I've stayed rather quiet on this, but I can't help but just shake my head at this whole deal. There's optimism and then there's naivete and this whole deal is simply naive as to how television works.
The legalities to accomplish this would probably eat up what meager amount they've saved to begin with. There's all the unforeseen costs that would crop up during production. There's so many variables that I don't think these people have even wanted to think about.
And yes, even $3 million is meager for these studios. They have the money already. Paramount is just no longer interested in producing Trek at this time. They know they've always have a hardcore loyal audience. The problem is they're not enough to keep the show going anymore. The constantly dropping ratings can only be blamed on so many other factors before coming back to the fact that the interest just isn't there.
Besides some of the self-righteous, back-patting of some involved (this drawn out attention-getting about the donation that was already well-known is the most recent example from people who seem to have zero experience in PR), there's also a streak of selfishness to the whole thing that smacks of absolute desparation that I find embarrassing.
I'm not too happy that Enterprise is being cancelled when it's getting good, but I've come to accept it and find those wanting this to keep going and going and going are coming across like addicts looking for another fix. Can't this be accepted with some dignity?
Take that 3 million and give it to Paramount to buy out Rick Berman's contract?
Or maybe you did say it and I didn't read it. sorry.
--------
The dog is a gentleman; I hope to go to his heaven, not man's. -Mark Twain
I don't have any millions (far less) but I'm gonna go do my part.
--------
"In every revolution, there's one man with a vision"
-- James T. Kirk
...and they never will.
Some people who read that donor statement will feel their spirits soar and understand exactly where those guys are coming from. They understand that Trek is not just a TV show, but an expression of human dreams and aspiration.Others will just see words and won't be moved, except to cynicism.
The cynics never built anything. They never left a legacy. They didn't write the history. Progress is made by dreamers, and those who dare to be try to change things for the better. It's easy to sit back and criticise every little thing; tear down people's hopes with sarcasm and dismissiveness. But criticism is fleeting and quickly forgotten.
If Enterprise does get renewed, as I hope it does, the cynics will be nowhere to be seen.
--------
JamesT
As someone that sits in a wheelchair due to Paralysis needing money for the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation to cure all Paralysis! What's this say about spoiled American Society?
Perhaps someone can explain to me what exactly the money is for? Correct me if I'm wrong, but ENT wasn't canceled because Paramount ran out of money to pay for it. It was canceled because the ratings were poor.
And you know a major studio is not going to accept private funds to pay for a TV project. You know that, right?
Right?
--------
"It's fiction. It's not supposed to make sense." --a Trekweb poster defending Brannon Braga's scripts
...if Richard Branson was one of these "anonymous donors". I watched his show, Rebel Billionaire, and have to say that he is one very unique person. I like his take on integrity as the factor above all that drove his decision making. Too bad Trump has more weight to throw around because Branson is hands down the better person (at least in my eyes).
From seeing him on his show, I'm willing to bet this would be the kind of stunt he'd pull. He has a lot riding on commercial space flight. Not just money, but his dreams of every day people having space travel accessible to them. The cancellation of a show/franchise that has meant so much to the world and inspired many of the engineers and astronauts that have brought this within our grasp is horrible. Like the donor stated, if the ratings were all that mattered, Trek would have died back in 1968 as would most TV sci-fi, and who knows who would have failed to get off the couch and make a difference.
Well, I guess you never can tell whats going to happen. Perhaps The Donald is a fan of the show and upon seeing this article he will be moved to donated the remaining, what was it, $27,000,000? Gosh. It could happen! In the mean time though, I hope those other guys saved their reciepts...... by the way Trekkers and Trek posters..are all those F-bombs really necessary? I Thought this was a family show.
--------
"It is with our passions, as it is with fire and water, they are good servants but bad masters."
Aesop (620 BC - 560 BC)
"Really Doctor McCoy, you must learn to govern your passions... They will be your undoing."
- Captain Spock (Much later)
Here's to hoping they are successful at getting us a fifth season! The statement from the 'benefactors' summed up EXACTLY why I've been a ST fan for over 25 years. Couldn't have said it better myself!!
