TMC
07-12-2022, 08:07 PM
https://www.looper.com/924922/star-trek-episodes-that-will-make-you-love-james-t-kirk/
BY DYLAN ROTH/JULY 12, 2022 12:49 PM EDT
"Star Trek: Strange New Worlds," (https://www.looper.com/918109/every-episode-of-star-trek-strange-new-worlds-season-1-ranked/) the new hit series on Paramount+, revisits the five year mission of the USS Enterprise as commanded by Captain Christopher Pike, played by the absolutely lovable Anson Mount. Pike has endeared himself to fans by being the space dad of our dreams, a sweetheart who leads the Enterprise family by consensus and is always ready to support his crew with a kind ear and a bowl of pasta mama. So, when his successor, James T. Kirk, makes a surprise guest appearance on the first season finale, "A Quality of Mercy," Kirk comes across a bit cold and stiff by comparison.
While new Kirk actor Paul Wesley may not have made a strong impression with his version of the character just yet, there are plenty of episodes of "Star Trek: The Original Series" that can serve as a great introduction to space sci-fi's most famous captain. While certainly a product of the time in which he was created, Jim Kirk as originally portrayed by William Shatner is a remarkable and textured leading man, as capable of warmth and compassion as Pike but also burdened with the expectations of stern, authoritative 1960s masculinity. With Pike now existing as a reimagined, refurbished midcentury man, Kirk becomes all the more fascinating by comparison.
Here's a selection of standout episodes that demonstrate what made James T. Kirk such a beloved and memorable character, and why he's still some Trekkies' favorite captain of the Enterprise.
BY DYLAN ROTH/JULY 12, 2022 12:49 PM EDT
"Star Trek: Strange New Worlds," (https://www.looper.com/918109/every-episode-of-star-trek-strange-new-worlds-season-1-ranked/) the new hit series on Paramount+, revisits the five year mission of the USS Enterprise as commanded by Captain Christopher Pike, played by the absolutely lovable Anson Mount. Pike has endeared himself to fans by being the space dad of our dreams, a sweetheart who leads the Enterprise family by consensus and is always ready to support his crew with a kind ear and a bowl of pasta mama. So, when his successor, James T. Kirk, makes a surprise guest appearance on the first season finale, "A Quality of Mercy," Kirk comes across a bit cold and stiff by comparison.
While new Kirk actor Paul Wesley may not have made a strong impression with his version of the character just yet, there are plenty of episodes of "Star Trek: The Original Series" that can serve as a great introduction to space sci-fi's most famous captain. While certainly a product of the time in which he was created, Jim Kirk as originally portrayed by William Shatner is a remarkable and textured leading man, as capable of warmth and compassion as Pike but also burdened with the expectations of stern, authoritative 1960s masculinity. With Pike now existing as a reimagined, refurbished midcentury man, Kirk becomes all the more fascinating by comparison.
Here's a selection of standout episodes that demonstrate what made James T. Kirk such a beloved and memorable character, and why he's still some Trekkies' favorite captain of the Enterprise.