Do you think Star Trek needed a reboot?

[Ssosmcin]

Did Star Trek need a reboot? Well it sure needed something.

I'm not the biggest fan of JJ Abrams, but the cast is great which helps a lot. These are fun, summer action flicks and have to appeal to a larger audience than Trek fans. This is obvious.

Aside from two huge plot contrivances in the 2009 flick (which were lazy writing, Star Trek or not), whatever bugs me about these films does so on a cheesy fanboy level and not worth mentioning. If I have fun, then I'll get my money's worth. I'd love to see "classic timeline Trek" again, but until that happens, this is all we've got on screen.

 

[Jackson_Roykirk]

It's not a British or age thing. Rest assured.

Then why are people in this thread acting like TNG is some show that 5 people even remember?

TNG to me is obviously the more popular show with the younger generation the movie is aimed at (NONE of my friends have ever seen an episode of TOS!). It can't even be argued that TOS is more liked by the public. William Shatner is a total joke in popular culture whereas Patrick Stewart is one of the most respected actors in the world.

People will still be fondly recalling Stewart as Picard when Chris Pine's frat boy antics are long forgotten.

In the U.S., Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock are pop culture icons. Jean-Luc Picard is not.
The common average NON-Star Trek fan American (some of whom are people who never watched any Star Trek of any kind in their lives) have mostly heard of Kirk and Spock, but not Picard.

By the way, I'm a big fan of TNG, as well as TOS. I'm just pointing out that the knowledge of the character "Captain Kirk" is ubiquitous among a wide range of people the United States. Picard is mostly known by Star Trek fans.

 

[Nagisa Furukawa]

For example:

As I've been watching DS9, I told my roommate (roughly DalekJim and I's ages; early twenties) I was watching "Star Trek" and he immediately went to Next Generation, or as he put it, "the one that was always on TV." For people of our age, IT is the syndicated classic that's interwoven with our psyches, while "Kirk" and "Spock" remain peripheral culture figures, but few have actually seen an episode of TOS. Now that's a shame as I have the same warm love towards TOS as I do Classic Who, but this has nothing to do with quality or what should be; this is about fame, and yes, DalekJim is right; for most of the people of my generation, Next Generation is the most well-know ST.

 

[lurok]

It's not a British or age thing. Rest assured.

Then why are people in this thread acting like TNG is some show that 5 people even remember?

Changing times. TOS is cool again (thanks in part to 09 film). TNG will always be there for those who like it, but it's just not hip. Apart from Worf. Who never goes out of style.

 

[DalekJim]

In the U.S., Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock are pop culture icons. Jean-Luc Picard is not.

I... really don't think that's right. Especially when taking in to account Nagisa's post.

TNG was a huge phenomenon. Somebody had to think so if it got 4 Hollywood movies based on it.

Changing times. TOS is cool again (thanks in part to 09 film). TNG will always be there for those who like it, but it's just not hip.

Well, I've never been cool and I think Star Trek should be more than a nostalgia piece for a 60s action show.

 

[The Mirrorball Man]

TNG was a huge phenomenon.

No one is denying that. It WAS a huge phenomenon. Like breakdance. It no longer is, it may be huge again one day, but right now, it's not. Really, does it matter?

 

[Dale Sams]

It's not a British or age thing. Rest assured.

Then why are people in this thread acting like TNG is some show that 5 people even remember?

TNG to me is obviously the more popular show with the younger generation the movie is aimed at (NONE of my friends have ever seen an episode of TOS!). It can't even be argued that TOS is more liked by the public. William Shatner is a total joke in popular culture whereas Patrick Stewart is one of the most respected actors in the world.

People will still be fondly recalling Stewart as Picard when Chris Pine's frat boy antics are long forgotten.

(pssst) Don't tell anyone, but I think Stewart is badly overrated. He's great as Picard, he's fine as Professor X (not a huge stretch)...I don't like a lot of choices in his Shakespeare work. Not a fan of Moby Dick.

Let's just say he's no Hopkins or McKellan.

 

[Dale Sams]

For example:

As I've been watching DS9, I told my roommate (roughly DalekJim and I's ages; early twenties) I was watching "Star Trek" and he immediately went to Next Generation, or as he put it, "the one that was always on TV." For people of our age, IT is the syndicated classic that's interwoven with our psyches, while "Kirk" and "Spock" remain peripheral culture figures, but few have actually seen an episode of TOS. Now that's a shame as I have the same warm love towards TOS as I do Classic Who, but this has nothing to do with quality or what should be; this is about fame, and yes, DalekJim is right; for most of the people of my generation, Next Generation is the most well-know ST.

Love the Genesis (the band) sig.

 

[DalekJim]

TNG was a huge phenomenon.

No one is denying that. It WAS a huge phenomenon. Like breakdance. It no longer is, it may be huge again one day, but right now, it's not. Really, does it matter?

What? Of course it matters because the exact same could be said for TOS.

 

[Nagisa Furukawa]

For example:

As I've been watching DS9, I told my roommate (roughly DalekJim and I's ages; early twenties) I was watching "Star Trek" and he immediately went to Next Generation, or as he put it, "the one that was always on TV." For people of our age, IT is the syndicated classic that's interwoven with our psyches, while "Kirk" and "Spock" remain peripheral culture figures, but few have actually seen an episode of TOS. Now that's a shame as I have the same warm love towards TOS as I do Classic Who, but this has nothing to do with quality or what should be; this is about fame, and yes, DalekJim is right; for most of the people of my generation, Next Generation is the most well-know ST.

