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Brent Spiner Talks State of TREK Franchise and His Idea for Mixed-Crew TREK XI

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By GustavoLeao / 20:49, 29 January 2005 / Feature Films

The latest issue of the Star Trek Communicator, available now in the U.S., features an exclusive interview with TNG actor Brent Spiner, in which he talks about his guest role of 'Doctor Arik Soong' on STAR TREK ENTERPRISE and his opinions on the STAR TREK franchise. Here are a few excerpts :



What, in your opinion, is the state of STAR TREK these days ?

Spiner : I am not sure. I don't know if I have a solution for its future. Some people think it needs to be put to sleep for a while and then woke up again in about five to ten years with a new concept and design and a bunch of young new kids. There is something to be said for that but, at the same time, I personally just like the fact that it is on the air. I want it to be around always. It has now been on for 18 years solid. It has hardly ever been off the air since it started back in the 60s. [...] I think they are doing a pretty good job this year, thought. I think ENTERPRISE has hit its stride. That's something they need to be given credit for, because it takes a while to shake down. It wasn't so easy for us either. I think they have finally found their footing, and it just took a while to get it together.

Do you think mixing the crews from the five shows is a good idea ?

Spiner : I think it is a decent idea. John Logan and I actually had a idea for another film that followed NEMESIS that sort of did that in a way. It was a really cool idea. But, needless to say, nobody went to see NEMESIS, so Paramount wasn't likely to give us another movie.

You knew Gene Roddenberry well, Do you think he would be happy with what STAR TREK has become today ?

Spiner : For the most part, I think he would be happy with it. And I will tell you why : I can't tell you the numbers of times when we were doing the films that we wanted to do something and Rick Berman responded, "You know, that's really not Roddenberry, That's really not his vision of this, and I don't want to cross that line." People who say Rick has forgotten Gene's vision and tried to create his own STAR TREK are way off base. It is just not true and I have been privy to moments where he has stated the opposite, All you have to do is watch the shows - they are still about the same things. They are still about the hopeful vision of the future and the need for people to accept each other in whatever form.

And to read the full interview, get the latest issue of the Star Trek Communicator at your local newstand.



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ENTERPRISE Is Much Better | Report this post to moderator
By: c.p. (Odo's file, contact) @ 11:32:09 on Feb 01, 2005

I just want to take this opportunity to agree with Mr. Spiner and voice my appreciation and congratulations to the ENTERPRISE cast and crew for turning the ship around. I haven't held back too much in the past when I've been critical of the show and I want to be equally vocal in my praise. This season has been really good. I was afraid all the scrambling would just lead to a series of plot gimmicks and guest stars designed as a last ditch effort to drum up fan interest without anything deeper. But instead they've handled it creatively and with some panache. The dialogue has been improved a lot too, especially what they wrote for Spiner's character.


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Gene-o-vision | Report this post to moderator
By: cgrest (Odo's file, contact) @ 09:01:47 on Jan 30, 2005

I think the greatest thing about Gene's vision, and that of Star Trek, is that it's always expanding and changing, but the core is still the same.

Take TOS for example. Kirk, Spock and McCoy had this great relationship together. The show centered around that trio. And the show was fabulously written around that relationship.

Now TNG evolved around a more quiet, withdrawn Captain. But it was the rest of the crew that had relationships with each other. Picard still had this, but not to the same extent as Kirk did with Spock and McCoy.

So I get the feeling B&B just don't have what it takes to harness the Trek vision, and expand on that.


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I want to like this man, I really do | Report this post to moderator
By: spacebeluga (Odo's file, contact) @ 07:23:29 on Jan 30, 2005 | Edit History (1)

Quote:
I think ENTERPRISE has hit its stride. That's something they need to be given credit for, because it takes a while to shake down. It wasn't so easy for us either. I think they have finally found their footing, and it just took a while to get it together.

The Next Generation was putting out some pretty good shows by season 2, and was a great and solid series by season 3. If Enterprise is finally good now, it's only by season 4; 3 whole years after its premier. And in any case, this argument isn't very good, considering TOS and DS9 were both great from the beginning (DS9 only became more accessable later on).

Quote:
Do you think mixing the crews from the five shows is a good idea ?

Spiner : I think it is a decent idea.


Please stop harming your credibility.

Quote:
You knew Gene Roddenberry well, Do you think he would be happy with what STAR TREK has become today ?

Spiner : For the most part, I think he would be happy with it. And I will tell you why : I can't tell you the numbers of times when we were doing the films that we wanted to do something and Rick Berman responded, "You know, that's really not Roddenberry, That's really not his vision of this, and I don't want to cross that line."


If Rick Berman actually understood Gene's "vision," then maybe this would be a useful statement. But it is clear that Berman doesn't know what he's doing. All he does is faithfully and blindly follow a set of guidelines that he can't understand. If he actually stopped and thought about just what Gene's vision is, then maybe he'd realize that it's against Gene's vision to allow Star Trek to become a silly contrived and meaningless action show with plots derivative of times when Star Trek was actually good. Since he doesn't understand this, he is content to follow pointless rules, such as the one Ron Moore described about not allowing Spock's name to be mentioned in the TNG episode "Sarek," the fact that he still talks about "Gene's vision" merely shows how ignorant he is.

Quote:
People who say Rick has forgotten Gene's vision and tried to create his own STAR TREK are way off base.

He didn't try to, it's just what happened. I'm not among the group of people who claim there's some sort of evil plot because Berman "hates Star Trek."

--------

Image



You are great. I am great.


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RE: I want to like this man, I really do by cooper2000 @ 12:25:06 on Jan 31
    RE: I want to like this man, I really do by spacebeluga @ 14:10:44 on Jan 31

You know, Brent is right | Report this post to moderator
By: StarFleet Captain (Odo's file, contact, web site) @ 04:53:53 on Jan 30, 2005

As much as I dislike Rick Berman for running Trek into the ground, I have to say that much of post Roddenberry Trek with the exception of DS9 stayed true to Roddenberry's vision of a more perfect Humanity and using other Aliens to portray humanity's faults and characteristics. The problem is that people grew tired of this method of storytelling, and ol B&B did not realize this until it was to late

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"I can't be President. I mean, I've abused cocaine and I've been arrested. Besides, its completely stupid to believe somebody can be President just because his father was."

--Charlie Sheen (Saturday Night Live 2000)


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He's right and he's wrong by Bella Oxmyx @ 06:42:23 on Jan 30
    RE: He's right and he's wrong by Hbasm @ 08:59:45 on Jan 30
       RE: He's right and he's wrong by Bella Oxmyx @ 14:20:24 on Jan 30
          RE: He's right and he's wrong by Hbasm @ 14:58:53 on Jan 30
             RE: He's right and he's wrong by Bella Oxmyx @ 21:38:50 on Jan 30
                RE: He's right and he's wrong by Hbasm @ 13:29:49 on Jan 31
                   RE: He's right and he's wrong by Bella Oxmyx @ 15:35:59 on Jan 31
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