Sci Fi Buzz

At first, it looked like Nicole Kidman had signed on for the third big screen remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers - a tale about an epidemic of extraterrestrial origins invading the bodies of innocent people. Sounded like a remake to most. But now, Warner Bros is going all out to tell the press that this is an "original sci fi" idea. The trade papers have taken great pains to emphasize that while Warner’s initially commissioned David Kajganich's script, and that the project was intended as the latest in a long string of Body Snatchers remakes, somewhere along the line, it became something new and different. Now just simply called Invasion (with no relation to ABC’s new drama), it will be helmed by German director Oliver Hirschbiegel (Deadfall). Kidman will play a Washington DC based psychiatrist who uncovers a conspiracy when she discovers people are beginning to change, and some how she and her son hold the key to preventing an alien invasion. Jack Finney wrote the original Invasion of the Body Snatchers as a magazine serial and then turned it into a novel that legendary director Don Siegel made into the classic film in 1953. In that version, Siegel spun the story as an allegory of McCarthy-era fears of communism. The 1978 remake, directed by Phillip Kaufman, cooked up the tale as a commentary on pop psychology and New Age cults, while the mostly forgotten 1993 version (also produced by Warner Bros.) directed by Abel Ferrara worked in the themes of AIDS.
New Line Cinema has tapped up-and-coming British director Anand Tucker to helm the first installment of Philip Pullman’s fantasy trilogy His Dark Materials. Tucker is also the director of the upcoming fall film Shopgirl (though it was filmed in 2003), based on the novel by funny man Steve Martin. Chris Weitz, who adapted the book, was slated to direct but withdrew in December. For the past half year, more than four dozen filmmakers have been considered for the job with the studio finally locking in Tucker. With His Dark Materials: The Golden Compass, New Lines begins its boldest and biggest project since The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
20th Century Fox is planning a trilogy of films based on the Eragon fantasy novels by 21-year-old Christopher Paolini, Variety reported. The first film, Eragon, will commenced production in August, with a cast that includes Jeremy Irons, John Malkovich, Djimon Hounsou and 17 year-old British actor Ed Speleers as the title character. The story centers on young Eragon, who one day finds a blue stone he believes he can sell for enough food to last his family through the winter. But the stone is actually an egg, and when a dinosaur hatchling emerges, Eragon is suddenly caught up in a world of destiny, power and magic. Sooner than he thinks, Eragon must become a Dragon Rider and battle the evil King Galbatorix, the trade paper reported. Veteran visual-effects supervisor Stefen Fangmeier (Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events) will direct, from a script by Peter Buchman (Jurassic Park III), which was subsequently rewritten by the Planet of the Apes team of Larry Konner and Mark Rosenthal. Fox is eyeing a June 16, 2006, release.
Hollywood’s fascination with remakes continues as 20th Century Fox is fast-tracking a redo of 1976's horror classic The Omen. John Moore (Behind Enemy Lines) will helm the film, from a contemporized script by Dan McDermott. Richard Donner (Superman) directed the original, which starred screen legend Gregory Peck as an ambassador who allows his wife’s dead baby to be switched at childbirth with another, only to discover that his new son will give a new meaning to the word "hell raiser." The film is scheduled to go before the camera’s in October, which could put the remake out for late spring release in 2006.
She returned, somewhat to Doctor Who, in 1981 after almost 5 years in a one-off special called K9 & Company. She played Sarah Jane Smith again in the 1983 20th Anniversary episode, The Five Doctors. Now, 22 years later, Elizabeth Sladen is returning to Doctor Who as Sarah Jane, in an upcoming second season episode called School Reunion. Also on hand is K9, voiced by actor John Leeson. The Doctor’s robot dog will be killed off in the episode, saving the Earth, but weep not, as a new K9 will be given to Sarah at the end of the episode. Also on hand for that episode will be Anthony Stewart Head, who was Giles on Buffy, playing the school’s Head Master. The second season of the new Doctor Who series begins in the spring of 2006 in Britain, but there will be a special holiday episode called The Christmas Invasion, which will air in Britain on Christmas Day. Still, there is no plans to air the new series in the States.
While its unofficial, expect the Sci Fi Channel to announce that they are picking up both Battlestar Galactica and Stargate: Atlantis for third seasons. While the network would wait until January to announce this, word has leaked that will give green lights for both of the shows. It’s also expected that the cable network will also renew Stargate: SG1 for an unprecedented 10th season.
Tim Allen will return one more time as St. Nick, as Disney is getting ready to sign Martin Short as the villainous Jack Frost in The Santa Clause 3...DreamWorks has penciled summer 2008 for Madagascar 2, while the scene stealing penguins will have their own direct-to-DVD movie in 2009.
Legacy:
Director Robert Wise, who helmed the Oscar winning The Sound of Music, died September 14 of heart failure. He was 91. Wise’s career started as an editor of the classic 1941 Orson Wells film Citizen Kane, where he went on to helm a bunch of B films before he hit it big with the classic sci fi film The Day the Earth Stood Still. He would later go on to helm the 1971 adaptation of Michael Crighton’s novel The Andromeda Strain and would help launch the big screen version of Star Trek in 1979. But, perhaps, his greatest legacy will be The Sound of Music and West Side Story, two of the most beloved movie musicals of all time.

Reading Now

Things that I've been reading:

Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman - A funny, Douglas Adams inspired (I think) novel from the American Gods writer (along with The Sandman graphic novel series which I can't read, if only because I think this format -along with the wildly popular Manga franchise -is leading teenagers into illiteracy). While light on plot, it none the less reminds me of how silly English people view Americans and how sometimes even English people see themselves.

The Pirates! In an Adventure with Ahab by Gideon Defore -The sequel to The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists, another Monty Python inspired romp with The Pirate Captain and his unnamed crew as they meet Cutlass Liz and visit Las Vegas (with an inspired nod to 8 Miles) where they meet up with Ahab, the notoriously moody captain who is searching for his white whale inbetween shows and gambling.

And, of course, Entertaiment Weekly. Though, I hate the Photo Issue. Not only is it stupid and smacks of "this must be a slow news week" but it's also a double issue!! Damn, while the magazine is not Premire, it shows its People style origins with this lame issue.

Field Trip

After being in California for a month -and hoping to blog my trip, but decided it was not worth telling - my flat mate Bill dragged me to the Hollywood Collector Show for a day outside the area I now live. Now, Bill is way into getting autographs of his favorite Sci Fi actors (and his favorite female porn stars). I on the other hand, don't really get into it. I mean, I like meeting stars, but getting them to sign something is weird for me.

It was a nice warm Sunday as we drove to Burbank. As we pulled into the Hyatt Hotel, I saw Sherman Hemsley (Mr. George Jefferson) being followed by fans and a film crew from TV Land who are doing something there.

Anyway, paid my $15.00 and walked into geek land. Long time ago when the dinosaurs roamed the Earth, I loved going to sci fi conventions. Especially Dr. Who ones. But somewhere along the line, I stopped going. I realized that while I enjoyed meeting the stars, I was embarassed by these geeks who drooled over these people. I just liked talking to them, about their shows or what ever.

Eventually, my friend Marc would say that I have a healthy obsession with Trek and what not. I'm not the guy who needs to dress up and get his picture taken for the local news, even though it would be cool to tell the world that there are "normal" Star Trek fans out in the big wide world.

Back to the Hollywood Collector Show. I got to meet actor Barry Jenner, who played Admiral Ross on the last two seasons of DS9. That Trek show remains my favorite, and it was a delight to talk to him, while Bill got his autograph.

We talked about why I thought -and he echoed some of it - this show was so much better than VOY and ENT. DS9 is the most character driven of all the shows. Which I love and almost any actor does too.

