The Ongoing SAGA of Star Trek

[davp99]

<b>Fans Hope Suns Can Rise Again on 'Star Trek'</b><br />By WILLIAM S. KOWINSKI<br /> <br />OS ANGELES, Aug. 30 - Could "Star Trek" be dying? It's enough to make Mr. Spock laugh.<br /><br />"This is so funny," said Leonard Nimoy, who played Mr. Spock, directed two "Star Trek" feature films and produced another. " 'Star Trek' has died several times and come back stronger than ever."<br /><br />Over the weekend Mr. Nimoy joined others from the cast of the original "Star Trek" television series at a fan convention here organized by Planet Xpo to honor James Doohan, who played Scotty, the Enterprise engineer, in his last convention appearance. Mr. Doohan, who is to receive his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame Tuesday, is showing signs of Alzheimer's disease, a family spokesman said. So with the exception of DeForest Kelley, who played Dr. Leonard McCoy and died in 1999, the Enterprise crew gathered one last time on Sunday. <br /><br />There are reasons to question "Star Trek's" continued viability. Though the feature film series has grossed more than a billion dollars for Paramount, the last two outings have sputtered at the box office. The most recent release, "Star Trek Nemesis," could not hold its own against installments of the "Lord of the Rings" and "Harry Potter" film series in the summer of 2002. <br /><br />And since "Star Trek: The Next Generation" received an Emmy nomination as best dramatic series and left the air a legitimate hit in 1994, subsequent "Star Trek" television dramas have slowly lost ratings ground. Completing its third season last spring after a generally rough ratings year for television drama, the current series, "Star Trek: Enterprise," faced cancellation by UPN. <br /><br />In an echo of the original series's fate, it was saved after a fan letter-writing campaign but rescheduled on Fridays at 8 p.m. for the coming season, beginning in October. Both the UPN president, Dawn Ostroff, and the Paramount television president, Garry Hart, point to the exampl <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="4">Dave..</font> </div>

 

[a_lost_packet_]

The Star Trek genre is dying. That is a fact. Is it because people are tired of the mileu? Possibly. It is undeniable that the movies have been going downhill. I didn't even watch the last one at the theatre <b>or</b> on T.V.<br /><br />There are a few areas that, in my opinion, the writers need to stay away from.<br /><br />1) Anything to do with "going back in time." This has been done to death. It's boring. Don't write a "ship goes back in time and saves xxxx" story for another 2 or three years.<br /><br />2) Anything to do with an "alternate Earth." Come on! Star Trek did some "alternate Earth" type stories but they didn't rely on them for the basis for 20% of their shows. Stop it already.<br /><br />3) Crew beams down to planet and spends the majority of the episode/movie there. OK writers. People go to see Star Trek for the "science fiction/space/Federation/aliens in space/neato ship battles. They don't go to the movies or turn on the tube to see the actors running around in the same desert that Shatner battled the Gorn in. A few visits to a world is fine. It's expected.<br /><br />4) Controversy over the Prime Directive. OK, while this may be slightly interesting in the appropriate setting, it get's bothersome when character after character decides to violate the Prime Directive because of some higher moral code. The Prime Directive is a paper tiger. Nobody seems to care about stepping all over it anymore. Either execute some character for the violation or temper the darn storylines.<br /><br />5) Lookit! We brought back <insert classic or nextgen series character here /> in order to boost our ratings! This is bad. While we all enjoy seeing some of the classic/tng characters from time to time, relying on them to carry a bad story is just too much. Stop dusting them off and shoving them into bad stories in order to improve viewership.<br /><br />6) It's the Borg again! Run fer yer lives! We're doomed! Doomed I tell ya! What? What's that? We <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="1">I put on my robe and wizard hat...</font> </div>

 

[mcbethcg]

