ALL SCI-FI

[bulldogtrekker]

by Nicole Berland, POPMATTERS

This article begins with a basic observation about the Star Trek timeline: that it ends.

Let me clarify. When Star Trek: The Original Series (hereafter TOS) aired in 1966, it was set in the year 2266, exactly 300 years into Earth's future. From there, the timeline jumped forward, with 1987's Star Trek: The Next Generation set in 2364, nearly a century after TOS. The franchise then continued at a steady pace through both Deep Space Nine and Voyager. Between the first episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation and the Voyager final, 14 years passed in the lives of Trek's characters and actors alike.

Then something funny happened. When Star Trek: Enterprise debuted in 2001, it looked back to Star Trek's past for its inspiration. The upcoming Star Trek: Discovery will likewise explore the Federation's origins, leaving Star Trek's future to play out only in our imaginations.



The franchise's filmic output tells a similar story. From 1979's Star Trek: The Motion Picture to 2002's Nemesis, each of Star Trek's initial ten films moved the Trek timeline forward, despite First Contact's foray to the 21st century. After Nemesis, however, the films also abandoned the Federation's future, opting instead for the high-octane, high-budget TOS reboots. Despite the fact that the Star Trek franchise continues to produce new content, the Star Trek timeline appears to have been closed.

My question, then, is simply: Why? What is it about this moment in time that renders the Star Trek franchise incapable, unwilling, or merely uninterested in envisioning its own future?....

MORE at this link:
http://www.popmatters.com/feature/star-trek-and-the-problem-with-b4-and-after-2379/

[Bud Brewster]

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I enjoyed this movie, and I own the DVD.
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________________ Star Trek: Nemesis - trailer


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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Gord Green]

Supposedly Gene Roddenberry's ANDROMEDA was the future of a STAR TREK "possible universe".

The story begins around a thousand years after the Federation was replaced by the Commonwealth and then jumps 300 years beyond that when anarchy had taken over.

Other than the posthumous contribution of Gene's notes there is no other real connection between the two except in conjecture.

[Bud Brewster]

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I really enjoy the TNG movies, but Nemesis is generally considered to be the weakest of the four. Today, I enjoyed a triple feature of First Contact, Insurrection, and Nemesis and decided to list my major objections to the last one.

I doubt if I'll get any arguments on these points, but I'm sure a few more criticisms will be added.

Criticisms #1 - The ridiculous low-tech dune buggy used on the planet where the Data prototype was found

In the 23rd century, the idea that an Away Team would bounce around on a planet with extremely rough terrain in a four-wheeled vehicle after arriving in an advanced shuttle craft is ridiculous.

What were the the filmmakers thinking?

Criticism #2 - The inclusion of a character who is a clone of Picard, and yet who is dying because of the way he was cloned.

We're presented with a sort of "son" of Picard — but he hates Picard and wants to destroy him. Even the Romulans don't approve of the kid's animosity . . . so the whole "conflict" of the story is muddled.

Criticism #3- The Enterprise determines that Shinzon plans to use the powerful starship called the Scimitar to invade the Federation, using its thalaron radiation generator to eradicate all life on Earth.

I read the Wikipedia plot summary, and I still can't figure out why the villain wants to wipe out all life on Earth.

Oh well . . .
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[ralfy]

Check out the intro of the Scimitar and the music here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1BnyUANoHo

[Krel]

[tmlindsey]

[Pow]

Jonathan Frakes: "We had John Logan who's an A-list writer. We had what was a great company back together again. Tom Hardy was a brilliant guest star. My take it on, though, was there was not enough of the family. It was a little too much of Shinzon and not enough of Picard and Data. The front end of Nemesis' was the wedding of Riker and Troi and which was so charming and it just got cut to bits. We originally had Whoopi Goldberg and Wil Wheaton and all these Easter eggs in there, and Brent Spiner sang. It was a big deal that got cut up to nothing."

"It didn't help that director Stuart Baird was trying to reinvent the wheel. I called him and said if there's anything I can do to help you, let me know. I've been around these people for years, we're really here to help you. In retrospect, it seems like arrogance. Why wouldn't you accept that kind of offer?'

