Star Trek's Nichelle Nichols And LeVar Burton Were In A VHS-Only Zombie Movie Streaming For Free

Nichelle Nichols and LeVar Burton became early icons in the sci-fi television industry for their roles in "Star Trek" and "Star Trek: The Next Generation," respectively. But do you remember seeing the two of them together in the 1986 zombie movie "The Supernaturals?" It's no surprise if you've never heard of it; "The Supernaturals" was a direct-to-VHS flick that never even got an official DVD or Blu-ray release in the United States. But now, you can check out this cult classic on several free streaming services, including Plex, Fawesome, and Dark Matter TV.

In "The Supernaturals," Nichelle Nichols plays an Army sergeant leading a patrol through zombie-infested Confederate territory during the American Civil War. LeVar Burton appears as a fellow Union soldier during the mission. It's entertaining to see these two "Star Trek" alums on-screen together for for a single time, but the movie didn't earn much praise from the few critics who actually saw it. It's the kind of film that's difficult to justify paying to watch. That's especially true considering that Plex recently tripled its lifetime pass price. Better to choose the free version with ads for this one.

When prolific film critic Richard Scheib covered "The Supernaturals" for Moria Reviews, he regarded it as a "quite good film," but he despaired about its faltering at the climax and failure to actually explain supernatural plot elements. However, Scheib also commented that the director "gets good performances from an unusual cast." In addition to Nichelle Nichols and LeVar Burton, another big name in that cast is "Grease 2" star Maxwell Caulfield, who appears as a soldier in the Union-affiliated platoon.

Watching "The Supernaturals" is a compelling example of using a Roku TV without giving it your credit card info. It's one of those almost-lost pieces of media that finds new life on free streaming services. It's a far cry from the essential zombie movies every horror fan must watch, but you may find value in "The Supernaturals" if you're a fan of '80s horror and the legacy of two of the greatest "Star Trek" actors.