Friday, April 21, 2006
New Trek
Offered (almost) without comment: JJ Abrams tackles Trek
"J.J. Abrams is becoming the next Gene Roddenberry.I'm cautiously optimistic. Alias got a few good seasons before it went horribly wrong, and I'm a huge fan of Lost. That said, if I ran the world I'd have left Trek a-moldering in the grave a mite longer yet. I think ten years would have been a good amount of time to let the franchise recharge a bit. But the fact that this appears to be an entirely new creative team is encouraging. And a new continuity, as well? That's the only way I can see Spock and Kirk at the Academy at the same time working, unless Spock is sent back for remedial training after serving a decade on the Enterprise under Captain Pike.
"Paramount is breathing life into its "Star Trek" franchise by setting"Mission: Impossible III" helmer J.J. Abrams to produce and direct the 11th"Trek" feature, aiming for a 2008 release. Damon Lindelof and Bryan Burk, Abrams' producing team from "Lost," also will produce the yet-to-be-titled feature. Project, to be penned by Abrams and "MI3" scribes Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, will center on the early days of seminal "Trek" characters James T. Kirk and Mr. Spock, including their first meeting at Starfleet Academy and first outer space mission."
Comments:
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Young Kirk and Young Spock?
I think there'll be significant fan resistance to this simply because the filmmakers can't use Shatner and Nimoy for the roles, and I think fans will be reluctant to embrace anyone else in the role.
Of course, there is one group of fans for whom this will be a boon: slash writers.
I think there'll be significant fan resistance to this simply because the filmmakers can't use Shatner and Nimoy for the roles, and I think fans will be reluctant to embrace anyone else in the role.
Of course, there is one group of fans for whom this will be a boon: slash writers.
Well, I think it was inevitable. For years, there's been debate amongst fans as to whether Trek could be a franchise like James Bond (or Who, for that matter), with the characters passing from actor to actor. Paramount has been going the other way for the last couple of decades, with new characters instead, but after a good start and a better middle, things went a bit wonky after a while. ST:Nemesis was really one of the worst things humanity has ever produced, and that's being generous. This new approach couldn't possibly be worse than that.
As for slash, I think you're right! Metafilter seems to agree, as the title of their topic on the subject suggests.
As for slash, I think you're right! Metafilter seems to agree, as the title of their topic on the subject suggests.
It doesn't necessarily need to be a new continuity. Spock is three years older than Kirk, so there could be an overlap of their time at the Academy.
Either way, having Abrams take over is a good thing; LOST is fantastic, and I can see him doing good stuff with the characters.
I would've preferred something other than the Starfleet Academy concept, but I think a return to the Original Series roots is a good thing, and Ambrams may be able to pull it off.
So like you, I am "cautiously optimistic." :-)
Win
P.S. Check eonline.com later today. They may have some comments about this from some Trek continuity geek of your acquaintance.
Either way, having Abrams take over is a good thing; LOST is fantastic, and I can see him doing good stuff with the characters.
I would've preferred something other than the Starfleet Academy concept, but I think a return to the Original Series roots is a good thing, and Ambrams may be able to pull it off.
So like you, I am "cautiously optimistic." :-)
Win
P.S. Check eonline.com later today. They may have some comments about this from some Trek continuity geek of your acquaintance.
I'll be damned, Win, you're right! I just checked Michael and Denise Okuda Star Trek Chronology, and they agree with you. They've got Spock graduating from Starfleet Academy in 2253, and Kirk in 2254. And McCoy is in medical school at the same time, presumably on Earth. I assume that Ben Finney, from "Court Martial," could be a character as an instructor, and Gary Mitchell as Kirk's roommate or some such. Okay, I see it, there could be a way to make it work in continuity.
And I'll definitely have to check out eonline. I'm curious to see what you had to say!
And I'll definitely have to check out eonline. I'm curious to see what you had to say!
My own Annotated Star Trek Timeline gives slightly different graduation dates, but only to accomodate info from the non-canonical novels and comics. It doesn't vary widely from the Okuda-chron.
I'd love to see them use Ben Finney, Gary Mitchell, Carol Marcus or Ruth (Last Name Unknown), and of course Finnegan. ;-)
As long as it doesn't become 90210 in space... But I trust Abrams more than that.
As for eonline, we'll see if they left my comments intact. If not, I'll send you the original questions and answers, for what they're worth. :-)
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I'd love to see them use Ben Finney, Gary Mitchell, Carol Marcus or Ruth (Last Name Unknown), and of course Finnegan. ;-)
As long as it doesn't become 90210 in space... But I trust Abrams more than that.
As for eonline, we'll see if they left my comments intact. If not, I'll send you the original questions and answers, for what they're worth. :-)
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