Vic
-
Content Count
22,158 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Posts posted by Vic
-
-
The Star Trek: Discovery panel in Hall H on Friday afternoon at San Diego Comic-Con provided fans with plenty of insight into the upcoming second season of the sci-fi adventure. StarTrek.com previously reported about attendees being treated to a season two trailer and details about the Star Trek: Short Treks.
Here are the 8 Takeaways from the Discovery Panel (and press conference):
1. Number One
Anson Mount, who will play Captain Pike in season two, revealed that Rebecca Romijn will play Number One, the role famously played by Majel Barrett-Roddenberry in the first Star Trek: The Original Series pilot, “The Cage.” Romijn excitedly confirmed the news in a Tweet moments after Mount’s announcement. Romijn is best known for playing Mystique in the first three X-Men movies, and also counts among her credits The Librarians and Ugly Betty.
2. Short Treks for the Holidays
The four Short Treks will roll out monthly beginning in December, Kurtzman revealed during the press conference. As previously reported, they will be standalone stories, each running approximately 10-15 minutes. Each short will be an opportunity for deeper storytelling and the exploration of key characters [including Saru (Doug Jones), Harry Mudd (Rainn Wilson, who will also direct his short) and a new character, Craft, to be played by Aldis Hodge] and themes which fit into Discovery and the expanding Star Trek universe.
3. Wilson Cruz Is Back
No one would reveal how Wilson Cruz’s Dr. Hugh Culber will return to Discovery following the character’s demise in season one, but be back he will. A smiling, joking Cruz said of his SDCC Discovery panel appearance, “I'm not here just to say hello... although, hello.” Later, discussing what the future may hold for Culber and Stamets, Cruz said, “We can tell you that there is a relationship to begin with… I think we’re going to learn a lot more individually about these two men, and together. I think we’re going to deepen this relationship and these characters.
4. Presenting Chancellor L’Rell
Fear not, anyone who worried that L’Rell might not play as large a part is season two as she did in season one. She will, with the formidable Klingon ascending to the title of Chancellor. “She is trying to be the best Chancellor she can be, of this patriarchal empire,” Mary Chieffo said. The actress also noted that she’d been attending Comic-Con for years as a fan and thus remains overwhelmed by actually sitting on the stage these days. “I've dreamed of being on a panel in Hall H,” the actress said, “and to be part of a show I believe in and playing a character that is so incredibly empowered and complex, it's so moving to be here."
5. The Anti-Lorca
Captain Pike, both series creator and executive producer Alex Kurtzman and Mount explained, will be a very, very different character from season one's Captain Gabriel Lorca. “What I love about Pike, and this is what I took from Jeffrey Hunter’s performance and, to some degree, the Pike that we did in the movies, is that he’s a man who is very kind, who has tremendous authority, and yet can still apologize when he’s wrong. So, in many ways, he’s the opposite of Lorca.” Added Mount, “Pike was Roddenberry’s original face of Star Trek. I only knew that there’s a tremendous optimism to this person and a good heart, and that he’s someone who probably had good mentors…. I’m really enjoying playing a character I like as a person.”
6. Tyler and L’Rell
What went down between Ash Tyler and L’Rell in season one will be addressed in season two. “There are certain conversations between Tyler and L'Rell that need to happen … and they do,” Mary Chieffo promised. “There's a lot to be explored... and seen."
7. Spock!
Fans could feel Spock’s presence in the season two teaser trailer, as Burnham tells Saru "Spock is linked to these signals. And he needs help." The trailer did not however, show the iconic Vulcan’s face. That will change sometime in season two, according to Kurtzman, who stated, "I can tell you that, yes, you will be seeing Spock this season."
8. Canon Fodder
As the revelations involving the Enterprise, Captain Pike and Number One suggest, there will be ties between Discovery and Star Trek canon, Kurtzman acknowledged, saying, "You will get those answers next season, guaranteed. You're just not going to get them the way you expect them.” And to the person who asked if connecting to canon will mean Easter eggs, the executive producer replied, "Yes, there definitely will be. We're syncing up with canon this year, so you'll see quite a few (Easter eggs).”
-
Star Trek: Discovery news of major proportions came at warp speed during today’s Discovery panel in Hall H at San Diego Comic-Con… with a season-two sneak peek and details about Star Trek: Short Treks rocking the house. On hand from Discovery were cast members Sonequa Martin-Green, Doug Jones, Shazad Latif, Mary Wiseman, Anthony Rapp, Wilson Cruz, Mary Chieffo and Anson Mount, as well as executive producers Alex Kurtzman and Heather Kadin, along with panel moderator and season two guest star, Tig Notaro.
First, fans were treated to a sneak peek at the show’s upcoming second season, with footage introduced by series co-creator and executive producer Alex Kurtzman, who directed the season-two premiere.
Kurtzman also announced Star Trek: Short Treks, which will run on CBS All Access. The four Short Treks episodes will roll out monthly beginning this fall, and will be standalone stories, each running approximately 10-15 minutes. Each short will be an opportunity for deeper storytelling and the exploration of key characters and themes which fit into Discovery and the expanding Star Trek universe.
Rainn Wilson will return to play Harry Mudd in a short he will also direct, and Aldis Hodge will star in another as Craft, a man who finds himself the only human on board a deserted ship. Additional episodes will include a deep dive into Saru’s (Doug Jones) backstory as the first Kelpien to join Starfleet, and Tilly’s (Mary Wiseman) journey aboard the U.S.S. Discovery and her friendship with an unlikely partner.
“There is no shortage of compelling stories to tell in the Star Trek universe that inspire, entertain, and either challenge our preconceived ideas or affirm long held beliefs, and we are excited to broaden the universe already with Short Treks,” said Kurtzman. “Each episode will deliver closed-ended stories while revealing clues about what’s to come on in future Star Trek: Discovery episodes. They’ll also introduce audiences to new characters who may inhabit the larger world of Star Trek.”
Star Trek: Discovery's first season is available on CBS All Access in the U.S. and Space Channel in Canada. It's available on Netflix in the rest of the world.
A l t e r E g o reacted to this -
Star Trek Online, the online roleplaying game that continues the story of the Star Trek universe, has completely revamped the look of one of the most-classic Star Trek ships, the Excelsior. This brand-new visual update, done by superstar 3D artist Tobias Richter, will be free to anyone who already owns the Tier 3, Tier 5 or Tier 6 versions of these ships, and you’ll be able to fly the original Excelsior, the Enterprise B, or the experimental NX-2000 versions of the ship. To celebrate, all versions are on sale for 20% off until July 23rd.
Star Trek Online is a free-to-play massively multiplayer online game that allows players to explore the Star Trek universe from within. Players can forge their own destiny as Captain of a Federation starship, champion the Empire through the far reaches of the galaxy as a Klingon Warrior, rebuild the Romulan legacy as the commander of a Romulan Republic Warbird or carry out daring missions on behalf of the Dominion as a Jem’Hadar soldier. Captains can also explore iconic locations from the Star Trek universe, make contact with new alien species and battle alongside other players in customizable starships. Star Trek Online is currently available on PC, PlayStation4 and Xbox One.To download and play Star Trek Online today for free, visit www.playstartrekonline.com.
-
Brand-new photos from season two of Star Trek: Discovery have just been released. One depicts Michael Burnham on the Enterprise, while the other shows us Linus, a Saurian; longtime fans will recall seeing a Saurian in Star Trek: The Motion Picture.
Check them out below:
Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) on the Enterprise
Linus (David Benjamin Tomlinson), a Saurian
Star Trek: Discovery's first season is available on CBS All Access in the U.S. and Space Channel in Canada. It's available on Netflix in the rest of the world.
-
Star Trek fans ooh-ed and aah-ed as they soaked in the sights and sounds of the fully immersive Star Trek: Discovery Mirror Universe experience, one of the Trek-centric highlights at San Diego Comic-Con. The exhibit opened on Thursday morning at the Michael J. Wolf Fine Arts Gallery (363 Fifth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101).
Everywhere fans look, the Terran Empire comes to life.
Entering the gallery, there's no mistaking Mirror Burnham and Georgiou Qo'noS costumes, as well as production photos.
Off to the right, there's more Mirror Universe production art, as well as Emperor Georgiou's gold cloak, Imperial sword and scabbard, dagger and gauntlet.
A quote by Georgiou's cloak reads:
To the left, Mirror Lorca stares back at you, and he's flanked by Mirror-themed photos from Discovery's first season.
Beneath the ominous message, one finds a Mirror phaser and rifle, truncheon, agonizer and dagger.
Then, on the next wall, fans can check out Mirror Sarek and Mirror Shukar, as well as more production photos.
Further into exhibit, on the wall directly behind Mirror Burnham and Georgiou Qo'noS, the following quote captures your attention:
And positioned along that wall are Mirror Stamets, Mirror Detmer, Mirror Tilly and Mirror Tyler, along with a variety of Mirror badges and pins.
And, all the way in the back, where last year fans settled into the Discovery’s captain’s chair, this year visitors can experience a photo opportunity on Emperor Georgiou’s Throne.
The line to stand in the Emperor’s throne moves quickly. Fans can also make time to stop in the official Star Trek Shop, which features Comic-Con exclusives, and pick up their free, limited edition Discovery Starfleet pins, which are being distributed each day at the gallery.
