The Web! That's new stuff.
Sending emails with a full path separated by bangs, that's the OLD internet. rec.arts.startrek when that was all there was (and before it was rec.arts).
Here's an example:
From tg!philabs!linus!husc6!ut-sally!seismo!sundc!netxcom!rkolker Wed Apr 15
16:29:09 1987
Path: actnyc!tg!philabs!linus!husc6!ut-sally!seismo!sundc!netxcom!rkolker
From:
rkol...@netxcom.UUCP (rich kolker)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek,rec.arts.sf-lovers,rec.arts.tv
Subject: Star Trek: The Next Generation (Not the gay discussion)
Message-ID: <433@netxcom.UUCP>
Date: 15 Apr 87 21:29:09 GMT
Organization: NetExpress Communications Inc. Vienna, Va.
Lines: 255
Okay all you fans out there....
Before we start picking apart STTNG (Star Trek: The Next Generation for you
spell-it-out fans), let's all work from the same set of information.
The following is a greatly edited version of the unofficial STTNG info
archives, as collected by Shoshanna Green, edited and and places corrected
by me, and contributed to by a collection of people, mostly by email
exchange. Since David Gerrold has now revealed (almost) all of this
in public, we feel free to post.
To the best of my knowlege (and my knowlege is pretty good) this
is accurate stuff. The current shooting date is the first week
of June (info courtesy Susan Sackett). By the way, almost all
of this information has been confirmed by one of the following
three people within my earshot 1) Gene Roddenberry, 2)
David Gerrold, 3) Susan Sackett. The change from Macha Hernandez
to Tanya Yar for the Security Chief comes from a letter from
Gene Roddenberry dated March 13th, and is the only change not in David's
latest Starlog piece. Gene didn't say I couldn't pass it on, so
I will.
Finally, a request....
PLEASE do not hassle the folks at the ST offices about this, by mail
or any other way. They are VERY, VERY busy trying to put out the best
Star Trek they can. Once the show airs, they're fair game, but until
then, cool it.
If anyone has anything to add (that is well confirmed...and more current)
feel free to join in.
So, without any further ado.....
----------------------------------------------------------
. The show should be on
the air in fall 1987. It is being done directly for syndication, not
for a network; this means that Paramount has direct control over it
instead of having to do whatever the network owning it wants, but also
means that they have to spend their own money instead of a network's
to make each episode. The series will be offered first to the
stations which have carried the old Star Trek all these years, as a
sort of "thank you" to them. Many may not be able to afford it;
Gerrold says that they will be able to buy the series with commercial
time, which Paramount will then turn around and sell, if they can't
come up with the cash.
The new series will take place 150 years after the original
Enterprise's famous "five year mission".
At the time of the first
Enterprise, four percent of the galaxy had been charted (note that
that's "charted", NOT "explored" or "visited".) 150 years later, the
Federation has charted nineteen percent of the galaxy. That's an
_astounding_ amount of space, folks, but still leaves plenty of
unknown territory.
The Enterprise is about twice the size of the original
Enterprise;
Gerrold says that they will be looking at only professionally
submitted scripts, i.e. get an agent and have her/him do all the right
things; _don't_ just mail it in. They are planning to film two
two-hour shows; the best will be the first, kick-off episode and the
other will be shown sometime during the season. They have contracted
for twenty-six hours of show.
"The redesign [of the Enterprise] has already been finalized and those
who have seen Probert's new design say we will probably love it as
much or more than the old versions. The ship itself is to be much
easier to use, with the semi-sentient computers handling most of the
chores previously handled by the crew. Gerrold said, 'If the Captain
orders the ship to, say, Warp 11, the ship might respond 'I am not
designed for that speed.' 'Do it anyway.' 'All right.' Essentially
this means a smart ship capable of a certain amount of
self-initiative; just how much remains to be seen. The improved
technology also means that the problems, and their solutions, will
devolve [sic] from the logic of the situation rather than because this
or that piece of machinery doesn't work."
"The new ship will have a mission length of 10 years instead of 5.
Because of this, the crew's families will be on board with them, hence
the larger ship to support them.
"The stories are all in the planning stages but a decision has been
made to try to avoid the baggage (Klingons, Romulans, etc.) of the
original series and movies to try to form new methods and cultures to
enrich what has gone before. Essentially they want to re-invent Star
Trek, to make it as fresh and innovative as it originally was designed
to be, while maintaining the essence, the hope for the future which is
Star Trek."
SEEKING THE FOLLOWING SERIES REGULARS:
CAPT. JULIAN PICARD -- A caucasian man in his 50's who is very youthful and
in prime physical condition. Born in Paris, his gallic accent appears
only when deep emotions are triggered. He is definitely a 'romantic'
and believes strongly in concepts like honor and duty. Capt. Picard
commands the Enterprise. He should have a mid-Atlantic accent, and a
wonderfully rich speaking voice.
NUMBER ONE (AKA WILLIAM RYKER) -- A 30-35 year old caucasian born in Alaska.
He is a pleasant looking man with sex appeal, of medium height, very
agile and strong, a natural psychologist. Number one, as he is usually
called, is second-in-command of the Enterprise and has a very strong,
solid relationship with the Captain.