I also met a few other people, which I'll bring you all later

Enterprise: Season 4 on DVD

Manny Coto was given the unenviable task of trying to save Star Trek: Enterprise from its creators. After 3 rather lukewarm seasons, both Berman and Braga stepped away from the show (though Berman would go on record saying that he still over-saw the day-to-day production of the show). The Xindi arc, while it had problems, worked as a story tool. But instead of doing a season long story, Coto decided they would do mini-arcs, some about 3 episodes long. This gave the chance to flesh out good stories -plus it saved on the budget as sets could reused. Also, the show would now be filmed in HD video to save more money, and would run only 22 episodes (all Treks since the TNG have run 26 episodes, but with the last two seasons of ENT, it would be reduced to 24 and the after mentioned 22). Judith Reeves-Stevens and her husband Garfield -respected long-time Star Trek novelists -were signed on to help, while Paramount would go after some casting stunts (Peter Weller and Joanna Cassidy) in hopes of showing fans the new direction the series was taking. The biggest stunt was bring back Brent Spiner. The former TNG actor was signed onto play Arik Soong, whose's ancestors would go on to create Data. The three episode arc explored how Soong was trying to create better humans with embryos left from the Eugenics War. While it was clever stunt, and gave long-time fans a feeling that Coto was trying to tie-in this prequel into TOS, the story itself was not that interesting, and plot points on why the there are embryos left from time period (something that could've be given a good moral argument) are quickly glossed over for needless violence. And once again, the white arrows point to the obvious conclusion ruined the whole story (which can damage any prequel style of storytelling). The Vulcan story line by the Reeves-Stevens almost gave me hope. While it contained plot holes, the 3-part story was filled with Vulcan intrigue -giving us, perhaps, and explanation as to why these Vulcans are so different from the ones we would eventually see on TOS. Still, the show failed on a couple of other stories, mainly the 2-part opener (which is not Coto's fault, as he forced to figure out how to get out of the corner that Berman and Braga painted the crew into) along with bland transporter story Daedalus, the overused aliens-are-observing-the-crew-again of The Observer Effect, the Bound episode (which still showed the series was never ever going to treat women with any sort of dignity) and the 2-part Mirror universe story, In a Mirror, Darkly. For those who say that the story was just a good romp with the cast able to chew the scenery, I say that was its problem. It should fit into the storyline of the Mirror universe that TOS did and what would be continued years later on DS9. In the end, it impacted nothing. That was what was wrong with the franchise, of course. It's impact on mainstream audience was gone. It had lost 10 million viewers since its launch and after being dumped to Fridays, its doom was sealed. The final episode, written by series creators Berman and Braga (and rumored to have been penned a year earlier when it looked like the show was not returning for a 4th year), was a horrible story which featured the return of Jonathan Frakes as Riker and Marina Sirtis as Troi and is set within TNG's fifth season episode The Pegasus. It felt so forced and while I enjoy Frakes and Sirtis, who have so much chemistry together (something both Voyager and ENT lacked with its cast), it was a real disservices to ENT crew. Tucker's death was meaningless and was a sad commentary on how far the franchise had diverged from its original beginnings. So 7 bad stories out of 22. Not bad in some peoples books. But Trek needed 22 excellent, high rated episodes to come back for a 5th season. But, it was never going to come. In February 2005 (during the production of Demons and Terra Prime), word came that UPN was cancelling the show (which surprised no hardcore fan, as most expected this would be the shows final season). But the season was a turn-around from the three previous three, and Coto deserved, perhaps, a chance to continue with a fifth season. Perhaps then, maybe some explanation of Temporal Cold War - a thread of the series since its beginning and unceremoniously dropped (or forgotten) by season three -would've come forward, as we are left with never finding out who Future Guy really was. Still, at the end of the day, Trek was never going to be saved with letter writing campaigns, as UPN was trying to lure a female audience who liked its urban comedies and American's Next Top Model reality show. Demographically, Trek did not fit in with who they were trying to get. Like it or not, there was the true reality. Could've Trek been brought to another network, like Sci Fi? I doubt it, even if cable network had room for it. The franchise is expensive and even moving the entire production to Vancouver they would've still would've needed to cut the budget further. Plus, Trek was the butt of many jokes, and the network heads felt the show was no longer a viable entity to invest in. Plus, Trek did need to rest after 18 years on TV. It needs to heal the schism in the fan base that Berman and Braga created. It needs to go back and understand why most of TOS 79 episodes still stand well today. And while DS9 will always be seen as the Red-headed stepchild of all the Trek series, it still remains the most creative and I believe if Trek is return anytime to soon, it will need to learn from DS9 and even Sci Fi's remake of Battlestar Galactica. The allegory tales have always proven to be Trek's best way of telling a story. BG -a huge post 9/11 tale -has shown what the Law & Order franchise has been doing for years -that you can get good ratings from tales ripped from the headlines. Trek has only made minor attempts over Voyager's 7-year run and Enterprise's four-year run to appeal to the fans who liked those stories. In abandoning its fundamental principles, it doomed it self to mockery and found out that while fans will put up with jeering from non-fans, it will not tolerate it from creators of Trek itself.

Enterprise: Season 3 on DVD

Series star Jolene Blalock -who identified herself as a lifelong Star Trek fan - has said that the failure of this series was because "The stories lacked intriguing content. They were boring." She felt that the early scripts violated facts already established in other franchise shows and complained that the show substituted revealing costumes for character development. "The audience isn't stupid," she protested. For year three, Brannon Braga and Rick Berman decided that they would finally address some of the fan complaints that the series lacked any sort of continuity and launched a season long arc about Earth threatened by a mysterious race called the Xindi -who were, for all intents and purposes, organized much like DS9's Dominion. Through the next 26 episodes (which then would be cut to 24 due to faltering ratings), Archer and his crew would search the galaxy for the Xindi in hopes of preventing them from destroying Earth. While ambitious in a year before the return of serialized drama, the series quickly fell into the same pattern as the previous two seasons: poorly written stories that said nothing, acting that made most soap stars look like Oscar winners, and an almost F You! to fans of TOS, TNG and DS9. The show was not grabbing people viscerally, as freakier aliens, lapses in logical story telling, and lack of character growth were taking over. No one, including me, felt a need to rush home and see this show, because it was saying nothing. There was a message there, I'm sure, but it was buried under technobabble and increasing desire to hurt women. I'm often remember Trek motion pictures 1,2,3,4 and 6 because the story had revelance to today. Enterprise missed that boat, even though the Xindi arc was a mushy allegory about 9/11. Archer's moral compass was thrown, but ultimatley, he never any long reaching effects. Some will say a good leader has no doubts, but Star Trek tried to show you through the years that long after an unpopular action, the capatin still might feel pangs of regret. But not Jonthan Archer. He was tough as nails guy. Pfft, I say, as he became a tool of a jingonistic Rick Berman. Still, one thing that came from this season was Manny Coto. He tried to return a sense of balance, but because UPN were more concerned with who was watching Trek instead of paying attention to who wasn't, this series was doomed. And while a letter campaign was started to save the show, in the end, it was not that would give this series one more season. UPN was going to cancel the show after season three, and then Paramount -home of the Godfather franchise -made UPN a deal they could not resist. Cutting the $1.5 million fee UPN paid Paramount to air the show to $875,000 made UPN reconsider airing the show. It would return for 22 more shows, but from that moment on, no matter how much Coto improved the show, Enterprise was doomed. The 10.5 millions fans had dwindled down to 2.5. And the logic that escaped the story telling for so many years, pointed out that if no one is watching, why air it?

Enterprise: Season 2 on DVD

With the second season, ENT continued to anger many long-time fans as Archer and his crew tangled with the Borg, the Ferengi and the Romulans long before TOS and TNG did. The back door excuse that continuity was maintained was that the crew never learned of their names (though the Borg issue remains very muddled). Brannon Braga -who was asked by a fan to explain the Borg episode Regeneration - seemed to confirm that this Trek was a complete Reboot of the franchise or a Star Trek that occurs in an alternate universe. There is something called Many Worlds, a parallel time theory that contends that most historical occurrences, such as the signing of Magna Carta and what not, did happen only that principles might have been slightly different.And that essentially, since Star Trek: First Contact, the entire franchise now exists in this parallel timeline. Essentially, what happens is the Borg and TNG Enterprise journeys into the past and changes history. Here, then, reality splits into two versions -one road depicting the changed history, and the other road is were the original reality exists before the change.In the end, it is the only way to explain the Borg episode and Star Trek: Enterprise. Had Braga and Berman basically thought this out, maybe I could've forgiven them for the drivel they put out for three seasons until Paramount and UPN let Manny Coto take over the last season (which has been the best since DS9). I'm sad to say that Trek really ended with DS9. All others, have just been pale imitations.

Enterprise comes to DVD: Season 1

As with Voyager before, Enterprise repeated the same errors. At its core, the show had promise. With very little of early Federation days nailed down, it seemed like a good idea to go back and tell the story. But instead of sticking with some of the canon that did exist, Brannon Braga and Rick Berman rebooted the entire Star Trek franchise, which angered about 10 million viewers. Season one continued the ever increasing schism between the fans. And while I liked Bakula on Quantum Leap, he -like Kate Mulgrew before him - was woefully miscast. The supporting cast, with the exception of Jolene Blalock, showed their limitations as actors (when they got lines). The stories were mostly retreds of previous Trek episodes and while both Berman and Braga were aware of the issues of continuity, they felt that if the adhered to it too much, then the show could not work. They continued to believe that Trek viewers -at least the newer, younger ones (and, admittedly, the group advertisers like) - were only concerned about the how weird the story was and if it had half naked females parading around. This misstep by them, by fulling ignoring the fans who had watched TOS, TNG and DS9, was increasing ENT's end week by week. Paramount can be blamed also, for not stepping in sooner. Berman and Braga's now almost incestuous relationship with Trek caused then not to see the forest for the tree's. Had they realized that fan base was deeply divided, and had they analyzed who was not watching Trek anymore instead of small band who were, maybe something could've been done. Then again, maybe its doom was already sealed by the time Insurrection came out in 1998. And then there is the fan base. They too can be blamed for this, as this schism did not begin with ENT. It really started with VOY. As a network show, VOY had different standards to live up too than it's syndicated brothers, TNG and DS9. Racier plots and emphasis on action and violence became the criterion, while a device called the Temporal Reset Button was used week after week. And while TRB is a useful tool, but to rely on it for every episode got you caught in a never ending loop of Easter Peep type stories; all full of air with no substance. Plus, people who were in there teens or early 20's when TNG premiered were not 15 years older, wiser and now considered less desirable by the advertisers. ENT was, I guess, designed for the guys and girls who were the same age as the ones who saw the first season of TNG. But these new groups of kids, now brought up on a diet of science fiction being everywhere, felt Trek was a dinosaur. So all that remained, in the end, was a few really dedicated fans who felt that, yes the show was not as good as it could be, but it still needed to stay on because it was Star Trek. I will concur to a point, but that's mostly because I hate reality shows and procedural dramas that have overtaken the air waves. Give me a good science fiction story that challenges the mind, then I'll watch. I once read that science fiction is a dangerous genre, for it can be seem as anti-Christian and anti-establishment. It brings up thought provoking ideas and presents a possible world were there is no hatred, no poverty, and no religion. It's the possibilities that scare people. But even as Star Trek has framed a lot of peoples lives, such as wonderful idea of a utopian world and taught us some good values, it has entertained us for nearly 40 years. Both VOY and ENT might be considered entertaining shows, but they are NOT the next step in Star Trek's evolutionary life that TNG and DS9 were.

