Star Trek & The Development of Science Fiction

I've watched a Star Trek episode here and there, but I've never taken the time to watch the first episode of the series. Thus, I decided to watch 'The Man Trap' for this writer's blog response. In the beginning of the episode, the crew of the Enterprise is on a mission to come to bring supplies to Dr. Robert Crater and, his wife, Nancy Crater on a distant planet. When the three men representing the Enterprise are beamed down to the planet, they each see a different woman when they look at Nancy. Confusion and chaos erupts when one of the three representatives, Darnel, is found unresponsive with odd circles on his face. Only Nancy was with Darnel when he was stricken, claiming that she saw him consume a poisonous plant. While examining Darnel, the crew realizes that he is not dead, but rather, had been drained of salt. Continuing the investigation, Kirk orders Dr. Crater and his wife to board the Enterprise until the mystery is solved. While Dr. Crater tries to find Nancy, Sturgeon is found dead. The audience then sees Nancy kill Green (another crew member), and then transform into Green. It is made apparent that 'Nancy' is not Nancy after all, but rather, a creature of planet M-113. The creatures of M-113 need the salt from humans to survive, and thus, the creature posing as Dr. Crater's wife actually killed Nancy Crater. In a twist, though, it is revealed that Dr. Crater brings humans to 'Nancy' in order to keep the creature's company, as he is lonely after the death of his wife. 'Nancy' goes on a rampage on the Enterprise, killing various crew members until she is killed by McCoy.

I enjoyed watching this episode, and I think it was primarily because it was the first episode of Star Trek that I could really keep up with. While I was watching, I tried to think of the different ways that this episode differed from the modern-day Science Fiction series on television today. While the special effects and camera work were, frankly, the most obvious differences between the Sci-Fi of old and new, I think the most significant difference may be the use of human metaphors in the shows. While I'm sure that the original Star Trek was visually impressive for its time, it didn't seem to use special effects as a crutch like modern shows seem to do. In the more modern shows, such as Battlestar Galactica, sex and special effects often take precedence over the show's plot. I think I really enjoyed watching Star Trek because it used metaphors and symbolism to explore a time and lifestyle unlike our own; plain and simple. The show didn't have graphic sex scenes or High Definition explosions, but it did have a creative plot and vibrant characters. The biggest difference between Science Fiction shows today and those that pioneered the genre decades ago is their focus. Modern shows seem to put a greater focus on what draws in viewers, while the older shows, such as Star Trek, seem to stay true to their story and plot.