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AAAABBRRRAAAAMMMMMMSSSSSS!!!!! AAAABBRRRAAAAMMMMMMSSSSSS!!!!!

Wed, 22 May 2013 21:17:41 +0000

Don't be mislead by the Headline, oh and this review WILL contain spoilers, so if you haven't seen the movie yet I suggest you finish off this paragraph then go see it. Again this review contains spoilers so if you haven't seen the movie yet STOP READING, although the Headline itself is a big giveaway,. Anyways on to the review.

Star Trek Into Darkness, it wasn't until the third trailer when we got our first look at the USS Vengeance did I finally gain some interest in the movie. When I saw that ship that was when I decided I wanted to see this movie. But not just for ship, remember at the time the producers were keeping the bad guy a big secret (although I knew exactly who he was always going to be) so the mysterious ship just added more mystery to the character.

The internet as always was abuzz with rumours, some stuck to their guns and said the villain was going to be Khan, due to the ship others thought it was going to be Mirror universe Kirk or Picard (Which would have been super epic and awesome). That being said I went into the theater very excited to see this movie, despite my misgivings for Abrams Trek.

Star Trek into Darkness takes place one year after the Last movie, while on a mission to study a pre warp society Kirk violates the Prime Directive to save Spocks live. Due to this he is demoted to commander and the Enterprise is Given Back to Christopher Pike.

Things soon take a turn for the worst when a Starfleet facility in London is attacked followed by a second attack on the senior command at Starfleet Headquarters. Pike is killed and the Enterprise is given back to Kirk for a Mission to bring the terrorist John Harrison to justice.

Unlike typical sequels Into Darkness doesn't leave an odd taste in your mouth once the credits roll. It was dare I say better than the first, and keep in mind that this is coming from an Abrams Trek Hater. The movie wasn't perfect though while watching there were a few scenes that i felt really didn't need to be in the film, the two most prominent are the scene where Spock contacts Spock Prime on New Vulcan (I felt it was just a cheap way to get Leonard Nimoy into the movie) and the Scene with Carol Wallace in her underwear (yes good looking chick in no cloths, but wasn't really necessary)

I also had a problem with the final act of the movie,

(SPOILER ALERT)

after Kirk ``dies`` from a radiation overdose Spock files into a mad rage to find Harrison, this then leads us through a battle in San Francisco on flying cars as they fight, meanwhile back on Enterprise Mccoy discovers away to help Kirk, but needs Harrison alive to do it. Long story short, Harrison is apprehended, Kirk comes back to life, gives a speech about the events of the movie apparently a year later (2260) then the credits roll.

I'm no Director but I felt that the last act of the movie could have handled better, it felt rushed and not very well thought out, I felt it would have been better if Mccoy discovered away to save Kirk, but needed Harrison to do it, so Spock then decides to go after him. Thats just my opinion though. Another thing I liked but ultimately though was kind of stupid was Spocks Khan scream. I'm sorry yes Kirk ``dying`` was an emotional scene but seeing Spock Khan scream made me burst out laughing, totally killed the mood. Not to mention yes the reference is cool but come on, in a scene like that especially in this day and age it really doesn't work.

(End of Spoilers......for now)

That being said there are many things I loved about the movie, as A trekkie I loved pointing out the numerous Trek references to my friends like my the Klingon Homeworlds moon was all destroyed, Why the Starfleet headquarters Building was called ``The Daystrom Building``, The NX-01 model in the Admirals quarters, What Section 31 is, the actor who plays Alexander Wallace is, what race the girls in Kirk's Apartment were, and many more. Another thing I loved about the movie was the twist on an already established story, yes if you've watched all the trek films already then technically you already know most of Into Darkness, but twists and reverses some things which make it not a total rehash. I liked that.

The Movie was genuinely fun to watch and the actors portrayed their respective characters well (though you cant beat the originals). While I still am no fan of Abrams trek, I will say again that I enjoyed the movie and chances are when it come out on DVD i will be getting my copy. Trekkies and non-Trekkies alike check out this movie you wont be dissapointed.

Star "Twweeaakk" The Coming of Khan!

Tue, 21 May 2013 01:06:46 +0000

J.J. Abrams made quite a splash when he released 2009’s “Star Trek”. I suppose it was the right approach to revitalize the franchise, by creating a re-boot that gave him all the needed loop holes to do such things. His first “Star Trek“ flick left the ‘space opera‘ feeling and instead went for something that feels more like an action-adventure which was arguably needed. It was a fun, energetic visual feast that moved fast that it never lost its forward momentum. It pleased fans of the franchise with a feeling of both freshness and nostalgia. Now 4 years since Abrams’ last “Star Trek” film, is what he had created back then will still be able to hold up without the feeling of novelty (which it really wasn’t) since it was a really a straight-forward action flick with gorgeous visuals?



2013’s “Star Trek Into Darkness” is the sequel that takes us on a ride with the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise. The film begins with the crew in an unknown planet due for volcanic destruction and Jim Kirk (Chris Pine) makes a decision that goes against established directives in Starfleet. This ends up with Kirk being in a load of trouble that it resulted with him losing command of his vessel. Just as soon as things begin to slow down, a unspeakable new threat has risen and this threat comes from within the ranks of Starfleet. Kirk requests Starfleet command to reinstate him get his crew back together, along with Spock (Zachary Quinto), just so they can sanction the man called John Harrison (Benedict Cumberback). But when the manhunt reveals certain secrets within Starfleet command, and the voyage brings Kirk and his crew to a danger zone, the truth behind the former Commander Harrison is set to shake the foundations of the federation itself.





The screenplay instantly moves fast and tries to establish its footing with a sequence that gives it the ‘grab and go’ feeling just so the viewer could see exactly what he is in for; a fun, energetic action adventure wrapped around its sci-fi elements. Abrams was obviously trying to go fast and strong before he slowed things down when the crew gets back to Earth. Here, the script serves up some minor plot and character developments that aids the viewer in looking inside the walls of Starfleet. How the fleet works and just how Kirk’s attitude often differs from Spock and that of Starfleet. Abrams and company made every effort to give the viewer a feeling of continuity as the return of supporting characters such as Admiral Pike (Bruce Greenwood) and the introduction of new ones such as Starfleet commander Marcus (Peter Weller) aid in setting its groundwork. The viewer also quickly gets an idea just how the crew is getting along, and glimpses of their personal lives are seen.

See, Abrams knew that he had to keep the film moving and knows how to cover up flaws because of his style of direction and editing. True to what had been established in the first film, the screenplay follows through very well. I would not say that the characters in this film are very interesting, since Kirk has been reduced to a staple that we’ve all seen before in action flicks, Spock is one of the more interesting characters in the first film, but really, the two worked better as the film brings them into a kind of ‘bromance’. These characters are mere staples of what we have seen before, but it is the way the characters worked together in a group dynamic that made them compelling if not acceptable. With some subtle touches of humor and clever delivery of its dialogue, it was easy for the cast to establish a sense of solid chemistry. Zoe Saldana (she is hotter than ever), Keith Urban, Simon Pegg and Anton Yelchin aid in the script’s flow, despite some issues that I had with Alice Eve (sure she was also hot) being a little misplaced in her character as a science officer. It was a welcome sight to see this new Spock talk to the old Spock (Leonard Nimoy) that certainly would give a ‘trekkie’ goose bumps.





All these things would work really well as long as we have an interesting villain for the crew of the Enterprise. As much as I thought that Benedict Cumberback was a worthy villain to later be revealed as Khan, and sure, there were a lot of nods to the past TV series and “Wrath of Khan”, but I thought in the end, the villain and the links to Starfleet was very underwhelming. While I enjoyed the way the film tried to introduce certain devices that sort of made the concept of an alternate timeline resembling the old one and yet different, I thought the film took a turn for the predictable. The twists and turns which were introduced in its runtime were intended to create a reaction, and yet they failed. The surprises weren’t really that effective in making an impact in its narrative.

Luckily, while the storyline wasn’t strong and showed its weaknesses too early, the action sequences were good enough to keep up its momentum. The film looked gorgeous, the cinematography was impressive, the CGI effects were stellar that you could truly hear and see the crunch of metal on metal, the explosions generated a lot of intensity and light effects were indeed grand. The film was truly an achievement visually, and if this was Abrams’ goal, then he had truly achieved it. The film was really impressive in 3D, as there were times that the 3D effects and the sound really made me part of its visuals that I felt as if I was there.



“Star Trek Into Darkness” is the kind of sequel that follows an original made solid because of a feeling of freshness, but sadly, while this film is certainly entertaining, it sure wasn’t fresh. It just felt that it was the kind of film that we’ve all seen many times before. It does not merely reference but it just borrows entire plot points from the originals. I just wasn’t at all impressed or moved by its narrative despite accepting its intentions. The villain just wasn’t threatening, and so the film loses a lot of intended ‘bang’. I do have to admit that the visuals were really impressive, the group dynamics worked and the comedic touches aided its flow. It is a lot of fun to watch that I am certain that ‘Trekkies” will have a ball watching it over and over again. I guess I am just a little tired of the old ‘clichéd story, lot’sa flash and action. It is a film meant for its fans but a RENTAL for Everybody else [3+ Out of 5 Stars]


　

　

An Excellent Follow-up, Keep Them Coming!

Mon, 20 May 2013 13:02:17 +0000

I don't know what the critics were saying in their preliminary reviews. I loved this film from start to finish and am looking forward to the next installment. As the whole universe changed when Nero attacked Kirk's father's ship in the first film and that Vulcan was wiped out, one cannot expect that these movies should follow anything that the original series and movies did. And because of the way Spock felt his race die, he will certainly have more "human" emotional outbursts at times. It is only "logical."

When the movie starts, the Enterprise is on one of their first missions and two things go wrong. Namely Spock needs rescuing and in doing so the Enterprise makes itself visible to a primitive group of people. This violates the Prime Directive of non-interference in developing cultures (when was this ever a big deal in the original series? All they did was interfere). Kirk does not record anything in the ship's log but Spock does, because he can't lie. (If you remember Taggart in the Beverly Hills Cop movie you will have an idea how this will play out later).

Kirk is briefly demoted and told to report back to Starfleet Academy for remedial training (I was wondering if he was going to meet up with Finnegan). This lasts until a terrorist attack on London wipes out a bunch of senior Starfleet officers. Kirk is told to get the terrorist (Harrison who goes by another name that us oldtimers know well) who has hidden himself in the Vulcan sector of space by Admiral Marcus.

The movie moves at breakneck speed as the Enterprise goes to bring back "Harrison," despite the lovers spat that is going on between Spock and Uhura. Mr. Scott seems to be on the "out" with Kirk and after an argument, quits the Enterprise and Mr. Chekov has to get Engineering up to speed.

The character that steals the movie is McCoy. The new McCoy goes overboard with spewing cliches that would make DeForest Kelly proud to the point of getting on Kirk's nerves. He is also worried about Kirk's health and will pick the "wrong" times to examine him.

Note possible spoiler - there is a brief mention of having to take care of Mudd's ship, so of course we will see a familiar furry friend make an appearence.

I really hope that Abrams will continue with a third installment of this film. If this film is any indication, then the Star Wars franchise is in good hands!

