venture to deliver a single narrative experience for this long across TV and film.

In other words, “Star Trek” is not just a franchise. As Alex Kurtzman , who oversees all “Star Trek” TV production, puts it, “‘Star Trek’ is an institution.”

Without a steady infusion of new blood, though, institutions have a way of fading into oblivion (see soap operas, MySpace, Blockbuster Video). To keep “Star Trek” thriving has meant charting a precarious course to satisfy the fans who have fueled it for decades while also discovering innovative ways to get new audiences on board.

“Doing ‘Star Trek’ means that you have to deliver something that’s entirely familiar and entirely fresh at the same time,” Kurtzman says.

The franchise has certainly weathered its share of fallow periods, most recently after “Nemesis” bombed in theaters in 2002 and UPN canceled “Enterprise” in 2005. It took 12 years for “Star Trek” to return to television with the premiere of “Discovery” in 2017; since then, however, there has been more “Star Trek” on TV than ever: The adventure series “Strange New Worlds,” the animated comedy “Lower Decks” and the kids series “Prodigy” are all in various stages of production, and the serialized thriller “Picard” concluded last year, when it ranked, along with “Strange New Worlds,” among Nielsen’s 10 most-watched streaming original series for multiple weeks. Nearly one in five Paramount+ subscribers in the U.S. is watching at least one “Star Trek” series, according to the company, and more than 50% of fans watching one of the new “Trek” shows also watch at least two others. The new shows air in 200 international markets and are dubbed into 35 languages. As “Discovery” launches its fifth and final season in April, “Star Trek” is in many ways stronger than it’s ever been.

“’Star Trek’s fans have kept it alive more times than seems possible,” says Eugene Roddenberry, Jr., who executive produces the TV series through Roddenberry Entertainment. “While many shows rightfully thank their fans for supporting them, we literally wouldn’t be here without them.”

But the depth of fan devotion to “Star Trek” also belies a curious paradox about its enduring success: “It’s not the largest fan base,” says Akiva Goldsman, “Strange New Worlds” executive producer and co-showrunner. “It’s not ‘Star Wars.’ It’s certainly not Marvel.”

When J.J. Abrams rebooted “Star Trek” in 2009 — with Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto and Zoe Saldaña playing Kirk, Spock and Uhura — the movie grossed more than any previous “Star Trek” film by a comfortable margin. But neither that film nor its two sequels broke $500 million in global grosses, a hurdle every other top-tier franchise can clear without breaking a sweat.

There’s also the fact that “Star Trek” fans are aging. I ask “The Next Generation” star Jonathan Frakes, who’s acted in or directed more versions of “Star Trek” than any other person alive, how often he meets fans for whom the new “Star Trek” shows are their first. “Of the fans who come to talk to me, I would say very, very few,” he says. “‘Star Trek’ fans, as we know, are very, very, very loyal — and not very young.”

As Stapf puts it: “There’s a tried and true ‘Trek’ fan that is probably going to come to every ‘Star Trek,’ no matter what it is — and we want to expand the universe.”

Every single person I spoke to for this story talked about “Star Trek” with a joyful earnestness as rare in the industry as (nerd alert) a Klingon pacifist.

“When I’m meeting fans, sometimes they’re coming to be confirmed, like I’m kind of a priest,” Ethan Peck says during a break in filming on the “Strange New Worlds” set. He’s in full Spock regalia — pointy ears, severe eyebrows, bowl haircut — and when asked about his earliest memories of “Star Trek,” he stares off into space in what looks like Vulcan contemplation. “I remember being on the playground in second or third grade and doing the Vulcan salute, not really knowing where it came from,” he says. “When I thought of ‘Star Trek,’ I thought of Spock. And now I’m him. It’s crazy.”

To love “Star Trek” is to love abstruse science and cowboy diplomacy, complex moral dilemmas and questions about the meaning of existence. “It’s ultimately a show with the most amazing vision of optimism, I think, ever put on-screen in science fiction,” says Kurtzman, who is 50. “All you need is two minutes on the news to feel hopeless now. ‘Star Trek’ is honestly the best balm you could ever hope for.”

