Star Trek New Voyages: World Enough And Time

October 10th, 2007

In the most cynical sense, a fan film has nowhere to go but up, but the latest episode of Star Trek New Voyages: World Enough And Time is the best I’ve seen yet, to where I can’t imagine any further improvement save hiring the original cast. This episode returns George Takei, the one and only Sulu, to the original series.

The Enterprise is dispatched to rescue a ship trapped in the Neutral Zone (similarities to the Kobayashi Maru simulation noted), where the Romulans are testing an experimental weapon. After the ships are destroyed with phaser fire, a gravity wave space-time flux is created, trapping the Enterprise. Sulu and a computer expert are sent to the Romulan ship wreckage get information regarding the weapon in order to free the starship. Something goes wrong on the transporter trip back, and due to the space-time flux, he’s beamed aboard aged thirty years, after spending time stranded on an abandoned planet in an alternate universe with his mission partner - where he fathered a daughter, Alana.

Yes, this plot is basically a contrivance to get the now older Takei back into the role of Sulu. However, Star Trek is generally full of such sci-fi indulgences, and in this case, the time travel cliche is a blessing, as the fact of an older, original actor is used to create a surprisingly satisfying story of sacrifice, mortality, and memory - Sulu must choose between saving the ship and his daughter.

One should be forewarned that this Star Trek features different actors playing the iconic roles. I’m still getting used to the idea (and better be, since the 2008 Star Trek movie will do the same), but some of the acting is still rough around the edges - Dr. McCoy still seems to be the weak link, and Kirk (James Cawley) still struggles to call up appropriate emotions. Still, the acting is consistently improving - the actress cast as Alana (Sulu’s daughter) is excellent and adds some welcome spark.

And once George Takei appears, the episode is wonderful. As an experienced actor among amateurs, I could really recognize and appreciate Takei’s talent as he sells some fairly corny lines and situations with stern believability. There’s one moment where he stomps onto the transporter pad with such sad conviction that’s it’s nearly worth waiting decades to see. He gets more lines here than in the Star Trek V, VI, and VI combined. For a Sulu fan, it’s the definition of a rare treat.

Yes, in case you haven’t guessed already, the whole episode is all about Sulu - but I found it largely worth it - despite a few nods to fan boys such as the reminder of “something” going on with Uhura, quoting Shakespeare, and a slightly gratuitous dwelling on his future commanding the Excelsior.

But despite my minor quibbles, with each episode Star Trek New Voyages raises the bar of fan films, and I’d say the show is about 75% there in terms of recreating the original, which is a truly amazing achievement. I’d daresay it’s better than many shows on television. If only we didn’t have to wait so long between installments.

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