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Straczynski Offers To Re-Boot Star Trek [updated]

EvilMagnus writes "I just came across this thread over on usenet where J. Michael Straczynski, creator of Babylon 5 and Jeremiah, talks about the cancellation of Enterprise. It seems he and a collaborator have already written a series bible and treatment for a new version of Star Trek - but it's not been pitched to Paramount out of 'political considerations' (Berman refusing to give up his dead horse?). JMS calls for everyone who thinks a JMS-run Star Trek series would be a good idea to write Paramount and let them know." Along similar lines, yonnage writes "Last week there was an article posted here about Enterprise fans atempting to pay for the next season of Enterprise. It seems that all the efforts have been pulled together and a new website has been created and has started collecting contributions for Enterprise's next season." Update: 02/16 19:47 GMT by T : Read the rest of the thread to see JMS's followup; he's decided to at least postpone this endeavor.

16 of 482 comments (clear)

  1. JMS - PLEASE READ THIS! by Seumas · · Score: 5, Funny

    More Wil Wheaton!

    1. Re:JMS - PLEASE READ THIS! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      +2, Insightful . . . Who knew Wil read Slashdot this early in the morning? :D

    2. Re:JMS - PLEASE READ THIS! by pklong · · Score: 3, Funny

      Cut to overhead closup Khan style shot:

      Noooooooooooooooooooo!

      --

      Philip

      Signatures are broken

    3. Re:JMS - PLEASE READ THIS! by rkhalloran · · Score: 2, Funny

      Of course, given the successful series from J J Abrams on Wednesday nights, the critics would immediately dub it...

      (drum roll...)

      " 'Lost' in Space ".....

      Hmmm, wonder if Bill Mumy's available...

  2. My own Star Trek theory and suggestions by notany · · Score: 2, Funny
    Star Trek is The Bold and the Beautiful for the nerds. There is some differences tough. I have seen good episodes in Star Trek. I haven't heard there is any in BnB.

    Maybe they could make Star Trek miniserie every other year with only good episodes and not of that day to dayt crap. Or they could relax the format a little and ask Quentin Tarantino and others direct episodes like Ltn. Worf and planet of samurai swords.

    --
    Dyslexics have more fnu.
    1. Re:My own Star Trek theory and suggestions by ettlz · · Score: 2, Funny

      Star Trek is The Bold and the Beautiful for the nerds.

      Indeed. Aside from Doctor Who, etc., what other series can jump forward (and back) fifteen years in as many minutes?

      ...ask Quentin Tarantino and others direct episodes like Ltn. Worf and planet of samurai swords.

      Remember that infamous scene from Reservoir Dogs? Right, now substitute with a Ferengi.

  3. Unlikely... by earthbound+kid · · Score: 3, Funny
    "I just came across this thread over on usenet..."
    Pff, unlikely. Netcraft confirms, usenet is dead.
  4. Re:I see... by EnsilZah · · Score: 5, Funny

    Makes his corpse reverse polarity in its grave, one might say.

  5. Re:It's Berman's fault by blowdart · · Score: 5, Funny
    "Kaptain we're being zucked into a black Berman hole"

    "Fire the JMS ego ray ensign, they should cancel each other out"

    "A hot space babe has just appeared, the ratings levels are going up rapidly, most logical captain"

    Whoever does it around 50% of the fans are going to complain.

  6. Starch Wreck by ch-chuck · · Score: 4, Funny

    The story of two Chinese laundry truck drivers. Their 5 hour mission, to deliver clean lanudry, to seek out new customers and clients, to Boldly Go® where no chinese laundry truck drivers have gone before!

    --
    try { do() || do_not(); } catch (JediException err) { yoda(err); }
  7. Re:Great idea by ajs · · Score: 5, Funny
    Great idea or tragedy waiting to happen?

    Probably neither. It's probably so unlikely that it's not worth categorizing. The reasons are many, but it comes down to this: Straczynski is pig-headed, but not stupid. He would never agree to do it without complete creative control, and there's practically no way Paramount would allow that to happen. It would be along the lines of Bill Gates giving over control of the Windows platform to Linus Torvalds without even retaining the right to veto checkins.