And now for a much more detailed look...Mirror Michael Burnham
Emperor Georgiou
Mirror Georgiou
Mirror Lorca
Mirror Stamets
Mirror Tilly
Mirror Tyler
Mirror Sarek
Mirror Shukar
Mirror Detmer
The takeover experience is free to the public and does not require a Comic-Con badge for entry.
Exhibit Hours are:
Thursday 11:00am to 9:00pm
Friday 11:00am to 9:00pm
Saturday 11:00am to 9:00pm
Sunday 11:00am to 5:00pm -
Guinan would drink to that, and we have a feeling a lot of our fellow Star Trek fans will, too. What are we drinking to – and with? That’d be Ten-Forward Vodka , which joins the previously announced James T. Kirk Straight Bourbon Whiskey as part of Silver Screen Bottling Company's expansive new line of Star Trek-branded spirits. Ten-Forward Vodka, to honor Trek's legacy, will travel into space before it is blended into the stocks of the premium spirit, ensuring that a portion of every bottle will contain truly out-of-this-world vodka.
The Ten-Forward Vodka, which is inspired by the lounge on board the U.S.S. Enterprise-D from Star Trek: The Next Generation, is made from choice American grain, carefully distilled six times. Graphic designer and Star Trek veteran Mike Okuda lent his talents to the bottle design.
Ten-Forward Vodka sells for $29.99 and is available for purchase at TenForwardVodka.com.
James T. Kirk Straight Bourbon Whiskey costs $69.99 and can be purchased at JamesTKirkbourbon.com. Fans at San Diego Comic-Con are in for a treat -- Silver Screen is holding a special tasting event at the Rustic Root (535 Fifth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101) from 2pm to 6pm PST on Thursday, July 19.
-
Oh, myyyyyy. One of Sulu’s signature moments came to life today at ThinkGeek’s booth at San Diego Comic-Con, as the ThinkGeek and The Wand Company demo-ed their joint product, the Star Trek Phaser-Controlled Rock Mood Light. Inspired by the effects seen in the Star Trek: The Original Series episode “The Enemy Within,” the product features a hand-painted rock and a highly accurate replica first-season Type-1 Phaser, both of which fans can use to recreate Sulu’s Alfa 177 planetary experience, where he fired his phaser to heat a rock to survive the freezing conditions. Much like Sulu, fans can make the rock glow for survival, or they can access a whole spectrum of relaxing atmospheric settings and provide an ambient glow in numerous colors.
The rock comes with two modes: Survival, which "heats" the rock, and Atmosphere, which turns it into a light show with seven colors. In Survival mode, pressing and holding the remote's trigger makes phaser firing sounds and imparts a red glow to the rock -- as if you're heating it. The glow then dims once the trigger is released. Atmosphere mode can be controlled via phaser remote or buttons on the bottom of the rock.
The Star Trek Phaser-Controlled Rock Mood Light ThinkGeek is priced at $70 and limited to one per person. Get your Rock Mood Light at Booth #3349 or visit www.thinkgeek.com.
-
Mirror Barclay is up to no good in Star Trek: The Next Generation - Terra Incognita #1, available today from IDW Publishing. StarTrek.com has details, plus sneak peeks at the issue’s interior pages and four different covers.
Following on the heels of IDW’s popular Through the Mirror miniseries, Terra Incognita – written by Scott Tipton & David Tipton, with Tony Shasteen providing the art and cover – takes place during Star Trek: The Next Generation’s critically acclaimed fourth season and spins the untold tales of Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise-D. Following the epic clash with their villainous doubles from the Mirror Universe, the Enterprise crew returns to business as usual, little realizing the serpent in their midst: someone has been replaced… Barclay. What does Mirror Barclay want? And what’s to become of his Prime-universe counterpart?
Star Trek: The Next Generation - Terra Incognita #1 runs 32 pages and costs $3.99. Fans should be on the lookout as well for two photo cover variants and covers by Mirror Broken co-creator and designer J.K. Woodward, as well as Elizabeth Beals.
For information on how to secure copies of the Terra Incognita miniseries, please contact your local comic shop or visit www.comicshoplocator.com to find a store near you. And keep an eye on StarTrek.com for additional details.
-
Star Trek: Adversaries, the free-to-play online collectible card video game, is available now on Steam. Taking the CCG genre into the future, Adversaries features more than 100 fully-rendered and customizable 3-D starships and 150-plus iconic crewmembers, as well as multiplayer and AI campaigns, ranked matches, draft play, and the chance to battle your friends -- and foes -- across the galaxy.
Adversaries draws from the entire Star Trek prime universe. As such, it spans everything from Star Trek: The Original Series to Star Trek: Discovery.
Players begin by selecting a Flagship. With unique abilities and core cards to bolster your deck, your Flagship is ready to take on all challengers. The Galaxy Class, Constitution Class, K'vort Bird of Prey and the dreaded Klingon Ship of the Dead -- along with 20 other ships -- await your command.
Star Trek: Adversaries is available now for download on Steam and coming soon to mobile devices.
-
Tim Russ did the logical thing. The actor, who played Tuvok on Star Trek: Voyager, had looked on as several fellow Trek actors settled into the director’s chair, and he then let it be known that he too aspired to direct. Russ got his chance in season four, when he was tapped to realize that season's 23rd episode, “Living Witness,” written by Bryan Fuller based on a story by Brannon Braga. In it, 700 years after encountering two warring species, the Kyrians and Vaskans, The Doctor testifies as the sole witness in a war crimes trial. Russ – as part of StarTrek.com’s ongoing series of stories about the unofficial Trek directors’ school initiated by Rick Berman – chatted with us about his desire to direct, getting his shot with “Living Witness,” why he didn’t direct subsequent Voyager episodes, and his current projects, which include a movie that, quite appropriately, he acts in and directed.
At what point did you realize you wanted to direct… in general, and Voyager specifically? And how did you approach Rick Berman with the idea?It was around the second season of Voyager. I knew the option was there to do so. I approached Rick like the others had before me. And he laid out the routine to get a slot.
Jonathan Frakes set the template for the whole "directing school." What do you remember of that two/three-year process, sitting in script sessions, breaking down camera moves, shadowing directors, visiting the editing bay, etc.?
Mostly the internship required observation of directors on set, sitting in the editing bay for hours watching rough assemblies of scenes, and sitting in on production meetings etc. I also just watched the directors who were working on the episodes week to week, while I was already working on set, and asked questions, etc.
What element, early on, was the hardest for you to grasp?
I had already taken directing classes and shot several short films before doing the internship, so it wasn't a case of having difficulty with elements. It was more so getting familiar with things to learn such as special effects shots. That, and working within the bounds of what the producers liked and didn't like to see as to styles and certain types of shots.
You were handed the script for “Living Witness.” What did you make of the story, and what did you think you could do, visually, to bring it to life?
I thought it was a very good story. I was lucky to have been given that one. It dealt with history, which is a favorite subject of mine. I had the rare opportunity to shoot my regular castmates as their "evil" selves in the false version of an historical moment. So, I designed the shots and angles more extreme on the characters, to give them a more sinister look.
What do you remember of your first day on set? Were you excited? Nervous? Both? Fully prepared?I was prepared, and a little nervous. But the producers didn't come down to set to watch, which I was surprised by. I was interested in seeing how my castmates would portray their evil selves. It was a kick to see each one of them deliver convincing and captivating performances.
Did the cast have any fun at your expense or were they on their best behavior for you?No, they were all cool. My DP gave me a cap with "First Time Director" on it.
Speaking of the cast again, the script pushed several of them out of their comfort zones: Robert Picardo playing three roles, Kate Mulgrew going really dark. How did you enjoy helping them shape their performances?
I didn't have to. They came to the table already prepared. I was much more interested in getting the shots and coverage right.
How pleased were you with the finished episode at the time? And if you directed that same episode now, what might you do differently?I was thrilled with the episode. I got to use one of the sets they built that they used in the following Trek feature film. That was pretty cool. And I wouldn’t have done that much differently. When you shoot within the confines of an established series you are a guest director, so there are limitations as to what you can and can’t do. The look of the piece is already established.
“Living Witness” was very well received. Why did you not direct subsequent episodes?
Because, by that time, everybody wanted a slot to direct. And I’d started my internship later in the series run. By that time, lots of people put their hats in the ring. I almost got one more, but its' up to the producer's discretion as to who the slots go to.
You went on to do quite a bit of directing, in addition to acting. How grateful are you to Berman and Voyager for helping to start it all for you?I can't say enough about having that opportunity to direct on the show. I am forever grateful for making it possible.
Your latest film is Miles to Go, which you act in and directed. Tell us a bit about the story, about the experience of making it, and where/when fans might see it?Miles to Go is the new title, and it's a story about a woman who is hooked on heroin but manages to kick it when her brother goes missing, putting her on a collision course with a drug kingpin. It was a challenge making it as it was low budget, but a lot of people came together to make it happen. The producers are just now looking at several distribution deals, so I will keep everyone posted on Facebook and Twitter when it's done.
IMDB references a half-dozen other films with you attached as director. What is actually next for you?
I am attached to several films at present, including one of my own. But it all depends on producers getting the projects off the ground. It'll happen, but you’re just never sure when until it happens.
-
The answer is The Next Generation, and the StarTrek.com poll question of the week was, Which series would you want to join? Thousands of fans -- more than 10,000 -- chimed in with their replies. And after considering Star Trek: The Original Series Synopsis, The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Synopsis, Star Trek: Voyager Synopsis, Enterprise and Discovery -- here are the results:
The Next Generation (36%)
Deep Space Nine (21%)
Voyager (20%)
The Original Series (12%)
Enterprise (7%)
Discovery (3%)
And how did your show of choice fare?
