Fontana Talks About 'New Voyages', Failings of Newer Trek

[spshu]

Fontana Talks About 'New Voyages', Failings of Newer Trek

According to Fontana, Roddenberry did not pick Berman to succeed him. He was a corporate suit that had never produced anything before.

[BouncyCaitian]

Why Am I not surprised?

[REG]

According to Fontana, Roddenberry did not pick Berman to succeed him. He was a corporate suit that had never produced anything before.

Just recently you realized that? OR is this just further confirmation of what David Gerrold mentioned in his interview posted long ago?

No offense, but it's old news. Berman have been Paramount's frontman. That's why he still have a job there.

[D.S.McBride]

Old news it may be, but there's certainly no harm in making sure that the population out there know it's true. Ms Fontana's work stands out for its clarity, fortitude, willingness to take risks and keeping the constant themes of human drama in mind. This interview, in my opinion, serves as another nail in the coffin (along with David Gerrold and Ron Moore's comments) as to how Rick Berman emasculated the Trek universe with his moral cowardice - at least as far as storytelling values go - and set up the self-perpetuating cycle of mediocrity that we've found ourselves saddled with for the last ten years or so.

This being said, I personally don't think that Gene Roddenberry's marshmallowy TNG concept was so hot to begin with either, but Lord ahmighty, Berman certainly didn't make things better as the years wore on. In my dreamier moments I wonder if Ms Fontana, and Messers Ellison, Bixby (if he's still alive) et al could be convinced to come back and do something to defribbilate this corpse back to life. If only...if only...

[Space_Cadet]

Fontana admitted that she felt the spinoffs "lacked the warmth of spirit and the depth of humanity we tried to reach for" in the original.. TOS rules!!

[D.S.McBride]

Originally posted by Space Cadet
TOS rules!

Amen to that, brother; amen...

[Balok]

Gerrold, as someone else mentioned, said basically this in an interview I posted awhile back. And he added that Berman's strength was in building networks of suits -- making friends with the people who would pass judgement on him. It's much harder to fire a friend, and people who "network" successfully understand this. Unfortunately, he could be a great friend and still a lousy creative person.

[REG]

It's much harder to fire a friend,...

It's not that hard. Sure, feelings were hurt but friendship have nothing to do with the job.

I mean, what can he do? Go postal inside the Paramount's studio lots & soundstages? Berman's a wuss.