Doug Drexler on Star Trek...

[Warped9]

I still don't understand this feeling that if you like TOS, you somehow shouldn't be able to like the Abramsverse films.

I have incredibly strong feelings for Star Trek: The Original Series (started watching in 1975) and have no problem enjoying the Abramsverse films.

If you listen to what Drexler is saying you can see where he's coming from. He sees something in TOS that is integral to its appeal and he doesn't see that something in JJtrek. He doesn't dispute JJ's success, but he hedges against the approach. He doesn't come out and openly criticize Abrams, but it's evident he doesn't think Abrams really gets TOS. Indeed he even comments on Abrams openly being more a Star Wars fan and obviously thinking that Trek should be more like SW. And Abrams has actually said so himself.

Drexler also remarks that he believes Star Trek belongs (and is best) on television where you can do stories better suited to its concept. Feature films---particularly those of the block-buster kind---are predisposed to ignore the best kind of stories Star Trek has given us. A story like that found in TMP, even with all its flaws corrected, would be highly unlikely to be green-lighted today because it wouldn't be considered "big enough." Yet the story at the heart of TMP is more Star Trek than most of what followed in the feature films.

STID is really a rehash of TWOK, but it doesn't have TWOK's nuances or sense of legitimacy. TWOK was built on what had been established in TOS (character wise). JJtrek is all shortcuts and shallow characterization based on the premise of throwing everything about TOS away except for some familiar names and references and making it all run around nonsensically.

I would consider the best and better episodes of television Star Trek to be hands-down superior and far more engaging than what has been done with Trek in feature films.

And I think that's where Drexler is coming from.

Television Star Trek simply allows for a greater variety of stories while summer block-buster films seem rigidly defined to be only one kind of story.

And think, too, about even TOS' action oriented stories. "The Doomsday Machine" is one of TOS' finest moments, but what really makes the episode so good? Same with "Balance Of Terror" or "The Ultimate Computer" or pretty much any others. It isn't the action and f/x that make the episodes really good although they do flavour the whole. It is the character interactions that really make them shine. It is ideas and story and characters first and action and f/x secondary. And that has really always been true. But feature films slated to be block-busters usually (but not always) are geared to be primarily spectacles with little to no substance.

None of this says you cannot enjoy a popcorn flick as well as something more substantial, but it does underline why some people do not or cannot accept fluff in place of something they see as more substantial, particularly when it's made under the same name.

 

[Kemaiku]

And I think that's where Drexler is coming from.

And he's welcome to his opinion. A lot of us feel otherwise.

 

[BillJ]

If you listen to what Drexler is saying you can see where he's coming from. He sees something in TOS that is integral to its appeal and he doesn't see that something in JJtrek.

How would he know? He's only seen fifteen minutes out of two films by his own admission. And Drexler even admits there's a backlash against every new version of Trek.

Indeed he even comments on Abrams openly being more a Star Wars fan and obviously thinking that Trek should be more like SW. And Abrams has actually said so himself.

Abrams admitted that Trek needed to up its game. You shit out another "Nemesis" or Enterprise (which Drexler actaully tried to revive) and you were completely flushing the franchise.

Drexler also remarks that he believes Star Trek belongs (and is best) on television where you can do stories better suited to its concept.

He's literally trying to say that a show that started with 13 million viewers and ended with less than two million wasn't doing "that bad"? Comparing it to a show that was airing on a cable channel.

I would consider the best and better episodes of television Star Trek to be hands-down superior and far more engaging than what has been done with Trek in feature films.

And I think that's where Drexler is coming from.

I disagree. Trek works well on either the big screen or small screen.

 

[Warped9]

And I think that's where Drexler is coming from.

And he's welcome to his opinion. A lot of us feel otherwise.

That's right, it's his opinion. Sure a lot can feel otherwise just as a lot can agree with him. The whole interview is based on his opinions just as every post made on this and other forums are just someone's opinion. He is as subject to his likes and dislikes as anyone.

Your implying that because you don't agree with him then he's wrong. But his viewpoint is just as valid as anyone's and maybe moreso since he's actually been directly involved with Trek productions.

 

[BillJ]

But his viewpoint is just as valid as anyone's and maybe moreso since he's actually been directly involved with Trek productions.

Yet he doesn't know that CBS owns Enterprise and the rights to produce televised Trek, not Paramount.