Be sure to vote in this week's poll...
-
Clayton Rohner is one of those classic character actors who works and works and works, and who probably appeared – memorably so – in one of your favorite shows or movies. In Rohner’s case, we’re talking Just One of the Guys, I, Madman, April Fool’s Day, The X-Files, Murder One, G vs. E and Star Trek: The Next Generation. Rohner guest starred in the first-season episode “Too Short a Season” as the ill-fated, caught-in-a-time-loop character, Admiral Mark Jameson. Rohner, who’s set to appear at Star Trek Las Vegas next month, spoke to StarTrek.com last week, candidly discussing his current projects, the arc of his career and his memories of making “Too Short A Season.”
What are you up to these days?
I'm moving to New Orleans in October. I'm working a little bit less because of age, traveling, etc. But I did work on an interesting indie film called We Are Boats. That’s with one of the Hemsworths, Luke, and the gal from Westworld, Angela Sarafyan. I got to kill somebody in that. That's always fun.
IMDB lists a movie called Mope…
It's a very weird film, based on a true story about these two kids that were horribly involved in the porn industry, kind of losers, wannabes, and ended up killing each other. One of them jumped off a cliff right in front of all of the TV cameras, on live TV. I play the father of the kid that ends up killing the other kid and jumping off the cliff.
Your career dates back 35 years, an impressive feat for any actor. How satisfied are you with the way things have played out?
Good question. I doubt you’d get a lot of honest answers from actors on that one. I think most people like to characterize their careers as a lot more grandiose than they are. I had very lofty aspirations as a young man. I didn't care if I worked or didn't work, as long as I got to practice my craft. You have to be crazy to go into acting thinking you're going to either make a living or work consistently. Statistically, it doesn't happen. I was happy just to be a struggling actor. I was extremely fortunate I had a quick start. I was lucky to work consistently for 25 of those 35 years. I wouldn't say I made a lot of money, but I did a lot of fun jobs, and there are a handful I'm proud of. I wish I could say it's continued that way, but I'm very proud of Mope and We Are Boats. Sometimes, especially on TV, your job as a guest star can be generic. You play the same character you always play and say lines you've said in other shows. But I am really proud of G vs E. I had fun on Star Trek, and it was different, and everyone wants to be a part of Trek.
Thirty-one years ago you made a one-off appearance on Star Trek. How surreal is it to talk about it all this time later?
In a vacuum, it’d be very odd. Seeing that it's Star Trek, it's not odd at all. Such is the world of Star Trek.
What did you know about the original Star Trek? Had you even seen TNG when you did your episode, since it was season one?
I was a huge fan of the original one. I was really excited when TNG came along. They offered me the part, which was nice. They called me up to talk to me about it. Gene Roddenberry's lawyer, and I'm trying to remember his name….
Leonard Maizlish?
Yes. Leonard called me up and said, "I've got this fun part. I think you’d really like it." He was a good friend of my father, who was an entertainment lawyer. He said, "It's an offer. If you can do it, we'd love to have you." I was like, "Hell, yeah." And it was a great part. I wish the makeup... I'm not knocking anyone's skill because so often in this business it's not how good you are, it's the time they give you. Someone can be very good and the work can be poor because they were hamstrung. They weren't given the time. That's what happened with that makeup. We ended up using pieces from someone else, not made pieces. That was a big disappointment to everybody, I think, down the line. Like I say, I'm not blaming anybody. You luck out with time and money sometimes, and sometimes you don't.
What interested you most about Admiral Jameson and his arc?
The age thing is an incredible challenge for an actor. My frustration with the makeup aside, the great thing was they actually gave me a 70-year-old wife, which was lovely. Marsha Hunt is a legend. She, by the way, had been blacklisted for years in Hollywood by the whole McCarthy thing. She's a wonderful lady (and still alive, at 100). So, that was great, working with her. I liked the ideas in the episode. Do you intervene? Do you give weapons to both sides? That's one of those classic Star Trek dilemmas. Do they help one side, or both sides? So, that was fun.
Reportedly, your wheelchair was a nightmare for the props team, for you, for Bowman. Give us your take on what went down with that…
It was a nightmare. First off, it was supposed to be this incredibly complicated chair you could program and it’d go three feet forward and turn right 90 degrees, go six feet, turn left 80 degrees. It was supposed to literally go all around the room. I wasn't controlling it. It was supposed to have memory. Well, the first action, the thing just went right over, practically took me through a wall. It did nothing it was supposed to do. It wouldn't roll. It wouldn't go anywhere. It was just a nightmare. It really hampered Rob. That and the makeup. I feel we just got so close to being able to do something really well, really great, with the chair and the makeup. Everybody tried their hardest. We did the best we could with the circumstances we had.
This next question may be a touchy one, but…
Oh, I know what you're going to ask.
There are stories that supposedly there was tension between you and the cast. What was your experience?
That’s in a book, and I have no idea what they're talking about, not at all. I came in for makeup when Michael Dorn came in. We were there three hours before anybody else showed up. Jonathan Frakes, I love Jonathan Frakes. Patrick Stewart, I mean, come on, have you ever heard anybody say anything bad about him? LeVar Burton, I didn't interact with him. I can't figure out where the conflict was. The only thing I can think of is my character outranked everybody and they had to listen to me, and I could order them around. Maybe that irritated them. This guest star telling them what to do? And I don't mean off camera. I mean on camera. That might have pissed them off because, even Picard… I had to yell at Captain Picard and tell him “I'm the boss, and do what I tell you.” Maybe I relished that a little too much and that irritated them.
Maizlish never said anything. They even talked to me about possibly coming on the show the next year as a regular. I talked to Leonard, and it didn't work out because they stayed with the cast. So, I don't know where that tension story comes from. No one has gone on record saying, "We don't like him." Believe me, if they'd put a name to that, I'd be the first to call and say, "I'm sorry. Whatever I did pissed you off and that's not cool." I’d apologize in a heartbeat. But I've never been able to lay a face to this claim.
You’ll be at Star Trek Las Vegas in a few weeks. I'm assuming that thanks to things like X-Files, G Vs E, etc., you've done previous conventions and autograph shows. How do you enjoy meeting the fans, sharing your tales, hearing their stories?
You know what, I do like it. Everybody's really sweet and they're very nice. The only problem is you always get a cold.
Con crud!
You always go home with a cold, inevitably. I haven't done a lot of them. This will be my very first Star Trek show. Some of the shows I’ve done have been in these little towns. (STLV) should be a lot of fun, because it’s a huge show in a really big city. So, it should be exciting. And, again, it’s Star Trek. Just to be a part of the experience is an honor.
Go to creationent.com for details about Star Trek Las Vegas 2018, and to purchase tickets.
-
StarTrek.com is saddened to report the death of veteran actor Roger Perry, whom Star Trek fans will remember for his winsome appearance as Captain John Christopher in the TOS episode “Episode Preview: Tomorrow Is Yesterday.” Perry, who was 85, succumbed on Thursday night (July 12) to prostate cancer at his home in Indian Wells, California, according to The Hollywood Reporter, which was informed of the news by Perry's daughter, Dana Perry McNerney.
Perry’s career spanned six decades and nearly 100 television shows and movies. He was a regular or recurring character on such series as Harrigan and Son, Arrest and Trial, The Facts of Life and Falcon Crest, and appeared in the B-movie classics Count Yorga, Vampire and its sequel The Return of Count Yorga, as well as The Thing with Two Heads and Roller Boogie. Talk to any Star Trek fan, though, and "Tomorrow Is Yesterday" stood well above all else. In the time-travel adventure, Captain Christopher of the United States Air Force was beamed aboard the Enterprise and soon soon learned that though he was rather expendable, his as-yet-unborn son would head the first successful Earth-Saturn probe. As a result, he was beamed back to Earth while the Enterprise employed the “slingshot effect” in order to return to the 23rd century.
"I liked the whole idea of the episode," Perry told StarTrek.com in a 2012 interview. "Going back in time, it’s very confusing and mysterious, but it’s also fascinating. I liked the idea that he found out he was going to have a son, and we had a lot of fun with that. I watched it again a few months ago, before I went to Las Vegas for the big convention there, and I remember watching the scene when he’s first beamed up and saying to my wife, Joyce, who was watching it with me, 'I think maybe I could have done more at that particular moment with that particular scene.' I said that because one minute he’s in a fighter plane and the next moment he’s in this strange situation where he’s in this room with these different people. It’s such a momentous moment for him that I think I should have tried some different things."
Perry, according to The Hollywood Reporter, is survived by his second wife, actress Joyce Bulifant, and daughter Dana, as well as son Christopher; stepchildren Charlie, Mary and John; grandson Parker and step-grandchildren Riley, Ford, Daisy and Evan. Please join StarTrek.com in offering our condolences to Perry's family, friends, colleagues and fans.
-
It’s official. Star Trek Las Vegas will welcome more Star Trek: Discovery talent than has ever been assembled at one event at one time.
Cast:
Makeup/prosthetics wizards:
Costume Designer:
Previously announced Discovery cast and crew:
All of the actors will participate in panels on stage Saturday, August 4 and Sunday, August 5, and will be available for photos ops and autographs.
And there’s more. Fans will be treated to a complimentary, fully immersive Star Trek: Discovery Mirror Universe experience. The experience will feature a photo opportunity on Emperor Georgiou’s Throne and will showcase props and costumes directly from the series’ Terran Empire.
