Is Everyone Cool with the Idea of a Recast for Star Trek XI?

[Samuel T. Cogley]

A few years ago, whenever the idea of a recast Star Trek was suggested around here, it would send many into a hysterical fit.

While there is much controversy about every little detail of Star Trek XI, the biggest hurdle (the idea of Shatner, Nimoy, Kelley, etc. being replaced) seems to have already been relegated to a past concern.

I would suggest that this is actually the biggest hurdle to overcome (for the fans, anyway). Has it been overcome? Or are the hold-outs mostly silent?

So what am I asking here?

I want to know how many people will absolutely NOT see Star Trek XI (or accept it as part of Star Trek) because of the re-cast Star Trek actors. And specifically how many will do so with the recast being their only (or primary) reason. In other words, you would never accept a recast no matter who was in charge, even if every other detail about the movie was tailored to your satisfaction.

I suspect I already know the answer, of course. (I also expect the results of my poll to be skewed because those who don't accept a recast probably don't spend much time in this forum.)

(Maybe I'll post a link to this thread in the Star Trek forum just to get more honest results.)

Also requested are theories as to why we have accepted the recast.

Do Trekkies just roll over and accept anything with the name Star Trek on it?

Are we just starved for new material, so we're happy to get anything at all?

Were we so bummed that the franchise crashed and burned that we're giddy at the prospect of a new beginning?

Do we just think it's a great idea, period?

Or are we all just hypocrites who piss and moan that we'll boycott something that we don't like and then we turn around and try to be the first in line when it comes out?

I'd also appreciate thoughts from the diehards who simply refuse to accept the recast as to why they feel that way.

Those who are interested should post relevant details such as (approximate) age and/or whether they grew up on Star Trek or watched it later after becoming a fan of the spin-offs, etc.

 

[Dale]

For me it's simple, if a little cynical... they've tried everything else and it stopped working. If this is what it takes to get me a fresh serving of steaming hot Star Trek, then so be it.

 

[Skywalker]

Re: Is Everyone Cool with the Idea of a Recast for Star Trek

I'm a fairly big Star Trek fan (not a die-hard, but I like it quite a bit), and I've got no problem whatsoever with recasting. Then again, I have a fairly open mind...

 

[ITL]

Re: Is Everyone Cool with the Idea of a Recast for Star Trek

40 years old, Trek fan since I was a kid watching TOS in the 70's, cool with a recast. Especially happy with the casting of The Pegg as Scotty.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Re: Is Everyone Cool with the Idea of a Recast for Star Trek

I don't get it.

No matter how I read it, this sounds like a straightforward legitmate question and poll.

That's not possible. Where's the satire, Sam? Where's the joke that I'm not getting?


Don't mess with my head, man!

 

[Samuel T. Cogley]

Re: Is Everyone Cool with the Idea of a Recast for Star Trek

Starship Polaris said:
That's not possible. Where's the satire, Sam? Where's the joke that I'm not getting?

Yeah, I've been starting to feel like Rodney Dangerfield of late...

 

[Captaindemotion]

I'm a huge fan and I accept the idea. After the cancellation of ENT, I predicted that a recast of TOS would be the next incarnation of Trek. It has been clear for some time that the general public only have any real interest in that crew. TNG was successful, but the names Picard, Data or Worf haven't become as iconic as Kirk, Spock or Bones. And the underperformance of INS followed by the failure of NEM proved that.

I might have been a tad precious about a recast a few years ago, but not anymore. For one thing, this is the only way we'll get to see the original crew together again. Can't be with the original cast - Kelley and Doohan are dead and the rest are too old to appear in what is essentially an adventure series. Better a recast TOS than no TOS, I say.

I think people are also relaxed about this because it will be in the original continuity - it's not going to be a Starsky & Hutch type spoof or a BSG-esque reboot. The return of Leonard Nimoy and the casting of the freakishly Nimoy-esque Quinto has probably helped too. Plus, as a more general point, recent recasts of Superman, Batman, James Bond,Dr Who and Obi-Wan Kenobi has shown that even the most iconic characters can be updated and recast.

There will always be those who won't accept that anyone but Shatner can be Kirk or Nimoy Spock (even though the latter was played by other actors in TSFS!) but the generally positive views shown by the surviving original cast to their successors has probably relaxed the rest of us.

 

[The Old Mixer]

Re: Is Everyone Cool with the Idea of a Recast for Star Trek

I picked "huge fan" because it was more accurate than "no strong feelings"...I've been an avid viewer of Trek in its various incarnations, who was disappointed in VGR and finally got fed up enough with ENT to stop watching for most of a season. I picked "I'm not happy, but I'll watch" because I'm skeptical of what they're doing...particularly if they try to pass this off as occuring in the same continuity, but get all the little details wrong...but ultimately, it doesn't matter. Whatever they put on that screen doesn't change one iota of what was filmed in the '60s, which can still be enjoyed today. I'll go in trying to judge this film as its own animal, and hope that the actors they've cast have the chops to pull off being the first replacements for the originators of those iconic roles.

