Star trek Epochs

[RobertScorpio]

Looking back on the 40+ years of Star Trek production history, what do you think are the main epochs of its existence? They define big moments in the history of the creation and production of Star Trek...here are mine..

1 Roddenberry creates Trek and The Cage
2 Where No man Has Gone Before (intro of Shatner)
3 NBC Cancels TOS
4 Animated Series keeps Trek alive
5 TMP
6 TNG/Berman reign begins
7 NEMESIS/berman era ends
8 JJ ABRAMS Trek XI

Rob
Scorpio

 

[btflash]

Looking back on the 40+ years of Star Trek production history, what do you think are the main epochs of its existence? They define big moments in the history of the creation and production of Star Trek...here are mine..

1 Roddenberry creates Trek and The Cage
2 Where No man Has Gone Before (intro of Shatner)
3 NBC Cancels TOS
4 Animated Series keeps Trek alive
5 TMP
6 TNG/Berman reign begins
7 NEMESIS/berman era ends
8 JJ ABRAMS Trek XI

Rob
Scorpio

i would say number 2 where no man has gone before.that is where trek as we know it really began in my opinion.

 

[jgdst]

^ Agreed. I'd say they were the important events that shaped the Trek universe. Even after GR died, you're still aware that DS9 and Voyager are part of his universe (regardless of what his opinion would've been). So I'd group 2-8 as part of a Super Epoch. And I think it's safe to say it is most certainly over.

Trek XI is going to go one of two ways I think - the start of a whole new Star Trek, and the one we all know will slowly make way for the new one. Or it'll be written off as a nice tale but not really viewed as strict canon and be thought of much like The Cage or TAS...

I could of course be wrong, but I have a feeling there may not be much middle ground ahead.

 

[Python Trek]

I'd say:

1. The TOS/TAS Years 1966-1973
2. The Dark Ages 1973-1979 (no new Trek)
3. The Movie Era 1979-1987 (during which Trek is a movie-only franchise)
4. The TNG Age 1987-2005 (TNG and its spin-offs, DS9, VOY, ENT--yes, ENT--and
the craptastic TNG films dominate Trekdom)
5. The Dark Ages, Pt. Deux 2005-2008 (no new Trek)
6. The Abrams Age 2009-whothehellknows

 

[RobertScorpio]

I'd say:

1. The TOS/TAS Years 1966-1973
2. The Dark Ages 1973-1979 (no new Trek)
3. The Movie Era 1979-1987 (during which Trek is a movie-only franchise)
4. The TNG Age 1987-2005 (TNG and its spin-offs, DS9, VOY, ENT--yes, ENT--and
the craptastic TNG films dominate Trekdom)
5. The Dark Ages, Pt. Deux 2005-2008 (no new Trek)
6. The Abrams Age 2009-whothehellknows

I like yours better..GOOD JOB Mr. Snake!

Rob

 

[tranya]

This last version makes sense to me, yet it seems ironic that the first "Dark Ages" (the 1970s) featured the most interesting, vibrant, and excited fan community forming around Trek, which led to its continued success once it came back on movie, then TV screens.

 

[Neopeius]

This last version makes sense to me, yet it seems ironic that the first "Dark Ages" (the 1970s) featured the most interesting, vibrant, and excited fan community forming around Trek, which led to its continued success once it came back on movie, then TV screens.

Seriously. I kind of prefer the first "dark ages". The only Trek was TOS/TAS, there were Trek conventions, Trek Magazine, the Technical Manual, the Concordance, Star Fleet Battles...

It was a great time. Then the movies (particularly TWOK) and the subsequent shows came out and mucked everything up.

 

[RobertScorpio]

This last version makes sense to me, yet it seems ironic that the first "Dark Ages" (the 1970s) featured the most interesting, vibrant, and excited fan community forming around Trek, which led to its continued success once it came back on movie, then TV screens.

Seriously. I kind of prefer the first "dark ages". The only Trek was TOS/TAS, there were Trek conventions, Trek Magazine, the Technical Manual, the Concordance, Star Fleet Battles...

It was a great time. Then the movies (particularly TWOK) and the subsequent shows came out and mucked everything up.

TWOK mucked it all up? Ummm..explain that...

Rob

 

[RAMA]

Looking back on the 40+ years of Star Trek production history, what do you think are the main epochs of its existence? They define big moments in the history of the creation and production of Star Trek...here are mine..

