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Merrick Explores STAR TREK: THE ACADEMY YEARS!!

PLANT! by omgwtfbbqsauce	Mar 20th, 2006 01:31:59 PM
yeah, I said it.
Oh man.... by JohnLocke	Mar 20th, 2006 01:38:29 PM
Now I want this to be made. Shoot me now.
Hmmm... by Azlam Orlandu	Mar 20th, 2006 01:40:58 PM
...the most interesting read on this site in a long time. Thanks Merrick.
The not-so-wonderful years by BrandLoyalist	Mar 20th, 2006 01:42:47 PM
My only friend was the biggest geek in the school. He drooled constantly.
Wish is had come true by Brock Samson	Mar 20th, 2006 01:42:47 PM
It sounds like a terrific idea, and I wish Paramount had had the balls to do it. Bennett was great for the franchise. Too bad Bermaga seem determined to destroy what made Trek great.
by redtom	Mar 20th, 2006 01:43:04 PM
??? "What could of beens"? Jesus H. Christ on a chariot... What Could HAVE Beens... What Could HAVE beens...
REDTOM by Joseph Merrick	Mar 20th, 2006 01:46:02 PM
Corrected. Wrote that part last...eyes blurring. THANK YOU.
Trek V had good points? by Nodwick	Mar 20th, 2006 01:49:31 PM
"Ironically, TREK V also represents what many fans believe to be the truest expression of the Classic Era characters." Funny. I always saw it as a horridly scripted ham-fisted attempt to capitalize on the previous film's popularity as a "funny" and "whimsical" movie. The characterization was god-awful (Sulu and Chekov "lost" in the forest, the rogue Klingon captain, etc.), the TOS concept of "the great barrier" was relocated from the edge of the galaxy to the center, and the whole "god" thing was an unexplained concept that was inevitably an anticlimax.
Ahh, my young padawan leaner... by redtom	Mar 20th, 2006 01:50:21 PM
... you have far to go, but there may be hope for you yet...
...that should have been "Learner"... by redtom	Mar 20th, 2006 01:51:18 PM
...goddammit, does this thing not have an edit post function...
What Star Trek needs by Mgmax	Mar 20th, 2006 01:58:12 PM
What Star Trek needs, besides euthanasia, is an entire movie or series set in the Bearded Spock universe. Actually, what it needs is Quentin Tarantino or somebody else with a sufficient badass temperament to make a movie or series set in the Bearded Spock universe, one in which characters who can't hack it in the Empire are killed off (I figure Riker and Troi will last about 2 seconds; Data, on the other hand, could become the Caligula of it all) and those who survive are tough enough to actually survive, believably. A gritty, mean, violent Star Trek to wipe away all those years in which people sensed each other's pain on board a floating Embassy Suites. Next to that, this merely sounds like Harry Potter and the Crystal of Dilithium.
I'll buy it. by vee8	Mar 20th, 2006 01:58:33 PM
Sounds like a story that needs to be told. One tiny problem though. The opening shot with the old Bones. Isn't he dead now? Would it work with any other actor taking his place? I don't think so, but it could be got around. Maybe an old Sulu or Chekov perhaps?
Ah, a young brash Kirk... by Tony Mike Hall	Mar 20th, 2006 02:01:33 PM
... and an unknown female character, undoubtedly of the extremely hot tom-boy, gives-as-good-as-she-gets (ahem) variety, being thrown into the oldest story plot known to human kind: Boy meets girl, girl gets boy into pickle, boy gets pickle into girl. This could be good. And this could also be unbelievably awful.
Incidentally... by Tony Mike Hall	Mar 20th, 2006 02:05:03 PM
It's a refreshing change to have a guest writer on this site who obviously isn't pre-pubescent. I guess Harry and Mori stopped cruising the local junior highs for web site help. Welcome, Merrick - most welcome.
Star Trek is Over by Flickerhead	Mar 20th, 2006 02:06:15 PM
There's no good reason to continue humping this dead carcass. "Star Trek" has no more relevance because the thematic elements which made it memorable have been beaten into so many weekly television series cliches. Rather than trying to find new angles from which to approach this rickety old concept, why not pour that money and energy into creating a new and relevant franchise? (Must ... refrain ... from ... "Firefly" ... pimpin' ... ) The show was good for it's time, and TNG nicely picked up where the TOS left off, but even that superior series was leaking by the time it ended. Let it go, my friends, and let's see if anyone can create a trek for the next generation.
Trek IV and that floating God Head by Big Bad Clone	Mar 20th, 2006 02:06:53 PM
Was there a line or two in there somewhere after it kills that Vulcan dude that brushes off the head as some asshole alien? Or were we just left to assume that God was killed by photon torpedeos?
"Girl gets boy into pickle ... " by Flickerhead	Mar 20th, 2006 02:07:23 PM

"Girl gets boys into pickle ... " by Flickerhead	Mar 20th, 2006 02:08:19 PM
" ... boy gets pickle into girl." LOL. Nice, TMH. :^)
Damn, Merrick. by Aragorn II	Mar 20th, 2006 02:09:05 PM
The last few paragraphs were the best summation of what's wrong with Trek that I've read. Obviously, I'd have to see the script to know for sure, but from your summary, I honestly believe this movie has to be made. IF it can avoid the bad comedy and self-referential crap. If it was just approached as a stand-alone film without the weight of six movies and three seasons of TV on its back, with the right director this could be something great. My unexpected surge of emotion for the original crew is...illogical.
I would love to see a young Kirk... by Big Bad Clone	Mar 20th, 2006 02:09:40 PM
just to see some kid do all the Shatner ticks a la that kid who played Jim Carrey's character in that Dumb & Dumberer movie.
Flicka! You can always hump a carcass one last time... by Tony Mike Hall	Mar 20th, 2006 02:10:32 PM
And if that doesn't work, yank out the teeth get some dead head. This might be the one last Trek story worth telling. Yes, it's the shameless rape of a franchise way past it's prime. But if they were to throw Shatner in, doing voiceover while we watch young Kirk kicking schoolboy ass and pinching schoolgirl ass... Shit, that's all you had to say.
Trek died at #9 when they passed up the Dominion War by I Dunno	Mar 20th, 2006 02:24:38 PM
The movie after the one with the Borg. Whatever the hell that movie was about, it should have been about the Dominion War and should have introduced the DS9 crew so they could take over in future movies. You would have had a kick ass Star Wars type war movie (we're talking about 1998 here, people would have loved it) and ensured at least another few movies with a new crew. Relying just on the TNG crew led to a dead end. In conclusion, Berman sucks ass.
Yes Norwick, by Shaner Jedi	Mar 20th, 2006 02:26:04 PM
Trek V did have strong points. The film has some of the best chemistry between the 3 main characters in the entire series. And did you really think they'd find "God"? I really like Trek 5. Oh, it's hoakey and chep-looking at times, but it has charm. I'll take that over Shakespearian-quoting Klingons anytime.
Obviously, is this were made now... by Lujho	Mar 20th, 2006 02:27:03 PM
... you'd probably use Kirk or Spock in the "present day" role, depending when it was set. Probably Spock, I guess, it would be set after Kirk went missing in the Nexus. Anyway, this sounds pretty cool, it would be nice to see something like it. Really all I want is good Trek again. I actually think it needs to jump another century ahead, like TNG did.
consider myself a hardcore trek fan but .. by Mr Cairo	Mar 20th, 2006 02:34:30 PM
i read this .... "He finally manages to get there, via a speeder bike ride from a fiery chick named CASSANDRA HIGHTOWER, who becomes a love interest later in the film" .... and gave up god this sounds shite
Shaner Jedi.... by Nodwick	Mar 20th, 2006 02:37:40 PM
I disagree. For some of the BEST chemistry, see "Wrath of Khan." Or hell, see even the first film. I mean, "Hold your horse, Captain," or "I don't think you appreciate the gravity of your situation." Blargh. And those god-damn jet boots! Hell, they couldn't even get the deck numbers in the right order when he shoots up the turbolift (which mysteriously goes straight up the entire ship).
Star Trek "How to Beat a Dead Horse" by Yoda's Ball Sack	Mar 20th, 2006 02:39:31 PM
Classic Trek is dead. The above mentioned project will never see the light of day. It pains this fan to say it. Nemesis was not a great way to end the Next Generation cast either. Someone, somewhere, grow some balls and give Trek a damn fine send-off.
Mr Cairo by Aragorn II	Mar 20th, 2006 02:40:04 PM
What is specifically bad about that line? Especially considering that it's a paraphrase by Merrick? I've seen lots of movies where people catch rides on bikes. Not saying you're wrong. Just curious why it's bad.
Um.....Merrick, there was no need... by Shermdawg	Mar 20th, 2006 02:43:10 PM
to do the link's for the main page when all ya gotta do is hit "back", or click on Harry's mug. Seriousley dude. Damn. and... DAMN YOU ROTHMAN!!!
Sounds about 1000 times better than Enterprise. by cookylamoo	Mar 20th, 2006 02:43:25 PM

Some Interesting Continuity-Bits in that Article... by Leto III	Mar 20th, 2006 02:47:28 PM
First off, the "Bonaventure" and "Bonaventure II" were both ships designed and built by Zefram Cochrane (per the Animated Series, the novel FEDERATION, and the original series's backstory)........the USS Enterprise being "An old ship of the line, a war horse, battered and patched"? In the TV series continuity, it's a very new cruiser, with its latest refit-cycle only 20 years young, as of ST III. Even when Christopher Pike commanded it, it was a shiny, recently-constructed thing (with Robert April the first Enterprise captin). It was never an Academy trainer-ship, it was a top-of-the-line exploratory vessel right from day one! By the time of WRATH OF KHAN, sure, but never prior to the 5-year mission. Dunno about "Geoffrey Thorpe," either..........The "dilithium"-thing is reasonably plausible, since it's implied that Stafleet vessels are more reliant upon "lithium" (per the Delta Vega station in WHERE NO MAN HAS GONE BEFORE), but even novels like THE FINAL REFLECTION posited that dilithium was in use -- if uncommonly -- even half-a-century before TOS.........Otherwise, I too have been hearing for years that Harve Bennett and Loughery's STARFLEET ACADEMY script was a cut above average, and as far back as early 2004, Bennett was in discussions with Paramount over reviving the project (concurrent with J. Michael Straczynski and Bryce Zabel's "reboot" proposal commissioned by certain elements at the studio). More's the pity.
The Haters can't stand to have Trek back by cookylamoo	Mar 20th, 2006 02:47:42 PM
because then they'd have to watch it and they might even like it and that's not half as much fun as being a snob.
This should be a TV show. by Kage	Mar 20th, 2006 02:47:58 PM
Would be a great way to resurrect the franchise... when the time is right. And a perfect fit for the new CW network. A Star Trek 90210 of sorts. They could even do 4 or so years of Academy TV stories and then they could graduate to theatrical adventures. You know you'd watch.