I’m getting a tour of the USS Enterprise from Scotty — or, rather, “Strange New World” production designer Jonathan Lee, who is gushing in his native Scottish burr as we step into the starship’s transporter room. “I got such a buzzer from doing this, I can’t tell you,” he says. “I actually designed four versions of it.”

Lee is especially proud of the walkway he created to run behind the transporter pads — an innovation that allows the production to shoot the characters from a brand-new set of angles as they beam up from a far-flung planet. It’s one of the countless ways that this show has been engineered to be as cinematic as possible, part of Kurtzman’s overall vision to make “Star Trek” on TV feel like “a movie every week.”

Kurtzman’s tenure with “Star Trek” began with co-writing the screenplay for Abrams’ 2009 movie, which was suffused with a fast-paced visual style that was new to the franchise. When CBS Studios approached Kurtzman in the mid-2010s about bringing “Star Trek” back to TV, he knew instinctively that it needed to be just as exciting as that film.

“The scope was so much different than anything we had ever done on ‘Next Gen,’” says Frakes, who’s helmed two feature films with the “Next Generation” cast and directed episodes of almost every live-action “Trek” TV series, including “Discovery” and “Strange New Worlds.” “Every department has the resources to create.”

A new science lab set for Season 3, for example, boasts a transparent floor atop a four-foot pool of water that swirls underneath the central workbench, and the surrounding walls sport a half dozen viewscreens with live schematics custom designed by a six-person team. “I like being able to paint on a really big canvas,” Kurtzman says. “The biggest challenge is always making sure that no matter how big something gets, you’re never losing focus on that tiny little emotional story.”

At this point, is there a genre that “Strange New Worlds” can’t do? “As long as we’re in storytelling that is cogent and sure handed, I’m not sure there is,” Goldsman says with an impish smile. “Could it do Muppets? Sure. Could it do black and white, silent, slapstick? Maybe!”

This approach is also meant to appeal to people who might want to watch “Star Trek” but regard those 668 hours of backstory as an insurmountable burden. “You shouldn’t have to watch a ‘previously on’ to follow our show,” Myers says.

To achieve so many hairpin shifts in tone and setting while maintaining Kurtzman’s cinematic mandate, “Strange New Worlds” has embraced one of the newest innovations in visual effects: virtual production. First popularized on the “Star Wars” series “The Mandalorian,” the technology — called the AR wall — involves a towering circular partition of LED screens projecting a highly detailed, computer-generated backdrop. Rather than act against a greenscreen, the actors can see whatever fantastical surroundings their characters are inhabiting, lending a richer level of verisimilitude to the show.

But there is a catch. While the technology is calibrated to maintain a proper sense of three-dimensional perspective through the camera lens, it can be a bit dizzying for anyone standing on the set. “The images on the walls start to move in a way that makes no sense,” says Mount. “You end up having to focus on something that’s right in front of you so you don’t fall down.”

And yet, even as he’s talking about it, Mount can’t help but break into a boyish grin. “Sometimes we call it the holodeck,” he says. In fact, the pathway to the AR wall on the set is dotted with posters of the virtual reality room from “The Next Generation” and the words “Enter Holodeck” in a classic “Trek” font.

“I want to take one of those home with me,” Peck says. Does the AR wall also affect him? “I don’t really get disoriented by it. Spock would not get ill, so I’m Method acting.”

I’m on the set of the “Star Trek” TV movie “Section 31,” seated in an opulent nightclub with a view of a brilliant, swirling nebula, watching Yeoh rehearse with director Olatunde Osunsanmi and her castmates. Originally, the project was announced as a TV series centered on Philippa Georgiou, the semi-reformed tyrant Yeoh originated on “Discovery.” But between COVID delays and the phenomenon of “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” there wasn’t room in the veteran actress’s schedule to fit a season of television. Yeoh was undaunted.

“We’d never let go of her,” she says of her character. “I was just blown away by all the different things I could do with her. Honestly, it was like, ‘Let’s just get it done, because I believe in this.’”

If that means nothing to you, don’t worry: The enormity of the revelation that Garrett is being brought back is meant only for fans. If you don’t know who the character is, you’re not missing anything.

“It was always my goal to deliver an entertaining experience that is true to the universe but appeals to newcomers,” says screenwriter Craig Sweeny. “I wanted a low barrier of entry so that anybody could enjoy it.”

