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Ah, Dark Horse Comics! How do I love thee? Let me count the ways!
I'm still miffed beyond belief about the whole Star Wars license being pulled from Dark Horse Comics and given to Marvel Comics (egad!) when George Lucas sold the property to Walt Disney. I've penned a handful of smaller treatises about the whole affair with other websites, so I won't belabor the issue here except to say that it's a crying shame. For over two decades, Dark Horse's stable of writers produced some amazing, amazing work in the realm of that galaxy far, far away; and now it's all being dismissed as non-canon by some suits who probably wouldn't know a Solo from a Rolo.
In any event ...
On this day in 2013, Dark Horse Comics released a massive hardcover collection for Star Wars: Legacy, scribe John Ostrander's look at the future of the Skywalker family about 100 years after the days of Luke, Han, and Leia. If you haven't explored it, check it out while you can as it's very highly rated by the fans!
I'm still miffed beyond belief about the whole Star Wars license being pulled from Dark Horse Comics and given to Marvel Comics (egad!) when George Lucas sold the property to Walt Disney. I've penned a handful of smaller treatises about the whole affair with other websites, so I won't belabor the issue here except to say that it's a crying shame. For over two decades, Dark Horse's stable of writers produced some amazing, amazing work in the realm of that galaxy far, far away; and now it's all being dismissed as non-canon by some suits who probably wouldn't know a Solo from a Rolo.
In any event ...
On this day in 2013, Dark Horse Comics released a massive hardcover collection for Star Wars: Legacy, scribe John Ostrander's look at the future of the Skywalker family about 100 years after the days of Luke, Han, and Leia. If you haven't explored it, check it out while you can as it's very highly rated by the fans!
SCI-FI BIRTHDAYS
Born on this day back in 1942, Nick Tate has had a rather impressive acting career contributing to sci-fi. Of course, he's probably best known as Alan Carter from Space: 1999, but he's also had guest appearances in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, The X-Files, and Farscape, to name but a few. He even holds the distinction of providing the voice to the dastardly Prince Xizor from the Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire video game.
Thanks for all you've done, Nick, and Happy Birthday!
Thanks for all you've done, Nick, and Happy Birthday!
Most folks know Richard Boone as the man who played Paladin of Have Gun - Will Travel (a truly awesome show in its own right if I do say so myself) fame from the glory days of television, but I remember his appearance in the 1977 actioner The Last Dinosaur. He was a big game hunter who found himself in a prehistoric world, and he was the only man with the smarts to track (you guessed it) the last dinosaur. Though he's no longer with us, Boone was born on this day in 1917.
That grim-faced Imperial officer from Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back is none other than actor Michael Sheard. As Admiral Ozzel, he offended the Dark Lord of the Sith one too many times, and I believe he was the first one Force-choked to death in TESB, though he certainly wasn't the last. Sheard also had several appearances as several characters in the long-running BBC juggernaut, Doctor Who. Though he's no longer with us, Sheard was born on this day in 1938.
Veteran character actor Ralph Brown had the good fortune to appear alongside Sigourney Weaver in Alien 3; and, in 2000, he had a brief recurring stint aboard the sci-fi oddity that was Lexx. Brown was born on this day in 1957.
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I have nothing but respect for the work that DC Comics' scribe Geoff Johns accomplished with the entire Green Lantern universe. In fact, many folks credit Johns with finally crafting a take on the unique superhero that made people a believer. On this day in 2011, Ryan Reynolds tried (and failed miserably) to bring that same passion to life on the silver screen, but that take on the Green Lantern should've turned in its ring to the nearest jeweler.
SCI-FI BIRTHDAYS
It may not be much, but when you're given the futile task of teaching the android Data how to tell a joke (as part of Star Trek: The Next Generation), I think the effort deserves an honorable mention. That's precisely what comedian Joe Piscopo brought to the Trek mythology, and that counts for something. Piscopo was born on this day in 1951.
