Gene Roddenberry, deep down

[apepa]

Gene Rodenberry and Star Trek is an example of someone getting crucified long after his death.

As far as I'm aware, there aren't many people who consider TMP to be a particularly strong movie, and even less who consider TNG season 1 to be a strong season of television. These were both "Peak Gene" and proof that he was hardly the visionary or creative genius some people make him out to be.

 

[F. King Daniel]

First Contact's Zephram Cochrane was based on Gene Roddenberry. And it was made by people who knew him.

 

[BillJ]

First Contact's Zephram Cochrane was based on Gene Roddenberry. And it was made by people who knew him.

Except Cochrane reformed himself when he realized what impact his invention had on the world. Not so for Roddenberry.

 

[Shawnster]

Is he the only one who could have started the whole thing? I don't think so.



I do agree that Gene Coon should receive much more credit.

Part of the talent comes from assembling the right team. Did Roddenberry hire or recruit Coon? Jefferies? Fontana? If so, then let's give credit where due.

While someone else could have done what Roddenberry created, nobody else did. Except for Dr. Who, no other television show had had quite the same level of longevity.

Fontana, Coon, Jefferies ... Did they work on any other franchise just as successful or popular?

Sounds like a winning coach and a winning team. Perfect combination that resulted in what we have today.

Nothing else really comes close. I don't think anyone wise was able to replicate this level of success.

How many other franchises from the 60s are we still talking about today?

 

[Bad Thoughts]

Part of the talent comes from assembling the right team. Did Roddenberry hire or recruit Coon? Jefferies? Fontana? If so, then let's give credit where due.

It is giving Roddenberry his due. Only Roddenberry made Star Trek. Only Coon, Meyer and Piller made Star Trek great.

 

[BillJ]

Only Roddenberry made Star Trek. Only Coon, Meyer and Piller made Star Trek great.

I beg to disagree, a lot of rewriting was done by Roddenberry on TOS. Even on such classics as "City on the Edge of Forever".

The man was a Grade-A douche, Star Trek isn't great without him.

 

[suarezguy]

Do you feel that GR was true to a vision, or that the whole Star Trek thing was about pitching a concept that would get him an 'in' and make him some buckaroos?

I think neither extreme interpretation is quite right but I would lean more to the former. He was flexible in the some of the particulars but still pretty committed to the show having and promoting principles (which developed and changed over time). Having alien Spock, let alone with his demonic features, was pretty controversial and he stuck to that, he also fought for maintaining the Kirk/Uhura kiss, he advanced pretty secular, egalitarian and pacific themes at least or especially in TNG.

 

[Valenti]

Rodenberry built it and Gene Coon made it fly but how can you diminish the contribution of guys like Fred Steiner and Matt Jeffries. It was a Gestalt but filtered through the prism lens of Gene Rodenberry. You know Rodenberry's grade school teacher said he would someday be crucified by savages. I guess that day has come.

 

[suarezguy]

When people talk about "Gene's Vision" they get it all wrong. TOS is more Gene Coon's vision than it is Gene Roddenberry's. Roddenberry came up with the basic idea and premise, a starship in the future where humanity is a united race. Everything else we consider to be the core of Star Trek, Starfleet, the Federation, the Prime Directive, even the Klingons and the Romulans, that's all Gene Coon.

The Klingons were a nice part of Trek but I hardly think part of the core of it while a lot of the fans hate the Prime Directive. How should Coon deserve credit for Starfleet and the Federation, aside from the terms themselves, distinct from what Roddenberry established?

Edit:

As far as I'm aware, there aren't many people who consider TMP to be a particularly strong movie, and even less who consider TNG season 1 to be a strong season of television.

I think there's been a lot of increasing regard for TNG Season 1, many see it as not great but still fairly enjoyable and a good foundation for what came later. Regardless, many do love most if not all of the TNG characters, especially Picard and Data, yet refuse to give Roddenberry credit for creating them (he was reluctant to have Worf so doesn't deserve credit for that character).

 

[Nerys Myk]

You know Rodenberry's grade school teacher said he would someday be crucified by savages. I guess that day has come.

I'm sure that sounded clever and profound in your head.

 

[2takesfrakes]

I have the deepest admiration for Gene Roddenberry as a Self-Made Man. His lion-heartedness, in particular, I find most impressive. He was a World War II pilot, who'd flown several missions ... he was a cop ... and when all the others looking to make it in Hollywood only talked about it ... Gene did it. In a time when there was no Internet to get the world to stand up and notice you; he had nothing but a Man's own resolve to get him ahead in this world. He was driven and became an international celebrity for it ... someone who's clout and legacy STAR TREK still relies heavily on, today.

There are all these Trekkies who are trying to live like they're a character in STAR TREK, whereas the creator of the show is noted for having his own vision ... he made his own statement. That's the mark of an Artist and GR certainly was -- I can't help but look at that and be inspired to make my own dreams happen. To make my own mark and to do it my way ... and then have the world collectively kiss my ass, because of it. Gene wasn't content to fantasise, or vicariously live out other people's dreams ... and he kept on punching back till he succeeded. That ... that's Gene Roddenberry ... deep down.

 

[Valenti]

There's clever and profound and not just in my head.

 

[BillJ]

I have the deepest admiration for Gene Roddenberry as a Self-Made Man. His lion-heartedness, in particular, I find most impressive. He was a World War II pilot, who'd flown several missions ... he was a cop ... and when all the others looking to make it in Hollywood only talked about it ... Gene did it. In a time when there was no Internet to get the world to stand up and notice you; he had nothing but a Man's own resolve to get him ahead in this world. He was driven and became an international celebrity for it ... someone who's clout and legacy STAR TREK still relies heavily on, today.

He's was also a drug user, adulterer, stole credit from others and a potential rapist.

In order to evaluate the man, you have to take into account the entirety of his actions, not just the ones that reflect favorably on him.

 

[The Wormhole]

The Klingons were a nice part of Trek but I hardly think part of the core of it

They're Star Trek's most heavily developed culture. How aren't they part of the core?

How should Coon deserve credit for Starfleet and the Federation, aside from the terms themselves, distinct from what Roddenberry established?

The Federation was Gene Coon's idea. Gene Roddenberry just had the Enterprise in service to "United Earth." It was Gene Coon who thought the Federation up. Maybe for Starfleet, Gene Coon only thought the name up, but that's more than Roddenberry did, who was constantly renaming the organization, although he did seem to favor the name UESPA.

 

[Valenti]

Self appointed judges, judge.

 

[BillJ]

Self appointed judges, judge.

Prove us wrong. This is a discussion board, not a pep rally.

 

[Valenti]

Is it just coincidence that Easter fell on April fools day this year?

 

[BillJ]

Is it just coincidence that Easter fell on April fools day this year?

That has nothing to do with Roddenberry being a liar, thief, adulterer, drug user and possible rapist.

 

[Valenti]

All writers are liars. Great artists steal. Go ahead, lump him in with Trump not to mention the metoos.

 

[BillJ]

Go ahead, lump him in with Trump not to mention the metoos.

Ah, someone has an axe to grind.