Who wrote this?? G. Lucas by Drewchem08	Mar 20th, 2006 02:52:31 PM
"You worry too much" "Because you don't worry enough" More craptastic Sci Fi dialogue.
by Spaz_Monkey	Mar 20th, 2006 02:55:59 PM
"the USS Enterprise being "An old ship of the line, a war horse, battered and patched"? In the TV series continuity, it's a very new cruiser, with its latest refit-cycle only 20 years young, as of ST III. Even when Christopher Pike commanded it, it was a shiny, recently-constructed thing (with Robert April the first Enterprise captin). It was never an Academy trainer-ship, it was a top-of-the-line exploratory vessel right from day one! By the time of WRATH OF KHAN, sure, but never prior to the 5-year mission. Dunno about "Geoffrey Thorpe," either"....... Unless, of course, it was Archer's Enterprise. That would make much more sense, would it not?
re: Some Interesting Continuity-Bits in that Article... by Spaz_Monkey	Mar 20th, 2006 02:59:25 PM
That's what I forgot in my last post. a subject! I suck...
True.... by Leto III	Mar 20th, 2006 03:00:53 PM
...despite the Enterprise from Harve Bennett's script clearly being the NCC-1701 (at the time it was written), a retcon to the NX-01 would be plausible for a rewrite. However, it was destroyed in the Berman/Braga-penned ENTERPRISE "finale," THESE ARE THE VOYAGES... Although I myself would be all for shoving all the negatives from that episode off a pier somewhere, and having Paramount declare that it never even happened.
Quick Addendum to the Above: by Leto III	Mar 20th, 2006 03:03:57 PM
ENTERPRISE's final year was, for my money, one of the best pure STAR TREK seasons I've ever had the pleasure to witness (owing in no small part to the presence of Manny Coto and Judy & Gar Reeves-Stevens, TREK gods and goddess extraordinare), and wouldn't object at all to Archer's Enterprise surviving past the Romulan Wars. (Oh, and I forget subject-headings all the time, too.)
In Trek's case, prequels are indicative of lazy writing by I Dunno	Mar 20th, 2006 03:06:06 PM
Star Trek is about exploration, discovery, the evolution of mankind, all that gay stuff. It's not about an excrusiatingly detailed history of the Federation and biographies of the characters. The story has to move forward, not back. Destroy the Federation. Have humans evolve to a higher life form. Explore the meaning of existance. Shake things up. Don't keep going backwards in time. That does nothing to advance the story of mankind and only serves to give the Trekkies continuity errors to obsess over. Star Trek doesn't have to be dead but it needs a visionary to bring it to the next level. At the very least, a high concept idea like that in DS9 would do. The Trek universe is limitless. Unfortunatly, the talent involved is not.
Cassandra Hightower - You can't have a character by Big Jim	Mar 20th, 2006 03:06:53 PM
in an Academy movie called Hightower and expect people to take it seriously. You say Hightower, people think Police Academy. There is also that Police Academy moment when Kirk, on his way out, hears there is trouble and decides to stay to save the day. Just like Guttenberg did. I like the idea. It's hard to tell from a summary of the script but I think I would prefer not having the "cadets save the day".
I actually hold... by purplewarrior	Mar 20th, 2006 03:08:25 PM
That fuckwit Brannon Braga accountable for star trek's demise
The Elephant Man's name was JOHN Merrick by slone13	Mar 20th, 2006 03:09:55 PM
For the record
Give Trek the BSG treatment. by FluffyUnbound	Mar 20th, 2006 03:11:25 PM
I will write the bible for it if Moore is no longer available. [That's a joke, folks, before you start in.]
This was done twice in the 70s, when it was called... by EriamJH	Mar 20th, 2006 03:13:10 PM
...Space Academy and Jason at Star Command. (Terrible live action, Saturday morning fair from Filmation... believe James Doohan was in one or the other.) MERRICK, AND FOR YOUR TAGLINE: "I am not an animal! I am a human being! I...am...a man!" --John Merrick, "The Elephant Man" (1980 David Lynch directed, Mel Brooks produced, Academy Award nominated movie starring John Hurt and Anthony Hopkins) My god, man, the quotable line was fodder for a decade.
ST:TAY rejection turned Harve Bennet into an alcoholic by Tall_Boy	Mar 20th, 2006 03:14:18 PM
Tis true. Course, I'd think one would have to be a little sauced to have a mind meld involved in passing an exam.
it's funny by quadrupletree	Mar 20th, 2006 03:14:25 PM
I had a similar idea to this script for Trek years ago. Not as a movie but as a TV series, and not as a prequal but as a sequal to post-Voyager era. An Academy series where we follow cadets during their years of training and we get some Trek history in the different episodes, see clips from the different series dealing with whatever topic they're learning about that week. Next Generation era and on cast members could have special guest roles as guest speakers at their lectures, etc. There's a lot of possibility there, honestly there's a lot of possibility in Trek in general if Paramount could get their shit together!!
Woody Allen's Sin City parody trailer... by Sardy	Mar 20th, 2006 03:15:10 PM
I'm one of the biggest Trek fans going (except for Voyager and Enterprise, which don'y count). Alas, Academy Years is doomed to failure... Check out the Woody Allen Sin City parody trailer... "Sinhattan" at: http://www.ifilm.com/ifilmdeta il/2711127
re: TWOK chemistry by Fat Chooch	Mar 20th, 2006 03:20:09 PM
I'm a Trek fan from way back. And every time I hear someone mention TWOK as the best of the film series and having the best chemisrty, I shake my head in wonderment. Put into proper context, yes, TWOK was head-and-shoulders above TMP in character chemistry. But really watch TWOK and - except for Montalban's shamlessly over-the-top performance - the chemistry is horrible. The scene in Kirk's apartment with Bones is utterly wince-inducing. So is Kirk's interaction with Carol Marcus and David. And the less said about Kirsty Alley's Saavik, the better. Some of this can be blamed on Nick Meyer since it was his first directing effort. Sure, at the time, the movie was cool because of Khan and the battle/action sequences. But strip that away and you have one of the worst acted, worst directed and worst character interaction films of the whole series. As as much as everyone flames TFF, I think it had the best design on the series. The Enterprise interiors never looked better (with the added wood trim and the wheel in the observation lounge), the lighting was never more dramatic and, for some strange reason, I preferred the rear-projected star field through the windows as opposed to the more common matte effects. It just seemed a little more, I dunno, "organic" maybe?
Merrick, that was too well written... by StudioPlant69	Mar 20th, 2006 03:21:58 PM
Please remember this is Aint it cool and your writing needs to be filled with silly stuff like...owns your asses, dead raped deer, bomb in ribcage, Hulk Hogan cheats on Kirk and has a beer, etc. Also you need to mention you have a girlfriend and you're in love. Oh and always state you are not a plant and you need some Amazon.com links in there as well. Harry's not bad, he just writes that way... GFY
Sex scene in the script... by Cruel_Kingdom	Mar 20th, 2006 03:25:34 PM
Absolutely loved the scene where Spock sucked Kirk off and then they gangbanged Uhura, Ensign Rand, and a green chick with the help of Scotty, Bones, Chekov, and a couple of guys from sick bay. That was an awesome scene. Loved that dialogue, "I need to have an orgasm... Make it so." That was pure awesomeness. Couldn't believe that Spock actually swallowed all of Kirk's manseed, though. Dunno why, but I always figured him for more of a swallower, I guess. Then Sulu came in and started eyeing Kirk's bulbous cock, foreshadowing that he was queer. For those who don't know, this scenario played heavily upon an unfilmed episode from the original series written by Gene Roddenberry entitled, "Cum In My Ass, Mister Spock." Fabulous, fabulous stuff. Greenlight this one today.
Joseph Merrick was not the name of the elephant man... by Cruel_Kingdom	Mar 20th, 2006 03:26:36 PM
It was John Merrick.
Make this! by Lou Stools	Mar 20th, 2006 03:29:39 PM
Let Bennett save Star Trek one last time...hopefully this will finally put an end to 15 years of lame-ass "Star Trek 90210" knee-jerk arguments. Oh, and Fat Chooch...you're obviously high.
MORE DETAILS (forgot to mention) by Joseph Merrick	Mar 20th, 2006 03:33:50 PM
That the instructor of Command Psych at the Academy is a prematurely gray haired chap named John Gill (later seen as the template for the parallel Nazi world in TOS episode PATTERNS OF FORCE). Tricorders exist, but it's implied they
TV or Cable Movie by nexxus7	Mar 20th, 2006 03:34:54 PM
Why are they always trying to milk Trek for a Series or Theatrical release. This thing would be DOA at theaters no matter how good it was. As well, folks have wised up to B&B trying to milk this franchise with a new franchise (I'm sure one'll be announced any day now). But really, what more ground could a new series cover? > Try to cover the timeline between Archer's and Kirk's era -- i.e. founding of the Federation? Yawn, plus that's pretty much where they left off, and wasn't that show killed. > Try to resurrect TOS crew using performance capture technology? Interesting, but these guys are 70 years old. > Follow a different TNG-era ship, basically along the same timeline? Yawn. > Visit the Federation 500 or 1,000 years into the future? Yeah you'd get some new tech and visit some new races, and explore a bigger chunk of the universe (assuming intergalactic travel by then -- not to be confused with "intra"galactic as is currently the case). Most interesting concept IMO, but ultimately it would probably boil down to the same ole same ole forumla. What I'd realy prefer to see over the next few years are a series of movies that visit the Trek universe and expand on the mythos. This would be a great candidate for a Sci-Fi or HBO Original movie -- especially if given a decent budget, a competent cast, and a great writer. You don't need much more than that. Then every year or so come out with a new film or two set in a different corner of the Star Trek Universe --A totally different crew and ship; A Star Trek in the 35th Century; a hip young Star Fleet Academy movie; A Klingon movie; Star Fleet under attack by some new alien race and making their last stand at Earth.
Voyager killed it by Bono Luthor	Mar 20th, 2006 03:38:30 PM
People talk about Trek being away for a few years before a re-invention, but it already feels that way to me. It seems like a long time since I saw new Trek that really nailed it. Voyager killed Trek. It was, without fail, utter shite. As a result I passed on Enterprise. Even Nemesis was a missed opportunity somewhat. Under Berman it ALL JUST GOT SO BLAND. Compare Voyager to other shows that were around at the same time that had 10 times the energy, pace and plot, and it looked/looks like an embarassing old relative. Grrrrr. Makes me angry to see a verse wasted like that.
PS. by Bono Luthor	Mar 20th, 2006 03:42:42 PM
Great article.
"proves his value to the system via a trial by fire" by newc0253	Mar 20th, 2006 03:43:04 PM
"i'll wager three quatloons on the newcomer". da da daah daah daah daah da da da...
What About Finnegan, and that Ruth chick by Darkfyre	Mar 20th, 2006 03:45:14 PM
Who were both mentioned and shown in the episode 'Shore Leave' where Kirk was thnking back about his days in Starfleet Academy. Surely, the script has some mention of Finnegan playing practical jokes on Kirk. Doesn't it?
Lou Stools re: being high by Fat Chooch	Mar 20th, 2006 03:47:53 PM
In fact, I was stoned out of my ass the first time I saw TWOK when it was originally released. Thought it was great. Then I went to see it again sober. Wasn't as good that time. And upon further viewings without the lenses of cannabis, alcohol or hallucinagens, the glaringly bad dialogue and character interactions just continued to jump out. Was it good: sure. But, it was the movie than needed to be made to insure that the movie franchise continued.
