Star Trek cast blames the bosses

[myrdden]

The story

The details...

The scene: A conference call with Star Trek: Enterprise exec producers Rick Berman and Brannon Braga and a dozen or so reporters. Braga is on his car cellphone.

Suddenly, over the phone comes the sound of a jet flying by. "That's Brannon flying out of town," quips Berman. "The fans are chasing him with scythes."

In fact, everybody with any interest in Star Trek seems to be mad at these two guys

The cast of Star Trek: Enterprise -- which tomorrow finishes what turned out to be a mere four-year mission -- blames the bosses for losing all but three million of the 13 million viewers the show once had. Jolene Blalock -- who plays Vulcan babe T'Pol -- being the most vocal of the footsoldiers.

And don't even ask about the Trekkers, the diehards who've been on Berman's case ever since the '80s when he inherited the keys to the Trek kingdom from the late Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry. "I remember the first season of Next Generation, we got 200 letters because there was a mistake in an optical and a photon torpedo came out of a phaser port on the Enterprise," says Berman.

They were prepared for the uproar when Star Trek: Enterprise was cancelled -- marking the first time in 18 years that there won't be a Star Trek series in production. What they weren't prepared for was cash. The "Save Enterprise" movement eventually raised $3 million (the bulk of it from aerospace execs).

"I think we were surprised that they were raising substantial sums of money, that was a real eyebrow raiser," Braga says. "But we were not surprised at the passion and how vocal they were. It's always been very vocal."

Adds Berman: "Unfortunately, the way the television production works and the expense involved in producing a television series, a group raising even an impressive sum like three-plus million doesn't really make (much) impact on trying to put together a year's worth of television shows."

And so that's where it sits. Tomorrow, CITY-TV says its goodbye in a two-hour block. The first hour is the last part of the current two-episode plotline, with Peter Weller as the leader of a xenophobic political movement trying to purge Earth of aliens.

And the last hour is a finale that incorporates scenes aboard the Enterprise of Star Trek: The Next Generation, and guest stars Jonathan Frakes (Comm. Riker) and Marina Sirtis (Lieut. Troi).

In the episode, Riker has to make an agonizing command decision and seeks inspiration by recreating a historic event in the world of Enterprise's Capt. Archer (Scott Bakula).

If the cast of Star Trek: Enterprise is unhappy about the demise of their show, you can imagine how they feel about having to defer to a more successful Star Trek series in their own finale.

"There were some grumblings," says Berman. "The feeling was that if this was going to be the finale of ENTERPRISE then why bring characters in from another series? But I think when people see the episode, they'll realize what we were able to truly do -- pay respect to our characters, couched in the unique fashion of being able to look back on them."

The Trek bosses talked about other non-starters. There was no way the show would go to cable and cut its $1.5 million an episode budget in half. There are no movie plans. And don't expect another Trek series for four years (most people guess 5-10).

"There are a lot of people who criticize us for saying what I'm about to say," says Berman, "but I do believe that there was fatigue with the franchise. I think that we found ourselves in competition with ourselves. Enterprise in many markets was running against ... (episodes of) the original series, Next Generation, Voyager, Deep Space Nine -- and I think after 18 years and 624 hours of Star Trek, the audience began to have overkill."

In other words, the same old-same old "strange new worlds."

 

[EricNoah]

The article doesn't actually say much about the cast and the blaming... any more details on that anywhere?

 

[JoeGKushner]

The article doesn't actually say much about the cast and the blaming... any more details on that anywhere?

If you google, you'll probably be able to find the thing about the actor who does the female vulcan. I believe it was something along the lines of strip me naked all day but if the plot and story isn't there, it's not going to sell.

I've never watched the show, but I heard that she immediatly went from logic to being rapped, going into some mind issues of sexuality, etc.... (basically 7 of 9 again)

 

[Ranger REG]

If you google, you'll probably be able to find the thing about the actor who does the female vulcan.

You mean actress, Jolene Blalock. (How could I not remember a surfer girl who dressed provocatively for Maxim?)

She once complained about Enterprise series finale episode that include TNG castmembers Jonathan Frakes and Marina Sirtis. Previous Trek series have never used castmembers from other series in their own series finales. Even I questioned that decision for the episode's story, which oddly enough but not surprising, Berman & Braga have written it ... not Manny Coto.

 

[trancejeremy]

I guess those pointy ears are helpful when surfing. Act like a stabilizer (like the tail on an airplane..)

 

[Hand of Evil]

Blame game. No one listened when it was taking place during the 1st nad 2nd season, the only people with issues were the fans, where were the actors then?

 

[Ranger REG]

I guess those pointy ears are helpful when surfing. Act like a stabilizer (like the tail on an airplane..)

For a culture that lived on a mostly dry arid desert planet, they're natural swimmers, including Mr. Spock*.

* Read Enterprise: The First Adventure by Vonda N. McIntyre.

 

[Truth Seeker]

The article doesn't actually say much about the cast and the blaming... any more details on that anywhere?

1.Berman Rebukes Reruns, Rebuts Bakula; TREK Talkie on Back Burner

2.Rick Berman Addresses Fan Criticisms, Says Season 4 Was Not The Manny Coto Show

3.Jolene Blalock: "I Had Assumptions"

And the article prompted the ending of all further reports on this franchise:STARTREK:Its Long Trek Over, the Enterprise Pulls Into Dry Dock

All provided by TREKWEB.com.

 

[mojo1701]

I remember a story about Jolene Blalock arguing with the producers about her character (in one scene) watching a movie during one of Enterprise's "Movie Nights," and her character is called to eat popcorn bare-handed, especially since it's been established that Vulcans don't eat with their bare hands.

IIRC, they even rejected T'Pol eating with a napkin in her hand.

 

[Truth Seeker]

I remember a story about Jolene Blalock arguing with the producers about her character (in one scene) watching a movie during one of Enterprise's "Movie Nights," and her character is called to eat popcorn bare-handed, especially since it's been established that Vulcans don't eat with their bare hands.

IIRC, they even rejected T'Pol eating with a napkin in her hand.

I heard that too...in the end, I am glad she spoke her mind, even if, it took two seasons after the start of the show. She got ripped for saying anything at the start, but now as the dust disappears...now some people are starting to grasp the bigger picture. I always like her, not for the body *that was second *, but for her ability to carry the character, many times I rewind to the tape, just to see what she was channeling.

In my books, she had a tough time, but she did try to do her best...kudos to her.