Celebrating 47 Years of Star Trek!

[MrMonkey]

Today we celebrate the 47th anniversary of Star Trek, as the series’ first episode, “The Man Trap” aired on September 8, 1966.

Gene Roddenberry’s “wagon train to the stars” made virtually unknown actors at the time, William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, Nichelle Nichols, George Takei and Walter Koenig, into household names across the United States and around the world.

In the years since the first episode aired, we’ve seen the franchise evolve and effect the lives of so many. Star Trek has changed the way many of us create, use and interact with technology. It has spurred exploration on land, in our oceans and towards the final frontier of space. The franchise has changed the way many of us interact with other races and those with beliefs different than our own. Star Trek has shown us that while mankind may not be perfect, we can–and should–strive to be better than we were yesterday.

Happy Bday Star Trek!

 

[sallywoppy]

i like the show

 

[josh_the_hot_boy]

Ahh that's better. (No offenser or anything.)

 

[ihno]

Ahh that's better. (No offenser or anything.)

Yes, I had the same in mind.

 

[josh_the_hot_boy]

Omg I so love that I'm not the only one that feels that way.

 

[Sinnerr]

just of curiousity ... what is bad with first guy on the left side ?

 

[josh_the_hot_boy]

The Original Series gets a pass for only having 3 season cause back then it was brand new they didn't know how it was going to work out. Every series since then has had 7 seasons except for Enterprise which had 4 seasons. Enterprise just didn't work. They tried to do one that took place back before the Original Series and it just failed.

 

[MrMonkey]

Ahh that's better. (No offenser or anything.)

Well if it means anything to you - I totally agree with you about ST:Enterprise and capt Archer. It is a bad show.Totally "cleaned" from Gene Rodenberry's vision.

 

[ihno]

Long story short:

Well, that's Cpt. Archer, the Cpt. of the fifth show, "Star Trek Enterprise" (ETP).
The show was a so called Prequel (trying to copy Star Wars Episode 1)

The problem with this show: TNG was the first show after the original in the late 80s, produded by Rick Berman. Voyager was a copy of TNG in the 90s (produded by Rick Berman) and ETP was yet another copy (produded by Rick Berman).

It happened, what always happens, when you do something for too long.
It lacked original new ideas, the scripts were repititions of old ones and so the people rejected it. The general prequel concept of that show was ignored and there was nothing "prequely" about it. To "spice it up" there was a shower, where they soaped each other up and the not very smart Cpt. got a dog, which he fed with cheese all the time. It was an insult for me as a fan and as an intelligent being.

They should have stopped after Voyager.

Same goes for the new movies with the new crew.

 

[DarthMorrow]

In all honesty: They should have stopped after Deep Space 9.
Even though DS9 strayed away from Roddenberry´s vision, it introduced us to a wider view of the 24th century. It went darker, more serious, but there was always this glimmer of hope for a better tomorrow.

Voyager tried too hard to be TNG 2.0. But with bland 2-dimensional characters and episodes that where so stuffed with technobabble that it was borderline rediculous. And let´s not forget that Voyager transformed the Borg from Ubervillain to "Throwaway-alien-of-the-week".

And Enterprise. Well i alwyas thought this series was only created to make "Voyager" look good.

As for the new movies: I think they capture the spirit of classic trek. But the fokus is a bit of. The characters are there, but what is missing is the human condition. Which is deafened by the bravado of the action.
Sometimes it seems they are trying to combine the technobabble of Voyager with the wild west feel of classic Trek. At least the new movies make you forget the misadventures of Cpt. Beadyeyes and his awsome beagle.

Star Trek is still around and relevant. Who would have thought that 47 years ago. Wouldn´t it be great to have a new tv show around for the 50th?
And who knows what our lives would look and feel today without a little nerdshow known as Star Trek?? Happy Anniversary and thank you Gene...

 

[ihno]

In all honesty: They should have stopped after Deep Space 9.

VOY and DS9 were produced at the same time, maybe with a difference of two seasons. I guess you know that. Of course VOY had some major flaws but I still enjoyed it.

Voyager tried too hard to be TNG 2.0. But with bland 2-dimensional characters and episodes that where so stuffed with technobabble that it was borderline rediculous. And let´s not forget that Voyager transformed the Borg from Ubervillain to "Throwaway-alien-of-the-week".

