|
|
In our continuing effort to pander to all forms of fanboys, we have
enlisted Star Trek fan and sometime wood elf Kevin Miller to provide
coverage of the upcoming series Enterprise. Today he introduces
himself with some preliminary thoughts before he actually gets to see the
show. Now we'll never see Chekov make it to the 24th Century...The Enterprise Docks at FanboyPlanet.com
By Kevin MillerWill Enterprise boldly go where Voyager couldn't?
Somewhere inside Federation Council Chambers…
Space is too small! We know everyone in the Alpha Quadrant. There isn't enough galactic conflict. Shut down the Enterprise, and commission Voyager… Forget about Deep Space Nine, no one watches the Defiant anyway.
7 years later…
Weird. Why didn't the ratings shoot through the roof? Voyager was zooming through space, discovering the unknown. And when that wasn't enough we manufactured a pop-culture-sex-icon. What went wrong?
That probably never really happened, but it sure felt that way. After Trek creator Gene Roddenberry's death the executives who inherited The Next Generation quickly felt boxed in by the universe of Star Trek. By the 24th century the Federation had become pretty chummy with her neighbors, and human-to-human race relations had become so good the writers couldn't inject conflict, the necessary element for story telling. So Rick Berman and crew rotated the Next Generation for the Next Next Generation.
They thought they knew everything about creating a Trek spin-off as well as why some fans reacted negatively to the central location of Deep Space Nine. And so Voyager was set to be continually in motion, never looking back. But something was missing from the show, and it never hit the mark set by The Next Generation.
Trekkers and Trekkies alike have become very hip to the seven-year cycle of prime time to syndication. Generation lasted seven years, as did Deep Space Nine. Somewhere around the middle of year Voyager's sixth year, the internet became flooded with rumors of the premise for the Next Next NEXT Generation.
A band of Renegade Marquis disgusted with Captain Janeway's incompetence steal a shuttle craft and brave the Delta quadrant free from Federation rules… and aid.
Seven Borg drones, accidentally disconnected from the hive and unable to return to Earth or UniMatrix-Zero-Zero-One search the galaxy for meaning.
The Federation commissions a special squad to act like the Navy Seals of Star Fleet. Their mission: handle emergency situations, and solve hotspots, either with or without Federation help.
Deep in the heart of San Francisco the class of 2395 learn what it means to be a Star Fleet officer at the Academy.
After uncovering an ancient artifact a team of historians are able to travel back in time to Earth during the start of the 21st century to assimilate UPN's biggest enemy… Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Eventually the Trek Execs chose…
The trendy power of a prequel propels audiences two hundred years into the past, in order to refurbish a chocking franchise.
I was afraid for the Star Trek franchise the first time I caught whiff of this awful rumor (since turned reality). The creative minds controlling Voyager placed their stories 75 million light years away from the original 25 year old rich mythos of Star Trek. They created new characters, and whole new races each week. But they still managed to botch the continuity of the Star Trek continuum. And if the same group of people couldn't do it on the other side of the galaxy, how could they create a show acting as the foundation for the next two hundred years!? Four television shows, and nine movies (soon to be ten) is a lot of homework. I don't think they can do it, without every week writing something that conflicts with all already known pieces of the universe. Thus making for a Trek that searches for a new audience, instead of building on an already huge fan base. And further, angering every Trekker and Trekkie.
Then why does the recent cover of TV Guide make me giddy with excitement for this fall? Why can't I get the images of the submarine-like Enterprise out of my head? Why can't I stop thinking about this new race of people, and meeting the Klingons for the very first time? Why do I want to collect every little tiny detail concerning Enterprise?
Perhaps this isn't a failed attempt to connect with an audience. Perhaps the Enterprise will actually tap into something they have forgotten while Janeway was at the helm.
Perhaps the true Star Trek fan can return to Wednesday nights to enjoy good television, void of preachy plots, and bad direction. Perhaps the execs actually looked around and thought, "Gee, we have one of the biggest fan followings in the world. Maybe we should do something that drips with effort."
Or perhaps this is just another failed attempt to capitalize on a dream that died with its creator.
In either case, one thing is certain. I was NEVER this excited about Voyager.
Discuss this and more in the Fanboy forums.
Guidelines fot Submitting Guest Columns to FanboyPlanet.comYou are invited to submit a "FanboyPlanet.com Guest Column: for possible publishing on this site. The column must be submitted to FanboyPlanet.com only. Please specifically state in your submission that you have only submitted it to us. FanboyPlanet.com is under no obligation to use any unsolicited columns from its readers, but if the article is not used within 1 month, it's fair game to submit it elsewhere. The column should be about one topic somewhere between 500 and 1,000 words in length. Other than the potential admiration of loyal fans, there is no pay, compensation, or stipend to the author if FanboyPlanet.com publishes the column.
Submit your guest editorial in straight e-mail text form (not as an attachment; we never open attachments) to MJGoodson@yahoo.com
|
|