Favorite Series
Star Trek Deep Space Nine
It would seem that in the future all of the frailties of humanity have been conquered... or so it would seem, until ST:DS9 forced the viewer to confont these frailties. While DS9 was often criticized for its dark brooding tone, I applaud it. It is within the dark creveces of man's soul that true drama can exist. It also became apparent that even our beloved Federation officers were often led down a dark path, as was apparent when Sisko manipulated the Romulans into joining the war with the Dominion. While it is true that these characters were confined to a space station, their exploration was more of an inward journey...the soul.

Favorite Episode
Star Trek
"Mirror, Mirror"
This is an interesting take on the evil twin story... a story often used throughout history and mythology. In this classic episode, Kirk, Uhura, and McCoy are thrust into a universe of dark twins. Rather than exploring the darker side of man, as most evil twin stories do, this one rather finds hope in the darkness. Not only does this story pose this interesting philosophical model, it also introduces viewers to the Mirror, Mirror Universe... a storyline that has been revisited in several novels and DS9 episodes.

Favorite Episode
Star Trek The Next Generation
"Relics"
Okay...I am a sucker for crossover stories. After the disappointing return of Spock to TNG, I really wasn't looking forward to "Relics", but I was surprised. This is Scotty, classic Scotty, but Scotty is finding it hard fitting into the next century. This episode is not only a crossover, but an important comment on the usefulness of the aged in our society. Like Scotty in "Relics", the classic crew had been put out to pasture in ST:VI. It was very appropriate that Star Trek once again found a purpose for Captain Montgomery Scott. I only wish that one of the other series had taken advantage of Scotty's presence in the 24th century.

Favorite Episode
Star Trek Deep Space Nine
"Hard Time"
This was a tough call to make... there really are so many excellent DS9 episodes, but in the end I decided on "Hard Time". Miles O'Brien (one of the most underrated characters in the Star Trek universe) has been wrongly inprisoned for what seems like 20 years. In his mind he believes 20 years have passed; however, only a matter of hours has passed. Similar to ST:TNG "The Inner Light", when Picard lives a lifetime only to waken and find his reality a dream, O'Brien is awoken from a nightmare, but finds that reintegration into daily routine is not so simple. We discover that Miles' darker side was realized while imprisoned. I don't want to say too much, but this episode is not only a great example of DS9's superb writing, but also its characterization, as is apparent in the Bashir/O'Brien friendship(which is probably the most genuine of all Star Trek friendships).

Favorite Film
Star Trek Crew
Star Trek VI The Undiscovered Country
Once again, a very tough decision. I find it unfair at times to label a favorite for fear of the assumption that I do not like the others in a very fine series of films. In this installment, Kirk and crew are winding down their careers when they are ordered to escort the Klingon Chancellor to Earth for a peace negotiation. En route the Chancellor is murdered and it is up to the crew to put all right again. This film came at the closing of our own cold war and, like many of the classic series episodes, dealt with a political issue that was not addressed in popular films... can we forgive after years of conflict? This question was posed to Kirk who is a sworn enemy of the Klingon Empire. Within he discovers that the quest for peace far outweighs any grudge or prejudism he felt. What is great about this film is that it is a mystery, a political allegory, an adventure (in keeping with the spirit of TOS), and a man's journey of confronting his beliefs and imperfections and growing from them. Who says you can't teach old dogs new tricks? If Kirk and Co. can move past their prejudism, then perhaps in times of conflict we all can.

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