The Search for Spock changed the game for Star Trek canon.
In Simon Peggs immortal comedy seriesSpaced, his character Tim declares: Every odd-numberedStar Trekmovie is shit.
We worked, very consciously, to define special moments for each of theEnterprisebridge crew, he wrote.
Weirdly, prior toThe Search for Spock, this wasnt really the format of the originalStar Trekat all.
As much as this is a Kirk and Bones movie, its also a Saavik and David Marcus movie.
Does this make Curtis a slightly more canonical Saavik and Alleys version a bit apocryphal in retrospect?
Beyond the character-focused stories that drive the film,The Search for Spockalso gave theStar Trekcanon a huge makeover.
This Spacedockwhich in canon is called Spacedock Onewas a major inspiration forStar Trek: Picardseason 3 showrunner Terry Matalas.
It was also the height of those ILM miniatures.
So, with all this wonderfulStar Trekgoodness, why doesThe Search for Spockhave a less-than-great reputation?
Perhaps its because theEnterprisewas destroyed in this film.
Maybe its because the movie doesnt have a true ending, and seems to simplystop.
Still, 40 years later,The Search for Spockfeels like a blueprint for what modernStar Trekbecame.
As the crew steals theEnterprise, Kirk says, May the wind be out our backs.
AfterThe Search, theTrekfranchise would experience good weather, stormy weather, and sometimes, nothing at all.
But at this moment, the sailing was smooth, and beautiful.
