How would you fix Generations without a complete rewrite?

[jaime]

Would've made Kirk aware he was in a simulation and have him working on it for years on a way to get out. TOS Kirk would have found a way, even if it took generations. In that regard he could have been Picard's guide out of the Nexus. They didn't really do Kirk's character justice in the movie.

I like that. Tied to my other comment about kirks body fading..another scene added,
Picard: How do we know we have left the Nexus? How do we know this is real?
Kirk: we’ll just have to take some risks.

Through in the timeline righting itself and kirks body fading as it does so, and Kirk smiling as he dies because he’s proved it’s real. Yes, it makes Kirk functionally immortal in a King Arthur way, but I think that works.

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

I'd remove Kirk, Scotty and Chekov. Start on the Enterprise-B, but with the ship returning to base from its first mission, a Captain's Log entry filling us in on that point and how the ship has completed a peaceful research mission and looking forward to some R&R, when they pick up on the El-Aurian distress call and move to assist. The ship is heavily damaged but manages to save a handful of the refugees.

Later, Picard agrees to the prisoner exchange, Data purposes a plan that would allow him to join Picard on the surface once they have the co-ordinates, though Picard decides against it, not wanting to push Soran or the Duras sisters over the edge. Then when Picard enters the Nexus he finds himself revisiting with many of those he has lost in the past, such as his brother, Jack Crusher, and Tasha Yar, taking onboard some advice from them, when he leaves the Nexus he agrees to Data's plan so on the surface, as he works on distracting Soran, Data sabotages the launcher.

This way there's no wasted time on the torch-passing (which was done 7 years earlier) whilst the focus is very much on the TNG crew and what they've gone through together, whilst the Nexus segment doesn't drag on needlessly and is more relevant to Picard, whilst also exploring some of what came before during the show.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

Generations remains the most frustrating of all Star Trek films because it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that came at the very height of Star Trek's popularity. It should have been an instant classic and honored both casts and crews.

Let's say you've got access to the Nexus and can go back and change the film's writing and production. To keep it interesting, though, you have to retain the following elements: the Enterprise-B, Kirk being absorbed by the Nexus, Soran's vendetta, and the destruction of the Enterprise-D. You do not, however, have to retain Kirk's death.

The concept of the film basically works, but the third act needs work. There are three things I would do.

The first. Move the prologue to about midway through the film, where Picard goes to Guinan and she reveals a little bit about her and Soran's history -- the Enterprise-B, the Lakul disaster, the Nexus. Open the film, instead of with the promotion ceremony, with the (comedic?) end of a mission we don't see (like the way Into Darkness and Beyond open), and then have the Enterprise-D respond to the distress call.

The second. Raise the stakes. Have Picard see the Enterprise's destruction and the saucer streak through Veridian III's skies.

The third. Move the third act battle between Kirk, Picard, and Soran from Veridian III to the Enterprise-B. Have Soran make a visit to Picard's Christmas Nexus fantasy and gloat. Make Kirk argue with Picard that the best way to stop Soran is at the beginning of the story. Go back to the Enterprise-B, and have Soran try to take the whole ship into the Nexus, so that the Lakul survivors can be reunited with their other halves inside the Nexus. And defeating Soran in the past has an unexpected ripple effect so that when Picard fades away and returns to the 24th-century his brother and nephew aren't dead.

In short, I'd tweak the concept a little bit.

 

[Tenacity]

no recycled footage

This. Although I've wondered for some time if the blowing up of the miniature for TUC was filmed from multiple angles, a different view would have been (to me) acceptable.

shield modulation

Have Riker order Worf to modulate the shields, but it doesn't do any good. Riker calls engineering and asks LaForge if the shields are in fact modulating. There's a shot of LaForge looking right at the display and responding that the shields are modulating.

Cut to the Klingon BOP, where the Klingon crew are looking at the exact same display through LaForge's visor.

I would have had him take a little more care with his priceless artifacts. Skip to 1:52.

This again. Picard picks it up and puts it down again. He doesn't throw it against a wall or otherwise deliberately smash it. He simply puts it down. It's never said to be particularly fragile.

If Picard can go anywhere or anytime, why didn’t he just go back to when they rescued Soren and arrest him.

