quote: Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski told fans on a B5 Usenet group that he and Dark Skies creator Bryce Zabel have put together an idea for a new Star Trek series, which he said would revive the ailing franchise. "I got together [with Zabel] and wrote a treatment earlier this year that specified how to save [Star Trek] and develop a series that would restore the series in a big way," Straczynski wrote. "I actually think it could be a hell of a show. Whether that ever goes anywhere with Paramount, who knows?"
Straczynski added that Paramount called him last year to accept an executive producer position on the currrent Trek series, Enterprise, in its upcoming fourth season, but that he declined. "The series I mentioned has nothing to do with any current series," he added. "It's a new show."
Manny Coto, who created Showtime's SF series Odyssey 5, will take over Enterprise next year as show runner. "As for Manny, he's a good writer, and left to his own devices, I think he could be a big help over there without the other powers-that-be impeding the process," Straczynski said.
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I think some fresh perspectives would be an absolute for a new Trek series, and certainly couldn't hurt on Enterprise. JMS? Hasn't he always been sort of anti-Trek?
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I'm not quite sure how to take this, myself.
On the one hand, I'd certainly be interested in seeing JMS's take on Trek.
On the other hand, I'm not sure this is the right "fix" for Trek. First of all, I'm not at all convinced that now is the best time for a new Trek show, whether it be running concurrently with Enterprise or immediately thereafter. I think a break, even if it is a short break, would be good for Trek. Second, JMS is not infallable. See B5 Season 5. And even if it was great, JMS being in charge is no guarantee that ratings will pick up.
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I'm quite surprised and fairly skeptical that he was offered an exec producer position on Enterprise. I can't see Berman going for that, considering the negative comments he's made about post 1991-Star Trek. And he's not really got a stunning record himself (since B5 only justmanaged not to be cancelled at least twice).
-------------------- Yes, you're despicable, and... and picable... and... and you're definitely, definitely despicable. How a person can get so despicable in one lifetime is beyond me. It isn't as though I haven't met a lot of people. Goodness knows it isn't that. It isn't just that... it isn't... it's... it's despicable.
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Besides, jms has had exactly ONE hit, and even that was questionable. B5 never got huge ratings, and I highly doubt they'd call him in. Crusade and Rangers bombed, and Jeremiah's gone too; while all this is not necesarily his fault, it's still not a great track record.
jms also tends to have a poor showing when the words "total creative control" aren't in his contract. Paramount would never give him that, so I'd hardly see this happening.
Mark <--- loved B5 when I watched it the first time, at least...
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One part of me wants to mention that the circumstances behind B5 s5 were so unusual that it would be almost impossible to maintain the past quality, and the other part of me wants to rant abo0ut how nothing excuses those telepaths, with that hair, and singing that song, bastards, oh dear God it's in my head, make it stop, make it stop. . . nnnnnnnnyyyyyyeeeeeeeaaaaarrrrrrrrggggggghhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *batters himself with tupperware box containing his packed lunch*
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I would totally watch Star Trek: Room Raiders.
Wait.
I mean, Star Trek: Hey, I've Read Lovecraft AND Tolkien.
ZING!
No, I kid. But, yeah, JMS has, like, hyper-attenuated appeal, which would seem to be at odds with their "let's get random viewers watching" policy, or at least stated policy.
Registered: Mar 1999
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quote:Originally posted by PsyLiam: I'm quite surprised and fairly skeptical that he was offered an exec producer position on Enterprise. I can't see Berman going for that, considering the negative comments he's made about post 1991-Star Trek. And he's not really got a stunning record himself (since B5 only justmanaged not to be cancelled at least twice).
Seems like an odd thing to lie about when there's no apparent benefit...plus you'd think that it wouldn't be that hard for someone to eventually find out the truth.
quote: jms also tends to have a poor showing when the words "total creative control" aren't in his contract. Paramount would never give him that, so I'd hardly see this happening.
Could be why he declined.
Registered: Mar 1999
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From what I've read of JMS's posts, I'd be very surprised if he was interested at all in joining an existing Trek show. But creating another spinoff sounds like an interesting idea. All else aside, I would absolutely love to see his take on Trek.
It's a shame that the ratings would probably suck anyway, seeing as how UPN is a shit network and all that. That's the real problem that needs to be addressed these days.
-------------------- “Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.” — Isaac Asimov Star Trek Minutiae | Memory Alpha
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quote:Originally posted by Lee: Pick one of the following responses:-
A. I think this could be a good thing, it's time for new ideas in Star Trek.
B. I hate this idea, there's nothing wrong with Star Trek under the current creative staff.
C. B5 is the spawn of the devil and JMS is the devil and Roddenberry would be spinning in his grave.
D. He should really tie up the many loose-ends of the B5 universe before starting new ones in Trek.
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And we will all come together in a better place, a better place than this. My love will guide you, my love will find you, and my love will show you the way.
Just for the record, while S5 had it's bad moments, like the song. It's plot was good with what they had. I wish Susan hadn't left, that would have contributed a lot to the show because it would have cut most of Lochley's introduction story out. At the same time it would have contributed to the dynamic between B5's commander disagreeing with the Alliance president, Susan vs. Sheridan.
Besides, Season 5 was also supposed to help launch a spin-off series. They had to introduce the telepath plot. I'm just lost on why they went with the Drakh storyline instead and skipped ahead to Crusade.
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