Can other shows have an 'Enterprise' if it's not USS?

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I got to thinking about this during the thread about Orville and transporters.

We all know that Paramount or CBS or whoever the hell it is, has a copyright/trademark on the use of fictional starships called USS Enterprise. So that's why SG-1, for example, couldn't use that name for any of its Earth ships (like the Prometheus and its ilk), because most of those ships used the prefix USS.

But what about other shows that don't? Could, theoretically, there have been an EAS Enterprise in an episode of B5? I mean, obviously there's no way in hell they actually would have done it (because of professional courtesy), but strictly speaking, they COULD, right? Because EAS is not USS, it's not covered by the legal stuff. Or am I wrong on this?

 

[BillJ]

Not sure about legalities, but I wouldn't want to poke that bear to find out.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

It is fun to think about, though. If EarthForce actually has an Enterprise, I wonder what kind of ship it is. Explorer-class, maybe? It would certainly fit the name.

 

[MacLeod]

How about a star ship called the HMS Enterprise?

 

[BillJ]

It is fun to think about, though. If EarthForce actually has an Enterprise, I wonder what kind of ship it is. Explorer-class, maybe? It would certainly fit the name.

Some kind of battleship/carrier would be appropriate as well, considering the name's history in World War II.

 

[The Wormhole]

There may not be any legal problems, as I doubt CBS or Paramount own the legal rights to the name Enterprise. But I can't see some other sci-fi show naming their spaceship Enterprise on account of that name being so closely associated with Star Trek everyone would scoff and consider the show a rip-off.

So that's why SG-1, for example, couldn't use that name for any of its Earth ships (like the Prometheus and its ilk), because most of those ships used the prefix USS.

That didn't start until we got ships like the Odyssey and Apollo, although after they were introduced, the Daedalus (which was introduced before those ships) got USS retconned as its prefix. Personally, that always annoyed me, USS is used for US Navy ships, the ships on Stargate belong to the US Air Force and are crewed by Air Force personnel. Therefore the ships should have had USAF as their prefix, which the Prometheus did.

 

[Admiral2]

There may not be any legal problems, as I doubt CBS or Paramount own the legal rights to the name Enterprise. But I can't see some other sci-fi show naming their spaceship Enterprise on account of that name being so closely associated with Star Trek everyone would scoff and consider the show a rip-off.

That didn't start until we got ships like the Odyssey and Apollo, although after they were introduced, the Daedalus (which was introduced before those ships) got USS retconned as its prefix. Personally, that always annoyed me, USS is used for US Navy ships, the ships on Stargate belong to the US Air Force and are crewed by Air Force personnel. Therefore the ships should have had USAF as their prefix, which the Prometheus did.

So did all the others, at least the american ones. the commanders always introduced the ships as "U.S. Air Force Vessel." I don't remember any of them having the prefix USS.

As to that, since the USS prefix is a matter of public domain you can attatch any name to it you please, whether Star Trek used it or not, because Star Trek didn't invent USS or Enterprise. As long as the USS doesn't stand for "United Space Ship" or "United Star Ship," which are unique trek phrases, you're fine.

 

[The Wormhole]

o did all the others, at least the american ones. the commanders always introduced the ships as "U.S. Air Force Vessel." I don't remember any of them having the prefix USS.

The Odyssey, Apollo, and Hammond have the USS prefix on their uniform patches:
Odyssey
Apollo (there was also this displayed on the ship's bridge)
Hammond

A computer graphic from Atlantis refers to the Daedalus as "USS Daedalus"
https://www.gateworld.net/gallery/displayimage.php?album=746&pid=267440#top_display_media

 

[Admiral2]

The Odyssey, Apollo, and Hammond have the USS prefix on their uniform patches:
Odyssey
Apollo (there was also this displayed on the ship's bridge)
Hammond

A computer graphic from Atlantis refers to the Daedalus as "USS Daedalus"
https://www.gateworld.net/gallery/displayimage.php?album=746&pid=267440#top_display_media

Those are displays, not spoken words, and just like TNG after season one, DS9 and VOY, just because USS was displayed doesn't mean they referred to ships as USS in the dialogue.

