Star Trek (2009) & Star Trek Discovery (2017): Rebooting the Final Frontier | EP26

For decades, Star Trek has been one of science fiction’s most influential franchises, exploring humanity’s future through stories of exploration, diplomacy and interstellar adventure. First created by Gene Roddenberry in the 1960s, the franchise has continually evolved across television and cinema.

In this episode of Journey Through Sci-Fi, we explore two key moments in the modern revival of the franchise: J. J. Abrams’ blockbuster reboot Star Trek (2009) and the streaming television series Star Trek: Discovery (2017).

Both productions reintroduced Star Trek to new audiences while updating the classic space-opera formula for the 21st century.

It's that time in the series when we dip back into the Star Trek universe and see how it stacks up in our chosen subgenre. This time, we're chatting about JJ Abrams' thrilling 2009 sci-fi action movie reboot and digging into Star Trek: Discovery's wild ride through the mirror universe.

Discussion Points from the Episode

In this episode of Journey Through Sci-Fi, we explore:

• how J. J. Abrams reinvented Star Trek for modern blockbuster audiences

• the creation of the alternate timeline in the 2009 reboot

• how Star Trek: Discovery expanded the franchise in the streaming era

• why Star Trek continues to influence the space-opera genre decades after its creation

Star Trek (2009)

Director: J. J. Abrams

Writers: Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman

Producer: J. J. Abrams & Damon Lindelof

Starring: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldaña, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg

Release Year: 2009

Released in 2009, Star Trek served as a cinematic reboot of the long-running science-fiction franchise. The film tells the origin story of the iconic crew of the USS Enterprise, including James T. Kirk and Spock, reimagined with a new generation of actors.

The story follows the young Kirk as he joins Starfleet and encounters Spock for the first time while confronting the Romulan villain Nero, who threatens the Federation after travelling back in time.

One of the film’s key narrative devices is the creation of an alternate timeline, allowing the story to reinterpret classic characters while remaining connected to earlier Star Trek history.

The film was a major commercial success, earning over $385 million worldwide and launching a new trilogy that continued with Star Trek Into Darkness (2013) and Star Trek Beyond (2016).

Star Trek: Discovery (2017)

Creators: Bryan Fuller & Alex Kurtzman

Network / Platform: CBS All Access (later Paramount+)

Starring: Sonequa Martin-Green, Doug Jones, Anthony Rapp, Mary Wiseman

Original Release: 2017

Star Trek: Discovery is the seventh major television series in the Star Trek franchise and premiered in 2017 as the flagship show for CBS’s streaming service.

The series initially takes place about ten years before the events of Star Trek: The Original Series, following Starfleet officer Michael Burnham and the crew of the starship USS Discovery during a conflict between the United Federation of Planets and the Klingon Empire.

Later seasons dramatically shift the setting when the Discovery travels nearly 900 years into the future, exploring a fragmented Federation in the 32nd century.

The show ran for multiple seasons between 2017 and 2024 and played a major role in launching a new era of Star Trek television, inspiring spin-offs such as Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.

Star Trek in the Modern Space Opera Landscape

Together, Star Trek (2009) and Star Trek: Discovery demonstrate how the franchise adapted to a new era of science-fiction storytelling.

Both productions helped introduce Star Trek to a new generation while continuing the franchise’s core themes:

• exploration and discovery

• cooperation between diverse civilizations

• humanity’s search for a better future among the stars

As a result, Star Trek remains one of the most enduring and influential examples of space opera in both television and film.

Listen to the Episode

Listen to Space Opera E26: Star Trek (2009) & Star Trek: Discovery (2017) wherever you get your podcasts.

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Or explore the full Journey Through Sci-Fi Space Opera series to follow the evolution of cosmic adventure across the history of science-fiction cinema and television.