Have you heard about this new movie? We think it’s called something like, “Star Trek”?

In case you missed the $50 million marketing campaign that has included everything from fast-food “Kingons” to Trek-themed Eggo waffles, the New York Times gave you another chance to join in the hype this weekend with an op-ed from Columbia Journalism School professor David Hajdu.

Hajdu, who is also the music critic for The New Republic, turns Star Trek apologist in the piece, calling the original 1960s TV show a pioneer of “cultural retro-activism.” Star Trek, he says, synthesized elements of American pop culture history into a format easily understood by the younger generation, transmitting cultural heritage. The crew of the Enterprise explored not the future of humanity but the archives of Hollywood.

Bwog admits to seeing the new Star Trek this weekend and can confidently say Hadju’s brand of Star Trek is dead. This reimagining, while still an engaging adventure, avoids ham-fistedly plumbing the depths of Americana to develop a storyline.

Some fans—perhaps even Hajdu—will lament this, but if the change means no more space hippies, space Yeti, or space Nazis, Bwog’s not complaining.