TNG Commerical with Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start The Fire"

Discussion in 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' started by Dantheman, Aug 29, 2012.

  1. Dantheman

    Dantheman Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

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    Who else remembers seeing this commercial for TNG with altered lyrics to Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start The Fire", now called something like "We Didn't Start The Series"? I think it was made by Paramount to promote TNG now being on weekdays, because I remember seeing this commercial in the early '90s when TNG was on five days a week, Monday thru Friday.

    And no, I'm making this up, I honestly remember this being a real thing.
     
  2. ALF

    ALF Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    OMG that sounds awful...
    It must have been a local station... I can't imagine Paramount doing that. I remember all kinds of cheesy station-made promos back in the 1990s!
     
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  3. tomswift2002

    tomswift2002 Commodore Commodore

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    I remember CHRO (now CTV2 Ottawa) playing that commercial. Of course they aired two versions over the years, but the last one (aired circa 1997), while the same as the earlier one (circa 1993) had ugly squeezed graphics inserted in it saying the time it aired. But the 1993 version I watch every Christmas, since I've got it on a recording of a Christmas show from December 1993, and one thing I really remember is when Picard is turning on the view screen (shot from Farpoint when Picard asks what the Hood's response was) it goes to a mid80's looking CGI planet with the CHRO logo on it, and then there was the pad at the end where CHRO inserted there own music and graphics over the CU of the ship from the opening credits going to warp, and their music makes the warp sound interesting (it ends right as the ship creates the flash).

    I even remember that over a decade later a few of us at work heard Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start The Fire" on the radio and started talking about this spot. It would be nice if the put this spot on a Blu-Ray.

    I also remember that clips were taken from Season One episodes like Farpoint upto Seaon 3 shots (Data running into Fargo's force field and being thrown across the room in Most Toys)
     
  4. trekker670

    trekker670 Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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  5. Kirk1980

    Kirk1980 Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Oh, the pain, the pain....
     
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  6. SonicRanger

    SonicRanger Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Love it.
     
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  7. Scotty

    Scotty Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Why so serious? :lol:
     
  8. tomswift2002

    tomswift2002 Commodore Commodore

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    Not even close.
     
  9. CorporalCaptain

    CorporalCaptain Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    That's awful.
     
  10. 22 Stars

    22 Stars Commodore Commodore

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    I have been looking for a TNG promo commercial that aired, showing great explorers through history, Vikings, Apollo Astronauts etc, and ending with the TNG cast shot. Anyone have that on Youtube, I haven't found it yet.
     
  11. CorporalCaptain

    CorporalCaptain Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Easily Googled.

    [yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nC_pMQ7xNC4[/yt]
     
  12. doubleohfive

    doubleohfive Fleet Admiral

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    I've never seen this one, but it's obviously something the local Fox affiliate put together to advertise TNG reruns in syndication.

    I remember there being one for TNG (can't seem to find it on YouTube), basically clips from the show cut to The Who's "My Generation," which was (if I remember correctly) much better.

    That, and I remember the "Everybody Needs a Little Space" promo for DS9:

    [yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=la4ANRz-0wA[/yt]
     
  13. tomswift2002

    tomswift2002 Commodore Commodore

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    I've had the lyrics for the commercial in the original post in my mind all day. They are

    Jean-luc
    Geordi's specs
    Mysteries on the hole deck
    Asteroids
    Triple-droids
    Telepathic Betazoids
    Counsellor Troi
    Dr. Crusher's little boy
    Klingon rites
    Phaser fights
    Transporter
    Deadly claws
    Visitor from L.A Law
    Data's head
    Tasha's dead
    Riker's hanging by a thread
    Celebration
    Transformation
    Everyone to battle stations!

    We didn't start the series. It's the Next generation on your favorite station! (repeat this line about three times before fading out audio for station VO and audio).
     
  14. Maurice

    Maurice Snagglepussed Admiral

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    ^^^Rotten rhyming!
     
  15. tomswift2002

    tomswift2002 Commodore Commodore

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    I think I got the Counsellor Troi to Phaser Fights section in the wrong area. I'll have too dig out the DVD and watch it again.
     
  16. 22 Stars

    22 Stars Commodore Commodore

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    Thanks! Don't know, couldn't find it a year or two ago when I looked, good job!
     
  17. doubleohfive

    doubleohfive Fleet Admiral

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    I remember that ad! I loved it as a kid, and still do. Thanks for sharing!
     
  18. tomswift2002

    tomswift2002 Commodore Commodore

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    I realize theatre this is a few years late, but here’s the video the OP was thinking of.
     
  19. Mutai Sho-Rin

    Mutai Sho-Rin Crusty Old Bastard Moderator

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    Normally, resurrecting a 7-year old thread is bad form but this is a special case. Everyone enjoy or suffer as you may choose.
     
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  20. Qonundrum

    Qonundrum Vice Admiral Admiral

    Or this one...


    That video is all over the place more than dust bunnies on a bookshelf.

    The only thing missing is the Laugh-In "Sock it to me!" guest star getting pelted by a buck of water or ping pong balls or clothing removed in typical risque risky 1968 fare or other comedic transpiring(s).