The Captains
- Thread starter bbailey861
- Start date
I quickly skimmed the thread and didn't see it mentioned, but "The Captains" is now available on Netflix.
EDIT: Nevermind, I see it's posted on the second page :-/
EDIT: Nevermind, I see it's posted on the second page :-/
What's TrekNation?
A 2-hour documentary on the SyFy channel produced by Rod Roddenberry, wherin he tries to understand his late father and the Trek phenomenon. He apparently ignored the whole thing until recently.
Oh, and I had been looking forward to seeing it. Not so sure, now.
Actually you don't because it was both NOT on SyFy, it aired on Science Channel, and was not as you describe. Besides that, nice post....
Actually you don't because it was both NOT on SyFy, it aired on Science Channel, and was not as you describe. Besides that, nice post....
I'm sorry but a pity-party was exactly what it was. Rod Roddenberry telling everyone about his daddy issues and that he liked the fact that his Dad cheated on his Mom because it made him more human.
What a tool.
The music was HORRIBLE. It was so loud and playing over what the actors were saying sometimes i couldn't hear them because of that awful music.
Avery Brooks had me laughing so loud toward the end when he was playing the piano. He would say a few random syllables and then play the piano for ten minutes.
Oh and when Shatner was in the elevator and it stops and there is a guy there who tells Shatner he's "his nephew". That was Kirk's nephew on ToS i believe.
Avery Brooks had me laughing so loud toward the end when he was playing the piano. He would say a few random syllables and then play the piano for ten minutes.
Oh and when Shatner was in the elevator and it stops and there is a guy there who tells Shatner he's "his nephew". That was Kirk's nephew on ToS i believe.
Rod Roddenberry was working on "TrekNation" for years:
mentioned in 2009 and a TrekBBS thread:
What happened to Rod Roddenberry's "Trek Nation" doc?
also related:
Roddenberry Prods. docu. series from 500 hours of BTSover 20 years
not sure though the status about this documentary series...
I watched "The Captains" streaming on Netflix and know 3 crewmembers who worked in the NYC/NJ segments. The Kate Mulgrew interview had color correction after the fact as it was not yellow when it was shot. I liked the music on The Captains. I thought it was well done. It went above my expectations for a docu. from Shatner. About halfway through the docu. I was pretty content with how it came out. For a 80+ year old directing, executive producing, and being Shatner himself in the docu. asking questions I thought it was pretty good.
I haven't seen TrekNation on Science channel but hope it gets a Blu-ray/DVD release with a full audio commentary track by Roddenberry himself along with the producer and deleted scenes. Documentary deleted scenes are a great treat for fans interested in the subject of the docu. For Trek fans it will only add to the docu. That's the best thing about a home video release it is not restricted to minutes and can have deleted scenes on the disc.
TrekNation had the potential to be very good, but it was ultimately a lot of squandered opportunities and interviews.
The Captains was not very Trek, but it was very good. I highly recommend it. Patrick Stewart is great, and if the DVD/BluRay includes the full interview as an extra feature, I will buy it. Avery Brooks is very eccentric, but not insane/sick. Shatner is vain, but less so than normal, which is just fine.
The Captains was not very Trek, but it was very good. I highly recommend it. Patrick Stewart is great, and if the DVD/BluRay includes the full interview as an extra feature, I will buy it. Avery Brooks is very eccentric, but not insane/sick. Shatner is vain, but less so than normal, which is just fine.
I recommend The Captains to any fans of the Trek phenomenon as it gives an insiders' peek at what made the actors take on their roles as starship captains and run with them.
I got a copy for Christmas. My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It is not your run-of-the-mill interview. William Shatner digs rather deeply, especially with Kate Mulgrew and Patrick Stewart. He has a nice camaraderie with Scott Bakula. He lets Avery Brooks express his answers through his music and improvisation. He almost sees himself in Chris Pine and couches his interview in that light.
The music was wonderful. It was also edited nicely. The still shots of a young WS were great. He was very honest about being insecure about his acting in his youth, how he felt mocked being Capt. Kirk, and about death. It was very insightful and I highly recommend it.
The music was wonderful. It was also edited nicely. The still shots of a young WS were great. He was very honest about being insecure about his acting in his youth, how he felt mocked being Capt. Kirk, and about death. It was very insightful and I highly recommend it.
Avery Brooks was pure genius and creative in his part of the interviews. I watched him with great interest even though I am largely a Shatner-Stewart kind of guy. I still can appreciate Brooks and his contributions to the Trek legacy.
I agree with you, CaptainMatt. Each interview was unique, and to me William Shatner was intrigued by Avery's musical creativity because of a common interest. It almost felt as though he was encouraging Brooks to answer through music.
Shatner and Stewart were like old stage actor friends. It makes sense - I had no idea just how much the two have in common professionally. And what an honest moment he got from Stewart when he talked about his failed marriages. Poignant.
Shatner and Stewart were like old stage actor friends. It makes sense - I had no idea just how much the two have in common professionally. And what an honest moment he got from Stewart when he talked about his failed marriages. Poignant.
I was working when that aired and haven't been in touch with a friend of mine to see how it was. Was TrekNation that bad? This thing was eons in the making so I hope not.
The Captains I enjoyed except Shat did keep cutting off people (Mulgrew channeled her inner Janeway and got him to knock it off and turned from interviewee to interviewer).
I know Avery Brooks is eccentric, but nearly his whole interview felt more like a philosophical jazz concert, but still entertaining...
Echoing your sentiments. I don't think anyone could have summarized this any better.
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