Berman: Trek Needs A Rest

[Jem'hadar]

Berman: Trek Needs A Rest
Rick Berman, executive-producer of Star Trek: Enterprise, told SCI FI Wire that he believes the decline in ratings that led to the series' cancellation was the result of an oversaturation of the franchise.
http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire2005/i...ory=0&id=30935

[IceGiant]

No it had nothing to do with your mismangement at all /sarcasm

[black campbellq]

Just because B&B had a great deal to do with the quality drop in the series from VOY to ENT, doesn't mean he doesn't have a point. The oversaturation of fans and production team alike may have contributed to the failures of the latest outings. The same team has been on these shows for over a decade -- they were tired, from stories (B&B), to music, direction, art direction...the shows had a look, feel, and story mentality that hadn't changed much since TNG. The real changes were over at the black sheep series, DS9.

Enterprise found its feet with a new story editor/producer (Coto). Nemesis was almost there, but the superweapon and crazed villain thing had been done...repeatedly...in the movies.

Additionally, Trek is competing with new franchises that are more savvy, well-written, and more ambitious, take Babylon 5, Firefly, or Battlestar Galactica for instance. The average viewer wans more complexity and realism. The utopianism of Trek looks a bit dated when placed against the competition.

The franchise does need a break -- as much to allow changes in the production personnel as anything.

[REG]

While I agree that the franchise need a break, Enterprise -- as you said -- has finally found its feet, courtesy of Manny Coto. They could have let Manny Coto with the Reeves-Stevens duo, run the show for 3 more seasons. After that, they can take all the break they want.

Nothing new and impressive is coming out of Berman's mouth or office memo. It's full of "blah blah blah... not my fault... blah blah blah."

[Phoenix]

Several people have been saying "Let Trek rest for a while" I'll admit I'm one of them. One of the things that concerns me about it, however, is what will become of the numerous forums, fan sites, and on-line references. Would they also start to slowly vanish. Would the communities fall apart?

[templartiger]

I call this a case of too little too late.

Berman is basically not admitting to what the fanbase has stated already: He's a bloody twit.

As for the Trek boards, fan run stuff dying off? I doubt it...

[REG]

As for the Trek boards, fan run stuff dying off? I doubt it...

Meh. Trek fanfics will still go on, even if I don't read a single one (heck, I don't even read SW fanfics).

[BouncyCaitian]

What? B&B admit they were burned out and incompetent? pull the other one. Manny Coto has done such a good job with the series with this season. It's a pity they canceled it before they gave it a chance with him.

And as to the production teams for Trek, the lads have been pulling the long haul for some time. they could use a rest.


The fandom won't die out, just get put on the back burner for a while. A break might be a good thing while. And more fan stuff her for Coda trek and other systems might do us all some good

[ray53208]

i must concur. the season so far has been exceptional. these are the kind of stories they shouldve been doing all along instead of playing it safe and avoiding cannon. a grittier, wilder galaxy was promised but all we got were tepid stories and lukewarm character development. TAKE CHANCES FOR GODS SAKE! look how it pays off.

its a damn shame trek is ending. i think at least part of it is the higher up mucky mucks who want to profit of the cheaply made reality tv crapfest. no one wants to give scifi a chance anymore. i guess theres no one with any imagination or vision in tv anymore then.

theres a list as long as my arm of tv shows that were amazing and groundbreaking and enthralling that were cancelled because some blockhead exec just couldnt get it. it includes brimstone, firefly, space above and beyond, wonderfalls, dark angel, and lest we not forget: the original star trek series.

i think we need more than one scifi channel. theres more than enough good material out there. as it stands i watch skyone just to get my fix when scifi isnt showing something i like. i mean we have more than one music channel, cartoon channel, documentary channel...

ray

[Balok]

It is possible that he is correct; it may be that it's time for a rest. It may even be, but I don't think so, that Trek has been thoroughly mined. However, the decline in quality, generally (there have been exceptions) under the Berman/Braga tenure suggests a simpler explanation: the series needs a rest from Berman. Berman, however, is a political animal, and has proven himself very good at ingratiating himself with the decision makers at Paramount. These individuals are too far removed, or not competent enough (or, likely, some combination of the two) to understand what makes good Trek. So they rely on Berman, which is much like relying on the smudge-faced child to tell you the truth about what happened to the cookies. You'll get an explanation, but it likely won't be right, and if you lack the intuition to realize it, you'll make poor decisions because they're based on poor information.

In the sense that Berman and Braga will almost certainly move on, a rest for Trek can only be a good thing. Unfortunately, I suspect they'll be called upon, if they're still available, when Paramount decides it's time to reactivate the franchise. And they'll still be around, because without Trek's built-in fanbase, it will become apparent they have no talent, and it will be impossible for them to find work.

YMMV, of course.

[REG]

Well, I'm still waiting for Rick Berman's official resignation letter from the franchise.

[JALU3]

Well, I'm still waiting for Rick Berman's official resignation letter from the franchise.

Here here!

[D.S.McBride]

What Balok said, doubled.

I will happily admit that TNG took a major upward swing in the years following Berman's introduction, but it appears the hat ran out of rabbits after that particular trick was done. DS9 prospered because of, not in spite of, his "creative" absence. VOY was the beginning of the serious downward spiral, and things reached their nadir with ENT. God willing, Berman will be ensconsed in some Paramount back-lot where he can boss around his few subordinates, issue memos, and drift into grateful obscurity for the balance of his career.