Why the depressing colours in Starfleet's later years?

[euges116]

Enterprise D was modern, but it was also bright with browns and beige colours. It was quite "home-y" or "country-like" -- to me, at least,

But what happened afterwards? For instance with the Enterprise E or the Voyager? Everything was steel, gray, and dark. Much more "military" like.

1. Why was this done, from the production perspective?
2. Why was this done, from the Starfleet perspective?

Any thoughts?

euges116

 

[scotpens]

IMO, what happened was the Nineties. Grunge. The rough, dirty, splicey “workprint look” of countless music videos and TV title sequences. Tim Burton’s Batman movies. Dark, depressing and gritty was “in,” and Trek just went along with the fashion of the time.

 

[RoJoHen]

The interior decorator...won't arrive til Tuesday.

 

[bullethead]

Enterprise D was modern, but it was also bright with browns and beige colours. It was quite "home-y" or "country-like" -- to me, at least,

But what happened afterwards? For instance with the Enterprise E or the Voyager? Everything was steel, gray, and dark. Much more "military" like.

1. Why was this done, from the production perspective?

Probably a reaction to the Enterprise-D's bridge being compared to something out of a hotel. Also the different palette reflected the more serious (YMMV for Voyager) tone of the stories the ships were involved in.

2. Why was this done, from the Starfleet perspective?

Wolf 359. Starfleet realized it needed to take its military role seriously and started reworking the fleet to reflect that.

 

[ngc7293]

If you do look at STNG at the beginning it is all about relaxing and going with the flow. The -D practically had Recliners! Then there was BoBW, the Cardy War and the Dominion and we got rid of the recliners. The clothes get darker and everyone is a little moodier.

 

[M'rk son of Mogh]

^^^
I dunno about that.

"The Borg and Dominion are kicking our butts, these are serious times, what can we do to help us in our fight against the enemy?"

"Darker colours, sir."

"Brilliant. Make it so."

TOS and TNG had brilliant serious episodes, that was all in the writing, not in the set design.

I think it's all just a sign of the times, nothing more, nothing less.

 

[Timewalker]

This very question is one reason I started writing a crossover fanfic between Voyager and Trading Spaces.

 

[Alienesse]

Whatever the reason for the change, I liked the color scheme of Voyager and especially of the NX-01 better than that of the Enterprise-D. Besides being easier on the eyes, (at least for me, I hate beige), I think the military air of the sets was more realistic. In spite of all the talk about the Federation being a peaceful organization intent on exploration, Starfleet does seem to get into quite a few rumbles. Which is only natural, I guess. Space is not necessarily a friendly place.

 

[Arpy]

Dark colors are always kewl. Light ones need inspiration. Roddenberry died, his influence diminished, and the carriers-on took the cheesy route.

 

[Admiral Shran]

^ Got that backwards. Roddenberry died and the carriers-on took the realistic instead of the cheesy route.


.

 

[22 Stars]

Dark colors are always kewl. Light ones need inspiration. Roddenberry died, his influence diminished, and the carriers-on took the cheesy route.

This exactly.

 

[Sandoval]

Roddenberry died and the carriers-on took the realistic instead of the cheesy route.

Because there was absolutely nothing cheesy about the Original Series now was there?

 

[WeAreTheBorg]

IMO, what happened was the Nineties. Grunge. The rough, dirty, splicey “workprint look” of countless music videos and TV title sequences. Tim Burton’s Batman movies. Dark, depressing and gritty was “in,” and Trek just went along with the fashion of the time.

There was nothing dark or gritty about Voyager or Ent-E, or the Defiant. A little gritty on DS9 but that wasn't starfleet. What changed is the idea of futuristic style - it became slick chrome and subdued colours. Which makes sense if you ask me, the brown of the Ent-D along with the bright colour uniforms just doesn't seem to be a likely style. But then again who knows what the style will be in 300 years.

 

[Sandoval]

But then again who knows what the style will be in 300 years.

Silver jumpsuits.

 

[Winterwind]

^ Got that backwards. Roddenberry died and the carriers-on took the realistic instead of the cheesy route.


.

Exactly.

As for the colours... Apartment renter's beige is not the colour scheme I'd pick for a starship. I never liked the Enterprise D's colours.

 

[C.E. Evans]

I do think Trek did become less colorful and more murky-looking in later years. By the time ENT rolled around, the cast started blending into the background except for the sickbay set (thankfully, the costumes for the regulars started to fade over time and become lighter in color).

IMO, the Star Trek XI costumes got it spot on as returning color to Trek without becoming too garish (I'm only talking about the costumes, folks).

 

[Caesar753]

Whatever the reason for the change, I liked the color scheme of Voyager and especially of the NX-01 better than that of the Enterprise-D. Besides being easier on the eyes, (at least for me, I hate beige), I think the military air of the sets was more realistic. In spite of all the talk about the Federation being a peaceful organization intent on exploration, Starfleet does seem to get into quite a few rumbles. Which is only natural, I guess. Space is not necessarily a friendly place.

I totally agree. You summed it up perfectly.

 

[Kelthaz]

I love bright colours, but for a military organization to be working in pajamas is just kinda silly. And I like silly, but that's the wrong kind of silly. The DS9 uniforms were much more appropriate and believable.

 

[kv1at3485]

Whatever the reason for the change, I liked the color scheme of Voyager and especially of the NX-01 better than that of the Enterprise-D. Besides being easier on the eyes, (at least for me, I hate beige), I think the military air of the sets was more realistic. In spite of all the talk about the Federation being a peaceful organization intent on exploration, Starfleet does seem to get into quite a few rumbles. Which is only natural, I guess. Space is not necessarily a friendly place.

I totally agree. You summed it up perfectly.

It strikes me that relentlessly hammering into the heads of a crew that they are living in a tin can of air, day after day, for years, can only aggravate the psychological issues inherent in such situations.

The Enterprise-D had it right, almost taking cues straight out of aircraft passenger cabin design. Keep the environment bright and cheery (although they missed the 'avoid hard angles' part.)

Then again, the psychology of people in Star Trek is such that they are totally clueless about everything, so maybe a dull, dreary environment is beneath their notice.

 

[plynch]

But then again who knows what the style will be in 300 years.

Silver jumpsuits.

Elvis jumpsuits.