How about if we just call "Redo!" by KingKirby	Mar 20th, 2006 03:54:47 PM
Why doesn't Paramount give up on prequels and sequels to "Trek" and just remake the whole shebang? We just start off with the launch of the five-year mission in the yellow, blue, and red tunics, introducing us to Kirk (George Clooney), Spock (Jude Law) and McCoy (Gary Sinise). You can throw in the other characters for what they originally were: extras with names. But it would be primarily about how the triad not only became shipmates, but how they became friends. Have some fun with it and make it exciting and inspiring again. I mean, geez, "Galaxy Quest" was better than the last couple of "Next Generation" films. Anyway, just my two cents.
Trek V may be poorly made, but... by Some Dude	Mar 20th, 2006 04:01:15 PM
...it's message on religion and gods is great. Just why would a god need a starship? Or money? Or a church full of devoted worshippers? Or prosyletizers? Why would the most powerful being in the universe have need for anything? For the idiots, Kirk doesn't actually meet a god. Just ike in real life, no one ever meets a god, because there are no gods. They only meet people pretending to be gods or working for gods.
I was wondering about Finnegan too by rev_skarekroe	Mar 20th, 2006 04:04:58 PM
He was a jerk.
apologies for the typos by Some Dude	Mar 20th, 2006 04:06:31 PM
"It's" should read "its." "Ike" should read "like."
As a casual fan... by blackwood	Mar 20th, 2006 04:06:53 PM
(meaning, I watched the movies and liked about half of them, saw a lot of TNG in reruns), I'd watch this. The thing I like about Trek is the optimism - it supposes at some point in human social evolution we grew up. We stopped throwing tantrums over our petty differences and worked together to bring about a new age. Science Fiction indeed. And McCoy would HAVE to be the storyteller; Kirk is the hero, Spock is the brains, and McCoy is the heart.
I'd watch this movie, if made. by Childe Roland	Mar 20th, 2006 04:07:13 PM
But, unfortunately, I don't think it would get a very warm reception in theaters. I just think the time has passed where a Star Trek movie will plant a certain number of asses in $8-$10 seats, guaranteed. Those of us who do remember the characters and stories in their heyday also remember the complete shit offered under the banner in recent years. And those too young to remember couldn't be bothered to care about something their dads dug for one reason or another. A made-for-Sci-Fi mini like Galactica, on the other hand, could give rise to renewed interest in the characters and perhaps capture new viewers. Then you could take the new actors in the classic roles and do a "new" Trek series along the same lines. But, as cool as I think that has potential to be, I can only imagine the backlash from die-hard Trekkers when they realize their Trek has been reinvented. Never mind that a new old Trek could be every bit as cool as the new old Galactica if done smartly. I'm betting folks just wouldn't go for it.
This actually sounds good. by bluebottle	Mar 20th, 2006 04:07:18 PM
and i'm not even that big of a Star Trek fan... I liked a couple of the movies and a handful of TNG episodes.
Re: Woody Allen Sin City by Alen Smithee	Mar 20th, 2006 04:20:41 PM
Nice concept, poorly executed. But the Star Trek stuff sounds pretty good.
It's True, I Tell You!!! by Duke of Hurl	Mar 20th, 2006 04:22:55 PM
I ride the Metro in LA, and one of the writers was talking about it on his phone. He figured noone on the Metro would give a shit, but I heard it - and it's happening. I don't know anything but the obvious, but rest assured - they are working on it.
I Wonder If Fans Would Buy a Reimagined TOS by nexxus7	Mar 20th, 2006 04:37:07 PM
What if TOS were remade with different actors cast in the roles? Now that's an interesting thought. I'm not talking about BSG reimagining. But basically a remake with different actors in the same roles, but not "channeling" Shatner's pause acting. As well, there would be updated CGI, an updated ship and bridge design, redesigned uniforms (same basic concept, but c'mon the tunics and highwaters would never fly). CGI planets and cities as opposed to matte paintings and models. Prostetic makeup as opposed to grease paint. General art direction would be tricky. Do you go for the retro-futuristic, the gritty realism, or play it safe with TNG approach? Then there's the whole question of retelling classic trek tales -- Triskillions, Vol, Gorn, etc. Or would the better idea be to just take TOS, update the SFX, do some new voice dubbing where necessary, and re-release a new set of DVDs. I could think of 10 episodes or so where this could be kinda cool. Either of these could be interesting exercises for a budding filmmaker as well.
Anthology series. Anthology series! by BrandLoyalist	Mar 20th, 2006 04:53:30 PM
All different periods, all different characters. Call it "Star Trek: Federation". Sulu and the Excelsior. 29th century stuff. Tales from Zephram Cochran's moonshine still. Kirk at the academy could be an episode too. Seems a little glib to sacrifice what's left of TOS' continuity for a whole Young Kirk & Spock series. You just know it'll turn out that Spock built C-3PO, etc.
Trek fail because it became too preachy. by EyeofPolyphemus	Mar 20th, 2006 04:53:31 PM
it promoted an arrogant humanism (Starfleet is full of humans lcturing other cultures on adapting human principles. Worf is celebrated only when he abandons Klingon tradition.), a socialist economic system that doesn't work, and a semi-pacifist ideal that writers had a nearly impossible time working with.
Hell, I like it! by acebandage	Mar 20th, 2006 05:03:53 PM
I like the idea and the script as it was summed up sounded pretty good. They could do a series off of that in the vein of Smallville and I would watch it. OR, they could do it as a Starfleet Academy set in the Next Generation/ DS9 era and use new characters so that we wouldn't know who would make it and who wouldn't because unlike Kirk and Spock, we don't know about all the adventures they have later. Sounds better than Enterprise anyway.
Cast Bubba Smith as Hightower in Starfleet Academy NOW! by Zartan	Mar 20th, 2006 05:04:59 PM
Cadets on Patrol! Steve Guttenberg as George Kirk, it'll work!
Let this crap die by Knugen	Mar 20th, 2006 05:06:36 PM
All hail BSG2K4!!
Uhurah, Sulu and Chekov ma not appear in the script... by Tony Mike Hall	Mar 20th, 2006 05:33:13 PM
but they'd make one hell of a menage sex scene. Fearsome! Who's with me...? Hello?
by Alan_Moore	Mar 20th, 2006 05:36:41 PM
First of all, Merrick, I don't know how you did it, but in 15+ years of hearing tidbits about this project (some concept drawings, including one of a young, cowboy hat-wearing Kirk even surfaced on one of the 2-disc Trek DVDs not long ago), this is the first time I have ever heard that a completed script was written! Good find, and a well-written review. Second, it has for some time been my opinion that a recasting of the original series WOULD work if done right. Shatner's involvement would work wonders. Have him legitimize the project by doing the aforementioned De Kelley wrap-around sequences as an older Kirk. Grab headlines by advertising Bill's return to Star Trek, then keep interest with a well-written and directed story featuring younger versions of everyone's favorite characters: Kirk, Spock, McCoy, and Scotty. Third, Leto III is absolutely right - Manny Coto and Judy & Garfield Reeves-Stevens were breathing wonderful life back into Trek right before the plug was pulled. Early seasons of Enterprise did suck, but season 4 was kicking all manner of ass. Which only goes to prove Merrick's point - it wasn't oversaturation that caused the franchise's terminal illness, it was lousy writing and Rick Berman. Bennett DID understand what Trek was all about. A team consisting of any combination of the following: Coto, the Reeves-Stevens, Bennett, Nick Meyer, Bryan Singer, Leonard Nimoy - could knock this one out of the park. If it did well enough to garner a sequel, the new, re-cast Kirk, Spock and McCoy could appear again in a story set before the conclusion of the five year mission or between TMP and TWOK (big time gap between those in the official chronology).
Just out of curiosity... by Aragorn II	Mar 20th, 2006 05:41:16 PM
...what do you think would have to happen to get Paramount to actually take another serious look at this?
"i am not a nerd!" by jasjadapascha	Mar 20th, 2006 05:48:03 PM
"i am a human filmgeek!" nice article, this sound like it could actually have been a decent star trek picture. alas. dapascha
As soon as I read "prequel" and "academy years" by scrumdiddly	Mar 20th, 2006 05:52:23 PM
I thought...now that's an artistically logical idea. Juxtapose a Trek prequel with the ACTUAL "prequel" lives of real characters. Have their stories parallel and refer to the trials and challenges of the era... Hold on, they already did a prequel and ignored all of that, didn't they? Darn. Also, I won't vomit over those screenplay snippets, since most screenplays are profoundly awful. Anchorite, above, is right, as we probably all know. Oh, and given how they've portrayed cadets in the past, in TNG and DS9(especially DS9), I have to pray this never gets made. We had more than enough "Trek teenager" in Wesley Crusher. Little poof.
I'd also like to suggest people stop by scrumdiddly	Mar 20th, 2006 05:57:10 PM
referring to Star Trek and just about everything else like they're sentient entities of some kind. Star trek doesn't have feelings, it doesn't move on its own. We long since passed the point of no return with it - the point where the dead wood in charge could have been jettisoned and the series been allowed to grow again. Eh, what's the point...it's dead.
What I Would Do... by Joseph Merrick	Mar 20th, 2006 06:07:18 PM
Don't "reinvent" STAR TREK mythology, perse. At least not as much as GALACTICA reinvented itself. I would just erase the history/knowledge of everything that has happened before...in any incarnation...and start over. USE THE SAME CHARACTERS& the same template -- THE ACADEMY YEARS might make a wonderful launch point for this. But don't think in terms of a TREK sequel, or in terms of a TREK prequel. Just take the raw concept, amp it up, "harden" it in the right places, "hearten" in in others, and REBOOT it. Familiar but fresh. Make it the story of a punky kid from Iowa and a bookworm from Vulcan who can barely take care of themselves, but end up living the most remarkable lives imaginable. In this sense, I suppose I'm saying approach it like SMALLVILLE (a comparison someone else drew here). TREK, with all its ideals in tact, but told as a journey of a few special people. From the corn fields to the UNIVERSE -- how can someone not find magic in that? And, like young Clark Kent, before these peopel can be great...they have to understand the challenges that will make them great. And its tough going along the way. Mistakes are made. People get hurt. But they're always moving forward. Always towards something greater. Don't try to connect it to any existing TREK iteration. Make it look and feel just enough like TREK so there's no particular shock of adjustment. But don't bog it down in the ungodly quagmire of dubious continuity in which TREK now wallows. Then wind it up & watch it go. Just my humble opinion.
pon farr, latex gloves and...CASSANDRA HIGHTOWER by Sir Loin	Mar 20th, 2006 06:19:12 PM
This sounds like a terrific script and as a first-generation TOS fan I'd have been there on opening day...BUT! The name of Kirk's lust interest sounds like a wrestling chick's. Everything else was great, Harve!
Wow, that would've been bad by SifoDyasJr.	Mar 20th, 2006 06:20:46 PM
Not quite Tim Burton's Superman bad, but pretty close. The only thing that script is missing is having Khan as Kirk and McCoy's asshole gym teacher at the academy.
nexxus7 by Avenger534	Mar 20th, 2006 06:21:11 PM
Go check out http://www.newvoyages.com/. They produce episodes slowly, but they've got some Roddenberrys, Walter Koenig, George Takei, John Carrigan, and a ton of redshirts.