    Without complete creative control, you know what would happen: JMS would put forward his bible saying, "we tear down half of Starfleet and kill off a few notables to shake things up," and Paramount would reply with notes like the following:
    • Sounds good, but I don't think we want to kill anyone who has an action figure
    • "Tear down" might be too strong. Let's just say that there's a night-club bombing somewhere on Ferengi-prime
    • Great ideas, but you need to sex it up a bit
    • The first scene needs to really pull the viewers in: make it a fist fight
    • My kid loves tribbles, can you work one in as a major character?
    He's been through this before with TNT and Crusade (the mess that you saw on TV was the result). He won't do it again.

    All that said, YES, petition Paramount to do it. I think that at the very least it shows a massive lack of confidence in current show-runners and might upset the apple-cart enough to get someone creative in there.
  8. Good comparison by gandell · · Score: 3, Funny
    Good comparison, wrong show. It's actually Small Wonder.

    And the girl creeps me out...monotone robots trying to be cute to gain our trust...they've got to be trying to take over the world! Have we learned nothing?

    --
    Mercy was given to me by Christ...I must give the same to others.
  9. "Its dead, Jim" by peter303 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Yes Jim, Star Trek has now joined my in the great beyond.
    It died of boredom- redoing the same tired old plots for the tenth time.

  10. Let it die already. Trek needs a rest. by 35ft_twinkie · · Score: 2, Funny

    William Shatner: You know, before I answer any more questions there's something I wanted to say. Having received all your letters over the years, and I've spoken to many of you, and some of you have traveled... y'know... hundreds of miles to be here, I'd just like to say... GET A LIFE, will you people? I mean, for crying out loud, it's just a TV show! I mean, look at you, look at the way you're dressed! You've turned an enjoyable little job, that I did as a lark for a few years, into a COLOSSAL WASTE OF TIME!

    [ a crowd of shocked and dismayed Trekkies.... ]

    I mean, how old are you people? What have you done with yourselves?

    [ to "Ears" ] You, you must be almost 30... have you ever kissed a girl?

    [ "Ears" hangs his head ]

    I didn't think so! There's a whole world out there! When I was your age, I didn't watch television! I LIVED! So... move out of your parent's basements! And get your own apartments and GROW THE HELL UP! I mean, it's just a TV show dammit, IT'S JUST A TV SHOW!

    Charlie: Are- are you saying then that we should pay more attention to the movies?

    William Shatner: NO!!! THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M SAYING AT ALL!!! HEY, YOU GUYS ARE... THE LAMEST BUNCH... I'VE NEVER SEEN... [ walks away from podium ] I can't believe these people... I mean, I really can't understand what's....

  11. Or Star Trek reality TV! by Snaller · · Score: 4, Funny
    The Star Trek Amazing Race!

    11 teams of people with an existing relationship will race around federation worlds solving problems and seeing improbable sights.

    The teams are:

    Captains Picard and Riker.

    Riker has too much facial hair and Picard has none!

    Dr. Crusher and all powerful son being Wesley Crusher.

    Dr. Crusher can't cure the common cold because it has been cured, and Wesley Crusher can bring it back with a snap of his fingers!

    Lt. Commander Tuvok and Captain Kathryn Janeway

    He's logical and she isn't!

    The Doctor and The Doctor

    One's a hologram and another is a possibly copyright infringing timelord!

    Lt. Ezri Dax and Dr. Phlox

    She's a hottie and he's nottie!

    Captain Jonathan Archer and Porthos

    One is a dumb unreasoning animal the other is a beagle!

    Constable Odo and Seven Of Nine

    He's a shapeshifter and you'd like to shift her shapes!

    Chief Miles O'Brien and Lt. Cmdr. Data

    One will fix your bits and the other is full of them!

    Sub-Commander T'Pol and Tasha Yar

    One is an expert on decon gel and the other is back from hell!

    Lt. Cmdr. Deanna Troi and Commander Kira Nerys

    One is a counsellor the other needs one!

    Guinan Ensign Hoshi Sato

    One speaks in riddles the other speak riddle!


    --
    If Google really cared they would fix Android Chrome to reflow text, instead of discriminating
  12. Re:Great idea by strelitsa · · Score: 2, Funny
    Mod parent up.

    Anybody who doesn't instantly want to throttle Harlan Ellison upon meeting him is simply not paying attention.

    --
    No mod points, no meta-moderating/Firehose/all the other free work Slashdot wants me to do.