Star Trek

[Buster's Uncle]

Honestly?  The admittedly retarded parallel earths don't bother me as much - but I assume that's because I was contaminated with that nonsense when I was very, very, young and uncritical.  It's nothing the current-day me would allow if they retroactively had to get my permission.

I did like the Captain Proton stuff on Voyager, and the time Sisko was a Bond villain on DS9, but that's about the complete extent of love holodeck adventures get from me...

[Unorthodox]

Okay - I've watched the above fan-produced episode, and I'm positively shocked at how well it came together.  I could go on for a very long time about where there's room for improvement, but the writing really has the feel as well as being as smart and well-structured as you could hope for from a fan production.

Their Kirk (Vic Mignola, the voice of Edward Elgar on Fullmetal Alchemist and the reason that I hereby dub this particular fan production Fullmetal Star Trek) is head and shoulders the best Kirk I've seen in a fan video.  Not wild about any of the rest of the cast, (even though Chris Doohan really sounds like Scotty and Grant Imanhara of Mythbusters does a credible Sulu voice) but a strong Kirk does a lot to carry a weak Spock (w/ a voice far too high - Spock without a deep voice doesn't scan as Spock, something even unlikeable SkylarSpock pulled off - these fan productions always cast fellows to young to pull off Spock successfully).  Unlike the boyish-seeming James Crawley of New Voyages, or the even younger chap who replaced him  for Phase II, Mignola is about the right age to be Kirk, which I think is a lot of why his reading of the part works so well.

Again, it's a fan video, and I'm cautioning you to go in with low expectations; but it IS surprisingly good, and I'm not just taking it easy on amateurs.  I Just plain liked it, and the redheaded girl is pretty hot.

Two thumbs up; Joe Bob says check it out.

It's hard to push past that spock...

[Buster's Uncle]

Yeah, it's going to be a horrible problem, ongoing - you can carry a weak Spock for one episode easily, but hard to imagine it working as Star Trek in the long run with him.  This one only works at all as a smaller part. 

Their McCoy sucks, too.

[Unorthodox]

Yeah.  I got about 20 minutes in.  Writing was overall decent, but Spock sucked (and I think they knew that as there were several skipped oportunities for him to interject), and McCoy was TOTALLY off, even the writing for McCoy was off.  I actually grew to find him more distracting than Spock.  I don't know, maybe if the guy had any charisma he could have made the lines work.  As it was he was coming off as a bad charicature or even comic relief.  Without a good Spock OR McCoy, it's just not worth my time no matter how good Kirk is doing.   

Generally interesting layers and threads to the storyline (or rather the setup with only getting 20 minutes in), had the right 'feel' overall, but they were going too long.  Yes, hour episodes, but with US TV that means you need 45 minutes of air time, they've padded the episode 5-7 minutes too long, and it shows on top of the other problems.   

Kinda sucks watching that, you can see how it COULD work...and it's not to be. 

[Buster's Uncle]

You're right, come to think of it; that episode was long, AND the pacing was a bit slow.  Needs a Phantom Edit.

Good catch, man.

[Green1]

I think I am going to stick to Star trek Phase 2. James Cawley  and crew tended to get it a bit better for me, although there is definite room for improvement in that whole series, as well. Also, what happened to the three episodes they were supposed to have out by now?

The holodeck was one of two methods Star Trek writers used to put their characters into situations the setting did not otherwise provide for; the other was "parallel earths" or whatever they called them. Assuming that stories where you take characters and throw them into alternate settings are fun and a good idea, which method do you prefer?

Personally, I prefer the holodeck.

I agree, Tarvok... TOS episodes like Omega Glory that did that really stunk.

But, pre-TNG era tech, the holodeck just does not fit.
 

[Buster's Uncle]

DeForest Kelley - talking about his favourite fan letter

[Buster's Uncle]

Patrick Stewart Gives Passionate Response to Question At Comicpalooza 2013

Y'know what? Very Star Trek.  Way to go, Cap'n. [salutes]

[Buster's Uncle]

A fair bit of NSFW language - and not nearly so insightful and funny as previous Plinkett reviews.  You have been warned...

Mr. Plinkett - Star Trek: Into Reference

[Unorthodox]

First Contact is on TV. 

I know Frakes is on record as saying he studied Aliens in preparation for making this film, and it really shows in the scenes on the ship.  There are some good (if cliche B movie quality) horror shots on the ship. 

The away team scenes really drag on, however. 

[Buster's Uncle]

I didn't hate First Contact - and after Generations, I really, really, REALLY wanted to.

[Unorthodox]

I think Generations' problem was they were too busy trying to make Picard into Kirk. 

I enjoy the horror elements in First Contact.  But, I'm biased that way.  Kind of reminds me of Pandorum a bit.  LOVE that show.  (which is not to say it's a good movie) 

[Buster's Uncle]

First Contact is the (metaphorical) story of a rape survivor hell-bent on vengeance, y'know.

I'm sure I've mentioned at least twice in this thread that I didn't hate Insurrection, either...

[Unorthodox]

Yeah, haven't seen much more than 20 minutes of Insurrection. 

Yes, rape/revenge for First Contact.  But the rapists have plenty of horror elements tied up in them....pretty much like space vampires.  Like a kind of Dracula in space. 

[Buster's Uncle]

I have no trouble buying into wanting to wipe out the Borg for stealing my identity -if it'd happened to me- nosirree.