By GustavoLeao / 01:36, 6 December 2004 / General Star Trek

STAR TREK actor George Takei ('Captain Sulu') was a guest on the british GMTV's breakfast show last week, promoting the third season of TOS on DVD. After the show, George took part in a web chat on the GMTV web site and here are a few excerpts from the chat transcript.

Q : Mr Takei, are you still lobbying Paramount for a series based on the EXCELSIOR or is this something you're no longer interested in doing?

George Takei : No, actually the campaign began with a group called the International Federation of Trekkers. The leader is located in Cleveland Ohio. I was very flattered, these people had a tremendous strategy - they marshalled the powers of the Internet and began a global campaign. I thought surely Paramount would follow up STAR TREK VI (which I personally subtitled Captain Sulu to the Rescue) with a series of Captain Sulu movies or mini-series. Particulary after Paramount invited fan feedback! I'm baffled that Paramount after they invited the suggestions to have turned a blind eye to what the fans truly want.

Q : Are you going to be making any future STAR TREK guest appearances?

George Takei : Not that I know of, but Paramount has a way of surprising me . One day I got a phone call from a friend who called to congratulate me about a guest appearance and I said I knew nothing about that. I asked him where he heard about that and he said on the Internet. And I said it was most likely fans wishful thinking and then hung up. Nevertheless I phoned my agent to check it out and asked him whether I was doing a guest shot on VOYAGER and he said no, not that I know of. Two weeks later I was working on a TV thing in Canada and my agent rang to tell me that the Internet was correct and I was doing a guest shot on VOYAGER!!! So I've been checking the Internet ever since.

Q : What are your thoughts about the current STAR TREK series?

George Takei : I don't think it's Gene [Roddenberry]'s vision, because he was forward-looking and this show is going backwards. He loved the shock of the new, unkown lifeforms, discoveries, challenges, all that is lost when you go backwards.

Q : You have a very distinctive voice. How about doing an audio series of the further adventures of Captain Sulu?

George Takei: I would love to do it. Ive done five audio novels of the ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN SULU and a publisher looks interested in doing another one so fingers crossed.

Q : Are you amazed at how long STAR TREK has endured? Do you think it will continue to do so in the future?

George Takei : I am amazed because it was such a struggle to stay on when we first ran. They were threatening cancellation after the first season, but given a reprieve by the letter writing of the fans. This 3rd season I owe to the fans. Those who discovered us in the 2nd season has made this all possible. That's another reason I do conventions - to say thank you.

Read the full transcript here

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