If you haven't figured it out yet, then let me be perfectly clear: I have a lot of respect for the 'little guys.' Why? Well, first, they get so little attention in fandom. Second, when haven't the rest of us felt like the little guy? Actor Jon Gries has had a wonderful workmanship career, popping up in great character roles all across fandom. He first popped on my radar with NBC's The Pretender, and I've kept an eye on him ever since ... especially when he showed up in ABC TV's Lost. Gries was born on this day in 1957.
Actor and fitness muscleman Scott Adkins has appeared in the Metal Hurlant Chronicles, Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and a host of other sci-fi-friendly projects. Hopefully, he'll keep at it long enough until he finds his own promising franchise. Adkinds was born on this day in 1976.
Arthur Darvill landed one of the best gigs in all of fandom: his character Rory Williams was handpicked to serve as one of the companions to the time-traveling Doctor himself. Nice job ... but it didn't end all that well. (Does it ever end anything other than bittersweet for the Companions of Doctor Who?) Darvill was born on this day in 1982.
SCI-FI TELEVISION
On this day back in 1989, Star Trek: The Next Generation aired an hour titled "Manhunt" in syndication. Here's the plot summary as provided by our friends at IMDB.com:
"Deanna Troi's Mother - Lwaxana Troi - shows up on the Enterprise with the plan to marry Captain Jean-Luc Picard. When Captain Picard hides in the holodeck. She announces she is engaged to Commander William T. Riker. When Lwaxana finds them both in the holodeck she falls for a holodeck character."
"Deanna Troi's Mother - Lwaxana Troi - shows up on the Enterprise with the plan to marry Captain Jean-Luc Picard. When Captain Picard hides in the holodeck. She announces she is engaged to Commander William T. Riker. When Lwaxana finds them both in the holodeck she falls for a holodeck character."
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Think what you may, sci-fi fans, but there's never been a better 'Part 1' in all of sci-fi television than Star Trek: The Next Generation's third season finale, "The Best of Both Worlds." (It aired in syndication on this day back in 1990.) Could the stakes have been raised any higher? Riker in a personal and a professional crisis? Picard seized by the Borg? Starfleet facing possible galactic eradication? Audiences were left on the edge of their seats all summer thanks to this winning script by the late screenwriter Michael Piller.
BIRTHDAYS
The lovely Faith Domergue played Dr. Ruth Adams as part of the scientific ensemble at the middle of 1955's sci-fi classic This Island Earth. In fact, she practically ruled cinema sci-fi that year as she also headlined The Atomic Man and It Came From Beneath The Sea for willing audiences. What a glorious, glorious year! Though she's no longer with us, Domergue was born on this day in 1924.
Clifton Collins Jr. has one of those familiar faces, and that's largely because he's been a part of so many interesting programs. He was manipulating a conspiracy on NBC's The Event. He was a Romulan baddie as part of JJ Abrams' Star Trek reboot (2009). He was also part of the team ridding the Earth of monsters in Guillermo del Toro's Pacific Rim (2013). Collins was born on this day in 1970.
And speaking about the Star Trek reboot, one actor on the front lines of the action is none other than John Cho. His take on Hikaru Sulu might lack the charismatic charm that Takei brought to the small screen, but I, for one, hope he gets more to do in the subsequent cinematic adventures. Cho was born on this day in 1972.
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Star Trek: The Next Generation's fourth season finale, "Redemption, Part 1," gets an awful lot of love from Trek fans, and I guess it's deserving. I always found it a bit s-l-o-w for my tastes -- a lukewarm follow-up to the vastly superior events set in motion by "Sins of the Father." It certainly had the epic scope deserving of a finale; I guess I just expected a bit more from it. The episode aired in TV syndication on this day back in 1991.
BIRTHDAYS
After Kirstie Alley went and pulled a signature Kirstie Alley (demanded more money for her small role), Robin Curtis was cast to take over the reins as Saavik in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, a role she reprised (albeit briefly) in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. Curtis was born on this day in 1956.
Helen Hunt was a welcome, refreshing part of the Trancers trilogy as Lena Deth, three films that practically defined direct-to-DVD as an entity. Since then, she's moved her way up into much more artsy flicks. (Who can blame her?) Hunt was born on this day in 1963.
