Priceline Says Goodbye To Shatner’s “Negotiator” – Watch Final Ad

It looks like Star Trek’s William Shatner is saying goodbye to another character — who is literally going out in a heroic blaze of glory. Today Priceline released what they are calling the final ad featuring Shatner as "The Negotiator," and they may even be ending their relationship with the actor who helped launch the brand in the 90s. We also have a retrospective of some of Shat’s best Priceline spots.

 

Shatner’s Negotiator has his last negotiation

For William Shatner, there seems to be a “bridge over troubled waters” for many of his iconic characters. For decades, William Shatner was James T. Kirk who commanded from the BRIDGE of the U.S.S. Enterprise. In the film Generations, William Shatner played Captain Kirk again, and the character died while on a BRIDGE saving the residents of Veridian III. Now, in the latest Priceline.com advertisement which begins showing on television Monday, January 23rd, the Shat’s Priceline Negotiator character dies while saving others (and saving others some money) under a BRIDGE!

Here is the ad which will begin running next week.

William Shatner began his association with Priceline.com 14 years ago. The first set of ads featured Shatner speaksinging famous songs while musicians such as Ben Folds played. Another campaign featured Shatner being outclassed by Leonard Nimoy as they vied for Priceline.com’s attention. Five years ago, Shatner started playing the Priceline Negotiator whose antics included meeting his evil twin and taking care of his pet falcon. However, Priceline.com is altering their business model away from an entirely negotiated price. It is uncertain whether Shatner will appear as a different character in future advertisements, according to the AP he still is under contract with Priceline.com and could or could not be part of the future campaigns.

"I’m in grief mode. It’s not the first time I’ve had an iconic character die off." Shatner told AP reporter Lynn Elber, obviously referring to the death of James T. Kirk in Generations.

Remembering Shatner and Priceline

We at TrekMovie are also grieving the loss of the Priceline Negotiator. Less Negotiator means less Shatner on our TVs. That is never a good thing. But, we will cross that bridge when we get to it. Until then, we still have the memories. Here are our pics for the best Shatner Priceline ads.

Negotiator ads

Shatner and Nimoy

"Bust a Move"

"You Don’t Know" (with Ben Folds)

BONUS: The Priceline.com ads with Shatner and Nimoy were not the first time they advertised for the travel industry. Check out this 1985 advertisement:

 

 

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I am looking forward to watching it! :)

I’ll always love the ones with Nimoy! Classic!

Goodbye, Bill. Until… your next four concurrent pitches.

The guy in the first retrospective ad mimicking Shatner’s inflection is hysterical. I’ve never used the service, but Shatner certainly made me aware of its existence :P

Maybe he will show up in future commercials like Obi Wan, or be replaced by Chris Pine!

Great final ad! Would’ve been nice though if they could have worked Michael Caine into it somehow.

A million quatloos to the person who can identify that movie reference!

I think it’s unnecessary to ‘kill’ him off. I still love Shatner.

“Oh My.” – ST: Generations

oops, nevermind I had to volume too low. It was “some money” not “oh my”. :P

‘Fresh ideas, Bones’.

First Captain James T. Kirk, now the Priceline Negotiator?! The Shat is on a roll!

Remarkable set of ads.

Priceline gave him an admirable death. RIP (for now)

And good call to John Tenuto for the “Bridge” linkage!

I love paying for things with my price line card with Shatner on it…

LOL. Obviously they are mocking his stoo-pid death from Generations. I’m hoping they bring him back.

If I may say, “It was fun.” (Um, from “Generations.”) Let’s have the Shat “sing” “MY Way. ” From AFI tribute to George Lucas.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDIBchVxSmE&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PL31E2FA8957DB49FC

Kirk’s last stand was on the bridge. Just as we always knew it would be.

#6: The Italian Job. What’s the exchange rate from Quatloos to Sterling?

So sad. Long Live the Shat.
I do believe the Shat will be back.

“Captain OFF the bridge!”

#5. rm10019…. funny…

#18…. “I do believe the Shat will be back.”… yup… :-) :-)

We need to enjoy The Shat while he’s still active. How old is he, like a million years old? And yet he’s got more star power than most of Hollywood put together.