To those who think Enterprise sucks - stop watching. Seems the folks that don't like Enterprise are the most vocal on this BBS. I don't usually post as most of what I see here is a constant bash fest of Enterprise. Get's kinda old actually. Anyone who doesn't think that Enterprise has improved vastly since Coto took over is likely not even watching, and assuming what they like. Those of us who have been watching are impressed, and are very much looking forward to a fifth season should it happen.
To those who think it's a damn good show and are looking forward to more of Coto's work, let's keep our fingers crossed!
I have been a Trek fan for as long as I can remember and always follow the Trek-related news, etc. here on TrekWeb. This, however, will be my first post.
I haven't posted before because I really have no desire to become wrapped up in all of the absolutely senseless bickering, but, after reading the comments on this press release, well, I just can't keep it to myself.
WHAT THE FUCK IS WITH YOU PEOPLE!
I recoginze a good deal of the sigs in the comments here and realize that you are regular members of this community. However, not a single fucking one of you had ANYTHING positive regarding this news ... NOT A SINGLE THING!
Yes, the money could be used on other things which you might feel, in your opinion, would be more worthwhile, but these contributors are using THEIR money the way THEY see fit and probably give less than a shit about how YOU think they could spend THEIR money.
Don't worry about the tsunami victims or any other worthy cause you are going to mention in the numerous replies which I am sure will follow this comment. I say don't worry because, trust me, there's a ton of money going to those things and others. One of you mentioned that the $3M is still just a drop in the bucket compared to what is needed and that the money should have went elsewhere. Well, I got some bad news for you ... using the tsunami relief effort as an example, that $3M would also be a drop in the bucket compared to the money already being sent and donated. You act as if sending that money overseas would have solved everything.
What really pisses me off is the fact that the fans are working so hard to try various avenues in order to keep the show on, to get it's quality to keep improving and so on, but there are people like yourself on this board who seem to not find anything positive in any effort at all. Why do you even bother being a member of the community? My uncle used to say "If you don't have anything constructive to add or say, then just keep it to yourself."
Believe me when I say that I will be the first person to say that everyone is entitled to his/her own opinion ... I hate censorship in any fashion. Side note: Before you start on the "but you said keep it to yourself if you don't have anything constructive to add" tanget, let me say this: That philosophy is directly dependent on the context of the situation at hand. Anyway back to it... One of you stated that you felt the press release was fake because one of the contributors was quoted as saying something about the "superb theme song". Do you really think that because all Trek fans don't like the theme because it differs so much from the other series that everyone on the fucking planet should hate it as well? I personally really like the theme. The imagery and lyrics truly exemplify the spirt of space exploration and the fact that it has taken us a long time, and a lot of sacrafice, to get from where we started to where we are now. Didn't you stop for a second to think about the message behind the theme and the fact that it just might really appeal to someone in the private space industry who is putting their life into developing space travel? I guess that never crossed your mind.
I mean, really, if it bothers you that much that these people donated the money to saving Trek and you think they should have donated it elsewhere, don't tell us, tell them. Did you think that the people reading your comments would somehow be able to change where that money was going? If you are so concerned about using the money for other causes, start a campaign and start raising money jackass. I mean, really, did you see somewhere that the Trek United campaign was going to raise money for Trek, but that they would take part of it a use it for other purposes? I didn't think so. They set out with the sole purpose of raising money for Trek ... period! If you were so concerned about how the money would be used, why weren't you complaining about it when they had only raised a few thousand? I guess you thought that a puny amount of money like that wouldn't have helped anything. It's almost like once you saw that they had actually raised a VERY significant amount of cash that the purpose of raising that cash became wrong, but it was fine to raise money for it when not a lot was coming in.
Flame all you want, it won't get you anywhere with me as, like I stated at the beginning, I have no desire to get in a "comment war" here, but I couldn't keep MY opinion to myself any longer.
Ok, I will get down off my soapbox now, but I will leave you with a great quote from Bruce Willis in Die Hard 3.
"If you're not helping, you're being a part of the problem! Now ... stop being a part of the fucking problem and start being a part of the solution!"
Peace and Contribution Grease!
Digital1
And just a thought. How about we start a campaign to raise money in order to get you an in-operable tumor at the base of your spine :-)
-
I hear what you're saying, and thanks for your post. I appriciate your comments. Well I didn't say anything negative to the news about this donation!