Despite Flaws, I Really Enjoyed It

Fri, 17 May 2013 08:57:36 +0000

I'm taking a risk in saying I actually liked Star Trek into Darkness. On a website such as Lunch.com where liking just about any damn mainstream movie (let alone J.J. Abrams) is considered not so good, it's a wonder how much I've come to embrace things. And while I understand liking Mainstream movies or even praising them is not particularly "cool" with the Lunch.com crowd, I'll take my chances anyway. See, I've always believed that there is an art to reviewing and that part of the art is that you review in the essence that you know WHAT you're reviewing and keep in the mind the audience that you're reviewing for. The reason I say that it's probably not cool to like Star Trek here on Lunch.com is because everyone got my ass about giving J.J. Abrams the smallest ounce of praise. On a website where liking anything "popular" is considered taboo I'm pretty certain this will be my last review because I'm simply tired of it nowadays. So I'll leave this one with a glowing five. Not because it deserves a five, but because I'm tired of this idea that I can't particularly enjoy mainstream movies or anything "popular" without some jackass deciding that I shouldn't because, "Mainstream cinema sucks compared to indie or foreign cinema," from some jackass who seems to think that just because something is indie makes it better. Who cares? I'm concerned about other things. I'm in my mid twenties now and I'm passed that moment of trying to always distance myself from the crowd. My grade school days are over and sometime just having a little bit of fun at the movies (especially in the summer) isn't such a bad thing.

So does it deserve a five? Definitely not. It's got some problems. Some bigger than others (and perhaps a glaring one or two) but really, I just don't give a shit as I write this review.

So to begin, I realize that J.J. Abrams isn't perfect. He's not the "next Spielberg," but he does have one thing in common with him: the fact that his popular success makes him one of the more hated film guys in the industry. (it was "bad" to like Spielberg at one point). Spielberg suffered from this for a while but because he's done so much and has so much under his belt his popular appeal manages to command respect. And while I don't believe J.J. Abrams will ever get THAT far, I do believe that he gets a lot more criticism than he deserves. Certainly he's got a lot of cheesy stuff in his films and they're predicable... but so is Joss Wheddon and that doesn't seem to stop anyone from praising the ever living shit out of him, and I happen to like Joss Wheddon a great deal, despite the fact that Whedoon, like Abrams dabbles in cliches and predictability so much that you might as well have just started the movie at the end and played it backwards.

Case in point: Star Trek Into Darkness is not a particularly unpredictable film... or original, but I think if you really believe in originality it's because you've spent the last one thousand years or so under the rock. It's not the idea that's important it's the execution of that idea, which is where Abrams falters just a tad, but it's also why he's actually quite good at what he does from time to time. The only thing I don't particularly like about Star Trek Into Darkness is how it was advertised. The idea of keeping so much secret. The last movie I saw where I can't recall actually knowing what was going to happen was probably The Dark Knight and that's only because it was so far against the conventional formula that I wasn't sure WHICH formula it was following... but that's primarily because it was inventing it's own. The Dark Knight has been so influential that THIS is why Into Darkness is a particularly predictable film because so much of what it does is dependent on whether or not you've seen The Dark Knight and Start Trek II: Wrath of Kahn.

So let's start with something simple: The story concerns Kirk and company trying to stop a volcano from erupting on a planet. And once it doesn't we understand what Into Darkness is about immediately. Life and Death. Spock is not particularly sure why Kirk saved him. Things change, however, when a mysterious agent (I use the term loosely) decides to create a one-man army against Star Fleet. When someone close to Kirk is lost then it becomes quite clear that they're not up against an ordinary man. Instead what they're really up against is someone who is far more clever than that. But there's more deception going on than Kirk could imagine and he and his crew are forced to deal with everything under the sun.

Certainly Star Trek Into Darkness has a simple story. Every movie does when you think about it. Although it's quite clear that Star Trek Into Darkness is more about the thrills. But it certainly borrows more from The Dark Knight formula, which is pretty much what every movie tries to do nowadays. That is to say that there is a criminal mastermind who plots to get himself captured and make the circumstances work for him. A lot of movies have been doing this lately. Particularly, The Avengers and Skyfall. And by far Skyfall did it much better than The Avengers, but for very different reasons. But Skyfall is also the only one I can think of where it was done particularly well. The Avengers, for as good as it is has far too much of its story focused on the idea of the characters trying to get along that the villain is so uninteresting that you just don't care that he got himself captured to destroy them from within. In Star Trek the formula is alive and well, although Abrams seems to make it work a little better. Not because of how the bad guy works (or because of who he is... and if you can't figure it out you weren't much for Star Trek to begin with) but because it's not actually the bad guy you need to be paying attention to during this particular moment in the film. It's why it works. It's not much of a change or a twist but it's one that's executed well, at least.

There are a lot of thrills and a lot of fun to be had with Star Trek Into Darkness. Most notably the action sequences are quite amazing, as well as some of the visuals. That's not to say there are no annoyances. Certainly that lens flare is going to get on your nerves. If I was to make a drinking game in which we took a shot every time that lens flare came up then I'd be dead of alcohol poisoning within the first ten minutes of the movie. I understand that some people don't mind this, but what I find stranger is why no one really finds it distracting. It doesn't add drama and in some ways actually obstructs the visual flare of the scene.

Now I'm not one of those stupid "CGI is killing movies," people because that's just the dumbest thing I've ever heard and shows that people understand dialog and character but not narrative. And indeed there is a lot of CGI in Star Trek and a lot of strange set pieces, but CGI doesn't kill movies. And if you think it does, you're a dumbass. Period. No, what's distracting about some of the CGI is that Star Trek just never feels like it's a world that's been lived in. One of the things Star Wars (the original trilogy) did so well was that you got the sense that the universe was inhabited. Here, as in real Sci-Fi fashion, everything looks slick and clean. So it's actually quite something when you realize J.J. Abrams isn't afraid to make the enterprise look like a floating piece of crap at some point when the characters get into some real danger. It's quite something and quite the spectacle to see. On the other hand, it's also quite distracting at times because the characters are not particularly that interesting. Now, I don't care what people thought of the original show, but those characters also sucked. They were devoid of most personality. When creating the reboot it's not as though there was a lot to draw from. This is why some of the characters are so close. The sixties was a campy time and regardless of what people think those particularly characters are nothing more than caricatures in 2013 because they were already devoid of any real character to begin with. They had personality (which is perfectly emulated here) but I never actually gave a shit. So here it's surprising that there are some moments when I do. It's just a shame that Abrams puts them in such artificial danger. Like so many movies Abrams can't bring himself to make it seem like the characters are in any real danger, even in moments where the ship around them is being destroyed. If there was one thing I think Abrams should've borrowed a page from Nolan about it's not being ashamed to put everything on the table. Anyone can die. And anyone should be able to be in the running for being killed. One of the most amusing aspects about The Dark Knight was that Nolan was willing to kill of a pretty major character just for the sake of proving a point. Star Trek takes no such risks. Like Iron Man 3 it's so over the top that you simply know your characters aren't in any actual danger. Like The Avengers it's also very boring when this realization comes to light.

On the other hand, at the very least the characters are actually actively involved in much of the plot. Despite knowing they're in no real danger, at least Abrams is willing to inconvenience them at any turn. The plans the characters hatch are always going wrong which is enough to keep you going through the movie. It's not the cleverest thing out there, but it's a farcry from the Star Wars prequels where everything is always anti-climactic at every goddamn turn.

There are a few funny moments in Star Trek Into Darkness, which continues the other trend of having the tone of a movie clash constantly. It's not as bad about it as The Amazing Spider-Man but again, Abrams failed to learn anything from Nolan (who he so clearly was trying to emulate in MANY moments). The humor in The Dark Knight is very twisted. The character committing most of it is the darkest character there. We know we shouldn't laugh at the Joker but we understand that this is what he's about. It's hard to go from crying to jubilation in an instant. Not that you'll cry much. Despite how much Star Trek ups the emotional ante, it's constantly trying to lighten the mood with strange humor at every turn. It would be like Alfred deciding to do standup at the moment Rachel died just because. It's not too annoying here, but it is enough to make you wonder why you wasted the last five minute feeling bad for a characters predicament only to laugh at it ten seconds later (in particular the scenes with Scotty are like this). The emotional moments are destroyed by Star Trek: Into Darkness constant moments to try to remind you how serious its supposed to be. Marvel sucks at this big time and Abrams isn't doing any better.

Yet for all its worth, Star Trek Into Darkness is actually a lot of fun. It's easy on the eyes and has quite a few twists and turns. Nothing actually surprising but as I've said, a movie hasn't "surprised" me in quite some time and I'm not one to care. Storytelling isn't about surprises, it's about execution. There are some things Abrams doesn't do so well. Not at the emotional core, but in making a big deal about much of what the movie is about. The villain, for instance, is exactly who you think it is. The fact that Abrams and company tried to keep this underwraps is surprising. The big twist at the end? Same thing. Very obvious (actually it's not... we're literally told halfway through what will happen). That's not to say there aren't some things you won't see coming. The other problem is that there is a lot of convenience in the plot. And while that's not necessarily a bad thing (EVERY movie has it) it is kind of annoying that some characters are put in one place or another for no apparent reason only for us to learn later that they just happened to be there. Scotty's predicament isn't so bad, but there's a particular female character that has absolutely no business being where she is and it doesn't actually make any logical sense, but lo and behold there she is.

That doesn't mean the movie isn't fun. I had a lot of fun with it. I was blown away by quite a bit of the movie because I was impressed with just how entertaining it was. I get that being "entertaining," isn't enough for the Lunch crowd and that I've sinned by liking a movie because of it's "entertainment" factor instead of its "intellectual" one, but again... you have to know the audience. And I've little problem with actually sitting down and just enjoying something. Sometimes a movie really works out better that way ("Raiders of the Lost Ark") while other movies are destroyed by being too all out pretentious about what they do ("Lions for Lambs," "The Art of Getting By,"). The point is that the movie is still fun as hell to watch and I'd probably go see it again because the ride was actually a very good one. It was entertaining and thrilling. I laughed (although I didn't cry) and I really believed that I saw something pretty darn good despite its flaws. Again, predictable, but as I said the last "unpredictable" movie I saw was five years ago and I don't think it's really such a bad thing if you do know what happens (everyone talks about the "big twist" in Iron Man 3 but I figured it out pretty soon into the film... so much so I didn't know it was actually a twist).

So yes, fellow Lunchers, I've committed the sin of enjoying a mainstream movie. I've committed the sin of liking J.J. Abrams and I've committed the scene of actually being entertained by something considerably mindless. But I just don't care anymore. I went to have some fun and I got my fun. This isn't a particularly bad movie. It has it's flaws and I'd never suggest any film is perfect (if a film is, you're an idiot). But I am particularly tired of this idea that mainstream=bad. That's just stupid. There are A LOT of Star Trek references to the original film and series, which may also be something that is kind of annoying. As I hated the television series (but was delighted to see Star Trek II, IV and VI... because the odd number movies suck) I was surprised I still caught onto so many references. This may actually be a bit of a problem. The story is not going to interest you unless you can pick up on these particular bits (in particular: Watch Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn). All of the best moments of Into Darkness are pretty pale and forgettable unless you actually do. And I'm not a fan of that sort of stuff. The movie-goer shouldn't be forced to do outside homework. And seeing as how the movie going crowd sucks at reading books and going anything beyond watching a goddamn movie I'm sure some people will miss a lot of references that'll fly over their head (or will they?). And it kind of sucks that Into Darkness relies so heavily on a movie from thirty years ago to create some of its biggest moments.

Anyway, it was not a bad movie. I'd highly recommend it for those looking to have some fun. Not to turn off their brain, but just to have fun and perhaps find themselves excited by some of the majesty of the movie itself. It's a fun movie and deserves your attention at least once.