Star Trek Las Vegas will be held August 1-5 at the Rio Suites Hotel. Go to www.creationent.com for additional details and to purchase tickets.
-
Victory is Life, the newest expansion to Star Trek Online, is set to launch July 24 on Xbox One and Playstation 4. The game takes Captains beyond the wormhole to the Gamma Quadrant, on an incredible adventure featuring 12 actors from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine reprising their roles, including Nana Visitor as Kira Nerys, Rene Auberjonois as Odo, and Armin Shimerman as Quark. For the first time, step into the shoes of a warrior of the Dominion and create a Jem’Hadar Captain to explore and battle in the Final Frontier. The entire Gamma Quadrant will become a battlefield in our new sector-wide Battlezone, and Captains will be able to raise their level to 65.
Star Trek Online is a free-to-play massively multiplayer online game that allows players to explore the Star Trek universe from within. Players can forge their own destiny as Captain of a Federation starship, champion the Empire through the far reaches of the galaxy as a Klingon Warrior, rebuild the Romulan legacy as the commander of a Romulan Republic Warbird or carry out daring missions on behalf of the Dominion as a Jem’Hadar soldier. Captains can also explore iconic locations from the Star Trek universe, make contact with new alien species and battle alongside other players in customizable starships. Star Trek Online is currently available on PC, PlayStation4 and Xbox One.To download and play Star Trek Online today for free, visit www.playstartrekonline.com.
-
Today is the birthday of Patrick Stewart, better known to many as Jean-Luc Picard, captain of the U.S.S Enterprise 1701-D and E. Within the world of Star Trek, and outside in the 20th and 21st century, Stewart has never failed to make his mark, be it on screens both big and small, in the world of social media, social justice and beyond.
To celebrate the big 7-7, here are six times Patrick – sorry, SIR Patrick – made it so.
Sexiest Man On TV 1992
It may be hard for newer fans to grasp, but when Star Trek: The Next Generation was hot, it was red hot. The biggest show on syndicated television in the late 80’s and early 90’s, conventions were like rock concerts and the cast of TNG were treated like the rock stars that they are. With the show nearing the end of its televised run, one of the most unexpected moments of Sir Patrick's career happened – he won Sexiest Man on TV 1992. To this day he can still hardly believe it, and speaking to the BBC he remembered how he felt when he had won: “It was gobstopping. Not only that, but I was put on the cover of TV Guide with Cindy Crawford. She won for the women. It seems to be absurd, and still does.”
Bromance With Sir Ian
Thank goodness someone came up with the word "bromance," as the relationship between Sir Ian McKellen and Sir Patrick simply couldn’t be described any better. Friends and peers since the 1970’s, their friendship blossomed while playing bitter rivals Charles Xavier and Magneto in the first X-Men adventure in 2000. With their home towns being relatively close by – Stewart in Mirfield, West Yorkshire and McKellen in Burnley, Lancashire 50 miles away – and being of a similar age, anyone following them on social media would think they’re the reincarnation of Laurel and Hardy. McKellen officiated at Stewart's wedding in 2015, they perform on stage together regularly, most notably in Waiting for Godot and No Man’s Land, and just hit Google to check out the best series of photographs from their crazy day out in New York, where they clearly had a ball building hype for their Waiting for Godot/No Man's Land stint on Broadway.
Arise Sir Patrick
While we’ve long known that he’s worth his weight in gold pressed latinum, in the UK the most-visible public acknowledgment is for a performer to become a Dame or receive a knighthood. 2010 saw Patrick Stewart OBE become Sir Patrick Stewart as he was knighted by the Queen at Buckingham Palace. At the time, Stewart described it as "an unlooked-for honour," but is one that he wears with great pride.
Honored not only for his work on the big screen as Professor X and Captain Picard, but also for his many years of stage work, he was conscious of the esteemed company he had joined. "The knights of the theatre represented to me not only the pinnacle of the profession but the esteem in which the profession was held. To find myself, to my astonishment, in that company is the grandest thing that has professionally happened to me."
Fostering Ginger
A long-time dog lover, 2017 saw Patrick and wife Sunny fostered a pit bull named Ginger into their Los Angeles home. Keen to see Ginger relocate to their home in the UK, they hit a wall in the form of the UK’s breed-specific regulations, which mean pit bulls and similar breeds are banned in Britain. Determined to see Ginger adopted into a safe forever home, the Stewarts visited Ginger whenever they were in the United States and assisted in the search for her new owner, a search that had a very happy ending. And, yes, the Stewarts still make time to reunite with Ginger.
Becoming Professor X
There are few actors who can claim to have successfully inhabited not one but two pop-culture icons in their acting careers, and Stewart is among them. Not only did his time on TNG propel Picard into the zeitgeist, but 2000’s X-Men saw him take on the role of Professor Charles Xavier, a role that may have appeared on the surface to be made for him – stern, bald authoritarian teacher with an extraordinary team of underlings – but also one that came with an understandable fear of being typecast. Not that Stewart had anything to worry about, as he made Professor X every bit his own just as he had the good captain across the original trilogy of X-Men films, the Wolverine spin-offs, X-Men: Days of Future Past and, finally, the smash hit Logan, for which many fans felt he deserved an Oscar nomination.
Carrying The Olympic torch… And Then Losing It
It would be an honor for anyone to carry the Olympic torch, and that’s exactly what Sir Patrick did in the run-up to the 2012 Olympics in London, as he ran the torch through Croydon in South London to St. Andrew’s School as part of its journey around the UK – Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, the Channel Islands and England – to the Olympic Stadium in Stratford. Speaking a few years later in a Reddit AMA, Sir Patrick remembered the moment: .“Unbelievably exciting. Unbelievable because I never expected it would happen to me and as an ex-athlete and huge fan of the Olympic Games, it was one of the best days of my life. And, I ended the day taking home the torch, but I seem to have mislaid it. If anyone knows where it is, please let the @SirPatStew team know.”
Happy birthday, Sir Patrick.
Mark Newbold has been an avid Trek fan since the 1970's, when TOS was shown on UK TV, but it was the original cast movie series and TNG era that sealed the deal. Mark is a writer for Star Trek The Official Magazine, is editor-in-Chief of Star Trek: The Neutral Zone and was a stage host at Destination Star Trek Germany in 2018. At heart, he's a Niner. Follow him on Twitter.
-
It’s a common sentiment, at least among those fans who read and keep up with the various Star Trek novels: “<insert book title here> would make a great movie!”
(Personally, I think we could probably convince at least some of those fans who don’t read the novels that this is a neat idea. Maybe we can work on that a bit here.)
For those who aren’t yet dialed in to this particular corner of the Trek franchise, there are at present, conservatively speaking, something like eleventy bazillion* Trek novels in existence, along with adaptations of films and television episodes. There are also a commensurate number of Trek comic books out there.
(* = Perhaps a slight exaggeration.)
All of this stuff has been published in near-continuous fashion since TOS was still in production back in the late 1960s. Many a dedicated fan count novels and comics among their all-time favorite Trek stories, listing them in equal measure alongside films and TV episodes. I’m certainly one of those people. I still hold up books and comics dating back decades as great examples of Trek’s finest storytelling.
It stands to reason that with all the Trek films and series we’ve had these past 50-odd years, at least some of those adventures might be considered strong enough to make the leap from printed or comics page to the big (or small) screen. Can’t just be me, right?
Turns out, it wasn’t.
Just for fun, I conducted an informal survey on my Facebook page, asking readers which Trek novels they thought made tasty film fodder. Naturally, I had to add a twist: The novel in question would (theoretically) be adapted as a story featuring the Enterprise crew as featured in the most recent films.
While many of the answers were in line with what I’d suggest if asked such a question, there were a few surprises. This, of course, made things a lot more fun for me as I compiled my final list for presentation here.
So, without further ado, here are 10 Star Trek novels that might make good movies:
Doctor’s Orders, by Diane Duane (June 1990) – There are surprisingly few Trek tales in which Dr. McCoy is the main character. Of course, he’s present; almost always getting into trouble alongside Kirk and Spock, but only on rare occasions does he command the spotlight. Doctor’s Orders is one such example, with Kirk leaving McCoy in command of the Enterprise while he’s away tending to diplomatic functions. Naturally, the situation gets complicated when Kirk disappears, and that’s before Klingons show up. Then, things get even crazier. For my money, a story like this would be perfect for Karl Urban to go hog wild with his McCoy portrayal, which many fans consider a highlight of the re-imagined Trek films.
The Entropy Effect, by Vonda N. McIntyre (June 1981) – A physicist is accused of killing 10 people he claims to have transported back in time. When he kills Kirk on the Enterprise bridge, it’s Spock who realizes a future version of the physicist is responsible and executes a daring plan to travel back and prevent Kirk’s murder. Nearly 40 years after its initial publication, Pocket Books’ first original Trek novel remains one of its best. McIntyre would go on to write another original Trek novel, Enterprise: The First Adventure, as well as novelizations for the second third and fourth Trek films.
Federation, by Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens (November 1994) – Despite having its version of Zefram Cochrane and his invention of warp drive superceded by Star Trek: First Contact, this first “literary crossover” between two Trek crews remains a fan favorite. The Reeves-Stevens writing duo has long been cheered for their ability to connect with loving care various dots within the Trek franchise, and that’s on full display here with a century-spanning tale that stretches from war-torn 21st century Earth to the time of Kirk’s five-year mission and on to Picard’s command of the Enterprise on Star Trek: The Next Generation. Of course, a film adaptation requires the TNG crew to make it work. Hmm.......
