Star Trek stars are no strangers to the world of voice-over and narration and with all that practice at technobabble, they are naturals for narrating documentaries on space, science and technology. The latest is Next Gen’s Jonathan Frakes who is narrating a new show on The History Channel called "That’s Impossible" The show airs Tuesday (with two episodes airing tonight). See below for a clip.
Frakes seeks out the impossible
That’s Impossible debuted last week and airs Tuesdays at 10PM on the History Channel (with additional repeats during the next week). Each episode looks at the feasibility of a seemingly impossible technology. The first episode, "Invisibility Cloaks" looked at the science of invisibility and cloaking devices, including a few references to Star Trek (see clip below). That episode repeats tonight at 11PM. This week’s new episode, "Real Terminators", looks at the latest research into robotics and artificial intelligence.
So far there are a total of four episodes of That’s Impossible announced, each narrated by Jonathan Frakes. Future episodes will look at "Weather Warfare", "Eternal Life"
For more info, visit History.com
Sweet! Frakes on TV!
Sounds like an interesting show, might have to check it out!
P.S. Bollocks to all that first nonsense!
I am glad to see him back on television in some form. I always enjoyed his “whimsical” portrayl of Riker .. always fun to see someone who you know is a “cut-up”.
Frakes looks great!
Let’s see, Shatner, Picard, Dorn, Takei, Nimoy, Brooks and now Frakes… has any other TREK alum done voice overs for documentaries?
(something tells Burton has too, but not sure)
It’s always nice to see our friends doing real life stuff.
my wife has pointed out Frakes’ resemblance to Orson Welles (both as they were young and old, tho Frakes has yet to put on so much weight). unfortunately for Frakes, he doesn’t have the voice that Orson did, but he is a good narrator.
MC1 Doug,
I could swear Spiner’s done something, but I can’t find it on Wikipedia or IMDB, so I’m not sure.
As for the show itself, I love it. Tonight’s was about artificial intelligence. It’s one of those things that makes you think that just because we CAN do something, doesn’t necessarily mean we SHOULD do something. They kept referencing Terminator throughout the program, and eventually brought up nanotechnology which waved the eerie-green flag of “BORG” to me.
oh man ! Its great to have Frakes back on tv ! I always admired the man. He’s full of class.
Downside of metamaterial cloaking: If they can’t see you, you can’t see them! Metamaterials bend light around an object like water in a stream around a rock. If no light is reflecting off the object then it is invisible, however no light can enter the observer’s eyes, either.
Bummer… and I was looking forward to having my own Bird of Prey
Hey Frakes, we miss u buddy!
I know Burton has been a Narrator for National Geographic.
And actually last Tuesday Episode #1 of ‘Thats Impossible” premiered, and it is on my DVR.
And as the credits rolled by I looked for Frakes’s name because the voice was so memorable a sound.
Time to go view Episode #2. How many shows will there be? Since no real big promo on the History Channel, just a few ads. I’ll guess 6 shows or so. If popular they may make more. Also have to watch Warehouse 13 on what I’ll always call The Sci-Fi channel. Even though they now spell it in Ghetto Speak.
Show looks very interesting, I’ll definitely be checking it out when it reruns. Frakes narrating is an awesome bonus, I always loved the way he talked. :)
Hey this isn’t canon..humans don’t see a working cloaking devise until TOS “BALANCE OF TERROR”.(or Enterprise and the Suliban).
12. jep316 – July 15, 2009
Hey this isn’t canon..humans don’t see a working cloaking devise until TOS “BALANCE OF TERROR”.(or Enterprise and the Suliban).
Hey. Remember. We are in the New Time Line. Since everything has changed we can now make a few changes of our own.
@4: Burton did ‘Reading Rainbow.’
Does that count?
Frakes/Burton ’12!
I think the whole term “cloaking device” is a misnomer.
Wanna make a quick invisibility screen on your own at home right now?
Fool your friends! Act Now!
1)Stand just behind a (preferably flat) pc monitor
2) put a webcam on a stand just behind YOU pointed to the wall behind you.
3)turn on webcam and POOF- people looking at screen see right through you to the wall behind.
4) miniturize the whole process with tiny cameras and led/lcd displays (one tiny camera next to one tiny display- each camera /display synchronized with it’s direct opposite on the other side of what you’re hiding) and there you have it. POOF! an invisible item.
#8- This lets you see “out “of the invisible item as well.
I think that the cloak in Trek has more to do with sensors. No one can see a Bird of Prey a million Kellikams away anyhow.
I always thought it was stupid that the Federation had access to all this cool tech and still got their butts kicked by the Founders and Borg.
16 – I think you may have too much time on your hands :) JK, I agree surely the Federation would employ an tech making their ships safer and less vulnerable to detection and attack if necessary.
Gosh. The background music on the show is extremely intense!
My hope for a new TV direction would be STAR TREK: TITAN….
I’d love to see Capt Riker and co…and we never did get to see the Titan in action…make it so……………
Riker was one of the few characters on TNG that i liked.
it would be nice but Twee to get him involved in the new Alt Trek
Star Trek: Titan: The Animated Series!
nah Star Trek Titan would be live action if it does happen But time is running out for it it has to be made by 201or jonathan willbe to old to do a series based straight after nemesis
can we make the studio do it can we make Star Trek Titan real and on are screens Can we return captain picard for guest apperses can it be done we are the fans we want str trek titn they should give it to us