LT. COMMANDER DATA -- He is an android who has the appearance of a man in
his
mid 30's. Data should have exotic features and can be anyone of the
following racial groups: Asian, American Indian, East Indian, South
American Indian or similar racial groups. He is in perfect physical
condition and should appear very intelligent.
LT. TANYA YAR -- 26 year old woman of Ukranian decent who serves
as the starship's security chief. She is described as having a new
quality of conditioned-body-beauty, a fire in her eyes and muscularly
well developed and very female body, but keeping in mind that much of
her strength comes from attitude. Macha has an almost obsessive
devotion
to protecting the ship and its crew and treats Capt. Picard and Number
One as if they were saints.
LT. DEANNA TROI -- An alien woman who is tall (5'8" - 6') and slender, about
30 years old and quite beautiful. She serves as the starship's Chief
Psychologist. Deanna is probably foreign (anywhere from Italian,
Greek,
Hungarian, Russian, Icelandic, etc.) with looks and accent to match.
She and Number One are romantically involved. Her alien "look" is
still to be determined.
WESLEY CRUSHER -- An appealing 15 year old caucasian boy (need small 18 or
almost 18 year old to play 15). His remarkable mind and photographic
memory make it seem not unlikely for him to become, at 15, a Starfleet
acting-ensign. Otherwise, he is a normal teenager.
BEVERLY CRUSHER -- Wesley's 35 year old mother. She serves as the chief
medical officer on the Enterprise. If it were not for her
intelligence,
personality, beauty and the fact that she has a natural walk of a
striptease queen, Capt. Picard might not have agreed to her request
that Wesley observe bridge activities; therefore letting her son's
intelligence carry events further.
LT. GEORDI LaFORGE -- a 20-25 year old black man, blind from birth. With
the
help of a special prosthetic device he wears, his vision far surpasses
anything the human eyes can see. Although he is young, he is quite
mature and is best friends with Data. Please do not submit any
'street'
types, as Geordi has perfect diction and might even have a Jamaican
accent. Should also be able to do comedy well.
The Enterprise is now NCC-1701D (not G or H), the fifth in the series
of starships by that number. Episodes are about 45 minutes (of actual
story) long. D.C. Fontana's title is Associate Producer. Writers
with episodes committed to include Gene, David, DC (she's writing the
kickoff), John DF Black, Bob Justman, Diane Duane, Lan O'Kun. A line
producer (Robert Kewin) has been signed. His
past experience includes James at 15(16) and Paper Chase, so he's no
slouch. The rest of what David said I already knew, so rather than
repeat it, I'll assume you do too.
Speaking of which, D.C.'s title is Associate Producer and she's writing
the first episode which could be 1) 2 hours long
2) 90 min long with 30 min "making of
STTNG"
3) 60 min long with 60 min "making of
STTNG"
4) Just another 60 min episode
Other writers committed to are: Gene
David (a horror story)
John DF Black
Bob Justman
Diane Duane & (name escapes me)
Lan O'Kun
Arthur Sellers
The decision has been made that in the first
season, only experienced TV writers will be used, leaving out several
David had promised a shot to, such as Howard Weinstein and Len Wein.
The art director is Herman Zimmerman.
Illustrators are Rick Sternbach and Andy Probert.
Costume Designer is Bill Theiss.
The original Alexander Courage theme will be used, plans are to still
split the infinitive, but to change the last line to:
"...to boldly go where no ONE has gone before"
And the biggest news, in the 24 1/2 or 25th (david says they haven't
decided yet) century, they've invented FUSES! No more exploding
bridge panels (Unless like in real life, the chip blows to protect
the fuse :-))
Lastly there was some shots of the script Gerrold was writing/had
written which had the following dialog (thanks to stop action VCR):
wait. Silence from the communications
Troi finally shakes her head.
TROI
my thought was received.
(Bu)t there was no response.
PICARD
No rejection?
DATA
Captain, it may be the aliens do
not consider us as anything
a nuisance
PICARD
haven't fired on us
DATA
Here's most of what's been released about the behind-the-scenes people
at ST:The Next Generation. You should recognize a lot of names if you've
been a fan for a while.
Exec. Prod - Gene Roddenberry
Supervising Prod. - Eddie Milkis
Producer - Bob Justman
Line Producer - Robert Kewin (credits include James at 15/16 and other good
stuff)
Assoc. Prod. - D.C. Fontana
Something or other - David Gerrold (seriously, he doesn't have a title)
Art Director - Herman Zimmerman
Illustrators - Andy Probert and Rick Sternbach
Costumes - Bill Theiss
Scripts assigned - D.C. Fontana (1st episode)
Gene Roddenberry
David Gerrold ('Blood and Fire')
Diane Duane/Michael Reeves
Arthur Sellers
Lan O'Kun
John DF Black
Bob Justman
By the way, the Enterprise is 1701D (as in David, or D.C.) as of Boskone.
The hispanic female security chief David mentioned at Boskone is now
Ukranian.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
+------------------------------------^--------------------------------------
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| Rich Kolker / \
| 8519 White Pine Dr. / * \ It lives again
| Manassas Park, VA 22111 | |
| (703)361-1290 | ^ | (..seismo!sundc!netxcom!rkolker)
+---------------------------------v/---\v-----------------------------------
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Good times.