The irony is when "Trek fans" hate our efforts to save the franchise. We are trying to send Paramount the strongest possible message that we are here, and Trek is still a viable business. Every fan of the Trek franchise ought to support our efforts.
-
I'll add just one more thing...
You are so upset that these people have wasted their money on something which is not as worthwhile as other causes. Well, are you upset at the fact that our country has spent well over $80B to help liberate a country where 98% of the inhabitants seem to want nothing else other than to blow each other up everytime they get a chance?
Now, THAT is a big waste of money, but again, I guess something like that never crossed your mind!
Later Days!
Digital1
...Now if someone had actually donated 30 million instead of three Paramount might actually take the offer seriously. A full season on the schedule for only a 3 million or so outlay on their own they could be pulling pure profit from it in a matter of weeks.
But this? It's ego stroking and fanboy fantasy to donate the money (a mere pittance compared to what would be needed) or to think it's going to do any good.
And we won't even get into what ELSE $3 mil could be used for.
--------
"We've been attacked by the intelligent, educated segment of our culture." ---Pastor Ray Mummert speaking of those who favor Darwinian Evolution over Intelligent Design.
"If this is your God, he's not very impressive. He has so many psychological problems; he's so insecure. He demands worship every seven days. He goes out and creates faulty Humans and then blames them for his own mistakes. He's a pretty poor excuse for a Supreme Being." ---Gene Roddenberry
-
Quote:
...Now if someone had actually donated 30 million instead of three Paramount might actually take the offer seriously. A full season on the schedule for only a 3 million or so outlay on their own they could be pulling pure profit from it in a matter of weeks.
It's not just the offer in and of itself that's important. It's the demonstration that there IS interest in seeing a fifth season!
Quote:
But this? It's ego stroking and fanboy fantasy to donate the money (a mere pittance compared to what would be needed) or to think it's going to do any good.
And you know this how? It has been shown time and again that these kinds of efforts CAN and DO work. It's not your damn money, so why do you care who puts in what effort or money?
Quote:
And we won't even get into what ELSE $3 mil could be used for.
What else you ask? Whatever they want to spend it on! Your arrogance is astounding! Who the hell are you to tell anyone how to spend their money?
I'm so sick and tired of the liberal tree hugging pukes crying that this money should be sent to the Tsunami victims, or the starving, or whatever. Put your money where your mouth is. Why don't you donate the money you spend on this internet connection to these wonderful causes? What about that video game you bought? Or that case of beer? Or that PDA? That wiz-bang cell phone? That's 'different' right? That's what I thought...
People can spend their money however the hell they want. THEY earned it! If folks want to contribute money to this, more power to them! I hope they're successful!!
-
Thanks.
Quote:
It's not just the offer in and of itself that's important. It's the demonstration that there IS interest in seeing a fifth season!
Uh-huh. But PARAMOUNT'S interest in a 5th season is all that matters. They have none, therefore this is all just an exercise in ego stroking and fanboy fantasy.
Quote:
It has been shown time and again that these kinds of efforts CAN and DO work. It's not your damn money, so why do you care who puts in what effort or money?
I care because it's an utterly pathetic sign of fanboy desparation that they cannot simply let the show go. That they are so lonely, so needy, so creatively barren on their own that they have to latch on to this as though it's all they have in the world.
I frequent this Trek board and lurk at several others and I see very few people who are doing their own thing, whether it be writing on their own, PBeM, fan script writing, or creating their own fully realized adventures going so insane over this. They lament the cancellation. They praise Coto, but they have generally said, "Hey, Trek's not dead. It's just back mostly in our hands now. Come see what we're doing."
It's these few people that can't seem to let go...who don't seem to, to paraphrase Shatner, "Want to get a life." that make me care. Just as thefundamentalists in any group taint the reputation of everyone else, the actions of the mindlessly clingy in Trekdom reflect poorly on the rest of us. Watched Conan or The Late, Late show? We are all again lumped with these fools and mocked. Give me a break.
