I'm new at posting here, though I have lurked periodically
throughout the years. I have noticed on this particular board
that some who are dissatisfied with the new Star Trek movie
have denigrated the fact that the new movie is "fun," as if
this is a less important element of Star Trek. But I don't think
it is. The original Star Trek was conceived by Roddenberry as
essentially a "Cowboys in Space." Sure TOS had some very
thought-provoking episodes, mostly courtesy of established
science fiction writers rather than typical TV writers or even
Roddenberry himself. But what Roddenberry originally wanted
was to tap into the whole Western theme of adventure, rogue
characters, and, yes, fun.
I never thought TOS succeeded primarily because of its more
thought-provoking episodes, though they certainly played a
part. But those episodes made up maybe a third of the total,
or even less. Most of the episodes were either straightforward
adventure drama, or increasingly as the seasons progressed,
downright campy.
What really made TOS the success it came to be was its
sense of optimism no matter how bad (or silly) things got or
how many planets got gobbled up along the way, as well as
the extraordinary chemistry between the lead characters,
and, finally, how much FUN it all was to watch!
Did the new Trek give us that thought-provoking element
that we found in the best of the TOS episodes? No. But it
did give us those other elements that were even more
central to the success of TOS (IMO)--optimism despite the
planet that was gobbled up along the way (and even though
that planet was Vulcan), an equally extraordinary chemistry
between the lead characters (and as an added bonus, the
potential for more than mere one-dimensionality for the
much-loved but neglected secondary characters), and a very
rousing sense of FUN.
Which in my opinion is why this new "reboot" has now
been accepted by most of the original series fans (myself
included), as well as a wide swath of young, new fans.
Because it IS Trek. Not the old, increasingly tired Trek many
of us were clinging to through five series and ten movies
even though we could see it was dying a slow death. But
a renewed and refreshed Trek, which though it couldn't
possibly perfect every single element that made us love the
original in the first place, has given us a true glimpse of all
the infinite possibilities and hope inherent in Star Trek that I
personally haven't experienced in a number of years now.
And all I can say is for me it is a good feeling. A very good
feeling indeed.
Thank you, JJ Abrams.
throughout the years. I have noticed on this particular board
that some who are dissatisfied with the new Star Trek movie
have denigrated the fact that the new movie is "fun," as if
this is a less important element of Star Trek. But I don't think
it is. The original Star Trek was conceived by Roddenberry as
essentially a "Cowboys in Space." Sure TOS had some very
thought-provoking episodes, mostly courtesy of established
science fiction writers rather than typical TV writers or even
Roddenberry himself. But what Roddenberry originally wanted
was to tap into the whole Western theme of adventure, rogue
characters, and, yes, fun.
I never thought TOS succeeded primarily because of its more
thought-provoking episodes, though they certainly played a
part. But those episodes made up maybe a third of the total,
or even less. Most of the episodes were either straightforward
adventure drama, or increasingly as the seasons progressed,
downright campy.
What really made TOS the success it came to be was its
sense of optimism no matter how bad (or silly) things got or
how many planets got gobbled up along the way, as well as
the extraordinary chemistry between the lead characters,
and, finally, how much FUN it all was to watch!
Did the new Trek give us that thought-provoking element
that we found in the best of the TOS episodes? No. But it
did give us those other elements that were even more
central to the success of TOS (IMO)--optimism despite the
planet that was gobbled up along the way (and even though
that planet was Vulcan), an equally extraordinary chemistry
between the lead characters (and as an added bonus, the
potential for more than mere one-dimensionality for the
much-loved but neglected secondary characters), and a very
rousing sense of FUN.
Which in my opinion is why this new "reboot" has now
been accepted by most of the original series fans (myself
included), as well as a wide swath of young, new fans.
Because it IS Trek. Not the old, increasingly tired Trek many
of us were clinging to through five series and ten movies
even though we could see it was dying a slow death. But
a renewed and refreshed Trek, which though it couldn't
possibly perfect every single element that made us love the
original in the first place, has given us a true glimpse of all
the infinite possibilities and hope inherent in Star Trek that I
personally haven't experienced in a number of years now.
And all I can say is for me it is a good feeling. A very good
feeling indeed.
Thank you, JJ Abrams.