Different people have different tastes.<br /><br />I love time travel stories. I think the new show did something unique and fascinating, and untapped, when they dared do a a whole series based on time travel.<br /><br />I think space battles are boring. Been done too much by every science fiction movie.<br /><br />The things I hate HATE about Star Trek:<br /><br />Boring main charcters who all seem to always try to do the right thing- very one dimensional. Get a lovable villian, or a selfish or scary good guy as main characters. Introduce a little Buffy into the character development.<br /><br />Holodeck- thank god they got rid of it.<br /><br />Spoke/data/whoever always inventing something at the last second. "If we modify the phase array, the weapons will be 10 times as powerful". Why weren't they built that way in the first place?<br /><br />

 

[a_lost_packet_]

<font color="yellow">KR - I always liked "equipment problems" and "space sickness" issues best. </font><br /><br />Some of those types of shows were great. Especially in the original series. I can't remember the name of the episode, but the one where the landing party all contracted "aging sickness" except for Chekov is one of my all-time favorites.<br /><br />Equipment problems are good to emphasize that space is not a friendly place to go sailing in. It's not like "being on the ocean" as so many pulp stories portray it. A catostrophic engine failure that breaks a ship out of "warp drive" and sticks them in the middle of nowhere for a few episodes would be interesting. Ship is crippled, no help available because of communication failures and a big nasty space-beast that looks hungry could be cool. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> Stretch it over 2 episodes and it could be fun. While we're at it, kill off a few "red-shirts" to add to the "danger-factor." <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="1">I put on my robe and wizard hat...</font> </div>

 

[jcdenton]

<font color="yellow">I realize "Star Trek" has always been forward in regards to sexuality (although still too cowardly to feature gay characters, in spite of their devotion to "diversity")</font><br /><br />Actually DS9 had one episode that had homosexual overtones and caused a lot of controversy. In that episode (forgot the name) Jadzia Dax met a former Trill lover who was now in a female host's body and there was one 'incident' involving them making out. <img src="/images/icons/tongue.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[a_lost_packet_]

I agree that Star Trek has used standard "sex to sell" practices. TOS was full of it. Especially the mini-skirted crewwomen running around all over the place. Who can forget the "green girl" shown during the series trailer? (That episode was never released in full on television I don't believe. Just certain portions.) Kirk seems to have made it with just about every species possible and a few that still leave Federation scientists in a tizzy over how it was done. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /><br />Bab5 did a great job at avoiding this practice. However, there were a few incidents. Many of these were "comical" in nature. Most of these were in the later episodes after the original storyline had run it's course. There was one episode with slight "homosexual" undertones. I think it was between the characters Susan Ivanova and Talia Winters.. I can't remember at the moment. At the time, I was grabbing the pizza from the delivery guy when I heard the commotion from the next room. Darn those guys, they should have called me in there earlier! I'll never forgive them for that! Never I say! <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> In any event, Bab5 certainly was able to carry out it's mission of entertaining the audience and drawing a following without having to lure viewers by using "sex to sell" practices.<br /><br />It seems that homosexuality, in general, is rarely discussed in Sci-Fi. I can't recall any M/M homosexual overtones in popular Sci-Fi series. Although, I seem to remember some interplay in Lexx over the robot head's infatuation with the assasin "dewd." But, I've only watched that show infrequently. Homosexuality seems to be portrayed using stereotypes to represent a homosexual character without exploring further. If they want to portray a homexual man, it's going to be a sterotypically effeminate man who is fastideous and very "fashion" conscious. If they wish to give a femal character homosexual undertones they will normally "butch" h <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="1">I put on my robe and wizard hat...</font> </div>

 

[elguapoguano]

Call me a hypocrit but girl on girl action is hot. Dude on dude is just disgusting.<br /><br />Most hetro males and females agree, thats why you don't see too much of it on TV. Madonna kissing Britany Spears AND Christina Aquliera, thats good TV <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#ff0000"><u><em>Don't let your sig line incite a gay thread ;>)</em></u></font> </div>

 

[a_lost_packet_]

