"Hailing frequencies open"

Thomas D. Parham, III is executive director of screenwriting at Azusa Pacific University in Los Angeles County and a Writers Guild of America member with produced television credits.

Table of Contents


Acknowledgments

Introduction

Launching The Next Generation

The Twin Strains of Sci Fi

One—Background

Science Fiction from Shelley to Star Wars

Growth of a Genre

Star Trek’s Generations

The New Voyages

Contextual Communication Theories

Two—The Intrapersonal Context

Data and Symbolic Interactionism

Gender Differences, Worf and Troi

Character Realization with Picard, Riker, Crusher and La Forge

Summary

Three—The Interpersonal Context

The ­Parent-Child Dyad

The ­Mentor-Protégé Dyad

The Friendship Dyad

The Romance Dyad

Summary

Four—The Group and Organizational Contexts

The Enterprise Command Crew as a Group

Starfleet as an Organization

Summary

Five—The Mass Communication Context, Part I

Intrapersonal Issues: Philosophy of The Next Generation

Interpersonal Issues: Parasocial Interactions

Six—The Mass Communication Context, Part II

Group/Organizational Issues: Fans and Texts

Seven—Next Frontiers for Communication Contexts

Intrapersonal Issues on Star Trek: Discovery—Michael Burnham and the Four Loves

Interpersonal Issues on Star Trek: Voyager

Group/Organizational Issues on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine—Organizational Dissent and the Maquis

Audience/Artifact Relationship with Star Trek: Enterprise—Reception Theory

Summary

Conclusion

Expanding the Universe

Trek Tech

The True Legacy

“The sky’s the limit”

Appendix A: List of Star Trek: The Next Generation Episodes

Appendix B: Research Instrument for Star Trek Survey

Chapter Notes

Bibliography

Index