Space Western & Star Trek

Discussion in 'General Trek Discussion' started by jefferiestubes8, May 5, 2010.

  1. jefferiestubes8

    jefferiestubes8 Commodore Commodore

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    as we all know:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Western

    A very Western Star Trek was the ENT episode
    North Star. Synopsis: "Enterprise discovers a settlement of humans living a 19th-century Western lifestyle on a Delphic Expanse planet,

    It's funny to see that Wiki also mantions
    I have not heard of
    [/SIZE][/FONT]
    per Wiki
    I see there is a thread from last year on this at TrekBBS
    The Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers

    Would The Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers, or the other late 1980s American space Western animated television series BraveStarr be possible for a CGI animated remake or a primetime rated TV14 live-action series? Would it work for adults?
     
  2. Sector 7

    Sector 7 Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Probably not, because prime-time animated series are comedies. They are successful because they make people laugh. IMO, a thought provoking cartoon or CGI series would not be successful in prime-time.
     
  3. Luther Sloan

    Luther Sloan Captain Captain

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    Yeah, I don't get the fascination with CGI (video game-ish looking) presentations. Especially for a Star Trek series.

    If your series is based off a video game, then I can see it working. But to force CGI into something that was not a CGI based universe before doesn't make sense. Nor would it be well accepted.
     
  4. Crazy Eddie

    Crazy Eddie Vice Admiral Admiral

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    At least, not on a major network like CBS. On the other hand, Cowboy Bebop and Outlaw Star both had very successful runs n Adult Swim and would probably get a pretty warm reception on the Syfy channel if you arranged the lineup properly.

    Of course, Star Trek ditched the "space western" idea very early on its run, so if you want to go back to that idea you'd have to retool it a bit. Maybe have a show about Tom Riker cruising around the galaxy in a stolen runabout as a mercenary for hire?
     
  5. J.T.B.

    J.T.B. Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Indeed. I've always thought the Wagon Train reference had more to do with the episodic format than any specific ties to the Western genre. Unlike Gunsmoke or Bonanza, Wagon Train was always on the move, with new settings, plot issues and guest stars every week, and then on to somewhere else. That gave the writers a lot of freedom, which I think was something that appealed to GR for his new show.

    Some of the early S1 episodes have a Westernish, "settling the frontier" feel to them, though.

    --Justin
     
  6. Nerys Myk

    Nerys Myk A Spock and a smile Premium Member

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    The basic plot of "Mudd's Women" pops in westerns a lot.
     
  7. J.T.B.

    J.T.B. Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    A lot of Westerns have traveling theater troupes or actors show up, too, like in "The Conscience of the King."

    --Justin
     
    Last edited: May 8, 2010
  8. DevilEyes

    DevilEyes Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    DS9 seemed to be channelling a lot of Western archetypes in the beginning. The station is the wild frontier; there's a new mayor sent from the Feds, the local deputy who doesn't like the Feds, the no-nonsense local sheriff, the roguish bartender, the outlaw who formerly terrorized the town and who makes it clear to the new mayor that he's not accepted defeat yet and is going to make things difficult for him; then in episode 3 (A Man Alone) there's a lynching mob turning on a man because he's an outsider, etc. This Western feel evaporated very soon, though.
     
  9. jefferiestubes8

    jefferiestubes8 Commodore Commodore

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    Rare 1966 Video Interviews with William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy On The Set
    http://startrekpropauthority.blogspot.com/2008/04/rare-1966-video-interviews-with-william.html

    Shatner likens Trek not to a Western but to how Naval forces patrolled in 18th century.
     
  10. plynch

    plynch Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Nice analysis.
     
  11. DevilEyes

    DevilEyes Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    I have to give credit to C_Miller, who came up with the comparison in the DS9 forum, and I just thought: "Wow, this is so true!"
     
  12. jefferiestubes8

    jefferiestubes8 Commodore Commodore

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  13. A beaker full of death

    A beaker full of death Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Star Trek was never based on Westerns. Roddenberry pitched it that way because it was a popular genre at the time. It's more like any one of a number of navy shows/movies. It's more Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea than Wagon Train.
     
  14. T'Girl

    T'Girl Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Kira Nerys as the former gunslinger now working on the side of the law.

    Voyager was western too, moving through "Indian Territory," pioneering new routes, meeting new cultures, trading for what you need, making temporary treaties, very much cut off from "back east."

    Enterprise was of course F Troop.

    Perhaps the first season of Voyage, people forget that the first season of Voyage was played serious, there were some very good cold war dramas, spy episodes and straight (no monsters) adventures. So Trek as the first season Voyage is a compliment.
     
  15. Nerys Myk

    Nerys Myk A Spock and a smile Premium Member

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    I think you got that backwards. ;)