Just as a reminder that this is a two part issue for me. This is just the "for letting it die" argument.
I'm just gonna have this one up for a short time, a month at most. Then can it and focus on the "for letting it live" argument.
Is it time to say enough is enough and just let this old horse go the way of Flash Gordon, Buck Rodgers and Rawhide???
Just to have them as pleasant memories and DVD collections?
TOS.
The original series was full of campiness and not much in the way of real intellectual product. Entertainment levels were just adequate.
Even though some of the members of the original cast had really great potential the show itself and the stigma that associates with it just wouldn't let them prosper.
Also, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan and some others have died. Why not let them just be. Let then enjoy their few years in dignity and grace. With fond memories and adulations.
The pressure that the fans have burdened them for "One last Hurrah" with is not realistic at best, there will be NO adventures of Capt. Sulu folks. Mr. Takei is not in good enough health for the endeavour and Paramount wants fresh flesh for the producers and investors not some Asian Ian McKellan, and at most it is absolutely selfish. To have a bunch of overweight, underachieving, bespeckled, lobster headed trailer trash wanting someone else to do something that they cannot do, whether it be from lack of ability or talent or in most cases both to do is in its own way slavery. "We made you!" says the trekkies. "You owe us!" says the 35 year old man that lives in his parents attic living off unemployment.
TNG.
The series started off with better special effects but save for that it was just TOS part duex. The cast itself was balanced. If you consider one third needed, one third not necessary and one third just being there and collecting a check. To be balanced. For the needed. Patrick Stewart taking the "Cerebral" Kirk role, Data as the Spock outsider role, the fiesty doctor, played by Gates McFadden.
For the "go either way" crowd. Worf, Yar, Laforge and Riker. Were these characters really needed??? Was a "KLINGON WARRIOR SON OF THE HOUSE OF MOGH!!!!!!!!!!!!" really needed??? Worf was the Fax Machine of Star Trek. One by itself served no purpose. So he served as a door into the Klingons as a race. But due to poor screen writing the true ideology and racial identity of that race was sorely lacking. Unless you live in your parents basement.
Yar. A woman as chief of security is nothing new nor to be lauded. The show got along great when they killed her off. Damn contract negotiations.
Riker. Started off as the philandering stud and got married. Casanova with a conscience.
Laforge. The belief by the producers and writer held was that a black man should be in a position of authority. This, IMHO, showed a lack of the knowledge of the Trek universe by those who really didn't care for it one way or another. The failure to remember Dr. M'Benga. He was more versed in Vulcan physiology than Dr. McCoy. Dr. Richard Daystrom, the creator of the M1 through M5 computers. His character was in reality more versed, knowledgeable and believable than, say Soong. The character though that sticks in my mind the most was the Admiral overseeing the Courts Martial in the episode Court Martial. As a former member of the military if I had a commander like him my kids would have been spit-polished.
It also brought new characters that for lack of a better term just left a bad taste in most peoples mouths.
Counselor Troi. A telepathic empath. It doesn't matter if she signed a waiver or contract or swore an oath of office. Would YOU want someone to be able to read you mind and know your emotions. Honestly think of it. Your darkest fear, your deepest hate.
Those are personal just as your highest love or your brightest joy. They are yours. Not even GOD stands in your way with them. So how would you like to be out of a job because of the emnity for a co-worker or in jail because of an emotional flare you felt for a screaming baby. Luckily they toned her down.
Wesley Crusher. The boy-god. Gene Rodenberry's alter-ego. Makes you wonder what the hell he and L.Ron were talking about on that yacht in the Bahamas.
Deep Space Nine.
In a nut shell it "Came in as a Lion" and went out like a bad lounge act.
The poor Bajorans. The poor Cardassian oppressed Bajorans. The poor Cardassian children murdering Bajorans. The poor alien worshipping, ideologically misguided Bajorans. Lines have been made to equivilate the Bajorans with the Palastinians in a socio-ecomic sense and Muslims with their religion. So would then the Cardassian be the Israelis and the Dominion be the United States????
The characters were overall decent. The Chief still always got the shaft. Dr. Bashir was good. An augment just wanting to be normal. But Dax. If it was a new individual then why the "old Man" nickname? Who was really in control and other than a longer healthier life what was the true benefit? Would you give up all that you are. Your failings and successes, you dreams and fears, your loves and hates. All that make up YOU to be a slug's hosts and a few extra years???