I'd go farther back still. Show the observatory prior to the Romulan attack, Riker and Worf make their way to Soren and arrest him. The presence of the Enterprise scares off the Romulan ship. Riker reports the arrest to Picard as Picard is sending a warning to his brother.

I wonder when father and son died, how long it would have taken to send a message to Picard, It couldn't have been too fast. Several hours, a couple of days.

DTI wouldn’t have been very happy if Picard went all the way back.

A unforeseen, but serendipitous, consequence of Picard's time travel is that the D.T.I. is wiped from existence.

Boo hoo.

Thinking about this movie for more than two seconds causes it to completely fall to pieces.

I disagree, it has it's flaws as do all Trek movies. But it's really pretty well constructed.

the makers seemed to go from "Do we make him sympathetic or evil or both?"

One of the movies pluses. Last thing GEN needed was a Bond villain. If only all Trek movies could have a nuanced adversary like Soran.

Guinan keeps bleating "Don't go in there! He mustn't go there!

It would have been fun to of had Picard meet with Guinan later and remark that for him leaving the Nexus was super easy, barely a inconvenience.

Guinan has dozens of real candles lit? How come the ship doesn't automatically put out the fire like it had in "Up the Long Ladder"

Because there's a difference between a small candle flame and a medium sized fire. Weren't there candles on Worf's birthday cake?

Put back the original ending

Far superior, but if it went that way, I would change two things. Make it so Kirk wasn't killed (there was no "passing torch" needed), and give Picard the option to stun Soren and have a later log entry about him standing trial.

Other changes, make Harrison seem less incompetent, he's a bloody Starfleet captain. And the Tuesday joke, twice is enough.

Sulu's daughter shouldn't be a surprise to Kirk, in fact they should know each other well, "uncle Jim."

Make the BOP faster, much faster, than the Enterprise. It should be dancing around the Enterprise like a humming-bird around a elephant.

Have Kirk wearing something other than a Starfleet uniform when Picard meets him in the Nexus.

 

[Lance]

The first. Move the prologue to about midway through the film, where Picard goes to Guinan and she reveals a little bit about her and Soran's history -- the Enterprise-B, the Lakul disaster, the Nexus. Open the film, instead of with the promotion ceremony, with the (comedic?) end of a mission we don't see (like the way Into Darkness and Beyond open), and then have the Enterprise-D respond to the distress call.

That's exactly where I placed it when I fan-edited the movie into TV format.

 

[Sisko_is_my_captain]

I'd fix those damned uniforms and bring up the lighting so you could see what the hell was going on.

 

[MakeshiftPython]

The one change I would make that comes to mind is this: Amargosa observatory

Moore and Braga originally intended that after we cut away from the last shot of the Enterprise-B, we transition to the space station, depicting the workers having a pretty routine day, complaining about how boring it is. Suddenly they're attacked by Romulans. After sending out a distress call, we see from their point of view the Enterprise warping into the scene and attacking the Romulan ship. Cut to the bridge with everyone doing their part, each getting a little character moment. They end up driving the Romulans out of the sector. This original idea I think would have made a much stronger introduction of the TNG crew cinematically, and they're all in their element. Then you proceed to them beaming on board the station as it plays out in the movie.

There are other changes I would do and I'll write them later, but this is the one that first comes to mind. Apparently Jeri Taylor thought the original idea of introducing the Enterprise-D in an action sequence was "boring", and suggested they should try a much more "quirky" approach. Her suggestion is why we get the promotion ceremony on the holodeck, along with other bits like Picard and Kirk cooking eggs. This is why the seventh season was peppered with this kind of humor. I get the reason why she would suggest this, because sometimes it can be fun to see a film subvert your expectations if it's done in a way that's still entertaining. I don't think GENERATIONS quite hit the mark on that. It would have been better if they stuck to their original introduction. As it is, all we see of Picard is attending a ceremony, acting more unusually grumpy on the Enterprise-D, and then finding out his family died in a fire and crying about it. I can't blame Stewart for trying to push for a more action oriented Picard in later films, because this was a pretty limp way to introduce Picard to cinema, along with the implications that Picard can't save the day without begging for Kirk's help.

I do like a lot of what GENERATIONS went for, and I think there is a very strong entry in it if there had just been more adjustments in the scripting phase. As things are, it's amazing they did "All Good Things" while simultaneously writing this film. One turned out to be so much better in the end.

