Star Trek

The characters of the original Star Trek series.

The Star Trek franchise was created by Gene Rodenberry, and began with the television series Star Trek in 1966. It related the adventures of the crew of the starship U.S.S. Enterprise as they traveled to new planets and encountered new species and beings. The ship was captained by James T. Kirk, played by William Shatner. His first officer, Mr. Spock, was half Vulcan, a species which values logic and reason. The rest of the human crew included Dr. McCoy, Uhura, Scotty, Sulu, and Chekov. Show themes included tolerance, acceptance, and peaceful exploration.

While the original series ran for only three seasons, for a total of 79 episodes (not including the original, rejected pilot), it became a very popular cult series. Eventually, six films starring the cast of the original series were produced from 1979 to 1991. A second series, Star Trek: The Next Generation premiered in 1987 with a new cast. The new cast subsequently made another four films. Three other series, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, and Enterprise, followed. The franchise was restarted in 2009 with the movie Star Trek, which cast new actors as the original series characters.

Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock

Star Trek and Supernatural have several parallels. Star Trek also spawned an animated series, which aired in 1973. A library of books set in the Star Trek universe has been written since the airing of the original series. Star Trek is famous for its vast fandom, members of which participate in conventions. Additionally, Star Trek has been a popular subject for slash.

Two members of the Supernatural crew have connections to Star Trek. The director of 1.06 Skin, Robert Duncan McNeil starred in Star Trek: Voyager as Lt Tom Paris. Actor Mark Sheppard, who plays Crowley on Supernatural, guest starred in an episode of the same series.

Sera Gamble is herself says "I will boldly admit to being a life-long Trekkie. I was born and bred on the cheesy rock [set] and William Shatner. So I am well aware of what it is to be part of a fandom. And fandom is defined by meticulous care and really giving a shit and having strong opinions and arguing." Source. On the episode commentary to 5.04 The End with Eric Kripke and Ben Edlund, Eric mentions that Sera was meant to be doing the commentary but had been caleld up for jury duty, which was attending in her Star Fleet uniform.

Episodes Referencing Star Trek

1.06 Skin

Sam: I don’t know, it was like he was downloading your thoughts and memories.
Dean: You mean, like the Vulcan Mind Meld?

In the Star Trek universe, Vulcans are humanoid aliens with pointed ears and green blood who can access someone’s thoughts and memories by a mind meld. It is initiated through physical contact, usually by placing a hand on the side of the subject’s head. Vulcan Mind Meld appears on the Pad of Definitions.

1.11 Scarecrow

Stacy: Sweetheart, that’s what sacrifice means. Giving up something you love for the greater good. The town needs to be safe. The good of the many outweighs the good of the one.

This is possibly a reference to lines from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan:

Spock: Were I to invoke logic, however, logic clearly dictates that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.
Kirk: Or the one.

However, in Star Trek, the sacrifice in question is voluntary.

4.02 Are You There, God? It's Me, Dean Winchester

Upon finding out that the Apocalypse is imminent, Dean suggests they go and visit the Star Trek Experience, among other destinations. This Las Vegas attraction ran from January 1998 to September 2008. It closed seventeen days before Dean’s resurrection in Lazarus Rising.

4.03 In The Beginning

Dean: Know where I can get any reception?
Young John: The U.S.S. Enterprise?

To young John Winchester, Dean's cell phone looks like a communicator from Star Trek, which ended four years earlier.

4.21 When The Levee Breaks

Dean: They come on like shady politicians from Planet Vulcan.

Dean is referring to Star Trek's Spock's planet of origin, and comparing Castiel’s behavior to the Vulcans' lack of emotional display.

4.22 Lucifer Rising

When Dean is in the Green Room and Zachariah is offering him all manner of diversions, Dean says "No, no. Let's... bail on the holodeck, okay?". In Star Trek the holodeck was a space on the starship where a virtual experience was created.

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6.13 Unforgiven

Samuel: So Roy's just some Red Shirt to you? Spider bait?

The term "red shirt" evolved from the original Star Trek series, where security officers wearing said shirts were often killed on missions. It is more widely used now for any minor character killed in a movie or TV show, purely to provide drama for the main characters.

Ghostfacers

In the first episode of the Ghostfacers Web Series, Ed Zeddmore and Harry Spangler discuss their new intern Dave:

Ed: Yeah, uh, Dave, Dave, Dave. Good intern, uh, knows his equipment, runs a mean cable—
Harry: Knows his Trek.

When Dean and Sam visit Ed and Harry’s trailer in 1.17 Hell House, Dean observes that the two have “action figures in their original packaging”; it is possible that Ed and Harry have a few Star Trek action figures in their collection.