Complete text of Piller's unpublished "Writing of Insurrection" online

[Trek Survivor]

Re: Complete text of Piller's unpublished "Writing of Insurrection" on

I also thought it was really telling that Rick Berman was going, "Oh, we can't go there. Patrick will hate it if we do that." Later we learned Patrick would've loved to have gone in that direction. Berman didn't even know his cast well enough to make that call, and in my opinion, shouldn't have been so presumptuous.

Sigh. More Berman hate?

Actually, Rick knew the cast very well and had/has a good relationship with most of them. Read some of the glowing comments from Stewart/Frakes/Spiner in particular on the man.

Just how long is this image of Berman as Satan himself going to persist for? I never watched Enterprise or the last few years of Voyager, and I know that's what most fans criticise him for, but - even if they are as terrible as some say - what about the fact that he ran the franchise from season 2 of TNG onwards? If you like anything post-1988, then prepare to feel unclean - because Berman had a hand in it.

 

[bullethead]

Re: Complete text of Piller's unpublished "Writing of Insurrection" on

Just how long is this image of Berman as Satan himself going to persist for? I never watched Enterprise or the last few years of Voyager, and I know that's what most fans criticise him for, but - even if they are as terrible as some say - what about the fact that he ran the franchise from season 2 of TNG onwards? If you like anything post-1988, then prepare to feel unclean - because Berman had a hand in it.

What's kind of sad is that Berman and Braga get unfairly bashed for stuff that they didn't have a lot of control over due to working for UPN at the time. While there certainly were some bad decisions made on their watch, most of the problems seem to have been with the people above them.

 

[Potemkin_Prod]

Re: Complete text of Piller's unpublished "Writing of Insurrection" on

I also thought it was really telling that Rick Berman was going, "Oh, we can't go there. Patrick will hate it if we do that." Later we learned Patrick would've loved to have gone in that direction. Berman didn't even know his cast well enough to make that call, and in my opinion, shouldn't have been so presumptuous.

Sigh. More Berman hate?

Actually, Rick knew the cast very well and had/has a good relationship with most of them. Read some of the glowing comments from Stewart/Frakes/Spiner in particular on the man.

Just how long is this image of Berman as Satan himself going to persist for? I never watched Enterprise or the last few years of Voyager, and I know that's what most fans criticise him for, but - even if they are as terrible as some say - what about the fact that he ran the franchise from season 2 of TNG onwards? If you like anything post-1988, then prepare to feel unclean - because Berman had a hand in it.

What folks fail to realize is that no matter how good of a job someone may do in the beginning of their tenure, they must maintain that level in order to be appreciated. Berman did not maintain a level of quality. At the end of his control of the franchise, we ended up with a number of disappointing series finales (esp. VOY and ENT) and the repulsive NEMESIS.

What's kind of sad is that Berman and Braga get unfairly bashed for stuff that they didn't have a lot of control over due to working for UPN at the time. While there certainly were some bad decisions made on their watch, most of the problems seem to have been with the people above them.

I don't think folks at UPN came to them and said, "Write SPACE NAZI" (which would've been the most ludicrous cliff hanger in the history of television) or "Kill Trip" (one of the most popular characters of ENT), Nor did the folks at Paramount/Viacom issue the order to "Kill Data" (THE most popular TNG character).

These were all "Fuck You's" to the fans of those series.

 

[bullethead]

Re: Complete text of Piller's unpublished "Writing of Insurrection" on

What's kind of sad is that Berman and Braga get unfairly bashed for stuff that they didn't have a lot of control over due to working for UPN at the time. While there certainly were some bad decisions made on their watch, most of the problems seem to have been with the people above them.

I don't think folks at UPN came to them and said, "Write SPACE NAZI" (which would've been the most ludicrous cliff hanger in the history of television) or "Kill Trip" (one of the most popular characters of ENT), Nor did the folks at Paramount/Viacom issue the order to "Kill Data" (THE most popular TNG character).

These were all "Fuck You's" to the fans of those series.

No, those were totally Berman and Braga's fault, unlike Year of Hell being forced to be a two parter with a reset button instead of a season long arc with no reset. The ENT stuff was probably due to them running out of ideas and the "Kill Data" thing might have been Brent Spiner's idea. I can't remember off the top of my head.

 

[BillJ]

Re: Complete text of Piller's unpublished "Writing of Insurrection" on

I don't think folks at UPN came to them and said, "Write SPACE NAZI" (which would've been the most ludicrous cliff hanger in the history of television) or "Kill Trip" (one of the most popular characters of ENT), Nor did the folks at Paramount/Viacom issue the order to "Kill Data" (THE most popular TNG character).

These were all "Fuck You's" to the fans of those series.

Paramount/UPN could have came in and vetoed those ideas if they disapproved, they didn't. Berman sold the idea to his superiors... just like Behr sold Berman on the long term Dominion arc.

Brent Spiner wanted out and I can't say I blame him. He was getting to old to believably play an immortal android (and probably didn't want anyone else playing the character).

I'm sure Berman never intended for some ideas to come off poorly. Sometimes things just look better on paper.

And... I liked the Space Nazi.

I'll never get people who think a Hollywood producer is intentionally trying to piss them off. Rick Berman doesn't know your alive... much less care what you think.

 

[Potemkin_Prod]

Re: Complete text of Piller's unpublished "Writing of Insurrection" on

I'll never get people who think a Hollywood producer is intentionally trying to piss them off. Rick Berman doesn't know your alive... much less care what you think.

Frankly, that's a non-sequitur and irrelevant to the commentary on his total lack of skill at the Trek helm at the end of his tenure. Besides, he doesn't care what you think either or that you want to defend his ineptitude.

And as long as he's lightyears removed from the franchise, I think we're all far better off.

 

[BillJ]

Re: Complete text of Piller's unpublished "Writing of Insurrection" on

And as long as he's lightyears removed from the franchise, I think we're all far better off.

Because we're so much better off with J.J. Abrams at the helm.

 

[Potemkin_Prod]

Re: Complete text of Piller's unpublished "Writing of Insurrection" on

As a matter of opinion, yes, we are. Whether that will remain to be true and for how long, we'll have to wait and see.

Read some more of Piller's book. Pity the family had it taken down. It really gives a lot of insight into the mess the franchise had become.

 

[BillJ]

Re: Complete text of Piller's unpublished "Writing of Insurrection" on

As a matter of opinion, yes, we are. Whether that will remain to be true and for how long, we'll have to wait and see.

Read some more of Piller's book. Pity the family had it taken down. It really gives a lot of insight into the mess the franchise had become.

I read the whole thing.

Sounded like a pretty standard Hollywood film behind the scenes. You had the stars trying to pull the film one way, Hollywood executives trying to pull it another way and the writers/producers stuck in the middle.

I really don't see where the book shows anything like what you've said above.