1 Roddenberry creates Trek and The Cage
2 Where No man Has Gone Before (intro of Shatner)
3 NBC Cancels TOS
4 Animated Series keeps Trek alive
5 TMP
6 TNG/Berman reign begins
7 NEMESIS/berman era ends
8 JJ ABRAMS Trek XI

Rob
Scorpio

Great topic!

1. 1965-1969- TOS created and ends
2. 1970-1978- TOS fandom begins with syndication records and leads to...
3. 1979-1986- The movie only era
4. 1987-1994- STNG-The golden age of Trek. Record ratings and fandom participation.
5. 1993-2005- Multi-TV show era-The dwindling of Trek
6. 2008- Revival of Trek

RAMA

 

[Lord Garth]

Era I: The Early Years (1966-1986)
Epoch 1. 1966-1969: TOS
Epoch 2. 1970-1978: Reruns/TAS
Epoch 3. 1979-1986: Movies Only

Era II: Regular Production (1987-2005)
Epoch 4. 1987-1994: TNG
Epoch 5. 1994-2005: Post-TNG

Era III: Present (2006+)
Epoch 6. 2006-2008: Reruns/TOS-R
Epoch 7. 2009-20__: Movies Only (again)

It seems to me like the end of TNG is the best place to divide 1987-2005 and it gets cumbersome to list everything else.

 

[darkwing_duck1]

I'd say:

1. The TOS/TAS Years 1966-1973
2. The Dark Ages 1973-1979 (no new Trek)
3. The Movie Era 1979-1987 (during which Trek is a movie-only franchise)
4. The TNG Age 1987-2005 (TNG and its spin-offs, DS9, VOY, ENT--yes, ENT--and
the craptastic TNG films dominate Trekdom)
5. The Dark Ages, Pt. Deux 2005-2008 (no new Trek)
6. The Abrams Age 2009-whothehellknows

I like yours better..GOOD JOB Mr. Snake!

Rob

I agree with the broad strokes, but I'd call the Second age not the "Dark Age" but the "Fan Age", where Trek was kept alive by fanzines books and conventions.

 

[tranya]

I certainly don't see TWOK as "mucking up" Trek -- if anything, it's probably the single installment in Trek that was most responsible for saving Trek. The first movie was a dud, and if TWOK didn't reinvent/revitalize the franchise, I doubt there would have been any others, right?

 

[3D Master]

With me it's more like:

1. The Cage.
2. Studio wants more action and cheaper production: TOS 1966-1973
3. TAS - 1973
4. TOS Movie era - 1979 - 1991.

(Some overlap here.)

5. TNG+ the good years (TNG/DS9/Voy+first 2 TNG movies): 1987 - 1998

(Again some overlap, a transition time where good and bad get to go side by side, but it gets worse and worse->)

6. TNG+ the bad years: 1999-2005: Trek goes stale, then gets staler and staler, it does NOT evolve - Insurrection-!!!Nemesis!!!-Voy (after DS9 especially)-!!!Enterprise!!!

7. JJ Abrams: Trek Wars. 2009-????

 

[RAMA]

Looking back on the 40+ years of Star Trek production history, what do you think are the main epochs of its existence? They define big moments in the history of the creation and production of Star Trek...here are mine..

1 Roddenberry creates Trek and The Cage
2 Where No man Has Gone Before (intro of Shatner)
3 NBC Cancels TOS
4 Animated Series keeps Trek alive
5 TMP
6 TNG/Berman reign begins
7 NEMESIS/berman era ends
8 JJ ABRAMS Trek XI

Rob
Scorpio

Great topic!

1. 1965-1969- TOS created and ends
2. 1970-1978- TOS fandom begins with syndication records and leads to...
3. 1979-1986- The movie only era
4. 1987-1994- STNG-The golden age of Trek. Record ratings and fandom participation.
5. 1993-2005- Multi-TV show era-The dwindling of Trek
6. 2008- Revival of Trek

RAMA

Just a few notes, I included 1965 because that is actually when production of TOS began. I include 2008 because it was a great year for Trek..anticipation, a new movie films, some great TOS-R episodes, etc.

 

[RAMA]

With me it's more like:

1. The Cage.
2. Studio wants more action and cheaper production: TOS 1966-1973
3. TAS - 1973
4. TOS Movie era - 1979 - 1991.

(Some overlap here.)

