Background In an interview, located at TrekToday, Ms. Roddenberry stated that she knew there was a backup plan for 'Enterprise'. If the series fails, Paramount is set to do a new show with a new crew and ship. I believe this to be a first for a Star Trek show.
Question Does knowing this influence your opinion on Mrs. Berman and Braga or the new series?
Posted by Vogon Poet (Member # 393) on :
Now, come on. I know Rick Berman has taken a lot of stick for his handling of all things Trek, whether deservedly or otherwise. But there's really no need to bring his wife into all this. . . 8)
Posted by Michael_T (Member # 144) on :
There's a Plan B? Is there something we should know then about Enterprise for Berman to have a Plan B?
Posted by targetemployee (Member # 217) on :
That's the one question that I dare not ask, Michael T..
Posted by First of Two (Member # 16) on :
Having a plan B is always a good idea. Like redundant backup systems. It's better to have them and not need them than need them and not have them.
Posted by Dukhat (Member # 341) on :
quote:(From Majel Roddenberry): "It is different, but if it shouldn't catch on and shouldn't go the way they want it to, they've already got a ship, already got a crew, so all they'd need to do is [tell] the same kinds of stories we're used to seeing."
Is this what you are referring to, Colin? I don't think I'm seeing this exactly the way you're seeing it. I think what she's trying to say is that if whatever shtick TPTB have in store for Enterprise ultimately doesn't work out (i.e. the ratings go down), then they'll just use the same ship & crew, but return to the old "planet/alien of the week" type shows.
I'm taking this to mean that there may be a Babylon 5-type story arc for Enterprise, but since Voyager's TPTB were so opposed to this type of storytelling (for no good reason whatsoever), then they will go back to the "tried & true" method of Star Trek. I don't think Majel means that there's a whole new ship, characters & concept waiting in the wings as a Plan B.
Posted by Siegfried (Member # 29) on :
I'm with Dukhat on this. Mrs. Roddenberry is definitely not saying that they have a totally new series on stand-by should Enterprise not perform to expectations. She's simply saying that the format of Enterprise would be changed to follow typical Star Trek fare. They'd reuse the everything from Enterprise: the ship, crew, sets, etc. I read the article, and Mrs. Roddenberry says that she herself is eagerly awaiting Enterprise and thinks that Rick Berman is capable of doing justice to Gene Roddenberry. This hardly sounds like a slam against Enterprise to me.
Now what I'm wondering is if Enterprise does falter, and this so-called "Plan B" is activated, will the series still be the prequel concept or will it be shifted to another time? To shift it another time would require pouring more money into the show to redo the sets and models. But it's not without precedent with Paramount pouring tons of money (at the time) into Star Trek Phase II going into The Motion Picture.
[ August 16, 2001: Message edited by: Siegfried ]
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
No, I think Dukhat has it exactly right. There's probably some kind of involved story arc planned for Enterprise. Majel is saying that if it doesn't work, they'll alter the story-telling, not the time, or setting of the show.
Posted by The_Tom (Member # 38) on :
I think that's exactly what she means. TPTB have an arc in mind, but if that doesn't pan out the way they'd like it to, they always have the contingency plan of going back to the tried-and-true (some might say tired) episodic Star Trek fare of Alien of the Week.
Posted by Harry (Member # 265) on :
And will it still be Star Trek then? Is this the reason they dropped the name out of the title?
Posted by Jack_Crusher (Member # 696) on :
First, Ms. Majel Barrett Roddenbery was Gene Roddenbery's (the original creator of Star Trek) wife, Not Rick Berman's wife, and she has had several Trek roles, such as Nurse Chapel, Laxwana Troi, and the voice for the starfleet computers in TNG, VOY, and DS9. Second, I think the plan B thang won't work. If Enterprise does crash and burn, and TPTB decide to use the standard Trek fare script, that would just be like locking two tribbles in a compartment of quadrotriticale. The problems would just keep mutiplying, and getting bigger.
Posted by Siegfried (Member # 29) on :
And how did you come to that conclusion? There seems to be more problem inherent in running an arc-type series that expressly has the purpose of showing the beginning of the humanity's true venture into the great unknown. In this manner, you're intentionally trying to show the events and people that lead into the formation of the Trek universe.
Running with the typical alien/planet/particle of the week fare that all of the series have done on occasion poses less of a chance of casing problems. The stories would be safe and not really harmful to the Trek space-time continuum. The biggest problem this could case is that very few of the fans actually want this type of format.
