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Opinion: The Day the Future Died: How STAR TREK Ran Out of Gas
Valorist ^ | September 5, 2015 | David Reddish

Posted on 09/07/2015 4:19:27 PM PDT by EveningStar

"To boldly go where no man has gone before..."  So the opening narration claims, and since it debuted in 1965 [sic], Star Trek became the epitome of optimistic futurism.  What began as a cult show--and a failed one at that--became a cultural touchstone, and quite likely the most influential television show in history, as well as a long running series of films.  Even Americans who have never seen an episode or film know of the pensive Mr. Spock, the transporter, the alien Klingons and the famous warp speed.  As the fiftieth anniversary celebration of the beloved franchise approaches though, Star Trek has become less of a pop culture driving force, and more of a bumper sticker on a sputtering, self-renewing money machine.  How did something so influential become something so cheap?  What happened to Star Trek, and can it ever regain its emeritus status again?

(Excerpt) Read more at valorist.com ...


TOPICS: History; Society; TV/Movies
KEYWORDS: davidreddish; sciencefiction; scifi; startrek
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To: EveningStar

May the Force Live Long and Prosper!!!

41 posted on 09/07/2015 5:01:55 PM PDT by Stand Watch Listen (When the going gets tough--the Low Information President Obie from Nairobi goes golfing/fundraising)
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To: mkleesma

1. Yes.
2. Yes.
3. Absolutely true.

I could have written that post,
and probably have at some point.


42 posted on 09/07/2015 5:07:15 PM PDT by sparklite2 (Voting is acting white.)
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To: EveningStar
I was a huge fan of the original ST (have never seen an episode of the recent one), but the episodes were always based on a faulty premise: a captain of a star ship leading an expedition to a dangerous situation. Imagine WWII and Admiral Halsey leading the Marines on an invasion of a Japanese held island.

It didn't make any sense, but it was needed for dramatic necessity. They couldn't very well have the leading star (William Shatner) sit in the captain's chair while flunkies did all the dirty work on the planet they were investigating.

43 posted on 09/07/2015 5:09:58 PM PDT by driftless2
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To: EveningStar
J. J. Abrams

I loved "Fringe," especially Olivia and Dr. Walter Bishop.

44 posted on 09/07/2015 5:10:42 PM PDT by MUDDOG
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To: yarddog; Tax-chick

45 posted on 09/07/2015 5:11:44 PM PDT by CatherineofAragon (("This is a Laztatorship. You don't like it, get a day's rations and get out of this office."))
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To: Kickass Conservative

...I wonder who the Paymaster on the Enterprise is?...

Who needs money or a paymaster when there are replicators?


46 posted on 09/07/2015 5:13:35 PM PDT by Sasparilla (If you want peace, prepare for war.)
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To: LS
"Pretty interesting. I liked the Star Trek reboot with Chris Pine, Zoe Saldana, and the rest. Guess I just have no taste."

I actually like that movie better than any of the series.

I used to watch syndicated episodes of the original series sometimes--as a kid in the '70s---but I'm not a big fan.

47 posted on 09/07/2015 5:13:52 PM PDT by CatherineofAragon (("This is a Laztatorship. You don't like it, get a day's rations and get out of this office."))
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To: EveningStar

‘Star Trek: TOS’ started out as a “Space Opera” extension of the 1960s Cold War. Wuth the Federation representing the US and the Klingons as the USSR. Very simple and forthright for its day.

Led by the youngest Captain in Star Fleet. Who would ignore the Prime Directive and go to war at the drop of a hat!

In the interim between it and ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’. Mr. Roddenberry died and his wife, Majel Barrett. Nurse Chapel took over and gave the sequel a definite Leftist bent.

With a diplomat, instead of a Captain. And a Czarist “Zampolit”, Political Officer and “Counselor” in Diana Troi.

After that. And later series, it just got too jumbled and confused. And ‘Babylon 5’ sparked my interest. With a better cast, plot lines and far superior tales, skulldugggery and Special Effects.

Haven’t seen any of the newer films of the ‘Star Trek’ franchise, either!


48 posted on 09/07/2015 5:17:40 PM PDT by Jack Deth (Knight Errant and Resident FReeper Kitty Poem /Haiku Guy)
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To: EveningStar; Perdogg; catnipman
What happened to Star Trek, and can it ever regain its emeritus status again?

This cr@p!

A bridge of a warship set up like the set for a local access coffee conclave show.

49 posted on 09/07/2015 5:19:17 PM PDT by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.)
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To: catnipman

Who didn’t want Picard to beam Troi, Wesley and his mom into Deep Space on Widest Possible Dispersal?


50 posted on 09/07/2015 5:19:56 PM PDT by Jack Deth (Knight Errant and Resident FReeper Kitty Poem /Haiku Guy)
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To: EveningStar

I enjoyed the first reboot movie in 2009. It had its issues, but it certainly moved much better than the first Star Trek Movie. That was interminable. I didn’t see the second one at the theater because the actor who played Chekhov mentioned that the plot was basically “George Bush is an idiot”. And he laughed about that in the interview. I finally watched it on HBO and 2 issues that I saw. First, it was so bad that I never really got the “Bush is an idiot” theme, so it failed on that point. And it was an awful, awful, awful rendition of the Khan story. Wrath of Khan was my favorite of all the Star Trek movies and this one was sad in comparison. I finished hoping they would just stop and never do another one.


51 posted on 09/07/2015 5:28:55 PM PDT by tstarr
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To: GreenHornet

Staying on the ship was no guarantee of safety. Redshirts even got zapped on the Enterprise.


52 posted on 09/07/2015 5:29:05 PM PDT by LiveFree99
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To: EveningStar
How did something so influential become something so cheap?

The fan base saw "Galaxy Quest", and died off in embarrassment. :)

53 posted on 09/07/2015 5:31:27 PM PDT by Mr. Jeeves (Heteropatriarchal Capitalist)
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To: Mr. Jeeves
Galaxy Quest

One of the most wildly overrated movies of all time.

54 posted on 09/07/2015 5:33:53 PM PDT by EveningStar
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To: EveningStar

(img src=”http://www.geeksaresexy.net/2015/06/23/omg-its-r2-d2-i-loved-him-in-star-trek-funny-tee/";>


55 posted on 09/07/2015 5:35:00 PM PDT by mkleesma (`Call to me, and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.')
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To: LiveFree99

56 posted on 09/07/2015 5:37:27 PM PDT by PLMerite ("The issue is never the issue. The issue is the Revolution.")
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To: Jack Deth

You can beam Troi to my place.


57 posted on 09/07/2015 5:38:30 PM PDT by PLMerite ("The issue is never the issue. The issue is the Revolution.")
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To: Sasparilla
OMG, they're not only Socialists, they're Counterfeiters!
58 posted on 09/07/2015 5:40:03 PM PDT by Kickass Conservative (Just another Bitter Clinger living the dream in Obamaville...)
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To: mkleesma

B5 was the best of those. I only made it half way through the newer Battlestar before it lost me in absurdity. Good writing helps with suspension of disbelief not challenges it.


59 posted on 09/07/2015 5:44:27 PM PDT by Flying Circus (God save us!)
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To: mkleesma
Star Trek was good; Babylon 5 was great; Battlestar Galactica was outstanding.
It’s all in the writing.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine had superior writing to Babylon 5 which it supposedly ripped off, in spite of the fact that J. Michael Straczynski made overtures to "true fans" with his literary references.

Battlestar Galactica was loaded with a lot of screaming theatrics.

60 posted on 09/07/2015 5:47:38 PM PDT by EveningStar
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