Voyager and BSG
I'm a recent fan of the reimagined series of BSG and after watching the show from start to finish, I looked up more about its showrunner Ron Moore and was pleasantly surprised to learn that he was a writing partner of Brannon Braga at the start of Season 5 and quit within two months after they did not see eye to eye on the direction of Star Trek: Voyager. It's not a secret that I personally loved the characters and the concept of that show but always thought it was poorly written. Much of what he's said about the work environment there (particularly from his friend Bryan Fuller) makes sense to me now about how inconsistent some of the storytelling and character arcs became. So it will be interesting to see what he says about Trek at the big Vegas Convention this coming weekend. I'm sure someone will put up something on YouTube eventually.
I also finished seeing "Trek Nation," a very good and very candid documentary about Gene Roddenberry's vision of Star Trek from the 1960s on, told from the perspective and findings of his son, Eugene. Moore, as well as the late Michael Piller and Rick Berman (I'm not surprised that Braga was omitted) was interviewed and it was interesting to see that they all butted heads with Roddenberry during ST:TNG. Apparently, Roddenberry didn't like the idea of the characters on his show being in too much conflict with each other; his vision reinforced the idea of a utopian future in space. And since writing a good drama no matter where the setting is involves conflict (and sometimes within the core cast), this was a constant problem. I also read somewhere else that much of what Moore put into the reimagined BSG came from leftover ideas he had about ST: Voyager. Anyone who wants to watch "Trek Nation" can upload it as a 24 hour rental on iTunes, btw. It's worth it. The whole father-son thing sucked me in considering that my dad died not that long ago.
Since I love BSG, I can't imagine how wonderful Voyager would have been if Moore had been allowed his vision. And it now makes so much sense that if I liked the character setup of Voyager, I was going to automatically enjoy the reimagined BSG with a female President (which mirrored the advent of the first starring Trek female captain in Voyager) in constant conflict with a fleet commander/admiral.
Kudos to Ron Moore for making thoughtful entertainment. I wish him well in future projects. Speaking of future projects, I hear that he's been marked to adapt Diana Gabaldon's "Outlander" series, which I think is a fave author of scififangurl's. I read the synopsis and character breakdown; it involves post-WWII medicine mixed with time travel to 1700s Scotland and a strong female lead. Should be interesting. Moore is slated to adapt it for cable TV. I guess in a Game of Thrones kind of way. If he does do it, I hope he incorporates some of the cast of BSG in it. Scorsese managed to take with him De Niro every time he made a film in the 1970s, I think good TV writers need to do the same with every new series pilot they try. It garners an automatic audience.
In other things Trek, I'm considering going to the Grand Slam Star Trek and Sci-Fi convention here in L.A. in Feb 2013. It's a ways off to consider but I've yet to go to one and since it's probably 5 miles away from my house, what the heck. TNG is celebrating its 25th anniversary and unlike the Las Vegas Con this weekend, Sir Patrick Stewart will be there. I just have to rally a few local buds to go with me.
I also finished seeing "Trek Nation," a very good and very candid documentary about Gene Roddenberry's vision of Star Trek from the 1960s on, told from the perspective and findings of his son, Eugene. Moore, as well as the late Michael Piller and Rick Berman (I'm not surprised that Braga was omitted) was interviewed and it was interesting to see that they all butted heads with Roddenberry during ST:TNG. Apparently, Roddenberry didn't like the idea of the characters on his show being in too much conflict with each other; his vision reinforced the idea of a utopian future in space. And since writing a good drama no matter where the setting is involves conflict (and sometimes within the core cast), this was a constant problem. I also read somewhere else that much of what Moore put into the reimagined BSG came from leftover ideas he had about ST: Voyager. Anyone who wants to watch "Trek Nation" can upload it as a 24 hour rental on iTunes, btw. It's worth it. The whole father-son thing sucked me in considering that my dad died not that long ago.
Since I love BSG, I can't imagine how wonderful Voyager would have been if Moore had been allowed his vision. And it now makes so much sense that if I liked the character setup of Voyager, I was going to automatically enjoy the reimagined BSG with a female President (which mirrored the advent of the first starring Trek female captain in Voyager) in constant conflict with a fleet commander/admiral.
Kudos to Ron Moore for making thoughtful entertainment. I wish him well in future projects. Speaking of future projects, I hear that he's been marked to adapt Diana Gabaldon's "Outlander" series, which I think is a fave author of scififangurl's. I read the synopsis and character breakdown; it involves post-WWII medicine mixed with time travel to 1700s Scotland and a strong female lead. Should be interesting. Moore is slated to adapt it for cable TV. I guess in a Game of Thrones kind of way. If he does do it, I hope he incorporates some of the cast of BSG in it. Scorsese managed to take with him De Niro every time he made a film in the 1970s, I think good TV writers need to do the same with every new series pilot they try. It garners an automatic audience.
In other things Trek, I'm considering going to the Grand Slam Star Trek and Sci-Fi convention here in L.A. in Feb 2013. It's a ways off to consider but I've yet to go to one and since it's probably 5 miles away from my house, what the heck. TNG is celebrating its 25th anniversary and unlike the Las Vegas Con this weekend, Sir Patrick Stewart will be there. I just have to rally a few local buds to go with me.