"Captain, we have a copy of a similar mission in our DVD archives!"

Fri, 17 May 2013 08:55:04 +0000

Star Trek (2009) re-ignited the Trek world and set it on fire. Loved it or hated it, no one can deny what a reboot and shot in the arm it was for what was a tired series. The worst thing that it could be said about it was that it lacked the feeling of mankinds place in the galaxy which the older Treks at least attempted and it was just a colorful action blast.

Star Trek Into Darkness which is the follow up is certainly a sequel by the same minds with characters shouting over each other, flashy effects, the textrured uniforms, lens flares and cranks up the action at the cost of even more of it's smarts and elements that made the first movie more memorable. These two movies are very much akin to the new Robert Downey Jr Sherlock Holmes movies. The first one is fun and inventive, the second one more action and not quite the adventure the first was and even worse the second film is not going to win over people who didn't like the first.

The movie has Kirk and company interfering with a planets activities-interfering in a way that saved millions of lives on the planet but could affect the way the inhabitants will grow now knowing about the existance of other species in the galaxy. Right away this movie starts on a wrong foot with the Prime Directive argument. I have no idea why Star Trek started to make it sound like allowing mass murder was okay. "You had no right to save all those people, this is what was intended for them, to die horribly!"

ANYWAY, the incident gets Kirk in hot water with Admiral Pike who lectures Kirk about humility and integrity as far as following the rules goes. At this time, a mysterious man has just destroyed an archive and later an attack is led on Starfleet HQ which leaves several Officers dead. Kirk is enraged and volunteers to apprehend the man responsible who has escaped into Klingon space. Admiral Marcus agrees, but not before giving Kirk some questionable orders to follow once he gets there. En Route and with time to think Kirk realizes that more and more of what is going on is suspect. Getting his hands on the man responsible for the crimes on Earth, we learn that the man is more then Kirk realized and everything is just as suspect as Kirk thought.

NOW. A SPOILER: For the story and I do not want to give much away but Benedict Cumberbatch is the villain and he is reprising Khan and captures the passion of the character well. What doesn't mesh well is that Kirk and he work together, then apart, then again and apart. Kirk and Khan working together just felt SO wrong, alternate storylines or not. That however pales in comparison to what is absolutely shameless homages done with the favorite Wrath of Khan film. Nothing subtle at ALL. Kirk and Spock are seperated in one key scene, a countdown to doom, villian with his own ship, Enterprise attacked and in trouble and oh yes a famous yell in a scene I could only facepalm at.

Where the homages stop though, the most stupid moments happen in the film. Kirk is the only one who can pick up a rifle and fight back during the attack on Starfleet HQ no matter how many security men show up and there are no other Starfleet shuttles or fighters to help. The biggest one has to be Kirk facing down an enemy Dreadnaught with a faulty warp drive and Kirk decides to run away. Sure enough it doesn't work too well. You can say it plays into Kirks impulsive seat of his pants style, and I'll say it's still stupid. Very rarely am I able to pick apart a movie AS I'M watching it rather then take it in and have fun, but this movie wasn't enough fun and let me think too long. Holy hell a good chunk of the film is taken from the Wing Commander IV PC game, and that had Mark Hamill in it.

Highly illogical to remake The Wrath of Khan, especailly considering Star Trek tried a similar approach with Nemesis 10 years ago and that movie wasn't quite as shameless. Oh and Leonard Nimoy alert, he makes another appearance to kill a moment of the movie when the action is already rolling and is really lame and I can't believe I'm putting down a Leonard Nimoy appearance.

The good is the actors all came back and are still playing they're roles well and Benedict Cumberbatch has the most hissably evil voice for Khan. His job is to make Khan devious and a threat without parroting Ricardo Montalban's performance. Peter Weller sadly isn't so great as a warmongering Admiral who telegraphs being up to no good a lightyear away. Production is great and while the ship still looks like the iPod store, the lens flares are toned down and the beer brewery sets are mostly changed with more sets that would look like a spaceship.

Star Trek Into Darkness is a big buildup to a movie that we were already familiar with and have seen a better version of before. Sure it's flashy and fun but you've seen it before and not as stupid or illogical.

'Star Trek Into Darkness' Lots of Glitz...Not That Much Originality (Video)

Tue, 14 May 2013 03:53:44 +0000

By Joan Alperin Schwartz
The boys are back...Capt. Kirk (Chris Pine), Spock (Zachary Quinto), Scotty (Simon Pegg), Chekov (Anton Yelchin), Bones (Karl Urban), Sulu (John Cho) and Uhura (Zoe Saldana)

The film opens with the USS Enterprise on a observation mission to Planet Nibiru...When they arrive at the planet, the crew finds a volcano on the verge of erupting and wiping out its primitive inhabitants. In the process of launching a dangerous mission to halt the eruption, Spock's life is jeopardized, forcing Kirk to break the 'Prime Directive' and reveal the Enterpise to the inhabitants...

Bad move: Not only is Spock pissed off at his BFF, Admiral Pike (Bruce Greenwood) relieves Kirk of his command and he takes over the Enterprise.

Not a good week for our Captain.

But wait...Things are about to get worse. Starfleet agent John Harrison aka Khan (Benedict Cumberbatch) bombs a secret Section 31' installation in London.

An emergency meeting of high ranking officers is called at Starfleet headquarters, which Kirk attends. NOTE' Little SPOILER coming up.

The meeting is attacked by a gunship piloted by Harrison, who winds up slaughtering most of the attendees, including Pike.

Of course Kirk is reinstated and Admiral Marcus (Peter Weller) orders him to hunt down Harrison, who is now hiding out in the land of the Klingons, and kill him. This becomes problematic since Starfleet and the Klingon Empire are at war. Remember those days?

To say anymore would spoil the surprises and there are a couple...Unfortunately, even though I enjoyed the relationships between the crew members, especially the love connection of Spock and Uhura, I didn't find the plot all that original.

The film, directed by J.J. Abrams is very glitzy. Shot in 3D/IMAX, it's beautiful to look at. But for me the plot wasn't very original and it lacked the complexities and intensity of some of the other films in the Franchise. Personally, the 'Borg' films are my favorites..

It's for that reason I gave 'Star Trek Into Darkness' which opens in theatres, Thursday May 16, 2013 three bagels out of five.

Check out our video to see John's bagel score and of course for more of our witty banter.

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Thanks everyone. Let us know what you think about this movie.

COUNTDOWN Starts Big But Scales Down To A Respectable Non-Climax In This Kinda/Sorta Finish

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 23:22:21 +0000

I’ve already heaped plenty of praise on the story that was STAR TREK: COUNTDOWN – the four-part comic book story published by IDW Comics that, literally, set the stage for the events within JJ Abrams’ pretty solid STAR TREK (2009) motion picture. Briefly, everyone whom I know that read that story AND saw the motion picture praised how the two tales worked in sync ; one enhanced the other in such a way that you couldn’t imagine the other being told without it. Because of that success, it was probably only natural that IDW hoped to re-ignite the magic with STAR TREK: COUNTDOWN TO DARKNESS, which presumes the raise the stakes as to what one can expect when STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS opens this summer.

But …

(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary for the discussion of plot and characters. If you’re the kind of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last paragraph for my final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)

… therein lies the problem with this story: it appears – at this point of my awareness with the story (or should I say “the closely guarded possible story”) of STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS makes it almost impossible to deduce what impact the tale told here may have on the journey told then.

The story this far explores the efforts of former captain of the Starship Enterprise Robert April to circumvent Starfleet’s Prime Directive in order to save an entire race from probably extinction. There’s much ado of the adventure highlighting Kirk & his crew’s attempt to thwart April (which they kinda/sorta do – won’t spoil that for you) … but there’s this gnawing sensation in the pit of my stomach that reminds me they didn’t quite save the day. Again, avoiding specifics is paramount (or should I say ‘Paramount’?) here and I won’t ruin it for those who’ve yet to read it; suffice it to say that this story didn’t feel like a complete meal. It felt like a lesser adventure; the stakes weren’t nearly as high as what was presented in the first COUNTDOWN, and, except for some lingering hints of a galaxy-spanning conspiracy to undermine the Federation’s most noble pursuit, I’m not sure how much of this can effectively translate to the story that’s yet to come theatrically.

Still, the story by Roberto Orci and Mike Johnson is interesting. It postulates all of the good ‘morality play’ questions that have populated Star Trek since it began nearly fifty years ago. Some of the moments don’t quite feel true to the spirit of these characters as they were originally designed by Gene Roddenberry, but that may end up being nothing more than this old dog not being able to learn respect for any new tricks.

STAR TREK: COUNTDOWN TO DARKNESS (Part 4 of 4) is published by IDW Publishing Company. The story is by Roberto Orci and Mike Johnson; the art is provided by David Messina, with ink assistance from Marina Castelvetro; the coloring is by Claudia Scarletgothica; with lettering by Chris Mowry. The issue bears a cover price of $3.99, and that’s not too shabby for a tale promising to boldly go where no one has gone before.

RECOMMENDED. Based on what’s come before from IDW and Paramount when they teamed up to do these kinds of stories, I kinda/sorta expected something a bit grander – a bit larger in scope – than what played out in these pages. No, it wasn’t a disappointment; rather, it’s an appetizer for the meal that’s set to come when STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS opens soon. Then, I’ll try to remember to come back and provide a postscript update finalizing my thoughts on how well these brave new worlds mesh once the complete story is told.

Hated it the first time I saw it, I have watched it about 20 times since

Sat, 23 Mar 2013 03:28:50 +0000

What was your first impression? Very negative

Plot summary? A new cast of the characters having the same name is introduced with a new storyline. Kirk and Spock forge a friendship under fire.

What's the bottom line?

There are some bad moments that will turn off many long-term Star Trek fans but if that happens, watch it a few more times and concentrate on the relationships between the main characters.

Considered One of the Weaker Entries in the Trek Universe but still Star Trek

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 01:22:13 +0000

I should start this review by disclaiming a remarkable fact: I purchased the complete series of Star Trek Enterprise a few years back without ever having watched a single episode of the show during its broadcast run. I say this not because I seek your respect, admiration or pity (though were you to insist on either of the first two, I suppose I wouldn't complain) but rather to illustrate a simple point: When it comes to sci-fi entertainment, the Trek legacy has some pretty big shoes to fill as far as I'm concerned.

So the big question you're probably asking yourself is whether or not I feel it was money well spent and I'll be glad to divulge such information but before doing so, let's take a moment to break down the hard facts of the show and its DVD release so as to further determine whether or not this is the set for you, shall we?

Set in the nearby regions of the Milky Way galaxy, during roughly the 2150s (ten years before the United Federation of Planets would be formed), the show follows the adventures of humanity's very first warp 5 capable starship: Enterprise.

According to the mythos, at warp 2, only a handful of inhabited planets were within a year's travel from Earth. But at warp 5, that number increased to ten thousand planets and thus it is the appointed task of Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula) & crew to visit as many of these worlds as possible.

The show debuted September 26 2001 on UPN and ran for 98-episodes spanning a total of 4-seasons (ending on May 13, 2005). Low ratings are credited for its demise and unfortunately the dubious distinction of being the first Star Trek series since the original to have been cancelled by its network rather than finished by producers. It's also the bookend of an amazing run of Trek TV: The last series in an 18-year run of back-to-back new Star Trek shows beginning with Star Trek: The Next Generation in 1987.