The Sci Fi Bzz

At first, it looked like Nicole Kidman had signed on for the third big screen remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers - a tale about an epidemic of extraterrestrial origins invading the bodies of innocent people. Sounded like a remake to most. But now, Warner Bros is going all out to tell the press that this is an "original sci fi" idea. The trade papers have taken great pains to emphasize that while Warner’s initially commissioned David Kajganich's script, and that the project was intended as the latest in a long string of Body Snatchers remakes, somewhere along the line, it became something new and different. Now just simply called Invasion (with no relation to ABC’s new drama), it will be helmed by German director Oliver Hirschbiegel (Deadfall). Kidman will play a Washington DC based psychiatrist who uncovers a conspiracy when she discovers people are beginning to change, and some how she and her son hold the key to preventing an alien invasion. Jack Finney wrote the original Invasion of the Body Snatchers as a magazine serial and then turned it into a novel that legendary director Don Siegel made into the classic film in 1953. In that version, Siegel spun the story as an allegory of McCarthy-era fears of communism. The 1978 remake, directed by Phillip Kaufman, cooked up the tale as a commentary on pop psychology and New Age cults, while the mostly forgotten 1993 version (also produced by Warner Bros.) directed by Abel Ferrara worked in the themes of AIDS.
Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios appear to be trying to fix their schism after all. The two companies have had a contentious relationship of late -as Pixar was looking to make more money off their distribution deal with Disney. Their last film is currently scheduled to be the delayed Cars. The Mouse House surprised many when they announced they were going forward with a Toy Story 3 with or without Pixar. But insiders are now speculating that the two companies will come to some sort of deal to keep them both in the money. Pre-Production on the film has already began as Disney already has summer 2007 penciled in for its release. Here’s the story: After a major malfunction, Buzz Lightyear is recalled to a toy factory in Taiwan. Woody and the gang have to hightail it halfway around the world to save Buzz before he dissembled forever.
With the WB moving Smallville to a very competitive Thursday time slot, they seem to be aware of the uphill climb the show will have, so to help the ratings, the network will bring in guest stars sure to make long time fans happy. Already announced is former Buffy and Angel star James Marsters, who’ll have a recurring role as Brainac and Tom Wopat -John Schneider’s former co-star on The Dukes of Hazzard - will also guest star. Now, the WB will have Dean Cain guest star also. The former star of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, will appear sometime in November.
New Line Cinema has tapped up-and-coming British director Anand Tucker to helm the first installment of Philip Pullman’s fantasy trilogy His Dark Materials. Tucker is also the director of the upcoming fall film Shopgirl (though it was filmed in 2003), based on the novel by funny man Steve Martin. Chris Weitz, who adapted the book, was slated to direct but withdrew in December. For the past half year, more than four dozen filmmakers have been considered for the job with the studio finally locking in Tucker. With The Golden Compass, this will be New Lines boldest and biggest project since The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
The long shelved Westworld remake -which went into to turnaround when Arnold Schwarzenegger was elected governor of California - appears to be finally going forward. While the governator is not attached, Warner Bros. and producer Jerry Weintraub have signed The Cell director Tarsem Singh. No production date has been set, considering no screenplay or writer is yet attached.
New rumors coming out of Britain concerning the filming of Doctor Who’s second season indicate that Glasgow, Scotland born/Joliet, Illinois raised actor John Barrowman -who played the bisexual rogue Time Agent Captain Jack for the final 6 episodes of the first season, and who was scheduled to return later in series two - will not be returning at all, apparently. No word was given for this change, however, the openly gay actor has seen his stock go up since his appearance on the show and he is in demand -he’ll be seen in the musical remake of the Tony Award winning The Producers this Christmas. Also as mentioned last time, Anthony Stewart Head -Giles form Buffy the Vampire Slayer- had signed for a guest-star role in the upcoming season. Now it appears he may -just may -be the new Master, a rival Time Lord, who is the evil to the Doctor’s good.

Peter Jennings

Smoking did not fully kill my father 37 years ago, but it sure didn't help. In July 1968, a few days after having a canerous lung removed, my dad died at age 33. I was five, going to turn 6 in just 2 months. I remember very little of that time. I have flashes of my dad and memories, but I often think most of those memories have been implanted by my Uncle, who obviously respected and loved my father. I treasure those memories he tells of my dad, for he knew just as well as my mother.

Still, as the US reacts to the death of ABC news man Peter Jennings from lung cancer, I cannot wonder why people still want to smoke. True, I've had a few cigarettes, but never got addicted to them. I mean, really, I should be the last person to smoke.

Jennings legacy might be that he gave the incentive for others to quit. Even as I hope none of my nieces and nephews take it up. With my brother-in-law now dying from lung cancer -and who continues to smoke - I ask myself if all the stress that is going on in their lives, especially Steven (as he continues his angsty ways), will he sucumb to it?

The death of Jennings made me feel sad, though I suspected back in April when he signed off, he would never return to his hosting duties. I know what lung cancer can do, and for guys, it's much more difficult to survive it. But as a fan of ABC news (both nationally and locally here in Chicago), I will miss him. He did have a freindly face and manner that seemed to escape both Brokaw and Rather. His voice was always strong, filled with emotion. I watched his non-stop coverage of 9/11 and still remember his 24 hr stint bringing in the year 2000. While the Right will call him a liberal of the most extreem (I remember one Right-winger who pointed out that during the Clinton impeachment stuff, Jennings called a senator an "extreme right-winger" while making no mention of Edward Kennedy's sometimes way too the Left ideals), but I felt he tried to be honest. Sometimes, he failed. Still, as journalist, he was far superior to any of the entertainers that make up FOXNEWS. That might be because he was a journalist. People like Anne Coulter and Sean Hannity are silly entertainers who by hook or by crook, got on TV just because they had opposing views just for the sake of having them.

Rest in peace, Peter.

We hardly knew you.

Moving

Moving is a pain. I suppose that's why I lived here in this apartment for 10 years. As year 11 began in July, as I began to lose the unemployment checks, as I was forced to return to Borders full-time, I began to wonder if moving was not a good idea. After all, everything I talk to Bill in California, he kept mentioning how much he wanted me out there. I mean, I planted the seed back in February, but I guess he really warmed to the idea. To be honest, I never thought it would happen. I mean I thought I would find a job and then the silly idea would be done with.

But as the months passed and no job was gotten, I thought maybe after 18 year in the book business, maybe it was my first, best destiny to remain in it. Of course, I have no desire to run my own Borders, unless I can do it the way it should. I don't mind being fiscally responsible, but I would also be more flexible in rules. Borders wants an ambassadors as manager -someone who will capitulate to all, even when sometimes, the customer is wrong. I work well with staff, knowing that there is a line between work and games.

And I know that no matter what I do, no matter how happy and gee wiz I am, the customer still will treat us like dirt. Customer survey's claim we are rude, but they don't see what mess we have to clean up after when they decide they are too lazy to put away the magazines they read. Yes, we are hired to help, and keep the store in ship shop shape, but we are not maids. They would not like me coming into their homes and offices and messing them up, why should they do it to ours?

Anyway, I've decided to move. I've asked for a transfer to a new Borders in Rancho Cucamunga, about 15 miles from were Bill lives in La Verne. I foresee no issues that will prevent me from getting this transfer, but I will be working Christine to make sure that when I leave here in a few weeks, I will have a job.

I'm scared, but I know this is the right time. I've wanted to return to California since the early 1990's. Perhaps this was all destiny?

The Paradox of Free Will

"In both Christain and Jewish theology, God is supposed to be omnipotent. Now, when He made humans, He either did or did not give them free will. If He did, then it follows that He cannot control the acts of humans, which mens He's not omnipotent. And if He did not give humans free will, then the only way God can escape being responsible for the evil humans do is to suppose the He didn't create humans with free will because He coudn't. Again, then, God ends up being denied omnipotense. Thus we have the so-called Paradox of Omnipotence. No matter what God did concerning free will, He cannot be omnipotent, but that is in conflict with an all-powerful God."

Excerted from Time Travel Paradoxes

DS9 Season 5 on DVD

The Klingon conflict continues as season five begins. But after spending a fourth year doing that, the writers and producers began to return to the Dominion story line. While some saw this tonal shift proof the series was in trouble, for the writers and producers, it was what they needed to bring the Dominion arc back to center stage.

"Apocalypse Rising" brought about an end to the Klingon "problem" and opened the door for the return of the Changelings.

Season five also had other things going for it. Star Trek was celebrating its 30 anniversary that year, and both DS9 and Voyager were going to do special episodes to commemorate that fact. Voyager brought back George Takei and Grace Lee Whitney as Sulu and Rand in a so-so tale adventure that brought Janeway to the bridge of the Excelsior during the events of Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. DS9 would go the distance and bring everyone back from TOS. Of sorts, anyway. Thanks to the breakthrough technology used in the Oscar winning film Forest Gump, the crew of DS9 travels back into the events of TOS episode "The Trouble with Tribbles." In the humorous and slightly goofy "Trials and Tribble-ations", Sisko and his crew have to stop a plot to kill Kirk before all of time is destroyed. The writers worked a miracle, by placing the crew into a 30 year-old episode.

The 100th episode, "The Ship" also aired, along with "Looking for Par'Mach in all the Wrong Places", "Nor Battle to the Strong" (a special episode for Cirroc Lofton, a birthday present for the actor from the producers, as he was now 18 and no longer had to have a teacher on the set), "Things Past", "The Ascent", "Rapture", "The Darkness and the Light", "The Begotten" (where Odo gets his shapeshifting abilities returned),"For the Uniform", the two-part "In Purgatory's Shadow/By Inferno's Light", "Doctor Bashir, I Persume?"(which featured a performance from Voyager's Robert Picardo as the real Dr. Zimmerman), Business as Usual", "Ties of Blood and Water" (a sequel of sorts to season three's "Second Skin"), "Ferengi Love Songs", the brilliant "Children of Time", the darkly humorous "In the Cards" and the shattering finale "A Call to Arms".