5. TNG+ the good years (TNG/DS9/Voy+first 2 TNG movies): 1987 - 1998

(Again some overlap, a transition time where good and bad get to go side by side, but it gets worse and worse->)

6. TNG+ the bad years: 1999-2005: Trek goes stale, then gets staler and staler, it does NOT evolve - Insurrection-!!!Nemesis!!!-Voy (after DS9 especially)-!!!Enterprise!!!

7. JJ Abrams: Trek Wars. 2009-????

Wow, really splitting some hairs there..

 

[RobertScorpio]

With me it's more like:

1. The Cage.
2. Studio wants more action and cheaper production: TOS 1966-1973
3. TAS - 1973
4. TOS Movie era - 1979 - 1991.

(Some overlap here.)

5. TNG+ the good years (TNG/DS9/Voy+first 2 TNG movies): 1987 - 1998

(Again some overlap, a transition time where good and bad get to go side by side, but it gets worse and worse->)

6. TNG+ the bad years: 1999-2005: Trek goes stale, then gets staler and staler, it does NOT evolve - Insurrection-!!!Nemesis!!!-Voy (after DS9 especially)-!!!Enterprise!!!

7. JJ Abrams: Trek Wars. 2009-????

Wow, really splitting some hairs there..

Yeah..but the logic is there..

Rob

 

[RAMA]

With me it's more like:

1. The Cage.
2. Studio wants more action and cheaper production: TOS 1966-1973
3. TAS - 1973
4. TOS Movie era - 1979 - 1991.

(Some overlap here.)

5. TNG+ the good years (TNG/DS9/Voy+first 2 TNG movies): 1987 - 1998

(Again some overlap, a transition time where good and bad get to go side by side, but it gets worse and worse->)

6. TNG+ the bad years: 1999-2005: Trek goes stale, then gets staler and staler, it does NOT evolve - Insurrection-!!!Nemesis!!!-Voy (after DS9 especially)-!!!Enterprise!!!

7. JJ Abrams: Trek Wars. 2009-????

Wow, really splitting some hairs there..

Yeah..but the logic is there..

Rob

I suppose most "epoch making" is an over-generalization, but I'd resist calling 1999-2005 "bad years" I would pit many episodes from Enterprise's last two years (and especially the 4th) against many TOS episodes...and the ENT eps would be better. Plus both Insurrection and Nemesis made over $120 million from all sources, while not in league with many blockbusters of today, its hardly trivial.

RAMA

 

[3D Master]

Wow, really splitting some hairs there..

Yeah..but the logic is there..

Rob

I suppose most "epoch making" is an over-generalization, but I'd resist calling 1999-2005 "bad years" I would pit many episodes from Enterprise's last two years (and especially the 4th) against many TOS episodes...and the ENT eps would be better. Plus both Insurrection and Nemesis made over $120 million from all sources, while not in league with many blockbusters of today, its hardly trivial.

I wouldn't. Not a single episode of Enterprise holds even a flicker of a candle to previous episodes, even to BAD TOS episodes. Not even the "vaunted" 4th season, that by quite a few non knowledgeable fans go on about how great that season is and how "it brings it back into continuity", when in fact it doesn't.

The fourth season is nothing but the continuation of plothole-ridden junk, and horrible bad continuity-porn to boot that in all cases made the breaks with continuity WORSE than ever.

 

[Good Will Riker]

This is how I see it:

1.) Herb Solow
2.) Filmation
3.) Jeffrey Katzenberg
4.) Harve Bennett
5.) Rick Berman
6.) J.J. Abrams

 

[The_Beef]

I'd also emphasize the "Fan Age" period of the '70s. That's really when Trek fermented and became something special. It's the beginning of the fan community that both preserved Trek and helped to shape it over the following years.

I do understand the argument that the movies mucked everything up, but I don't quite agree with the sentiment. This period was a time when there was a single source for the fans to work with and they took it into their own, generally agreed-upon direction. That direction was later largely ignored in favor of the "official" continuation of the story, although some of it lingered in novels. Looking back on it, this really is an important era. It's the first time fans began to claim some kind of ownership to Trek by declaring what was "correct" or not. The only other analogue I can think of in recent history is the Expanded Universe of the Star Wars novels. They took off for the most part in the '90s, with nothing but the original trilogy to work with. They continued the story and developed a lot of preconceptions that became generally accepted. A lot of that stuff was difficult to integrate with the prequels (not impossible, but some things have to be winked at). I guess this kind of stuff will simply happen. When official continuations come out, they tend to negate the ideas and stories that have dominated in the fan community.