Star Trek: Excelsior (Capt. Sulu after ST VI)

[CaptainKen]

Star Trek: Phase II gave Trek fans something that many of us have waited years to see: Captain Sulu commanding Excelsior. "World Enough and Time" is a spectacular episode of Trek, one of the best Phase II episodes so far, in my opinion. Seeing Captain Sulu in the command chair of Excelsior was overwhelming; it's been a long time since ST VI:The Undiscovered Country when he was introduced as commanding Excelsior. I was very impressed by this episode.

Super Star Trek fan Curt Danhauser who runs a website titled Star Trek: Excelsior, wrote the following about Sulu, and I'd like to make an update.

A wave of excitement swept through the ranks of STAR TREK fans as soon as audiences saw the opening sequence of STAR TREK VI: The Undiscovered Country which featured Captain Hikaru Sulu in command of the U.S.S. Excelsior. They realized that even though no more movies would be made featuring the classic crew aboard the Enterprise, there could be a TV series or string of made-for-TV movies about Captain Sulu and his adventures aboard the Excelsior. After STAR TREK VI came out at the end of 1991, authors began to work on a number of Captain Sulu stories.... These publications fed the flames for more Sulu adventures and even more TREK fans joined the growing movement that clamored for a Captain Sulu television project. This Sulu fervor culminated in the production of a Captain Sulu episode of STAR TREK: Voyager. Which aired on September 11, 1996. http://www.ridgecrest.ca.us/~curtdan/Excelsior/SuluMain.html

Update from 1996. Star Trek: Phase II created a larger wave of excitement, going beyond the Voyager episode, which was a matter of flashbacks. "World Enough and Time" (WEaT) begins and ends with Captain Sulu commanding Excelsior. So it actually looks like it could be an episode of Star Trek: Excelsior with flashbacks to Star Trek: Phase II, which is much niftier than the Voyager episode with altered state flashbacks to Excelsior/Star Trek VI.

WEaT opens with a shot of the USS Excelsior, then shows us Captain Sulu on the bridge. My jaw dropped open...

Sulu thinks back to his service onboard the Enterprise, and at this point, we watch an incredible Phase II story about Sulu. Here's what I love, after the story is recalled, we go back to Captain Sulu, who begins a visit with his daughter Demorra (Star Trek VIII: Generations) and granddaughter. Sulu is about to tell Demorra the story we just got to see. When the credits started rolling, it was something else to see Excelsior flying off and Gene Roddenberry's name on the screen!

Thank you Phase II for giving all of us Sulu fans the VERY FIRST episode of STAR TREK: EXCELSIOR. If Phase II would ever like to do a spin-off, they've already produced the PILOT for STAR TREK: EXCELSIOR! It's incredibly well done! It's an excellent episode. And it actually stars George Takei! Wow! I could see I'm speechless, but obviously that's not true.

 

[Tom Hendricks]

I always thought that Paramount should have done several mini-series about Excelsior with Captain Sulu. I think they missed out on a huge built in audience and could have done cheaply reusing existing sets.

 

[CaptainKen]

I think you're right, Tom!

 

[Tom Hendricks]

Imagine while any of the shows were on hiatus. They take over the lot, repurpose the sets and filmed for say 6 to 8 weeks. They probably could get 3 'mini-series' out of it, then put them out say every few months.

 

[Captain Randy Hall]

I supported the Sulu and the Excelsior series and concept. It's sad that the bigwigs at Paramount don't think an Oriental man could be the leading role in a series.

Now, with the impact of Trek XI, I hope they remain open to a TV miniseries or something. The closest it ever got to a mini-series was a proposed series in DC comics, as well as some stories from Howard Weinstein in his series based on Classic Trek that combined the two crews.

I thought the New Voyages/Phase II story was well played by Takei, but where to go from there is anybody's guess.

 

[Danlav05]

Even now I dont give much care to Enterprise bar a couple of storylines.

