Star Trek

[scottyrocks]

Ive been a ST fan since it was originally on network TV although I was a bit too young to really understand it until it was in rerun syndication years later.

I either watched, or tried to watch, all the series. The original set the standard and was great. The most memorable episiode, to me (and forgive me if I get some details wrong), was the one where they used footage from the original pilot with Hunter to tell the story of a court-martial brought against Spock.

TNG was my favorite of the bunch. Terrific character development and evolution. Memorable episodes: 'Yesterday's Enterprise,' when an Enterprise from the past passes into the TNG's present and changes the timeline. Lt. Tasha Yar, a previously killed-off character is brought back. A minor character, Guinan, played by Whoopi Goldberg, is the key to restoring the 'correct' present.

The artifical heart, and Picard's Borqization/recovery episodes were first rate, also.

I could never get into DS9. The characters were, for the most part, ridiculous, afaic. Also, there was no ship. How do you have a ST without a ship? Space stations dont count.

By the time Voyager came along, it had been starting become old hat. In addition, Kate Mulgrew's voice grated on me like nails on a blackboard.

I had high hopes for Enterprise, but it just never went anywhere. The opening song and visuals were the best part, imo.

 

[Benzadmiral]

TNG had some of the finest SF stories ever on TV. I recall one in which Riker falls for a member of a race which abhors any expression of sexuality, and so everyone is supposed to be neuter -- but "she" has leanings toward the female, and toward Riker. One of the show's best dramas. And "Darmok," in which Picard deals with a race widely considered to be incomprehensible, and deduces that they think and speak in metaphor. By the end of the story, as he uses several of their phrases, we the audience understand what is being said. Superb stuff.

As far as I recall my reaction to DS9, I always thought Major Kira should have gone undercover as a green Orion slave girl.

From everything I've heard, it was the most richly developed of all the "Trek" franchises, even dealing with interstellar war, something the other series shied away from. Wasn't there also at least one episode where they revisited the "Mirror, Mirror" universe, the one with the evil Empire of Earth, but 75 years after Kirk and Spock?

On the main promenade of the station, I understand, there's an in-joke sign visible in a number of episodes: "Del Floria's Tailor Shop." That was the agents' entrance to the headquarters in "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." series in the Sixties, and a nod to Peter Allan Fields, a writer/producer on "Deep Space Nine." Fields, you see, got his start writing for U.N.C.L.E. back in 1965, and was one of the three top writers for the show.

 

[Old Rogue]

I've been a fan ever since watching the original series as a kid in the 60's. As a nine year old, it was the highlight of my life when William Shatner did a personal appearance at a department store in our town. I remember being very disappointed when he walked (vice beamed) into the room. Also, he was wearing a regular brown suit, not his Federation uniform. He stood in a chair so everyone could see him and spent close to an hour answering questions about the show. My mom got me there early enough to get a spot right up front. I actually held on to the rope that marked off the area in which he stood, I was about four feet from him the entire time. He was the first celebrity that I ever saw in person. It was quite the red letter day for me.

 

[Orsini]

Corbomite Maneuver
Balance of Terror
City on the Edge of Forever
The Inner Light
Carbon Creek -- they really missed the boat on this one. A lot of follow-up stories were left untold...

Among the best.

 

[sheeplady]

I am a Trekkie. I've been to conventions. Never worn a costume. I love TOS, TNG, and Voyager. DS9 and Enterprise I never saw much of. I'm a bit upset there were no DS9, Voyager, and Enterprise movies. I grew up watching TNG with my father (who was in college during TOS). I have always had respect for Gene Roddenberry, I think he was a very forward thinker.

I am one of the few females on the planet that loves science fiction. I think what I like about Star Trek is that they address some very serious moral issues (war, racism, sexism, etc.) in some of their episodes. But the stories are also fun at the same time.

 

[Effingham]

My first *real* convention was the 1974 International Star Trek Convention, held over the Valentine's Day Weekend (the con was a birthday prezzie from mah mom!) at the Americana Hotel in NYC. Everyone was there but the Roddenberrys (Majel gave birth to Gene Jr that week). Met David Gerrold, De Kelly, George Takei and a few others for the first time, and they were all lovely.