You can take your faddish cinema stars of yesteryear, from Rock Hudson to The Rock. How many people around the world would know ’em these days? But Bill Shatner, now, that’s an icon, from Newfoundland to Tinseltown, from Liverpool to Tibuktu, from the Bering Sea to Hainan Island. The Shat is the true rock of Hollywood.

Or, to coin a phrase: The Shat Rocks!

Mongo hate bus. That always happen when ride.

#17

Right-o!
I’m afraid I don’t know the exchange rate. The market is so volatile these days. ;)

I didn’t realize he had been pitchman that long. He’s up there with the Maytag repairman, Marge from Palmolive (old characters) and other ad notables. Good for him.

….actually, that was really funny…

“It’s what he would have wanted”.

That Western airlines commercial reminded me of:

“Look. There’s something on the wing. Some. thing. He’s pulling the cowling plate up!”

One of the Shatner’s priceline ads also had Robert Pine, Chris Pine’s father. I cannot remember what was being advertised but Bill was driving, more like speeding in, a big car with Robert Pine sitting in the back and a little concerned for his safety…

Also, not sure if it is actually true or not, but I read that William Shatner and Robert Pine were actually working on a game show together, when Paramount officially announced that Chris Pine had been signed on to play Kirk.

Tiny correction: Veridian III was uninhabited, but Veridian IV had a pre-industrial civilization.

OMG!! I love the look on The Shat’s face in that one where they tell him Nimoy is replaceing him!! LOL!:) I’m sure The Shat will be back on TV doing something! The man never gives it up!! And we all love him for it!! :) Long Live The Shat!! :)

Shat’s “The Negotiator” will be back. I predict that a future commercial will see him being put back together with the aid of tiny nanites…..

Remember. His evil twin survives him. Always enjoy his Priceline ads. Classics which show his (and Nimoy’s) gift for comedy.

God I love Nimoy and Shatner.
Oh and #6, would that be “The Italian Job”
I’ll expect my Quatloos in the mail ;)

I love this guy! You know why William Shatner didn’t find the real god in Star Trek V ?

Because he didn’t have a mirror!

I’ve thought of these priceline ads as “$#*! My Dad Sells” ever since he starred in that ace, prematurely axed show.

Priceline– they task me…..
don’t dis the Shat!!

+1 for “cross that bridge when we get to it.” Thanks, John!

Pretty funny ad! He’ll be back in ten years time though trying to muscle in on the Priceline Negotiator re-boot.

we will miss him on priceline but you should have added the commerical from mci when they did friends and family with the whole tos crew

Does anyone know when the remastered, Priceline commercials will be released on dvd and blue ray? I’d really like to add those to my originals.

38, LOL.

If Shat’s not worried, I’m not worried. It was another great run in his career.
Must be an odd life, being an actor; you almost always get fired.

He was so….. human. :)

Nobody’s perfect, Saavik.

Let’s face it, Shat got too fat for the part. He was looking huge in recent ads when paired with younger more fit actors. It was getting hard to take him seriously in the recent ads…in fact, I was a bit embarassed for him. Good for Priceline to end this before it gets even more sad.

He beamed out of there before it hit.

shat and nimoy dont get any better than that!!!!!!!!

#43. Uh-oh, don’t give the ad agency any ideas! Another job for Nimoy though: piloting the ship that beams Negotiator up just in the nick of time.

#43 Captain Christopher and #45 Daoud; Great ideas!

#42.

Dude, let it go man. Those were fun ads, and William Shatner clearly had a sense of humor. Something you don’t have. Besides, it looks like Shatner has lost some weight lately, if you even bothered to notice. Which you didn’t, of course.

@47. Forgetting for a minute my opinions on Shat, his more recent Priceline commercials were no longer as fresh or funny as in years past.

#48.

I still enjoyed his commercials. But to each his own, I guess.

Not to nitpick, but if this Trek geek remembers correctly, Veridian III was not inhabited, but another planet in that star system did have millions that they were trying to save :) Yes, thanks for all the “bridge” references – I might not have even caught that. Most importantly, I have enjoyed your web site for years, and commend you for your thoroughness in covering everything Trek and even broader subjects like the space program. Keep up the good work!