The Galactic Whirlpool, by David Gerrold (October 1980) -- Because you can’t make a list like this without tipping your hat to the original line-up of Trek novels from the 1970s. Way, way out at the galaxy’s edge, the Enterprise finds the Wanderer, a colony vessel from the days long before warp drive. Written by the creator of the Tribbles and their various troubles himself, Mr. Gerrold’s book is generally considered the best of Bantam’s Trek novels, and the storyline of Kirk and the Enterprise trying to save the wayward colony ship from the forces of the dual singularity is big and brassy enough to make for a perfect film featuring the Kelvin timeline crew.
My Enemy, My Ally, by Diane Duane (July 1984) – Duane appears four times on this list, and with good reason: Her name on the cover means you’re getting a grand tale in the finest Trek tradition, and this is no exception. The first of her “Rihannsu novels” offers a version of the Romulans and their culture beloved by many a Trek novel reader. Aside from Nero and his crew in the 2009 Trek film, the Romulans have gotten short shrift in the newer films, and a rich, character-based story like this might be the perfect vehicle for taking a deeper look at this popular Trek alien race.
Prime Directive, by Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens (September 1990) – After the Enterprise is caught up in a planetary war on Talin IV and accidentally initiates a global calamity, Kirk and his senior officers are drummed out of Starfleet. When it becomes obvious not all is what it seems on the planet, Kirk and crew work to clear their names and render aid to the Talin people. The Reeves-Stevens have a knack for weaving grand Trek tales, and Prime Directive is a perfect example of a standalone epic that’s perfect for adaptation to the silver screen.
Sight Unseen, by James Swallow (October 2015) – The list’s lone title that doesn’t come from the vast array of TOS-based novels. Instead, this is an entry from Titan, a “spin-off” series featuring Will Riker commanding the U.S.S. Titan, as indicated by revelations made in Star Trek Nemesis. That said, it’s very much a classic Trek in the best tradition of TOS, dressed up with newer uniforms and technology as Riker and the Titan crew encounter an alien race making its initial attempts at faster-than-light travel. Things go horribly wrong, of course. Though it’d require retooling to account for elements specific to Riker’s backstory, Sight Unseen is a strong example of a Trek tale which could successfully be adapted from one series to another.
Troublesome Minds, by Dave Galanter (June 2009) – An encounter with an ostracized member of a newly discovered telepathic alien race naturally presents problems for Kirk and the Enterprise crew, Spock in particular. Troublesome Minds is a great character piece filled to overflowing with moral and ethical dilemmas with no easy answers. It provides plenty of meat for the current film cast, especially Zachary Quinto as Spock, to really take a deep dive into their roles.
The Wounded Sky, by Diane Duane (December 1983) – A new, experimental propulsion system sends the Enterprise on a journey outside our universe and beyond the limits of understanding. That’s just for starters, as Kirk and crew find themselves struggling to repair the damage they’ve caused even while making first contact with a wondrous new alien race. Like The Entropy Effect, The Wounded Sky is an early Pocket Books offering that remains popular with fans decades after its original publication. It’d later inform a story Duane wrote with Michael Reaves for TNG’s first season, “Where No One Has Gone Before.”
Yesterday’s Son, by Ann C. Crispin (August 1983) – Spock discovers that he had a son in the form of Zar, the product of his relationship with Zarabeth while he and McCoy were trapped 5,000 years in the past of the now-destroyed planet Sarpeidon (TOS episode “All Our Yesterdays”). Using the Guardian of Forever, Spock journeys with Kirk and McCoy into the past and finds Zar as a young adult. Zarabeth is dead, but the Enterprise officers bring Zar with them back to the present, and both father and son must now forge a relationship. Written in an era before spin-off TV series and efforts to maintain a cohesive Trek continuity, Yesterday’s Son is a novel that began life as a story Crispin wrote for her own enjoyment and born out of her sheer love for Trek before making it to “the big time.” I still hold up this one as an excellent entry point to the ever-growing Trek fiction universe. It has all the ingredients you need to make a Trek movie that’s a nice character study while still possessing those action-adventure elements you want in a big-budget science fiction film.
And while it’s not part of my “official” list, I’m still adding it here for my own shameless satisfaction: 2013’s From History’s Shadow. I threw everything but the kitchen sink into this one: time travel, UFO conspiracy theories, early NASA space program stuff, sinister alien agents, dogs and cats living together... mass hysteria!
All right, that’s 10, though this certainly isn’t meant to be a definitive list. There were many great suggestions during the original discussion, which you can find by clicking on this link right here.
What do you think? Something I should’ve listed, but didn’t? What Trek novel do you want to see adapted for the big screen?
Check out the "Ten for Ward" Backlist
Dayton Ward is the New York Times bestselling author or co-author of numerous novels and short stories, including a whole bunch of stuff set in the Star Trek universe, and often working with friend and co-writer Kevin Dilmore. As he’s still a big ol' geek at heart, Dayton is known to wax nostalgic about all manner of Trek topics over on his blog, The Fog of Ward.
-
Star Trek and San Diego Comic-Con go hand-in-hand, and SDCC 2018 will be no exception. In addition to the previously announced Star Trek: Discovery activity, we highlight a galaxy of Star Trek licensed products – much of it exclusive, much of it with booth special prices – during SDCC.
Here's our guide to all things Star Trek at this year's show:
STAR TREK: DISCOVERY PANEL
Friday, July 20, 1:30PM
HALL H, San Diego Convention Center
Series stars Sonequa Martin-Green, Doug Jones, Shazad Latif, Mary Wiseman, Anthony Rapp, Wilson Cruz, Mary Chieffo and Anson Mount will settle onto the dais, joined by executive producers Alex Kurtzman and Heather Kadin. Tig Notaro, who will guest star as Chief Engineer Reno during Discovery’s sophomore year, will moderate the panel. Together, they will look back at season one of the CBS All Access series and peer forward to hint at where the crew will go as they head into season two.
STAR TREK: DISCOVERY MIRROR UNIVERSE GALLERY TAKEOVER
Thursday, July 19 through Sunday, July 22
Michael J. Wolf Fine Arts Gallery
363 Fifth Avenue
CBS will deliver a fully immersive Star Trek: Discovery Mirror Universe experience at the Michael J. Wolf Fine Arts Gallery. The experience will feature a photo opportunity on Emperor Georgiou’s Throne and will showcase props and costumes directly from the series’ Terran Empire. The gallery will also house an official Star Trek Shop with Comic-Con exclusives. The takeover experience will be free to the public and not require a Comic-Con badge for entry.
And fans should be on the lookout for free, limited-edition Star Trek: Discovery Starfleet pins that will be distributed each day at the gallery.
Exhibit Hours:
Thursday 11:00am to 9:00pm
Friday 11:00am to 9:00pm
Saturday 11:00am to 9:00pm
Sunday 11:00am to 5:00pm
PEDICAB PROMOTION
Thursday, July 19 through Sunday, July 22
All weekend long, CBS will offer free “intergalactic” rides throughout San Diego’s Gaslamp District in pedicabs inspired by the design of the U.S.S. Discovery’s Captain’s Chair. The pedicabs will feature the chair’s distinctive stitched black seats as well as video monitors built into its armrests, which will screen trailers for the highly anticipated second season. As an added touch, each vehicle will display an illuminated U.S.S. Discovery delta shield on the back.
ANOVOS: Booth #3849
ANOVOS will reveal a U.S.S. Enterprise Studio-Scale Model at SDCC and boast displays featuring many of their high-quality Trek prop reproductions, costumes and more. Fans can purchase items ranging from Discovery Starfleet Hand Phasers, Starfleet Phaser Rifles, Discovery - "Disco" Athletic Shirts from the "Shore Leave Collection" in 3 inspired-by styles (Command Gold, Sciences Silver, Operations Copper), and a U.S.S. Shenzhou Studio-Scale Model, U.S.S. Discovery Studio-Scale Model. Stop by the booth for 15% off select items.
ANOVOS is also offering an online SDCC Special of 10% off select in-stock items via ANOVOS.com.
Chronicle Books (Booth #1506)
SDCC will be the “purrfect” time to purchase copies of the Jenny Parks books Star Trek Cats and Star Trek: The Next Generation Cats, as well as exclusive The Next Generation Cats patches (limit three per person, while supplies last) at the following days and times:
-
Thursday, July 19th & Saturday, July 21st
9:30am: Locutus -
Friday, July 20th & Sunday, July 22nd
9:30am: Sherlock Data and Geordi
Signings:
Friday, July 20th at 12:30pm: Parks will be at the Chronicle Books booth to sign copies of Star Trek Cats books.
Diamond Select Toys (Booth #2607)
DST, at their booth, will offer a Transparent "Cloaked" TOS Romulan Bird of Prey. It’s priced at $70 each and limited to 300 pieces.
Gentle Giant (Booth #3513)
Gentle Giant will reveal their Discovery products, including the new Saru bust/statue, Michael Burnham 1:4 Scale Statue, Klingon Torchbearer 1:4 Scale Statue, Klingon Torchbearer Knife Wall Mount Display and a set of Federation/Klingon insignia bookends.
Signings:
Saturday, July 21, 2:30pm – 4:30pm: Fans can get their SDCC-exclusive Saru bust signed by Doug Jones.