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
Well, the arc concept sounds intruiging for Trek. This points to a few things. Remember when the 'suits' didn't let the DS9 producers do many arc shows, cause it stuffed up with their re-runs? Maybe they've dropped this argument?
Also, this would answer the question, why can't fans submit scripts to Trek anymore?
After watching some promos... I'm beginning to become intruiged and excited!
Spoilers ahead--
spoilers
spoilers
I read where Jeffery Coombs has been asked to play an ANDORIAN for the 5th episode! YES!
Hey, maybe Ron Moore'll comeback? Or at least write a few scripts?
Andrew
Posted by Siegfried (Member # 29) on :
I don't know if Ron Moore would come back on a permanent basis. From what I understand, the fall-out between him and Brannon Braga was pretty intense (although neither side has said much about it). He might be inclined to be a guest writer on the series, but it would depend on both of them to get past that event.
It's a shame, though. I bet Ron Moore would have a lot of fun writing Klingon-centered episodes for Enterprise.
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
Even if Ron was to write a few scripts it would be AWESOME! It'd be like bringing back together 'both sides'! I've just watched the longer promo with the Admiral and more of the cast including Phlox! Wow - it looks FRESH and AMAZING! Woohoo! If feel really good just watching them... there is nothing 'dire' about them - there is something inspiring about them? Lets hope this transfers to the series!
Also, I was just thinking about the problem of having Story arcs for Enterprise. Look, if BUFFY and ANGEL can do such an awesome job, and pull the viewers they do... well then Enterprise can do it.
Maybe its the colours of the sets but I feel like the footage has been shot on a SUNNY DAY!?! Or something - not all doom and gloom. Which Voyager had with all the dark blues and greys... it never had a 'homely' feeling like the big E or even DS9!?!
Posted by Siegfried (Member # 29) on :
This is like a real-time conversation here, Andrew.
Anyway, I think that part of the reason for not doing larger episode arcs in Deep Space Nine and Voyager was that the idea to do them was made after the series had already established themselves. Here, they can start from the very beginning.
Anyway, what we've seem of the Enterprise sets appear to me to be a bit cooler (cooler meaning the blue/green/purple side of the color wheel) in terms of colors. There's a solid use of those colors on consoles and screens and the uniforms themselves. And a lot of the greys appear to be closer to steel-blue than silver. Of course, the engine room set is heavy on the earth tones and the launching bay is heavy on the dark grays and blacks. However, there's a lot more lighting on the bridge than on Voyager and Deep Space Nine (at least to my mind).
Part of the effect is that Enterprise seems to have a lighter tone. Deep Space Nine started with a tone of adventure and exploration, but it immediately got darker after the introduction of the Dominion. Voyager has always had a somewhat dark tone since she's lost on the far side of the galaxy with everyone and their cousin wanting to destroy her. Enterprise has that eager to explore tone that The Original Series has.
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
"First, Ms. Majel Barrett Roddenbery was Gene Roddenbery's (the original creator of Star Trek) wife, Not Rick Berman's wife, and she has had several Trek roles, such as Nurse Chapel, Laxwana Troi, and the voice for the starfleet computers in TNG, VOY, and DS9."
Um... No shit. Lee was referring to the line "Does knowing this influence your opinion on Mrs. Berman and Braga or the new series?". The plural of "Mr." is obviously not "Mrs.". (It's "Messrs.", for anyone who's interested.)
Posted by Vogon Poet (Member # 393) on :
*sigh* Thanks Tim. 8)
Posted by Commander Dan (Member # 558) on :
AndrewR,
To address your question on fan script submissions:
There was a previous thread on this board that explained that issue. ("Bad news, Jeff Kardde") According to some of the guys on that thread, the Writers Guild’s new contact agreement essentially eliminates the possibility of submitting a script if you do not have an agent.
This situation really pisses me off. Not because I am interested in submitting a script, but because I am really tired of situations where unions are forcing the exclusion of regular, average, everyday folks that do not want to unionize. At what point do these terms intrude upon a business’ right to hire any individual that an employer deems worthy of employment (regardless of his or her union affiliation)?
[ August 17, 2001: Message edited by: Commander Dan ]
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
Oh BTW, Majel Barret was also the computer voice in TOS!
Posted by Obi Juan (Member # 90) on :
quote:Maybe its the colours of the sets but I feel like the footage has been shot on a SUNNY DAY!?! Or something - not all doom and gloom. Which Voyager had with all the dark blues and greys... it never had a 'homely' feeling like the big E or even DS9!?!