My problems with this script... by Voice O. Reason	Mar 20th, 2006 06:22:02 PM
(1) I refuse to believe that there's any way that Kirk, Spock, and McCoy were all cadets together at Starfleet Academy. (2) Yeah, there's far too many plot cliches in there. Basically it'd be the Trek version of movies we've already seen.
One of my earliest memories is watching TWOK by Avenger534	Mar 20th, 2006 06:23:38 PM
I yearn for some good Trek. ST VI was a good film, yes, but there's been many administrative mistakes made in the franchise. This looks like it could have been a helluva film if properly treated fifteen years ago. Alas, it was not to be...
Trekkies will never go for a reboot. by EyeofPolyphemus	Mar 20th, 2006 06:26:12 PM
Place the new show or movie in the 25th century and don't elaborate on past continuity. Keep Berman 7 Braga away from it. Give us more exploration and discovery episodes, prsonal and otherwise, and leave the political rumblings of the Romulans, Klingons, Cassadians, et al, out of it.
Jack Black....... by chavee	Mar 20th, 2006 06:34:53 PM
.....as Scotty. That would be the shite.
I read this expecting to hate it.... by Coldhand	Mar 20th, 2006 06:42:01 PM
...And thought it sounded alright, The story sounded pretty tight in comparison to recent trek shite but trouble would come into paradise when it came to re-casting those iconic characters.
2 Cents... by Ronin_67	Mar 20th, 2006 06:44:09 PM
I too, thought the Academy idea was bad, but the script sounds like "classic trek." I agree with the Smallville references. The hints-of-things-to-come really make Smallville great (face it - you want Luther to be good but no he will end up a baddie). This would be great for a "reboot" of trek. I think the New Voyages and Exeter fan productions have caught a boit of the "old" Trek and (for Fan productions) quite enjoy them. the fact so many "classic" Trek folks (writers, actors, etc.) have lent their help, should mean something. I always thought a Trek Universe show might be good (TV, movie or internet). One where they could tell stories and not be married to one crew. Trek, for me, has always been about the larger ideals and values. Berman and Crew brought it to it's knees. God Bless you Gene and shame on you Rick.
Can Merrick please please write everything on this site by chiahead	Mar 20th, 2006 06:57:26 PM
from now on? Or at least can he have his own column? Seriously. They weren't kidding when they said that he needs to dumb it up and put in references to amazon, his girlfriend and being in love in order to fit on this site. what a great read. I found myself actually caring about Trek again- something I haven't done since First Contact. And I NEVER cared much for TOS- but THESE characters? I could get in to them. also... Shatner's Has Been really does rock.
i was a massive trekker by haywire666	Mar 20th, 2006 07:32:29 PM
but now im not... constant bland storylines and paramount ripping off the fans forced me to rethink my postion. enterprise really was the final nail in the coffin. why watch an epsiode when you knew it was composed out of far superior episodes out of other series. the franchise just ate itself whole. star trek academy yes, but take note of continuity and put it back in the 24th century picards era. its the only thing that will work.. why look at a communicator, when all you think of is that your own mobile phone works better then that. never let berman or braga touch this again. ever.
Young Jim Kirk.... NOT!!!! by Maniaq	Mar 20th, 2006 07:36:37 PM
I guess the average ST fan also likes Smallville? I think that show IS CRAP!! Let me say AGAIN what I said years ago - on this very talkback even - an anthology series is the ONLY way to save this franchise. Forget trying to make ST into SMallville or BSG or any other crap that came along LONG LONG after ST first captured people's imaginations... You don't need some charismatic lead doing his best to avoid channeling Shatner to make a Starfleet TV series work... in the Twilight Zone...
well done Merrick. by Mr Brownstone	Mar 20th, 2006 07:37:16 PM
well done. the preceeding is to be read aloud in a James Mason voice
one more time- who in the world is Merrick? by Cotton McKnight	Mar 20th, 2006 07:44:56 PM
I have never heard of this guy, but he is coming on this site like gangbusters. Nice to see someone interacting on the talkback for a change.
I can't believe people are still defending Nemesis. by iamnicksaicnsn	Mar 20th, 2006 07:50:21 PM
The biggest piece of garbage ever to touch a Star Trek franchise this side of Enterprise. TNG was genius of course, as were parts of Generations, and all of First Contact. DS9 came closest to replicating what made those series good, and also had what BSG has now: deep and flawed heroes and great war story lines. What First Contact and DS9 had were fear, fear of death, fear of failure, fear that they were so close to losing everything that had ever been faught for before. That's what was lost in Insurrection, and even more in Nemesis. Nothing ever seemed galaxy threatening. When you make a movie on Star Trek, it has to be epic, or it at least has to be somewhat meaningful (like IV, concerning species extinction through pollution). Enterprise's problem is in the same vein, not only was it sterilized, not only were the graphics lame, not only was the dialogue Lucas trite, not only did the history go against everything we had come to know about Star Trek before it, but it never had an over-bearing sense of dread, that things might not work out. Why? Because we knew everything had to work out in the end. And that aspect had no chance of being overcome because of all the previous faults. Enterprise came close though, when they did the Alternate Universe stuff, that was actually pretty damn good. So that's what Star Trek needs, flawed heroes, but heroes none-the-less. And fuck, don't even let me get started on Voyager's castration of The Borg, one of the freakiest villains this side of the Xenomorph from Alien.
Excuse me I am looking for the nuclear wessels? by George Newman	Mar 20th, 2006 07:50:27 PM

Re: "What I Would Do" by scrumdiddly	Mar 20th, 2006 07:52:58 PM
Merrick, that's a perfectly servicable idea, but really, 9 times out of 10 that story would just be a regurgitation of so many other sappy "teen dramas". If ANY new Trek ever gets made, it should be a story so great they can't not make it. Everything right now just smacks of desperation.
Why reboot? by MrD	Mar 20th, 2006 07:55:40 PM
I loved Trek, moreso in my college days than today, but love it I do still. However, I felt nothing but antipathy towards Voyager, and indifference towards Enterprise. However, I don't see that either one destroyed the UNIVERSE that we know. The problem, as I see it, is Roddenberry's "no conflict - Federation Paradise" mandate, and that is what would have to be jettisoned, or they'll have to keep coming up with mixed crews like DS9 and VOY, or set it outside Starfleet like Enterprise. My thoughts for a series: 1) Trek meets James Bond - a series set around Section 31. 2) A series in the mirror universe, in which Starfleet attempts to fix the problems Kirk created. Send in an undercover crew to work with the underground. I think such a story has more relevence now than when I thought of it a decade ago. 3) Push the series foward another century. We've been pissing around in the 24th century for too long. We know it too well. Shake up the status quo, and see what the Federation, it's allies and it's enemies have become. Like TNG, it will allow us to discover the familiar all over again.
I agree with I Dunno by Z0D	Mar 20th, 2006 07:58:25 PM
The idiots Berman & Braga should have handed over the franchise to the DS9 crew. Quite simply, DS9 was somewhat better than TNG. To support this, the fact that they were on a space station next to a wormhole to another quadrant of the galaxy made it spectacular. Aliens coming through to Alpha quad, we go through to Gamma quad, wormhole is basically the home realm of extra-dimensional aliens who are worshiped by Bajorans, the Dominion as the super bad guy until the end, badass Sisko being the chosen one to bring peace, Kai Winn being the back stabbing bitch, Kira being the auburn-headed hottie in season7 (oh I dreamed of her), and the kick-ass war machine Defiant. Oh, don't forget Quark's dabo girls who barely wore anything and the many other supporting characters/actors who added deapth to the storytelling. Picture this, Star Trek 9 would: have brought Sisko back from the celestial temple at the prophet's insistance to stop a new threat to the stability of the galaxy. He would reappear at Starfleet HQ bringing a new message of great urgency: another planet killer is on it's way. This time, there's no stopping it. The Bajorans know about it based on their encounter with one in their ancient past. The only way to fight the threat is for the emissary to come full circle and make the ultimate sacrifice. In my mind, DS9 ws the best Trek ever. ___KNEEL___
Reboot idea sucks! Do starfleet academy in Picard's era by Neo Zeed	Mar 20th, 2006 07:58:49 PM
NO reboot..NO more going back in Star Trek's past..How about new characters and have the friggin' TNG and DS9 characters show up to the Acadamy to teach the young folk. It doesn't have to be Dawson's Creek in Space...it can be very serious and have adventures and subplots that can impact the Star Trek universe and finally move it foward with continuity. DS9 was still in the universe..That's why people liked it better than Gilligans Island in Space AKA: Voyager and Enterprise (where they had to shoehorn TNG cast in stupid convoluted ways anyway so....)
Stop trying to explain stuff..... by Lain Of The Net	Mar 20th, 2006 08:06:27 PM
No one who has any power to start new Trek is going to do anything until Berman's contract runs out. I believe that this is supposed to happen at the end of this year. Enterprise was just about the most painful television I have ever watched. Thing is I like Bakula - I adore him in fact - but until Trek can be done without the presence of Berman it will always feel wrong. The man does not get it. There are still people who do understand Trek - Judith & Garfield Reeves-Stevens for example. One of the things that made original Trek work was the assembling of a diverse group of people and watching them work. Original Trek said "you may be an enemy now but there is always the possibility we may become friends." Enterprise was basically a "you don't look like us...therefore you are an enemy." Some of the plot devices in the original series that have been mis-used in recent series have originated from "growing pains" in the original series. Vulcan prejudice for example in "Balance of Terror". Enterprise used that misunderstood aspect of an otherwise good episode to back story all Vulcans on Enterpise. The issue was not that a Human had good reasons to hate Vulcans. His hate had NO reason and that was the point of the episode. Some of the early poorly written stuff for Spock - remember the smiling Spock in "Mudd's Women" - has become the basis for the truly horrid examples of Vulcans in their later series. So instead of an example of a long lived race that had learned it's lessons well we got Tuvok the stuck up and uptight alien and T'Pol the pouty. It is like they looked at these episodes and decided that these early series mistakes were intentional and not growing pains of a new series. It is what happens when anyone takes something as literal and fully intentional without the input from the original writer. I think in the case of the Vulcans it is the reason we have never had a better Vulcan than that of Leonard Nimoy or Mark Lenard. There is a reason why these characters resonated with young viewers of the time. McCoy the kindly Father figure, Kirk the emotional impulsive older brother, and Spock the struggling emotionally self aware autistic. The characters were put together as very different people with no real back story who came to love each other as a family would. When they said they would die for each other they meant it although this was never really put to the test like it was in the third movie. In First Contact, at the end of the film, the audience I was with cheered at the arrival of the Vulcans because they were Gene's Vulcans and not Rick's conniving, lying, petty underhanded sneaks. We were still under the impression that Trek was understood at that point by the people making it and not being churned out by some Hollywood Idea Man. The real understanding, from the fan point of view, set in with the pre-history series Enterprise. This is when the glaring misconceptions of any series would come to light when one tries to write what has come before. It is a far harder thing to write a back story than to continue one because a person must understand what you have first thoroughly. If you don't then the entire thing - Enterprise - begins to fall apart as people sense the wrongness of it and start tuning out. Elaborate back stories are not nearly as magical as the stories of people who do not know each other come together and begin to love and care for each other with NO prior reasons to do so. Stop feeling the need to explain things! Let the magic work! New Lost this Week!
