- This article is about the reference work by Gene Roddenberry. You may be looking for Inside Star Trek: The Real Story by Herbert F. Solow and Robert H. Justman.
Inside Star Trek was an audio reference work released in 1976. The fifth track featured a seven-minute in-universe interview with Sarek as portrayed by Mark Lenard regarding the origins of Spock. Additionally, the audiobook featured real-world interviews by Gene Roddenberry with Isaac Asimov, DeForest Kelley, and William Shatner as well as live audience segments with Roddenberry. Inside Star Trek was reissued with additional material on compact disc in 1999.
Publisher's description[]
- Creator Gene Roddenberry reveals the behind-the-scenes story of his legendary TV show for the very first time. Hear, in Gene's own words and those of the Enterprise's top guns, never before revealed tales concerning the origins of the series and its place in the history of science fiction.
- What was Spock's childhood like? Was there really a feud between Star Trek's two stars? When did network executives start to invade Federation territory? How did struggles with TV censors affect the USS Enterprise, her crew and the planets around her? Why was Star Trek taken off the Air? What was the philosophy behind the show? How did Kirk's personality affect William Shatner? Just what is science fiction?
- These are but a few of the topics explored on Inside Star Trek.
Contents (1976 edition)[]
- Inside Star Trek
- Star Trek Theme
- William Shatner Meets Captain Kirk (William Shatner & Gene Roddenberry)
- The Origin of Spock
- Sarek's Son Spock (Mark Lenard & Roddenberry)
- The Questor Affair
- The Enterprise Runs Aground
- McCoy's Rx for Life (DeForest Kelley & Roddenberry)
- The Star Trek Philosophy
- Asimov's World of Science Fiction (Isaac Asimov & Roddenberry)
- A Letter from a Network Censor
- The Star Trek Dream (Ballad I/Ballad II)
Contents (1999 edition)[]
- Star Trek Theme
- Introduction by Nichelle Nichols
- Inside Star Trek
- "William Shatner Meets Captain Kirk" (Shatner & Roddenberry)
- Introduction to Live Show
- About Science Fiction
- The Origin of Spock
- Sarek's Son Spock (Lenard & Roddenberry)
- The Questor Affair
- The Genesis II Pilot
- Cyborg Tools And E.T. Life Forms
- McCoy's Rx for Life (Kelley & Roddenberry)
- The Star Trek Philosophy
- Asimov's World of Science Fiction (Asimov & Roddenberry)
- The Enterprise Runs Around
- A Letter from a Network Censor
- The Star Trek Dream/Ballad I/Ballad II
- Sign Off by Nichelle Nichols
Summary (in-universe segment)[]
A transporter chief entered coordinates for the Vulcan embassy and beamed up Ambassador Sarek, who recognized 23rd century author Gene Roddenberry, whom he first met years ago and considered an old friend. Roddenberry hoped to ask Sarek some personal questions about his son, Spock, in order to continue his writing.
Roddenberry inquired about Spock's conception and Amanda Grayson's pregnancy. Sarek explained that during 13 months of gestation, Spock was twice incubated for long periods to avoid tissue rejection that faced earlier hybrids. Ordinarily a Vulcan-Human hybrid would have aborted in the first month, but hundreds of chemical treatments were applied during his second and third months to help the infant survive. Sarek believed something about the resulting hybrid mix created a resilience and determination to survive.
Sarek admitted that Spock faced enormous challenges in his youth as he learned to control his emotions. While willing to accept Spock's diversity under the principle of IDIC, his school-mates were disgusted by emotional displays and would have thought Spock made them intentionally. Sarek and Amanda felt Spock's pain, but Sarek observed that Spock's life and struggle was symbolic of Sarek and Amanda's own marriage and to the meaning of IDIC.
References[]
"Real" people[]
- Isaac Asimov, DeForest Kelley, Gene Roddenberry, William Shatner
- Referenced only
- Ray Bradbury • Gene CoonMA • Zane Grey • Homer • Henrik Ibsen • Leonard Nimoy • Manfred von Richthofen • Majel Barrett • William Shakespeare
- Biblical characters
- Adam • Jesus Christ • Eve • God • Joseph • Mary • serpent • Noah
Characters[]
- Gene Roddenberry • Sarek • unnamed Starfleet personnel (transporter chief)
- Referenced only
- John Dolittle • Amanda Grayson • James T. Kirk • Leonard McCoy • Pinocchio • Montgomery Scott • Number One • Snoopy • Spock
Starships and vehicles[]
- shuttlecraft
- Referenced only
- USS Enterprise (Constitution-class heavy cruiser)
Locations[]
- Referenced only
- Cleveland • Garden of Eden • Vulcan embassy
Races and cultures[]
Science and classification[]
- acupuncture • incubator • command chair • light year • medicine • pharmacology • technology • transporter
Ranks and titles[]
- ambassador • captain • chaplin • chemist • cowboy • doctor • mechanic • physician • fighter ace • teacher • witch doctor
TV series[]
- Beverly Hillbillies • Bonanza • Genesis II • Gomer Pyle • The Questor Tapes • Star Trek (TOS episode: "The Cage")
Literary works[]
- Astounding Stories • Asimov's Guide to Science • Bible • The Foundation Trilogy • John Carter of Mars • The Gods Themselves
Other references[]
- 1963 • 1965 • 20th century • 23rd century • alien • asthma • athlete's foot • badger • beard • brain • bridge • bullet • cancer • capitalism • chemical • cult • dimension • disease • elf • emotion (love) • energy • fairy • firing squad • frog • gangrene • government • history • IDIC • life • lifeform • literature • magic • marriage • matter • meditation • month • movie • non-interference directive • novel • peace • planet • pon farr • science • science fiction • scripture • space • television • time • tribe • universe • warp factor (warp one) • wisdom • year • yoga • zen
Timeline[]
Production history[]
- 1976
- Released on LP by Columbia Records.
- 26 January 1999
- Reissued with additional tracks on compact disc by Columbia Records in Star Trek: The Motion Picture - 20th Anniversary Collector's Edition soundtrack.
Appendices[]
Background[]
- Sarek stated that, while Spock was not the first Vulcan/Human hybrid born, he was the first to survive. Star Trek: Enterprise would later explore this topic through the introduction of T'Pol and Charles Tucker III's hybrid clone Elizabeth T'Les Tucker, their alternate timeline son Lorian, and their daughter T'Mir.
- The setting for Sarek's interview seemed to be a shuttle, based on the background sound effects. From context, it seemed to have taken place between TOS episode & Star Trek 4 novelization: Journey to Babel and TOS episode & novelization: The Motion Picture.
Errata[]
- Oddly, Sarek was beamed up from a Vulcan embassy, but asked to be returned to Vulcan at the end of the interview, making it unclear where the interview took place. It was either in orbit of Vulcan with Sarek beamed to and from some government facility, or it was in orbit of a world like Earth that had a Vulcan embassy, the interior of which was considered to be Vulcan territory.
- The track "The Enterprise Runs Aground", was misprinted in the reissue as "The Enterprise Runs Around".
Related stories[]
- TOS novelization: The Motion Picture – 23rd century author Gene Roddenberry wrote a novel based on the V'Ger incident, commissioned by Rear Admiral James T. Kirk.
- TOS episode & Star Trek 3 novelization: Amok Time – Spock's pon farr and rejection of marriage.
- TOS episode & Star Trek 4 novelization: Journey to Babel – Introduction of Sarek and Amanda Grayson.
Connections[]
External link[]
- Inside Star Trek article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.