 

[Dukhat]

The one change I would make that comes to mind is this: Amargosa observatory

Moore and Braga originally intended that after we cut away from the last shot of the Enterprise-B, we transition to the space station, depicting the workers having a pretty routine day, complaining about how boring it is. Suddenly they're attacked by Romulans. After sending out a distress call, we see from their point of view the Enterprise warping into the scene and attacking the Romulan ship. Cut to the bridge with everyone doing their part, each getting a little character moment. They end up driving the Romulans out of the sector. This original idea I think would have made a much stronger introduction of the TNG crew cinematically, and they're all in their element. Then you proceed to them beaming on board the station as it plays out in the movie.

This would have totally cut out the HMS Enterprise scene and saved the production a ton of money. They would have had to build a new Romulan ship, unless they could have refurbished the warbird from the show. The only problem I could foresee is that there would have to be another reason why Data installs the emotion chip, since he would not have pushed Crusher into the water.

 

[MakeshiftPython]

I definitely would have tried integrating Data's B-story much more into the A-story. The two threads feel too disparate as they are.

 

[Phoenix219]

Generations remains the most frustrating of all Star Trek films because it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that came at the very height of Star Trek's popularity. It should have been an instant classic and honored both casts and crews.

Let's say you've got access to the Nexus and can go back and change the film's writing and production. To keep it interesting, though, you have to retain the following elements: the Enterprise-B, Kirk being absorbed by the Nexus, Soran's vendetta, and the destruction of the Enterprise-D. You do not, however, have to retain Kirk's death.

The first change I'd make would address a problem I had before the movie even came out: the movie should have used the surviving 1701 crew members in the 24th century. So when we're on the E-B, it's Kirk, Spock, McCoy, and Scotty who are aboard for the tour. Those four are arguably the heart of TOS and therefore make the most sense seeing off a new Enterprise.

Spock, McCoy, and Scotty witness Kirk's "death" and we jump to the future.

When Picard gets a call in the holodeck, it's not about his family dying: it's a priority one communique from Starfleet Command. Ambassador Spock has gone AWOL from Romulus and SC wants Picard to find him.

Spock comes to Picard when a Romulan ship de-cloaks. Picard is stunned at the sight of Spock on the ship's bridge. Spock beams aboard and tells Picard he believes James T. Kirk is still alive. Spock explains the history of the Nexus and explains that Kirk was absorbed into it 80 years prior. Spock also explains that a man named Soran knows the Nexus and has a method of accessing it, but that they need the help of the Enterprise-D and also Scotty's genius and McCoy's knowledge of Kirk's biology.

Picard agrees to help despite Starfleet's orders to bring Spock back to Earth for a debriefing. The E-D picks up Scotty (who has been working with the Starfleet Corps of Engineers) and McCoy (retired but still alive and kicking). Unlike the original version, Soran is not out to destroy stars to bring the Nexus to him. The Nexus can be tracked, but the only way to access it is to enter and convince a person already within to willingly leave, thereby allowing someone else to take their place. The Enterprise-D finds the Nexus and is ready to proceed when the Romulans, who discovered what Spock was up to, arrive and attack. The ship separates with Riker taking the stardrive section into battle with the Romulans as the saucer proceeds to the Nexus. Picard, Spock, McCoy, and Scotty beam into the Nexus and find Kirk. They explain where he is and he returns with them while Soran remains in the Nexus.

The stardrive is in a pitched battle with a Romulan BoP when the saucer returns and joins the battle. The Romulans are driven off but the saucer is heavily damaged in the battle. The families and crew on the saucer use shuttles and transporters to beam to the stardrive. The saucer enters a nearby planet's orbit and crashes.

We jump ahead three months. The Enterprise's stardrive is in spacedock after a refit, including the fitting of a newly-designed saucer section and nacelles. Kirk has been debriefed by Starfleet Command and is offered reinstatement of his commission. He decides to decline and first acclimate to his new time. Spock, Scotty, and McCoy promise to help him do so but Kirk first wants to witness the relaunch of the Enterprise-D. In a scene mirroring the beginning of the film, Kirk and his friends watch the recommissioning of the Enterprise-D. Kirk's new life is left open-ended as the focus is now solely on the crew of the Enterprise-D and their own new start.