This might just work by Ye Not Guilty	Mar 20th, 2006 08:08:47 PM
If it were a two hour, made-for-tv movie, but not as a theatrical release. The problem is that it falls prey to the same criticisms that many fans make of the TNG movies - that they are essentially two hour long episodes of the tv series. All this does is fill in some (albeit very interesting) backstory to already established characters. I agree with what another Talkbacker said, that this plot does not advance the franchise in any meaningful way. It is about revisiting the past, which is fun in a nostalgic way, but it would not be enough to sustain a theatrical release. Still, I could see it working on the small screen. Just replace the McCoy bookends with Sulu bookends, update it a bit, write around the continuity problems, eliminate some of the corny humor, throw in a couple of Scotty voice clips recycled from old episodes of TOS, add a line or two each from Kirk and Spock (these can via communicator, so the audience hears their voices only) and you have solid, quality teevee entertainment.
gonna have to disagree with you, IAmNicksAICNSN by chiahead	Mar 20th, 2006 08:24:38 PM
Make no mistake, Nemesis sucked...but I don't think the franchise's problems came from forgetting to make things epic, I think they came when they forgot that epic doesn't mean shite unless we the audience can relate to it on a purely human, PERSONAL level. Just my opinion. But one of the things I liked about TNG was that it went beyond this feaux grandiose ideollogy of TOS and BECAME about real(ish) people who, despite all this fancy shmancy technology, were still struggling in a very present-tense way to survive. Ensign Rowe's storylines in particular are a very good example of what I'm talking about. That's also why I found Data's character to be so interesting, no matter how repetitive his 'antics' became on the series. It was always about little things like... trying to figure out what humor was, or learning how to dance. Also the Beacon episode where Picard gets beamed into a different life etc. These weren't high handed or didactic, and if they were epic, what thrilled me about them was that I cared about the characters moreso than the fate of the universe. In any event, I think the creative teams on the more recent trek franchises mistook 'high stakes' for 'high emotion' or even for relevancy. Maybe it was a self imposed scare tactic or some kind of dramatic un-handicap to rewrite the trek history in Enterprise (i wouldn't know, i never watched that trash)- but i definitely think thinking BIGGER was putting a band aid on a much bigger problem. They shouldn't have been thinking BIGGER so much as they should have been thinking more specific. The more specific one gets in writing, the more universal it becomes, I have found. You yourself referenced Star Trek IV- I don't think the thematic content of ecology over extinction made it so popular so much as a) it was something we related to in the day, the idea of conservation et al, and b) we got to see all of these characters cast in the light of a completely different environment. Saving the world almost seemed like an afterthought. But that is just me.
Bravo, Merrick! by Kap'n Kek	Mar 20th, 2006 08:24:43 PM
It's easy in the current climate to jump on the bandwagon and beat the crap out of Trek, and sadly...DAMN but it deserves it. This is coming from a lifelong, official Trek dork, someone for whom the reruns of classic trek in the mid '80s were the beginning of a whole new appreciation for fiction. NG was good, even great from several technical standpoints, but it only touched on true greatness when it emulated the original series, i.e. making the relationships between the characters the central issue. Look at Khan, why is it the universally regarded best film? It is about nothing but the characters and it is moved by those same characters, their despair, hate, and the surprising depth of their friendship. It's absolutely great to see someone value Trek the same way. The lines from the treatment(?) sound like he's channeling Fontana, sounds more like Kirk than he did in Generations(which I didn't entirely hate...there's something about a pauper's funeral for a great hero that I find moving). Anyway, if there is to be Trek in the future, haha, this sounds like a no-brainer compared to more NG whose characters have NOT aged the same charming way the OS actors did. Damn, reading that script/treatment/idea made me more excited about Star Trek than the last three movies put together. Now as far as casting...
let it die by gredenko	Mar 20th, 2006 08:26:53 PM
give it a generation or so, then let it be reinvented/remembered/revisite d. there's too much bad trek baggage in the recent past for anything to take hold now like the original movies and series in syndication did.
Bring Bennett + Meyer Back NOW! by genrefanboy	Mar 20th, 2006 08:32:20 PM
They were both chiefly responsible for relaunching modern Trek. Gene took a back seat after STMP. Its been well documented in various books that Gene hated the TOS movie franchise (except for ST4). Harve should be given the chance to bring Trek back again as he was the primary creative force behind Treks 2,3,4 + 5. 5 failed because it had a weak premise + awful VFX. Strong VFX would have made it a lot better. If Paramount are floating this idea out there to see what fans think then they should realise that it would generate a lot of interest/money if done right either as a TV movie or straight to DVD as less financial risk although with the right hot young actors + Shatner & Nimoy could still be a huge hit @ the theaters as old & young would be interested in it. Even if it were poorly produced would still be a huge improvement over anything Berman & Braga produced since ST8!
Set the next series or movie in the Trek Universe by Ingeld	Mar 20th, 2006 09:08:27 PM
but in hundreds of years before. Kirk's great great grandfather was a smart aleck but clever member of the FBI who explored strange phenomenon with a female ancestor of Dr. McCoy. She worked as a forensic scientists/medical examiner. Perhaps, they almost fall in love. Nah, it would never work.
THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH... by Joseph Merrick	Mar 20th, 2006 09:15:46 PM
..for your kind words. They are profoundly meaningful and appreciated.
One more thing Trek needs... by MrD	Mar 20th, 2006 09:17:13 PM
Writers. Not just television writers. Science Fiction writers. People with real ideas, not rejiggered TOS or TNG stories. Sure, some tv guys will need to be there for polish, but there is a wealth of storytellers out there waiting to be tapped.
you take the good, you take the bad... by omarthesnake	Mar 20th, 2006 09:40:53 PM
and there you have it. Good bits: sounds like the characters are well handled. Bad bits: The lack of Finnigan, the cliched badass chick character, and both the notions that everybody met each other at the academy and that they were all there the same time in the first place (aren't Bones and Scotty like ten years older than Kirk? And who knows HOW old Spock is?). and my vague suspicion that this is a fan wank script and not an actual one. Merrick, buddy, pal, why isn't this script available online somewhere for us all to peruse? and to add to the chorus, Merrick, your writing is too good, your observations too insightful and rational for this site. Go back and read that godawful Harry review of what was it, Blade II?
sounds really good by springs360	Mar 20th, 2006 09:51:38 PM
I'm a big fan of TOS despite the general 60's shoddy sets and design but the stories were interesting the acting sound and was just generally exciting, although from a 2006 POW a bit camp and outdated althuogh i think its better than the frankly boring and tedious nxt gen/DS9+Voy (althuogh I'm not really a fan of formumatic space stuff except firefly). The script for Academy looks good, not too cheesy or slef-knowing like some preuels but i think this should be the last ever trek related thing so let it go before it dissolves into joke
For God's sake: Let Trek RIP by Jim Jam Bongs	Mar 20th, 2006 09:51:40 PM
It needs to go into hibernation for AT LEAST 9 more years (counting 10 years since the end of Enterprise) before we start seriously discussing another revival.
Hey Merrick, need a tagline? by Uncle_Les	Mar 20th, 2006 09:53:18 PM
How about: "I am NOT AN ANIMAL, I AM A MAN!"? No? Okay, it was worth mentioning.
Recasting TOS by Alan_Moore	Mar 20th, 2006 10:02:20 PM
Bennett had a nice idea, but at the wrong time. The idea of replacing the beloved TOS cast was understandably met with resistance in 1990. But now that 2 of the cast are dead, and it's been 15 years since the public has seen the classic characters in live action, the idea is more acceptable. That said, while I'd definitely watch an Academy movie, it'd be even better to have the characters at their familiar stations on the Enterprise. Set it in year 5 - show us the famous 5 year mission wrapping up with a grand adventure, and end it with Kirk, Spock and Bones returning home as heroes and then saying their farewells to one another. Think of it as the ending TOS always deserved, and never got ("Turnabout Intruder" hardly cuts it as the finale to such a legendary show). It was thrilling to see the 1960's-era costumes, sets, props and a Constitution class starship during a 2-parter in Enterprise's final season. To see a ship that, for all intents and purposes, was the NCC-1701, whipping ass in a way the limited FX of the original series could never show us, much as they may have wanted to. It'd be much more of a thrill if the ship WAS the Enterprise, a young James T. Kirk was in command, William Shatner appeared in framing sequences as the older Kirk, and this was all up on the big screen. I firmly believe this WOULD attract an audience. p.s. Shatner himself is set to release his own 'young Kirk & Spock at the Academy' novel (written as always with the Reeves-Stevens) sometime soon. Bill even pitched the idea to CBS as a possible series not long ago. Wonder how Bennett feels about that??
Ah well... guess nobody wants to answer me. by Cotton McKnight	Mar 20th, 2006 10:50:17 PM
Who Merrick is, I mean. Moriarty? Check. Seen his stuff. Quint? Yep, seen him before. Harry? Of course. Herc? Yep. Merrick- who? Just give me some background. Is he old school or a johnny come lately?
Kirk and Spock: Brokeback Planet by SeedyAl	Mar 20th, 2006 11:07:36 PM
I think they should remake the original series with new actors. Flava Flav could be Captain Kirk and Bobcat Goldthwaite could be Spock.
There Are Three Good Trek Series by SeedyAl	Mar 20th, 2006 11:13:23 PM
TOS, TNG, DS9. All had some really really bad shows and some really bad acting, but all had some very good shows. Trek doesn't exist for me past DS9. Voyager and Enterprise were just bad dreams.
Paramount should hire Merrick by oisin5199	Mar 20th, 2006 11:20:21 PM
I agree with those who have said that his is the best description of what went wrong with Trek and what kind of potential it has. My biggest question was why this didn't get made? As a movie or a series, this sounds like it could be great. Total proof the studio has its head up its collective ass. My guess is that it's all politics and bureacracy. That bit Merrick said about the journey to the stars is right on, totally part of the original Roddenberry spirit. One of the reasons DS9 was so critically successful was because it freed itself from the ship-and-missions formula that Voyager and Enterprise ran into the ground (though it certainly was the darkest Trek). This movie/series could be about something more than flying around in a ship. It can be about people trying to escape from their earthbound realities and getting to the stars and stumbling along the way. And as individuals, they represent the human struggle to transcend. Could be brilliant. I love BSG, but I think the time is fast approaching for a message of hope to come through scifi again. If anyone's out there who has influence, get this made!
it is over... by perfecto_fan	Mar 20th, 2006 11:51:51 PM
Kinda sad...these movies are done. Rick Berman needs to let someone else produce Star Trek.
I've said it before... by Rakafraker	Mar 21st, 2006 12:12:32 AM
I'll say it again: If ppl could get over the fact that Wesley Crusher was disliked, there was a HUGE opening for exploration (one of the biggest thematic elements of ST) of the ST universe with the 'Travellers' premise. I wish I could find my old copy of OMNI (mid '80's? Wow... I AM that old!) where it was mentioned that (long before the crapola series came out) 'Voyager' was going to be about various different situations in the ST universe. We all want to explore this universe, what better way? I know it would be expensive with all the differing sets and a (mostly) different cast every week (Hey, it worked for Quantum Leap. Hmmmm...), but imagine the possiblities. You could involve ANY of the characters that ppl find interesting and think of all the continuity issues that could be solved. BTW-Wouldn't it be cool to see Q again? Travellers VS Q... Hmmmm...
