Star Trek:EXCELSIOR ....a lost series?

[C.E. Evans]

For awhile, probably shortly after VOY premiered, I thought that Series V could have been "Star Trek: The Lost Generation" about the Enterprise-B with a new captain and crew that took over the ship after Harriman's tenure (if Alan Ruck was unavailable at the time). I even thought it might be possible to see some of the TOS characters--namely Sulu, Chekov, and Uhura--make an occasional guest appearance now and then as fellow captains, admirals, or whatever...

 

[Gojira]

For awhile, probably shortly after VOY premiered, I thought that Series V could have been "Star Trek: The Lost Generation" about the Enterprise-B with a new captain and crew that took over the ship after Harriman's tenure (if Alan Ruck was unavailable at the time). I even thought it might be possible to see some of the TOS characters--namely Sulu, Chekov, and Uhura--make an occasional guest appearance now and then as fellow captains, admirals, or whatever...

I like that idea. Whether it was the Enterprise B or the Excelsior or another Excelsior class ship that would have been a great time period of the Trek Universe to explore. I would have preferred that above Enterprise.

 

[Galileo7]

For awhile, probably shortly after VOY premiered, I thought that Series V could have been "Star Trek: The Lost Generation" about the Enterprise-B with a new captain and crew that took over the ship after Harriman's tenure (if Alan Ruck was unavailable at the time). I even thought it might be possible to see some of the TOS characters--namely Sulu, Chekov, and Uhura--make an occasional guest appearance now and then as fellow captains, admirals, or whatever...

I like that idea. Whether it was the Enterprise B or the Excelsior or another Excelsior class ship that would have been a great time period of the Trek Universe to explore. I would have preferred that above Enterprise.

I like that idea too. C.E. Evans brilliant Star Trek series idea.

 

[JRoss]

I remember at a convention (Jan 7, 01) in Portland, OR, that Takei said he was hoping for an Excelsior series. Someone in the audience brought it up and he said, "I wasn't going to mention it, but there have been fan petitions for an Excelsior show, featuring the adventures of Captain Sulu. Oh, and some fans did make shirts for the show."

He proceeded to open his shirt to reveal an Excelsior tee underneath. Of course, he wasn't going to mention it... ;P

 

[Saxman1]

For awhile, probably shortly after VOY premiered, I thought that Series V could have been "Star Trek: The Lost Generation" about the Enterprise-B with a new captain and crew that took over the ship after Harriman's tenure (if Alan Ruck was unavailable at the time). I even thought it might be possible to see some of the TOS characters--namely Sulu, Chekov, and Uhura--make an occasional guest appearance now and then as fellow captains, admirals, or whatever...

I like that idea. Whether it was the Enterprise B or the Excelsior or another Excelsior class ship that would have been a great time period of the Trek Universe to explore. I would have preferred that above Enterprise.

Enterprise happened because Berman and Braga wanted to jump on the prequel bandwagon pioneered by Lucas with the Star Wars prequels. That was no different than Paramount jumping on the Sc-Fi bandwagon when they green-lit TMP in the wake of the success of the first Star Wars film (now known as EP 4, A New Hope).

 

[Galileo7]

For awhile, probably shortly after VOY premiered, I thought that Series V could have been "Star Trek: The Lost Generation" about the Enterprise-B with a new captain and crew that took over the ship after Harriman's tenure (if Alan Ruck was unavailable at the time). I even thought it might be possible to see some of the TOS characters--namely Sulu, Chekov, and Uhura--make an occasional guest appearance now and then as fellow captains, admirals, or whatever...

I like that idea. Whether it was the Enterprise B or the Excelsior or another Excelsior class ship that would have been a great time period of the Trek Universe to explore. I would have preferred that above Enterprise.

Enterprise happened because Berman and Braga wanted to jump on the prequel bandwagon pioneered by Lucas with the Star Wars prequels.

...and just like George Lucas SW prequels it was a bad idea...ENT canceled before it's seven season run was completed (unlike NG, DS9, VOY lucky seven seasons)

 

[Skywalker]

I would have liked an Enterprise-B series. I think poor Captain Harriman got a raw deal in the opening minutes of Generations.

...and just like George Lucas SW prequels it was a bad idea...ENT canceled before it's seven season run was completed (unlike NG, DS9, VOY lucky seven seasons)

And yet it somehow lasted one season longer than TOS.

 

[Admiral_Young]

I would have liked to have seen an Enterprise-B series. The pilot could have taken place directly after the events of "Generations" and then go from there.

 

[Galileo7]

I would have liked to have seen an Enterprise-B series. The pilot could have taken place directly after the events of "Generations" and then go from there.

Absolutely agree, the "Generations" 1701-B scenes were like a short pilot episode for the series that could have followed.