As I've mentioned before, there are always stinkers (the less said about "A Simple Investigation" the better), but overall, the series was in its stride. The fifth season would also see a magnificent visual effect of all of Starfleet heading towards DS9 -now overtaken by the Dominion and the Cardassians. It was an awe inspiring, jaw dropping effect.

And as the ships head towards DS9, Gul Dukat -now back in his office -discovers a message that Sisko left him.

His baseball. Dukat, as he holds the ball, tells a puzzled Weyoun that Sisko intends to return.

And the war begins...

Season 4 DS9 on DVD

It's all about ratings. And Paramount wanted them higher. So what do you do? Why, you bring one of the most popular characters ever in the Trek canon to help boost those sagging ratings. Will it work, or will it fail?

That was up to the fans...

While season three ended with idea that the Changelings were already in the Alpha Quadrant and possibly on Earth, it would nearly half way through the fourth year before these story threads would be picked up again.

It appeared, as the third season was coming to a close, Paramount was already thinking toward the fourth year and was in active -if secret - negotiations with Michael Dorn to bring one of the most popular characters on The Next Generation to Deep Space Nine. Once it was decided, the plot lines from "The Adversary" would be pushed aside and a new direction would have to take center stage.

With Worf now coming to DS9, the writers had to figure out how too not only get him on the station, but also keep him there. The writers hatched onto the idea that Klingons, long now the friends of the Federation, were growing restless due to pending invasion of the Dominion and Federations lack of action. Discourse was brewing and as Ben quoted his old friend Curzon Dax, the best people to deal with the Klingons, was a Klingon.

The two-hour opener, "The Way of the Warrior", reintroduced the Klingons as bad guys and series was off in a new direction. And that was a good thing.

Over all, the fourth season would see the series really grow stronger, building on what was delivered during the previous season. There was "Hippocratic Oath", the brilliant acted and directed episode "The Visitor", "Indiscretion", the controversial, same-sex kissing of "Rejoined", the cat mouse and mouse game of "Starship Down", the comedic "Little Green Men", the James Bond take off "Our Man Bashir", the paranoia two-parter "Homefront" and "Paradise Lost", the silly "Bar Association", the next chapter in the Mirror Universe saga, "Shattered Mirror" and another brilliant, if quiet season finale, "Broken Link".

Yes, there were a few stinkers, but overall, it was a strong season that would lead into an ever-stronger fifth, sixth and seventh year.

And once again, we are left with disturbing news. As Odo was being judged by his people for the actions in last season's "The Adversary", he believes that one of his own people -a Changeling -may be in command of the entire Klingon Empire; an Empire on the brink of war with the Federation...

The Man who can Save Star Trek -Part 1

If Paramount is serious about bringing Star Trek back, it needs to look at why it failed.

A new movie is logical -because in the end, it will be cheaper to produce a theatrical film versus a new weekly series. And if they’re going to do a movie, it seems obvious to many -including the fans who supported the anemic Voyager and Enterprise - that Rick Berman and Brannon Braga should keep their hands off it.

Their failure to understand what Star Trek is, coupled with Paramount and UPN’s stance to produce a show as cheaply as possible, with a high content of sex and violence and little story, doomed the franchise. While Berman will argue that he kept up the principles of Roddenberry’s visionary themes, I would say he stuck to them so closely that it lost even the most hardcore fans. Sure Roddenberry’s utopian imagination was welcomed during the turbulent 1960's, but even by 1987 when The Next Generation premiered, those same values seemed archaic at best. TNG’s erratic first two seasons pointed out all the behind the scenes drama that was going on. Writers and producers came and went like waiters in a restaurant, as some tried to write stories that maybe conflicted with Roddenberry’s ideal that the Federation was all cookies and cream.

As Berman ascended to the throne as Roddenbery grew ill, he seemed to take the creator’s "bible" of Trek as gospel. That Gene was God of Star Trek and you could not change anything, even when things conflicted with each other (sounds like many religions). When Michael Piller was hired for the third season, TNG really began to settle in. As a producer and writer, he was known to tell people that "...the whole idea of exploring space is a metaphor for exploring ourselves." That the shows that gave the audience insight into humanity and the meaning of humanity were far better than "exploding space ships and space-monsters." He always encouraged the writers on all the shows he written for, like TNG, DS9 and Voyager and now The Dead Zone, to try and find the moral and ethical dilemmas; the human element of the story.

For most fans, him included, once he left Voyager to work on other things, there seemed to be a less of appetite for that kind of story telling. And while he might disagree with the why that happened, it is easily explained that Star Trek: Voyager and then Star Trek: Enterprise’s main goals was two-fold: reach a broader-based audience and achieve higher ratings. So his style of storytelling -but one that led to TNG’s additional 5 years of better and balanced stories after it’s wobbly first two seasons - was deemed too lofty.

Perhaps moving Trek from syndication back to a network show doomed it. In syndication, while ratings were important, the expectations of those ratings were scaled back. While TNG maintained an audience of 10 million or more in syndication, by network standards, it would’ve never survived. And while DS9 never achieved the high ratings of TNG, it nevertheless was still the number 2 drama in syndication after TNG (when both series overlapped each other) and became the number 1 drama when TNG ended in 1994 -and by then more and more shows were popping up in syndication.

So, with Voyager and soon-to-be Enterprise coming to network TV, Berman and Braga made a Star Trek series that was bland and no worse or better than any other run-of-the-mill science fiction show. Which was, in hindsight, the beginning of the end.

The Man who can save Star Trek -Part 2

So who could perhaps, return Star Trek to some of the glory days, the halcyon years of TNG and DS9? With Piller off doing The Dead Zone on USA Network along with Wildfire on ABC Family, he seems the least available. Plus, while Star Trek: Insurrection had some good ideas, the story never gelled into what one would expect a big screen adventure to be. Like Generations, Insurrection was a great two-part TV episode, but not an appropriate follow up to the action based, character growing Nemesis.

Ron Moore, who is credited for making the Klingons one of the most interesting races Star Trek has ever produced, is a great choice. He understands Michael Piller’s thought process on what makes a good story. But he too, is unavailable, as he has a huge success with the Sci Fi Channels reimaging of the 1970's series Battlestar Glactica. As a matter of fact, executives at Paramount should be watching this new BG to get ideas on how to revive Star Trek.

Perhaps, though, the best person for the job, one who’s ideals go with Piller and Moore is Ira Steven Behr. For if it was not with his leadership, DS9 never would’ve maintained its status as a worthy follow-up to TOS and TNG.

And like its sister show, DS9 had a wobbly first two seasons, but by the end of its first year -especially the final three shows - the series began see its darker, more bleaker version of the Federation come forward. Religion and politics would become its bread and butter, even while maintaining a quota of action shows. Also, Behr, like what Moore did with the Klingons, was able to take the Ferengi -who was touted in the early days of TNG as the new Big Bad - from silly, money loving, misogynous aliens to well-rounded, albeit still having cavemen mentality about women, species who could comment on the human condition (with one the best made by Quark in The Jem’Hadar).

But by far, what made DS9 the best -even surpassing TNG at times, was Behr’s ideals that they could bend some of Roddenberry’s ideals with out ever chucking them out completely. DS9's uniqueness -as ambassadors of Federation dogma on an alien built station, and out numbered by many non-humans - created the drama that sometimes escaped TNG. Then, with the introduction of the Dominion -an abrasive race who controlled the Gamma Quadrant where the Bajoran wornhole ended at - the series would loose much of its episodic roots and take up a story line that would thread its way through to the end.

Behr fought for most of this time with Berman, like never telling Rick fully that it would take 6 episodes of season six for Sisko and his crew to retake DS9 after the Dominion siege at the end of season five. DS9 took risks and enhanced the characters, giving them flaws and doubts. And ultimately, you would learn more about the recurring characters (which the series excelled at) and the villains (like Dukat and Weyoun) than even Captain Sisko.

If Paramount wants to revive the franchise, whether it be next year or 5, it seriously needs to look at Ira Steven Behr, Michael Piller and Ronald D. Moore. These three writers along with René Echevarria, Robert Hewitt Wolfe, Bryan Fuller and Hans Beimler were best Trek has ever seen. Give them the scope and the freedom to work a script worthy of the big screen, something that gives in both action and character development, and Trek could be reborn yet again.

Hail, Ira Steven Behr.

Reading Rainbow

Sometimes I feel like Jaye Tyler on Wonderfalls. While not a graduate of Brown University, I do think I’m fairly intellectual. And like Jaye, I’m stuck in a retail job that is going no where. And while I like customer service, I feel as American’s, we are getting stupider. We make have this large information highway known as the internet, but we are still surrounded by people who don’t listen, who don’t pay attention. Their theory being that someone else will have the information for them.

I cannot count how many times over the last 17 years that I’ve worked in the book business where people come in and ask for a book.

What’s the title,?" I would ask.

I’m not sure, I think it had "The" in title.

Author?

I’m not sure, but they were on Good Morning America today. It was about oh, so big and had a blue cover.

Well, that clears it up. The blue section is over to your left.

Anyways, I try to ask probing questions, like what the book was about, if they can remember any part of the title. But the point is, most people will assume that the bookseller will know exactly what they are talking about. After all, if it’s being talked about on TV then naturally the book should be front and center. WGN radio here in Chicago has become my nemesis, if only because its listeners don’t write the title or the author down. They expect the seller to know what they want when they say the author was on WGN. The problem that lies here is that most bookseller’s are usually under the age of WGN’s demographic. I joke that it’s required by law that once you reach 50, you must listen to the station.