Yes, the Borg were overused in VOY but it didn't start there. If I remember correctly the Borg started to become Throwaway-aliens in TNG, not VOY. Remember the computergraphic that could destroy them all? A simple Escher-painting could stop the Borg. Or the friendly Borg named You/Hugh, who was a big fan of Geordie? And the mighty Borgship, that was destroyed by "temporary Cpt." Dr. Crusher? The Borg that were led by Data's twin Lore? I was always deeply disappointed about the Borg after After "Best of both worlds". Yes, the Glory of the Borg was gone, but that was in TNG. Many, who have seen TNG as kid just glorify it too much.

As for the new movies: I think they capture the spirit of classic trek.

I've watched the first one. It was a boring Action Movie. that gave me nothing. So I ignored the second one.

 

[DarthMorrow]

VOY and DS9 were produced at the same time, maybe with a difference of two seasons. I guess you know that. Of course VOY had some major flaws but I still enjoyed it.



Yes, the Borg were overused in VOY but it didn't start there. If I remember correctly the Borg started to become Throwaway-aliens in TNG, not VOY. Remember the computergraphic that could destroy them all? A simple Escher-painting could stop the Borg. Or the friendly Borg named You/Hugh, who was a big fan of Geordie? And the mighty Borgship, that was destroyed by "temporary Cpt." Dr. Crusher? The Borg that were led by Data's twin Lore? I was always deeply disappointed about the Borg after After "Best of both worlds". Yes, the Glory of the Borg was gone, but that was in TNG. Many, who have seen TNG as kid just glorify it too much.



I've watched the first one. It was a boring Action Movie. that gave me nothing. So I ignored the second one.

Well, Voyager started when DS9 was well under way. Much the same as when DS9 started and TNG was still running.


After all the Borg where still a mystery. They were not overused and overexplained. Ad they tried something new everytime the Borg where used. The idea of Hugh was good. What would happen to a Borg that was separated from the collective? Picards reaction and change toward that "thing" in his brig.... Granted the so called Virus(?) they wanted to use to kill the collective was a bit silly (but hey, it was the early 90´s), but the idea behind it: Pure Trek. Genocide to get rid of a mortal enemy?
Descent pt.1/2 was a direct result out of the Hugh dilemma. It showed what happened to the collective (or parts of) after the Virus spread. These were not the Borg we were used to. Lore abusing the irritated and rather helpless Borg for his own gain. How sick is that. And the idea of Beverly to lure the ship into a nearby sun wasn´t so bad. It was a creative way to dispose of a deadly threat.
For me it was not until First Contact that the real downfall of the Borg began. First mistake was the introduction of the Queen. I think she was created to have a representrative figure for Picard and Data to interact with but it never felt quite right to have something of a commander in chief in a collective mind. The last good thing I have seen with the Borg was Voyagers "Scorpion" and the introduction of Seven of Nine. After that it went down the drain quickly.


As for Star Trek into Darkness: Give it a chance. It is better. Still loud, flashy, predictable and full of action (we don´t want another ST 1 right ) but the characters are more fleshed out and the movie is not quite as mindless as the last one. There are moments were the hardcore trekkie will go :duh: or ~X(. But if one keeps an open mind and stops comparing it is definetly more enjoyable than Nemesis or Star Trek V. That is of course purely from my own point of view.

 

[ihno]

Well, Voyager started when DS9 was well under way. Much the same as when DS9 started and TNG was still running.

Yes, I know and I knew you know that too.
But stopping after DS9 would have meant to stop VOY on half the way. .

After all the Borg where still a mystery. They were not overused and overexplained.

I was 17 or 18 when I watched those seasons for the first time and I was - as said - disappointed, with their later appearances. I just expected more. Of course I understand the message but it just wasn't impressive. For me all two-parters of TNG after "Best of both worlds" were only mediocre. The Borg in VOY have to do with the movie VIII of course, reusing the sets and stuff.

... Lore ...

Yes, Lore. The KARR of Star Trek. The character Lore is really not very original.

Beverly

Yes, I agree, the "Beverly takes command" part is nice but it is very badly written. The whole crew beams goes down on the planet with the ship's doctor in command while there is borgship near by?

For me it was not until First Contact that the real downfall of the Borg began.

I bet you watched TNG as a kid.

First mistake was the introduction of the Queen. I think she was created to have a representrative figure for Picard and Data to interact with but it never felt quite right to have something of a commander in chief in a collective mind. The last good thing I have seen with the Borg was Voyagers "Scorpion" and the introduction of Seven of Nine. After that it went down the drain quickly.

I think there were some other Borg stories, that were watchable. I also liked the story with the Borg of the 29th century. But yes, they should have made a lot different with VOY.

As for Star Trek into Darkness: Give it a chance. It is better. Still loud, flashy, predictable and full of action (we don´t want another ST 1 right ) but the characters are more fleshed out and the movie is not quite as mindless as the last one. There are moments were the hardcore trekkie will go :duh: or ~X(. But if one keeps an open mind and stops comparing it is definetly more enjoyable than Nemesis or Star Trek V. That is of course purely from my own point of view.