Hallmark (Booth #2913-K and PopMinded Booth #1505)
Star Trek: The Animated Series characters Lt. Arex and Lt. M’Ress, are part of an SDCC exclusive Keepsake Ornament two-pack celebrating the show’s 45th anniversary. Limited to a production run of 2,800.
As another SDCC exclusive, a Gorn itty bittys plush will becomes the first Trek alien adversary to join the itty bittys collection. The Gorn has a total production run of 2,500.
A U.S.S. Discovery Keepsake Ornament will be available for purchase, as well as additional Trek-centric Hallmark ornaments and itty bitty plush.
Fans eager to see what else Hallmark has in the way of future Trek products will enjoy sneak peeks at: U.S.S. Enterprise Premium Metal Keepsake Ornament, Kirk & Khan 2-pack itty bittys plush set, Mirror Universe Spock & Kirk Hallmark.com exclusives. The exclusives will be available at Hallmark Booth #2913-K, while the core line of Keepsake Ornaments and itty bittys, as well as sneak peeks of Fall 2018, can be found at PopMinded Booth #1505.
Signings:
Saturday, July 21st, 5:00pm – 6:00pm: Doug Jones will be signing U.S.S. Discovery Keepsake Ornaments at Booth #2913-K.
Icon Heroes (Booth #3345)
Limited to 100 pieces, an Enterprise-D Saucer Mouse Pad will be available for $15. Star Trek Smartphone Card Holders will also be available at $10.00 each. The self-adhesive card holders fit most smartphones, stick to smartphones, cases and more, and securely hold up to two cards and cash.
IDW Publishing (Booth #2743)
SDCC exclusives from IDW include Star Trek Through the Mirror five-pack bundles, featuring the whole set of single issues form the series with special variant covers, for $25, and a Discovery Annual Blank cover for $10. IDW will also offer non-exclusive Mirror Broken TP Con Variants for $20.
Signings:
Friday, July 20th, 5:00pm – 6:00pm: Mike Johnson, David Tipton, Scott Tipton, J.K. Woodward
Saturday, July 21st, 12:00pm – 1:00pm: Mike Johnson, David Tipton, Scott Tipton, J.K. Woodward
Simon & Schuster (Booth #1128)
S&S won’t have any exclusives available this year, but they’ll be selling several popular Trek titles, including the Discovery adventures Desperate Hours, Drastic Measures and Fear Itself. And they’ll be giving away the following Trek titles: Destiny #1: Gods of Night, The Fall: Revelation and Dust, and TOS: Legacies #1: Captain to Captain.
ThinkGeek (Booth #3349)
ThinkGeek will live demo their Star Trek Phaser Controlled Rock Mood Light. Faithfully reproducing Sulu’s Alfa 177 planetary experience, where he used his phaser to heat a rock to survive freezing conditions, fans can now fire this replica first-season Type-1 Phaser at the rock, making it glow, or access a whole spectrum of relaxing atmospheric settings and provide an ambient glow in numerous colors. The Mood Light will cost $70; limited to one per customer.
Titan (Booth #5537)
The long-awaited Star Trek: Lost Scenes will be presented with a Comic-Con Exclusive Replica Film Cell. As StarTrek.com previously reported, Lost Scenes features hundreds of curated, never-before-seen color photos from TOS. All images are restored to their original, vibrant colors and help chronicle the making of TOS. Debuting at SDCC and not on sale anywhere else, this limited edition of 200 is priced at $40 per book and comes with a replica film cell featuring super-rare images, not even in the book.
Star Trek ShopAll sorts of SDCC-exclusive Trek merchandise, including mugs and tee-shirts, will be available at the Star Trek Shop in the Michael J. Wolf Fine Arts Gallery (363 Fifth Avenue), home to the fully immersive Star Trek: Discovery Mirror Universe experience. The Star Trek Shop will be open from July 19-22.
-
Thursday, July 19th & Saturday, July 21st
-
Hello, StarTrek.com readers:
What’s worse than a July heatwave? Asteroid impact! So, to take your mind off the heat, here is a brief revisit of my discussion with JPL’s Dr. Amy Mainzer, one of the Planetary Defenders working hard to protect us from asteroids. We recently celebrated Asteroid Week at The Planetary Society to help raise awareness of the Near Earth Objects that could impact our planet.
So, please check it out -- and just tell them The Doctor sent you. And to learn more about the Planetary Society, go to planetary.org.
Robert Picardo
-
Robert Duncan McNeill saw an opportunity and seized it. Much like Jonathan Frakes and Roxann Dawson, the former Voyager actor leveraged the opportunity to direct Trek into a second career as a director and producer. His long list of post-Trek shows includes Medium, Las Vegas, Chuck, Smash, The Mentalist, Blue Bloods, The Arrangement, Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce and The Orville. But it all started with Voyager, as McNeill – to an extent – went through the unofficial Trek directors’ school initiated by Rick Berman and ultimately called the shots on eight Trek hours, namely the Voyager episodes “Sacred Ground,” “Unity,” “Someone to Watch Over Me” and “Body and Soul” as well as the Enterprise installments “Cold Front,” "The Breach,” “Twilight” and “Countdown.” StarTrek.com chatted with the amiable McNeill backstage a couple of months ago during Destination Star Trek Germany in Dortmund, and he took us through his Trek directing experiences as well as addressed the possibility of directing Discovery at some point.
Is it true that you asked Rick Berman about you directing Voyager while you were shooting the pilot?
Yes. My memory of this is that literally on day one of the pilot, we – Rick, Garrett Wang, Brannon Braga and I, and I can’t remember who else -- were walking away from the sound stage and I said to Rick, "You know, Rick, I've been observing directors for a few years now, on different shows, but every show I get on seems to get canceled before we even complete a full season. So, I haven't had a chance to direct on anything up until now. I've been shadowing and observing, and you guys have had a history of letting actors direct. So, I'm just letting you know..."
And he said?
"Yeah, we'll see. In a couple of years. Let’s get the show going, and we'll see." I was like, "No, no, I want to direct first season, because I've been on shows that got canceled. As much as I believe this will run a long time, whatever it takes, I want try to direct as soon as possible. Will you let me know what I need to do?" I think that first day he thought it was just a lot of talk. But I kept speaking to him. I talked to Frakes and other people who’d done it. I started spending time in editing and screenings, particularly screenings when Rick was in the room. I wanted to hear what he liked, what he didn't, how he thought, how things could’ve been directed better... All of that.
So, it happened organically for you, rather than you following the established path of actors going through the unofficial directors’ school?I guess so. Rick definitely had a list of things he wanted checked off. He wanted to know you'd spent time in post. But, in terms of a school or a formal syllabus, I don't remember anything like that. Like you say, it was unofficial and other people came at it different ways. If somebody went up to him and said, “I want to direct,” he'd say, “OK, you need to do this, this and this.” I'd kind of been doing it before that, so I just did more of what I'd been doing and also asked him, “What else do you think I need to look at?”
Which Trek directors did you shadow?Les Landau. Jonathan. Rick Kolbe. Because I'd been shadowing directors and I'd been on the set a long time, I felt like where I was learning the most was in the editing room, going to post, sitting in production meetings, listening to how all the department budgets worked. Things like that.
“Sacred Ground” marked your Voyager directing debut. What were you feeling heading into it?
I was excited. I was ready. I was terrified. You run on adrenaline that first time or two, or 12. You don't know what you don't know when you start out directing. That's good, in a way, because, you're not locked into tricks and things you've done before. I've done enough episodes now that if I get into a situation, I can be like, “OK, I know how to get out of this. I know what tricks to use.” That's no always the most creative or the best way to do it. So, I think in the beginning, sometimes, being a little naïve about things is good.
How helpful was it that your first episode was pretty talky and focused on Kate Mulgrew?
It was a very talky episode. It wasn't tons of FX and action that you needed to worry about. That was probably a double-header of help. Kate was great. The guest cast we got was super-strong. I felt happy to have those actors, Becky Ann Baker and Estelle Parsons and... who else? Harry Groener. They were all so good.
Have you seen it recently? What did you think?
I actually did see it, last year. There were a couple of places where I remembered getting into trouble a little bit with some FX moments. Or, there was a whole sequence in this vision chamber, where Kate goes in, walks around this altar and sticks her hand in the basket. Then, she has these visions. I look back on that, and I would’ve done it differently. I think.
You went on to direct three more Voyager episodes. Which were you happiest with, and why?
“Someone to Watch Over Me.” I think that was my best episode. It had comedy. I've been lucky enough to be able to do not just one-hour dramas, but comedy, over the years, as a director. Though my background as an actor wasn't heavy in comedy, I just feel comfortable in that genre. I like working on lighthearted scenes with actors and characters. I find it satisfying. I feel like I have a good radar for comedy.
Chuck proved that….
Chuck was perfect for me. Chuck had comedy and that was important, but it also had to be grounded in an emotional way with a love story, a family story or the best friend story. Then, it had to have action. That was a challenging show for directors because, some people come in with great action instincts, but they didn't know how to shoot comedy. Or, they'd come in with a drama instinct, but didn't know how to do action. When a director doesn’t have a good radar for comedy, they can push it too far or miss opportunities. It requires a very light touch. Getting back to “Someone to Watch Over Me,” that's what I really enjoyed about it, that it was a rare Voyager episode with some lighthearted moments, but also the romance.