 

[Sareesataka]

An episode of TNG used the name Pegasus for the ship that had a phasing-cloaking device. As a matter of professional courtesy for the show Battlestar Galactica, which had a prominent ship in its mythos called Pegasus, maybe the TNG writers could have come up with a different name for the ship. But Pegasus is a name from mythology so I guess it's in public domain. Enterprise is just too closely associated with Trek that if any show were to use it, it just wouldn't seem proper, if that makes any sense.

 

[Maurice]

CBS has a Trademark on U.S.S. ENTERPRISE, subject to particular limited commercial uses (link), notably commercial exploitation of said name in association with goods like toy spaceships. "Enterprise" on a spaceship toy would probably get you sued for trademark infringement because it would cause brand confusion, which is what trademarks are designed to prevent. So you might be able to get away with putting a spaceship called Enterprise on your show, but you better not try to sell merch using that name.

 

[DimesDan]

The actual Enterprise appeared in NCIS if I remember correctly.

From a commercial viewpoint, not being able to call a vessel Enterprise makes sense, from a practical viewpoint, not so much if it's an earth vessel and the names history in the planet's most dominant navy.

 

[F. King Daniel]

CBS and Parmount would have a fit if they thought someone was infringing on their trademarks.

 

[Butters]

I always wondered this. Didn’t stargate SG1 tease about calling their first Earth starship enterprise?

I did hope an AES Enterprise would turn up on B5, under the command of Captain Kirk T James. Maybe one of President Clark’s.

 

[BK613]

IANAL, but from what I've read, I don't think US copyright law extends protections to single words or short phrases explicitly to prevent copyright from being used as a substitute for trademark (just like ideas, procedures, etc, aren't protected by copyright; patents are obtained to protect those.)

After all, the story of a boy named Harry Potter thwarting the return of an ancient evil with the help of a magical mentor was first told in the 1986 film Troll.

 

[USS Firefly]

I always wondered this. Didn’t stargate SG1 tease about calling their first Earth starship enterprise?

I did hope an AES Enterprise would turn up on B5, under the command of Captain Kirk T James. Maybe one of President Clark’s.

O'Neill wanted the prometheus be called Enterprise

 

[valkyrie013]

I like how Stargate Teased us abit, with O'neill trying to call Promethius Enterprise, then Rodney trying to call the Orion Enterprise.. he he..
As said above, Cbs has a trademark on Uss Enterprise when used in conjunction with a scifi spaceship. they could maybe get away with one in the background, but never a main ship.

 

[uniderth]

So to use that you'd first have to build a real spaceship and then name that "U.S.S. Enterprise". And then you could sell merch and make a TV based around your real spacecraft. Which might just pay for 1% of what it cost you to build and launch the space craft in the first place.

 

[Tuskin38]

Those are displays, not spoken words, and just like TNG after season one, DS9 and VOY, just because USS was displayed doesn't mean they referred to ships as USS in the dialogue.

You'd be wrong.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

An episode of TNG used the name Pegasus for the ship that had a phasing-cloaking device. As a matter of professional courtesy for the show Battlestar Galactica, which had a prominent ship in its mythos called Pegasus, maybe the TNG writers could have come up with a different name for the ship.

Nah, the name Pegasus predates BSG by so long that nobody would bat an eye if Trek used it. And since nuBSG was not even thought of at the time, not enough people would remember the TOS battlestar of that name.

Enterprise is just too closely associated with Trek that if any show were to use it, it just wouldn't seem proper, if that makes any sense.

Yeah, that seems to be the general thrust of the gist. Even if B5 could have had an EAS Enterprise, JMS respects Trek too much to step on their toes. And Orville obviously can't use it either - both for that same reason, and also because their ships have USS.

Although I don't know how Joss Whedon felt about doing this - if an episode of Firefly had had an IAV Enterprise, I don't know who'd lose their shit more, Browncoats or Trekkies!