5) In Search of… (1976 – 82)
In the 1970s, Nimoy was the host of the syndicated investigative documentary series In Search of…
Every week, the show’s crew would consider one of a number of unexplained or mysterious topics, like the Loch Ness Monster, Amelia Earhart, Stonehenge, UFOs, and Atlantis. Using archival footage, re-creations and interview, the topic was explored through visuals set to the dulcet tones of Nimoy.
A couple of decades later, the actor would return to the realms of the unknown with the A&E series Ancient Mysteries, which covered much of the same ground as In Search of…, but with a bigger budget and access to the latest technology.
Mr. Spock would probably not approve of Nimoy’s indulgence in pseudo-science, but millions of fans who loved the mysterious and the macabre were introduced to some very strange worlds, right here on Earth, through Nimoy’s efforts.
6) Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
Even though it’s more than 30 years old, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is still the dragon that every Star Trek movie since has been chasing. It’s a thrilling mix of action and character drama with a diabolical villain at the center of it, and capped off with a touching death scene.
Boldly, the filmmakers dedicated themselves to exploring themes of aging and mortality, and along with that comes the greater possibility of meeting one’s death. Compounding that is Kirk’s reputation as a man who can get himself out of any situation, which is perhaps an unjust reputation given that in his first test of command, a Starfleet simulator of a “no-win scenario,” he cheated. Combine that with the classical lesson that vengeance for its own sake leads to all sorts of unholy the carnage, and the table was set as it were.
Thirty years later, the final scene between Kirk and Spock still brings the house down every time, and that’s despite the knowledge that Spock comes back in the next movie. Leaving that aside, though, it still resonates because of the tremendous acting. William Shatner, in a rare instance, underplays the drama, and Nimoy is so composed and regal in Spock’s final moments that he captures our complete attention. It’s a beautiful death scene, and one that reinforces the best qualities of Mr. Spock while realizing the full weight of emotion in seeing a beloved character die.
The solution may have been logical, but so was the audience’s reaction.
