http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7EIL1AhN2Q

T.J. Hooker is an energetic 50-year-old guy, who looks like he thinks he looks a lot younger. There are actors who fit that description but not Chris Pine.

Isn’t that the truth?

It’s as if Michael Bay said to us all, “If you think I’ve blown stuff up before—what until you see what I’ve done now.”

My boys can’t get enough of that sort of thing, and their demographic always seems to speak the loudest at the box office.

popularity=what have you done lately

One can say “Star Trek” IS more popular, but that can all change overnight, by any estimation.

I seriously doubt Hooker could spin off a whole new franchise that would compete with Star Trek on any level, then again, I would not have thought some transforming toys incorporated into an insipid plot would out-gross some of the biggest and most revered franchises of all time either.

Well, if your question is really ‘who suggested that there was a chance that TJ Hooker was more popular than Kirk?’ , then the answer is: you did, as I understood it.

I realize that I actually typed “Star Trek” instead of “Kirk” by mistake, but the reply was meant to be to post #122.

Your contention was that a question exists as to whether TJ Hooker is more popular than Kirk, and then went on to cite the run and comparative popularity of Hooker vs. Trek as the basis for such a question.

(from post #122)
“The REAL question is, which is more popular, Kirk or Hooker? Only the box office can decide that.”

If you think it is as ridiculous a suggestion as I do, then why would it be a question at all—-much less the “real” question?lol

“If it beats Star Trek’s B.O. (by some fluke), then there’s your popularity.”

Even then, I wouldn’t concede that.

That would suggest only that the two individual films’ popularity would be in favor of the TJ Hooker comedy—-not that the two characters of Hooker and Kirk would necessarily favor the former.

“…prior to 6 months ago, Star Trek wasn’t very popular…either.”

I think that would be discounting staying power and cultural icon status.

Star Trek featuring Kirk has spanned 79 epsiodes and 8 feature films, as well as spawning 4 live action spinoffs, 22 animated episodes, about a thousand books, and 3 other spinoff films—all over a period of more than 43 years (all of which have seen the original 79 episodes in successful syndication).

TJ Hooker lasted for three seasons in prime time on ABC, one on late night CBS (for a grand total of less than 90 hours of mid-80’s television), and a few years in syndication (of which there has been none at all in the last 4 years, and prior to 2005, very little at all).

It’s not even close. This movie could have to do TDK-type numbers and I still wouldn’t consider the prospect of that character being more popular than Kirk.

To stick with your example scenario, what that would mean to me is that Will Smith is simply more popular than Pine—and that’s hardly the same thing as saying that TJ Hooker is more popular than Kirk.

I do too. Who said that?

But if box office is all that’s required for success, here’s a scenario:

If almost every Star Trek fan (at least the TOS ones) go see a T.J. Hooker film just to see William Shatner in it, that gets them a solid box office foundation right there.

Then, they cast a big star (Will Smith?) who will also attract a certain amount of box office, give Heather Lockleer a cameo, plus add the original fans of Hooker who were neither Trek fans nor Shatner fans and there’s your success.

If it beats Star Trek’s B.O. (by some fluke), then there’s your popularity.

It’s all perception. As of right now? No, by all empirical evidence Hooker is not currently as popular as Trek. But prior to 6 months ago, Star Trek wasn’t very popular since Enterprise either.

Abrams can re-imagine “Court-Martial”, and Denny Crane can take the place of Samuel T. Cogley in defending Kirk…and sometime during the confrontation between Kirk and the villain, said villain could attempt to escape in a shuttle—-and both Kirk and Denny Crane could jump on the hood of the shuttle while Quinto and Heather Locklear (who sleeps with both Kirk and Crane along the way) try to prevent the bay doors from opening.

I’m telling you…that’s box office gold!!! :)

okay, sarcasm doesn’t work! I’ll have to see if you’ll nibble at something more subtle! :>)