<font color="yellow">CE - This was not Gene Roddenberry's wishes. If you recall from the pilot episodes "The Cage" and "Where No Man has Gone Before", women crewmen wore the same unisex velour tops and black slacks as the men. NBC didn't like this, though, and demanded "sexier" outfits for the women. </font><br /><br />You're absolutely correct. Kinda strange isn't it? Television wanted the women in mini-skirts so short you could see their underwear, yet balked at an "I Dream of Jeanie" costume that showed her bellybutton. What gives? They wanted more sexual tension but didn't want Uhura and Kirk to "kiss." In other words, they wanted ratings due to "controversy" but they didn't want to have to handle the controversy. Hypocrits. <br /><br /><font color="yellow">They had a brief lesbian affair, in my opinion, although others have disputed me on this, so it wasn't exactly obvious. </font><br /><br />There is no dispute over this. It is fact. I know it is fact because I missed seeing the direct evidence on the screen due to the pizzaguy showing up at an in-opportune moment. .... I gotta get those CDs!<br /><br /><font color="yellow">ONE of them....Centauri men apparently have several!</font><br /><br />Yup. Molari displayed a Centauri fertility statue in his quarters I believe. You could easily see they had.. several.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="1">I put on my robe and wizard hat...</font> </div>

 

[a_lost_packet_]

<font color="yellow">Although I've heard the same thing from many straight men. I've given up trying to figure out the rationale behind it. </font><br /><br />It's called "no waiting." <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> At least, one can imagine it like that I suppose.<br /><br />To be honest, I think it has to do with perceptions around sexuality. A woman is viewed, traditionally, as a "sexual creature" by men. (Not trying to pigeonhole anything here.) So, obvious sexuality "totems" involved in sexual situations could evoke an enhanced response from those who are "visually" stimulated. ie: Men are more visually aroused than women. Double the impact and you, logically, double the response.<br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="1">I put on my robe and wizard hat...</font> </div>

 

[a_lost_packet_]

<font color="yellow">.. Apparently, it was made from a single, long piece of fabric that wrapped around her generous figure and over her shoulder in such a way that it was held in place by nothing more than it's own weight....</font><br /><br />Just one more reason why toga parties are favored by fraternities. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="1">I put on my robe and wizard hat...</font> </div>

 

[a_lost_packet_]

I believe it would be because straight men do not find other men to be sexual objects. Moreover, they find other men to be competition for such favors. Mayhap there is also some social homophobia involved with making remarks concerning viewing such acts. Alot of men seem to make big deals out of their masculinity. While I am very confident in my "manliness" and firm sexual orientation, I could even have been said to make overt exclamations regarding such acts I suppose. By exclaiming vehemently one's disgust, it may be an overt way of securing your "maleness" and sexual pecking order... err.. pardon the pun. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="1">I put on my robe and wizard hat...</font> </div>

 

[jcdenton]

This thread has certainly gone off on a tangent. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /><br />Anyway here's my $0.02. Males find lesbians hitting it off arousing for the same reason they find watching heterosexual sex arousing, we like to imagine ourselves as the male, or one of the females in the lesbian scenario. As for two males jump-starting the libido, well heterosexuals males are repulsed for the inverse reason as the former, we just have a tough time imagining ourselves in that position. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[elguapoguano]

Don't know Eddie, can't really explain it. Men are just not sexually attractive to other straight men. Like has been said before other men are seen as competition not as perspective partners. It just seems so un natural. It's just hard for me to comprehend two things about gay men. <br />1) how can you not want to get some of the real deal, not the brown eye.<br />2) how can a guy look at another guys hairy arse and think "oh my god, I'm in love".... <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#ff0000"><u><em>Don't let your sig line incite a gay thread ;>)</em></u></font> </div>

 

[canadian_joe]

You're probably more or less on the button there CE. You'll get all kinds of answers from different guys as to why it disgusts them, but most of them won't know why it really disgusts them. <br /><br />I don't run out of the room and throw up when I'm flipping channels and see to guys going at it. However I don't linger on the channel since I have no interest in seeing it. So I guess I'm not really disgusted with the sight of it, just don't understand it. If that makes any sense whatsoever. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[Aetius]

