The truth behind Andy Probert's departure from STTNG
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I'd hardly call Rick Berman stupid, though I know it's very trendy to hate on everything the guy did.
He's perfectly entitled to have a difference of opinion regarding the use of music, that doesn't make him stupid or even wrong.
For what it's worth, I agree with the majority regarding the use of bland music in later TNG, but I do so hate the Berman-bashing that permeates almost every "behind the scenes" thread.
Berman deserves the bashing he gets. No, he's not stupid, he's just an uncreative asshole. He has no artistic integrity or vision and just wants to make a product that'll make him, and those over him, money.
So if he can crank out a bland product that's easy to digest he'll do it so long as it makes him money. He's the one that had problems with plot arcs or any form of consistency when it came to the plight Voyager was in and why there was no consistency from episode-to-episode when it came to ship's capabilities and resources. He's why he wasn't a big fan of plot arcs or serialized episodes. Because it'd "confuse people" it'd "make syndication reruns hard."
He didn't want to produce good story-telling, or compelling drama. He wanted to produce a product he could use to sell to make money. And not even *good* product but more like the generic-product that sorta tastes like the name-brand original.
And, hey, I *love* TNG, and they managed to pull off some GOOD stuff in spite of Berman, how they pulled this off is anyone's guess maybe they were able to get some episodes of breaking the mold or something. But during Voyager the bland product seemed to be SOP, less so with Enterprise but still sort of there.
Berman isn't terrible, or stupid, it's just that he was behind a creative enterprise and running it like he was selling generic-brand saltines.
I understand the frustration, but what you're describing is pretty much the definition of the executive producer's role.
From Wikipedia:
The producer of a show is not meant to be a creative role (although it can be in some cases). The main role of the producer is to make a show that audiences watch and makes the studio money. Berman did that, whether it was at the cost of creativity or not.
The latter Star Trek series' were produced for syndication, so the ability for an audience to sit down and watch an episode without having to worry about continuity was important. It's also important to realize that at the time, these long, multi-episode/season story arcs were rare and didn't really become popular until around the end of the Trek run.
One could make a case that a starship is like a car and if you're at a stop-sign, the engine will idle, but if you park it, then you turn it off. So a starship in drydock really should have the lights off, but maybe a starship out of warp in deep space, even on impulse or in orbit, would have the lights on (or maybe dimmer). I just think it helps sell the idea of the models being real machines to have the lighting be dynamic and not just constant.
Bingo. That was perhaps my #1 criticism with TNG. By flattening the music into wallpaper, it also destroyed the drama of the show, which was already hard to achieve due to the amount of time spent in technobabble and moral deliberations in the briefing room.
The reason why some of the best TNG episodes are memorable is that the music is the rare exception to the wallpaper rule, like Inner Light.
It also didn't help that the mid to late 80s were the peak of tinkling synthesizers.
It is sad that creative people are not allowed to at least voice their opinions and insights. I've read that this happens in other situations and other nations, too. I don't know about Mr. Berman, but many bureaucrats are on a power kick. One executive had a star's entire series--consisting of several seasons at that time--erased, just to show him who was in charge! Isn't that terrible?!
If you follow or look through Rick Berman's Twitter posts it is undoubtedly clear that he loved Star Trek, took his job as an executive producer seriously, and did his best to protect what he viewed as "Gene's vision", almost to a fault. Which, I might add, is a lot more than the Bad Robot team are doing now to preserve the franchise.
People can debate the Berman era for better or worse in terms of execution and sum result, but the man did maintain the franchise for almost 20 years. It was his show to run, and his decisions to make.
This. I completely agree. Between Twitter posts and recent interviews he's done for the blu-rays, I think that's the real take away.
Wasn't Berman the guy that stood up for Patrick Stewart when Roddenberry didn't want him?
It's interesting to hear some of the debates they had. I'm curious how the ship flying off the top or the bottom of the screen would look, I can understand why they'd want to keep it horizontal though.
It's interesting to hear some of the debates they had. I'm curious how the ship flying off the top or the bottom of the screen would look, I can understand why they'd want to keep it horizontal though.
From everything I've heard, Roddenberry at the end of TNG was very similar to John Gill at the end on Ekos.
Oh yeah, because people getting old and infirm is hi-larious.
Season 1 may have had lame stories and silly costumes, but the episodes were ambitious with lots of variety and the music was equally ambitious.
From season 5 onward, the stories were too safe and familiar, and I can't remember a single tune outside The Inner Light.
Take the bad with Berman with the good though. Without him, we probably would never have seen Gates McFadden coming back for season 3. He also weathered the storm and kept the show on-track after the tumultuous first 2 years and all the writer and producer turnover. He was also at the helm during Trek's peak (1989 through 1999 IMO), so he should get SOME credit.
From season 5 onward, the stories were too safe and familiar, and I can't remember a single tune outside The Inner Light.
Take the bad with Berman with the good though. Without him, we probably would never have seen Gates McFadden coming back for season 3. He also weathered the storm and kept the show on-track after the tumultuous first 2 years and all the writer and producer turnover. He was also at the helm during Trek's peak (1989 through 1999 IMO), so he should get SOME credit.
From everything I've heard, Roddenberry at the end of TNG was very similar to John Gill at the end on Ekos.
Oh yeah, because people getting old and infirm is hi-larious.
Gill wasn't infirmed, he was drugged and kept from speaking to people outside of Melakon. I as laughing at the weird similarities of the two situations.
You take things a little too seriously sometimes, Maurice.
But apologies to anyone who thought I was making fun of old and/or infirmed people.
I think that was Justman fighting for Stewart, but Bermanwanted him too.
People here can at times be callous and mean-spirited so I don't think it's a problem to point out when something reads as insensitive.
Fair enough.
The refit Enterprise is the most beautifully executed ship design ever put on screen, in my humble opinion.
I have the utmost respect and admiration for Mr. Probert's work, and it's a shame that he had to leave Trek.
Just sayin'.
I have the utmost respect and admiration for Mr. Probert's work, and it's a shame that he had to leave Trek.
Just sayin'.
I genuinely believe that Berman wanted Trek to succeed and cared about the franchise. I'm not going to dispute that. However, it can definitely be argued that his sensibilities were not suited for Trek, or as Probert says sci-fi in general. His taste in music, being so dismissive of Probert's great work, ect. Sounds like someone who should have focused on getting the show done as a producer, rather than assert his own sensibilities into the creative process. I think Ron Moore was very spot on about how Berman always proclaiming he never put his own stamp on Trek, that he was merely carrying "Gene's vision", was false. Trying to claim he never put in his own stamp seems like a way of trying to distance one's self from the responsibility of the creative decisions he made on the franchise. He very well did make Trek into his own thing during his run, whether he likes that distinction or not.
The refit Enterprise is the most beautifully executed ship design ever put on screen, in my humble opinion.
I have the utmost respect and admiration for Mr. Probert's work, and it's a shame that he had to leave Trek.
Just sayin'.
The refit Enterprise is a masterpiece. Nothing else in Star Trek comes close.
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