Love the Genesis (the band) sig.

I said you wouldn't understand...

Take what's yours and be damned

/Phil Collins with Dirty Beard

 

[Borgminister]

The Big Bang's gonna have a huge riff on Star Trek Thursday... The Next Generation, that is.

Can we call it a tie?

 

[DalekJim]

The Big Bang's gonna have a huge riff on Star Trek tomorrow... The Next Generation, that is.

Can we call it a tie?

If we can, then it's admitting I'm right when I say audiences have an appetite for Trek without Kirk, Spock and McCoy. Hence why a new crew in a new era was the best idea, rather than making it some misty eyed nostalgia caricature .

 

[Jackson_Roykirk]

When you say "Star Trek" to the average person in the U.S., the first thing that probably pops into their mind is something like this:
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x38/blackbirdsongz/kirk-and-spock.jpg

Instead of this:
http://le0pard13.files.wordpress.co...ation-star-trek-the-next-generationphoto.jpeg

That's not to say that TNG wasn't popular among science fiction TV fans in the U.S. -- it was hugely popular. However, the knowledge of who Kirk and Spock are among Americans goes way beyond just science fiction fans. People who are NOT fans of the genre (people who don't watch Star Trek TV shows, or science fiction in general) still know those TOS characters, while many of them probably have no idea whatsoever who Data is.

 

[Borgminister]

The Big Bang's gonna have a huge riff on Star Trek tomorrow... The Next Generation, that is.

Can we call it a tie?

If we can, then it's admitting I'm right when I say audiences have an appetite for Trek without Kirk, Spock and McCoy. Hence why a new crew in a new era was the best idea, rather than making it some misty eyed nostalgia caricature .

Here's the thing. Everything old is new again. The fact that Kirk and Spock are known, if hazily, among the general public after 40 plus years made it the logical choice for a reboot of the movie franchise, especially after the box office turd that was Nemesis (which I saw 4 times).

I missed Seth McFarlane of course...

On the small screen, one sitcom is remembering TNG. If memory serves--not a sure thing--other serials have been throwing in general Star Trek references more from TOS. In the end, I'm just happy both are being remembered, but TOS is overall (IMO) the bigger cultural icon than TNG.

 

[DalekJim]

Again, I'd say Jean-Luc Picard is absolutely one of the most famous characters in TV history. Everybody my age, or of any age, will know who he is.

 

[Nagisa Furukawa]

When you say "Star Trek" to the average person in the U.S., the first thing that probably pops into their mind is something like this:
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x38/blackbirdsongz/kirk-and-spock.jpg

Instead of this:
http://le0pard13.files.wordpress.co...ation-star-trek-the-next-generationphoto.jpeg

That's not to say that TNG wasn't popular among science fiction TV fans in the U.S. -- it was hugely popular. However, the knowledge of who Kirk and Spock are among Americans goes way beyond just science fiction fans. People who are NOT fans of the genre (people who don't watch Star Trek TV shows, or science fiction in general) still know those TOS characters, while many of them probably have no idea whatsoever who Data is.

For people in their 50s and 40s and maybe even 30s?? Certainly. For people in their early 20s?? The second picture comes to mind when you say ST; that literally happened when I went to talk to my roommate.

 

[F. King Daniel]

Again, I'd say Jean-Luc Picard is absolutely one of the most famous characters in TV history. Everybody my age, or of any age, will know who he is.

Shame none of them went to see Nemesis...

 

[Nagisa Furukawa]

Again, I'd say Jean-Luc Picard is absolutely one of the most famous characters in TV history. Everybody my age, or of any age, will know who he is.

Shame none of them went to see Nemesis...

I honestly wasn't aware of Nemesis until it came out on DVD; that's how poor the marketing was. Shame the film itself DID suck and guaranteed zero word of mouth.

 

[Ovation]

For example:

As I've been watching DS9, I told my roommate (roughly DalekJim and I's ages; early twenties) I was watching "Star Trek" and he immediately went to Next Generation, or as he put it, "the one that was always on TV." For people of our age, IT is the syndicated classic that's interwoven with our psyches, while "Kirk" and "Spock" remain peripheral culture figures, but few have actually seen an episode of TOS. Now that's a shame as I have the same warm love towards TOS as I do Classic Who, but this has nothing to do with quality or what should be; this is about fame, and yes, DalekJim is right; for most of the people of my generation, Next Generation is the most well-know ST.

Love the Genesis (the band) sig.

I said you wouldn't understand...

Take what's yours and be damned

/Phil Collins with Dirty Beard

Just finished a complete run-through of this album 20 minutes ago. Excellent stuff.

Again, I'd say Jean-Luc Picard is absolutely one of the most famous characters in TV history. Everybody my age, or of any age, will know who he is.

Famous? Sure. More famous than Kirk or Spock? Umm...no. Not even close.

 

[DalekJim]

Well, at least we can agree that Genesis are the best band of all-time. I'm listening to Nursery Cryme right now.