I watched an episode of Star Trek today. But it wasn’t an episode of Star Trek. It had all the characters from the original: Kirk, Spock, Bones, Scotty, Uhuru, Chekhov, Sulu. It took place on the Enterprise, in that universe. But it was a completely new episode, with different actors. Thank goodness for that, I suppose. All of the original actors are really old, and at least one of them is dead.
The Same, But Not The Same
It was kind of amazing, in a way. Not in the way that it was great. In the way that it happened at all. This is a new concept, a new wrinkle in TV show production and, possibly, the way of the future. I’m not putting any bets on that, not just yet, but possibly.
It is a totally amateur project, written and produced by a Super Trekkie. It sticks really close to the original as far as sets, costumes, cliches, and plot formulas. I think. Like I say, I just saw one, but that’s enough to give a quick review.
Which is this: it’s interesting, and I may watch a couple more episodes, but there’s something to be said for hiring professional actors and scriptwriters. I don’t think this is actually going to be picked up by any TV stations. Still, it’s out there on the internet and millions of people will see it, and some may become fans. Hell, even Voyager has people who think it was the best Star Trek series ever.* Not many, but I’m sure there are some.
But, it’s the very fact that it’s a totally amateur production that makes it amazing. The TV executives do not have total power any more. Watching this, somebody is probably being inspired to write new episodes of The Beverly Hillbillies, or Gilligan’s Island, or The Dukes of Hazzard. Some will be a lot more amateurish than this. Some will take greater liberties with the original formats. Some will be hysterical in ways their creators don’t intend. And some might be absolutely fantastic.
*The Next Generation, of course, was the best. This is simply a fact.
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