Besides... by Rakafraker	Mar 21st, 2006 12:26:26 AM
Didn't TNG elude to that premise? I'm not saying that it even has to be about Weasley Crusher.
Re-birth... and tag lines. by Cold Winter Wind	Mar 21st, 2006 12:31:05 AM
A VERY good read, Merrick. Actually makes me want to re-visit that universe. Quite an accomplishment since I now wince whenever I see an episode of TOS. And I'm truly surprised that no one has yet suggested "I'm Merrick, Wanna Climb My Derrick?".
Kirk explicitly said in TOS by slder78	Mar 21st, 2006 12:39:36 AM
that he was a bookworm at the academy and didn't become who he was till later, so that would kinda fly in the face of the movie.
Hey chiahead, we are in complete agreement by iamnicksaicnsn	Mar 21st, 2006 12:43:43 AM
Yes, I made the point about epic story-lines, but I meant that in the movie form. I defintely pointed out that I wanted fractured heroes, almost anti-heroes. That's why First Contact, and in my opinion Generations, were so good. They mixed grand story-lines (The Borg finding away to eradicate humanity, a big wavey-thingy that not only destroyed planets and ships but destroyed the Enterprise-D for farks-sakes) with emotional character plots (Picard dealing with his Borg past, Cochrane coming to terms with his future, Troi bein a drunky, Data and perfection, the fuckin Borg Queen, in FC, and Picard dealing with the loss of his brother and Rene his nephew killing the Picard lineage, Geordi and Data's friendship, Data getting emotions, Data and Spot, Worf getting promoted, Soran and finding happiness through any means necessary, in Gen). And again, you're right with Star Trek IV, a fairly big story that was complimented with masterful character interactions. And you're right, I left out in my anti-Enterprise rant was that you never cared about any of the principle characters, no matter how big the story was. Should have clarified all that better!
The one Trek film I would have loved to see made by ZombiKiller86	Mar 21st, 2006 01:42:09 AM
But I'm wondering how they would've casted the thing. I mean, it's not easy to get people that look like a young Shatner, Nimoy, Kelly, and Doohan. And yes, Star Trek V is a very underrated piece of genius.
Agree that Merrick needs to write on here more often. by Gabba-UK	Mar 21st, 2006 03:08:04 AM
A very good piece of writing. Totally agree with the reasons that Trek 'died' at the end of his work. I'm not sure that an TOS academy series would work. I don't think the fans will go for the recasting of icons. An academy set 30 to 40 years after TNG/DS9 would work however as one talkbacker has already suggested. TNG/DS9 regulars could be worked in as guest speakers/teachers at the academy. Hell, you could even have holo-deck versions of Kirk and Spock giving lectures and advice to the recruits (note to future writers use these versions of Kirk and Spock VERY sparingly), Comparisons have been made to Smallville and why not? While there are problems with Smallville (how many types of Kryptonite?!!!) the way they have worked round Superman lore and little touch's such as the using of the same set design for the Daily Planet for the upcoming movie and hints to what is to come make the show fun to watch. And fun to watch is not a phrase to be used for watching Star Trek since DS9. I wasn't aware that Berman's contract was due to end this year. Thank God! One of Roddenbery's few creative cock-ups was setting Berman up as his successor. Mark my words, Paramount will not give up on Star Trek, its worth too much money. But if Bermans contract does expire this year, the day after he clears his desk, a new Trek will be announced and he'll have nothing to do with it! And there'll be much rejoicing from Trek fans around the world.
Nice job by Exterminans	Mar 21st, 2006 03:47:17 AM
I'm glad it wasn't made because I can't imagine anyone besides Shatner playing Kirk but I still enjoyed reading the article. I think a similar idea using new characters would be interesting but I'd rather they let the original series characters die with the actors who played them. I don't need to see a young Kirk or Spock. All in all a nice piece Joseph Merrick. Please write more.
Spot on Merrick by David Frames	Mar 21st, 2006 04:24:19 AM
Your dissection of what went wrong with the francaise is completely accurate. I hope Trek does come back one day but I'd favour something set further in the future so that new writeres weren't constrained by continuity and had the freedom to reinvent the whole, er, enterprise. Those writers could do a lot worse than read your article - good work my friend.
Star Trek: The Academy Years = dumb idea. by Darth Bono Jr.	Mar 21st, 2006 05:07:17 AM
But I have no problem with a RECASTING of TOS characters for new movies or a t.v. series. The original premise and characters are FAR superior to anything that was done by Berman & evil crew. I wouldn't mind seeing them again, in a new series. But please NO MORE SHATNER & NIMOY as Kirk & Spock!!! Those two look like wrinkled nursing home patients!!!
NOTHING involving Rick Berman or henchman Bragga!!!!! by Mike Nesmith	Mar 21st, 2006 05:10:30 AM
They are NOT acceptable! For God's sake, Paramount, keep them away from STAR TREK!!!!! In fact, NO ONE from The Next Generation & spin-offs, please.
I hate Star Trek and I still read this. by DOGSOUP	Mar 21st, 2006 05:47:19 AM
What's wrong with me?
We had a prequel already, it was called Enterprise. by Darksider	Mar 21st, 2006 06:39:38 AM
It was cancelled. Until Star Trek gets it's head out of it's ass, I have Battlestar Galactica. They didn't try any prequel shit. There's the whole universe out there and people still can't get over Kirk and TOS. The best thing I can see them doing is something totally original ala Deep Space Nine dealing mostly with other civilizations or a current(not past version) of Starfleet Academy and if it's successful, start a movie with them on duty. My only requirements are an ass-kicking android and hot bitches.
What ever happened to Q? by Darksider	Mar 21st, 2006 06:47:31 AM
I think it would be cool to follow one of them around for a while. John De Lance? wasn't even in a TNG movie and Q was in the first an last episodes. And yes, DS9 got fucking robbed of their movies. The Dominion War would have been a great movie starting point.
Great article by yodas_dad	Mar 21st, 2006 07:26:58 AM
Hope we get to see this story in some form one day.
ahhh Merrick by ILK	Mar 21st, 2006 07:50:33 AM
always a breath of fresh air. Great article.
... by Scorpius	Mar 21st, 2006 07:50:47 AM

Harve Bennett was the secret ingredient by quentintarantado	Mar 21st, 2006 07:54:11 AM
I seem to track the rise and fall of TOS with Bennett's participation. Out of the blue, his name appeared in Khan and he worked on the next two with bigger success each time. His last adventure with Trek, the fifth, is the blot on his track record, but I like to attribute the faults of that movie to Shatner, not Bennett (Shatner, in turn, blamed it on the lack of a budget for proper special effects.) I seem to recall Bennett was kicked out of the series because he planned to do Academy Years and the big stars had him hung, drawn and quartered for conspiring to retire these overpaid divas and restart with fresh faces and low salaries. He did not take part in Trek VI. I was checking IMDB and he's been inactive since 1998, working in TV. Before Trek, he did a lot of television, some Six Million Dollar Man specials and Bionic Woman. Most notably, he worked on "A Woman Called Golda" with Ingrid Bergman. Is producing this script really far out? After Trek was cancelled the first time in the sixties, things may have been hopeless right there and then, but like a phoenix, the franchise keeps coming back to life. I think the fans should not give up, they should dream big and have this script made!
Nothing says "Creative Bankruptcy" like PREQUELS by Laserbrain	Mar 21st, 2006 08:03:25 AM
The death knell of any series is when the producers decide to take us "back to where it all began...". Fuck all prequels. They are always... ALWAYS NON-ideas.
Star Trek needs a completely new direction by Scorpius	Mar 21st, 2006 08:05:08 AM
I
This is dumb. by fiester	Mar 21st, 2006 08:08:45 AM
If they're going to do it, use all new characters. No lame rehashes or some young kid trying to channel Shatner.
They should do Star Trek: The Bajoran Chronicles by MJAYACE	Mar 21st, 2006 08:09:48 AM
For the most boring bit of Star Trek ever created. DS9 episodes that focused on that worthless planet had to be about the saddest case of weak story telling in history. "Let's create a planet, put a thing on their noses to make'em aliens and tell their story as boring as possible!" Makes for great TV... Sigh. As an old Star Trek fan I say let it die in peace and be fondly remembered for the great bits of story telling that did happen ala the original series and TNG.
Idiots who double post to correct a misspelling... by Behemoth	Mar 21st, 2006 08:26:43 AM
Guess what...if you wrote "lean" instead of "learn," we probably got it. No big deal, and no reason to post again just to say, "Uh, I meant 'learn'". Tools. Quit being so self-important. No one gives a rat's tuckus. Stop clogging the board with your narcissism. Infidel defilers. And Merrick...nice read. Danke.
Braga & Trek by DeathStalker	Mar 21st, 2006 09:09:23 AM
Interestingly, I met Brannon shortly after he first started working on Trek, back in 90-91. Back then he was a completely different person than what he has become. I know some of the "inside" happenings that occurred with Voyager (a show I never liked, but then I was never a big fan of TNG either). I thought DS9 held the most promise, after they let Sisco become more Hawk-like. And, I really, I mean REALLY, like Enterprise during the first and fourth seasons. They lost their way a bit with the 2nd and 3rd, but the first will always be golden to me. As for Berman, .... Trek has unarguably gone down the toilet since he took over. Paramount should turn the whole franchise back over to Bennett (though I doubt he'd even take it at this point).
the only star trek i've ever seen by white owl	Mar 21st, 2006 09:15:28 AM
were some episodes of Voyager. That was a good show, I think.
Star Trek: Dyson Sphere by RogueWarrior65	Mar 21st, 2006 09:29:27 AM
Am I the only one who thinks the Dyson Sphere episode would make for practically limitless plot/story possibilities?
No No No No No No by Sans Souci	Mar 21st, 2006 09:31:05 AM
Six Degrees of Trekeration. Everybody knows everybody! And I suppose that Khan, Dukat, the blood sucking energy cloud, the crystaline entity and the Borg Queen all team up to do together what they could never achieve individually: DESTROY THE FEDERATION! Dum dum dum! "Contrived" doesn't begin to describe this. You can explore the character backstories, but having Kirk, Spock, McCoy and Scotty all attending the Academy at the same time reeks of sloppy storytelling. Want to re-energize Trek? Try doing an animated series again. Live action Trek needs to rest a few years before it can return at full power. And Trek needs to take chances, not hedge bets and play it safe like they did with Voyager and Enterprise.
I agree about Q! by Flickerhead	Mar 21st, 2006 09:49:37 AM
Q was the most intriguing villain in any of the "Trek" incarnations. With Q episodes bookending the series, I felt sure we'd eventually get a killer TNG film featuring him and his wacky hijinks. It coulda been the bomb. Alas, "Nemesis" drove the final nail into the coffin of "Trek." 'Tis dead. Let us mourn and move on.