Which, at times, in no longer a joke. So, most workers would not listen to WGN if their life depended upon it. Same thing goes with WBEZ, the PBS station here in Chicago. But usually, these radio listeners know more than the WGN ones do. So is it an intellectual thing? The mass audience may listen to WGN but it might also might show the education level of its demographic base.

Intellectuals are feared by mass, as some are accused of being Anti-American, Anti-Christian and are after destroying the basic foundations on which America is based. While I’m not the sharpest knife in the drawer (and my typing skills suck) I do feel that I am smart and know a lot of information.

Those ideas have helped me in my job. By spending hours reading, surfing the net and occasionally watching Oprah, I have been able to help customer who’ve come in with the littlest of information. But it also sometimes mystifies me these people’s brains can generate the electricity needed to move their legs.

Teenage girls are the worse at this, coming to the information desk in skanky outfits, twirling their hair and asking where the fiction section is and who wrote To Kill a Mockingbird. When you point it out (and tell them I'm a homo so their girlie crap won't work on me), say literature is over there, they say, no I’m looking for the fiction section. Sometimes I want to scream at them,. Because these are the ones (like my niece) who think reading is boring and unnecessary because they’ll be marrying a guy who will be making lots of money.

But as much as I like my job, as much as I get great satisfaction out of helping a customer, I cannot help but feel disdain for them as well. I always associated readers as intellectuals. Now I’ve realized that most only read to keep up the Jones (such as the success of the Da Vinci Code proves). While I feel terrible that I’ve never read Twain, or Hemingway, Faulkner, Baldwin or even The Confederacy of Dunces, I know who and what they are and what they represent in book culture.

So, like Jaye Tyler, I help customers, but try to avoid their eyes. Most are mindless people driven into the bookstore not because they want to read, but because the need to know what everyone else is reading,

And wondering if Nora Roberts has written another book this week.

Sometimes I feel like Jaye Tyler on Wonderfalls. While not a graduate of Brown University, I do think I’m fairly intellectual. And like Jaye, I’m stuck in a retail job that is going no where. And while I like customer service, I feel as American’s, we are getting stupider. We make have this large information highway known as the internet, but we are still surrounded by people who don’t listen, who don’t pay attention. Their theory being that someone else will have the information for them.

I cannot count how many times over the last 17 years that I’ve worked in the book business where people come in and ask for a book.

What’s the title,?" I would ask.

I’m not sure, I think it had "The" in title.

Author?

I’m not sure, but they were on Good Morning America today. It was about oh, so big and had a blue cover.

Well, that clears it up. The blue section is over to your left.

Anyways, I try to ask probing questions, like what the book was about, if they can remember any part of the title. But the point is, most people will assume that the bookseller will know exactly what they are talking about. After all, if it’s being talked about on TV then naturally the book should be front and center. WGN radio here in Chicago has become my nemesis, if only because its listeners don’t write the title or the author down. They expect the seller to know what they want when they say the author was on WGN. The problem that lies here is that most bookseller’s are usually under the age of WGN’s demographic. I joke that it’s required by law that once you reach 50, you must listen to the station.

Which, at times, in no longer a joke. So, most workers would not listen to WGN if their life depended upon it. Same thing goes with WBEZ, the PBS station here in Chicago. But usually, these radio listeners know more than the WGN ones do. So is it an intellectual thing? The mass audience may listen to WGN but it might also might show the education level of its demographic base.

Intellectuals are feared by mass, as some are accused of being Anti-American, Anti-Christian and are after destroying the basic foundations on which America is based. While I’m not the sharpest knife in the drawer (and my typing skills suck) I do feel that I am smart and know a lot of information.

Those ideas have helped me in my job. By spending hours reading, surfing the net and occasionally watching Oprah, I have been able to help customer who’ve come in with the littlest of information. But it also sometimes mystifies me these people’s brains can generate the electricity needed to move their legs.

Teenage girls are the worse at this, coming to the information desk in skanky outfits, twirling their hair and asking where the fiction section is and who wrote To Kill a Mockingbird. When you point it out (and tell them I'm a homo so their girlie crap won't work on me), say literature is over there, they say, no I’m looking for the fiction section. Sometimes I want to scream at them,. Because these are the ones (like my niece) who think reading is boring and unnecessary because they’ll be marrying a guy who will be making lots of money.

But as much as I like my job, as much as I get great satisfaction out of helping a customer, I cannot help but feel disdain for them as well. I always associated readers as intellectuals. Now I’ve realized that most only read to keep up the Jones (such as the success of the Da Vinci Code proves). While I feel terrible that I’ve never read Twain, or Hemingway, Faulkner, Baldwin or even The Confederacy of Dunces, I know who and what they are and what they represent in book culture.

So, like Jaye Tyler, I help customers, but try to avoid their eyes. Most are mindless people driven into the bookstore not because they want to read, but because the need to know what everyone else is reading,

And wondering if Nora Roberts has written another book this week.

Lightening Crashes

Sometimes, as the day slips quietly into night, I wonder what I’ve done with this life. Since being fired this past January, I’ve led a more reclusive life than I normally do. Money is in short supply, so I end up doing very little, spending money on bills and food. I pace through my apartment like a caged animal, and ponder if I should flight or fight.

My depression grows like a black cloud and wonder if I have the courage to shuttle off this mortal coil. But then that would be taking responsibility; a courage I don’t think I have. I grasp at straws, wondering when things will get back to some semblance of normal.

I want so much to move to California, but have reservations of pulling up roots here. However, I am playing this close. I need to talk to my boss at my store about her talking to the store in Montclair. I need a guarantee of 40 hours and a set schedule. Seems simple, but have yet to hear anything. That, of course, fills me with for dark fear. Unemployment will be running out soon, and I need to know what is happening. This unknowing, this mess that is my life, fills me with so much despair. As is, I sleep very little, my mind a beehive of thoughts. I feel trapped and the sands of time is filling up the hourglass so quickly.

And if I go, I will still need to find a part-time job. But, the one pro I have in all of this, is a change of scenery. Perhaps, if I do this, things will slip into place. I just wish things were different, I wish that someone could actually help.I cannot turn to family, for I cannot let them know how I’ve failed. How I’ve fucked up my life. There is so much to say, yet to reveal any more seems pointless.

If wishes were horses, the old saying goes. I watched Oprah this morning, and she featured this real cute guy named Paolo who wanted to be an actor, but was feeling the pull of family responsibilities. But he persisted and eventually the Queen of Talk got him a walk-on role on Will & Grace that led to a recurring role on General Hospital. But looking at him, you knew he was destined for more beyond the family business. He had the great cheekbones, the skinny, tight body and charisma. And so obviously gay.

I have none of that, and lets be honest, that is what you need to be a success. Looks are so important, and I fail because I’m too tall, not thin enough, no chin or neckline, no cheekbones, no flat ABS, and a funnel chest. Failure might as well be stamped on my forehead.

I know this self-hatred for myself is unattractive. But, when nobody notices you every damn time I did go out, you begin to wonder why I can’t find Mr. Right.

Tonight, as I cry myself to sleep, I wish the hands of fate to take me from here. I’ve outlived my usefulness. Sad, but true.

DS9 -Season 3

For the first two season, one of the critical barbs thrown at the show was this series was not living up to Roddenberry's idyllic setting of no conflict with the peoples of the Federation. And that because DS9 was set in one location and the stories had to come to them instead of the crew going out "where no one has gone before", that the late creator would be saying all of it was wrong. So of that was true, as most of the key demographics -young males -felt DS9 did not measure up to TNG -especially in the action and excitement department. And while Odo and Quark where by far the most popular characters, most felt Sisko was too low-key and by being that way, viewers were not embracing the political and religion stories on the whole.

And because of the events in the season two finale, "Jem'Hadar", the crew were going to need more than three runabouts to stop a possible invasion from the Gamma Quadrant. The arrival of the Defiant solved two problems off the bat. The ship would be give the crew the chance to travel beyond the space station, and with the ever-increasing threat from the Dominion, it would ramp up the action quotient.

"The Search" introduced us to the Defiant and the Founders, the rulers of The Dominion. And, surprise, they turn out to be Odo's people. The two-part episode revealed much of Odo's past and it began to set up the conflict that would become so much part of the series in later years.

Highlights of the season included the opener, "The Search" to be followed by "The House of Quark", "Second Skin", "The Abandoned", "Defiant", "Past Tense, parts 1 & 2", "Improbable Cause", "The Die is Cast", another journey to the mirror universe in "Through the looking Glass" and "The Adversary".

Along the way, even the episodic shows began to take on the running story of the Dominion. Quark and his Ferengi family, while used as comedic results, grew deeper, becoming something TNG never could do, make them: interesting.

And unlike its sister series, DS9 never really ended on a big cliffhanger. As a matter of fact, it liked to leave you on a more threatening note. The final lines delivered by Odo -the last words from a dying changeling Odo killed in self-defense -left you feeling that a large conflict with the Dominion was coming.

"He said 'you're too late, we're everywhere'"

DS9 -Season 2

Building on the success of season ones finale, the producers and writers seemed to understand that this show was going to be much different than what came before. And despite some fan irritation that this was bad Trek because everyone came to them instead of the crew going "where no one has gone before", they seemed to generally ignore them. So much for the good.