I think that if Excelsior is done, which would be brilliant, it should be done on audio ie the Doctor Who, Stargate, Dark Shadows etc spin-offs from Big Finish ( www.bigfinish.com )- a series of say 4-8 1hour episodes. It would take less time and resources to record, and be kinder to some of the actors.

I know a lot of Trek audio in the past hasn't been great quality, but just look at Darker Projects's stuff for potential. If a full Trek crew doesn't want to reunite then maybe it could give the oppertunity to do other series like Excelsior or Titan, featuring only some cast members.

Apparantly Mr Zicree is trying to get an officially licenced Captain Sulu series up and running - I facebooked him about it but sadly i have yet to get a reply. I've actually just resent the message under another title.

The thing about Excelsior which is interesting is do you bring back characters from the books or create a new crew? I like the idea of Chekov being Exec Officer, but I don't think Dr Chapel should be recast.

 

[Freman]

Why not do a special movie with the Excelsior gang? I bet Takei would sign on in a heartbeat.

 

[S'kai]

For those who want more of that world NOW, I have a novellette which takes place aboard Sulu's Excelsior. He is an important, not the main character.

 

[Shazam!]

I think the new movie has basically destroyed any chance of TV or movie adventures set in the 'prime' universe.

 

[lennier1]

I think the new movie has basically destroyed any chance of TV or movie adventures set in the 'prime' universe.

That´s one of many things it has destroyed. Good thing the Prime universe still continues in books and fan productions.

 

[Mysterion]

I supported the Sulu and the Excelsior series and concept. It's sad that the bigwigs at Paramount don't think an Oriental man could be the leading role in a series.

Can you point to evidence of this rather than it just being an economic decision on the part of the studio? This is a pretty big accusation to just toss out there, you know.

Personally, unitl I see convincing evidence to the contrary, I do not believe the non-existence of a "Captain Sulu" series has anything to do with the character being an asian male.

 

[DestinyCaptain]

That's fine, they can have the Sub-prime universe. We can keep the Pime Universe. At least they'll stop making crappy shows, movies and such in ours.........I think the term Sub-Prime works pretty nicely for what they have created.

As for Sulu and his own seres, Paramount never seriously considered doing this because they were already hell-bent on running Voyager in the dirt and having Berman produce another TNG-esque series. They NEVER had any intention of going back to anything TOS as we know it. It's over as far as they are concerned. If it wasn't clear given the choices and direction of ENT, then it ought to be crystal clear with the choices in Trek 11. The reboot - rebrand - even reload of the title. They're happy to milk what's alredy been done, but that's it.

 

[Captain Randy Hall]

I supported the Sulu and the Excelsior series and concept. It's sad that the bigwigs at Paramount don't think an Oriental man could be the leading role in a series.

Can you point to evidence of this rather than it just being an economic decision on the part of the studio? This is a pretty big accusation to just toss out there, you know.

Personally, unitl I see convincing evidence to the contrary, I do not believe the non-existence of a "Captain Sulu" series has anything to do with the character being an asian male.

As usual, those of us who say that heard whisps and rumors to that effect. I guess the rumor of hostility between Berman and Avery Brooks could be a rumor, too

 

[TrekkieMonster]

That's fine, they can have the Sub-prime universe. We can keep the Pime Universe. At least they'll stop making crappy shows, movies and such in ours.........I think the term Sub-Prime works pretty nicely for what they have created.

I'm sorry, I don't want to start another heated debate on the relative merits of the "universes", but I just have to say that I love that term. May I use it? Do I have to add a "TM" to it? Sub-Prime UniverseTM?

 

[Mysterion]

I supported the Sulu and the Excelsior series and concept. It's sad that the bigwigs at Paramount don't think an Oriental man could be the leading role in a series.

Can you point to evidence of this rather than it just being an economic decision on the part of the studio? This is a pretty big accusation to just toss out there, you know.