Bennett is The Man... by Alan_Moore	Mar 21st, 2006 10:02:40 AM
...who wrote the classic exchange... KIRK: "My God, Bones, what have I done?" MCCOY: "What you had to do. What you always do. Turn death into a fighting chance to live." Just awesome. The reason Trek soared under Bennett and floundered under Berman is that Bennett simply GOT IT and cared about the material. Here is a man who, when hired in the early 80's, booked a screening room on the Paramount lot and spent the week educating himself by watching every episode of the original series! By the time his marathon was over, he had the idea for The Wrath of Khan. Compare that to Berman, who admits he was never an original series fan and to this day has only seen "about a third" of TOS. Bennett, Nick Meyer, and Leonard Nimoy reportedly clashed A LOT during the production of Treks II through IV, but that was because each man had a passion for the material, strong ideas about which direction to take the franchise in, and wanted the best possible product. They cared enough to try and make each entry an event, not just a double-length tv episode, and we were all the benefactors of their creative tension. One can only assume things went very smoothly during the production of the TNG films, with no one questioning Berman's "wisdom". As for whether Bennett still wants to do the a Trek film, he said as recently as last month, "Could we make it now? If somebody wants to, I'm there." The full interview can be found here: http://www.treknation.com/inte rviews/harve_bennett_2006.shtm l
Instead of Voyager... by Shermdawg	Mar 21st, 2006 10:08:55 AM
They should have did a series based on Alan Ruck's character from Generations and the crew of the NCC-1701 B. Ruck would always seem a little bit odd, he is secretly reliving the day the greatest captain died aboard his ship. There is a prototype holodeck on board and he goes there and talks to a aging Kirk, After a season or two, he would snap, big time, and his first officer, John Leguizamo would take over for the remainder of the series. Oh, and the show would have had Sulu cameos galore! DYR!!!
End of the Dominion War, and the Federation in ruin... by ComputerGuy68	Mar 21st, 2006 10:50:05 AM
pick up with the DS9 crew, find Sisco and help rebuild a new Federation. Civil War, Famine, Genocide, oh the possibilities! And just as the new Federation is about to begin, introduce a new enemy who is taking advantage of the weakened/fractured Federation. I don
Agreed...... by Reignofjerm	Mar 21st, 2006 11:00:01 AM
I thought Trek V was the most ambitious and didn
new film needs a hardcore crossover by haywire666	Mar 21st, 2006 11:10:44 AM
you know what im talking about folks.. Q old gen, new gen, ds9, voy.. forget about ent. q insane, he's blowing up the universe... only our starfleet heroes can stop him. launch new series on the back of that
Idiots crying because of spelling corrections. by Some Dude	Mar 21st, 2006 11:13:00 AM
Behemoth, some people care, some people don't. Why, though, are you crying about it?
Going into the past is rubbish by bhercules	Mar 21st, 2006 11:20:53 AM
They should always push forward rather than meddle with the history. Voyager just never seemed like a team cut off, the ship looked nice and clean and never really ever came under any food or power shortages. Just didnt ring true. Enterprise, Theme song meddling with established history. Would love to see a Section 31 series or just one where we deal with how the Federation behave as badly as the klingons and romulans in their own way. I could even see a seperate academy series, not with kirk or anyone, but with a new cast of kids. Might suck, might not, might bring a new audience. If they decide to bring back a new series or film they should keep heading into the future and get someone else in charge, Bermans been there too long. if they keep going into the past they're just going to run out of room.
They need to jump about 100 years ahead by Jeditemple	Mar 21st, 2006 11:25:03 AM
...Just to put all of the crap behind them and start fresh.
Star Trek Forever and the next series! by Ingeld	Mar 21st, 2006 11:43:25 AM
Look, if you consider that every reality based television show is set in the very same universe that our beloved series is in then you realize that Trek will never die. There are plenty of Trek series out there. Star Trek Law and Order: Special Victims Unit comes to mind. Star Trek: ER is another great Trek show. One of my favorites is Star Trek: The West Wing. Hell even the news is part of it. Star Trek: 60 Minutes. Now that we got THAT straightened out, I think if they ever do a series again, they should, indeed, set in the far future, but this future should be one in with the galaxy is starting to emerge from a dark age. The federation has long fallen due to war, the borg or something. A great amount of knowledge has been retained in some places, but a great deal has been lost. A new federation, based on the ideas of the first is starting to emerge. The mission of the show is an attempt to reclaim old knowledge and old connections to races as they also seek out the new. Now, that would be fun.
Jumping ahead 100 years is a bad idea!!! by Darth Bono Jr.	Mar 21st, 2006 12:55:56 PM
The writers couldn't even handle THE NEXT GENERATION technology in a believable way...jumping ahead 100 years would result in stories with technology like THE JETSONS!! In fact, that's pretty much what the much-loved-but-incredibly-stup id holo-deck was...a ridiculous execution of a sci-fi idea.
anchorite, you mean suck AND Blow... by ComputerGuy68	Mar 21st, 2006 01:05:08 PM

hey, where is the Cute Borg poster... by ComputerGuy68	Mar 21st, 2006 01:07:57 PM
He miss a Trek talkback? Unheard of...
anchorite ;) by ComputerGuy68	Mar 21st, 2006 01:08:45 PM

C'mon! Doesn't ANYBODY remember... by Rakafraker	Mar 21st, 2006 02:16:12 PM
The 'Traveller' and the last few episodes of TNG? F*CK the fact that it was Crusher. TNG was headed in that direction already. Am I the only person who remembers this?
NEWVOYAGES.COM by Kentucky Colonel	Mar 21st, 2006 02:29:46 PM
TREK LIVES at newvoyages.com ; once you get used to the new faces the episodes are good fun. Check 'em out...fan produced hour-length episodes that have the TOS spirit down cold. AND ITS FREE!!! newvoyages.com
Starfleet Academy? Are you guys fucking serious??? by moondoggy2u	Mar 21st, 2006 02:45:38 PM
No wonder trekkies get beat up...
Lets just put cameras in Berman's Bathroom. by moondoggy2u	Mar 21st, 2006 02:49:44 PM
That way, we can just watch him take a shit for an hour and at least be honest about it. Starfleet academy? Yeah, way to boldly go to new dorm rooms and new civics tests. Star Trek: 90210. Only a hollywood pinhead could have thought up that story...
THE DEMISE OF STAR TREK by kwisatzhaderach	Mar 21st, 2006 04:02:18 PM
Star Trek ended after FIRST CONTACT. INSURRECTION was OK, for a TV episode, but not for a feture length movie. Why didn't they do a big war movie, with lots of crises and Q popping up now and again to annoy? That could have been a major blockbuster if it was well scripted. At the end of the day Paramount took STAR TREK for granted, there was no quality control over it. Enter Rick Berman and Brannon Braga. The fact neither of them can get a successful series off the ground speaks volumes...
Star Trek: The Musical by Incrediburgible	Mar 21st, 2006 04:05:51 PM
I've said it before and I'll say it again. Star Trek needs to be a Tristram Shandy The Movie style film, where they are making a Star Trek musical for broadway (set it in 1977 and get Ben Affleck to play Shatner) with lots of song and dance and extra-curricular dramas, and the Gorn, ("Get me out of this faggoty suit! I need some air!") - - Or, don't do it as a behind the scenes meta-narrative. Just do a straight up Star Trek Opera with a Greek chorus of 200 year old children ("Bonk Bonk on the head! Tell 'em Jim. Tell 'em Jim. Tell 'em Jim....") The Gorn definitely needs his moment in the spotlight, The Gorn's Lament, in a kind of Olivia Newton John "Hopelessly Devoted To You" mournful ballad where he's crying into his PVC tube of gun powder and debris, while Kirk is off chasing little green skirts on Rigel 12. Spock and McCoy could have a Deliverance style dueling bangos number where Spock picks out some Flat & Scruggs on his retarded Vulcan autoharp and McCoy plays some kind of "space banjo". And I'm picturing some kind of Daft Punk gay techno number for Sulu where he's staring at those space daggers coming at him on the view screen and he's trancing out, while Chekov does a rendition of that Davey Jones song from Brady Bunch ("Gull.... look whot you've dun to meeee.... Oh Gull.....") BRING IT! Stop fucking around with these brain-damaged prequels and reimaginings and sequels and reboots. Fucking get to the heart of what people treasure most about Trek. The CAMP VALUE. It's all cheese. Cheesy as all bloody hell. Stop pretending it's serious or that it matters or that it ever mattered, pencil dicks!!!!!!!!
Wow, I'm hooked by CloudCleaver	Mar 21st, 2006 04:06:34 PM
Just read through that quick synopsis of yours, Merrick. I'd LOVE to see that film made. Just no one get the bright idea of actually putting William Shatner in it somehow.
I like the concept by DarthSaul666	Mar 21st, 2006 04:19:35 PM
This would have been really cool to see as a film. Great article!
Only Star Trek would introduce a Dyson Sphere by cookylamoo	Mar 21st, 2006 04:23:36 PM
with nobody living in it. As for Trek set in the "future", forget it. It's was obvious that the light based life forms like the Doctor were eventually going to revolt and take over the galaxy. Die, inefficiant carbon-based life forms.
i would love to see this as a one-off flick. by dregmobile	Mar 21st, 2006 04:56:24 PM

maybe the first of a pre-OST trilogy by dregmobile	Mar 21st, 2006 04:59:37 PM
i hit the 'return' key instead of 'tab'. just last night i was watching the hippy episode of trek where the guy with the ears searches for eden. kirk turns to scotty at one point saying that they were mischievous when they were young. the potential for this to happen is all there. btw, it's great to see so many people aware that voyager and beginning seasons of enterprise and nemesis killed star trek. you people have your head on straight. berman needs to go bye-bye. bring bennett back before it's too late!
craptastic! by Redmantle	Mar 21st, 2006 05:07:50 PM
That's the new word I learned from visiting AICN, and if anything fits the bill it's Star Trek the Academy Years. It's Got Craptastic written all over it...
I like it! A lot!! by BendersShinyAss	Mar 21st, 2006 05:37:40 PM
Only it couldn't be McCoy. I think the remaining Sule, Checkov & Uhura could have a group retelling. That's be kewl. As for David Loughly and his weak script for Trek 5. Bollucks! Trek 5 had one of the greatest treatments of any Trek film. So did Generations, btw. The problem is that the integrity of the film makers and the money people is what ultimately let those films down. As with Generations, there were concepts, scenes and moments that were just pure star trek and would have made for repeated viewings. There was something magical about the original Star Trek that just couldn't seem to faulter. Indeed, Trek 5 (the movie) may have been handled poorly, but when you take into consideration movies like Insurrection and even Nemesis - Two trek films tha had the full 100% backing of Paramount, Trek 5 upon revisitation is a surprisingly solid film in comparison. If Paramount had of gotten behind Shatner on his Trek 5 project, the film would have been possibly the greatest Trek film made. Track down a copy of the novilization. Do the same with Generations. You'll find that the ideas floating around in those stories were pure star trek. Genuine and marvelous. As for Rick Berman..... Are his nuts still intact? Man that guy fucked up my best friend. (yes I am a hard core Trekkie)
Nice to see the ST:V love here... by ComputerGuy68	Mar 21st, 2006 06:01:48 PM
for so many years I thought I was the only one who liked it. I actualy like it better than IV (it hasn't aged well). VI was good, but is missing something... The NG films all felt like TV shows to me.