Season two launches with an ambitious 3-part story ("The Homecoming", "The Circle" and "The Siege"), as Sisko and his team reluctantly become more involved with the politics of Bajor. It was also the season that the series would begin to lose some of its episodic roots, as the show slowly began to add continuing story lines and recurring characters. It would also introduce us -through a comedic Ferengi episode "Rules of Acquisition" - to the concept of The Dominion, a great power in the Gamma Quadrant. They would be mentioned again in "Sanctuary" and "Shadowplay".

Season two -while still having problems -did shine on several occasions, with episodes like "Cardassians", "Necessary Evil", "Armageddon Game", "Whispers", "Paradise", "Blood Oath", "The Maquis, parts 1 and 2", "Crossover" (a sequel of sorts the TOS episode "Mirror, Mirror") and the "Jem'Hadar", which fully introduced the Dominion and there genetically engineered stormtroopers, the Jem'Hadar.The introduction of Dominion was done subtly, and that's what made their rise to be so much better than the in your face Borg. And while season two struggles to balance the stories so they appealed to everyone, you felt and saw that below the surface, there were stories that were not going to resolved in one hour.

And as the season concluded, we were left with a portentous warning, as Eris warns the crew..."you have no idea what has begun here."

The Best Star Trek show. A DVD review

The first spin-off of TNG launched in a spectacular way. Opening with the Borg battle at Wolf 359 (from TNG's classic two-part episode "The Best of Both Worlds"), we are introduced to Lieutenant Commander Benjamin Sisko. He is the Executive Officer on the Saratoga when the attack begins, with Jean-Luc Picard -former captain of the Enterprise and now Locutus of Borg - leading the assault. And quickly, Starfleet discovers they are no match for the Borg. Forced to abandon his damaged ship, Sisko is able to save his 9 year-old son; his wife is tragically killed.

Three years later, we meet Sisko as a Commander about to assume the position of command of a former Cardassian space station Terok Nor -now renamed Deep Space Nine. Starfleet needs Sisko there to help prepare the Bajoran's for entry into the Federation. And a bitter single father soon discovers, his newest mission to aid the Bajor may have been written in the stars centuries before he was born.

DS9's first season, like TNG before it, had many high and low points. The 2-hour opener was a better pilot than TNG, and featured a better theme music. Almost from the start, this spin-off was going to way different from TNG. Where everyone on Enterprise were a happy family and conflict free, DS9 introduced conflict galore. Sisko and his first officer, Bajoran Major, Kira, butted heads from day one. And instead of solving that right away, it would take years for them both to come to an understanding.

Political intrigue and religion would be the series bread and butter over seven years and while it would take most of the first season to introduce these concepts, it still had a handful of stories that introduced you to the characters that populate this show. The first season would also feature a few familiar characters that were first introduced on TNG. The biggest, of course, was Colm Meany's Chief Miles O'Brien. Meany, a part of the Trek franchise since TNG opener, brought Miles over to become Chief of Operations. The Klingon sisters of Lursa and B'Etor -who were involved in several plots to take over their homeworld - visited DS9 in "Past Prologue" and popular character of Q would visit with Vash (TNG's Captain's Holiday" and "Q-Pid") in "Q-Less". "Battle Lines" would kill off the spiritual leader of the Bajoran's, and the late Brian Keith shines in the allegory episode "Progress". Even Majel Barrett's mostly annoying character of Lwaxana Troi would show up in "The Forsaken".

But perhaps, the highlight of season one is "Duet", a tightly plotted tale of culpability. Guest star Harris Yulin shines as a coward who personalized the guilt of an entire race. It was, perhaps, Nana Visitor finest hour as Kira, who realizes for the first time in her life that not all Cardassians need to be punished for their 60 year enslavement of the Bajoran's.

With the season finale, "In the Hands of the Prophets", the series long-overdue conflict between the tolerant Federation and the deeply spiritual Bajorans comes forward in a tale of intrigue, murder and philosophy. With this episode Oscar wining actress Louise Fletcher begins her recurring role of Vedek Winn, and chews the scenery and steals every scene she's in.

Over all, the first season was uneven, much like TNG. Still, with a last two episodes, the series proved it could be different and still be entertaining and keep with in Roddenberry's vision of a peaceful Federation.

But season two would begin to blur the lines...

To be continued.

Wonderfalls

From Bryan Fuller (Star Trek) and Todd Holland (Malcolm in the Middle) came this gem of a series. I knew the show was doomed early on, if only because it was smarter than the average bear. But, I watched because I liked the concept of the show, plus I try to support the gay community as much as possible. From start to finish, this show rocked and FOX completely bungled it. But that says more about FOX than the auidence. Friday's has been a problem with them for years, and Thursday, well, the least said about that the better. But the way I see it, Gail Berman's -who ran FOX until she jumped to Paramount this spring - only goal was to have a hit show right out of the gate. And if they didn't know what to do with you, like Firefly before it, you were shoved into Fridays because you were not called 24, American Idol or Paris Hilton. Wonderfalls died because it was brilliant, well crafted, wonderfully acted (Caroline Dhavernas is so dead on perfect) that Berman and her yes men did not know what to do with the show. It deserved a better timeslot (Sundays in the old The X Files timeslot seemed logical) and better promotion. I will treasure this show (along with ABC's short lived Miracles) because as much as American Idol and CSI bring in high ratings, at the end of the day you are left empty because they are equivalent to Easter peeps. All air. Wonderfalls left you filled with giggles and a feeling that you were part of something special.

Enterprise comes home to DVD

As with Voyager before, Enterprise repeated the same errors. At its core, the show had promise. With very little of early Federation days nailed down, it seemed like a good idea to go back and tell the story. But instead of sticking with some of the canon that did exist, Brannon Braga and Rick Berman rebooted the entire Star Trek franchise, which angered about 10 million viewers. Season one continued the ever increasing schism between the fans. And while I liked Bakula on Quantum Leap, he -like Kate Mulgrew before him - was woefully miscast. The supporting cast, with the exception of Jolene Blalock, showed their limitations as actors (when they got lines). The stories were mostly retreds of previous Trek episodes and while both Berman and Braga were aware of the issues of continuity, they felt that if the adhered to it too much, then the show could not work. They continued to believe that Trek viewers -at least the newer, younger ones (and, admittedly, the group advertisers like) - were only concerned about the how weird the story was and if it had half naked females parading around. This misstep by them, by fulling ignoring the fans who had watched TOS, TNG and DS9, was increasing ENT's end week by week. Paramount can be blamed also, for not stepping in sooner. Berman and Braga's now almost incestuous relationship with Trek caused then not to see the forest for the tree's. Had they realized that fan base was deeply divided, and had they analyzed who was not watching Trek anymore instead of small band who were, maybe something could've been done. Then again, maybe its doom was already sealed by the time Insurrection came out in 1998. And then there is the fan base. They too can be blamed for this, as this schism did not begin with ENT. It really started with VOY. As a network show, VOY had different standards to live up too than it's syndicated brothers, TNG and DS9. Racier plots and emphasis on action and violence became the criterion, while a device called the Temporal Reset Button was used week after week. And while TRB is a useful tool, but to rely on it for every episode got you caught in a never ending loop of Easter Peep type stories; all full of air with no substance. Plus, people who were in there teens or early 20's when TNG premiered were not 15 years older, wiser and now considered less desirable by the advertisers. ENT was, I guess, designed for the guys and girls who were the same age as the ones who saw the first season of TNG. But these new groups of kids, now brought up on a diet of science fiction being everywhere, felt Trek was a dinosaur. So all that remained, in the end, was a few really dedicated fans who felt that, yes the show was not as good as it could be, but it still needed to stay on because it was Star Trek. I will concur to a point, but that's mostly because I hate reality shows and procedural dramas that have overtaken the air waves. Give me a good science fiction story that challenges the mind, then I'll watch. I once read that science fiction is a dangerous genre, for it can be seem as anti-Christian and anti-establishment. It brings up thought provoking ideas and presents a possible world were there is no hatred, no poverty, and no religion. It's the possibilities that scare people. But even as Star Trek has framed a lot of peoples lives, such as wonderful idea of a utopian world and taught us some good values, it has entertained us for nearly 40 years. Both VOY and ENT might be considered entertaining shows, but they are NOT the next step in Star Trek's evolutionary life that TNG and DS9 were.

For what its worth, the remake of War of the World is good from the visual point of view; the effects are great. And because it’s a popcorn film, it fills that quota with action galore, very little story and not much else. Oh, sure, we have a small story about a father’s redemption, but beyond that, there is not much more in the way of characterization.

The script follows the structure of the original book, but unlike the 1953 George Pal produced version, this film concentrates on one family fleeing the invasion from outer space (though, the aliens are not from Mars) and not the military. Tom Cruise once again proves to the world that he’s Tom Cruise, Mega Superstar. He’s essentially playing himself, as he does with every other role he does, and for me, this is a distraction. The film tries to give him a emotional arc, but the heavy-handed opening, where they make it so obvious that Ray is a bad dad, the film loses some of that arc because the ending has already been dictated.

Dakota Fanning, however, shines, as she does with most of roles. A female version of Haley Joel Osment, the 11 year-old’s wide eyes shows the terror of what is happening. Her visceral performance is what makes the film work. And while Justin Chatwin is good as the rebellious teenage son Robbie, but he is not essential to the film, and easily could’ve been dropped from the script. This film really is about a father and daughter, anyways. As is, Robbie vanishes half-way through the film and is almost completely forgotten. And Tim Robbins shows up late in the film, as a nut case survivalist and his role is rather pointless. It was as if the writer decided that just having Ray and Rachel by themselves could not hold the segment were the aliens investigate a house (in a scene that is very reminiscent of James Cameron’s The Abyss) together. And Miranda Otto is wasted in limited role as the Mother and ex-wife of Ray.

