Star Trek 2.0

[Eric R.]

OK, I am Paramount and have decided to "reimagine" Star Trek the original series I have got a top notch producer and built a solid writing staff up. For the first season I've said I want the show to redo 24 orginal series episodes to get the show off to a good start. Now they would be chosen from the 79 original series episodes, essentually compacting three seasons into one.

The Pilot "The Cage" has already been chosen for the first show so that leaves 23 episodes to choose. What are they?

In addition who do we want in the classic roles and as guest stars?.

(I thought this would be a fun brain exercise )

[C5]

I have next to no clues as to which cast I'd like to see, since I'm extremely bad at memorizing actors. Still, I think Ian McKellen as Sarek would be nice (since he's too old to play Spock).

About the episodes to be redone, do you mean with exactly the same script (and new actors and FX), or with possible changes to the scenario ?

If it's just about a re-imaging, here are some original episodes I'd like to see redone :
- Balance of Terror (how about the same suspense, only with cool FX)
- Arena (because I'd love to see a real Gorn and not a guy in a clumsy costume)
- The Devil in the dark (same here, only with a Horta)
- The doomsday machine
- Journey to Babel
- All our yesterdays

These are only episodes of which I think better visuals could enhance the experience. Of course, if subtle changes in scenario are possible, there are lots of others I could add.

[Hugh Casey]

I actually want to see Nimoy as Sarek... as he's a little old to play Spock!

As for eps...

Amok Time
Balance of Terror
Journey to Babel
The Naked Time

Just for a start...

[tonyg]

If we are starting with "The Cage" are we using Chris Pike as Captain? How about Number One and all the other "Cage" crewmember?

Or are we redoing "the Cage" with Kirk in place of Pike?

I'd like to save some stories (like "Where No Mna Has Gone Before") to late in the season. I think the story would have had a lot more impact, if Gary Mitchell had been a major reglar during the first season, and acutally get's killed off in the season finale (perhaps as a cliffhanger two part story to open season 2?).

[LUGTrekGM]

I'm a fan, camped outside the studio with a tent and sleeping bag. My hard core gamer / Trekker friends are with me in posting signs that say "Write new episodes, doesn't have to be the original crew, or the Enterprise. Revamping the old show with new graphics, we've seen the stories already, give us something new, for the love of Kirk."

[Eric R.]

First off No not the same exact script just the basic plot

As to Pike and company, Depends, If you want to do a Cage/Menagerie Combo (which is what I had in mind) then two separte crews would be OK, if you dont want the Menagerie then Kirk and Co can do the episodes quite easily.

[tonyg]

Well, if we were going to remake the series it would be unlikely to replace the entire crew after the pilot. The orignal series had some unusual circumstances that resulted in that.

Still, since we are in the wishful thinking mode, it would be neat to have Pike as the Captain and bring Kirk along partway though the series.

Personally, if I were going to remake the series, I probably reuse the first 23 episodes. Most of the TOS episodes are very good. I might make a few changes and claifications (such as explaining why they couldn't use the shuttlecraft in "The Enemy Within"), but overall I'd use the first 23 episodes.

Some of the season two and three episodes might not make it-or need a major rewrite. "Spock Brain" would need a major overhaul.

[LUGTrekGM]

Balance of Terror > Great.

Galileo Seven > Campy, but very dramatic, up to the finish.

Court-Martial > for me, a great story. Kirk Framed. I love it.

Space Seed > A great story, and Ricardo Montalban is just as compelling as he will be in his triumphant return. I mean, he's got McGivers crawling to him, at one point, as I recall.

A Taste of Armageddon > Another one of my favorite episodes. Reminded me a lot of Logan's Run.

[Balok]

The Corbomite Maneuver (of course). The basic plot was redone on other occasions but at the time it was novel.

Balance of Terror

Journey to Babel, but fleshed out as a two-parter with more suspects and political intrigue.

There are a number of other episodes I wouldn't mind seeing sequels to, but that's another thread, I guess.

[Hugh Casey]

Bear in mind, as we do this little exercise, that if this WERE something that Paramount were to do (and, based on rumor, it is one of the things under consideration), then they would be VERY unlikely to want to remake a lot of the original episodes... if they do, they would have to pay the original writers, or at least their estates. Even using original CHARACTERS would result in a residual to the writer (like what happened with the new Dr. Who, where the BBC had to pay the estate of Terry Nation for the rights to use, or even to mention, the Daleks).

Why pay two writers (the original, and the one who has to adapt it), when you can just pay one for a totally new story?

Of course, it IS possible that they may get a producer who would WANT to remake the original episodes, and is willing to fight for it, but in Hollywood, as in any business, the bottom line is king.

[Eric R.]

IF I remember right the Daleks situation was different in that they had appeared in a different venue (Story) first before being used by Dr. WHO.

[tonyg]

IF I remember right the Daleks situation was different in that they had appeared in a different venue (Story) first before being used by Dr. WHO.

I don't believe that was the case, just that Terry Nation secured rights for the Daleks (something that wasn't a problem since they were expected to be a one shot). When Dalekmania kicked into high gear the situation changed.


As far a restarting Trek goes, I doubt they would want to reuse any of the scripts (although they could recycle certain ideas). Makes more sense to do another Constitution class ship in the same (or movie) era. That way they could avoid the comparsons with TOS.

They just need to give some of the leadeing characters some sort of personal relationship with each other before starting the series.

[Aldaron]

Definitely Balance of Terror and The Cage. I think Devil in the Dark and City on the Edge of Forever should make it in there, too.