Trekkies

Star Trek began in 1966 and was cancelled. Then its fans brought it back and the series became a culture. Denise Crosby, who acted in it, travels across America watching that culture: conventions, costume contests, Klingon language classes, people who have turned their homes into starships. Roger Nygard's documentary does not mock the fans; it takes what they do seriously and asks why they do it. The answers are mostly about belonging: excluded people building themselves a community. Its most discussed figure is Barbara Adams, who served on a federal jury while attending the proceedings in a Starfleet uniform and became national news. Cast members including James Doohan, DeForest Kelley and Majel Barrett also speak. Who it's for: Anyone interested in fan culture, the history of popular culture after the 1960s, and documentaries about communities. Who it's not for: The structure is loose and the analysis stays shallow. Some passages hover at the edge of leaving the fans looking ridiculous.