The Star Trek franchise was honored with the Governor’s Award at this year’s Creative Arts Emmy Awards. Now fans can watch the entire Star Trek tribute online.
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Bill Nye introduced the award with genuine enthusiasm, saying of Star Trek, “It may have started off as an entertainment series but it changed the world — and I feel that it changed the world for the better.”
A tribute video featuring footage from all six Star Trek series played. The video featured voice-over of each show’s lead character delivering a powerful speech about humanity. These included William Shatner as James Kirk from Star Trek, Patrick Stewart as Jean-Luc Picard from Star Trek: The Next Generation, Avery Brooks as Benjamin Sisko from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Kate Mulgrew as Kathryn Janeway from Star Trek: Voyager, Scott Bakula as Jonathan Archer from Star Trek: Enterprise, and Sonequa Martin-Green as Michael Burnham in Star Trek: Discovery.
Shatner and Martin-Green accepted the award on CBS and the Star Trek franchise’s behalf. They were joined on stage by representatives from all six Star Trek television series: Walter Koenig from Star Trek: The Original Series, LeVar Burton from Star Trek: The Next Generation, Terry Farrell from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Jeri Ryan from Star Trek: Voyager, Linda Park from Star Trek: Enterprise, and Alex Kurtzman, the co-creator of Star Trek: Discovery.
Shatner said that Star Trek “represents an idea that is greater than all its parts” and “I accept this award for all of the artists who have worked to make this show a success.”
Deadline spoke to the Star Trek stars backstage about what the franchise means to them.
“It resonates because we were talking about topical issues and socio-political content,” said Koenig, who played Pavel Chekov.
“It’s all about good storytelling,” added Burton, who played Geordi La Forge.
“We still worry about living together and having a fruitful and joyful experience,” Koenig continued. “We are beset with problems that we had in the ’60s.”
Martin-Green and Kurtzman spoke about Discovery and the franchise’s future.
Martin-Green says”It was very important to us” to do justice to the Star Trek name, “but be our own at the same time.”
Kurtzman says Star Trek “has been a beacon of hope for so many people for so long. In dark times, we need that hope.”
The Creative Arts Emmy Awards ceremony took place on Sept. 8th, 52 years to the day after Star Trek made its television debut.
Every episode of Star Trek television ever produced is available now to stream via CBS All Access.
Star Trek: Discovery Season Two is now filming in Toronto and will premiere in early 2019.