Long before she joined NBC's ensemble of Friends, a much younger Courtney Cox shared the silver screen with no less than Dolph Lundgren in Gary Doddard's adaptation of Masters of the Universe. (And, no, she wasn't Skeletor, kids!) Cox was born on this day in 1964.
While being more well known for his musical talents, Ice Cube has also dabbled in playing tough loners and misunderstood young men in major motion pictures. He headlined the cast in John Carpenter's lukewarm Ghosts of Mars but has since steered clear of our beloved genre. Cube was born on this day in 1969.
In his relatively short time in Hollywood, actor Jake Busey has built an impressive resume toiling away in one project after another. Sci-fi fans definitely known him best as the brash recruit who thought he was going to change the galaxy in Starship Troopers. Busey was born on this day in 1971.
While he's certainly better known for his mainstream comedy, Neil Patrick Harris did a quality turn as the psychic handling the psi-warfare component of Paul Verhoeven's adaptation of the Robert Heinlein classic Starship Troopers. Harris was born on this day in 1973.
SCIENCE FICTION MOVIES
On this day in 1973, the Battle for the Planet of the Apes took a huge step forward as lines were drawn and plans were made. Here's the film's plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"Ten years after conquering the Earth, ape leader Caesar wants the ruling apes and enslaved humans to live in peace. But warring factions of apes led by a militant gorilla general as well as various human groups threaten the stability."
"Ten years after conquering the Earth, ape leader Caesar wants the ruling apes and enslaved humans to live in peace. But warring factions of apes led by a militant gorilla general as well as various human groups threaten the stability."
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I don't know about the rest of you, but I grew up on a regular diet of sci-fi movies on television whenever I could find one. In my youth, none stuck with me more than the popular War of the Worlds, based on the epic H.G. Wells novel of the same name. In that picture, Gene Barry played Dr. Clayton Forrester, the man of science caught between helping mankind avert the invasion and saving those he loved most. Barry even had a cameo in Steven Spielberg's tepid 2005 remake, but, for my tastes, he was one of the best reasons to still prefer the original. He was born on this day back in 1919; he passed in December of 2009, but, as a fellow physician reminds us, "He'll never die so long as we remember him."
BIRTHDAYS
Actor Will Patton has an impressive career that currently spans three-and-one-half-decades. This screen veteran has graced sci-fi with his presence in VR.5, The Postman, Armageddon, and TNT's Falling Skies. Patton was born on this day in 1954.
Alexandra Castillo is the kind of actress who pops up in smaller roles and makes the best of them. Since her career began, she's appeared in such sci-fi projects as The 6th Day, Stephen King's The Dead Zone, Mutant X, 2012, and Warehouse 13. Castillo was born on this day in 1971.
Pascale Hutton endured a handful of smaller parts until finally landing a spot as a recurring regular on Syfy's Sanctuary as Abby Corrigan. Since that program ended, she continues to keep busy, though in much more mainstream fare. Corrigan was born on this day in 1979.
I gave Syfy's Helix a chance (three episodes), but it just didn't quite stick. Loved the setting and the premise; it just seemed to really do nothing new with it. Still, I can appreciate a fresh face as much as the next, and Jordan Hayes certainly brought that to her work. Hayes was born on this day in 1987.
Another sci-fi property that underwent a reboot was Bionic Woman. As much as I wanted it to work for me, (again) it just didn't. One bright spot was the young Lucy Hale who played Becca Sommers. Otherwise, Hale can be found as part of the cast to Pretty Little Liars, and she recently released her first album (pop country). Hale was born on this day in 1989.
SCIENCE FICTION MOVIES
D.A.R.Y.L. was one of those films that certainly had an audience in mind: I just wasn't it. It was all a bit too neat, tidy, and sweet for my tastes. Still, the story of the boy with some secret abilities who can't remember where he comes from is probably a delight with younger ones even today. It premiered in theatres on this day back in 1985.