Yes, 6 is missing something by BendersShinyAss	Mar 21st, 2006 06:51:29 PM
I think it's a grandious score. the whole film plays like a stage play. not a bad thing. but my last viewing I did feel as if Trek 6 needed something. but what? I just don't know. Top flick though.
I am TOTALLY against a star trek remake by BendersShinyAss	Mar 21st, 2006 06:54:40 PM
with familiar actors pretending to be Kirk, Spock 'n Mcoy. That would be fucked. The star trek universe is solid. Keep it in the same universe. They just need to find a new footing. Might I suggest a LotR approach. A massive story, filmed over a year and released yearly - sort of a meshing of TV series to cinema. But really, i think what Trek needs is TV movies - all set in different time periods and involving different races and what not.
Oops! Sorry, IAmNicksAICNSN. Totally missed your pnt! by chiahead	Mar 21st, 2006 07:46:22 PM
But I'm glad we agree brotha. Sorry about that.
when did George Lucas start writing Trek??? by Cavlone	Mar 21st, 2006 08:16:34 PM
i mean, c'mon... Trek high school years? what are the odds that the whole crew went to Academy together? didnt Spock work under Pike for some time? isnt Spock alot older than the others? where is JarJar gonna fit into the script? i think the only thing that will interest me in Trek again would be a return to the Original Series and its message. but Enterprise proved the couldnt even do that right. think of what they could do with the OS with todays tech!!! and i dont mean redesign it and muck up the timeline like Enterprise. why dont they do a all digital cartoon for the OS? isnt it obvious?
Lords of Space Discipline/Saved by the Space Bell by Ray Garraty #47	Mar 21st, 2006 08:36:57 PM
If it ended up getting decent reviews, I'd consider seeing it. People gave "Batman Begins" a chance when it came out, so why not? And the new Superman flick as well. Although Battlestar Galactica seems to be satisfying everyone's space jones for the moment.
Tim Allen by Turtlepride	Mar 21st, 2006 11:23:58 PM
As a star fleet captain 100 years after NGenation.
Paramount crapped all over Trek V TWICE by Triumph poops!	Mar 22nd, 2006 01:43:54 AM
The first time was when the film was actually in production and it was discovered late in the process that the special effects team who had been hired weren't so special at all. They had done assorted TV commerical effects work, but had never tackled a big budget film on their own before. So naturally, now given the chance of a lifetime to prove themselves, they dropped the ball entirely and cranked out totally unuseable footage which resulted in hasty reshoots and drastic scene cuts in a race to reach the finish line in order to make the premiere date. The second time the studio fucked over the film over was for the DVD 2-disc "Special edition release." Sure, Robert Wise got to go back in and tweak TREK 1's pacing. Sure, he got to update some effects shots and reedit things. Sure, Paramount got behind THAT and it made for a MUCH better film than the original film release AND made them some good coin off the DVD sales. But when the time came to rerelease TREK V as a special edition, did they give the Shat some money to FINALLY fix the film? To finally put in DECENT effects shots or to resurrect old footage and cut the film the way he originally envisioned? No. Even after the Wise DVD sold great and even as Paramount was still counting TV Trek money all the way to the bank, they STILL wouldn't give Shatner a few mill to fix the film once and for all. And if there was ANY Trek film that the films would have liked to see finally FIXED, it was Trek V. What a bunch of studio suit morons...and worse, what a wasted opportunity. I agree with others that had TREK V been completed the way Shatner envisioned, it would have been one of the best in the series. As it is, it's painful to watch at times because of such varying and such drastic production quality changes within the final film itself. On the other hand, it does have some of the best character moments of the entire series. It certainly captured the chemistry of the original crew and when they were "on", they sparkled. So thanks, Paramount! It's not often a studio fucks things up TWICE in a lifetime!
STAR TREK :TITAN by Sithlord_999	Mar 22nd, 2006 03:27:38 AM
This is how TREK should come back= Riker captains the USS TITAN where no one has gone before, with Troi as Mrs. Riker. I ask, WHY NOT??? This show would INHERIT all the stories and political backdrops laid down by TNG, DS9, and the 'premise', or rather, the 'promise' of Voyager. Would Riker and Troi be able to carry a show? Yes. Check this out. How old was Picard in the first season of TNG? 40? 45? Imagine (in an alternate reality) that 18 years before TNG, say, 1970, we had a TREK show, a really good one, TNG caliber (seasons 3-5), which featured a Picard in his mid-to-late 20's as second-in-command of whatever ship he served as commander. He, and all his crew, look up and respect to
Triumph poops by BendersShinyAss	Mar 22nd, 2006 03:48:02 AM
Don't forget Paramount also shelled out for Nick Meyer to go back and fix up Trek 2 for the DVD release. Apparently Trek 4 directors cut is a far superior film also, yet we'll never see it. Generations, too, has an alternate cut we'll never see. Of course in order for them to fix Nemesis they'd have to reshoot the whole damn film. why the fuck didn't Picard get to play both roles? At least!
this is terrible by Trazadone	Mar 22nd, 2006 06:22:02 AM
The synopsis is awful. It's a terrible story. This is one of those frequent situations in which something has turned to crap, and then somebody "on the inside" bravely says, "We're aware of the 'crap' problem and we're fixing it. Here is a list of the elements that makes our current output into crap; we are hereby taking them out in the new version, which will be a welcome change because it won't be crap but will instead be what you, the fans, are clamoring for (in terms of tone, fidelity, quality, etc.)." Everybody gets excited by this, and then the thing they're talking about comes out and it's EXACTLY THE SAME CRAP as everyone's been complaining about. This happens all the time and it's happened many times on Star Trek. "The feel of the original" is a football I'm not going to attempt to kick because "Lucy" Paramount keeps pulling it away.
I HATE prequels that claim: by Trazadone	Mar 22nd, 2006 06:23:22 AM
Plus which, I HATE prequels that claim: a) Everything was already connected together b) Everything important in the past happened in one instant Problem a) is most readily apparent in Phantom Menace (Anakin built Threepio etc) but is constantly on parade in prequels. I'm glad Coppola cut the scene from Godfather II in which we see Hyman Roth meet Vito in the 1919 period...so he's a little bit smarter...but this crappy Trek synopsis is the same damn thing. Kirk, McCoy, Spock and Scotty were already screwing around together and having adventures during their academy years? That's ridiculous. Problem b) can be found in such examples as "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade," in which Indy's bullwhip, fear of snakes, adventuring ways and chin scar all date from the same morning. Don't they realize that taking a character with a murky, evocative past and telescoping all of that missing narrative into a single incident is going to destroy the character arc? Real life doesn't work like that and everyone knows it. How many adult nemeses did you previously encounter when you were a kid? How many of your character traits date from a single incident in which you suddenly got all of them? Are we going to see twelve-year-old Martin Riggs having an important adventure with teenage Roger Murtaugh in which Riggs jumps out of a window and Murtaugh says, "I'm too old for this stuff?" Is fifteen-year-old John McClane going to have a schoolyard encounter with the Gruber brothers, in which he says "Yippy-kai-yay?" Will teenage Clark Kent have problems with teenage Lex Luthor? (Oh, wait, they did that.)
I Can't Wait To See William Shatner play a 16 year old. by jamawalk	Mar 22nd, 2006 08:59:26 AM
They should cast all the other parts as kids but have Shatner play Kirk. The guy's got two emmys. What the hell do you got? Nothing? Well double-dumb-ass on you, then, pal.
KIRK IS 75 TODAY...and Trek V got raped by Paramount... by StudioPlant69	Mar 22nd, 2006 11:17:05 AM
Bennett and Shatner wanted to wait for Nick Meyer to be available to write the script and Paramount didn't want to and they went with David Lougherty(spelling?). The did not like Shatner's original idea and wanted the religious aspects toned down. The budget was cut during the production, the vfx team sucked. They injected all the gags and forced humor because Trek IV was funny and made a lot of coin. The movie has so much potential and could be fixed with editing and new fx. Too bad, it could've been a monster hit had it been handled better. GFY
Happy Birthday to the SHATNER by lttlgrnmen	Mar 22nd, 2006 12:02:01 PM
Shatners 75 today
Props by RaulMonkey	Mar 22nd, 2006 06:16:55 PM
Good work, Merrick: I now feel you are fully incorporated into the AICN crew--you just needed a sweet-ass something to get passionate (and intelligent) about. I totally agree with you about Trek: there was never any flogging of a dead horse going on, and the greatness of DS9 simultaneous to the relative weakness of VOYAGER illustrates quite nicely that it is the skill of the people involved in bringing the shows to life, as opposed to the series as a whole having run out of steam.
...bringing the shows to life that counts... by RaulMonkey	Mar 22nd, 2006 06:17:53 PM

Why look to the future? by Mutant Leader	Mar 22nd, 2006 08:07:25 PM
You know what I think? I think some of us are going around in circles and kidding ourselves about what it is we really want. Take King Kirby's post, for example. Its a good post. . .a painstakingly thought-out idea. . .but what does it really boil down to when you stop to think about it? Something we already have: the three timeless seasons of TOS. If you want TOS, why not treat yourself to a box set or two? Instead of making more, why not find new and exciting ways of enhancing TOS for today's viewers?
Post-Dominion War Movie by Giftoflight	Mar 23rd, 2006 05:42:08 AM
A real post Dominion War, and not that Alien Space Bat nonsense from Nemesis where they tried to cram several plots into one movie and try to make it the successor to ST II. Make a Dominion War sequel, regarding the Pah Wraiths, Dukat, and Sisko. Something like, the Pah Wraiths want their own celestial temple, and a new wormhole to the Gamma Quadrant is opened that the Dominion fleet can use to enter the Alpha Quadrant.... Bring Weyoun back as well, damn he was one of the best villains in Trek ever.
Star Trek- The Trilogy by Stone316	Mar 23rd, 2006 12:07:18 PM
Star Trek should look to the future. Instead of going back to the Academy Years (which is a good idea for a tv series) it should go forward, wheather its in the 24th century or the 27th, and the federation should be at war. Create a new species, or something, but it would have to be something that would go against EVERYTHING that Gene Roddenbery stood for. I actually believe that the end of the first film should be the destrucution of the Federation. By doing that the main characters (whomever they were) had to start all over again, defeating the evil species and rebuilding a new Federation. If done correctly, a film like this, or even a trilogy, couldnt be compared to Star Wars, Galactica or whatever and would (once more) solidify the message that Roddenbery had in the beginning of the TOS. At the same time that same message would have new meaning, because it was something that the characters had to fight for and we as the audience could see sometihing we had never saw before. The building of the Federation. In a post 9/11 world this would make a great film and great source material for many Star Trek films for years to come.
Star Trek: River of Light by Sardy	Mar 23rd, 2006 04:43:45 PM
"Q was the most intriguing villain in any of the "Trek" incarnations. With Q episodes bookending the series, I felt sure we'd eventually get a killer TNG film featuring him and his wacky hijinks. It coulda been the bomb." http://www.trollkingdom.net/fo rum/showthread.php?t=30517

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Merrick Explores STAR TREK: THE ACADEMY YEARS!!

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