Nevertheless, including Garrett on the show is exactly the kind of gasp-worthy detail meant to flood “Star Trek” fans with geeky good feeling.

“You cannot create new fans to the exclusion of old fans,” Kurtzman says. “You must serve your primary fan base first and you must keep them happy. That is one of the most important steps to building new fans.”

On its face, that maxim would make “Section 31” a genuine risk. The titular black-ops organization has been controversial with “Star Trek” fans since it was introduced in the 1990s. “The concept is almost antagonistic to some of the values of ‘Star Trek,’” Sweeny says. But he still saw “Section 31” as an opportunity to broaden what a “Star Trek” project could be while embracing the radical inclusivity at the heart of the franchise’s appeal.

“Famously, there’s a spot for everybody in Roddenberry’s utopia, so I was like, ‘Well, who would be the people who don’t quite fit in?’” he says. “I didn’t want to make the John le Carré version, where you’re in the headquarters and it’s backbiting and shades of gray. I wanted to do the people who were at the edges, out in the field. These are not people who necessarily work together the way you would see on a ‘Star Trek’ bridge.”

For Osunsanmi, who grew up watching “The Next Generation” with his father, it boils down to a simple question: “Is it putting good into the world?” he asks. “Are these characters ultimately putting good into the world? And, taking a step back, are we putting good into the world? Are we inspiring humans watching this to be good? That’s for me what I’ve always admired about ‘Star Trek.’”

Should “Section 31” prove successful, Yeoh says she’s game for a sequel. And Kurtzman is already eyeing more opportunities for TV movies, including a possible follow-up to “Picard.” The franchise’s gung-ho sojourn into streaming movies, however, stands in awkward contrast to the persistent difficulty Paramount Pictures and Abrams’ production company Bad Robot have had making a feature film following 2016’s “Star Trek Beyond” — the longest theaters have gone without a “Star Trek” movie since Paramount started making them.

First, a movie reuniting Pine’s Capt. Kirk with his late father — played in the 2009 “Star Trek” by Chris Hemsworth — fell apart in 2018. Around the same time, Quentin Tarantino publicly flirted with, then walked away from, directing a “Star Trek” movie with a 1930s gangster backdrop. Noah Hawley was well into preproduction on a “Star Trek” movie with a brand-new cast, until then-studio chief Emma Watts abruptly shelved it in 2020. And four months after Abrams announced at Paramount’s 2022 shareholders meeting that his 2009 cast would return for a movie directed by Matt Shakman (“WandaVision”), Shakman left the project to make “The Fantastic Four” for Marvel. (It probably didn’t help that none of the cast had been approached before Abrams made his announcement.)

The studio still intends to make what it’s dubbed the “final chapter” for the Pine-Quinto-Saldaña cast, and Steve Yockey (“The Flight Attendant”) is writing a new draft of the script. Even further along is another prospective “Star Trek” film written by Seth Grahame-Smith (“Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter”) and to be directed by Toby Haynes (“Andor,” “Black Mirror: USS Callister”) that studio insiders say is on track to start preproduction by the end of the year. That project will serve as an origin story of sorts for the main timeline of the entire franchise. In both cases, the studio is said to be focused on rightsizing the budgets to fit within the clear box office ceiling for “Star Trek” feature films.

Far from complaining, everyone seems to relish the challenge. Visual effects supervisor Jason Zimmerman says that “working with Alex, the references are always at least $100 million movies, if not more, so we just kind of reverse engineer how do we do that without having to spend the same amount of money and time.”

The workload doesn’t seem to faze him either. “Visual effects people are a big, big ‘Star Trek’ fandom,” he says. “You naturally just get all these people who go a little bit above and beyond, and you can’t trade that for anything.”

In one of Kurtzman’s several production offices in Toronto, he and production designer Matthew Davies are scrutinizing a series of concept drawings for the newest “Star Trek” show, “Starfleet Academy.” A bit earlier, they showed me their plans for the series’ central academic atrium, a sprawling, two-story structure that will include a mess hall, amphitheater, trees, catwalks, multiple classrooms and a striking view of the Golden Gate Bridge in a single, contiguous space. To fit it all, they plan to use every inch of Pinewood Toronto’s 45,900 square foot soundstage, the largest in Canada.