I'd take a trill.
On a plate medium rare.
VOYAGER.
This show had potential. I found it to be entertaining and the only episodes I didn't care for were the "social message" ones. These, IMHO, just took away from the actors and their characters and the continuity of the episodes.
But a paycheck is a paycheck.
ENTERPRISE.
The showed so many lapses in continuity. Ship design, weapons technology, user technology. You really need seat belts folks.
Ship design was not really an issue for me. All Federation ships are built badly. The bridge was and still is a hood ornament.
Weapons tech. If you follow the 100 years before TOS, say with the "new" phase pistols, then we would still be using single shot breach loading rifles and percussion cap pistols. "Just can the laser guided bombs boys! We got lever action rifles now!"
User technology in regards to the transporter. Then if relevant technological evolution takes a normal course there would be no such thing in the 23rd century as a transporter "malfunction".
But due to the vicious trekkies and the negative stereotype associated with trekkies. The show waned and died. Even the Vulcan body suit didn't save it.
Too bad though. I have a story line about how the Federation rescuses the Defiant. Boarding parties. Lots of Boarding Parties.
Now on to the movies...
The Motion Picture. Started it all and set the stage, IMHO, for a better 23rd century style. IMHO only/
The Wrath of Khan. Dark and dangerous. Loved it. The introduction of the human flaws and strengths were best.
The Search for Spock. I could see the exploration of the Genesis world and even it's destruction but why kill of David Marcus??? Children are our future. That is why we have them. The fans wanted a "Next Genration"? Well David Marcus was it, but like an unwanted pregnancy the character got aborted. Also the resurrection of Spock was just a bad idea.
The Voyage Home. "WHALES SAVE THE WORLD"!!! Well if whales can save it then Cockroaches will conquer it. What gets me is why they just didn't go to one of the 2031 tourist kiosks that San Francisco has to get a map and some bus tokens. Also the Klink ship must have something in the way of a precious metal used for repair parts. A pound of "scrap" gold is still worth 500 an ounce folks. Info-mercial be damned.
The Final Frontier. Was probably the worst overall of the original cast movies. Even the critics were heartless in this case to refer that the replictors be made to sustain geritol.
The stroy line sucked and when I walked from the showing I wanted my money back. Did I mention the Kabuki Klingon???
The Undicovered Country. This one had star power. The quality of actors made this one shine. Christopher Plummer as Chang. Paul Rossilli as Kerla. Also the chance to see the true Klingon was in the strong if distant emotional bond between Azetbu and Kerla. Now there is your Klingon Opera folks.
The downfall was the Shakespearian gobbldy-gook. What would GOD want with starship? What would a Klingon want with "Taming of the Shrew"???
Julius Ceaser I could understand. Even Enrique Quatros through Octovos. Hegemona Lear would be required reading. So there is reason for Klingons liking Shakespeare but then you couldn't swing a dead cat at a Gen-Con with out hitting a lobster head quoting, badly mind you, from the Bard.
The "Next Generation" movies all did poorly at the box office and none could bring to mind any redeeming quality. Well the destruction of that Galaxy Class behemoth did bring a chuckle. Insurrection just made me think of WTF were the writers thinking and First Contact just sledgehammered the TOS lore of Cochrane being from Alpha Centauri.
For those of you that don't know. Befor the Eugenics Wars, Earth sent out colony ships. One went to Alpha Centauri. It established a colony among the natives and flourished. While there the colonist intermingled with the natives and Zephram Cochrane was born. He invented warp speed travel and the desendants weh back to Earth to pull it from the desparity of post Eugenic War life.
As for Nemesis. Glad they whacked Data and too bad B4 didn't go with him. But it did reinforce the notion that seat belts are need on a starship.
Every undertaking by associated with Star Trek has met with modest success at best, dismal failure at worst. From TV to comics to movies and even games. Nothing is original and the lessons of the past are flung away.
Is it time to let it Die.
Just think of Ben Affleck playing an academy age Kirk.
Topic: Star Trek: Pasture or Glue Farm...??? Part 1. (Read 1088 times)