Roddenberry's Worst Ideas

[Mr. Laser Beam]

EliyahuQeoni wrote:

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I always took Kirk's comment about "They're still using money" and telling Gillian that they "don't have money in the future" was a reference to not using currency rather than not having a monetary system.

That's STILL the way I look at it.

The Federation uses credits; we've all seen it. But it's all electronic, as it were. No physical currency changes hands. That's it.

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Arthur C. Clarke was a believer that advancing technology would destroy the utility of money, our current notions of economics and the entire concept of work for pay.

Of course, he was a science fiction writer rather than a Star Trek fan, so "his words are unimportant and we do not hear them."

[Jonas Grumby]

Mr. Laser Beam wrote:

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That's STILL the way I look at it.

The Federation uses credits; we've all seen it. But it's all electronic, as it were. No physical currency changes hands. That's it.

Me, too. It's certainly the most sensible way to interpret it, and I feel pretty certain that's the way the filmmakers meant it, as well.

Now...if Roddenberry had been calling the shots for TVH, I wouldn't be nearly so certain of that, but I believe by that time he had been "kicked upstairs" and had basically become the guy whose memos everybody still had to initial, but not necessarily read.

[DS9forever]

Didn't Roddenberry condemn the writers of [IWrath of Khan[/I] for Kirk killing the Ceti eel?

[DalekJim]

No money is maybe a stretch but I found the idea that humanity had turned away from the accumulation of wealth to the pursuit of personal enrichment to be a refreshing view of the future. That line was one of the reasons I became a huge fan of TNG as a kid.

[jayrath]

If I never again hear about money or the lack of same in "Star Trek," I will be very happy.

Some of you have a problem with it. We get that. We got that a long time ago.

Surely there are other possible "worst ideas" to discuss. How about leaving TOS right before the third season? "Omega Glory"? Or "The Questor Tapes," "Spectre" or "Genesis II"? "Pretty Maids All in a Row"?

Heck, how about Lincoln Enterprises merchandising "Kung Fu"?

[plynch]

Baha! I remember seeing Kung Fu film trims for sale at our comic book shop right next to Trek trims (NO, I didn't buy any, dang it) and wondering what the kung fu guy had to do with Star Trek.

Oh, and how dare you put "Spectre" on your list!

[mos6507]

jayrath wrote:

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Surely there are other possible "worst ideas" to discuss. How about leaving TOS right before the third season? "Omega Glory"? Or "The Questor Tapes," "Spectre" or "Genesis II"? "Pretty Maids All in a Row"?

I really liked The Questor Tapes.

[mos6507]

RAMA wrote:

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Actually technological breakthroughs of the next 30-40 years will probably render capitalism moot, and something like Gene's ideas about evolving past simple monetary gain may be possible, and many years before he expected it. Within abundance, increased price-performance of easily accessible and widespread technologies would mitigate increased world population, with near unlimited energy, access to resources like water and food (indeed we already produce enough food to feed all, its just badly managed; cheap water purification exists now and should proliferate, eliminating the water scarcity myth, nano-materials in solar panels can eliminate power scarcity in 20 years even without exotic 4th generation fission or fusion).

We're at a point, ecologically, where we better the hell get some of that magic tech otherwise the future's gonna be more like Cormac McCarthy than Star Trek. I wish I could be as optimistic as you are--with a straight face.

[mos6507]

sonak wrote:

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his later ideas seemed to be worse-the whole "evolved, enlightened Humanity" thing, plus the wacky idea that Starfleet wasn't military.

To be more specific, the Galaxy Class concept is something I don't like. We did witness inter-ship romance in Trek, but I never liked the idea of institutionalizing it and turning starships into the Carnival Cruise line with families and nurseries and all that stuff. The Enterprise-D rarely seemed to be in mortal danger, and if it were, imagine how irresponsible it is to drag your whole family into harms way. The main source of conflict in TNG tended to be about how and when to exercise authority, and that's fine, but sometimes you need a cliffhanger and some "we can't take much more of this!" and TNG, by being pushed farther in the future, presented a world of "perfected" technology where the Enterprise lazily cruised from one diplomatic engagement to the next and all conflict was talked over in hushed tones in the briefing room. It was only the Borg that started to break that up.

[Shawnster]

jayrath wrote:

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If I never again hear about money or the lack of same in "Star Trek," I will be very happy.

Some of you have a problem with it. We get that. We got that a long time ago.

For me, it's not so much the not liking the lack of money as it is the statements our heroes make about not having/using money, except for all the times they have, use or reference money; even in the 24th Century.

Hey, if you're gonna write it that they have no money, at least be consistent!

[teacake]

jayrath wrote:

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Surely there are other possible "worst ideas" to discuss. How about leaving TOS right before the third season? "Omega Glory"? Or "The Questor Tapes," "Spectre" or "Genesis II"? "Pretty Maids All in a Row"?

The Omega Glory is one of my two hated Star Trek episodes. I think it's pretty good that I only have two out of 700+

[BillJ]

teacake wrote:

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The Omega Glory is one of my two hated Star Trek episodes. I think it's pretty good that I only have two out of 700+

The Omega Glory is one of my top ten all time favorite episodes of Trek, all series.

[scotpens]

jayrath wrote:

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Surely there are other possible "worst ideas" to discuss. How about leaving TOS right before the third season? "Omega Glory"? Or "The Questor Tapes," "Spectre" or "Genesis II"? "Pretty Maids All in a Row"?

How dare you put "Pretty Maids All In a Row" on your list? It's got Angie Dickinson nekkid!

[sonak]

mos6507 wrote:

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To be more specific, the Galaxy Class concept is something I don't like. We did witness inter-ship romance in Trek, but I never liked the idea of institutionalizing it and turning starships into the Carnival Cruise line with families and nurseries and all that stuff. The Enterprise-D rarely seemed to be in mortal danger, and if it were, imagine how irresponsible it is to drag your whole family into harms way. The main source of conflict in TNG tended to be about how and when to exercise authority, and that's fine, but sometimes you need a cliffhanger and some "we can't take much more of this!" and TNG, by being pushed farther in the future, presented a world of "perfected" technology where the Enterprise lazily cruised from one diplomatic engagement to the next and all conflict was talked over in hushed tones in the briefing room. It was only the Borg that started to break that up.

yeah, I didn't know "families on starships" was specifically his idea, but if so, it was another goofy one. Think of major engagements like Wolf 359 or in some Dominion War battles.

Now try to picture families on ships during WWII at the Battle of Midway or Leyte Gulf.