Just as we are gettin’ our wonder of reliable journalism ready for press, GRAPEVINE NEWS reports the following unverified rumor, which we consider worth printing as news even though we have no way of proving it true.
It seems that such a public clamor is still buzzing over STAR TREK, what with letters, STAR TREK-CONs, people contacting NBC and Paramount for stills, etc., that optimistic rumblings are being made among many People In Charge of Making Big Decisions, that putting STAR TREK back into production would be neither impossible nor unprofitable. If such a decision were to be made, and should the Enterprise be pulled out of moondust caked dry-dock and again be set adrift in the Galaxy, this would be the first time in the history of network television that it would have happened.
It would not be impossible to acquire the old crew again, as most of their careers have careened onto the reefs of typecasting, and they are all “at liberty.” William Shatner, who avoided the typecasting stigma and has done other acting since, but is not tied up in a series either. Ditto Leonard Nimoy.
However, we at THE MONSTER TIMES do have our reservations about such a move, as we wonder seriously if the show in its fourth incarnation would keep the same high standards of writing, continuity and special effects as the first season, for the first season’s shows (currently being rerun in syndication with the rest are the ones which attract the most fan-atical response. We at MT would support a resurrection of STAR TREK if the producers and the networks would try to regain the shows early high standards. Otherwise, forget it. In another year, all the old STAR TREK crew should have gotten over the typecasting problem, any. way be recognized as competent actors and actresses, and find work elsewhere.”
STAR TREK was a great and wonder-filled show. If it can’t be brought back that way, leave it, and it will remain in our memories, a warm glow of what TV (if it wants to) can accomplish with sincerity and elbow grease in Science Fiction.
Chuck McNaughton