Quote:
I'm so sick and tired of the liberal tree hugging pukes crying that this money should be sent to the Tsunami victims, or the starving, or whatever
Yes. Let them die. If they had been able to run faster than the wave or if they would just move to where the food is they'd still be alive, so fuck 'em. I'm not a tree hugger. I'll live just fine without the Spotted Owl, thanks much. But hey, if you literally have a million dollars to throw away on such a mindless exercise when you could do many other things that would make a positive contribution for generations to come...well money is power...and as Spock would say, "I object to you. I object to intellect without discipline. I object to power without constructive purpose."
Quote:
Why don't you donate the money you spend on this internet connection to these wonderful causes?
I do donate money to the causes I value. Causes that benefit others and not just my own selfish desire to see a show go on because I'm so much a fanboy I'll die without a fresh fix. And since I'm not a millionaire a far greater percentage of my income goes to those causes that matter.
Quote:
Or that case of beer?
I don't drink.
Quote:
Or that PDA
I don't own one.
Quote:
That wiz-bang cell phone?
Don't own one of those, either. People already have plenty of methods to contact me. Sorry :)
--------
"We've been attacked by the intelligent, educated segment of our culture." ---Pastor Ray Mummert speaking of those who favor Darwinian Evolution over Intelligent Design.
"If this is your God, he's not very impressive. He has so many psychological problems; he's so insecure. He demands worship every seven days. He goes out and creates faulty Humans and then blames them for his own mistakes. He's a pretty poor excuse for a Supreme Being." ---Gene Roddenberry
-
Exactly. Paramounts interest is what these folks are trying to sway. Bitter folks like you continue to confound me. No one is trying to tax you to bring the show back. These folks are doing this of their own accord, using their own time and money. To see you and others like you get all bunched up about it, just because you don't agree with it, is amusing in a sad pathetic kind of way.
And I especially get a chuckle out of your holier-than-thou attitude towards folks who spend their money how they want to spend it. It ain't none of your business at all, but I DID contribute to the Tsunami relief fund. And I may also contribute to this Save Enterprise effort. It's my money - I'll spend it how I see fit. Bite me if you don't like it you arrogant self-righteous blow-hard.
It's you, and folks like you, that amuse me. To get all bent out of shape over what others consider important to them is amazing. Me thinks it's YOU who needs to "get a life", and stop picking on others for living theirs the way they see fit to. Donate your entire salary to PETA, become a vegetarian, hell do whatever you want! But don't think that the rest of us have to feel or do the same as you.
To paraphrase Picard - "It's not our place to judge, or to impose our beliefs on others". Try that sometime pal..
-
LOL...You are free to spend yopur money as you wish.
And I'm equally free to call them all selfish morons for doing so.
Quote:
"It's not our place to judge, or to impose our beliefs on others"
I'm an American, therefore the exact opposite is my job. Or have you missed the last 50 years of US foreign policy. :)
--------
"We've been attacked by the intelligent, educated segment of our culture." ---Pastor Ray Mummert speaking of those who favor Darwinian Evolution over Intelligent Design.
"If this is your God, he's not very impressive. He has so many psychological problems; he's so insecure. He demands worship every seven days. He goes out and creates faulty Humans and then blames them for his own mistakes. He's a pretty poor excuse for a Supreme Being." ---Gene Roddenberry
Quote:
TrekUnited.com, the fan campaign which ultimate goal is to raise over $30 million to pay for a fifth season of STAR TREK ENTERPRISE, just announced that three anonymous contributors have stepped forward with a $3 million pledge toward the campaign.
Like B&B, Brazeal and TrekUnited rely on gray matter scotoma in their audience. Their campaign pooh-poohs reality TV while name-dropping Richard Branson, who's the centerpiece for Fox's reality show THE REBEL BILLIONAIRE: BRANSON'S QUEST FOR THE BEST, produced by the same people (Bunim-Murray) who bring you Paris Hilton in THE SIMPLE LIFE. Their mention of "quality TV" is a Sweet Nothing for the soundbite generation, as these players will pimp dreck TV whenever it suits their agenda.
Paul Allen? He rode the coattails of Bill Gates, whose introduction to IBM and the PC was apron-stringed by his corporate lawyer mother. This proves that being in the right place at the right time can benefit even fools, as storied in FORREST GUMP and BEING THERE.
