The cast and crew of Section 31 tell io9 why stories about the controversial Star Trek organization are necessary for the franchise's utopian vision.

It would be understandable to describe “Space Seed” as a prequel to Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, given the way that film looms large in the franchise’s history. But there’s a reason that Nicholas Meyer chose Khan as the TOS villain to bring back for a movie. It’s because “Space Seed” is a really, really good episode of Star Trek.

In fact, Wayne himself had a brief (somewhat secretive) cameo in Wagon Train. As we know, Auberjonois had been another kind of West — Colonel West — in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. Cut from the theatrical release, his scenes were reinserted, 'de-inserted,' and reinserted on physical media.

But perhaps its last true gasp is “Section 31,” a shrug of a TV movie that looks and feels exactly like what it is: An aborted spinoff series whittled down to a one-off movie of the week. At best, it’s an olive branch to its contractually obligated megastar;

I n the nearly 40 years since the one-two punch of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home and Star Trek: The Next Generation ignited my enthusiasm for Gene Roddenberry’s sci-fi juggernau