The Center Seat: 55 Years of Star Trek [2021]

A behind-the-scenes look back at the past 55 years of the iconic franchise, The Center Seat goes where no Star Trek documentary ever went.

Let’s be honest, whenever you have anything that has been running for over 20 years, you’re bound to have problems and controversies. And this documentary doesn’t shy from putting those front and center.

Chronicling rare and fascinating details about everything Trek, from the original series to the last Enterprise show, The Center Seat reveals some things that might be a surprise to the audience. At least they were for me.

One of my biggest surprises was the fact that TOS would never have made if it weren’t for Lucille Ball, yes, that Lucille Ball. Plus, here’s another fun fact, like my friend likes to say. None of the original runs of the franchise, from TOS to Enterprise, was broadcasted on one of the big three. Instead, the network of choice was UPN, a defunct attempt by Paramount Studios which is now rebranded as CW.

And as a bonus, you also get a look behind the scenes at some of the drama that happened during the production of each show. From the conflicts behind Next Generation, to the all-out war during Deep Space Nine. For me personally, it gave me a better understanding of how some sketchy storylines came to be.

Should you watch it?

One of the most comprehensive and revealing documentaries I’ve even seen about the making of Star Trek throughout the years. The Center Seat excels with the early years of Trek by revealing a lot of firsts.

Where can I watch it?

You can stream The Center Seat: 55 Years of Star Trek exclusively on Crave in Canada.