And, of your Enterprise episodes, which were you most satisfied with? You directed “Cold Front,” “The Breach,” “Twilight” and “Countdown.”
The episode where the boys went down to the center of the planet. I loved that because it was a real production challenge. We literally just had a corner of the stage that we dressed for the rock climbing, the descent. I was happy with the way I was able to plan out that whole journey of rappelling and tunnels without having much of a set. We had 30 feet of rocks and that was it. So, to create those scenes with a couple of visual FX moments was exciting. There was a moment in the script, I think it was something like they slip and fall. It was a smaller sequence, initially. I remember pitching the idea of the Romancing the Stone sequence where they're sliding down the waterfall. I said, “We can build a slide on our little corner rock area. I can drag them across the floor. We can make it seem like they're falling half a mile down when, really, they're falling 15 feet.” I was excited about that sequence. Funny what you think of years later.
How open would you be to directing Discovery if the opportunity arose?I wanted to direct Discovery. I met with their producing director. I didn't know the show that well, but I met with him on their last hiatus to talk about season two. I also produce now. So, I hire a lot of directors. The last few years, there's been a seismic shift in terms of the priorities toward female and diverse directors. That reality now has meant that what used to be normal, which was a lot of white guys, to be quite honest, has changed. Some shows are mostly women directing. I think Jessica Jones, last year, had all female directors. Handmaid's Tale. A woman may direct the next Star Trek movie. Most importantly, it's a wonderful thing that's happening. I’m proud that on other shows I’ve produced -- The Gifted, The Arrangement, Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce -- I’ve brought in female directors. But, to answer your question, Discovery does a limited number of episodes and a priority there is to get female and diverse directors, so there are fewer opportunities for people like me, which is a great thing. But, yeah, if the opportunity arose to direct Discovery and I fit what they needed and it fit my schedule, I'd love to do it.
-
Burnham, Hoshi, Janeway, Kira, Troi and Uhura. Those were the choices we gave StarTrek.com readers participating in our latest poll. And the poll question was, Which female character was the most empowering? Thousands of fans voted, and here are the results:
Janeway (49%)
Kira (21%)
Uhura (18%)
Troi (6%)
Burnham (4%)
Hoshi (2%)
And how did your preferred empowered female fare?
Be sure to vote in this week's poll...
-
When most people think of Corbin Bernsen, they conjure memories of L.A. Law and the Major League movies, or perhaps The Dentist and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, or quite possibly Psych and American Gods. Somewhere along the way – OK, in 1990, to be precise – he stepped into the Star Trek universe oh-so-briefly. The actor, at the zenith of his fame on L.A. Law, made an uncredited cameo appearance as the all-knowing, all-seeing Q2 in the third-season Star Trek: The Next Generation episode, “Deja Q.” StarTrek.com has long wanted to chat with Bernsen, and we finally got our chance last week when the amiable actor jumped on the phone to discuss his TNG experience in advance of next month’s Star Trek Las Vegas event, where he’ll participate in a panel, sign autographs and do photo ops. Here’s what he had to say…
Nearly 30 years ago, you filmed your TNG episode. How well did you know Star Trek in general at the time?
I basically grew up on Twilight Zone, which really easily moved into Star Trek for me, and, to some degree, Star Wars. So, I watched The Original Series, like everybody else in the world watched that. I knew it was new and different, but I was a little less connected to it. It's a bit like I love baseball, but I don't know all the teams and all the players.
How did your TNG role happen?
They came to me. It was out of the blue. I’d maybe put it out there I’d be interested. Everybody wanted to be on Star Trek or Seinfeld or on our show (L.A. Law). I’d still love to be a part of the Star Wars world, on some level, but I’ve gotten to do so much, including Trek and Seinfeld. I’m in the Trek (fiction and reference) books. And I’ve done things that surprised me. I even did a Baywatch! So, I’ve had this wonderful career and gotten to do so much. And there’s still more to do, I hope.
Did the producers, to help you prepare, give you previous Q-related scripts or episodes to watch?
A few episodes. I could get there more quickly as the character by watching episodes. A Q is this omnipotent thing in the universe, and this guy had power over the Q that the fans knew, John de Lancie’s character. That’s basically what I needed to know.
How did you like working on the show, and acting opposite de Lancie?
Let’s start with the costume. You put that on and it was just not forgiving at all, in any shape or form. You saw… every protrusion in the pants and everywhere else, any protrusion. If you have a little bit of stuff going on around the waist, anywhere, it shows. I was very thankful I got to wear a suit for eight years, a tailored suit, on L.A. Law. But once we got past that (on TNG), then we got down to the work. John is wonderful, as everybody knows. You've got to find a way to think, “Well, he's Q and I'm in control of him, so how do I outdo his smart ideas?” We had a good time. I tell people I love doing what I do, love the craft of acting, love the history of it, but we also can have fun. Obviously, that was something we had a lot of fun with, John and me.
How satisfied were you with the finished episode?
Loved it! Great! Wonderful, wonderful. There's this photograph flying around of me with a sort of silly look on my face and my arms are up, and it seems to be the photograph everybody uses of my appearance. It’s a screengrab, I think. It's always second to a GQ cover that I did, and if you find that GQ cover, you'll see a very similar picture to the photo that's out there of me as Q2.
You went uncredited. Why did you choose to do that?
I did, and I don’t know why. I don’t remember. I did silly things sometimes. I guess I feel like that's their family. Sometimes, as a guest star or doing a cameo, I feel like I'm at somebody else's party, and I don't want to take any credit for it. Back in the day, during L.A. Law, I didn’t want my Star on Hollywood Boulevard. “No, no, I'm just not ready for it. I'm not ready.” Some people deserve a star. I guess it’s good. I'm all about the work and the rest… the fame, glory, credits, the Star on Hollywood Boulevard, they're all great and it's part of it, but my big kick is just getting out there and doing it, being on set, working with actors.
Does it amaze you to be talking now about a Trek cameo you did nearly 30 years ago?
Well, I’m going to get sort of Star Trek-y about it. It's this massive universe out there, and once we touch one another, get one bit of contact, you are inextricably connected to one another. I think it shows the power of connectivity, of reaching out and, might I say, to sound a bit altruistic, you have got a power we all possess, a power for change, a power for improving humanity. The fact that you can do one episode and be… People will say, “Well, it's because you're on TV, man!” There is that. It’s like Howard Beale in Network. Of course, there’s that, but it's more than that. We assume in life that differences are only made of these massive sweeping movements, but the fact is one person can touch a life. One person holding hands with the next gets the chain going. And to your point, 30 years later, that chain is relevant to this conversation. Star Trek, uncredited, two hours on the Paramount lot, it shows the power of our capacity for connectivity if we choose to take it.
We just saw you on American Gods as Vulcan and also on Billions. IMDB lists 10 other projects. Do you come up for air?
(Laughs). A lot of those are small films, bit and pieces I’m doing for friends, a day here, a day there. I saw one of them on there, and it was an indie I did four years ago that hasn’t opened yet. The bigger project I'm working on is Marvel's The Punisher, for Netflix. I'm doing season two of that. I've done three episodes and will be doing another. Like with all things, I’m just hanging, waiting to find out the dates. That's been fantastic. But, in general, this is a time where I'm picking and choosing smaller projects that are of interest to me, and they're not big one-month, two-month, three-month commitments.
You'll be at Star Trek Las Vegas later this month. How ready are you for that?
I think I might have gone to one convention as a fan, but I wasn’t an invited guest. I do some Comic-Cons and, invariably, because of the nature of them, a lot of people, even with that one episode, know everything about Q2. I imagine that knowledge will be even greater in Vegas. So, I’m super-excited.
Star Trek Las Vegas will be held August 1-5 at the Rio Suites Hotel. Go to www.creationent.com for additional details and to purchase tickets.
-
Return to Risa for the annual Lohlunat Festival, and enjoy all the fun in the sun that the vacation planet has to offer. Engage in powerboard races, fly the friendly skies in your own jetpack, hunt for rare artifacts, raise exotic pets, and more. From June 28th to August 9th, Captains on PC, Xbox One and Playstation 4 will be able to enjoy the festivities and, for the first time ever, Captains on Xbox One and Playstation 4 will be able to take part in the all-new Biathalon event.
There are fresh rewards on all three platforms, including new colors of adorable Caracal cats, new powerboards and jetpacks, new baseball-themed emotes, and three new kit modules. In honor of our Deep Space Nine- themed expansion, Victory is Life, Captains will be able to unlock baseball uniforms for two teams, the Deep Space Niners and the Ferengi Liquidators. And finally, completing the Flying High event will allow Captains to unlock the Tier 6 Vorgon Ytijara Dreadnought, a nimble carrier for their fleets.
Star Trek Online is a free-to-play massively multiplayer online game where players can pioneer their own destiny as Captain of a Federation starship, become a Klingon Warrior and champion the Empire through the far reaches of the galaxy, rebuild the Romulan legacy as the commander of a Romulan Republic Warbird, or serve the Founders in a new era as the perfect soldiers, the Jem’Hadar. In Star Trek Online, players have the opportunity to visit iconic locations from the popular Star Trek universe, reach out to unexplored star systems, and make contact with new alien species. Star Trek Online is currently available on PC, PlayStation4 and Xbox One. To download and play Star Trek Online today for free, visit www.playstartrekonline.com. -
Hailing from a star system beyond Federation space, the El-Aurians are a humanoid species known for their “listening” ability. After their homeworld was destroyed by the Borg, the few survivors became nomads, scattered throughout the galaxy.