OH, MORE enjoyable than Nemesis? :rofl:

Btw, have I told already that I have met LeVar Burton? He's into independent movies and came to our town to promote a film of his in 2008:
http://anonym.to/http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1096986/
A great movie and I had the chance to talk a bit with him. Mr. H. would like it.

 

[MrMonkey]

I don't like new movies either. Action movies with little or nothing ST experience. I expected better "end" for original Mr Spock!

As for the series here are few of mine observations:

ST: TNG are the best series to me. They are focused on what ST should be: exploration of space and different cultures and exploration of human nature through Data (who is a machine) and Q (omnipotent being who judges humans).

And there is always a "Patrick Stewart-factor". He can turn every text into a masterpiece!

ST: DS9 has few very interesting concepts.
First is the relationship between Bajorans and Prophets, where one race controls the other race by becoming central part of their religion.
Second is the relationship between the Founders and Jemm'Haddar, where one race controls the other race by genetic conditioning and use of drugs.
Introduction of "Section 31" and their genocide of the Founders puts a new light on the Federation, showing that even the most advanced societies have their dark side.
Also interesting are the Ferengi race as an image of capitalism in its worst form.

ST: VOY is much weaker then TNG and DS9. Still, there are few things worth mentioning:
Should humans isolated from the civilization follow the same set of rules and the same chain of command?
Exploring immortality through Q that wanted to commit sucide. Can imortality be a disease?
Possibility that Earth's dinosaurs have evolved into a sentient race (the Voth).
Exploring hunting societies like the Hirogen.
Voyager stranded in the Delta Quadrant, and the main power there is Borg. So, obviously they would ran into them every here and there.
Borg Queen is a good concept to me - she is both individual and the voice of the collective. Even a collective mind has to be regulated somehow.

Each show has something worth mentioning and brought something new to the franchise.

 

[brmstn69]

Any of them, including Enterprise and Voyager, were better than half the shit on TV today...

 

[Dendood]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just when I had forgotten, you went and reminded me of Lore and his 'Pirate' Borg. -Arrghhhg!

I jumped ship pretty quickly on Enterprise and DS9. It's one of those, it either works or it doesn't. They stand as a caution (?) for anyone who thinks the lightning they caught in a bottle is easily reproduced. (Mary Tyler Moore....Rhoda.) (Battle Star Galactica....Caprica.)

Although I give everyone involved in the DS9 tie in to the Original Star Trek episode, the Trouble with Tribbles. That. Was. Brilliant. For comedy and drama, it works better than the original. And the original was classic.

Looking back, I think Voyager got less praise than it deserved. Next Gen had already worked through 7 years of story. So anything aligned to tried and true Star Fleet protocol would feel like yesterday's news. 7 years is longer than dog years in TV.

By being 'new' STNG is given a far kinder shake. There was less cringe worthy material on Voyager. Although the 'highs' may have been lower. The lows never got as low as Warf's pudding in panties that was meant to pass for a Klingon son. (A true Klingon would have shoved a pain stick up its butt to lower its vocal register...)

I don't envy the writers on these things. They had to set up a story and essentially resolve it in 60 min. -and put all the toys back in the box as they found it. It is not easy to do that -AND- hold true to Roddenberry's idea of an optimistic future.

 

[josh_the_hot_boy]

If I had to put them in order it would go like this.

1. Star Trek the Next Generation (Obviously)
2. Star Trek Voyager
3. Star Trek Deep Space Nine
4. Star Trek The Original Series
5. Star Trek Enterprise

The reason The Original Series is so low on the list is because of the cheesy special effect otherwise it would be right up there with the top.

 

[ihno]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just when I had forgotten, you went and reminded me of Lore and his 'Pirate' Borg. -Arrghhhg!

Glad I could help.

@Josh:

There is a HD-version of TOS with remastered special effects.



For me it is:
1. TOS
2. DS9
3. TNG
4. VOY
5. the rest

 

[josh_the_hot_boy]

I know but then it's not original. It's not a bad show just not in the top for me.

 

[ihno]

The reason The Original Series is so low on the list is because of the cheesy special effect otherwise it would be right up there with the top.

I know but then it's not original. It's not a bad show just not in the top for me.

That's a bit illogical.
And don't go and watch remastered TNG too. Would not be original.

I think the remastered version works fine. There were lots of complaints, but if you look over two or three mistakes they've made, they've done a good job. The new effects work well with the remastered quality.