Oh come on, the ambiance of DS9 was about as doom and gloom as you can get
[ August 17, 2001: Message edited by: Obi Juan ]
Posted by Obi Juan (Member # 90) on :
quote:Anyway, I think that part of the reason for not doing larger episode arcs in Deep Space Nine and Voyager was that the idea to do them was made after the series had already established themselves. Here, they can start from the very beginning.
I think it has something more to do with the fact that these shows make a lot more money in syndication than they do during their first run. The fact is that stations like to air syndicated shows that they can air in whichever order they please.
There is also the matter that arcs tend to discourage new viewers. Don't get me wrong, I hate TV shows that seem to be a string together of totally unrelated 1/2 hour (or hour) segments that just happen to have the same characters in them (no character or plot development, and only the actors gray hairs to tell you that one episode happened after another). However, it is very difficult to get into a series once it is deep into a storyline.
Most of the people who really love Babylon 5 at this forum claim that one of its greatest strengths was a richly detailed story arc. I saw a few of the later episodes and was very intrigued, but I could never get into the show because I didn't want to invest the time to figure our what the hell was going on.
Posted by Siegfried (Member # 29) on :
Well, that is part of the reason I never really got into Babylon 5. I watched a few episodes, but since I didn't watch from the very beginning I had problems keeping track of the larger picture. Of course, I don't think that Enterprise is going to have that big and in-depth an arc. I think they're going for Arc Lite. Of course, they could prove me wrong. Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
Hey yeah DS9 was TOTALLY Doom and Gloom - but it wasn't... FLAT and FEATURELESS! It was wonderfully textured, and places like Ops and The Promenade weren't all boring. Look at the Voyager mess hall - boring. Look at the brige - bland, look at the CORRIDORS! Arrrgh. I think maybe Janeway's ready room and the Delta Flyer interior were the most interesting sets on Voyager. I mean even the Generic quarters on DS9 were WAY cool. Like Garak's quarters in The Wire. Some of the panels in those rooms made it look like the set from "Cube"
Posted by Omega (Member # 91) on :
Um... about B5: according to my paper, the reruns cycle next Thursday, the 23rd of August. I plan to watch the whole series. It's on at 6:00 CDT on the SciFi Channel. Of course, this only helps Americans, but it's better than nothing.
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
quote: Some of the panels in those rooms made it look like the set from "Cube"
Shot on the barest of shoe-string budgets, then?
Posted by Vogon Poet (Member # 393) on :
I get really fed up with Trekkies going on about how B5 was so hard to follow because you had to watch them in order and if you didn't you couldn't follow the story, yet then go on to extol DS9's virtues because they watched the episodes in order and found following the story great fun. . .
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
I think I was one of the only people on the 'net who watched and adored both DS9 and B5. I'm SURE I was one of the only ones, who ADORED DS9 from the very first opening words... "Stardate 43999.1" or what ever...
Posted by Obi Juan (Member # 90) on :
quote: I get really fed up with Trekkies going on about how B5 was so hard to follow because you had to watch them in order and if you didn't you couldn't follow the story, yet then go on to extol DS9's virtues because they watched the episodes in order and found following the story great fun.
Actually, I was in the military and ended up missing all of DS9 season 4 and most of 5. I was pretty lost when I started watching again, and the plot seemed to have gotten pretty convoluted (Cardassians were enemies, then friends, then enemies, then friends...). I considered not investing the time in figuring out what exactly had happened.
Luckily they had just started showing syndicated reruns of the show, so it didn't take me to long to catch up.
You know what Lee, arcs are great if you start from the beginning and watch the whole thing, but they suck ass when you pick it up mid series (whether its DS9, B5 or whatever). I was using B5 as an example because even though I love arcs, it illustrates why networks have an aversion to them--they discourage new viewers. Sorry if I confused you...
Posted by Vogon Poet (Member # 393) on :
Sorry, Obeychops, I wasn't actually getting at you, just expressing a general opinion. There HAS been a double standard operating in some quarters though. . . Overall, the pro-DS9 camp sometimes seems to be saying "arcs are good, provided they're not too complicated." In other words, it's arguable that to fully enjoy B5 you probably need to know who the Zathrases are, but you don't need to know the differences between the various Weyouns in order to follow DS9.
Posted by Mr. Christopher (Member # 71) on :
I would think that if you started watching B5 at the beginning of a season, it wouldn't be too hard to pick things up. IIRC, the previous season was summed up in the opening sequence of the current one.