But this is a “Star Trek” show, so there do need to be starships, and Kurtzman is discussing with Davies about how one of them should look. The issue is that “Starfleet Academy” is set in the 32nd century, an era so far into the future Kurtzman and his team need to invent much of its design language.

“For me, this design is almost too Klingon,” Kurtzman says. “I want to see the outline and instinctively, on a blink, recognize it as a Federation ship.”

The time period was first introduced on Season 3 of “Discovery,” when the lead character, Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green), transported the namesake starship and its crew there from the 23rd century. “It was exciting, because every time we would make a decision, we would say, ‘And now that’s canon,’” says Martin-Green.

“We listened to a lot of it,” Kurtzman says. “I think I’ve been able to separate the toxic fandom from really true fans who love ‘Star Trek’ and want you to hear what they have to say about what they would like to see.”

By Season 2, the “Discovery” writers pivoted from its dour, war-torn first season and sent the show on its trajectory 900-plus years into the future. “We had to be very aware of making sure that Spock was in the right place and that Burnham’s existence was explained properly, because she was never mentioned in the original series,” says executive producer and showrunner Michelle Paradise. “What was fun about jumping into the future is that it was very much fresh snow.”

That freedom affords “Starfleet Academy” far more creative latitude while also dramatically reducing how much the show’s target audience of tweens and teens needs to know about “Star Trek” before watching — which puts them on the same footing as the students depicted in the show. “These are kids who’ve never had a red alert before,” Noga Landau, executive producer and co-showrunner, says. “They never had to operate a transporter or be in a phaser fight.”

In the “Starfleet Academy” writers’ room in Secret Hideout’s Santa Monica offices, Kurtzman tells the staff — a mix of “Star Trek” die-hards, part-time fans and total newbies — that he wants to take a 30,000-foot view for a moment. “I think we need to ground in science more throughout the show,” he says, a giant framed photograph of Spock ears just over his shoulder. “The kids need to use science more to solve problems.”

Immediately, one of the writers brightens. “Are you saying we can amp up the techno-babble?” she says. “I’m just excited I get to use my computer science degree.”

After they break for lunch, Kurtzman is asked how much longer he plans to keep making “Star Trek.” 

“The minute I fall out of love with it is the minute that it’s not for me anymore. I’m not there yet,” he says. “To be able to build in this universe to tell stories that are fundamentally about optimism and a better future at a time when the world seems to be falling apart — it’s a really powerful place to live every day.”

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Star trek: first contact theme played when sweden joined nato, jonathan frakes reacts.

The beloved score from Star Trek: First Contact was a surprising choice as the theme for the flag-raising ceremony when Sweden joined NATO.

• Sweden surprises by playing Star Trek: First Contact's theme at NATO ceremony.
• Director Jonathan Frakes approves of First Contact theme choice.
• Star Trek: First Contact referenced Sweden, adding to the interesting connection.

The theme from Star Trek: First Contact , the second and most successful Star Trek: The Next Generation movie, was a surprise choice to play when Sweden joined NATO, and director Jonathan Frakes offers his reaction. Sweden joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on March 7, 2024. Sweden had maintained a policy of neutrality in military affairs since the Napoleonic Wars, but Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 prompted Sweden, along with Finland, to apply for NATO membership in May 2022.

TrekCentral posted a video on Twitter/X of the flag-raising ceremony in Brussels when Sweden officially joined NATO, where the theme from Star Trek: First Contact played. First Contact 's orchestral score was composed by Jerry Goldsmith , and it's one of the most popular movie themes among Star Trek fans. Check out the video below:

Star Trek: First Contact' s director, Jonathan Frakes , reacted to his movie's theme at Sweden's NATO ceremony in an X post:

Amusingly, Sweden is referenced in Star Trek: First Contact. When Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) explains the Borg to Lily Sloane (Alfre Woodard), she replies, "Borg? Sounds Swedish."

10 Best Quotes From Star Trek: First Contact

Star trek: first contact is one of the most important star trek movies, first contact is the origin of star trek.

Star Trek: First Contact is the most successful and popular of the Star Trek: The Next Generation movies, and it's also one of the most important Star Trek movies due to its significance to the franchise. First Contact depicts the literal first meeting between humans and Vulcans, and the first warp flight of a human-made starship built by Dr. Zephram Cochrane (James Cromwell). These pivotal events are the literal origin of Star Tr ek and the starting point for what would become Starfleet and, later, the United Federation of Planets.