That said, I can truly state that I went into the program with absolutely no expectations or predeterminations save for those established during previous Trek incarnations (most notably Next Generation and Deep Space 9). Initially I was a bit let down with the Enterprise formula. The first season, at least in my opinion, struggled to find itself. The cast didn't seem overly believable, the sets were deficient in imagination and perhaps most of all, the prose simply lacked that slightly mind-bending flow of believability that has always been a staple of the Star Trek experience to me.

Granted, I realize that this particular point in the mythos' timeline is supposed to be laced with claustrophobia and marvel considering it represents humanity's first foray into the galactic fold; the episodes themselves were a bit meandering to me with emphasis on action and quick resolve over the technologically brilliant conclusions to seemingly unsolvable dilemmas I'd come to cherish in past Trek efforts.

I made it through the fairly lackluster first season and the initial half of the second, starting to assume this would be the formula for the entire series only to be pleasantly surprised somewhere around the halfway point of the second season. Suddenly it was as if the cast had fallen into rhythm with both the characters they portrayed and interaction with one another. Perhaps even more importantly, however, was the writing seemed to have taken a huge step forward as well.

Episodes became far less reliant upon the gimmick of making the viewer privy to events of historical importance (even those that came off feeling like cheap reenactments) and instead simply dropped the cast of characters into some interesting scenarios where their sharp wits and collaboration became crucial for survival. It didn't hurt that technological explanations and believable science became cornerstones of the formula as well.

By the time the second season concluded, I was quite excited about starting out the third in the hopes of it continuing on with its newfound rhythm. The third season, however, made another radical departure to the recipe, this time becoming a single episode that happens to take an entire season to develop. While this was surely a risky move as far as syndication opportunities are concerned, viewers of the DVDs do get to follow along on a very solid dilemma with high stakes (earth being the target) and a whole bunch of exotic locales, species, alliances and betrayals to keep things interesting.

Once again however I fear the tendency of the show's habit of going one step forward for two steps back rears its head. The third season thread is resolved, well that's not technically correct, ends on a cliffhanger that carries into the fourth (and final) season.

Here we kick things off with an alternate universe scenario that, aside from learning an entire episode was merely a dream, ranks up there as one of my lesser-appreciated cop outs in fiction. This rather odd thread involving World War II era earth carries through for a couple of episodes, returns so stand-alone episode format then returns with but another alternate universe crescendo multi-parter. This time the crew of Enterprise in an alternate dimension, one where violence and ruthlessness reign supreme, happen upon Kirk's Enterprise from the original series (complete with wonky sound effects and 60s-style uniforms) and intend to use the vastly superior tech to overthrow their totalitarian empire. Many of the moments of this particular thread come off as forcefully comedic and, I suspect, not nearly as polished a finished product as it must have seemed on paper.

Then, just when things are at their proverbial darkest hour, the 4th season concludes with an interesting thread centered on human-supremacy groups resorting to terrorist actions to preserve the human-way of life on earth during impending alien cohabitation. I won't give away any spoilers, but let me just say that the final episode of the show takes a clever, fairly brilliant, approach to sending off the crew of Enterprise as only a cast & crew aware that the show has reached its conclusion can.

I suppose if my ramblings and summaries thus far need have amounted to anything, I would hope they resemble a reflection to the fact that the show is a bit inconsistent at best. There are moments sprinkled about its 4-season run that truly hark back to the finer moments of Star Trek's fabled history but unlike say Next Generation, consistent brilliance is simply not a given. However, when Enterprise does hit its marks, and rest assured- it does, it's right up there with the quality and depth of storytelling Trekkers have come to expect from the franchise.

In closing, to those who have endured my rather lengthy critique wondering whether this box set is worth their time and money, I have to say that I did find myself watching the entire program successively in about a year's time including all of the commentary and bonus materials. In even its darkest moments, Star Trek is still superior to just about 99% of all science fiction out there and this show does continue on in that tradition. Though my words may have come off as harsh at times, please do keep in mind that many of the flaws and shortcomings mentioned manifest when compared to the impeccable past Trek incarnations first and foremost. When judged on their own accord (especially against what passes for science fiction television of late), nearly everything I mentioned can be overlooked!

I am glad to have the most recent Trek incarnation taking its rightful place on the entertainment center shelf next to Voyager before it and am hoping, for better or worse, that the powers-that-be get to work on its successor. There is something inherently missing in a world that does not have a current Star Trek series on the air.

The COUNTDOWN Begins!

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 11:19:20 +0000

In early 2009, IDW Comics launched a terrific mini-series called STAR TREK: COUNTDOWN. I couldn’t say how many comic book readers or Star Trek fans read it, but my opinion of it was that the production was stellar from start to finish. In many ways, the mini tremendously complemented what was about to appear theatrically – that being JJ Abrams’ first installment in the Star Trek universe – as the first part of the four-issue basically introduced audiences to the characters who would be explored (to some extent) in the upcoming motion picture. With some smart cameos and some wonderful artwork, COUNTDOWN became a sensation in its own right; and I came across several fans in cyberspace who insisted that JJ and company should’ve included more detail from its pages in the film. I don’t know if that would’ve worked myself; but I’d be a fool if I didn’t state that reading the mini vastly increased my appreciation for the next Trek film.

Now, just this week, IDW may be hoping for lightning to strike twice. The company launched a brand new mini-series titled STAR TREK: COUNTDOWN TO DARKNESS. Again, they’re promising to “set the stage” for characters and events that’ll take to the silver screen when the next film, STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS, premieres in theatres this spring.

(NOTE: the following review will contain spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and characters. If you’re the kind of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last paragraph for my final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)

As fate would have it, Spock is experiencing trouble sleeping. His mind is heavy from the events of the recent past; Vulcan was destroyed, the remnants of his people are scattered across the stars, and his mother was killed in the assault on his home planet. Kirk, too, is experiencing difficulties, as the strain of command is wearing thin on the young captain’s psyche. He’s learned how alone he feels, so much so that he catches himself in casual conversation with the ship’s computer.

Hoping to lose themselves in their work, Kirk and Spock and the rest of the crew arrive at the planet Phaedus, where they’re supposed to conduct a routine observation of a world not yet rewarded with ‘first contact.’ However, much to their surprise, they establish orbit and discover a high-frequency energy field in use – one that vastly surpasses the Phaedans known technology – putting them in a treacherous situation: do they risk accidentally being discovered by traveling to the planet to investigate, or should they simply file a report?

As you can guess, Jim Kirk and his shipmates are never one to pass up on a mystery, and it’s this decision that puts this COUNTDOWN into motion. Their trip to the planet’s surface is not without incident, and what they find may very well change the history of this quadrant as they’ve come to know it!

Sadly, there really is very little substance in this first issue. I say that not as a complaint – rather, it’s just an honest reaction. Much of these events appear to be little more than set-up, bringing the ship and its crew into focus for where they are in the here and now of this story. Spock’s development is relatively predictable, and the frame of mind Kirk finds himself in is not at all unlike that already explored by Captain Christopher Pike in the original (TV) STAR TREK pilot, “The Cage.” In fact, much of Kirk’s log entry (his speaking to the computer) seemed reminiscent of Pike’s speech to his doctor in said episode. Rather than consider this a mistake, I’ll consider it a respectful nod back to the show that spawned the film franchise. I’ve no idea what the writers will make of it, but it’s a nice development.

Lastly, there’s a terrific surprise cameo in the issue’s concluding pages that hopefully will tie in with the pending movie – otherwise, it feels vaguely commercial, if not repetitive in the same way that an older and much wiser Spock played into the timeline of JJ’s first Trek movie. There’s nothing wrong with introducing other characters from the original program into this new period – especially nothing wrong with the emergence of this ‘legend’ only tried-and-true Trek fans will appreciate – and that’s why I’ll definitely be here next month when the second book streets.

I definitely want to know where this journey is heading, and I’m hoping it’ll boldly go where no man has gone before.

STAR TREK: COUNTDOWN TO DARKNESS is published by IDW Publishing Company. The story is written by Roberto Orci and Mike Johnson; the script is written by Mike Johnson; the art is by David Messina; the ink assist (?) is provided by Marina Castelvetro; the colors are by Claudia Scarletgothica; and lettering is by Chris Mowry. The issue bears a cover price of $3.99, not payable in gold pressed latinum or quatloos.

RECOMMENDED. Sometimes, it’s hard to grasp where a comics miniseries could be heading; however, given the overwhelming strength of the first STAR TREK: COUNTDOWN – the one which set-up in some amazing detail the events explored in JJ Abrams’ 2009 STAR TREK film – I’m giving COUNTDOWN TO DARKNESS a bit of a ‘get out of jail’ free card. There wasn’t much to sink your teeth into here – some fairly predictable character developments, but it was all handled with strong focus and excellent artwork – so I’ll keep my fingers crossed that the next issue has a bit more to offer.

Two Great Tastes Don't Necessarily Taste Great Together

Mon, 7 Jan 2013 11:46:26 +0000

Crossovers are not always an easy sell. What might look like a stroke of genius bringing two separate worlds together on the face of it could just as easily backfire, leaving a blemish (or a stink) on both universes. Thankfully, most writers who undertake such a complex task know more than a little bit about both sides of the intended crossover, and this greatly helps facilitate not only the reality of what such a story would, could, and should look like but also it helps suitably iron out the wrinkles of how to get all characters back to where they belong. However, when readers are unfamiliar with both universes (or franchises) presented, the end product really needs to be the best of both worlds … and I’m not entirely certain that’s what IDW delivered with this volume, STAR TREK/LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES (2012).

(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of character and plot. If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last paragraph for my final assessment. If, however, you’re entirely accepting of a few hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)

Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the Starship Enterprise are no strangers to time travel or inter-dimensional travel. Nor are any of the champions serving the Legion of Super-Heroes. When a freak transporter accident AND the collapse of a bubble-craft traveling through space-time coincide at just the right (or wrong!) moment, both teams find themselves stranded on a parallel Earth, one where the Federation exists but its primary mission is to conquer strange, new worlds! Only by seeking out and finding one another can they hope to survive the resulting chaos of their displacement into a completely new universe, and only by cooperating can they hope to separate this new timeline back into separate entities so that they can return home!

As I said above, crossovers had problems already built in to them that writers have to be extremely conscious of, and, unfortunately, STAR TREK/LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES’ scribe Chris Roberson bit off much, much more than any single man should ever attempt to chew. Why do I say that? Well, on the face of it, I’m not entirely sure such a crossover was even a good idea to begin with. The world of Jim Kirk and his crew of explorers represents one possible tomorrow for the people of planet Earth; this is not to say it’s a ‘reality,’ per se, but it has all the makings and variables that several significant elements of it are likely. Of course, it’s fiction (don’t send the men in white coats to my front door just yet, mother dear), but there’s a wealth of science in there – space exploration, the possibility of finding intelligent life, not to mention phasers and tricorders and transporters, oh my – that, while speculative, isn’t beyond the grasp of what’s possible if not probable. However, with the Legion of Super-Heroes … it’s just super-heroes, and, since they’re wholly licensed to the world of the fictional, then why bother?

It isn’t that TREK/LEGION doesn’t have some strong writing because, to be fair, it does. Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Uhura, Sulu, and Chekov come alive – at least as much as they have in any other comic book incarnation. I’m not schooled with the Legion’s crew, but, so far as I can tell, they certainly appear to be legitimate creations. The circumstances that propel these two teams into the same newly-minted universe isn’t all that new or novel, especially considering it’s a variation on themes already explored several times in the TREK world alone … but that’s a minor quibble when considering the entire story at play. As far as the villain goes, you get a solid two-fer (one from the Legion’s background, and a surprising counterpart from a different version of STAR TREK); however, I will say that so very much of the story felt like a retread of other tales already explored.