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Oh, boo hiss! Malcolm McDowell almost gleefully came aboard the beloved Star Trek franchise because his character was given the singularly distinction killing Capt. James T. Kirk. Star Trek: Generations wasn't exactly the grand passing-of-the-torch I would've wanted to see, but it was still plenty fine nonetheless. Mr. McDowell also had the chance to add to his sci-fi legacy by playing H.G. Wells in the wonderful sci-fi rom/com Time After Time (1979), and he had a recurring role throughout the first season of Heroes.
McDowell was born on this day back in 1943.
McDowell was born on this day back in 1943.
BIRTHDAYS
Though her resume for the last two decades appears a bit slim, actress Belinda Bauer made a pretty big splash in Sci-Fi in the 80's. She was a part of Timerider: The Adventure of Lyle Swann (1982). She also had a terrific role in the Airwolf tele-film that launched the franchise. And, in 1990, she joined the Robocop franchise, appearing in the first sequel as Dr. Juliette Faxx. Bauer was born on this day in 1950.
I've said it before -- and here I am saying it again -- that 1980's Battle Beyond the Stars is one of my very favorite B-movie / Star Wars knock-offs ever. Sure, it gets a bit goofy in the final reel, but this John Sayles-penned riff on The Magnificent Seven (but set in space, mind you) still looks and sounds dynamite with age. The lead was the always fresh-faced Richard Thomas; his 'Shad' was the young man who set out to find a group of warriors who would defend his planet against the coming invaders. Thomas was born on this day in 1951.
Funnyman Tim Allen brought the perfect measure of macho charm and Hollywood cluelessness to his portrayal of an aging actor inadvertently caught up in a real outer space adventure in 1999's Galaxy Quest. Allen was born on this day in 1953.
Brat Packer Ally Sheedy has been and out of sci-fi-friendly roles since she took on the part of Stephanie Speck in 1986's kid-friendly Short Circuit. Since then, she's booked parts on the 1990's redux of The Outer Limits and a recurring stint on Kyle XY. Sheedy was born on this day in 1962.
As First Lady Christina Martinez, actress Lisa Vidal stayed up-close-and-personal to the sci-fi quandary presented at the heart of NBC's single-season show, The Event. Vidal also booked a fleetingly small cameo as part of JJ Abrams' 2009 Star Trek reboot. Vidal was born on this day in 1965.
The grizzled fellow under the stocking cap is none other than Chris Evans. While he's better known for his roles in The Fantastic Four and Captain America, Evans also headlined an apocalyptic thriller known as Snowpiercer that just can't quite seem to find the light of day in the States. Evans was born on this day in 1981.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson made a big splash as the teen-turned-vigilante in Kickass and its sequel, but -- in the summer of 2014 -- he was practically the last man standing against and then on the side of Godzilla. Taylor-Johnson was born on this day in 1990.
SCIENCE FICTION TELEVISION
On this day in 1964, Doctor Who aired "The Day of Darkness" as part of its first season. Here's the episode summary from IMDB.com: "Tlotoxl's machinations result in both Susan and Ian being arrested.With the TARDIS once again trapped inside the tomb, the travelers' only hope for escape lies with Autloc and Cameca."
Star Trek: The Next Generation's fifth season finale -- "Time's Arrow, Part 1" -- aired on this date in 1992, and the time travel (kinda/sorta) yarn featured a Data-centric episode that postulated an alien race had interacted with humanity in the late 1800's. Of course, the crew had to go back and check it out. Wouldn't you?
SCIENCE FICTION MOVIES
On this day in 1953, The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms was released theatrically. Here's the summary from IMDB.com: "As a result of an arctic nuclear test, a carnivorous dinosaur thaws out and starts making its way down the east coast of North America. Professor Tom Nesbitt, only witness to the beast's existence, is not believed, even when he identifies it as a "rhedosaurus" to paleontologist Thurgood Elson. All doubts disappear, however, when Elson is swallowed whole during an oceanic bathysphere excursion to search for the creature. Soon thereafter the rhedosaurus emerges from the sea and lays waste to Manhattan Island until Nesbitt comes up with a plan to try to stop the seemingly indestructible beast."