Star Trek: First Contact is the high-water mark of the Star Trek: The Next Generation films.

In addition, Star Trek: First Contact is a dazzling and exciting sci-fi adventure as Captain Picard takes on the Borg aboard the USS Enterprise-E. First Contact introduced the Borg Queen (Alice Krige), one of the greatest Star Trek villains, who has returned numerous times in Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Picard . Directed by Jonathan Frakes and co-written by Ronald D. Moore and Brannon Braga, Star Trek: First Contact is the high-water mark of the Star Trek: The Next Generation films. Sweden must agree First Contact is one of the best Star Trek movies if Jerry Goldsmith's theme was chosen for the country's NATO flag-raising ceremony,

Star Trek: First Contact is available to stream on Max

Source: Trek Central, Jonathan Frakes Twitter/X

Star Trek’s Doug Jones Confirms Post-Discovery Plans After Donning Prosthetics To Play Saru

What's next for the acclaimed actor?

For five seasons, Doug Jones has played Star Trek 's first Kelpien, Saru, and done a bang-up job with the role. I'd rank the character my favorite of the new era of shows, and he's definitely in the conversation of one of the best Star Trek characters of all time . This is thanks, no doubt, to Jones' long history of acclaimed work as a character actor and someone who has spent most of his career in prosthetics. As the actor ages, though, what are his plans for these roles going forward?

I had the great opportunity to speak to Doug Jones about his plans post-Saru, ahead of the premiere of Star Trek: Discovery Season 5. The actor has hinted before that after the role was done, he'd be potentially retiring or stepping away from doing roles that involve heavy prosthetic work. So, when I asked him if that was still the case, he said the following:

You are very intuitive. Yes. I'm pursuing more human characters now and they've been coming. So I'm really tickled about that. You know, you come to a certain point where it's like, I think I've played every species, every hybrid known to man. And yeah, I'd like to play this guy. I wonder what he can do on film.

It looks like after Star Trek: Discovery , we can expect to see Doug Jones prioritize roles using his actual face and not one that requires hours of makeup to achieve. Readers who have watched What We Do In The Shadows actor might've seen this already, as he played the vampire Baron Afanas, who we've seen revert back to his normal form. It appears we will see more of Jones in those roles going forward rather than some of the iconic characters he's played over the years.

She's a great role model.

It's big news, to be sure, considering the legacy Jones has as a creature actor. As Saru, fans watched him transform his character , leaving behind his anxious feelings and becoming a strong and capable captain in later seasons. He was so beloved as Abe Sapien in Hellboy that he almost had a cameo in the reboot , and who can forget his role as Amphibian Man in the Oscar-winning movie The Shape Of Water ?

Those who don't have a Paramount+ subscription ahead of Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 better get one because it might be one of Doug Jones' last performances in prosthesis. Many might also want to see the crew's final adventure, which I likened a lot to Voyager . I'm also very interested in the ending, which Jones said gave him closure over the series' unexpected cancellation. Hopefully other fans feel the same way and it gives us all a reason to be excited about upcoming Star Trek shows .

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 kicks off on Paramount+ with a two-episode premiere on Thursday, April 4th. Tune in to see the possible last ride with the crew, and to potentially get a glimpse of what's in store for the future.

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Mick Joest is a Content Producer for CinemaBlend with his hand in an eclectic mix of television goodness. Star Trek is his main jam, but he also regularly reports on happenings in the world of Star Trek, WWE, Doctor Who, 90 Day Fiancé, Quantum Leap, and Big Brother. He graduated from the University of Southern Indiana with a degree in Journalism and a minor in Radio and Television. He's great at hosting panels and appearing on podcasts if given the chance as well.

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Invincible season 2 finale, Netflix’s Ripley, and more new TV this week

Plus: American Horror Story: Delicate, Star Trek: Discovery, and Elsbeth return

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Share All sharing options for: Invincible season 2 finale, Netflix’s Ripley, and more new TV this week

It’s April Fools’ Day, but this post is no joke: There is a lot of new TV to watch this week. In a lot of ways it’s a showdown of tense situations — “tense,” here, being used to cover things like Tom Ripley (Andrew Scott, in the new adaptation) trying to con his way into high society, American Horror Story: Delicate ’s Anna (Emma Roberts) attempting to figure what’s a real haunting and what’s in her head, Mark (Steven Yeun) trying to live up to the title of Invincible while he protects his family, or Larry David (Larry David) just trying to make it through the end of Curb Your Enthusiasm alive.