The film works, despite some flaws. Under the deft direction of Steven Spielberg, the movie runs a roller coaster of action, but it is hampered by some plot holes. I mean, isn’t it convenient that despite all cars that have been effected by the electro magnetic pulse blocking roads, that Ray and his family can still drive on the expressway without running into a jam or bottleneck? Or isn’t beneficial that after spending the night in his ex-wife’s house in Boston, that there is a local TV station van parked near the house (where a plane has crashed) that becomes exposition central? And the dues ex machina ending -while maybe original in the novel and even the 1953 version- does not work here.

The visual effects are impressive, and the new tripod designs of the alien ships is very close to H.G. Wells vision (and they reminded me a lot of The Tripods, a British TV series from the 1990's that featured aliens who live in similar ships). The death ray is cool and a bit frightening, but the aliens themselves look like distant cousins of the ones featured in Independence Day.

Overall, the film is worth seeing. Spielberg is a great director, and knows what he’s doing. The astonishing thing about this production is how quickly it was done. Filming began only last November, and its in theaters only 7 months later. Very impressive. And in a quick, almost unnoticeable scene, we get a quick cameo from Gene Berry and Ann Robinson, the stars of the original film. And despite some questionable scripting and not much in the way of characterization, its still worth a look. Just don’t expect anything original. But, hey, that’s Hollywood these days.

Mom reaches 70

Today my Mom turns 70!

It boggles the mind for me to understand this. I don't even remember when my grandmother turned 70. Of course, I was 14 when she did, but that was 29 years ago. Numbers. My sister, who turned 44 at the end of May, keeps on saying that that's all it is, a number. I do feel that at times we as American's become too much aged obsessed. And while men are effected less than women, we are still defined by that number. It's worse in the gay community. I'm 42, but in gay years that's like a 120. Or even worse in Hollywood.

Anyway, she's 70. Its not old, and she looks much better than her mother at the same age. As matter of fact, with the exception of my older brother, all of my siblings are aging fairly well.

But I want to wish my mother a Happy Birthday! And while I always hoped for a better relationship with her, but I love her and honor her the best I can.

May her God go with her. Love you

David

The Sci Fi Buzz

Just days before the June 18th first season finale of the new Doctor Who TV series, the BBC announced that the show has picked up for a third season (with a possible fourth season already being discussed). This comes as a surprise for many, despite the huge success the revival has been. When Doctor Who returned to the BBC back in March, it brought in some of the highest ratings in that time slot ever, knocking out a popular variety series that dominated the early Saturday evening schedule. Three days later, the BBC said they were picking up the show for a second season. The show has retained its #1 slot since then and despite series star Christopher Eccleston decision to leave after only one season (with David Tennant taking over), the network seems very confident that show will continue to be the hit it is. Russell T. Davies (Queer as Folk) will remain the showrunner (and write 6 of the planned 14 stories) for the second season, along with Billie Piper as companion Rose who has now been confirmed will stay through the next 14 episodes of season two. Expect Russell to resurrect the Cybermen next season, also, and maybe a possible guest appearance of Elizabeth Sladen as everyone’s favorite Sarah Jane Smith, along with K-9. Production on the new season begins in July, with the first episode airing at Christmas (which will resolve why the ninth Doctor regenerates into the 10th). The other 13 will begin airing in March 2006. There are still no American distributor the series, but despite that, the BBC is planning to release the show on region 1 DVD -and people with region free DVD players can now get the first three episodes from Amazon.co.uk. The boxed set of the season will be released in the UK this November, so it should see a release here in the States sometime after that.

If not already noticed, but with NBC/Universal now owning the Sci Fi Channel, it has found an outlet for most of its genre shows. Thus, in a little corporate synergy, the cable net will begin airing Joss Whedon’s cancelled FOX series Firefly, to begin on Friday, July 22 at 6pm, followed by new episodes of Stargate: SG1, Stargate: Atlantis and Battlestar Galactica. Sci Fi will air all 14 episodes produced (including three that were never broadcast) and in the order that they were supposed to air. As most know, when FOX aired the show, it began with episode 3 and then they showed the rest out of order, with the 2-hour pilot actually broadcast as the last episode. Of course, all of this re-airing will lead into Universal’s release of the big screen sequel, Serenity, which hits theaters on September 30.

In a huge move that could net over a 109 million viewers, Universal and its nine networks (that include NBC, SCI FI, USA Network, Bravo, Telemundo, CNBC, and MSNBC) will preview the 2 minute 30 second teaser trailer for King Kong, Peter Jackson’s follow up to his Oscar winning Lord of the Rings trilogy. It will air on Monday, June 27 from 7:59 to 8:02pm. King Kong, which tells the classic tale of the gigantic ape captured on a remote island and brought to 1930s Manhattan where he meets his tragic fate, stars Naomi Watts, Jack Black, Thomas Kretschmann, Colin Hanks, Andy Serkis, Jamie Bell and Adrien Brody and will open in theaters worldwide on December 14, 2005

Quick Notes:

Lucy Lawless has signed on for a multi-episode run on Battlestar Galactica playing a journalist...Scot Armstrong (Old School, Starsky & Hutch) has been signed on by New Line Cinema to pen Elf 2. While Will Ferrell has yet to signed, expect the studio not go forward until they do...James Cameron, who has kept busy despite not helming a film since 1997's Titanic, may delay production on his long gestating Battle Angel to film Project 880 first...Terminator 3 director Jonathan Mostow will helm the umpteenth reworking of the Disney film The Swiss Family Robinson...Critics be damned, despite earlier claims that Disney would not produce a sequel unless it had a impressive concept, the Mouse House and Jerry Bruckheimer have hired writers to begin work on National Treasure 2...Laurence Fishburn, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Keri Russell have all joined the cast of Mission: Impossible 3...Alan Cummings has confirmed he’ll not be Nightcrawler in X-Men 3, as Fox has decided not to pick up his option. While he had a contentious relationship with former director Bryan Singer on X2, he was also very verbal about the laborious make-up process. The current script does have Nightcrawler in it, so expect the role to be recast...While not the strongest actress, she did hold her own in Batman Returns, but don’t expect Katie Holmes to return for the sequel, TV Guide reports...Sarah Michelle Geller has signed on to do a big screen adaptation of the video game American McGee’s Alice...Disney has announced that summer 2007 will see the release of Toy Story 3, which will not be done by Pixar.

Legacy:

Veteran character actor Lane Smith, who genre fans will remember as Perry White in Lois & Clark: the New Adventures of Superman, died June 13 at his Los Angeles home after losing a battle with the neuromuscular disease Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, reported the Associated Press. He was 69. During the 1970's and 80's, the actor guest starred on many TV shows and appeared in such classic films as Rooster Cogburn, Network and My Cousin Vinny. He also had other genre appearances on V, the 1986 versions of both Alfred Hitchcock Presents and The Twilight Zone, Alien Nation: The Udara Legacy and King of the Hill.

DVD News:

20th Century Fox has announced a direct-to-DVD Family Guy movie, set to debut on September 27. Called Family Guy Presents Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story, its an 83 minute tale that follows Stewie’s search for his real father. Expect the usual behind the scenes stuff, including deleted scenes, still galleries, animatics and a commentary by creator Seth MacFarlane.

Batman Begins

Entertainment Weekly, in one of their latest issues, proclaimed the return of the sequels. And while I think they really never went away, this summer has manifested Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith and the rebooting of Batman. With X Men 3, Mission: Impossible 3, Indiana Jones 4, Spider Man 3, Shrek 3 and Harry Potter 4 all in the pipeline, maybe they’re back in a bigger way. Still, I think 2005 is turning out to be the summer of remakes, with The Longest Yard, Herbie the love bug, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Bad News Bears, House of Wax, War of the Worlds, and TV remakes of Bewitched, The Dukes of Hazzard and The Honeymooners. The problem I have with this trend is they’re remaking good films. All, so far, have been unnecessary. But, as creatively bankrupt Hollywood is, this is what is now shown as entertainment.

Batman has been the jewel in Warner Bros. crown since Tim Burton’s 1989 version hit the screen. While the campy 1960's series had its charm, this new version was darker, cynical and mean. Burton’s sequel, Batman Returns, was equally as dark as his first, but he did stumble with much more interesting villains than further exploration of Batman/Bruce Wayne psychology, which has always fascinated the comic book fans. That duality was missing from surprisingly two later films, which veered into gay high camp -much more than the TV series - that almost ruined the careers of George Clooney and Chris O’Donnell. Val Kilmer’s Batman just opened the door for the actor to take on even loonier roles.

Now eight years after Batman and Robin, indie director Christopher Nolan, along with comic book fan/writer David Goyer have rebooted the franchise in the best possible way. Nolan’s attention to characterization, the look into what scares you and how to make it work to your advantage shines through. While it less cynical than Burton’s two films, the movie illustrates how easily corruptible people are. This is, of course, a movie staple. Man is basically evil, easily debased. Bribes are passed out like Halloween candy and the good guys are few and far between.

The movie recounts much of what’s already been established in the first film, Bruce Wayne’s parents are murdered when he is a child and he feels guilty for their deaths. His company, Wayne Industries is trying to help the less fortunate, only to discover a cancer is growing. But where the two films split is that Nolan shows how Bruce Wayne becomes Batman, and its that connecting of the dots that makes the film work as different take than Burton’s.

Bale is wonderfully cast as Bruce, who is on a search, a mission, to try and help the helpless and put a stop to evil. In someways, it is a silly notion. What can one guy do? That is the central premise of the movie world and of the real world. Most don’t, of course, have the unlimited resources of a Bruce Wayne.