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Arnold Schwarzenegger has a long and distinguished affiliation with Science Fiction, and perhaps one of the best -- even to this day -- remains 1987's seminal sci-fi juggernaut Predator. The film was perfectly conceived -- it's man versus alien in a clever variation of Agatha Christie's 'Ten Little Indians' mode -- as well as perfectly cast and perfectly shot. It remains the highwater mark for the series, and it's still watchable even to this day.
BIRTHDAYS
What an absolute frakkin' shame it is that kids today haven't a clue as to Irwin Allen is. The late great Irwin Allen was responsible for the sci-fi of a whole generation, conceiving and/or producing such programs as Lost in Space, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Time Tunnel, & others. Though he's no longer with us, Allen was born on this day in 1916.
The lovely Frances O'Connor has a terrific resume, both in and out of the sci-fi genre. Perhaps her best known sci-fi roles is as Monica Swinton in Steven Spielberg's A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001), but she's also had appearances in Timeline (2003) and other great dramas. O'Connor was born on this day in 1967.
OFFICIAL SCI-FI HONORABLE MENTION
And while it may not be Science Fiction, methinks it deserves a respectable nod: genre entertainment came to life on this day in 1981 when Steven Spielberg's legendary Raiders of the Lost Ark premiered theatrically. It's still the best of the Indiana Jones films, and I suspect it will always be.
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On this day in Science Fiction history, Steven Spielberg's E.T. - The Extraterrestrial was first released theatrically in 1982. The whimsical modern-day fairly tale of a boy and his -- erm -- alien warmed the hearts of audiences around the world.
BIRTHDAYS
Actor Ed Bishop had a small part in 2001: A Space Odyssey, but he greatly established himself with fans of sci-fi in the series-leading-role of Commander Ed Straker in Gerry Anderson's live action series UFO (1969-1973). Though he's no longer with us, Bishop was born on this day in 1932.
We fanboys take our heroines seriously, and, throughout the late 70's and much of the 80's, Adrienne Barbeau ruled the silver screen. She appeared in John Carpenter's The Fog as well as his Escape from New York, and she was the only beauty capable of taming the beast that was Swamp Thing. Barbeau was born on this day in 1945.
In any account of the Trojan War, it's been said that Helen had a face that launched a thousand ships to war. Well -- in the anals of sci-fi films -- it was the face of Cherry 2000 who launched one man's attempt to bring his own 'Helen' back to life. The android Cherry 2000 was played by the lovely Pamela Gidley, who was born on this day in 1965.
Peter Dinklage is definitely 'ruling the roost' so far as most fanboys are concerned. He's plays a key figure aboard HBO's Games of Thrones, and he definitely upped his game as part of X-Men: Days of Future Past in the summer of 2014. Dinklage was born on this day in 1969 and has been turning in nothing but quality work ever since.
Joshua Jackson was part of the winning ensemble that made Fox TV's Fringe so popular. Throughout the show's tenure, Jackson stayed near the helm, both as an actor as well as a character given the fact that his Peter Bishop was a driving force behind why all of these parallel worlds were originally in collision. Jackson was born on this day in 1978.
Pardon me if I sound a bit snarky: there's been something refreshing about watching Shia Labeouf's public persona implode almost as easily as a plot device in any of the Transformers' flicks he's headlined. (Truth is I enjoyed the first as a guilty popcorn pleasure, but the rest have been awful.) Labeouf was born on this day in 1986.
SCIENCE FICTION FILMS
Just over ten years after Steven Spielberg left his footprint on film history with E.T. (previously mentioned above), he did it again with the very first installment of the Jurassic Park (1993) franchise exploding into theatres. I can still remember the first time I heard the T-Rex roar ... and it still brings me chills!
Vin Diesel loves the character that launched his career, and why not? Riddick is a seminal loner with a penchant for solving problems the old-fashioned way: violently. The man who can see in the dark returned to the silver screen (in a somewhat complex, convoluted plot) with the release of The Chronicles of Riddick on this day in 2004.