 

[Outpost4]

Samuel T. Cogley said:
A few years ago, whenever the idea of a recast Star Trek was suggested around here, it would send many into a hysterical fit.

Back then all of the original cast was still alive.

Don't forget the first TOS character to be recast - the U.S.S. Enterprise, NCC-1701, with TOS-R. I'd argue that once Trekkies accepted TOS being updated, the door was opened. If TOS-R had been rejected by the viewing public, we wouldn't have seen a movie green-lighted.

It's time for a recast. And the impression I get is that ST:XI is being done by folks who respect Trek's history. What more can I ask for?

 

[The Old Mixer]

^Hell, if the Enterprise counts as a character, it was recast in TMP.

 

[Dale]

Re: Is Everyone Cool with the Idea of a Recast for Star Trek

Samuel T. Cogley said:

Starship Polaris said:
That's not possible. Where's the satire, Sam? Where's the joke that I'm not getting?

Yeah, I've been starting to feel like Rodney Dangerfield of late...

The joke this time is that there is no joke. It's very subtle, existentialist humor.

 

[Samuel T. Cogley]

Sounds like it is a matter of attitude attrition for some, then, rather than a position which has remained constant over time.

 

[Dale]

Samuel T. Cogley said:
Sounds like it is a matter of attitude attrition for some, then, rather than a position which has remained constant over time.

Very much so. I remember being rabidly opposed to TMP because it wasn't simply a big-screen continuation of TOS. I was also extremely skeptical of TNG even after I'd seen the first couple episodes... first a story with a whiny empath who helps the freak crew of a bloated Enterprise rescue two space jellyfish by setting the ships phasers to "snuggle" and then a direct ripoff of TOS. So yeah... my opinion of things has evolved over the years.

Given the choice between seeing the bloated remains of the TOS cast in a contrived senior citizen's adventure with contrived explanations for certain glaring absences or seeing their characdters recast in an attempt to revitalize the (curse the word) franchise by returning to its roots, I'll take the recast.

In the end though, any Trek beats no Trek in my book. I'd probably have thrown in with whatever they'd hung the monniker on. I'm weak that way.

 

[Outpost4]

Samuel T. Cogley said:
Sounds like it is a matter of attitude attrition for some, then, rather than a position which has remained constant over time.

Or necessity.

If with, say, ST:II, Charleton Heston had taken over the role of Captain Kirk, there would have been hell to pay. But there is no more Big Three. Kelley is dead. Say what you want about Shatner appearing in the new movie but I really don't think he's capable of carrying a film by himself anymore.

Maybe the bold move would have been to make a new movie about Trek in the 26th century. But every new Trek since TNG has been less successful than the last one. It would be a huge risk.

Instead, a recast TOS has a chance of being a huge hit.

 

[ChristopherPike]

I consider myself more than a little obsessive about Trek. So a huge fan for sure.

I've placed my vote as unhappy with recast but will see how it turns out. Since I'm not J.J. Abrams, it's not as if I have any choice really. A few casting choices so far have left me out in the cold... Pegg as Scotty for one, Pike is another.

"Told you so" on stand-by!

 

[Sharr Khan]

Re: Is Everyone Cool with the Idea of a Recast for Star Trek

Very much so. I remember being rabidly opposed to TMP because it wasn't simply a big-screen continuation of TOS. I was also extremely skeptical of TNG even after I'd seen the first couple episodes... first a story with a whiny empath who helps the freak crew of a bloated Enterprise rescue two space jellyfish by setting the ships phasers to "snuggle" and then a direct ripoff of TOS. So yeah... my opinion of things has evolved over the years.

Best description of "Encounter at Farpoint" ever!

Sharr

 

[Samuel T. Cogley]

I'm a HUGE fan of the original Star Trek, but I've also been pretty optimistic about every movie and spin-off that followed.

I go into all of them hoping they will be great, and then slowly over time my hopes and dreams are usually bludgeoned to death.

The hardest thing for me has been admitting to myself that it is pretty much over for the original cast. I mean it's been over for a while, really, but there was always the slightest possibility that some new (hopefully good) project might still come along that utilized them in a good way.

I think accepting the new cast has been pretty simple for me. It's admitting to myself that there's no more new stuff with the old guys which has been tough.

I still reserve the right to go ballistic if the new movie comes out and is a failure on all levels, of course.

 

[Michael Chris]

Re: Is Everyone Cool with the Idea of a Recast for Star Trek

I don't really care for Star Trek, and I accept recasting.

 

[Samuel T. Cogley]

Re: Is Everyone Cool with the Idea of a Recast for Star Trek

I'm going to assume (for the purposes of this thread only) that when someone says "Star Trek," they are referring to the original series, unless they make some specific indication that they are referring to the franchise as a whole.

 

[Dale]

Re: Is Everyone Cool with the Idea of a Recast for Star Trek

Naib Michael Usul said:
I don't really care for Star Trek, and I accept recasting.

You're my brother in Christ and I love you, so don't be offended, but if you don't like Star Trek why are you here?!