Marina Sirtis, "The director was an idiot."

[Bud Brewster]

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I'm often disappoint when our members don't at least thank me for an interesting post. I mean, geez . . . how long does it take to type —

"Nice post, Bud! Thanks." _


It's like telling a friend something you think he'll like . . . . and then he just turns and walks away without saying a single word!

And yet, I've actually done that myself here on All Sci-Fi.

The post above, which Pow made on Aug 15, 2023, sat here for nine months without a "Nice post, Pow! Thanks," from me.

I overlooked it somehow, and for that I apologize.

And so, Mike, I hope this makes up a little for that.



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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Pow]

Thank you, Bud. I am embarrassed to write that I have read posts on All Sci-Fi with interest by others and have not always left a word of appreciation. I promise to do better in the future.

[Pow]

From good ol' IMDB:

Michael Dorn was very upset that his character of Worf had so little to do.

Sir Patrick Stewart was paid for his part in this film nearly as much as he had made on his entire 7 years on ST: TNG series.

The farewell scene shot in Captain Picard's ready room had to be reshot after Patrick Stewart unintentionally wept.

Jerri Ryan who played Seven-of-Nine on Star Trek: Voyager was offered a substantial part as her character on Voyager. She would replace an unspecified character that was rumored to be Marina Sirtis character. Ryan turned it down as she was busy with her current TV series. She also felt that the introduction of Seven-of-Nine role to a ST: TNG movie would have been awkward.
She was then offered a cameo as Nine at the wedding which she also turned down.

Had this film been a blockbuster, the follow-up film would have seen the ST: TNG crossover with ST: Deep Space Nine cast, as well as Star Trek: Voyager cast. It would have also featured Riker's starship the Titan.

Tom Hardy took his role as Praetor Shinzon very seriously as he knew this could be a major breakthrough with his character. He also admitted that he was struggling with mental health & drug issues during production. When the film turned out to be a commercial failure, as well as having negative responses from fans, it hit Hardy hard. He considered stopping acting entirely, drank heavily, contemplated suicide.

Jonathan Frakes, Marina Sirtis, and Le Var Burton had fierce criticism for director Stuart Baird. He knew nothing about Star Trek and was not interested in their help at all in learning. He disliked coming into a film with established history and wanted to remake it in his own vision.

Sir Patrick Stewart & Brent Spiner took a salary cut in order to keep the film's budget under control.

Midway during production, Captain Picard's bridge chair was stolen.

Director Baird was so oblivious to any background of ST: TNG that he thought Geordi La Forge was an alien.

The Enterprise bridge set was placed on gimbels in order to provide the rocking motion effect during battle.

An early version of the script had Sir Patrick Stewart playing Praetor Shinzon as well as his Captain Picard role.

The Enterprise-E ramming the Scimitar was done with practical models of both vessels and not CGI.

New sets were constructed for the crew quarters, sickbay, and science lab.

Le Var Burton wanted to direct the film but was overruled by the studio.

Early version of the script had Ashley Judd reprise her role of crew member Robin Leffler who had appeared on 2 episodes of ST: TNG TV series.

Denise Crosby was considered to reprise her Romulan character from the series for the movie.

In stellar cartography, Picard & Data discuss other Federation starships. One is the starship Archer which is named after Captain Jonathan Archer from Star Trek: Enterprise.

Screenwriter John Logan wanted to include a Gorn at Riker & Troi's wedding. Ruled as too costly.

Sir Patrick Stewart found Tom Hardy an odd and solitary young man. He did not engage with anyone socially during shooting, but he wasn't hostile at all. When the film ended, he left quietly without any goodbyes. Stewart remarked that would be the last anyone heard of that actor. Hardy has gone on to have a nice career, at Stewart is very pleased about that for Tom.

Majel Barrett-Roddenberry was too busy as executive producer on the sf TV series Andromeda, and could not make a cameo as Troi's mother, Lwaxana Troi, at the wedding.

Beautiful Dina Meyer (Starship Troopers) plays Romulan Commander Donata.