Lots to unpack in those stories, and beyond. Here’s the best new TV premieres and finales this week.

New shows on Netflix

Genre: Con-artist class warfare Release date: April 4, with all episodes Showrunner/creator: Steven Zaillian Cast: Andrew Scott, Johnny Flynn, Dakota Fanning, and more

Tom Ripley is always slippery, whether you’re encountering him in the original Patricia Highsmith novels or adapted to the screen. While he was last portrayed by Matt Damon in The Talented Mr. Ripley , here it’s Andrew Scott, rendered in stark black and white, as Ripley undertakes the same story as the film, and the tragicomic story of Ripley and Dickie Greenleaf (Johnny Flynn).

New shows on Hulu

American horror story: delicate part 2.

Genre: Rosemary’s Baby Release date: April 3 on FX at 10 p.m. EDT, next day on Hulu Showrunner/creator: Ryan Murphy and Halley Feiffer Cast: Emma Roberts, Kim Kardashian, Matt Czuchry, and more

Anna (Emma Roberts) should be enjoying having it all, in the running for the Oscar and with child. Unfortunately, things keep going mysteriously wrong, and she’s quickly losing time and sanity. Season 12b will pick up with where we left her last year before the season break — as the mystery mounts and the pregnancy progresses.

New shows on Max

Curb your enthusiasm season 12 finale.

Genre: Cringe comedy Release date: April 7 Showrunner/creator: Larry David Cast: Larry David, Cheryl Hines, Susie Essman, and more

Larry David is going out on top — or his version of it, anyway. This is the guy who co-created Seinfeld , as he is oft reminded, and left in the final season, but did come back for the final episode, as he is also often reminded about. Probably nothing to read into for this finale.

Genre: Drama Release date: April 7 Showrunner/creator: Will Tracy Cast: Kate Winslet, Matthias Schoenaerts, and more

The Chancellor is losing it — and now it’s time to see how everything really shakes out for her.

New shows on Prime Video

Invincible season 2.

Genre: Coming of age (as a superhero) Release date: April 4 Showrunner/creator: Robert Kirkman Cast: Steven Yeun, Sandra Oh, Sterling K. Brown, and more

Mark (Steven Yeun) is still trying to figure his shit out, especially as he comes to terms with a breakup and a complete confusion of his sense of purpose. And now Angstrom Levy (Sterling K. Brown) is back and threatening his family. Fuck, dude.

New shows on Paramount Plus

Genre: (Still a) Columbo-esque procedural Release date: April 4 Showrunner/creator: Robert and Michelle King Cast: Carrie Preston, Wendell Pierce, and more

That’s right, we’re doing it again! Elsbeth , the Good Wife spinoff centered around the best Good Wife side character, Elsbeth Tascioni (Carrie Preston), is back with the rest of the season. While it technically appeared in these very pages announcing its premiere earlier in February, the season now starts in earnest. Join us!

Star Trek: Discovery season 5

Genre: Science fiction Release date: April 4, with one episode Showrunner/creator: Alex Kurtzman and Michelle Paradise Cast: Sonequa Martin-Green, Doug Jones, David Ajala, and more

Star Trek: Discovery is returning for its fifth and final season. It’s the show that’s been driving the Star Trek TV renaissance (or, at least, the show all the other shows are building off of). And, as Susana Polo put it in her preview , “ Discovery has reached the final final frontier for a Star Trek show,” with the opportunity not seen in a quarter of a century.

New shows on Apple TV Plus

Loot season 2.

Genre: Comedy Release date: April 3, with two episodes Showrunner/creator: Alan Yang and Matt Hubbard Cast: Maya Rudolph, Joel Kim Booster, Nat Faxon, and more

Molly Novak (Maya Rudolph) is still trying to reconnect to the real world through her philanthropic efforts. In the process, she’s learning to be a little more human herself — often to, well, humorous effect. With Rudolph and Loot coming back for season 2, we can trust Molly is going to really, finally figure it out this time.