Granted, this wasn’t what I expected. Still, I hadn’t expected the crossover in the first place … so there’s something to be said for making an honest attempt at a truly unanticipated pairing.

STAR TREK/LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES is published by IDW Publishing. The story is by Chris Roberson; and the artwork is by Jeffrey Moy. The volume bears a cover price of $24.99, and, so far as this reader is concerned, that’s more latinum than these 152 pages are worth.

MODESTLY RECOMMENDED. If you’re a tried and true STAR TREK fan like I am, then you’ll probably enjoy this one enough to make it worth a single read, but there isn’t enough substance (or greatness) to encourage me to ever pick it up again. The Trek characterizations are pretty solid (sorry, but as I’m no fan of the Legion of Super-Heroes, I couldn’t speak to the validity of theirs), and there’re enough guilty pleasure cameo-style appearances to keep in interesting. Personally, I didn’t see that much value in the crossover of these two properties; the way Chris Roberson highlighted so many parallels between the primary six characters used from each franchise, it just didn’t seem all that necessary come the conclusion.

STAR TREK's Mortal Adversary – Brannon Braga – Is Back With A Tepid First Installment in HIVE

Thu, 8 Nov 2012 19:30:25 +0000

You’ll have to pardon me if I seem a bit cynical, but I, like an awful lot of other STAR TREK fans, aren’t exactly all that enamored with Brannon Braga. Yes, as a screenwriter, Braga contributed to some of the THE NEXT GENERATION’s (TNG) legacy, but he also squandered an awful lot of the amassed capital with some horrifically subpar work on STAR TREK: VOYAGER and (even worse) ENTERPRISE, later known as STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE. I won’t belabor the point. I’ll only say that his latest foray into the world of all things Trek gives me the impression that he hasn’t quite learned anything from his days after putting the nail in a much beloved franchise. One can only hope HIVE develops into something a bit more special than what he gave us in this first issue.

(NOTE: The following review will contain spoilers necessary for the discussion of the plot. If you desire only a thumbs up or a thumbs down, then transport yourself down to the last paragraph, and be on your way. Otherwise … prepare to engage!)

Still in command of the Enterprise-E, Captain Jean Luc Picard takes a much deserved holiday with a love interest from the days of his TV adventures. Vash is along for companionship – and we do mean ‘companionship’ as even Vash had admitted that their relationship is only about sex. Still, a fateful whisper in the back of his mind tells the captain that things are amiss somewhere in the galaxy. The Borg have reared their ugly heads again in the Alpha Quadrant, and it’s up to Jean Luc and friends to alert Starfleet that their greatest enemy is coming for …

… for peace?

Maurice Hurley created the Borg in the stellar TNG episode, “Q Who?” Since that introduction, it’s mostly been Braga tinkering and retinkering and re-retinkering and (even) re-re-retinkering with their origins and development. The central premise is that the Borg seek to conquer the galaxy by ‘assimilating’ various species along with the technology and culture into one master race ruled by a Queen and the Hive-mind at her control. By only bugaboo with the Borg is that there never really seemed to be an authentic reason why they’d do this, but methinks that’s why they’re such a great villain: they just do want to do it. Assimilation into the Borg Collective serves to rob the individual of any specific identity, all for the purposes of making the one serve the entire species, and much of it reminds me of today’s progressive Democratic Party. (snicker snicker)

However, with STAR TREK: VOYAGER, Braga and the knuckleheads on his writing team practically devoted the bulk of four seasons into exploring more personally and creatively what the Borg were (how they functioned, where they were mostly from, how they went about their day, etc.) … so much so that, to this viewer, the Borg lost any real ‘teeth.’ With each new adventure, it became easier and easier for the various Starfleet crews to thwart the Borg threat. Granted, a toothless predator is still a predator, but much of the scare is gone. The writers even created Species 8472 – a nemesis that resisted Borg assimilation and, thus, instilled fear into the drone society – which only served to further soften the brutes from emotionless cybernetic hoarders to stock cardboard villainy.

With his new HIVE, Braga seems to have forgotten much of what he’s penned (and supervised) before. He creates yet another all-new species – this one Species 1881, the Voldranaii – who largely function with the exact same backstory as Species 8472 … though they sure have a cooler name! (Ugh.) Then, just as the Borg did when faced with Species 8472, they approach agents of the Federation for the purpose of establishing a ‘compromise’ or a truce under which terms they’d work together with Starfleet. And it even looks like Braga’s decided to revisit characters, themes, and situations he’s plumbed before, bringing Data back into the fold for the purpose of tempting (yet again) the Borg Queen (previously seen in STAR TREK: FIRST CONTACT).

Granted, this is only a first issue, and maybe – maybe – I’m being a bit harsh. But I can’t escape the fact that so much of what took place in these pages feels dramatically like a retread of material already developed by Mr. Braga. Will this affect of the story? Well, that’s up to him. Based on his track record, I’m not holding my breath. See, resistance isn’t all that futile, Mr. Braga. TV Trek died, mostly at your hands, due your arrogance and your open refusal to let capable others play in the Trek universe. Whatever dirt you may have on the management at IDW you no doubt pulled out of a drawer and used to get this gig. Now, they’ve given you a chance, so here’s hoping you don’t screw it all up again.

RECOMMENDED definitely for fans of STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION. Nothing spells cancellation like Brannon Braga, but, despite his participation here, HIVE is worth a read. Clearly, Braga’s lost sight of what he’s penned before as so many elements here harken back to territory and stories already explored in TNG and (especially) STAR TREK: VOYAGER, but, as a Trek enthusiast, I welcome any return to the days of Jean Luc Picard and his crew. I wanted more, but all this delivered was mostly set-up, and nothing all that grand to begin with. Hopefully, Braga’s got something more up his sleeve than this. Only time and further assimilation will tell.

The Changing face of the Enterprise

Sat, 16 Jun 2012 03:35:37 +0000

The Famous USS Enterprise; as a tradition in Starfleet almost all of the Federations Flagships have been called "Enterprise". From the 22nd Century right until the 26th (I Assume). This is just a list of all the Enterprises over the years.

TROUBLESOME MINDS Is One Great Trek into the Worlds of TOS!

Tue, 29 May 2012 17:06:11 +0000

I’ve always loved a great Star Trek book. Not a “good” Star Trek book. But a G-R-E-A-T Star Trek book … and what makes a Trek book into a great Trek book isn’t any mystery to serious Trek enthusiasts like myself: (A) it requires an interesting story; (B) it should focus on Trek relationships as established by canon; and (C) it should be reverent – not worshipful – to the established sentiments already anchored in the best Trek mythologies. As of late, so many authors who’ve dipped their tales from the Trek waters have missed the boat – whether that be by direction of the managers taxed with the Trek publishing franchise or, simply, by misdirection of the authors’ respective talents – but, thankfully, Dave Galanter got it right with his 2009 novel, TROUBLESOME MINDS, an adventure set during the classic TOS days.

Kirk and company are on their way to welcome the Isitri into the Federation when a distress call diverts them from their intended destination: quickly, they rescue the travelers of the wayward craft … only to discover that they’ve inadvertently interfered with a space-based execution. Berlis – a powerful telepath with the skills to subvert an entire civilization’s wishes – was meant to die, but now – at Kirk’s unintentional intrusion into the private affairs of a planet – he’s free to enslave his people in his own telepathic crusade … even if it means the annihilation of a species!

It’s a grand tale told convincingly by an author inspired by the voices of the original crew of the Starship Enterprise. Beneath Galanter’s prose, Kirk and Spock and McCoy (and the rest of the crew, to a lesser extent) come alive as Trek’s “holy trinity” once more as they squabble and debate the merits of their actions. It all looks as sounds as though it’s been lifted from the frames of an unaired episode – secretly lost somewhere in the vaults at Paramount – and only recently discovered. The aliens aren’t too flashy, and the situations aren’t too conflated, but it’s all told with enough vim, vigor, and drama to fit comfortably within established canon. Whereas other authors within Trek publishing have sought to force-fit THEIR version of a Trek tale into the established universe, Galanter exudes confidence at spinning a yarn “not too cold, not too warm, but just right.” Instead of yet another bloated vanity tale from the usual chorus of Pocket Book authors, Galanter goes back to the originals and allows his tale to unfold quickly, seamlessly, and organically … the way a great Trek tale should.

In fact, it’s just what the doctor (McCoy) ordered!

STRONGLY RECOMMENDED. Fans of TOS will have plenty to celebrate with this adventure. Though it’s far from perfect – the prose might be a little too crisp at times for its own good (I read this in two sittings, it’s so quick), and a few creative diversions into the psyches of these classic characters would’ve been greatly appreciated – it’s told at such a breakneck pace you’ll easily forgive a few harmless faults along the way. Maybe you’ll even find yourself enraptured a bit – as I did – in traveling boldly where no one has gone before.

Shatner's THE CAPTAINS Boldly Looks Back Where STAR TREK Has Gone Before

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 20:10:49 +0000

It’s charming – as fans of William Shatner will assure you: ‘the Shat’s a charming guy!’ – and that’s the best that can be said for THE CAPTAINS. It’s a leisurely visit – a warm & welcome chat between the fictional captains who’ve populated the Trek universe. Sure, maybe there’s nothing all that revelatory here, but does there have to be? Instead of yet another dry, stuffing, and dated documentary examining Trek from its position on the pop culture ladder, Shatner’s documentary maintains a relaxed pace strolling through the more personal history of the Star Trek captains.

Shatner conducts interview with Patrick Stewart, Avery Brooks, Kate Mulgrew, Scott Bakula, and even Chris Pine, who took over the center seat as a younger incarnation of the legendary Captain James T. Kirk in Paramount Pictures 2009 STAR TREK relaunch that enjoyed solid box office performance. That I’m aware of, this was the first opportunity for Pine and Shatner to go on the record jointly, and, while there are no ‘shocking’ revelations, it’s still a pleasant visit between two talented men.

As for the other interviews? Everyone’s very cordial, and that’s no doubt the fact that they’ve probably met before at any number of the officially-sponsored conventions that occur regularly each year around the world. STAR TREK is a cultural phenomenon, and it’s very clear that each of these actors holds the franchise in great respect. Here, they get to sound off about how they felt about the responsibility, how they deal with fandom, and even sound off a bit on ways they first got involved in the craft of acting and what their various influences in life have been. While each of them may have some personal reservations about what effect serving Starfleet had had on their careers, they still embrace the reality of their situation with obvious love and charm.

Though I’ve no problem saying it: Avery Brooks (DS9’s Captain Benjamin Sisko) came off looking a little bit of a cuckoo! I remember reading that, last February (2012), Mr. Brooks was pulled over driving while intoxicated, and I have to wonder if that incident wasn’t some time about the time he sat down for his visit with Shatner. Watch the disc, and I think you’ll quite possibly agree!

The disc comes with one bonus feature (“The Making of The Captains”). Sound and picture are acceptable quality, and, clearly, a good time was had by all!

STRONGLY RECOMMENDED for fans of the Star Trek franchise; mildly RECOMMENDED for everyone else

In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to share that the folks at E-One (Entertainment One) provided me with a DVD screener copy for the expressed purposes of completing this review.

My Favorite episodes of Star Trek Voyager

Thu, 1 Mar 2012 18:46:44 +0000

Star Trek Voyager was the Second Star Trek series I started following. Despite the killer technobable I liked Voyager because it was light hearted, and had a bunch of humor. It had some awesome stories to tell, and I liked the Characters. So here's is a list of my favorite Star trek Voyager Episodes.

