As tempting as it is to be cynical about large sci-fi franchises, every single long-running film series has its ups and downs. You don’t have to feel sorry for struggling multi-million dollar epics, but some scrappy sci-fi movies, like 1977’s Star Wars, are hits out of the gate, while other franchises are perpetually behind the eight ball. You might think Star Trek is an indestructible brand name, but as a film series, it’s been a scrappy story of endurance and adaptability.