Michael Caine takes over the role of Alfred from Michael Gough, and his performance is surprisingly gentle, dedicated and yet never submissive. Gary Oldman, always the bigger-than-life villain in other films, is meek and well played. As one of the only cops not on the take, he still makes the character believable without seeming to be goody-two shoes.

Liam Neeson, who still seems to be channeling Qui-Gon Jinn with these last two roles (the other being Kingdom of Heaven) spouts Yoda-like mentor phrases, but he still comes off well. The rest of cast, led by one of my favorite actors Morgan Freeman, shines brightly into Gothams dark corner.

My one small quibble would be how oddly the film changes streams. Even at over 140 minutes, the switch from learning about who he can be and being what Gotham needs, is a bit jarring.

Finally, despite some digital landscapes and the narrows added to skyline, my hometown of Chicago looked good, along with the standard police chase.

It’s been reported that Nolan and Goyer have hashed out a trilogy stories, but neither Nolan or Goyer have any obligations to sequels, unlike Bale who will be back at least two more times. But with the set up at the end for a possible battle with the Joker, you know Warners will sweeten the pot and let Nolan return.

Trek's final trek?

Who is to blame for the end of Star Trek after 18 years? The fickle fans? Brannon Braga? Rick Berman? Paramount? It’s easy for some -including me - to blame all of the above. For no one person can truly be held responsible. When Star Trek returned to TV in 1987 -after being off for 18 years (though 4 motions pictures had been released by then) it opened big. Still, for some The Next Generation (TNG) did not carry the same charm as The Original Series (TOS). And it would take two full seasons before TNG settled in an became the classic show it is now remembered for. But if there can be one fault amongst the praise of the show, was its lack of conflict, and where "high concept" story telling pushed characterization to the corner. Deep Space Nine (DS9) was launched in 1992 -half way through TNG’s fourth season. The show was different from both TOS and TNG insomuch as the aliens had to come to a stationary location versus the two previous shows where "exploring new worlds" was its mantra. DS9 really sparked a debate among fans, especially TOS ones who were finally warming up to TNG. For some, DS9 was diametric opposite to Roddenberry’s ideas. And on the surface, that could be true, but scrape away the surface and DS9 was holding forth a lot of Roddenberry’s utopian beliefs.And like TNG, it would take DS9 two full seasons to find its sea legs, but once the conflict between the Federation’s secular universe and the Bajoran religious views took center seat (along with political intrigue and the Dominion) and characterization was enhanced (executive producer Ira Steven Behr once said that, ultimately you learned more about DS9's recurring cast than its main ones) that the show became a hit. Still, DS9 was never the hero TNG was. And as plans for a third spin-off began, eventually the show would become a red-headed stepchild. It was 1994 when most felt Trek of the later half of the 20th century hit its pinnacle. TNG had ended its 7 year run and was headed to the big screen, DS9 was pulling in solid, if not spectacular numbers and Paramount was launching its own broadcast network and would be using a new Trek series as crown jewel at the center of its enterprise, if you can excuse the pun. Voyager (VOY) was a return to the old naval romance of TOS, but that was about as close as they were going to get. I’ve always felt VOY was never really intended for the hardcore Trek fans. This show was to be for the absentee viewer and the straight, white male viewer who placed violence and sexuality above characters. Where "high concept" stories replaced logic and reason and where continuity established in TOS, TNG and even DS9 where ignored. For here, it will be argued, Star Trek’s slide really took hold. The franchise, it seemed, was everywhere. Generations was released in 1994 to good box office returns and tepid reviews, and in January 1995, VOY premiered (while DS9 was chugging away in syndication). First Contact was released in 1996 to great reviews and huge box office receipts and then Insurrection in 1998, which again came with lukewarm appraisals and moderate returns. DS9 would end in 1999, leaving just VOY as the sole Trek series and a shrinking audience. When VOY ended in the spring of 2001 (a some what entertaining series, but not the next step in Trek’s evolutionary life), Paramount was already at work on the next spin-off, a series set between the events of the TNG movie First Contact and TOS. Ideally, this seemed like a goldmine of story telling possibilities. Not much of the early Starfleet and Federation years were nailed down, so here was an opportunity to do that. But Enterprise (ENT) never lived up to its potential. And while its ratings were strong by UPN standards, well over 10 million viewers, many began to feel the bait and switch that plagued VOY through its seven years. Plus, both Braga and Berman were basically rewriting Trek lore, ignoring already established canon in favor of not confusing those absentee viewers. Quickly -more so than on VOY -the show was losing viewers faster than rats jumping out of a sinking ship. And based on the up and down first two seasons of TNG and DS9 (and all of VOY), you would’ve thought someone would’ve stepped in and said this is what needs to be done. And on one part, I can see why Paramount never really pushed Braga and Berman to change, as Trek was still bringing in millions, despite a large fan base who were fed up the two B’s style of sex and violence over making the last two series about the characters. To them, all they heard was the cash register ringing. Plus there was a small group of fans who were dedicated to keeping Trek alive, even if it was life reserve. In the meantime, the fourth Trek movie featuring the cast of TNG was released in 2002 and despite a strong opening weekend, it was doomed to fail at the box office due to being sandwiched between two of the most anticipated movies of the Christmas season, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. Had Paramount been smart, Nemesis (while a good film) should’ve been held off until February 2003. I believe then, despite some bland reviews, it could’ve done better and reassured another movie. But its combined one/two punch of big blockbuster movies and the sad reviews, was the final nail in Trek’s coffin. While Nemesis failed to light a fire under the movie franchise, ENT was losing viewers by the millions. Its second season saw a few things that really angered the fans, as Archer and his crew tangled with the Borg, the Ferengi and the Romulans long before TOS and TNG did. The back door excuse that continuity was maintained was that the crew never learned of their names (though the Borg issue remains very muddled). Brought back for a third, and somewhat controversial year, ENT was going to do a season long arc, filled with continuity and characterization that a lot of fans had been screaming about. But, we where baited again, and ended up getting zoinked again. Brought to the brink of cancellation by UPN by the end of its third season (and a loss of 2 episodes), it’s 13 million viewers reduced to 2.5 to 3 million, Paramount cut the series licencing UPN paid for the show in half. The show was regulated to Fridays for its fourth year, and reduced to 22 episodes this season and a new show runner was brought in. Manny Coto’s job was daunting, and he did an admirable job of trying to correct a lot of Berman and Braga’s misguided attempts at re-imaging the franchise to their own personal views. But it was too little too late, as the saying goes. While the show was officially cancelled in February of 2005, it would finish out its season. So who’s to blame? Both Berman and Braga were aware of the issues of continuity, but felt that if the adhered to it too much, then the show could not work. They continued to believe that Trek viewers -at least the newer, younger ones (and, admittedly, the group advertisers like) - were only concerned about the how weird the story was and if it had half naked females parading around. This misstep by them, by fulling ignoring the fans who had watched TOS, TNG and DS9, was increasing ENT’s end week by week. Paramount can be blamed also, for not stepping in sooner. Berman and Braga’s now almost incestuous relationship with Trek caused then not to see the forest for the tree’s. Plus, as noted, Trek was still shaking out money. Had they realized that fan base was deeply divided, and had they analyzed who was not watching Trek anymore instead of small band who were, maybe something could’ve been done. Then again, maybe its doom was already sealed by the time Insurrection came out in 1998. And then there is the fan base. They too can be blamed for this, as this schism did not begin with ENT. It really started with VOY. As a network show, VOY had different standards to live up too than it’s syndicated brothers, TNG and DS9. Racier plots and emphasis on action and violence became the criterion, while a device called the Temporal Reset Button was used week after week. And while TRB is a useful tool, but to rely on it for every episode got you caught in a never ending loop of Easter Peep type stories; all full of air with no substance. Plus, people who were in there teens or early 20's when TNG premiered were not 15 years older, wiser and now considered less desirable by the advertisers. ENT was, I guess, designed for the guys and girls who were the same age as the ones who saw the first season of TNG. But these new groups of kids, now brought up on a diet of science fiction being everywhere, felt Trek was a dinosaur. So all that remained, in the end, was a few really dedicated fans who felt that, yes the show was not as good as it could be, but it still needed to stay on because it was Star Trek. I will concur to a point, but that’s mostly because I hate reality shows and procedural dramas that have overtaken the air waves. Give me a good science fiction story that challenges the mind, then I’ll watch. I once read that science fiction is a dangerous genre, for it can be seem as anti-Christian and anti-establishment. It brings up thought provoking ideas and presents a possible world were there is no hatred, no poverty, and no religion. It’s the possibilities that scare people. But even as Star Trek has framed a lot of peoples lives, such as wonderful idea of a utopian world and taught us some good values, it has entertained us for nearly 40 years. Trek needed to go away, as the success of the recent re-imaged Battlestar Galactica and BBC’s revival of Doctor Who has proved. If you take it away, let the desire build again, and then return it to the airwaves, you’ll get a better response. Many have said it could be 3 to 5 years before Trek returns to TV. And while an 11th film is in development (and reported to be set between ENT and TOS with an entire new cast), even that is not going to get made for several years, if ever. Plus, Paramount has to heal the schism with the fans. Manny Coto has said he has an idea for another Trek series, set sometime after era’s of TNG, DS9 and VOY, but in the end, it will be the fans who make it a success. They will need to come together and help Paramount decide that you can have your sex, you can have your "high concept" stories, you can have your TRB’s (occasionally) but you need a show built around appealing characters, where the show is about them versus a ship or some run of the mill alien. Despite being cancelled in 1969, TOS survived. Syndication brought a whole new audience. And animated series in 1973 continued its legend and a 1979 motion picture revived it completely. It is a survivor in all sense of the word. It will survive this latest issue. And that’s what makes it so memorable.