Opinion: The Day the Future Died: How STAR TREK Ran Out of Gas

Valorist ^ | September 5, 2015 | David Reddish

[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?

[Enterprise]

The identity of the paymaster is given on a need to know basis.

[W.]

Hooooooooollllleeeeee craaaaaaap that was a long read. Seen them all. Still beats watching C-SPAN. “Beam. me. up., Mr. Speaker!” ;)

[Vince Ferrer]

Two words: Wesley Crusher. Hey I have an idea. Instead of the crew being populated with the best and brightest people in the federation, lets have an annoying teenager be better at anything than everyone, and undercut the competance of everyone else on the ship.

[GunHoardingCapitalist]

I kinda liked each series of star trek. I thought voyager was halfway decent, could not get into Babylon 5, or the new Battlestar. As for space/sci-fi, my favorite of all was Farscape, excellent writing, superb character development. Just my opinion.

[America_Right]

From the bottom of the article:

Star Trek should provide a hopeful example for a better future, while finding ways to examine the present ills of the world: income inequality, religious fanaticism, climate change and a diversifying culture

I wish he had put that at the top, it would have saved me a 10 minute read...

[brivette]

“yeah, I killed it, whatchagonna do?”

[Fungi]

Maybe. Will anyone revive “I Love Lucy?” I doubt it.

[Flick Lives]

If you are not a regular cast member, whatever you do, stay the Hell out of the transporter! You DO NOT want to beam down with the rest of the landing party!

---

Lol! Any openning scene with a landing party where there was a new guy in a red security uniform; you knew that guy was gonna be toast before the openning theme rolled.

[brivette]

that’s it!!!!

[ziravan]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redshirts_(novel)

Redshirts by John Scalzi:

“Ensign Andrew Dahl, newly assigned to the Intrepid, flagship of the Universal Union, works in the xenobiology lab. However, upon receiving the chance to work with famed senior officers of the ship on “Away Missions” to dangerous planets, Dahl realizes that as a low-ranking crew member, he is very likely to be killed while on one of these missions.”

[Windflier]

I think it’s a characteristic of aging that one can get pop-culturally “stuck”

Too true. Never thought I'd see the day, but I've become my dad in that regard.

About the only new music I can stand these days, is country. Being an old metal head, I would have never predicted that, either .. LOL

[Stand W]

“Spock! Help me, Spock”

[outofsalt]

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

♬ ♫ ♪ The Priceline Negotiator ♪ ♫ ♬

[minnesota_bound]

#40 What you liked was Lens Flare. All 721 of them.
http://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/oct/03/star-trek-into-darkness-jj-abrams-lens-flare

[Raymann]

I would say DS9 had more bad episodes then B5 but it also had more great episodes. When I think of the 10 greatest episodes from star trek, easily half are from DS9.

[Finny]

Galaxy Quest was such a hoot!!! {^)

In a way it made me like the old 60s Star Treks even more. But as for its later TV shows, Jack Deth nailed in #48: 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.

I stopped with the TV ones after that. But the movies -- I'm glad I gave the new ones a chance. Like Catherine, I liked them best, love their spirit and fun -- better than the originals yet crafted on the same characters, and I confess to being a Shatner fan (I know, sue me).

But the latest Star Trek movies were just fabulous, and I think they even promoted good right values for the most part. I loved 'em.

Star Wars, on the other hand, has "wise men" spouting such insipid commie pinko platitude prattle as ...• Fear is the path of the dark side. Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering. If once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate you destiny, consume you it will ...

Fear is a warning. Fear is human, fear is normal. It's how you handle fear that counts, Yoda you arrogant simp. TYRANNY and SLAVERY lead to hate and suffering. Fear has zip to do with it.

[MCH]

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

I'll second that one for sure. And I'll up the ante - definitely toss that schweem Riker in there too. I liked Mr. Data, Worf, Giordi and Picard, but not many others.

[a fool in paradise]

He doesn't know anything about 60's westerns either.

" Roddenberry dubbed it “wagon train to the stars,” a sort of caravan aboard a space ship journeying from planet to planet, exploring the universe and having wild adventures. Just like cowboys, Captain Kirk and his crew carried futuristic six shooters at their hips–phasers–and much like a covered wagon heading West, encountered mysterious and savage tribes of aliens, substituting for the 60s caricatures of Native Americans. Kirk’s two most loyal aids on his trip, Dr. McCoy and Spock, fill in for the western stock characters of the Indian guide and the grizzled traveler, and throughout the voyages of the Starship Enterprise, the crew always brings enlightened thoughts to alien civilizations still relying on violence and savagery to survive."

[Disambiguator]

I never understood why Whoopsie shaves her eyebrows. It’s just weird.

[Vaquero]

I enjoyed immensely the original series when it came out....many still good but many extremely dated today.
The movies were spotty. 1 was bad. I enjoyed 2-4. 5 was directed by Shatner, and was the 2nd worst of TOS movies. 6- was pretty good. 2 the Wrath of Kahn being the best.

TNG which I watched most of was good and bad but all were WAY too PC. Of the movies of TNG ...first contact was the best.

DSN was OK. But getting long in the tooth and Voyager was mostly unwatchable save to ogle 7 of 9.

Then things got better.....Enterprise was my favorite TV series after TOS. I can’t say enough about the episodes “Carbon Creek” and “Through A Mirror Darkly “ and “Carpenter Street”
And I thoroughly enjoyed both of JJ Abrams reboot films. I’m still in there for the long haul.