Let's look at it by decade:
From 1964 (first shooting date for "The Cage" until 1968 or 1969) a series named "Star Trek" was in production. It was created by a buncha flawed interesting people, mainly to sneak in some social comment in the guise of science fiction. People actually wrote letters to try to keep it on the air, something that is commonplace now but was unheard of then. It had hand held communicators, medical diagnostic beds, and lasers...very impossible stuff, no?
Many of the actors on the show were underappreciated but most days, they really worked at it... (and the industry rewarded most of them with typecasting and some level of obscurity.)
In 1972, people actually paid to get together, dress up stupid, and talk about the show. These gatherings have continued, and become very um, corporate.
In 1973 Star Trek: The Animated Series debuted, with the voices of the original cast.
From the original series cancellation, fan fiction, convention gatherings and speculation on a possible film kept the franchise on life support.
In 1979, a lackluster movie did poor box office, but just enough to warrant a second film.
in 1982 the "Wrath of Khan" became the first successful Trek film, even while killing off a main character.
Two more films followed, continuing to draw fans and fan interest.
in 1987 "Star Trek: The Next Generation updated the original concept...it strugged to find it's voice, but became an incredible hit in its own right, perhaps making a permanent place on solid ground with the arrival of cybernetic villains known as "Borg"
Anyone wishing to discuss "Final Frontier" can do so in comments. Not me.
In the early nineties, the original cast got a gripping last film with "Undiscovered Country."
In January 1993, a second spinoff series would take the franchise in new directions. Deep Space Nine became known for maturing the view of the Federation. Problems weren't solved in one hour anymore and the Feds had blood on their hands sometimes, no longer the unquestioned "good guys" of space. This is my favorite of them all.
More films arrived: "Generations," a fair bridge film between the 23rd and 24th centuries "First Contact," a Borg epic, "Insurrection, " which is another "discuss amongst yourselves because I don't care to." and the earnings loser "Nemisis," which I liked a bunch.
In 1995, Voyager spun off with a leaner starship, an unexplored quadrant of space, and Kate Mulgrew as the take no crap Captain Janeway, along with the most bland first officer of the franchise, Chakotay. The Borg babe Seven of Nine attempted to spice up the show and draw veiwers but ....the dowslide began when Voyager hit the Delta Quadrant, in an uncomfortably "Lost in Space," fashion.
Enterprise's last year has been great for me. I call this last year an unqualified sucess...even though I didn't think much of the first three. The prequel has really found its voice...too bad it's too little too late.
From 1964-2005 one self perpetuating idea about our future has held the interest of a lot of people. If the number of people involved has lessened, it doesn't diminish the size of the achievement as a whole. No one in television and films did this before Trek, and it's my bet that it will be a long time before anyone can do it again.
I'd raise a glass if I had one.
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4 comments:
Are you trying to makeme cry???
Well, it is a *wake* after all...someone has to grieve :)
Very well written! A few thoughts to maybe spark some debate (all good-natured, geekish, "in my opinion" stuff, of course : )).
1) While I agree with most of what you said about TNG, I think the Borg are often given too much credit for TNG's (and by extension First Contact's) success. As villains, they are not interesting in and of themselves. What they are is a great catalyst to bring out the all-too-often unexplored frailties and "human" weaknesses of the TNG characters, which always makes for the best shows.
2) From reading this, I think I like Voyager a bit more than you did. In my opinion, the problem was not that they were stranded in the Delta Quadrant---I actually think the premise of the show is really quite cool. The problem as I see it is that Berman & Co. (and to be fair, probably his bosses at Paramount, too) did not have enough FAITH in that premise. Whenever the ratings started to sag even slightly, Berman always said, well, it must be because the characters aren't happy to be where they are they are going through a tough time. Um, Rick, isn't that called drama? The problem was that they weren't unhappy ENOUGH! The whole Starfleet vs. Maquis thing could have led to some really sparkling conflict, but after a few episodes, Janeway & Chakotay were flirting and talking to animal guides together when we really wanted to see them at each other's throats. And the solution to the ratings "problem" was always to recycle plots and attitudes from TNG. Not a good plan. Voyager was never given a chance to really "be its own show," like DS9 --- fortunately-- was.
3) And about Enterprise: While I have enjoyed some of what they've done this year (even though I am seriously frustrated that they didn't give their so-called version of "T'Pau" her character-defining accent), that temporal cold war thing bugged me, because not only was it not a great idea to begin with, but in true X-Files "set us up & never pay it off" fashion, the story was never resolved in a satisfying (or even an understandable) way.
Cool!
Now Re: Voyager:
If they had carried through the idea you bring up of Feds vs Maquis and made it the central, long term angst driver you suggest, you're right I would have liked the show better than I do.
I just think the whole "send them elswhere" thing failed both in Voyager and in the 'Expanse-Zindi' portion of Enterprise because it cut the ties to too much of what was good about TOS,TNG, and DS9, while attempting to recycle plots...
Also I think its a generational thing. For those of us who either grew up watching the original NBC run of TOS or saw it in its first run of syndication, many saturday mornings (or weekday afternoons) there was lame 'Lost in Space,' trying to appeal to the same viewers and failing miserably. So we tend to find fault intrinsically in the Jupiter 2 syndrome, rather than go further and say, not enough drama too much recycling--We just wanna keep it in the darn Alpha Quadrant...we're afraid the next thing we'll hear is
"Danger, Will Robinson," or "Oh, the Pain!" from Lost In Space.
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