Trek on TV

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Conventions/Events/Attractions, Feature Films (TMP-NEM), Star Trek (2009 film), TNG | June 15, 2007 | By: Anthony Pascale 87 comments so far

Frakes Skewers Paramount – Praises Abrams

At last weekend’s FedCon 16 in Germany Jonathan Frakes let loose on Paramount and the last Trek movie, but then had some nice things to say about JJ Abrams and the next movie. Regarding the box office failure Star Trek Nemesis, the director of two previous films joked "there was a perfectly good director available." He then used a couple empty seats reserved for Paramount to poke some fun at the studio. Holding up the chair signs he yelled out "this is a perfect example, see who is not here…Paramount…need I say more? That speaks volumes." To cheers from the audience he continued, "Paramount doesn’t show up. Paramount doesn’t know what to do with the franchise."

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Comics, Review, TOS | June 14, 2007 | By: Mark Martinez 14 comments so far

Review: Star Trek: Klingons — Blood Will Tell #1 and #2

As part of his valiant efforts to keep the Trek community informed, Anthony has foolishly graciously invited me to contribute reviews of Star Trek comics to the Trek Movie Report. What was he thinking? We’ll get started by catching up with IDW Publishing‘s second mini-series, Star Trek: Klingons — Blood Will Tell. The first two issues of this five-issue mini-series are already in comic shops. Blood Will Tell is scripted by brothers Scott Tipton and David Tipton. Interior artwork is by David Messina. Cover art is provided by Messina and Joe Corroney.

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TAS | June 13, 2007 | By: Anthony Pascale 52 comments so far

Filmation’s Lou Scheimer Talks TAS

Star Trek The Animated Series has a bit of an odd place in Trek’s history. It is still not officially considered ‘canon’ but it was the only Trek on TV in the 70s. Although it was aired along with other children’s cartoons, many of the scripts were well written with somewhat adult themes (some by TOS writers and even one by Walter Koenig). ST:TAS was produced by Filmation who did a number of licensed properties (including Ghostbusters and He-Man). In a new interview Filmation founder Lou Scheimer reflects on his career…including Trek. Although Filmation’s animation did leave much to be desired he Scheimer feels that they were able to more alien aliens on TAS than they could on the live action show: "All they could do was put ears on guys. They had their money problems. But it was as easy for us to do a monster as it was todo a human being." Even Trek was somewhat toned down to make it appeal as a children’s cartoon, Scheimer does deny the rumor that there were plans to give the Enterprise crew teenage sidekicks.

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TOS, Trek Franchise | June 11, 2007 | By: Anthony Pascale 20 comments so far

Star Trek Wins At Spaceys

Star Trek may be off the air and still a year away from being back in theaters, but it still manages to show up at award shows on Sunday. At Canada’s Spacey Awards Star Trek The Original Series won an award for Favorite Classic TV show, beating out Batman, Buck Rogers, Battlestar Galactica (Original) and The Twilight Zone. George Takei accepted the award on behalf of the show in a taped segment where the award was ‘beamed’ to his home. Veteran Star Trek make-up designer Michael Westmore also picked up a Special Achievement Spacey for his lifetime of work. Star Trek XI director JJ Abrams’ movie Mission Impossible III had five nominations and his show Lost had three, but neither picked up any awards.

Bread and Circuses - Star Trek

Review, TOS Remastered | June 7, 2007 | By: Kevin Ganster 36 comments so far

Review of “Bread and Circuses” Remastered

“Exactly in some ways, different in others.” So describes the similarities to Earth of planet 892-IV (also known as Maga Roma). The Enterprise has found a 20th Century Roman Empire and Hodkin’s Law of Parallel Planetary Development strikes again. “Bread and Circuses” has it all: a high concept plot, richly drawn characters, humor, suspense, action, a blonde bombshell with a name ending in the requisite letter “a,” and great acting. It is also notable for plumbing the depths of the Spock-McCoy relationship and dealing directly with religion, which makes it unique among TOS episodes. Now it is new and improved and remastered…with double the moon goodness. The episode also has enough plot holes to swallow a dozen starships, but more on that later.

