A Little Thanks George - Shatner did Steal Your Lines but he also Provided a Good Living and an Enduring Legacy

Photo by Gage Skidmore

The dislike or sheer hate cast members had for William Shatner is well documented. But there never is any discussion for what the likes of George Takei owe the behemoth that was their nemesis. That would be a very good living, and a legacy that will long endure.

So I cannot determine whether Shatner’s vision for Star Trek derives from genius or supreme self-centeredness. The results are all that matter here.

There are an ample supply of stories in which the star intervened, and lines and scenes left for others landed in his lap. Wow, what a dick, and can you criticize any actor for hating such a co-worker? No way.

Thus, the chance for meaningful story arcs for Sulu, Chekov, Scottie and Uhura fell prey to the star’s unyielding thirst for attention. Still, our gruff commander did have an explanation for his failings when he discussed the issue on Raw Nerve with Koenig.

Shatner was so consumed with bringing his vision to the show that it didn’t matter who suffered. He just could not see past the work, and yes, regretted the person he was.

A jerk nonetheless, and without Shatner’s domineering, Star Trek may have been a better show. Who could argue that getting more depth out of a Sulu would be bad, and the same goes for the backstory we got on Nurse Chapel in What Little Girls are Made Of.

However, a better show doesn’t necessarily carve out a future for the bit players or something for the rest of us. William Shatner’s excessive demand to be the center of attention was imperative to the legacy we now take for granted.

In other words, we like to hold up the science fiction as the reason we have Star Trek today, but I’m sorry, that’s not the key factor. The captain of the Enterprise had to be much larger than the stories we all hold dear. And it comes down to the most important factor : 12 year old boys.

Do you really think my preadolescent ears pointed up and demanded 50 more years of this when Khan delivered the most important line in the history of Star Trek. (Have you ever read Milton?)

No but I was completely dug in for the long haul when our fearless captain engaged the auto-destruct sequence in Let This be Your Last Battlefield. The fact that he often did it with his shirt off played right in to our primitive brains, and the same holds true for overacting that has become legendary.

Of course, the 30 and 40 year old’s in 1966 preferred the introspection, but that’s not where the foundation of your future was laid George. So again was Shatner that smart and visionary or just a self centered ham.

The fact that the star was even jealous of Spock’s popularity signifies that ego played a pretty big part. Thus, the story goes that Shatner began stealing Nimoy’s most clever lines.

So illogical? Maybe not, Shatner felt the Captain should be the most capable and intelligent member of the crew. It didn’t matter if Spock had a far superior intellect.

Thirteen movies and ten tv series later, Shatner turned out to be right. So as the hour unraveled and the philosophical conundrums were resolved, Kirk always won the episode by providing the crucial insight. The entertainment value of a bewildered Spock was unmistakable. But there more at stake.

The driving force of Star Trek’s message is having the capacity to leap beyond logic and never forget how much the human component allows us to overcome. Spock learned for sure.

And his friends?

We agree that William Shatner is not someone we’d want to work with. On the other hand, if his ways provided enough a life to sustain us, we might be a little appreciative.

It's only logical, and you know who I’m talking to.

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