I really am a TOS guy, ultimately. Haven't seen an episode for several months, and I was doing some translation work and my iPod was playing my background music, and the Star Trek theme came on, and all sorts of images and memories flashed in my mind. It's really... very special stuff.

Also, count me as a great fan and supporter of "The New Voyages" (aka "Star Trek Phase II").

Tony

 

[Benzadmiral]

A line from one of the TOS episodes, or maybe one of the movies, keeps running through my mind: "I trust you were properly annoyed." I think it's a Kirk line. What ep was that, and who was he saying it to?

 

[Haversack]

Effingham wrote: "My first *real* convention was the 1974 International Star Trek Convention, held over the Valentine's Day Weekend"

Was that the one that was so oversold that the fire marshal threatened to shut it down? I also seem to remember there was something about the Klingon Diplomatic Corps wearing toe-socks.

Haversack.

 

[DesertDan]

I am a lifelong fan of Star Trek, especially TOS, began watching when very young (probably the last season of the original broadcasts) and then religiously when it became syndicated. I enjoyed TNG a great deal but didn't bond with the other versions.

I have the entire TOS collection of DVDs and watch them quite often.

The future ain't what it used to be.

 

[DanielJones]

I enjoyed most of the series, especially the original. I would never classify myself as a Trekkie, but I did like it. I did get into the TNG series and watch them occasionally on BBC America in the afternoons. I think the episodes I really enjoyed were the ones revolving around Data and his quest for humanity. I liked how it evolved with the Professor and his brother. I did enjoy the 2009 reboot and thought they did a decent job of it.

Cheers!

Dan

 

[Bourne ID]

Not the thread I expected to find on the Lounge this morning! But I must admit to being a huge fan of the Star Trek universe as well! One episode of TNG in particular, changed my life forever. I first saw it as a 21 year old and it turned my life around, I've never forgotten it and never saw it again till just last week, the day after I had just recounted the life changing episode to a co-worker! Synopsis...Picard is shot and killed, his mecnanical heart destroyed and Q gives him the chance to change the regrets of his past. Having changed his past he is brought back to his present and finds that he is not the captain, not a leader and not the man of action or responsibility that he had been. He had taken no chances, risked nothing and had never been noticed.
At 21...I was confronted with the realization that that would be my story....and I changed to become a man of action and responsibility. That episode changed what I"ve become.

 

[Doctor Strange]

That episode is called "Tapestry". And I agree that it's a very good one... even if it's essentially just a reworking of the old A Christmas Carol/It's A Wonderful Life "what if I had taken a different road at a critical juncture?" plot.

http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/Tapestry_(episode)

 

[Effingham]

Effingham wrote: "My first *real* convention was the 1974 International Star Trek Convention, held over the Valentine's Day Weekend"

Was that the one that was so oversold that the fire marshal threatened to shut it down? I also seem to remember there was something about the Klingon Diplomatic Corps wearing toe-socks.

No, that was the 1972 one. (It's so sad that I know this. Fandom, thou art a cruel mistress!)

The future ain't what it used to be.

And, sadly, it never was.


Tony

 

[earl]

I recall watching the original series when first aired. Who knew that Shattner's real acting gift would turn out to be satirical comedy? Earl

 

[Stearmen]

Funny Plaques

On the main promenade of the station, I understand, there's an in-joke sign visible in a number of episodes: "Del Floria's Tailor Shop." That was the agents' entrance to the headquarters in "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." series in the Sixties, and a nod to Peter Allan Fields, a writer/producer on "Deep Space Nine." Fields, you see, got his start writing for U.N.C.L.E. back in 1965, and was one of the three top writers for the show.

Actually, on all the sets, where you see plaques and warning lables, even in the TNG corridor with the big schematic of the Enterprise, the production crew would put funny lables, and tributes to past cast. I have heard that a lot of them are really funny!

 

[Stearmen]

Star Trek The Comedy

I recall watching the original series when first aired. Who knew that Shattner's real acting gift would turn out to be satirical comedy? Earl

Every one that watched the original Star Trek!

 

[scottyrocks]

Every one that watched the original Star Trek!

True.

I remember seeing Shatner on SNL when he parodied himself as TJ Hooker. He spent the entire skit hanging onto the hood of a speeding getaway car, carrying on dialogue. Classic.