(A Lunch Featured List)

Check Out my Other list.

My Favorite Episodes of Star Trek Enterprise

My Favorite Episodes of Star Trek Enterprise

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 19:09:51 +0000

Star Trek Enterprise isn't really liked that much by Star Trek fans. Im not to sure why but that's part of the reasons I made this list. So people could check out a few of these episodes before they drew their conclusions. So Enjoy. Just like my Star Trek Voyager list but with Enterprise episodes.

(A Lunch Featured List)

Check out my other list
My favorite Episodes of Star Trek Voyager

Star Trek - The Original Series, Episode 14: The Galileo Seven Quick Tip by TheJohn

Fri, 6 Jan 2012 00:54:54 +0000

Spock must take control of Enterprise crewman after a shuttle crash strands them all on a primitive planet while Kirk must do everything he can to find the shuttle before a deadline is hit and he is forced to abandon his search. Spock must make hard choices with unruly crewman who get more aggravated with his actions.

"Now with the scales properly balanced, we have equal amounts of terror"

Wed, 4 Jan 2012 23:50:50 +0000

Balance of Terror is certainly one of the best episodes of the original series. It featured the first major action scenes with the Enterprise in space, it introduced the Romulans which would become one of the most popular aliens in the series and it dealt with racism in the form of an Enterprise crewman who thinks Spock is in league with the Romulans-the Romulans who killed his family in a war almost a century before hand. It's a loaded deck, has a bittersweet ending and it's treated almost like a submarine movie, or as best as a submarine movie can be in space with no water, but thats why the invisiblity screen was created.

As the episode opens, Kirk is about to wed to crew members in matriomony when an alert sounds from the bridge: Federation outposts are under attack on the border of the Neutral Zone-an area of space that seperates the Federation and the Romulan Star Empire. The Romulans who had a war with the Federation almost a century ago and haven't been heard from since-may be attacking the outposts. The Enterprise moves in to investigate and witness an alien craft destroying another outpost and when a transmission is intercepted from the vessel, we see the Romulans, and they look like Spock which raises the ire in a helmsman whose family died in the Romulan War. Kirk knows the tense situation is now getting worse with war being a possibility.

On the Romulan ship though, the commander is compelled by the war life style of the Romulans to commit these attacks. He does not want another war but the mentality of his people want one and is even pushed into actions he does not want to do by a subordinate officer who would look stronger by attacking the Enterprise when the Commander would not. A scene towards the end of the episode has the Romulan Commander note that in another life, he and Kirk could have even been friends.

Balance of Terror is a Trek classic and showed a step towards a new alien power for the Federation to fight. But then the Klingons would appear in the later season who became the breakout aliens for the series.

Star Trek - The Original Series, Episode 9: Balance Of Terror Quick Tip by TheJohn

Wed, 4 Jan 2012 07:56:26 +0000

Kirk and the Enterprise must follow a Romulan ship which breached Federation space to test it's new weapon as a investigation of Federation strength. Kirk and his Romulan equal must outguess each other in a tense battle, and the first major space battle the series had seen up to that point.

"The old Trek told us of how our lives were playing out as we lived it. Not like the new Voyager "

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 05:22:54 +0000

You gotta love it when Kirk pontificates on then current events. In any other show, it would be preachy or corny, but somehow Trek makes it work.

This is it kiddies. My favorite classic episode. No not the one with Edith Keeler or the Tribbles and may God have Mercy on your soul if you said the one with the hippies. No, this one bay-bee.

The Enterprise is on it's way to respond to a distress call from one of it's sister ships, the Constellation and learn that the region of space that it's in, has no planets, only rocks and debris. Probing further on they find the Constellation-floating derelict in space-attacked by something. Beaming over Kirk finds Commodore Decker the commander alone and in shock on board his ship with no crew. Decker explains to Kirk that he encountered an enourmous robot ship that destroys planets and digests the debris for fuel and cannot be stopped. Decker goes aboard the Enterprise with McCoy for treatment, with Kirk and Scotty staying behind to prepare the Constellation, but the robot attacks again, cutting off Kirk from his ship, and Decker taking command to destroy the robot that killed his crew, even if it means taking the Enterprise down the same doomed road.

The Doomsday Machine is a simple and single minded killer and the Federation has no hope of combating it. Anything it sees, it attacks-friend or foe which Kirk alludes too earlier. Decker got his crew killed and wants revenge and will follow the same plan he did before to stop it with Kirk and Scotty stuck aboard his crippled ship to provide assistance anyway they can.

The Doomsday Machine is also perhaps the most action packed episode of the original series with Decker on his quest for revenge, a corny TOS era fist fight and another ticking clock scenario. I've touched on performances in some of these reviews, but I cannot ignore William Windom as the doomed Commodore Decker, who when Kirk points out that there is no third planet for Decker's crew to take refuge on, Decker's madness compounded with grief pours out:

"THERE WAS! BUT NOT ANYMORE!!"

It's one of the most memorable lines in the series and it's delivered perfectly.

SADLY it is understated by the fact that Decker is FIGHTING a robot ship that eats planets, so- in preperation for the Constellation to be destroyed, he beams his crew down to a PLANET, you know the thing the Planet Killer is EATING to hopefully spare them, only to SHOCK BEYOND SHOCK, learn that the planet killer is EATING they're planet. - but of course it's all an error in judgement as Kirk says.

The Doomsday Machine is truly one of the TOS eras best episodes. Might I also say that I love the original Constellation effect, an ERTL Enterprise Model kit that was blow torched and modded to look like another ship. Proof why practical effects will always better then CGI. Not to say that the CGI in the remastered episode doesn't look cool.

"You will make an episode with great characters and performances then leave out something important"

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 03:57:30 +0000

Another one of those classic Trek episodes that everyone knows about-the one with the insane man who comes aboard and knows something evil is going on down below on the benevolant planet. The head Doctor sounding so saccharine that you KNOW he's up to no good, the sexy doctor who goes with Kirk down to the planet and it's another episode where there was plenty of things taken in a classic South Park episode.

The Enterprise just dropped off some supplies to a state of the art mental hospital, but a patient has snuck aboard and demands asylum from Kirk. Sedated-the man tries to give information about what goes on at the colony but his dementia won't let him get it all out. Kirk take the Enterprise back to the colony with a lovely doctor to take a closer look at whats going on and find out some unsavory acts are being committed with a new treatment device.

There is a lot about this episode that I like. If I didn't make it clear above, Marianna Hill as Helen Noel has got to be one of the sexiest women ever in the show's run. Morgan Woodward as the insane Simon VanGelder, the man who gets aboard the Enterprise is really effective at playing a crazy man without being too caricaturish. James Gregory as Dr Adams is so dripping with niceness, you KNOW he's evil-playing into the benevolent future of Star Trek and Kirks' assertions to Bones that new mental hospitals are not the dungeons of old, and Helen and Kirk's experimentation on how the treatment machine works is memorable and again it's a story where the a strategy and some thought will win the day, but with a little action mixed in.

Now, here is where I gotta dock this episode, and Charles review below sums it up in the title. Why is Dr. Adams doing what he is doing? For the evulz? For reasons left on the cutting room floor? Weird experiments? Yes, we see some pretty vapid faces walking around the institution but what does Adams gain? We don't know other then we can chalk it up to a pretty twisted man at work, but one we don't know why.

Dagger of the Mnd is also special for the first time Spock uses his Mindmeld, and it's used on Van Gelder with caution that Spock's mind could be damaged. It was a on the spot creation so that the story could proceed and added considerabbly to how awesome Spock and the Vulcan's could be. How boring would it be if the say was saved by some lame computer.

Course if you ask Bones Spock IS a computer, with green blood.

Damn racially insensitve Star Trek characters. Oh who am I kidding, I love Dr. McCoy.

Star Trek - The Original Series, Episode 11: Dagger of the Mind Quick Tip by TheJohn

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 02:35:11 +0000

A delivery to a mental institution has a patient escaping on board to the Enterprise and wanting asylum. A great episode with a wonderful mystery sadly ruined by no clear definition as to why this is going on.

This "grup" won't "foolie" you.

Wed, 28 Dec 2011 05:05:56 +0000

In my years learning about Trek, this one episode always came up. The planet that looks like Earth with all the kids who act strange. The disease. The title of the episode pulled from a character. From my Trek Encyclopedias to references made in a South Park episode which takes slang and ideas from this show-I always wondered about it, but never got a chance to see it and learn what the fuss was about. Till now.

The Enterprise finds a radio signal sent from a planet, not just any planet an Earth like planet and no not even one with similar size and atmosphere, IT'S JUST LIKE EARTH with a North American continent, boot shaped Italy, EVERYTHING. Beaming down with the trifecta of Kirk, Spock and McCoy-Rand and two redshirts we see a decayed civilization and Spock theorizes that it is modeled after 60's America. Stranger and stranger. The first person they see is a diseased man who attacks them, followed by the preteen Miri who was hiding. There are only kids left and all the adults are dead or diseased. The rest of the kids are hiding and like the Who, won't get fooled again by the "grups" who "foolied" them.

I'll just say it here, the cop out on the sets to save money by making this planet "just like Earth" is the only weak point. Sadly Trek did this a few more times.

The children as it turns out age years at a time yet stay young, but upon reaching physical adolecance, start to get sick and the landing party is infected. Under quarantine, the crew stay below to find a cure from the leftover notes and the children start to plot against the "grups" so they don't get attacked anymore. In the meantime, Miri who is actually quite old has a crush on Kirk, which makes Rand jealous-but when Rand breaks down and confesses to Kirk her attraction to him while showing her boils of illness, it causes a schizm with Miri. It's strange to see small romance between a thirty year old man and a young child like Miri handled the way it is, unlike things like Child Bride or even the anime Please Teacher! but thankfully it's kept cute and doesn't get creepy.

The other children, led by Michael Pollard are what makes things erie and you only thought wild children were only scary in something like Lord of the Flies, which this almost is.

"Miri" is one of the greats of season 1. Atmosphere, a ticking clock and using brains and not brawn to win the day. Though had Kirk given that "bump bump" kid in the blue 5 or 6 good licks with his belt for being a nuisance. Course Miri might ask if it is as unpleasant as a kiss from Kirk.

see, what I did there I made a True Grit ref........oh never mind.

Star Trek - The Original Series, Episode 12: Miri Quick Tip by TheJohn

Wed, 28 Dec 2011 04:32:58 +0000

The Enterprise lands on an Earth like planet only to discover children of advanced age and all the adults gone. Great episode with a tense atmosphere where the only spot is the budget of shooting on location to explain the "Earth Like" planet.

Supreme Shat

Tue, 27 Dec 2011 22:03:33 +0000

This episode is a classic. It's the infamous "Good Kirk and Evil Kirk" episode. It's also noteworthy of bringing to light that this is where we get to see both sides of William Shatner's acting skills. His full on clipped voiced, ham eating finest, and his softer and dramatic skills. This single episode proves on both sides that Shatner is full of camp and skill and not just one or the other, but it does show that he has range.

The episode begins with a survey mission on a planet where night is approaching and the temperatures are starting to drop sharply. A transporter accident however brings up Captain Kirk and duplicates him. One a softer passionate man and another rife with aggression and hot blood. Passionate Kirk is off to relax and kick back after the mission, but the other one goes for some booze and tries to rape Rand. When the accident is learned of, the Transporter needs to be repaired and that means Sulu and the rest of the landing party is stranded. Why not use the shuttle? Cause they weren't invented at this time yet.