Genre: Contemporary noir Release date: April 5, with two episodes Showrunner/creator: Mark Protosevich Cast: Colin Farrell, Kirby, James Cromwell, and more

Sugar (Colin Farrell) is a world-weary private eye who needs a break, but is now booked for one more case. This modern noir — told vibrantly, both in palette and tone — follows that case, which, as these things do, turns out to be more complicated than meets the eye. (That is his real name, though.)

New shows on Crunchyroll

Wind breaker.

Genre: Shonen anime Release date: April 4 Based on the manga by: Satoru Nii

Haruka Sakura is lonely in his first year of Furin High School, recognized in town as the school with a bad academic rep that’s basically just for delinquents. Or at least he was bored, until he meets the members of Bofurin, a school organization comprised of said delinquents, who he learns are actually the sole protectors of the town.

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Star Trek Officially Introduces the Father of Tasha Yar's Daughter Sela

• Sela's backstory is convoluted and tragic, as she struggles with her Romulan heritage and complex family ties--which have made her a popular Star Trek villain.
• General Revo's attempt to restore Sela's place in Romulan society is rejected, as she denies her Romulan bloodline.
• Sela's journey in Star Trek: Defiant reveals her transformation from villain to potential anti-hero, with conflicts and revelations.

Warning: contains spoilers for Star Trek: Defiant #13!

Star Trek has officially introduced the father of Sela, Tasha Yar’s half-Romulan daughter. In just a handful of episodes, Sela left a huge impression on fans, and she returned to the pages of IDW’s Star Trek: Defiant , briefly aligning herself with Worf and his crew. She eventually left them to pursue her own goals, and now, in Star Trek: Defiant #13, fans finally get to meet her mysterious father.

Star Trek: Defiant #13, part two of “Hell is Only a Word,” is written by Christopher Cantwell and drawn by Angel Unzueta. After drugging Martok and extracting information from him, Sela had been working on something so vital she had to go tell Worf. Sela learns the Defiant is at Starbase 99, and sets course, blatantly violating the Neutral Zone.

She is intercepted by her father, General Revo, who tries to warn her against doing so.

Revo also tells her he is willing to stake his reputation to restore hers–but she refuses, and leaves him behind.

Sela's Struggles Against Herself and the Federation Make Her One of Star Trek's Best Villains

Sela may be turning into an anti-hero.

Sela’s backstory is one of the most tragic, and convoluted, in Star Trek history. Her mother, Tasha Yar, was killed off in The Next Generation ’s first season, but was resurrected (thanks to time travel) in the third season episode “Yesterday’s Enterprise.” Again, thanks to time travel, this version went back into the past, where she was captured by Romulans. One of her captors “took mercy” on her, offering her freedom in exchange for marrying him. Sela was the product of this union, but Tasha was killed trying to escape a few years later, leaving her with no human influences.

Sela first appeared, in the shadows, in "The Mind's Eye," a fourth season episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, before making her formal debut at the end of "Redemption Part One."

Without her mother, Sela grew up fully Romulan, and internalized their values and mores. Romulan society is built upon deception and violence, and Sela embodies these qualities. Her handful of on-screen appearances established she was ashamed of her human heritage as she spun her mother’s escape as folly. Her appearances in Star Trek: Defiant have fleshed Sela out further, showing her to be far more complex than fans thought. Sela has been slowly drifting to “anti-hero” status in Star Trek: Defiant , but not everyone is happy, including her father.

Tasha Yar's Daughter Is the Reason Spock's Vulcan/Romulan Reunification Worked, Star Trek Confirms

By denying her romulan heritage, sela has made star trek history, but will sela be able to follow through on her decision.

General Revo is a true, full-blooded Romulan, and it becomes clear from his interactions with Sela that she is having second thoughts about her Romulan identity. Sela once looked up to her father, but those times are now gone. In this issue, she rebukes her father, even after he promises to restore her place in Romulan society. In rejecting her father, Sela is also rejecting her Romulan heritage. While it remains to be seen if Sela will be successful in her journey in the Star Trek universe, it is clear she will be going without her father.

Star Trek: Defiant #13 is on sale now from IDW Publishing!