A new documentary series, The Center Seat, exploring the history of Star Trek has been announced celebrating it's 55th Anniversary.

It promises new, never before seen behind the scenes details.

Don't they always?!

Though if you listen to the interview excerpts in the trailer there are a few new gems.

Brent Spiner (Data):
I still find gold in my, you know, various pores.

Now that's dedication.

Data wasn't often naked like Mystique in the X-Men films. He only really needed makeup on face, neck and hands.

If he was applying makeup to his various elsewheres that's really going above and beyond. Maybe also below.

Cirroc Lofton (Jake Sisko):
And when you get what we call spontaneous erections (inside air quotes) and you're wearing a onesey...

"We call"? Doesn't everyone?

And why "erections" and just "erections" inside air quotes? Air quotes are a nonverbal indicator of doubt or sarcasm.

Essentially him saying they weren't really erections. So what were they?

The mind boggles.

Nicholas Meyer (Director, Wrath of Khan):
He said we have a problem. Shatner hates the script. Oh that's it. We're done. We're toast.

After finishing the trailer we couldn't help but notice that we hadn't seen the aforementioned Shatner and indeed his name is absent from the interviewee list.

The series will also provide fans with never-before-seen interviews with a number of Star Trek legends such as Nichelle Nichols, Brent Spiner, Kirstie Alley, Walter Koenig, Kate Mulgrew, Denise Crosby, Wil Wheaton, John De Lancie, Nicholas Meyer, Ronald D. Moore, Brannon Braga, Nana Visitor, Robert Picardo, Ethan Phillips, Diana Muldaur, Nicole de Boer, Roxann Dawson, Robert Beltran, Tim Russ, John Billingsley, John Dykstra, D.C. Fontana, Rick Berman, and F. Murray Abraham.

Mmmm.

Tellingly neither the trailer nor sample (i.e. not complete) interviewee list include any of the more recent, less popular, Star Trek iterations.

Their omission from a documentary series spanning the full 55 years of Star Trek would be incredible.

Most likely their hope is to capitalise on fan interest in the older series and not frighten them off with any mention of the newer ones.

The more risque and comedic tone of this trailer also has us wondering if Star Trek execs are suffering under the misconception that former fans who have jumped ship to The Orville just want more naughty giggles.

That could explain the "erections". Air quotes are used comedically but to be funny they need to be applied cleverly.

Not like this.

Regardless, we're interested to hear more about this one and will let you all know when we do.

It has no exact release date but is scheduled for Fall US. That should be before the end of this year.

References

Nacelle Company (October 6, 2021). THE CENTER SEAT: 55 YEARS OF STAR TREK (Official Trailer). YouTube.

Villei, Matt (October 7, 2021). ‘The Center Seat: 55 Years of Star Trek’ Trailer Explores the Iconic Sci-Fi Franchise in New Documentary Series. Collider.