Another nice parallel with the original movie series, in this idea, would be the ship getting a refit and relaunched at the end of the first movie. Very nice.

Kirk dies in the Enterprise -D.

Picard dies in the Enterprise D.

Kirk gets reinstated and takes command of the Enterprise E, with a blended crew of TOS and TNGverse crewmembers.

Next movie, we finally get to see Kirk VS BORG.

 

[Phoenix219]

That's exactly where I placed it when I fan-edited the movie into TV format.

Hey.... any chance you can send me a message? I'd love to talk more about that.

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

Have Soran make a visit to Picard's Christmas Nexus fantasy and gloat.

A la Suna in Frame of Mind, appearing as someone else. Maybe he plays Santa Claus for the children and hands out gifts. They're completely oblivious to who he really is. Then you see what appears to be Picard arguing with "Santa".

Sulu's daughter shouldn't be a surprise to Kirk, in fact they should know each other well, "uncle Jim."

They met a long time ago when she was very little, according to dialogue. The only surprise should be her posting to the Enterprise-B, ("Just got the assignment yesterday, sir. It was news to me, too.") not her apparent appearance out of nowhere. A pity her dad didn't re-introduce her to Kirk.

 

[STEPhon IT]

I'd remove Kirk, Scotty and Chekov. Start on the Enterprise-B, but with the ship returning to base from its first mission, a Captain's Log entry filling us in on that point and how the ship has completed a peaceful research mission and looking forward to some R&R, when they pick up on the El-Aurian distress call and move to assist. The ship is heavily damaged but manages to save a handful of the refugees.

Later, Picard agrees to the prisoner exchange, Data purposes a plan that would allow him to join Picard on the surface once they have the co-ordinates, though Picard decides against it, not wanting to push Soran or the Duras sisters over the edge. Then when Picard enters the Nexus he finds himself revisiting with many of those he has lost in the past, such as his brother, Jack Crusher, and Tasha Yar, taking onboard some advice from them, when he leaves the Nexus he agrees to Data's plan so on the surface, as he works on distracting Soran, Data sabotages the launcher.

This way there's no wasted time on the torch-passing (which was done 7 years earlier) whilst the focus is very much on the TNG crew and what they've gone through together, whilst the Nexus segment doesn't drag on needlessly and is more relevant to Picard, whilst also exploring some of what came before during the show.

But how does Picard get out of the Nexus? It seems it was as difficult to get into it then get out of it but... later in the movie all Picard had to do was simply jump on a horse, and ride out. Would you actually bring forth that same stupid exit strategy???

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

But how does Picard get out of the Nexus? It seems it was as difficult to get into it then get out of it but... later in the movie all Picard had to do was simply jump on a horse, and ride out. Would you actually bring forth that same stupid exit strategy???

Guinan said it was a choice. He could say his farewells to his brother and nephew, then is bathed in white light and finds himself on the bridge of the E-D as Data is explaining his plan.

 

[STEPhon IT]

That is not Guinan, it's the Nexus interpretation of the character. A maze within the maze.

 

[Nyotarules]

If it were my brother and nephew I was saving, I’d give the DTI the middle finger.

But your nephew might be a future Khan!!!! (tic)

 

[E-DUB]

An in-Nexus cameo by Joan Collins as Edith Keeler would have underscored what Kirk was giving up by leaving.

 

[Dukhat]

An in-Nexus cameo by Joan Collins as Edith Keeler would have underscored what Kirk was giving up by leaving.

Unfortunately, there’s no way in hell that Joan Collins would have done that.

 

[Riley]

Another nice parallel with the original movie series, in this idea, would be the ship getting a refit and relaunched at the end of the first movie. Very nice.

Thank you!

That's exactly where I placed it when I fan-edited the movie into TV format.

So YOU'RE the guy who did those on Fan-Edit.com? I've been trying to download those but can't figure it out. There's also a Kirkless Generations there I want to watch.

 

[austen_pierce]

GEN doesn’t need fixing IMO but I would make a couple of tweaks

1-make Harriman less of an oaf. This isn’t TOS... how was that man ever given a state of the art starship???

2-Cut the Christmas scene. It’s a jarring shift away from the action, and I feel the need to get coffee every time I get to this point in viewing the film. It almost feels like an intermission.