A Race from a Faraway Star
The planets in the system around the star El-Auria were home to the El-Aurian race. Their outward appearance is much like that of humans, but they age much more slowly. The lifespan of an El-Aurian covers many centuries, with some recorded as living past 700 human years.
El-Aurians are known as “Listeners.” They are highly perceptive, possibly empathic. Some El-Aurians appear to have an awareness of the fluctuations of time and space. Because of this, as they’ve traveled through the galaxy, El-Aurians have often served as counselors, bartenders, and peacekeepers, with a few using their talents to ill effect as conmen.
Homeworld Destroyed
Circa 2265, the El-Aurian system came under Borg attack. Though they resisted, most of the El-Aurians were assimilated or killed, with fatalities numbering in the millions. Their cities were destroyed, and the handful of survivors were forced to flee.
In 2293, a group of 415 refugees headed for Earth hailed the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-B for help after encountering a mysterious ribbon of energy, known as the Nexus. During the rescue mission, the Nexus destroyed their transports, but the Enterprise was able to beam 47 El-Aurians to safety. In the process, the Enterprise lost its former captain, James. T. Kirk.
Guinan
One of the El-Aurians rescued by the Enterprise was a female named Guinan, who was around 500 Earth years old at the time. She had spent her earlier adult years traveling and had been away from her homeworld at the time of the Borg attack. Guinan even spent some time on Earth in the 1890s, hiding out from her father, living among the humans. She also encountered a Q in the 2160s and began an adversarial relationship with him.
Guinan was aboard the S.S. Lakul when it was caught up in the Nexus in 2293. While the ship was being torn apart, Guinan and the other refugees were trapped in the ribbon. Inside the Nexus, time is not linear, and everything one desires can become real. Though she was rescued, an echo of Guinan remained in the Nexus. Following the incident, she developed what one might call a “sixth sense.” She was able to perceive different timeline disparities and detect vortices.
In 2365, she was invited by Captain Jean-Luc Picard to come aboard the Enterprise as the civilian hostess of the Ten-Forward lounge. Guinan once said their relationship went “beyond friendship and beyond family.” She spent many years on the Enterprise, listening to crew, providing advice, synthehol, and alcohol. She was forced to face – and reconcile – her hatred of the Borg when Hugh, a Borg cut off from the collective, joined the Enterprise in 2368.
Guinan was said to have been married 23 times, mother to several children, and an expert marksman.
Return to the Nexus
In 2371, another survivor of the Nexus disaster, Dr. Tolian Soran, was rescued again by the Enterprise, this time, the NCC-1701-D, when the Amargosa Observatory was attacked. Soran had been working with trilithium to develop an explosive strong enough to destroy the sun in the Veridian system. This would change the course of the Nexus, enabling him to reach it from the planet Veridian III. He was desperate to return to recreate a life with the family he lost when the Borg attacked the El-Aurian system.
On Veridian III, Soran battled Enterprise Captain Jean-Luc Picard and succeeded in blowing up the sun. Picard entered the Nexus, where he met an echo of Guinan, who guided him to Captain James T. Kirk, who had been trapped in the Nexus since the 2293 incident. Because of the way time worked in the Nexus, the captains were able to exit to a time before Picard entered – and before Soran destroyed the sun. In the battle that followed, Soran was defeated, resulting in his death and the actual death of James T. Kirk.
Legacy
Around the same time Soran was enacting his plan to return to the Nexus, another El-Aurian, Martus Mazur, opened a club on space station Deep Space 9. A con man, he rigged games and swindled his customers. He was arrested by the station’s Constable Odo.
The other surviving El-Aurians led quiet lives, rarely making history.
Behind the Scenes
The El-Aurians were named after El Auria, the angel of flame in ancient Hebrew lore. The name was first heard on January 2, 1994 in the Deep Space Nine episode “Rivals.”
Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry named Guinan after vaudeville actress Texas Guinan, who ran a speakeasy in New York City during Prohibition.
Whoopi Goldberg has said that seeing Uhura on the Bridge as a child in the ‘60s showed her that she could be anything, and she instantly became a lifelong fan. She lobbied for a role on Star Trek: The Next Generation, but the producers didn’t believe she was serious. Finally, she personally contacted Gene Roddenberry. He rewrote the part of Guinan for her, and she joined the cast in season two.
When Goldberg made her first convention appearance at Star Trek Las Vegas in 2016, Guinan’s unique wardrobe came up. Goldberg referred to her outfits as “tents” and told the audience that her trademark large hats were designed to resemble the ship’s saucer section, prompting the other cast members to call her “shuttle head.”
Guinan’s relationship history with Captain Picard has always been a mystery, but at the convention Goldberg shed some light on it. She said Roddenberry wanted Guinan to be very old and perhaps an ancestor of another character: "I always assumed that Picard was one of my great-great-great-great-great grandkids.”
Guinan almost had another maternal relationship. In the DS9 episode, “Rivals,” producer Michael Piller originally planned for Martus Mazur to be her son and for Guinan to appear in the episode. Goldberg wasn’t available, however, and the script was changed. He remained an El-Aurian, but all references to Guinan were removed. Piller had additional plans for Martus. He considered making him a recurring character to spar with Quark.
Goldberg left the series in season six, with Star Trek Generations coming out a year later in 1994. Guinan made one more, very brief appearance at the wedding of Will Riker and Deanna Troi in the 2002 film Star Trek Nemesis.
Robin Berla Meyers is a NYC-based writer and TV producer specializing in pop and geek culture. Her work has been seen all over the world, on things like BBC America, AMC, and The Verge. Her mom introduced her to Trek when she was 3 years old, and she never stopped watching.
The Best of Everything Trek at Comic-Con
in Star Trek: Discovery
Posted
Another San Diego Comic-Con is almost in the books for Star Trek: Discovery’s cast, creatives and fans. And what a weekend it's been, filled with donuts, a teaser trailer, guest star revelations, surprise actor appearances, an immersive Mirror Universe experience, exciting new products and more. StarTrek.com was there, saw it all and now comes to you, equal parts excited and exhausted, with all the highlights:
Discovery Cast Surprises
Fans got up close and personal with much of the Discovery cast as the actors made two surprise appearances during SDCC. First, the actors – including Sonequa Martin-Green, Shazad Latif, Doug Jones, Anson Mount, Wilson Cruz and Anthony Rapp -- handed out donuts to the hardy and hungry Trek aficionados waiting on Friday morning in the Hall H line for the Discovery panel.
Later that morning, the cast greeted fans in the Star Trek: Discovery Mirror Universe Gallery Takeover, shaking hands, posing for selfies and signing autographs.
The Discovery Mirror Universe Experience
Star Trek fans ooh-ed and aah-ed as they soaked in the sights and sounds of the fully immersive Star Trek: Discovery Mirror Universe experience. Everywhere fans looked, the Terran Empire came to life. From Mirror Burnham and Georgiou Qo'noS costumes, Mirror Universe weaponry to production photos, the experience showcased some of the Mirror Universe highlights.
Fans could even can experience a photo opportunity on Emperor Georgiou’s Throne.
Cosplayers Cosplaying
Cosplaying is all the rage at Comic-Con, as fans aspire to top their friends and themselves each year. And, as always, Star Trek cosplayers made their present felt…and seen.
We glimpsed spot-on Captain Killys, Borg, Michael Burnhams, Spocks, a few Red Shirts and more.
Discovery Panel
Star Trek: Discovery stars Sonequa Martin-Green, Doug Jones, Shazad Latif, Mary Wiseman, Anthony Rapp, Wilson Cruz, Mary Chieffo and Anson Mount, joined by executive producers Alex Kurtzman and Heather Kadin, and moderator Tig Notaro gathered together for a packed Hall H panel on Friday.
Fans were treated to a juicy season-two trailer, exclusive details about season two (Spock, Rebecca Romijn as Number One, Star Trek: Short Treks) and more.
Ships Ahoy
ANOVOS showed off a number of new Trek prop reproductions, but fans snapped countless photos of three products in particular: a U.S.S. Enterprise Studio-Scale Model, a U.S.S. Shenzhou Studio-Scale Model and a U.S.S. Discovery Studio-Scale Model.
Beam us up!
Burnham & Klingon Torchbearer Statues
Gentle Giant big Discovery product reveals at SDCC were their Michael Burnham 1:4 Scale Statue and Michael Burnham 1:4 Scale Statue, Klingon Torchbearer 1:4 Scale Statue, which impressed everyone who saw them.
Previously revealed on StarTrek.com was Gentle Giant’s remarkable Saru bust in advance of Comic-Con, and many fans not only picked one up at the Gentle Giant booth, but got it signed by Doug Jones.
Tastes Like Star Trek
One of the hot invitations at SDCC was for the Silver Screen Bottling Company’s party, during which fan could drink up James T. Kirk Straight Bourbon Whiskey and also taste the company’s just-announced premium spirit, Ten-Forward Vodka.
Get in the Mood
One of Sulu’s signature moments came to life on Wednesday as ThinkGeek and The Wand Company demo-ed their joint product, the Star Trek Phaser-Controlled Rock Mood Light. Inspired by the effects seen in the TOS episode “The Enemy Within,” the glowing, colorful product features a hand-painted rock and a replica first-season Type-1 Phaser, which fans can use to recreate Sulu’s Alfa 177 planetary experience, where he fired his phaser to heat a rock to survive the freezing conditions.
View the full article