The main message of the story is that we need good and evil to remain balanced. The good side may have thoughtful actions, love and a straightforward line of thought, but the bad side has the strength to make hard decisions and lead in times of trouble. Put together, they form a complete man. The episode sets this up well but dwells a little too long.

The Enemy Within is a strong episode but stays put too long which includes a few too many reminders that Sulu and the other crewman will freeze to death if the transporters aren't fixed in time to pad things out. William Shatner fans will surely like what he has to offer here and the Good Kirk, Evil Kirk has been a trope for a long time. I cannot end this review though without mentioning the Monster Dog that is used in the episode and how PETA would object to a dog in make up in this episode, let alone that implication that they experimented on the dog with the transporter. Maybe I'm overthinking this.

Star Trek - The Original Series, Episode 5: The Enemy Within Quick Tip by TheJohn

Tue, 27 Dec 2011 21:41:16 +0000

Transporter mishap leaves Kirk divided between his passive and compassionate milquetoast self and an aggressive, angry and savage monster self all the while Enterprise crewmen are stranded on a rapidly freezing planet. Sluggish at times but gives the fans of Shatners camp antics and his serious dramatic side a chance to shine.

"Dad, let me take the Enterprise to the Pearl Jam concert, or I'll make Spock dissapear!"

Mon, 26 Dec 2011 04:13:27 +0000

Teenage adolescence is both awesome and horrifying. You start to have sexual feelings, think about the future and enjoy those times with your friends before they leave for school and maybe even a job. The other side of the coin can include some alienation to older people who may not take you seriously cause you are still "just a kid" your body changes in odd ways and it IS the first sign of growing up where you gotta let go of those days of being a kid and start taking life seriously. No one taught this to Charlie Evans, the title character of this episode and when you learn he has been abandoned for most of his life, and is a teenager. He has feelings that are developing but his mounting frustration makes him lash out in lethal ways.

The Enterprise has met up with a cargo ship that found young Charlie living among himself. Charlie seems out of place having been living alone so long but sees Kirk like a dad to give him advice. His first sight of a woman is the lovely Janice Rand and is instantly smitten with her. Ol' Charlie needs to ask Jim why it's impolite to slap Rand on the ass at one point.

Slowly but surely as anything else, Kirk and Spock get to sense that Charlie is dangerous. It's hinted at when they learn the ship that delivered Charlie suddenly is destroyed but further hammered home when Charlie makes a crew member dissapear solely for laughing at him when Kirk and Charlie work out. Charlie's emotions are in full teenager swing and angst and anyone who starts to upset him can meet an end. Kirk can't simply shoot Charlie, a danger to his ship cause Charlie made the phasers dissapear and attempts to trap him fail since Charlie can immobilize anyone arround him. Sending him to an Earth colony will not only endanger the inhabitants but the Enterprise could meet a fate similar to the ship that previously brought Charlie. It looks like Kirk is stuck with this teenage brat and will have to wheather his tantrums and outbursts. Or will he?

I may not have a child, let alone one who is a teenager but as much as I did want to see Kirk outsmart this kid, you do feel for Charlie at the same time. He's not mean so much as he is misunderstood and being thrust into civilization after so long is hard.

It's hard for all of us Charlie, and if you think about it: Star Trek back in 1966 predicted the High School shooting.

Star Trek - The Original Series, Episode 8: Charlie X Quick Tip by TheJohn

Mon, 26 Dec 2011 03:48:03 +0000

Teenager from hell comes aboard the Enterprise and bonds to Kirk as a father figure and Rand as someone to fawn over. Couple this with deadly mind powers and this is one kid you don't mess with when he asks for keys to the starship or wants to have a party on board. Kirk manages to not look weak to the kid and must find a way to outsmart him.

Worst Episodes of Deep Space Nine

Fri, 2 Dec 2011 04:17:09 +0000

Deep Space Nine had some great mood, tension and action at times, and others....it could be as bad as any of the other shows. Heres the worst episodes from each season.

Star Trek Openings

Thu, 3 Nov 2011 02:10:57 +0000

Star Trek has been on TV for years and years and with every new series comes a new opening credit sequence. This is a list of them all .

My favorite Star Trek Ship Classes.

Wed, 2 Nov 2011 01:32:46 +0000

I love Star Trek and the ships of the various series. Here is a list of some of the my favorite ships from the show.

USS Enterprise NCC 1701-E Quick Tip by TheJohn

Wed, 2 Nov 2011 00:57:29 +0000

It's made 3 appearances in Star Trek and only one was great. Can't win em all. Considerabbly more stylish and tougher looking then it's previous incarnation.

Klingon K'T'inga Class Battle Cruiser Quick Tip by TheJohn

Wed, 2 Nov 2011 00:48:49 +0000

Awesome looking ship of the Klingons. Wasn't featured enough in the movies or shows.

Constitution (refit) class Cruiser Quick Tip by TheJohn

Wed, 2 Nov 2011 00:44:09 +0000

One of the most beautiful looking and classic ships of science fiction.

The bridge has the big screen on it, maybe we can stream The Wrath of Khan on it.

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 08:08:10 +0000

In the world of Star Trek, there are many names that come to mind as far as who made the show such as Gene Roddenberry and DC Fontana and Herbert Justman and then of course the stars like William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy. Flash forward a good number of years and other names like Jeri Taylor and Rick Berman come to mind............which in part led to JJ Abrahms helping to bring Star Trek back to life again after too much stagnation, but JJ wasn't the first one to do this. Back in 1982 or so, there were two others who had to give the kiss of life to Star Trek. One was producer Harve Bennet, and the other is Nicholas Meyer-whose quick writing and quick work helped get the second Star Trek movie back on track, and to this day is still considered the best of the Trek films by many. It wasn't his film, and he had more to make and work on.

Nicholas Meyer is one of those names that you never really hear too much about, especially outside of his Star Trek forte. He has made other movies either by writing screenplays or directing and some consider the work as good, and some of it is considered bad. Coming into Star Trek when he did "Is that the show with the guy with pointy ears?" he already had some movie work under him and some books and after Star Trek II jumped into the world of TV with the nuclear horror movie The Day After which triumphed when aired and from there would work on screenplays, fight to have his work being transformed by others, have his work thrown in a pile and forgotten about and finally more Star Trek before going back into the world to write some more.

If I found a failing in the book, it's that Meyer will be talking about some of his works like an adaption of Don Quixote or a movie he made called Company Business getting a royal shafting at the box office and the stories come up short. No real anecdotes or stories about making the movies. Whether the experience was too painful to talk about, or Meyer saw no point in dwelling on the pain in a book about movies few saw or work that was never made, because if he was going to do that, Nicholas Meyer would have his own internet review show.

The sections about his work on The Seven Per-Cent Solution is far more detailed as is his work with Star Trek and Time After Time. You can tell that Meyer is proud of his work because it's a point that his work will be called by a higher up as genius and that any unnecessary fiddling irks him considerably. This is best pointed in the best part of the book, in the chapter about making The Day After where two suits and he sit down to edit the screenplay he agreed to work on. "If they are going to edit it, why not do it BEFORE they hired me?" It's a good question.

While Star Trek is only a fraction of his career, it is arguably his most popular having co written Star Treks 2, 4 and 6 and directing 2 and 6 (Hey, those are EVEN numbered Trek films aren't they........wonder where the even number rule comes from.....) and while he is proud of his work, I do get the sense that he is comfortable with his place in Trek's history and lives up to his own words. He mentions it in the book in so many words that Gilbert and Sullivan may not have always gotten along and tried to work apart, but what we remember is Gilbert and Sullivan. The stars of Star Trek for better or worse with it's original stars, warts and all is what we remember them for no matter what else they did or shows that they acted on. What we remember is Star Trek and we will remember them for it.

I will always remember Nicholas Meyer in that regard because I will always remember Star Trek.

Best Episodes of Deep Space Nine

Fri, 1 Jul 2011 04:17:15 +0000

Deep Space Nine, by Trek fans is often called the best of the show even though it's pop culture flags are much smaller then those of TOS and TNG. Much like my favorites list for TNG, I'm going to take one episode a season for my favorites list.

Trek's first clip show, and it's last.

Wed, 1 Jun 2011 02:48:04 +0000

No one likes clip shows. Even if the clips are good, all it reminds you of why you couldn't be watching the episodes the clips came from instead of the clip show. It's not even like it's a "best of" since not all the clips are always good.

Shades of Gray is TNGs only clip show and I don't think there really is another example of a clip show in all of Trek which shows how odious this is. TOS had "The Menagerie" which at least utilized the episode of the unused pilot episode into the proceedings to make an episode which showed some creativity. No such luck here.

Season 2 was infamous for some real clunker episodes, lets go over a few of them:

"The Child" which opens the season had the crew in transition at the start but focuses on a plot having Troi being impregnated by an alien beam of light which many people took as being at best a weak story line and at worst, rape.

"The Outragouse Okona" showcases a would be charmer who got himself involved with the politics of two worlds while Data learns comedy from that comedic genius himself, Joe Piscopo.

"The Dauphin" has little Wesley Crusher falling in love with a cute young woman who will bring a warring world to piece while being looked after by a cranky old woman. Wesley in love......BARF.

"The Royale" has Riker, Worf and Data being trapped in an alien recreation of a bad pulp casino and hotel. Could have been fun.

"Up The Long Ladder" has the Enterprise crew interacting with a family of Irish colonists who are so stereotyped it could have come from an episode of Family Guy. A second story involved illegal cloning but it's almost an after thought.

"Samaritan Snare" The one where the aliens kidnap Geordi and say "We are strong.....our ship is broken, make it go!" You know the one.

All of those episodes came from this season. Does this season sound good? Other then a few winners like "Where Silence Has Lease" "Q Who?" "Elementary Dear Data" "The Measure of a Man" "A Matter of Honor" and a few others, season 2 stunk and the clip show doesn't help.

I'll admit that the episode COULD have gone somewhere at the start with Riker being infected by a parasite, but the silly premise of having to stimulate memories in Riker to get the clips going is goofy. I can sympathize with a budget problem and a potential writers strike but even we could have had something so cheap made like a "ship loses power via invisible alien force" episode and pad it out and it would have at least been decent. It wouldn't have been clips at least.

Shades of Gray only great marker in people's minds is that it's the last time we saw Dr. Pulaski as her character was written off the show so that Dr. Crusher could return. Hey, seeing the lovely Gates McFadden come back is the bright light at the end of this gray tunnel.

Hmmm, break Starfleet's chief law or kill the most annoying character on board............

Thu, 26 May 2011 04:51:54 +0000

Star Trek The Next Generation may have been a landmark show but looking at it's first two seasons, you wouldn't know that. While things improved slightly in season two before going into season 3 when the show miraculously became awesome, you had to deal with season 1 which was full of so much sanctimoniousness and smugness it would make George Clooney blush. Not to mention that it had so many appearances of the prime offender of the show and a reason why demographics can suck: Wesley Crusher. It's bad enough that he was pretty annoying early on (before becoming only a little annoying) but that he was always saving the Enterprise's ass when the ship is supposed to be staffed by the best and brightest in all of the Federation. Thats embarassing. Hard to get behind a crew when some teenager is always saving the bacon from the fire.

ANYWAY where am I going with all of this? Oh yeah, the episode Justice which could be one of the worst episodes in the whole run of TNG.

