The Next Final Frontier
Apparently the Star Trek universe is getting ready for some sort of re-birth. As a longtime Trek fan, I’m cautiously optimistic. Here’s my ST history: loved TOS from the first time that I recall watching syndicated episodes (ca. 1980), mostly loved TNG, never got into DS9, mildly amused by Voyager, and loathed Enterprise.
And the movies: well, the even/odd theory is mostly true: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 were all better than 1, 3, 5, 7, 9. But #1 gets major cool points due to the simple fact that it was made and enabled the series to live on. #3 gets dissed an awful lot, but it gets slightly better each time I see it. And ST: First Contact was, for me, one of the best, even though I usually hate hate hate time-travel plots. The setting in a “missile complex in central Montana” makes ST:FC an absolute favorite of mine that goes beyond just enjoying a movie.
And I will plunk down my $7.50 see the next ST movie in a theatre, almost certainly - as long as it’s not something like “Star Trek: Dawson’s Creek 90210.” If there’s even a chance of ST being “reborn” and breathing new life into The Federation, I’m all for it. Cross your fingers.
April 22nd, 2006 at 7:31 am
For most of my life, I’ve been a Trekkie of the highest order, so please forgive me if I turn a cynical eye to this newest idea. Variants of the “early Kirk and Spock” plot have been floating around Paramount all the way back to the late 70’s (at one point, it was a possible candidate for the first movie).
I can’t help but think that “Star Trek” has seen its heyday. Trekkies, it’s time to put down the phaser and walk away.
But I’d love to be proved wrong!
April 22nd, 2006 at 1:53 pm
Years ago I was a regular in the Science Fiction Media Forum on CompuServe — this was about the time that ST:V was starting. At the time, there was a rumor that the next series would be based on Kirk’s days at the Academy, or maybe just after. Not my favorite idea, but I would have enjoyed seeing him actually rigging the Kobayashi Maru.
My favorite idea floated in that forum was a sort of anthology series based on the Trek universe. At least two of the story ideas I remember for that concept actually did make it into Voyager: following up on what happened to Kol and Arridor, the two Ferengi who became trapped on the other side of the Barzan Wormhole (”False Profits”); and a retelling of the Excelsior’s role in protecting the Khitomer peace conference, but from the point of view of Sulu and the Excelsior crew.
My own contribution to that idea was to have a narrator to open the show and comment at the end, as Rod Serling did on “The Twilight Zone” — in this case, Q, who would only occasionally be involved in the story.
If the reported plan actually comes about, the actor chosen for the lead will have a HUGE burden to carry.
April 23rd, 2006 at 8:30 pm
I’ve been hearing great things about “MI:3″ and that J.J. Abrhams did a bang up job on it. Mind you, I just started watching “Alias” and a couple of episodes of “Lost” and they were actually pretty good, so this may be a good sign for ST. To bring in an outsider seems to be a good idea to me.
April 24th, 2006 at 12:49 am
Please tell me that the movie with the whales and crap is one of the odd number movies. *crosses fingers* And JJ? Ruined Alias.
April 27th, 2006 at 10:20 pm
Apparently there are holes in the original report.