Personally, unitl I see convincing evidence to the contrary, I do not believe the non-existence of a "Captain Sulu" series has anything to do with the character being an asian male.

As usual, those of us who say that heard whisps and rumors to that effect. I guess the rumor of hostility between Berman and Avery Brooks could be a rumor, too

So. Just an unsubstantiated rumor, then. Not worth the electrons it's taking to display it here.

 

[Ryan Thomas Riddle]

I supported the Sulu and the Excelsior series and concept. It's sad that the bigwigs at Paramount don't think an Oriental man could be the leading role in a series.

The usage of Oriental here is considerably outdated. At least in the United States, it carries a pejorative connotation for many Asian and Pacific Islanders, myself included. Or as we used to joke in my college Filipino-American student organization, "Oriental is a carpet not a person."

By using it, however, you render your statement moot, imo. I too have a hard time seeing a carpet as a lead in a science-fiction series.

Back to the topic at hand:

I've never been fond of a Captain Sulu series. As much as George Takei was wonderful in "World Enough and Time," I still don't think he's dynamic enough an actor to drive the action of an entire series.

Now if Captain Sulu was a supporting character in which he is the "father figure" for a much younger cast, giving them guidance and support then maybe I could get behind it.

Moreover, in retrospect and after multiple viewings, I find the frame with Captain Sulu and Demora rather superfluous to the story. It plays as self-indulgent rather than poignant, and I felt more for Lt. Commander Sulu after his meld with Spock than I did for Captain Sulu and the granddaughter. My emotions were being directed too much by the frame as opposed to letting me feel along with Sulu -- i.e. "just in case you don't get it, this effected him profoundly".

 

[Maurice]

I have to agree with Middyseafort that the framing device was superfluous and pulled you away from the story at the moment when it needed to leave you with the character's pain.

 

[CaptainKen]

Back to the topic at hand:

I've never been fond of a Captain Sulu series. As much as George Takei was wonderful in "World Enough and Time," I still don't think he's dynamic enough an actor to drive the action of an entire series.

Now if Captain Sulu was a supporting character in which he is the "father figure" for a much younger cast, giving them guidance and support then maybe I could get behind it.

Moreover, in retrospect and after multiple viewings, I find the frame with Captain Sulu and Demora rather superfluous to the story. It plays as self-indulgent rather than poignant, and I felt more for Lt. Commander Sulu after his meld with Spock than I did for Captain Sulu and the granddaughter. My emotions were being directed too much by the frame as opposed to letting me feel along with Sulu -- i.e. "just in case you don't get it, this effected him profoundly".

Excellent comments and analysis. You've made me think about the episode some more. I loved the outer Excelsior frame, probably because I loved seeing Sulu command Excelsior in ST VI. "World Enough and Time" is like a Sulu-version of the experience Capt Picard had in "The Inner Light" -- ;iving a whole other life in a few seconds, but carrying that experience within for the rest of your life. To that end the frame helps us to see that Sulu was deeply changed by what happened to him.

Middyseafort, I will think some more about what you had to say. Fasincating....

 

[Freman]

Actually, what I was talking about above is why don't Cawley and gang do an Excelsior movie.

 

[GSchnitzer]

Actually, what I was talking about above is why don't Cawley and gang do an Excelsior movie.

It has taken a small fortune and a decade or more to amass costumes, props, and sets for the original series. Unless someone wants to pony up another small fortune to allow us to now begin acquiring motion picture-era costumes, props, and sets, I don't see how we can afford it. Being a fan-subsidized operation, if you can drop in several Gs, we'd consider it, because I can't really fund all new costumes, props, and sets.

However, my sense is people are clamoring for more TOS-era Trek. They aren't really clamoring as much for more motion picture-era Trek. I think the adventures of Captain Sulu on the Excelsior would probably be a rather niche market (as if fan-based Trek productions aren't niche-y enough already).