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I'll have to apologize in advance for the day being admittedly so light by way of Sci-Fi History. As I've been building my database dutifully over the past two years, it just so happens that there are some days that still escape my efforts; and June 10th is one of them. Hopefully, this time next year, I'll have a bit more to offer by way of entries.
Still, that doesn't mean the lovely Ms. Jeanne Tripplehorn deserves any less mention. She appeared in Kevin Costner's Waterworld circa 1995 -- a film that suffering a critical drubbing at the time largely due to media taking some huge offense at how much it cost (???). As I've often said, science fiction can use as many talented, luscious, and strong ladies as we can get; I, for one, am glad she stood by her man. Or swam by her man. Whatever.
Tripplehorn was born on this day in 1963.
Still, that doesn't mean the lovely Ms. Jeanne Tripplehorn deserves any less mention. She appeared in Kevin Costner's Waterworld circa 1995 -- a film that suffering a critical drubbing at the time largely due to media taking some huge offense at how much it cost (???). As I've often said, science fiction can use as many talented, luscious, and strong ladies as we can get; I, for one, am glad she stood by her man. Or swam by her man. Whatever.
Tripplehorn was born on this day in 1963.
PUBLICATIONS
I came across this new book release today whilst searching for some additional content to add here, and I thought it relevant to draw your attention to it. Orson Scott Card is the scribe behind the Ender series, and -- unless I miss my guess -- this one could very well be related to that whole universe. If it interests you, then hit the bookstores today!
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It's shockingly and disturbingly true that if you had to judge whether or not actress Natalie Portman could act based on the work she did in the Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, then you might be forced to conclude she couldn't. Being perfectly honest, I thought she did fine, considering the weaknesses inherent in so much of the material. Whatever the case, she did show us her midriff in Attack of the Clones, and, for that, male fandom will always be happy.
Portman was born on this day in 1981.
Portman was born on this day in 1981.
BIRTHDAYS
I've said it before, and even today I stand by it: sci-fi comedies are not easy to accomplish. You need an absolute winning combination of ideas, emotion, and talent. Fortunately, Back to the Future excelled in all of those requirements, and much its success was do to the affable big-screen charm of its leading man: Michael J. Fox. Fox was born on this day in 1961.
Hollywood leading man Johnny Depp has struggled to capitalize on the success of the Pirates of the Caribbean films, so maybe he ought to stick with what he does best: pirates. 2014's Transcendence was a particularly brutal box office failure (on the heels of an equally curious debacle that was The Lone Ranger, which incidentally was incomprehensibly bad), but I suspect his future remains bright. Depp was born on this day in 1963.
Lovely lass Mae Whitman has certainly come a long way from playing the President's precocious daughter in Roland Emmerich's Independence Day (1996). She did a great comic turn on Fox TV's Arrested Development, and she continues to be one of the most sought after young actresses in demand today. Good for you, girl! Whitman was born on this day in 1988.
SCIENCE FICTION MOVIES
Being as old as I am, I've often found it difficult to impress upon younger viewers -- say today's youth -- what science fiction was like back in the day when the first episode of Star Wars set the movie industry on fire. Everyone -- and I do mean "everyone" -- wanted in on that action, even when that meant greenlighting G-rated films to bring in the masses. Case in point: Walt Disney's The Cat from Outer Space premiered theatrically on this day in 1978. And where's the reboot, Hollywood? Huh? Where's that reboot? Grumpy Cat's available.
I'll agree with most that it's hard to figure out what to make out of Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, which premiered on this day theatrically back in 1989. Sure, the plot left audiences kinda/sorta scratching their head, but -- for all its blemishes -- Trek V has some of the best character moments (i.e. the campfire scene, Sybok discovering Spock's and Bones' respective 'pains,' etc.) in the entire film series.
Here's the plot summary from IMDB.com:
"Captain Kirk and his crew must deal with Mr. Spock's long-lost half-brother who hijacks the Enterprise for an obsessive search for God at the center of the galaxy."
Here's the plot summary from IMDB.com:
"Captain Kirk and his crew must deal with Mr. Spock's long-lost half-brother who hijacks the Enterprise for an obsessive search for God at the center of the galaxy."
