ST Continues releases message-heavy 'Lolani'

The renowned fan series Star Trek Continues has done it again. After a live screening in Dallas, the show's second full-length episode was released this past weekend via YouTube.

In this installment, "a survivor from a distressed Tellarite vessel puts Captain Kirk and his crew into a moral quandary over her sovereignty."

Although the plot may not be original, the delivery is excellent, leaving the viewer wondering about the moral implications of slavery. With several other themes such as love, freedom, and justice, this tale would have fit right in amongst Classic Trek's not-so-subtle message stories.

Like its predecessor, 'Pilgrim of Eternity', 'Lolani' is a great episode in almost every respect. The show's sets, props, and special effects are all top-notch, while remaining faithful to The Original Series. The acting and characterizations are spot on. Even the two alien ships appearing in the production look like they could have been designed in the '60's. The producers have clearly learned from other fan series, releasing two high-quality shows right off the bat.

Not only does 'Lolani' explore an age-old issue in-depth, but also presents us with several strong female characters to offset the male leads. Besides Lolani herself, we also have the new ship's counselor, Dr. McKennah, who's clearly not afraid to stand up to her captain.

The episode also features several former sci-fi stars, including Lou Ferrigno (The Incredible Hulk) and Erin Gray (Buck Rogers in the 25th Century).

After a successful Kickstarter campaign, Star Trek Continues now has the funding for three additional episodes. New to the series? Check out STC's previous show 'Pilgrim of Eternity' and three short vignettes.

Want more classic Trek? This fan series delivers.

Star Trek's original five-year mission may have ended two years too early, but the adventures are far from over. The new live-action fan series Star Trek Continues picks up exactly where the original left off, and it definitely doesn't disappoint.

Produced in part by the same studio responsible for Starship Farragut, STC has released three vignettes and one full-length episode so far. The first vignette re-films and expands the ending of 'Turnabout Intruder' (the final episode of TOS), allowing the viewer to easily transition into the next phase of the five-year mission, with an all new cast portraying the classic characters.

In the pilot episode, the Greek god Apollo (from TOS 'Who Mourns for Adonais?') returns to wreck havoc with the Enterprise crew. It's more than just a villain episode, though. It's very clear the producers went to great lengths to recreate the look and feel of TOS down to the last detail.

The show's CG visual effects are quite impressive as well, if not a bit inconsistent at times. While some shots look downright professional, others look, well, like CGI. Regardless, it's a great effort, and what I'd come to expect from the studios producing it.

The actors and characterizations are amazingly accurate, and the writers weave a very engaging story with all the elements of the best TOS episodes.

It's really difficult to find much to fault with Star Trek Continues. Thus far, it's a very professional-looking series in the spirit of the original, and probably one of the strongest efforts I've seen. If you enjoy Star Trek: Phase II, Starship Farragut or other similar fan productions on the web today, definitely check out this series.

Want to help fund future episodes? Drop by STC's 'Kirkstarter' campaign page to donate.