The "official pledge" smacks of a fanciful exploit by playboys who'll dump millions of dollars into pet projects, nothing that'll impress a Paramount and its stockholders. TrekUnited admits they'll not get a penny of the $3m unless Paramount signs a guaranteed deal, which is unlikely. Brazeal's campaign will continue to be bankrolled by hard coin solicited from common people who have more money than brains. Their misguided hero-worship is a bonus.
--------------
Star Trek vets surmise the franchise
-
I wouldn't say that Paul Allen rode the coattails of Bill Gates. he was as instrumental as Gates in getting MS off the ground. He exited and essentially handed the operation over to gates. Without Allen's drive and maturity MS never would have gotten off the ground. Gates was (is) no dummy but he was still a kid when they started Microsoft.
That said, I agree with you. They know damned well that not a penny of the $3 million will ever be spent.
-
In the end, it's not going to matter if this "impresses" Paramount. Though Trek United is looking to pay for the fifth season, such a large amount of money cannot be easily ignored by Paramount. These three "playboys" will still be seen as representing all Star Trek fans, and just ignoring such an effort will likely get the media to side with Star Trek fans, as they wonder how Paramount could turn down a donation that could potentially make Enterprise more profitable.
-
Quote from Rational Voice:
These three "playboys" will still be seen as representing all Star Trek fans, and just ignoring such an effort will likely get the media to side with Star Trek fans, as they wonder how Paramount could turn down a donation that could potentially make Enterprise more profitable.
Paramount isn't a charity, and this isn't about peer pressure in a tidy world. There wouldn't be a "donation", there'd be a business transaction subject to the legal entanglements of quid pro quo to (currently) 1400+ investors. No matter what middleman Brazeal writes in an ENT contract, Paramount knows the project wouldn't be safe from the tens of hundreds of flaky fans ("donors") who could keep studio lawyers busy for years in a costly class-action lawsuit if Archer gets too cozy with T'Pol.
--------------
Star Trek vets surmise the franchise
Well done! All hailing frequencies open! :-)
Are they sure they have three actual donors for this? Somehow that press release doesn't sound like it was written by someone with millions of dollars to blow. The one line that really struck me was the "superb theme song".
If this is true though, trekunited.com says that the money will be used for whatever will guarantee a 5th season. I think the only way that Paramount won't look bad at this point is if they accept the money and donate it some worthy cause and then Paramount makes the season anyway with their own money. Per what the release says, if I were Les, I would probably try and negotiate with trekunited to set up Trek scholarships for aeronautical engineering or medicine at a few universities across the country. That or donate to some worthy cause.
It would also be interesting if Bill Shatner donated a half million or so on behalf of Trek fans. Not because he wants to necessarily support Enterprise or Paramount, but wants to support the fans.
If I had $3million to blow, I think I would sponsor my own 5 year mission with Jolene Blalock and Linda Park. But that is just me.
--------
-
I really don't believe somebody would just throw away that much money into a lost cause. These guys are supposed to be rocket scientists? Anybody can write a cheque for 3 million dollars (even I could), but will these guys have the funds to back up their promise? I really doubt it. Infact, I'd laugh my ass off if the cheques bounced.
--------
"We're starfleet officers....weird is part of the job!"
Can somebody pay me 3 million dollars instead?
I know there's people out that who can blow that kind of money. Do it and I'll be your love slave *no matter who you are!*
now show me the money
--------
"We're starfleet officers....weird is part of the job!"
Enterprise is done...stop wasting your money. Let's get behind Paramount and push for a "good" Trek 11. Let the TV series rest awhile, come out with a decent movie in say 2007, and then a new TV series possibly in 2008.
-
Never give up, Never Surrender!"
--Galaxy Quest
Good words to live by, from a cheesy movie...
--------
"My old friend, this song's for you. Cause a few simple verses was the least that I could do to tell the world that you were here. Cause the love and the laughter, will live on long after all of the sadness and the tears. We'll meet again, my old friend"
Tim McGraw "My Old Friend"
Dedicated To My Home..New Orleans
-
TREK 11 ??? That one is fucked up already !!!
A Star Trek Movie that introduces characters never seen before ??? Bah I don´t want that !
Star Trek is about characters, and the movies have always been about well established characters. And Starfleet Officers that I have never seen before cannot become well established characters.. Not within a 2 hour movie.