 

[Admiral_Young]

If they wanted to they could cast the rest of the Enterprise-B senior staff. Try and attempt to keep Alan Ruck (he was great in the part). I like what the books did with the character. The tone of the series would be a little different in the wake of Captain Kirk's apparent death and the Enterprise-B attempting to deal with it and the "Black Mark" that intoned with the ship. I would have Harriman inspired by Kirk's actions and what he was trying to tell him about being a leader and a Captain.

 

[Galileo7]

If they wanted to they could cast the rest of the Enterprise-B senior staff. Try and attempt to keep Alan Ruck (he was great in the part). I like what the books did with the character. The tone of the series would be a little different in the wake of Captain Kirk's apparent death and the Enterprise-B attempting to deal with it and the "Black Mark" that intoned with the ship. I would have Harriman inspired by Kirk's actions and what he was trying to tell him about being a leader and a Captain.

Brilliant ideas, see you have already established what would have been a fascinating Star Trek series. Kirk inspiring Harriman to become a better captain. If only Paramount had thought like you. This is truly a lost series with so much potential.

 

[Admiral_Young]

This makes me want to write out a fan fic.

 

[Expo67]

It would have been great if there had been a Star Trek series about Captain Hikaru Sulu and the crew of the Starship Excelsior.

Rick Berman and the suits at Paramount really screwed up royally by not going that route.

Another reason why Star Trek went through that franchise fatigue period(2002 to 2009).

Malcolm McDowell certainly hit the nail on the head when he was asked about what kind of person Rick Berman is.

"He's a snake in the grass!"

 

[Expo67]

Did Paramount/Rick Berman & company miss an opportunity by not producing a Star Trek:EXCELSIOR televison series spinoff of ST VI:UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY and ST VOYAGER episode "Flashback" with Captain Sulu and his crew of the starship U.S.S. Excelsior NCC-2000 ?

More than you can ever imagine. I would have prefered watching this instead of TNG, DS9, Voyager, and Enterprise.

 

[Galileo7]

I know I would have definitely wanted a Star Trek:Excelsior series, instead of going back to the ST:Enterprise era that Berman gave us. If they wanted to go back, then Captain Sulu's Excelsior would have been the logical era.

 

[BillJ]

Malcolm McDowell certainly hit the nail on the head when he was asked about what kind of person Rick Berman is.

"He's a snake in the grass!"

So Rick Berman is a 'snake in the grass' for passing on a series that would've given us an over-the-hill leading man who really couldn't carry a series?

All you have to do is go watch Flashback to see what a train wreck a Takei headed series would have been.

 

[Galileo7]

Malcolm McDowell certainly hit the nail on the head when he was asked about what kind of person Rick Berman is.

"He's a snake in the grass!"

So Rick Berman is a 'snake in the grass' for passing on a series that would've given us an over-the-hill leading man who really couldn't carry a series?

All you have to do is go watch Flashback to see what a train wreck a Takei headed series would have been.

I see the potential in the young actors cast as the crew of the Excelsior, with the older Sulu and Rand watching over them. If Takei was too old or bad an actor, then recast with a younger actor like JJ Abrams has in his trek universe. The Sulu character needed to have his own ST:Excelsior tv series. I think VOY "Flashback" and ST VI UC defined that series potential for the Sulu character, not Takei.

For me, as much as I wanted to like it(after three seasons of the mundane, only the last season 4 it finally got interesting)Star Trek:Enterprise was the train wreck with Rick Berman as the engineer running it of the tracks.

I think I should have called this thread:

The Sulu character needed to have his own ST:Excelsior television series with young actors cast as the crew of the Excelsior. I think VOYAGER "Flashback" episode and ST VI Undiscovered Country defined that series potential for the Sulu character, not Takei.

 

[BillJ]

I'm sorry... but a Sulu/Excelsior series woulda tanked quicker than Space: 1999. I'll never understand this desire to put minor characters, who were nothing more than set pieces to begin with, into pivotal roles. It's okay for fan fiction/novels whose audience is primarily made up of people who care about such minutiae, not an ongoing TV show.

 

[Galileo7]

I'm sorry... but a Sulu/Excelsior series woulda tanked quicker than Space: 1999.

I think you are onto something here about my wanting a STAR TREK:EXCELSIOR television series , because besides Star Trek, SPACE:1999 is my favorite too.

 

[Galileo7]

I'll never understand this desire to put minor characters, who were nothing more than set pieces to begin with, into pivotal roles. It's okay for fan fiction/novels whose audience is primarily made up of people who care about such minutiae, not an ongoing TV show.

Were the characters of ST:Voyager, ST: DS9 or ST:ENT minor characters/secondary characters because they were new? Did they deserve their own series? Captain Janeway, Commander/Captain Sisko or Captain Archer?

A Captain Sulu/Excelsior series would have been just as relevant as any of these IMO, a natural tv series sequel to ST VI UC and VOY "Flashback". Even Captain Harriman of the 1701-B that was set up for a tv series in GENERATIONS.