Screen Rant

Lee Benzinger-Contributor

Lee Benzinger

Contributor

November, 2024
Studdied Anthropology and Religion at Williams College, Williamstown MA
Star Trek, Star Trek: The Next Generation
  • 96
    articles
  • 1
    News
  • 75
    Features
  • 20
    Lists

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About Lee Benzinger

Lee Benzinger attended undergrad at Williams College, and is now living abroad in Cambridge for a year before beginning their PhD in Sociology in 2025. While in undergrad, they got through long essays, research, and study sessions by always keeping Star Trek playing in the background. At Screen Rant, they are excited to put years of writing practice and media appreciation into their articles. 

Industry Focus

Lee writes most about new theatrical releases and about Star Trek. When working on new Trek articles, they like to think about small details that connect older series to the new shows releasing on streaming.

Favorite Media

Growing up, Lee liked to amuse themselves by trying to play the themes from Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Voyager on the piano. Early in college, they fell in love with Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Between these and all the new shows streaming these days, it is hard to pick a single favorite piece of Trek.
When watching movies, Lee loves to go to the movie theater and watch new releases. In 2024, Lee's favorite movie that they saw in theaters was Conclave, although they also really like The Wild Robot.

Latest

Sallah (John Rhys-Davies) stands smiling in a red fez in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
I Still Can’t Believe This Beloved Indiana Jones Actor Appeared In Star Trek: Voyager

He is a famous and accomplished actor, so it is a treat to see him play Captain Janeway's holographic friend in seasons 3 and 4 of Star Trek: Voyager.

3
Kirk and Spock in 1960s Star Trek and Mariner and Boimler live-action in Star Trek Strange New Worlds
Sorry, But Modern Star Trek’s True Kirk & Spock Replacement Is Jack Quaid’s Boimler & Tawny Newsome’s Mariner

Star Trek: Lower Decks' Boimler and Mariner are the sort of opposites-attract besties that Kirk and Spock first modeled 60 years ago.

iral Picard from Star Trek Picard, Captain Janeway from Star Trek Voyager, and a Gorn from 1960s Star Trek
Modern Star Trek's 10 Greatest Classic Era Easter Eggs

Star Trek on Paramount+'s TV shows include numerous callbacks to the older Star Trek series. Here are 10 of the best and most obscure.

Captain Sisko in Star Trek DS9 In The Pale Moonlight
Captain Sisko's Darkest Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Episode Was Built On Another Character's Lies

Captain Sisko knows he crossed a lot of moral boundaries and told his own lies this episode, but I realized that the Captain was also being lied to.

1
Tasha Yar in Star Trek The Next Generation and the USS Enterprise-D's bridge
I Loved Seeing Tasha Yar One Last Time In Star Trek: The Next Generation’s Finale

Tasha Yar is one of my favorite characters from TNG, and seeing her in "All Good Things..." just makes me wish we got to see more of her in Star Trek.

2
Nurse Chapel and Dr. M'Benga looking surprised in Star Trek Strange New Worlds
I Forgot Strange New Worlds Already Introduced Its Own Versions Of Star Trek’s Trelane

Trelane could appear in season 3 of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, but if he does, he wouldn't actually be the series' first all-powerful space god.

5
Commander Sisko and Jadzia Dax from Star Trek Deep Space Nine season 1
6 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Season 1 Episodes You Can Completely Skip

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine has a lot of iconic episodes, but these 6 episodes from season 1 are okay if to skip if you choose.

4
Lt. Tom Paris IN SILHOUETTE and the cast of Star Trek: Voyager season 1
Sorry, But Star Trek: Voyager Would Have Been Better Without This Beloved Character

Robert Duncan McNeill plays an iconic conn officer on Star Trek: Voyager, but he had an even better Star Trek role before Lt. Tom Paris.

32
Patrick Stewart as iral Picard and Anson Mount as Captain Pike in Star Trek
20 Best Star Trek Moments Of The Last 20 Years

Star Trek experienced a renaissance in the last 20 years, with new TV series and movies delivering many iconic moments for the franchise.

1
Lt. Tuvok, Lt. Tom Paris, and The Doctor in Star Trek Voyager
3 Voyager Characters Had Identical Doppelgangers In Other Star Trek TV Shows & Movies

It's not uncommon for Star Trek actors to occur across multiple franchises, but it means these characters from Voyager have identical Star Trek twins.

8
Captain Kirk looking outraged in 1960s Star Trek
This Star Trek Season 1 Episode Was Banned In The UK For Over 20 Years

Star Trek has a long history of pushing the boundaries for acceptable television, and this episode from season 1 of TOS was the first to get banned.

6
Worf and Dax at their wedding on DS9 and the cast of Star Trek The Next Generation
Why No One From Star Trek: The Next Generation Attended Worf’s Deep Space Nine Wedding

Worf and Jadzia had one of the most iconic weddings in Star Trek history, and it doesn't make sense that Worf's TNG friends didn't show up for it.

32
A silhouette of Neelix in front of Star Trek: Voyager's cast.
This Star Trek: Voyager Episode Was When I Started Loving A Controversial Character

One Star Trek character gets more hate than he deserves. But this Star Trek: Voyager season 6 episode shows how much of a hero he really is.

2
Paul Wesley as Kirk and Anson Mount as Captain PIke in Strange New Worlds season 3
I'm Worried Star Trek Is Creating A James T. Kirk Problem In Strange New Worlds Season 3

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has done a great job of balancing TOS references and new stories, but I'm worried it has a Kirk problem in season 3.

7
Seven of Nine, Captain Janeway, and the Doctor
10 Best Star Trek: Voyager Season 6 Episodes, Ranked

There are a lot of serious episodes in Voyager season 6, but the show strikes the perfect balance between philosophy and fun in a few other episodes.

The Doctor in Star Trek Voyager with Federation Headquarters
A Returning Character In Star Trek's Next Show Confirms Voyager Is The Most Important Series Of The TNG Era

Most Star Trek viewers already know that Star Trek: Voyager is an essential show, but this character returning to Starfleet Academy confirms that.

13
Q in Star Trek TNG, Captain Kirk in 1960s Star Trek, Odo in DS9
10 Convincing Star Trek Theories That Are Just Too Good To Be Wrong

It is always fun to speculate about Star Trek, but some theories are more credible than others. These 10 theories are too convincing to be wrong.

6
Strange-New-Worlds'-Musical-Episode-Was-Great,-But-I'm-Worried-A-Season-3-Story-Will-Make-Star-Trek-Too-Meta
Strange New Worlds' Musical Episode Was Great, But I'm Worried A Season 3 Story Will Make Star Trek Too Meta

Strange New Worlds has done a great job of telling original Star Trek stories, but I'm worried the genre-bending in season 3 will go too far.

6
Dr. Leonard McCoy IN SILHOUETTE with the cast of Star Trek Strange New Worlds v2
Sorry Strange New Worlds, But I Don't Want This Classic Star Trek Character In Season 3

He may be one of my favorite characters on Star Trek: The Original Series, but I hope this icon doesn't appear in Strange New Worlds season 3.

33
Captain Janeway and Seven of Nine in Star Trek Voyager season 5
10 Best Star Trek: Voyager Season 5 Episodes, Ranked

Season 5 might just be the best season of Star Trek: Voyager, and these ten episodes make it clear that Voyager deserves its iconic reputation.