So FUCK Trek 11 and Berman who still has NO IDEA what fans want to see!!!
--------
Live Long and Prosper
Well, it thier cash to blow, so hey...
--------
An elephant never forgets . . .TO KILL!
I'd prefer they contribute to this -
http://www.hiddenfrontier.org/
--------
"That is the exploration that awaits you: Not mapping the stars and studying nebulae, but charting the unknown possiblities of existence." - Q, All Good Things...
-
Agreed. We've been beaten with respect to Enterprise. And as much as I would like it to continue and go against UPN hipocrisy, it won't. That, and I've made my peace with the decision.
Although I must admit, the support has been good. Just a little misguided.
However, the fanfilm effort is in full swing, with great plots and great characters. I agree with supporting Hidden Frontier, as well as New Voyages and Starship Exeter.
--------
Rules I try to live by, thanks to Q:
-Never let them see you bleed.
-Always have an escape plan.
Favorite Clark Kent Quotes:
"I'd give anything to be normal."
"I stand for truth, justice, and...other stuff."
-
That and "New Voyages".
But the problem is that those only have distribution via computer. And there's a significant percentage of the fandom that just doesn't use a computer at home beyond some occassional online ordering or surfing and emailing, let alone ever downloads things, let alone even visits a Trek-related site - even a fan-focussed production site.
The fan-generated stuff has been amazing and I know Eugene Roddenberry has been supportive of their efforts. I've downloaded the "New Voyages" stuff and wanted to check out "Hidden Voyages" and some others.
However like the books, none of it is considered "canon". 
--------
"I think the show talked to people through the characters. They're stories that speak to the heart. They talk about love, they talk about friendship, they talk about loyalty, they talk about patriotism, exploration, curiosity, reaching out... And I think all those things still touch people. Even when you look at a 30-year old show, it still has something to say." - D.C. Fontana, Sci Fi Channel Special Edition TOS 1998
----
"If the season finale involves the re-built USS Reliant coming back in time to the 21st Century crewed by Moogie, Dr. Selar, Morn, Transporter Chief Kyle, and the Salt Vampire, then we'll know that Coto has gone too far." - tomba1701
-
Hidden Froniter made a mock of the Dominion-Federation war with their newest episode "Countermeasures"
It shows the Dominion coming to the aid of a failing Federation blockade...I'm sorry, but I don't ever think there will be a TRUE peace with the Federation and Dominion, it'll never happen...
--------
"My old friend, this song's for you. Cause a few simple verses was the least that I could do to tell the world that you were here. Cause the love and the laughter, will live on long after all of the sadness and the tears. We'll meet again, my old friend"
Tim McGraw "My Old Friend"
Dedicated To My Home..New Orleans
-
I don't think it was a mock at all. I think it was a good step in the right direction. Would you rather see the Federation plummet into another war with the Dominion, or would you rather see them on our side, with a common interest? There's no better sense of change for the better when a former enemy becomes a friend. And with Odo now helping the Founders, and therefore the Dominion, become more tolerant of the Federation and the Alpha Quadrant in general, it seemed logical to me.
--------
Rules I try to live by, thanks to Q:
-Never let them see you bleed.
-Always have an escape plan.
Favorite Clark Kent Quotes:
"I'd give anything to be normal."
"I stand for truth, justice, and...other stuff."
-
I've never seen/read most of the fanfic out there... but it seems viable to me that eventually the Dominion will learn to accept, and possibly become allies with the Federation. Odo went back to the Dominion not only to cure the founders, but to teach them about the "solids", that the Founders don't need to fear and opress them the way they do. I believe that eventually the Dominion would change with his help. They even did a kind of start to that in the DS9 books, and it made sense. Besides, isn;t that what the Federation has done throughout Star Trek... make enemies into allies? The Klingons, and now even the Romulans are starting to come around and realize that strong allies are better than strong enemies.
And of course there will come a day when the Dominion will encounter a threat greater than themselves... the Borg. Once that happens, see how fast they try to make nice with the Federation.
--------
Lily: You mean those bionic zombies you were talking about? The...
Picard: Borg
Lily: Borg... sounds Swedish ~Star Trek: First Contact
(2)
| 
