(via IMDb)

Today, I had the pleasure of watching “Star Trek” on the big screen. It’s one of those rare movies that actually lived up to my high expectations. I also came to the realization that I was a bigger J.J. Abrams fan than I ever knew — from “Felicity” to “Alias” to “LOST” (heck, I even enjoyed the recent issue of WIRED that he was the Guest Editor for!).

In a recent 10 Questions for TIME magazine, Abrams was asked, “Have you developed your own style, a J.J. Abrams touch? ,” to which he replied that he didn’t have one. After watching “Star Trek,” I think it’s less of a style, but more of a theme that resonates throughout most of the things he touches. The theme of normal everyday people faced with a calling of having to be more excellent than they ever thought they could be — James T. Kirk in “Star Trek;” Sidney Bristow in “Alias;” John Locke in “LOST;” The dude from “Dawson’s Creek” in “Fringe.” (OK, Felicity Porter, not so much.)

And it’s not so much in the types of characters, but more in the way Abrams crafts their stories. He takes you through a spectrum of emotions, but never rushes things. He concentrates on the journey, not necessarily the destination. This is where J.J. Abrams-esque shows like “Heroes” sputter — it’s all too easy to get careless with rushed plotlines, where things can spiral out of control real quick. The beauty is that as much as his characters can get frustrating to the point of delirium, you always end up rooting for them because ultimately, you believe in them.

It’s the J.J. Abrams Style. And we always come back for more…