A thought exercise.
This isn’t is take on TMP as a film, which I actually like and am so looking forward to the upgraded version of the Director’s Edition.
This is a different look. TMP basically morphed out of a planned then aborted television pilot for Star Trek: Phase II. It not only morphed out of the planned pilot it was ramped up, particularly in terms of models, set designs and visual fx.
But what if what followed TMP’s release had happened differently. Despite a lukewarm critical reception TMP did pretty well at the box office. Indeed adjusting for inflation it is one of the more successful Trek films financially.
So what if Paramount had gone back to one of its initial proposals for a new Star Trek televisions series and used TMP as the pilot for a series of television films released once a month? Certainly part of the startup costs would be covered in terms of sets and models already built. Of course, there is the possibility those sets might have had to be relocated for television production use.
If this had happened it raises interesting questions. While the new Starfleet uniforms worked well enough for a one-time feature film they might not have been suitable for a series production (that one-piece jumpsuit would have had to go). It’s possible the general designs could have been tweaked and a bit more colour added. Ditto for some of the sets.
The TMP bridge set evokes the colour scheme as seen way back in “The Cage.” Not bad, but it could use a bit more colour although not to the extent as seen with the TOS series bridge. I think Kirk’s command chair would look better elevated like it was in TOS.
Sickbay and Kirk’s quarters worked well enough and Kirk’s cabin could have been redressed for use as quarters for other characters.
The TMP transporter room was a sterile, cold and unwelcoming looking set. I think that one would have needed a serious upgrade to make it series production friendly as well as more interesting looking. Since the Enterprise refit in TMP was rushed into service to intercept Vger it could be rationalized the upgraded sets represented the refit as completed.
The set I have the biggest gripe with is Main Engineering. While it certainly is a visual spectacle I have never really cared for it. And it looks nightmarish in terms of regular series production. It certainly doesn’t look to have the same room to move around in it as you did on the TOS set. In terms of ship design I have never liked the idea of the intermix conduit going up through the photon torpedo launcher. It strikes me as really dumb. I’d be inclined to really revise this set.
Finally there are the corridors. In TOS the corridors were wide to accommodate the bulky cameras of the day. The by product was the Enterprise didn’t feel claustrophobic. Mind you it’s entirely possible some of the TOS Enterprise corridors weren’t all that spacious and some were more like narrow service corridors. In counterpoint the corridors in TMP looked very claustrophobic, or maybe we didn’t really get to see the bigger versions.
Thoughts anyone?
This isn’t is take on TMP as a film, which I actually like and am so looking forward to the upgraded version of the Director’s Edition.
This is a different look. TMP basically morphed out of a planned then aborted television pilot for Star Trek: Phase II. It not only morphed out of the planned pilot it was ramped up, particularly in terms of models, set designs and visual fx.
But what if what followed TMP’s release had happened differently. Despite a lukewarm critical reception TMP did pretty well at the box office. Indeed adjusting for inflation it is one of the more successful Trek films financially.
So what if Paramount had gone back to one of its initial proposals for a new Star Trek televisions series and used TMP as the pilot for a series of television films released once a month? Certainly part of the startup costs would be covered in terms of sets and models already built. Of course, there is the possibility those sets might have had to be relocated for television production use.
If this had happened it raises interesting questions. While the new Starfleet uniforms worked well enough for a one-time feature film they might not have been suitable for a series production (that one-piece jumpsuit would have had to go). It’s possible the general designs could have been tweaked and a bit more colour added. Ditto for some of the sets.
The TMP bridge set evokes the colour scheme as seen way back in “The Cage.” Not bad, but it could use a bit more colour although not to the extent as seen with the TOS series bridge. I think Kirk’s command chair would look better elevated like it was in TOS.
Sickbay and Kirk’s quarters worked well enough and Kirk’s cabin could have been redressed for use as quarters for other characters.
The TMP transporter room was a sterile, cold and unwelcoming looking set. I think that one would have needed a serious upgrade to make it series production friendly as well as more interesting looking. Since the Enterprise refit in TMP was rushed into service to intercept Vger it could be rationalized the upgraded sets represented the refit as completed.
The set I have the biggest gripe with is Main Engineering. While it certainly is a visual spectacle I have never really cared for it. And it looks nightmarish in terms of regular series production. It certainly doesn’t look to have the same room to move around in it as you did on the TOS set. In terms of ship design I have never liked the idea of the intermix conduit going up through the photon torpedo launcher. It strikes me as really dumb. I’d be inclined to really revise this set.
Finally there are the corridors. In TOS the corridors were wide to accommodate the bulky cameras of the day. The by product was the Enterprise didn’t feel claustrophobic. Mind you it’s entirely possible some of the TOS Enterprise corridors weren’t all that spacious and some were more like narrow service corridors. In counterpoint the corridors in TMP looked very claustrophobic, or maybe we didn’t really get to see the bigger versions.
Thoughts anyone?
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