Values that determine the outcomes of various encounters are directly related to reasons for the characters' travel in the first place. The adventure series are built around those various motives. They bring to television all the sophistication of the science fiction novel, story, movie, and radio serial. That sophistication rests on the skill with which the creators of science fiction can turn their future-oriented stories into mirrors with which to examine the contemporary world in which we live. Most important is the predictability of characters and events that underlie both shows.
Space is designated as the final frontier, a factor that becomes increasingly important.
These are the characteristics of the true pioneer, and the people are different from loners in that they have a highly developed sense of purpose. They are different from fugitives on the run from the law in that their purpose is positive and the result of choice rather than chance. The journeys have little to do with a mere accumulation of experience. Nor does fate toy with them. They find their meaning in a directed, selected mission.