As CollectiveSmash continues on our journey through the Star Trek films with the #ToBoldyWatch series, the Collective and Keysmash Blog have put together a couple of Five Things posts that we want to share with you. Below, are the top 5 picks of our Collective writers on the most iconic Star Trek guest appearances over the years. Be sure to visit Keysmash Blog to check out “Five Things: Iconic Catchphrases”.

Enjoy!

(Diva’s pick) Tom Hardy, Star Trek: Nemesis (2002)

As a casual Tom Hardy fan, I was pleasantly surprised when I found out he had played “Shinzon”, a Romulan rebel leader who is **spoiler*** a clone of Captain Jean-Luc Picard in the Star Trek: Enterprise feature film. We won’t be watching the Enterprise movies, but I couldn’t go through the Star Trek legacy, without mentioning my favorite soft boy.

(The Nerdling’s pick) Stephen Hawking – TNG Season 6 Episode 26: Descent, Part 1 (1993)

When the season six finale first aired, this cameo didn’t seem all that crazy to me (I was only ten at the time). I had heard of the famed physicist, but his massive impact in his field was well over my head. It was many years later when I would catch episodes in syndication that I would geek out over seeing Hawking playing a poker game with Data, Sir. Isaac Newton (John Neville), and Albert Einstein (Jim Norton) on the holodeck. Considering Hawking gets a chance to tell Einstein he is “wrong again” to his face makes the cameo even more funny.

(The Nerdling’s pick) Chris Hemsworth – Star Trek (2009)

The god of thunder nabbed his first movie role in the series reboot as George Kirk, the father of James T. (Chris Pine). Hemsworth’s screen time was short, but his role was a significant one. George’s actions to save his ship’s crew (including his wife in the middle of giving birth to their son) and his subsequent death set a gloomier tone to the series lead. James was less motivated by the adventure of being a Starfleet officer and more interesting in honoring (and escaping) the memory of a father he never knew.

(The Collectress’ Pick) Joan Collins — TOS Season 1, Episode 28: The City on the Edge of Forever (1967)

I’ve been a Star Trek fan since…well, birth. My parents are Trekkers and I had no choice. I was 8, maybe 9, when my father introduced me to this episode of TOS. He told me it was by one of the best writers ever, Harlan Ellison.

I don’t remember much about my first-watch of TOS, but I distinctly remember James Kirk and Sister Edith Keeler (Joan Collins of Dynasty fame) discussing Clark Gable, and Leonard Nimoy building a radio out of a few scraps of technology when they time travel to the 1930s. I’ve seen this episode at least fifty times, and Collins’ wide-eyed enthusiasm and breathy voice really sells the narrative, and leaves you with a sucker punch to the feels in the episode’s final minutes. If you haven’t seen this one yet, go watch it on Netflix. Now.

(The Mutineer’s Pick) Idris Elba — Star Trek: Beyond (2016)

You might not have recognized the gorgeous Idris Elba in the latest ST film—but that’s okay, he was completely covered in prosthetics for about 99% of it. His role as Krall was one of the best things about the film—a compelling and interesting villain with a heartbreaking backstory. True ST fashion, with a delicious Elba twist. We’ll be watching Beyond as part of our CollectiveSmash venture, so make sure you tune in on January 19!