'Star Trek'—Celebrating 50 Years of Logical Friendship

When I saw the original Star Trek for the first time, it had already been off the air for several years. Though much time had passed, the show captured my attention like it must have the original Trekkies back in 1966. Though the space and science fascinated me, the characters drew me in more. I couldn't imagine a human and a half-alien being best friends.

Spock captivated me. Even at his most logical, he would oftentimes put friendship before duty, and as an impressionable young girl, I saw the essence of loyalty. A man who expressed more happiness, sorrow, and pain with just a look or a touch than most of us can express with words. And his long-lasting friendship with his superior paved the way for one of the greatest movies in Star Trek history, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.

Star Trek, while showcasing the dangers and uncertainties of visiting other planets, truly highlighted strong familial ties and dedication. The crew became, in essence, a makeshift family. They accepted their many differences and, in the case of Spock and Bones, had a certain amount of fun with them. The endless banter between the first officer and the doctor never failed to make me laugh. As a big proponent of sarcasm, I understood McCoy's frustration with Spock's seemingly impenetrable shell.

I always considered the friendships, whether between Bones and Spock, or Spock and Kirk, to be the mainstay of the series. Whatever lay ahead, they faced it together, even if it meant jumping into the uncertainty of another century to save Dr. McCoy when he traveled back to the 1930s, or Spock and Kirk supposedly fighting to the death in "Amok Time".

While some Trek fans may insist Captain Kirk was the leader because of his rank, I'll never be convinced that Spock didn't hold a higher rank in the eyes of his shipmates, and his own captain, at least while the cameras rolled. And whatever tension that may have existed off-screen between actors Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner vanished when the two characters interacted. In fact, it was usually during those times when Spock could be seen letting down his emotional guard.

Though I have watched Star Trek many, many times as an adult, the first time I saw it as a young girl will always have the most impact. In this series, I saw the strong bonds of friendship between two people who, in the world I lived, would not have been friends because of their differences. Star Trek made it work, thereby proving that friendship is not always logical.