JMS Calls Out Paramount on Trek

POSTED BY: Misguided By Voices
UPDATED: Monday, February 28, 2005 21:03
VIEWED: 5819
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MISGUIDED BY VOICES

Tuesday, February 15, 2005 10:46 PM

Wow. For a few hours, JMS had an open offer on the table to pitch a new, 5 year arc for Trek run by himself and Bryce Zabel.

A few hours later, he put it back in the box, because the word is that the franchise is being rested for at least two years (common sense at last!).

Plus, he's got a show runners gig for 2006 offered to him...

"I threw up on your bed"

GROUNDED

Tuesday, February 15, 2005 11:23 PM

'Resting the franchise' isn't going to make any difference unless the right creative team is selected to move it forward. Whether that happens now or two years down the line is irrelevant.

MISGUIDED BY VOICES

Tuesday, February 15, 2005 11:28 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Grounded:
'Resting the franchise' isn't going to make any difference unless the right creative team is selected to move it forward. Whether that happens now or two years down the line is irrelevant.

Totally agree - whether you're a JMS/Zabel fan or not, they were genuine fans of what Trek was meant to stand for, who wanted to do something challenging with the series. Shame that politics seems to have gotten in the way.

"I threw up on your bed"

VETERAN

Tuesday, February 15, 2005 11:37 PM

Well said. I was so disappointed with the direction Enterprise took. The whole time travel arc and brining in the Borg. No respect for the continuity. (I always wanted to find out about the exploits of Capatin Garth or some other such thing)

Hopefully it will come back strong after a rest and if it can't, perhaps it can just rest in peace.

MANOFSTEEL25

Wednesday, February 16, 2005 12:19 AM

If B5 is any indication, I'd have loved tio see what JMS would have done with Trek but I agree it's gone on too long and it needs a rest for a while- maybe JMS will be willing to take up the reins when it comes back but for now it needs the breather and yes the creative team to lead the way when it returns. Berman's day is done.

Although on the same note I'm not too impressed by Jeremiah but I think that has more to do with the casting and direction then the writing....

CYBERSNARK

Wednesday, February 16, 2005 3:41 PM

Different strokes, I guess. I love Jeremiah; JMS is dealing (or "dealt," I guess, but I'm just starting S2 here) with some of the biggest issues I've ever seen TV try to tackle, and he's not (wasn't) pulling any PC "dancing around the issues without actually naming them" that Star Trek has been forced into.

The really important part I see is the "five year arc." They'd need that guarantee of five years, to be free to push the envelope without having to worry about cancellation (this is why the last seasons of many long-running shows (DS9, Buffy, etc) can go all out; they know they're not coming back, so they don't have to be PC anymore --they can take chances.

Edit: can't sentence proper.

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We applied the cortical electrodes but were unable to get a neural reaction from either patient.

ATILLA

Wednesday, February 16, 2005 4:11 PM

I liked the new star trek; but, don't believe that it was nearly as good as it could have been.

A five year story like Babylon 5 would have been great.

Notice that the best minds in scifi video drama are opting out of comercial television?

MANOFSTEEL25

Wednesday, February 16, 2005 5:08 PM

Hmmm. I think base don the 6 epsidoes I've seen (and I will finish the season at least) I feel like it's not living up to it's full potential.

Also the same type of premise was played out I thought much better on the BBC's Survivors from the 70's. It's nice to see more money thrown at this concept to see more ruined cities and such... but I can't put my finger on what isn't entirely working for me. I can't tell if it's the rather bland acting from Perry and Jamal-Warner.... or the filming style or what...but I just find I'm generally not fully invested in the characters and situations despite what I feel is a pretty compelling premise.

I guess I'll wait and see how it pans out with the Vallhalla sector stuff. Also I know JMS didn't create this and he only wrote a margin of episodes unlike B5. So maybe that's it- although I know a lot of people might have similar complaints about B5 that I just gave about Jeremiah so..(shrug) I guess it's a personal taste in the end.

I had a similar reaction to Dead Like Me. Decent show- but didn't know me out of the ball park like i thought it would. But in that case I know it had more to do with the fact the basic 'rules' of the show bothered me.

Back to Trek: I think a guaranteed 5 year arc would be awesome- and no better man to do it than JMS. But no network would ever be able to 100% give that guarantee. If the ratings fail- they fail.

Been hearing about these Trek Fan demonstrations they want to hold now for Enterprise in NY and LA. I think it's a noble effort but in the end, the damage is done, it needs to rest.

MISGUIDED BY VOICES

Wednesday, February 16, 2005 10:08 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by manofsteel25:
but I can't put my finger on what isn't entirely working for me. I can't tell if it's the rather bland acting from Perry and Jamal-Warner.... or the filming style or what...but I just find I'm generally not fully invested in the characters and situations despite what I feel is a pretty compelling premise.

Have to say I haven't seen much Jeremiah - not made terrestrial TV over here - may need to look at the DVD import. What I did see interested me - one episode dealt with very similar issues to Late Delivery From Avalon from B5, but seemed to take a bit of a different route which was interesting.

There was one great episode I saw with (believe it or not) Luke Perry in a 90210 reunion stunt-cast that really showed how dark they were going. Definitely intrigued me, and I'd like to see more.

"I threw up on your bed"

MANOFSTEEL25

Wednesday, February 16, 2005 10:22 PM

I love B5 but am not geek enough there to kow episode titles on that one yet- what was Avalon about?

I think you mean Jason Preistley who yes definately played a much darker role. Theshow definately covers interesting concepts but again something about the execution is... not clicking for me. But I'll finish out the season and see....

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