You've absolutely hated most of Modern Trek yet act like Drexler is a kindred soul. I remember you acting like you could chew through uranium over it. But now, I guess, you hate Abrams more...

I guess the old adage "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" really is true.

 

[Warped9]

But his viewpoint is just as valid as anyone's and maybe moreso since he's actually been directly involved with Trek productions.

Yet he doesn't know that CBS owns Enterprise and the rights to produce televised Trek, not Paramount.

You've absolutely hated most of Modern Trek yet act like Drexler is a kindred soul. I remember you acting like you could chew through uranium over it. But now, I guess, you hate Abrams more...

I guess the old adage "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" really is true.

I agree with a lot of what he says and disagree with some of it. It doesn't have to be an either/or case. I still dislike a lot of contemporary television Trek, but even some of that I think is better than JJtrek. Drexler seems to have a spot of favour for ENT even though I care nothing for the show.

But whether I agree or disagree with him he is nonetheless a respected and established professional with talent. And I make no apologies for feeling gratified hearing a recognized person espousing similar views as my own.

 

[TheSubCommander]

I'm sitting here watching the interview and finding it painful to watch, I see someone who is simply ready to repeat the same mistakes that "Enterprise" made. TV has also changed.

I did get a hearty laugh when he said he left after fifteen minutes then mentioned the scene he left during which was at least an hour into the movie.

Actually, I prefer Enterprise to Abramsverse, so what you call mistakes, I call corrections. Enterprise was just starting to get its stride when it was cancelled. But respect your right to your opinion, too.

I am not going to bash Abramsverse at all, either, because I rather enjoyed both movies, but for me at least, it lacks a certain element of soul and personal meaning to me, that TOS-ENT had. To me, they are just good summer block busters, set somewhere distant in the same multiverse as the rest of Star Trek. But I don't have anywhere the same emotional connection to the Abramsverse as the rest of Trek.

I wish Doug Drexler would be given control of Star Trek TV, and wish him luck on his Enterprise Season 5 campaign, though I know it is probably an uphill, futile battle.

 

[BillJ]

I wish Doug Drexler would be given control of Star Trek TV, and wish him luck on his Enterprise Season 5 campaign, though I know it is probably an uphill, futile battle.

I don't think any fan should ever be given control over the franchise. My biggest problem with the Abramsverse films is that you have fans writing them and there's too many *wink, wink* moments.

YMMV.

 

[Jiangnan Freak]

I read some books, watched almost all the epsisodes and agree.

 

[trevanian]

Why is this posted in the TOS forum?

In the interview he talks predominantly about TOS and how it influenced him. What also comes through (while being diplomatic about it) is that he's not a fan of JJtrek or much of TOS-R.

Yeah, but he IS A big fan of Enterprise.

As Kirk said about Barris & the tribbles: There's no accounting for taste.

I found Ent to be almost totally unwatchable, but that still leaves it mildly closer to okay than either of the Abrams efforts.

 

[publiusr]

And think, too, about even TOS' action oriented stories. "The Doomsday Machine" is one of TOS' finest moments, but what really makes the episode so good? Same with "Balance Of Terror" or "The Ultimate Computer" or pretty much any others. It isn't the action and f/x that make the episodes really good although they do flavour the whole. It is the character interactions that really make them shine.

I remember that when G4 showed TOS for awhile, they allowed comments posted on the screen. I would see these comments were from youngsters. They would say "go music" and during the destruction of the Doomsday Machines innards "Wow."

This was the reaction that kids (even jaded ones brought up on nice CGI visuals) had to good production values, good music, etc.

Now they get it, I said to myself.

 

[MGagen]

Enterprise was a non-starter because of First Contact. As good a movie as it was, FC painted Trek into a corner. It simply can't be the origin story of the Star Trek we know and love.

As FC depicts it, humanity was just limping into space travel when it was contacted by Vulcans on home turf. It casts a pall over the whole idea of "going boldly where no man has gone before" because no matter where they went in Enterprise, the Vulcans had already been there. It became a case of "timidly going where everyone else has already been..."

I would have locked the Enterprise writers in a room for 24 hours with "The Cage" and Forbidden Planet running in a loop. Then we might have gotten the origin series that Trek deserves.

That said, the final season of Enterprise started to show some promise. Too little, too late.

M.