Gay male sex doesn't really bother me. It's not my cup of tea, but disgust? Nah. Dwelling on the matter would take away from all that time I could spend fantasizing about women. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /><br />I've always suspected that a lot of homophobic men are closet gays. Why should I feel any animosity? The great part is, it always seems to be the better-looking men who end up gay. Take them out of the mating equation, and us ordinary guys don't have to compete with them! <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" />

 

[canadian_joe]

Haha now that's a good way to look at it! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[claywoman]

I LIVE with two gay men who are both my very favorite males in the whole world, other then my son and grandsons. I find their love for each other beautiful, and natural. I think what disgusts most men about homosexuals, is that little nagging fear in the back of their minds that says, I wonder what its like....hehe!!<br /><br />Seriously, these two men are fun to be with, fun to joke around with, and I can talk about everything with them!!! What they do in their own bedroom is none of my business nor should it concern anyone but the two of them.

 

[yruc]

. ..... ______ <br />. _()_| |__| | <br />. (BNSF 1995| <br />. /-OO----OO""<br />###############<br /><br /><br />Woah this thread has sure gone on a trek of its own. <br /><br />I agree that Star Trek should be put to rest for a bit. The Star Trek Fans have been on a Binge for long enough. Need to kick back, relax have a smoke and fast for awhile.<br /><br />Who all here has ever been to a Star Trek Convention before? I've been to 4. I've met Nichelle Nichols, George Takei, James Doohan, Sarek (Spock's father), Johnathon Frakes, Wil Wheaton (though Jonathan and Wil were not at a Star Trek Convention was at an amusement park.<br /><br />Yruc

 

[avaunt]

lol. Hey, crazyeddie, those of us that are indifferent to each others "Perversions" are the humans, the ones that want everyone to march in stright lines are not human.<br /><br />We are BESET by ALIENS, Crazyeddie.<br /><br />Actually, I admire homosexuals that are stright forward, and don't conceal their ideas.<br />Hey, I look at Pornography on occasion. Perfectly legal, non violent pornography. But am I brave enough to let everyone in the disapproving world know this?. Hell no, I am furtive, very like a rodent. I would choke in agony, if people , say, the ladies in our library, could look their disapproval on me.<br /><br />So, I understand the bravery of OUT men. Is what they do legal?, yes, in NZ anyway. Does half the population hate them for it?. Yep.<br /><br />WHY, is a very difficult question. I think a big part cultural, these are religious, or the decendents of religious, countries. their cultural norms forged by bible bashers.<br /><br />Also, i think the sex drivein people is below the concious level, so stright men can't apply a mental construct to their feeling. Which leads to intolerance.

 

[claywoman]

Poor Kalter....You poor baby!!! Here let me sooth your brow and stroke away your anxieties....NOT!!!<br /><br />

 

[mooware]

<font color="yellow">"So I guess I'm not really disgusted with the sight of it, just don't understand it. If that makes any sense whatsoever"</font><br /><br />Actually it does make sense, that's exactly how I feel about it. I can't say I'm "disgusted". If one looks at a festering liquid pool of excrement. Now THAT is disgusting. So, i wouldn't stand homosexual sex in line behind it. <br /><br />Personally, I just don't get it. I don't understand it, and carries no appeal. It is fun to watch the "classic" effiminate guys on Queer Eye however..

 

[mooware]

Now that's the funniest thing I've read in a long time!<br />

 

[shuttle_rtf]

God knows if someone's talked about this on here - I'm too busy laughing at Shanter in that pic, but have they said if they'll be another Star Trek Movie? I know Patrick Stewart's up for it - but who wouldn't be for a payday.<br /><br />Any info?

 

[shuttle_rtf]

Apparently so, I reply to myself <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /><br /><br />Various google linkage claims a project with Paramount named "Starfleet Command" as the working title for the new film and they're looking to do a couple more - not NG cast though.

 

[shuttle_rtf]

Ms Troy is welcome to wear skirts as short as she wants <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" />