I'm talking, of course, about the original TV series of "Star Trek," which launched the U.S.S. Enterprise into deep space (and our hearts) on Sept. 8, 1966 and that starship has been boldly going ever since.

Today, the "Star Trek" sci-fi franchise has spawned four spinoff series, an animated TV show and — as of this summer — 12 feature films, with the promise of more to come. So why do we love "Star Trek" so much? Why do we watch the crew of the Starship Enterprise, its brash and bold Captain James T. Kirk, half-Vulcan half-human First Officer Spock and their crew save the universe time after time?