How Many Bridges Are We Seeing?

[Desert Kris]

I've been wondering what people think about this. Is it the same bridge between TMP and TWoK? Or is it a different one of the same style?

Between TVH and TFF we see a drastically new style of bridge, so those I assume are different. But is the bridge in TUC the same bridge that has gone through some drastic refurbishments, or a new bridge of similar style with changes?

How many bridges do you think we are seeing, overall?

 

[UssGlenn]

it's the same bridge in TMP and TWOK. The TFF and TUC bridges are very similar except for the turbo-lift locations, and there's ways to design the turbo lift system on deck 2 to make that plausible. The real problem is the TVH bridge because it's on the 1701A but in the style of the 1701 refit, and there's nothing TFF to even imply they swapped bridge modules.

 

[Galileo7]

 

[Desert Kris]

I love the Ex Astris Scientia site, and particularly those renderings of the different bridges. I wish we could get a book with them printed out and compiled together. And I have looked at them to compare the differences between how the bridges appear in each different movie.

 

[Desert Kris]

it's the same bridge in TMP and TWOK. The TFF and TUC bridges are very similar except for the turbo-lift locations, and there's ways to design the turbo lift system on deck 2 to make that plausible. The real problem is the TVH bridge because it's on the 1701A but in the style of the 1701 refit, and there's nothing TFF to even imply they swapped bridge modules.

Ah, you raise an interesting point. I imagine the turbolift access points might be a clue as to when we're seeing a new bridge or a refurbished on. It would be a lot more work to change those access points.

 

[UssGlenn]

I figure there's a semi circular turbo-lift track on deck 2 that holds the extra cars, so the bridge never has to wait. The shaft down from the bridge can be anywhere along that track and it doesn't change the exit point to deck 3. Hence why Turbo-lifts were still working on decks A through C in TWOK, the Deck 2 track was still functioning so it could pop cars one level up and one down, but no further.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

there's nothing TFF to even imply they swapped bridge modules.

well, remember how Scotty said there were so many problems with the new ship? The old bridge module might have been one of those problems.

 

[Galileo7]

well, remember how Scotty said there were so many problems with the new ship? The old bridge module might have been one of those problems.

Agree, that would explain the change from this scene in TVH 1701-A Bridge to TFF 1701-A Bridge.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

^ Apparently they just took the old bridge set and painted it white. That's why (for example) the floor is so threadbare. And they only painted the part of the bridge that's in the shot.

 

[Desert Kris]

For the change between TVH and TFF, I like to imagine it having something to do with the newer Enterprise having facilities and systems that are part of a newer generation of technology, but the older TMP-type bridge module isn't interfacing well with the rest of the ship's newer capabilities. TFF's bridge is the next technological generation of bridge, with pre-loaded programs and bridge stations that better interface with the rest of the ship's new capabilities. This line of thought is inspired by seeing graphics on one of the monitors in TSFS displaying a TOS configuration of the Constitution class; which makes me think they're still using some really, really old programs at some stations.

 

[Desert Kris]

^ Apparently they just took the old bridge set and painted it white. That's why (for example) the floor is so threadbare. And they only painted the part of the bridge that's in the shot.

I like that last use of TMP bridge. It effectively gives a visual of the symbolic idea that the Enterprise crew "have come home." If you look at it in the right places, the lighting and paint job make it look beautiful. But when you pause the video and look closely at the floor, you can see the evidence that the set is in rough shape. They got quite good use out of that one set for the four movies, mixing it up nicely for Reliant, Grissom and Saratoga (although the pink chairs on the Grissom is a little to corny, we get it about Captain Estaban's character just from the performance!).

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

Between TMP and TWOK around 12-14 years have passed, so some upgrades are bound to have happened as new equipment became available. Likewise, 6 years pass between TFF and TUC so amendments and alterations are going to have been made for various reasons.

The change from TVH to TFF is probably a whole new bridge module, given how different the two are.

 

[F. King Daniel]

I love the Ex Astris Scientia site, and particularly those renderings of the different bridges. I wish we could get a book with them printed out and compiled together. And I have looked at them to compare the differences between how the bridges appear in each different movie.

They did. It was called The Star Trek Fact Files. I'm guessing EAS don't much care who owns the pictures they reproduce and modify.

 

[Lance]

They did. It was called The Star Trek Fact Files. I'm guessing EAS don't much care who owns the pictures they reproduce and modify.

Indeed, I put all of my 'Fact Files' bridges and starship interior scenes into one folder all of their own for easy access

 

[inflatabledalek]

I like that last use of TMP bridge. It effectively gives a visual of the symbolic idea that the Enterprise crew "have come home." If you look at it in the right places, the lighting and paint job make it look beautiful. But when you pause the video and look closely at the floor, you can see the evidence that the set is in rough shape. They got quite good use out of that one set for the four movies, mixing it up nicely for Reliant, Grissom and Saratoga (although the pink chairs on the Grissom is a little to corny, we get it about Captain Estaban's character just from the performance!).

Plus all its uses on TNG as well. For all the budget overruns on the Motion Picture, it must have wound up one of the most cost effective films ever from the twenty-ish years of use they got out of everything.

Considering the short time span implied by the start of V, I'd go with the bridge change between films as a retcon rather than an in-fiction rebuild. Same with the moving turbolifts over the films. As, in fiction, there's supposed to be a decade between TMP and WOK, that's just a new paint job and signs of ageing between the two. Same with the other difference between V and VI and there's at least three years there.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

Considering the short time span implied by the start of V, I'd go with the bridge change between films as a retcon rather than an in-fiction rebuild.

I grew up reading DC's Star Trek comics, which featured adventures between the films, so there's 8 issues between Wrath of Khan and The Search for Spock, twenty-eight issues between Search and The Voyage Home, and so on. For me, it's a new bridge module in The Final Frontier. Kirk takes the Enterprise out at the end of Voyage Home, has a couple of adventures as seen in the comics, the ship konks out, and back to Earth it goes for The Final Frontier -- new bridge module, some other upgrades, etc. After The Final Frontier, I slot Chris Claremont's graphic novel, Debt of Honor, and then after that comes DC's post-Final Frontier adventures.

 

[JonnyQuest037]

...and there's nothing TFF to even imply they swapped bridge modules.

Heck, there's nothing in any of the shows or movies that imply the existence of changeable "bridge modules." That's just a fanon explanation of all the differences we see in the bridge sets in various shows and movies. The phrase "bridge module" doesn't come up at all over on Star Trek Script Search.

 

[F. King Daniel]

Heck, there's nothing in any of the shows or movies that imply the existence of changeable "bridge modules." That's just a fanon explanation of all the differences we see in the bridge sets in various shows and movies. The phrase "bridge module" doesn't come up at all over on Star Trek Script Search.

During the time-lapse at the end if Star Trek Beyond you do see the top module dropped into place.

But otherwise it may be the same bridge in IV, V and VI "seen through different eyes" or whatever the saying is.

 

[cardinal biggles]

The first time I remember seeing bridge modules mentioned was in the TNG Tech Manual, as an explanation for major changes in bridges.

 

[Jon1701]

You know there is nothing to suggest in canon that the Enterprise A was a new build. Could have been an older Connie with the numbers burned off. I think MR SCOTTS GUIDE TO THE ENTERPRISE (which isn't canon) suggests the ship was christened as the USS Ti Ho (), but they changed the name.

Scotty say its a "new ship" but that could quite easily mean "new to him". Would also explain why the doors don't open or why they had to change the bridge.

Also explains why they decommissioned it 7 years later.