I Heart Captain Kirk

I'm a late adopter to the awesomeness that is Star Trek and Captain Kirk—the William Shatner version. Most of my leisure conversations start out with, "You know when Captain Kirk..." fill in the blank: saved the ship, spared the life of the alien, whatever.
Why now? Why does the compassionate hero strike such a chord with me? What is it about our world that makes this 43-year-old television icon so appealing? I've been challenged to write a sestina about it. In order to do so, I'd better continue my research. Tonight's episode is "Shore Leave."