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Review, TOS Remastered | June 2, 2007 | By: Anthony Pascale 43 comments so far

Review “Shore Leave” Remastered

From the opening moment of “Shore Leave” you can tell this will be a different type of Star Trek episode. Kirk’s mistaking a backrub from the lovely Yeoman Barrows to be one from Mr. Spock shows the whimsical and subtlety sexually charged nature of one of the more fun outings for the Enterprise’s crew. Down scouting out a rest stop Sulu exclaims “no animals, no people, no worries,” seemingly shocked to find a planet that isn’t overrun with gangsters, Indians, or Nazis. What they have found is an idyllic planet full of misadventures that looks ever better now fully remastered in living color. It is a good thing that Kirk ignored McCoy’s report of spotting a large white rabbit, not a Florida White Rabbit, a human-sized one (with Alice of Wonderland trailing) or we would never get to visit this “Shore Leave” Planet.

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Review, TOS Remastered | May 25, 2007 | By: Mark A. Altman 61 comments so far

Review: “Patterns of Force” Remastered

TRIUMPH OF THE BILLKirk & Company save us from the Nazis and proves we can all get alongSantayana once said “those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it,” but in the case of John Gill, he didn’t forget, he just made a really, really bad call. It was a bad call, John, a bad call. Thus goes “Patterns of Force,” in which a Federation historian (this time not an unhinged captain, commodore or woman who wants to change bodies with Kirk for a change showing that even academics can get into the act of nearly destroying, not only one planet, but possibly two) uses Nazi German as the template for a brave new Ayran world. It’s such a great idea that the neo-cons watching this episode as kids probably thought what a great idea this would be oneday…but I digress.

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TNG | May 17, 2007 | By: Anthony Pascale 95 comments so far

Stewart: Work In Hollywood Lacked Substance

Last weekend Patrick Stewart dropped by ITV’s Parkinson  to talk about life back in the UK. TNG’s Picard stated that his return was permanent and that by the time he was offered the opportunity to return to the English stage had had grown "bitterly homesick." Although he did not mention Star Trek specifically, he did seem to be derisive of his time working in Hollywood. When I went to do all this exciting and thrilling work in Hollywood, and remunerative work too, and sunshine and palm trees and all of that, it was fun but there was a substance that was lacking in it. Because what I’m doing now is all that I wanted to do and I increasingly began to feel panicked.

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Star Trek (2009 film), TOS | May 16, 2007 | By: Anthony Pascale 24 comments so far

Takei On Heroes, STNV and Trek XI

George Takei’s role in NBC’s Heroes seems to be expanding. What started as a one-off is turning into a bit of a recurring character who is tied into the shows over arching mythology. Takei appeared in this week’s episode and will also appear in next week’s finale. Comic Book Resources has a new interview with the former Mr. Sulu to talk about his Heroes role (and a bit of Trek as well). Regarding his expanding role on heroes Heroes Takei notes: "it’s been very interesting as with each script I’m making new discoveries about my character." Regarding where it is all headed Takei stated "I’m just as eager as you are to get the next script to see what happens next." TrekMovie.com might be able to help Mr. Takei out on that one.  At last week’s Saturn Awards, Heroes producer (and former Star Trek Voyager writer/producer) Bryan Fuller told TrekMovie that Takei will appear in Season 2, saying "I understand there are plans, but I cannot say anything more." CBR also asked Takei some Trek questions as well…

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Review, TOS Remastered | May 14, 2007 | By: Jeff Bond 77 comments so far

Review: “Errand Of Mercy” Remastered

Here’s another classic Trek episode that needs no defense—in fact it’s one of the all time greats, and probably ranks among my top handful of Star Trek episodes ever made. Kirk and Spock meet the franchise’s first Klingons and wind up coming up against a far more powerful—but ultimately benevolent—force when the Federation and Klingon Empire begin a rush to war.