The show starts with the Enterprise visiting an out of the way planet after just completing a heavy colonization on a neighboring system. Normally Starfleet doesn't interact with the peoples of different worlds in danger of the risk of contaminating they're society or influencing them in different ways, but an exception is made since it's a tropical and idyllic little place with nice weather and plenty of skimpilly dressed hardbodies who are all tanned, oiled and free and easy. Tasha even backs up that last part, of course. What else did she do on the show? Besides die.

Anyway, Wesley even goes frolicking on the planet and accidentally breaks a window. Apparently this is harm and foul and the inhabitants have only one real punishment: kill the offender. Wesley of course is alarmed and taken into custody after Riker interferes. Picard is now charged with what to do: Risk annoying the overseer of the planet, not to mention breaking Starfleet's Prime Directive to save Wesley's life, the son of Beverly Crusher, a widower and friend to Picard, not to mention that the crew was unaware of the rules and would have been more careful. What to do?

If it wasn't for the scene where Beverly pleads with Picard to save Wesley, there would have been no drama or care in this episode since they are talking about a character whose death would have been met with great apathy or celebration from the audience. They shouldn't have been on the planet, let alone Wesley be on the planet and then you are talking about the Prime Directive before Voyager ruined it and made it okay for genocide. Sorry, but such a one sided issue fails to generate interest in me, thats one crime, a second would be Brenda Bakke looking ugly in that blonde curly do, and the third should be obvious.

Least Favorite Episodes of TNG

Thu, 26 May 2011 04:06:13 +0000

A while back, I made a list of what I thought of as my favorite TNG episodes. Time for the ugly side of the coin, what I think are the worst. I'll pick an episode a season and while there may be other bad episodes that season (1 and 2 especially) the ones here are the ones I usually think of when I think of the worst.

Star Trek Generations Quick Tip by Trekscribbler

Wed, 4 May 2011 18:48:45 +0000

I've always been a fan of Star Trek, primarily on the small screen, but this silver screen crossover for THE NEXT GENERATION crew -- with a bit of baton-passing from select members of the classic cast -- didn't quite work for me after its wonderful 20-minute, big picture opening with the (apparent) death of legendary Captain James T. Kirk. Over the course of the picture, we learn that Kirk isn't dead, that he sucked into a temporal Nexus, where he can emerge and help save ... life as we know it one last time? No: he only saves the lives of the crew of the Enterprise D, and I think that is, perhaps, the greatest misstep in this picture (outside of the inevitable death scene). Kirk and company were always meant for grander adventures, not just saving another ship and crew. They were heroes intent on preserving life as we know it, and GENERATIONS falls miserably short on that mark. Continuity (within the film) strays between two differing versions of crew uniforms until the point it becomes a distraction. Also, who in the hell authorized the lighting aboard the Enterprise D? When did all of the bulbs blow out and why was this never explained in the plot? Horribly photographed and ill-paced, GENERATIONS is the little picture that could, enraging one legion of Trek fans and enlightening others. It will be an argument for the Trek ages, one that will never reach a satisfactory conclusion b/c 'the man' is still dead when the pictures over.

Star Trek - The Next Generation, Episode 35: The Measure Of A Man Quick Tip by Trekscribbler

Tue, 3 May 2011 17:07:17 +0000

Commander Data is to be 'retrieved' by famed Starfleet scientist Commander Bruce Maddux for ... disassembly?

This exceptional morality play about the nature of existence has wonderful depth for being a mere forty-plus minutes. In record time, it manages to deal with such titillating sci-fi subjects as the man vs. machine controversy, a person's right to choose, and even slavery.

Brent Spiner, as Commander Data, is at top form in this episode, given perhaps the greatest story possible: a story tinkering with a hidden sense of euthanasia and his right, as a manufactured being, to make the choices that determine his fate. Picard Stewart, as his captain and defense attorney in court, gives an incredibly stirring speech about the nature of epistemology.

Another must-see ... but not just for Trek fans.

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Quick Tip by Trekscribbler

Sun, 1 May 2011 23:00:54 +0000

STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN.

I remember it well. Despite the predominantly youthful audience, you could still hear a pin drop during Spock's death scene. The film works so well on so many levels but the single greatest reason STII is revered by so many Trek enthusiasts worldwide is b/c it is, perhaps, the only Trek film to celebrate the passion of life and death so poignantly. If you haven't seen it, do so ... even if you're not of the Trek variety.

Star Trek: Preserver Quick Tip by Trekscribbler

Sun, 1 May 2011 16:24:01 +0000

Shatner's books (ghost-written with the Reeves-Stevens) do stand apart from the other Trek books ... but since THE ASHES OF EDEN, the books have paled by comparison to one another.

PRESERVER re-establishes Captain Kirk to his proper place in the Trek mythos ... and it re-establishes the team of Shatner, Judith & Garfield Reeves-Stevens to their place of authority in the Trek publishing circle.

PRESERVER is, at times, befuddling and frustrating ... much like the lessons of life, the one central theme in all of the book. It's a tale told at a brisk pace and a narration rising to an incredible climax ... making the reader question, much like Captain James T. Kirk does better than any other fictional character his age, "what precisely are we here for?"

An excellent read.

Spock (TOS) Quick Tip by TheJohn

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 05:15:21 +0000

One of the most famous television characters ever. Awesome....logical.

If it was called Spock's BRAN, there could have been a cereal tie in.

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 07:54:53 +0000

Spock's Brain. Offen a contender with "The Way to Eden" as the worst episode of Classic Trek. I much perfer Spock's Brain for many reasons and the chief one being that Spock's Brain doesn't have hippies.

The Enterprise has encountered a unique alien vessel and before they can study it further, an alien woman transports aboard and disables the crew. Once awake, McCoy learns a horror that Spock's brain has been stolen and Spock is on emergency life support. Tracking the trail of the vessel, The Enterprise comes to a planet where they belive Spock's brain is and discover a strange primitive culture of men on the surface and a seemingly advanced culture of women underneath.

The antagonists need Spock's Brain to keep they're master computer running underneath the surface to keep they're society running. Kirk of course has to break it to them that it's wrong to take someone's brain. This episode is so silly that you half expect it to be played in preschools for kids.

Spock's Brain is killed on two counts. Seeing a unmarked plain button controller steering around Spock in a most undignified fashion and the line "BRAIN AND BRAIN, WHAT IS BRAIN?!" by the brainless miniskirted space babe. If I'm not mistaken she says it at least twice and you can taste the ham each time. For what it's worth, Spock's Brain is at least a little fun and has no hippies.

Spock's Brain (ST OS) Quick Tip by TheJohn

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 07:23:31 +0000

Miniskirted alien women steal Spock's Brain to power a computer. Not as awful as you've heard but it's signature line that you'll take away form the episode is pretty lame.

Troi's in charge? Well the title is right then.

Fri, 25 Mar 2011 18:05:30 +0000

I kid, I kid. Rather her in charge then flying the ship. Watch out for that planet in Generations.

Season 5 was certainly one of TNG's better years and there was no shortage of great episodes but to pick only one as my favorite.......which one? I Borg? Cause and Effect? hey great episodes one in all but my pick would have to be Disaster and it's far from it's title.

The Enterprise is struck by an energy field which has disabled and damaged the entire ship. Troi is on the bridge and left in charge with a yin and yang in O'Brien and Ro to deal with as far as how to handle the emergency when Troi lacks experience. Beverly and Geordi are stuck in a cargo bay with a radioactive fire to deal with before it detonates some hazardous material, Worf is in Ten Forward and must contend with Keiko going into labor with no doctors around and Riker and Data must crawl through the bowels of the ship to engineering to repair the damage to the ship. Picard is injured in the turbolift with his arch nemesis: children.

The action yo yos successfully between our heroes and seeing how they deal with emergencies like Worf using his limited medical knowledge to deliver Keiko's baby or Troi feeling (no pun intended) her way through a tense situation on the bridge. The best has to be Picard in the turbolift. Captain Picard, a man who has stared down alien warlords and other hostile situations looks bothered by having to babysit some elementary school kids who are trapped with him. It could explain why in later episodes he has a softer touch when it comes to kids.

There is no antagonist short of Ro and O'Brien debating how to handle the shipwide crisis with Troi having to decide between them. Ro belives in practicality and cutting off a thumb to save the hand whereas O'Brien insists on compassion and consideration for the crew. Put in the same situation, we can see how either side could be right.

Disaster is a great ensemble piece for TNG and yes there are better episodes but when it came to thinking up that great season 5 episode, this is the one I always think of first on it's sheer entertainment merit and story. It is far from a disaster.

Damn kids and they're warp field experiments

Fri, 25 Mar 2011 17:36:41 +0000

If there was a neglected character on TNG, most people would say it's Troi, but oh no, it's Crusher. The Enterprise D's lovely auburn haired doctor didn't get many episodes devoted to her character and while she did get screen time in plenty of episodes for being-well the Doctor, it wasn't often was there an episode focusing on her and when there was, it could be lackluster efforts like Sub Rosa or Higher Ground.

You get to see Dr. Crusher very frequently in this episode as it centers around her, her friends and crew mates who seem to be disappearing before her eyes, and shes the only one who notices. At one point it's even funny to see Data, the ships android who doesn't forget a thing remark that he doesn't know who Worf is, or that when it's only Captain Picard and her, that "The Enterprise never needed a large crew before" when the ships normal complement is over 1000 people. It seems that Wesley's experiments in warp drive created an alternate universe that is slowly evaporating and Wesley needs to find a way to rescue his mother but he'll need help, in that someone from Wes's past appears.

No villain unless you count your own mind with the talk of thought in relation to warp drive can be connected and that's how Beverly got trapped in the first place. This episode has a great boil at the end with Beverly putting pieces together to try and learn where she is and escape from impending doom while the rest of the crew tries to save her.

A great episode. After a set up with Beverly trying to find her missing friend and snowballing into the whole ship, it ends with a bang. I wish they had used Beverly in more episodes, hell this one episode she does more then in any of the movies. I'm glad they finally remembered Beverly.

Here there be giant faces, not dragons

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 22:52:53 +0000

Very few people will defend the second season of TNG as a masterpiece but many will argue that the series did at least get a footing here. Much like the first season there were good episodes and bad episodes and even a terrible one or two. This one for me is in the former.

The Enterprise is investigating an area of space resembling a void, or a hole in space. No sensor readings are provided and there is no information available. Probes fail and moving closer causes the void to "eat" the Enterprise. Startled at first, the Crew begins to study the phenomenon but tension starts to rise when the Enterprise crew learns that they can't escape and efforts to escape only result in them chasing red herrings. Picard soon realizes the Enterprise is being tested by someone, or something. When that thing reveals themself, with a very unpleasant intent.

The antagonist is a one shot creature for Star Trek having never revealed himself again and was a very different creature as far as the monster of the weeks go, an entity who lives in the hole in space. Who knows where else he could go to or others he has met. He has a interest in humanoids and they're mortality and Picards strategy in the end is interesting for both sides involved.

The atmosphere is spooky at times and a lot of that is helped by the lack of the pink colored lighting on the bridge in the first season. The exploration of another Federation vessel is especially fun and weird. There are a few quirks like Worf's more alien attitude but I perfer that to his later "Klingon" incarnation when the whole Klingon culture of Trek got super charged and of course Pulaski is on board who people immediately turned off to when they saw her and she still has her anti Data philosophy which was an attempt to make her more like Dr. McCoy from the original series and his bouts with Spock.

Where Silence Has Lease would have been remembered by more people if it was part of the third or fourth season instead of just being a part of the second. It maybe a bottle show, but it sure is a good one.