 

[Benzadmiral]

I recall watching the original series when first aired. Who knew that Shattner's real acting gift would turn out to be satirical comedy? Earl

Every time this comes up, I have to step up to defend Bill Shatner. It's true that in the years following "Trek" he sort of let his control over his art slip a bit, and he's edged over the line into comedy (which, you know, is tougher to do well than drama). But in the years before "Trek" he was considered one of the best of the new crop of leading-man actors. Many years ago in TV Guide, too, we were told he received a standing ovation when he played Richard II in Canada. When he was cast as Kirk, he was something of a name, and it was considered a coup for Roddenberry & Co.

His performances in "Man from U.N.C.L.E." and "Twilight Zone" don't seem hammy. The man can layer a performance with character details like nobody else. Check out his scowling, ear-scratching Simon Cowell-like judge in country singer Brad Paisley's "Celebrity" video.

And hammy or not, he's survived 50 years and more in a business known for cutting actors' throats and tossing them on the dustheap of history.

 

[Stearmen]

Every time this comes up, I have to step up to defend Bill Shatner. It's true that in the years following "Trek" he sort of let his control over his art slip a bit, and he's edged over the line into comedy (which, you know, is tougher to do well than drama). But in the years before "Trek" he was considered one of the best of the new crop of leading-man actors. Many years ago in TV Guide, too, we were told he received a standing ovation when he played Richard II in Canada. When he was cast as Kirk, he was something of a name, and it was considered a coup for Roddenberry & Co.

His performances in "Man from U.N.C.L.E." and "Twilight Zone" don't seem hammy. The man can layer a performance with character details like nobody else. Check out his scowling, ear-scratching Simon Cowell-like judge in country singer Brad Paisley's "Celebrity" video.

And hammy or not, he's survived 50 years and more in a business known for cutting actors' throats and tossing them on the dustheap of history.

I can't remember the Man from U.C.L.E. episode, to many years ago, but I have seen the Twilite Zone episode a few times in the intervening years, he was good! I believe I have seen him in a couple of pre Trek roles, all good. Maybe he was not that happy about the Kirk roll, kind of beneath him. Much like Gilligan's Island Ginger! Always liked Dawn Wells better, my kind of deserted island fantasy!

 

[Zombie_61]

I've been a Star Trek fan ever since watching the original series when it first aired in 1966. The original series may seem "hokey" or "campy" by today's standards, but it's still the best in my opinion.

I enjoyed The Next Generation when it first aired, but for me it doesn't hold up on repeated viewings. The quality of the episodes is really hit-and-miss; mostly miss. Too much technobabble, too much holodeck. And the NCC-1701-D is the fugliest ship ever created for any sci-fi production.

Deep Space Nine. Really? Star Trek in a shopping mall? I saw the first five or six episodes before I decided I had better ways to spend my time. I've heard from numerous fans that the show got better as it progressed, but I haven't seen one episode that made me want to see more.

Voyager. Truly horrible; it's like watching a bunch of kids playing Star Trek.

Enterprise. This is really the only spin-off series I enjoyed despite it's numerous flaws, and the only one that even remotely captured the feeling of exploration and wonder present in the original series.

The movies. Instead of going film-by-film, I'll just say I like the films featuring the original series' cast (yes, even the much maligned Star Trek V), but wasn't impressed with the TNG films except for First Contact. And IMO Nemesis isn't just the worst Trek film, it's one of the worst films I've seen period.

J.J. Abrams' Star Trek. I went in with an open mind realizing this wasn't going to be the Star Trek I grew up watching, and thought it was okay (again, despite it's numerous flaws). It's a film from a different era with different sensibilities. I thought Karl Urban was terrific as Dr. McCoy--he captured the essence of the character without being a direct imitation of DeForest Kelley. The same goes for Zachary Quinto as Spock, to a lesser extent (though I blame that on how Spock was written rather than Quinto's performance). And although Chris Pine was good as Kirk, I felt the character was poorly written; they showed the "skirt chasing", "willing to do whatever it takes" aspects of Kirk, but completely failed to represent the qualities that showed why any member of the crew would respect Kirk as a commanding officer. And it's always good to see Leonard Nimoy as Spock (my favorite Trek character from day one).

Sorry to be so long-winded, but...well, you asked. :cool2: