Patrick Stewart, STAR TREK’s Captain Jean Luc Picard from The Next Generation series has piped in his views on Paramount’s jump back into the universe that Gene Roddenberry created. When asked what he thought of J.J. Abram’s taking the helm and possible delving into the early life of Kirk and Spock, Stewart enjoined, “I don’t know. I don’t know very much. I just got a call from L.A. a few weeks ago saying, ‘You’re not going to believe this but the people at Paramount, the new people, are very interested in reviving the franchise.’ Abrams is a huge fan of Star Trek. Beyond that I know nothing at all.”
“Frankly, I’m astonished. But then the studio, which was the old regime at Paramount — Sheri [Lansing] and co. — they had made it pretty clear that after Nemesis, that was goodbye. I never quite knew why because John Logan and Brent Spiner had already gotten an absolutely brilliant storyline for another movie but they put us to sleep. So I would just watch that space with interest. Whether it involves me or any of the Next Generation cast, who knows? But it’s interesting for me to hear that there is strong enthusiasm at the studio in going down that path one more time.”
If they decide to go back in time and do a show with a young James T. Kirk I think I could only accept it if Shatner himself chose the actor. In fact along the lines of the Elvira replacement show you were talking about I think it would be awesome to have a reality show with people auditioning to be the young Kirk. Shatner chooses. It could do Spock too. These are icons. Who is cast is crucial. I want Shatner to pick. I want to see the auditions.
But for another spin on a Star Trek tv series I think they should jump on the crime show bandwagon. I want a shapeshifter Federation detective who one week will be investigating a Vulcan crime so will be a Vulcan, next week will be investigating a Klingon incident so will be Klingon. Remember that Next Generation episode with Riker on trial for a crime he didn’t commit. It was pretty good. What do you think? Federation Crime Scene Investigation. and The Search for the Next Kirk and Spock. I would definately watch!!!
Make it so.
The Federation CSI idea is interesting. I always loved the fact that Odo was so into Earth detective fiction. Who knows … he can’t stay in taht Great Link forever … can he?
As for a young Kirk and Spock, I agree with you .l.. that’s ground which must be tread *verrrrrrry* carefully. I mean, it would be just too easy for an actor to do the Shatnerisms way over the top, which would ruin it … but to not have them at all would be just as ruining, IMO. Same goes with Spock. And where the devil is McCoy in all this?
Personally, I’d love to see the Spiner/Logan story Stewart was alluding to in the article. The way “Nemesis” ended was such a downer. … Hardly the blaze of glory TNG ought to have had for its exit. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed the movie … but the ending was not at all a blaze-of-glory ending.