| " Star Trek : Deep Space 9 " and " Star Trek : The Next Generation " ?
" ST:TNG " follows the
vision Gene Roddenberry originally mapped out for " ST:TOS " : Just like
the western TV series, " Wagon Train, " only set in space. ( Don't laugh.
This is actually the way Roddenberry described the show to NBC programming
executives back in 1966 ... And they still bought the series ! ) This time
around, " Deep Space 9 " will be modeled more after another famous western
: " Gunsmoke. " You'll have your hero type -- the captain ; your comic
relief supporting character that still has a lot of depth -- gooey guy ;
your love interest -- the seen-it-all hostess of the space station's rec
center.
Okay -- now you have to understand the setting : Upon discovering the
first seemingly permanent worm hole in existence in the universe, Star-
fleet decides to build space station Deep Space 9 just beyond the
worm hole's event horizon to study the thing. However, to build something
this far off the beaten track, Starfleet needed help of the Federation.
The Federation provided technology and funding ... But this came at a
cost.
THE COST : Starfleet manages the space station and is ultimately
responsible for the safety and well-being of the 10,000 or so souls that
will eventually occupy the station. However -- seeing as the discovery
of the universe's first permanent worm hole is a discovery all sentinent
being should wish to share -- Deep Space 9 is truly an open society. All
member races of the Federation were invited to send teams of scientists
to the station to help study this phenomenon.
So -- under one roof -- you'll find Vulcans, Betazoids, Klingons,
as well as other non-Federation races ( Kilngons, Romulans, etc. )
all anxious to reap the scientific ( And otherwise ) spoils of the
station.
And then there's the worm hole itself -- with all its off-shoots to
other worlds, dimensions, time periods. What goes into -- as well as
who comes out of -- the worm-hole will add a lot of action and mystery
to the show.
Did I say " Gunsmoke " ? Truth be told, " Deep Space 9 " will be more
like a marriage of " Gunsmoke " and " Casablanca " : Lots of colorful
but mysterious characters doing their best to survive and/or prosper in
a very inhospitable setting.
Casting news : They're definitely after Suzie Plakson to play the head
of Deep Space 9's med center. Dr. Selar and the-soon-to-be-named-female-
head-of-the-space-station's-rec-center are supposed to be the two potential
love interest of our captain-with-the-kid. No word yet as to whether Plakson
taken Paramount's offer. ( I hear the money they're offering is OK. It's
that seven year contract that a lot of people balk at )
Finally -- though Jonathan Frakes has said he isn't interested in
starring in " Deep Space 9 " -- Frakes has said that he be * VERY * interested
in * DIRECTING * a few episodes during the first season of the show. Given the
great job he's done on the " ST:TNG " episodes he's directed, I think it's a
really bright move on Berman and PIller's part to bring Frakes on board the
new show as a helmer.
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| Article: 1209
Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek.info
Path: e2big.mko.dec.com!nntpd.lkg.dec.com!news.crl.dec.com!deccrl!decwrl!decwrl!sun-barr!ames!fxgrp!news
From: "The Admiral, actually" <tarrall@horton.Colorado.EDU>
Subject: Deep Space Nine & TNG spoilers
Message-ID: <1992Apr28.211255.22970@fx.com>
Followup-To: rec.arts.startrek.misc
Sender: trek-info@dweeb.fx.com
Reply-To: tarrall@horton.Colorado.EDU
Organization: Vulcan Science Academy, Tau Ceti Sector
Date: Tue, 28 Apr 1992 21:12:55 GMT
Approved: griffith@dweeb.fx.com
Eric Stilwell was at Star Fest '92 this weekend and boy do I have some
nifty information about Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and the remaining
TNG episodes for this season:
************************
* MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD *
************************
STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE
Casting begins in June (except for one character who is already cast),
production begins in August and the show goes on the air in January.
In the pilot episode (2-hour movie), we will discover that the
Cardassians, fed up with Bajoran terrorist activities, decide to give
up and withdraw from the Bajoran system (home of Ensign Ro Laran).
The Bajorans, suffering from internal conflicts, will request that
the Federation step in to keep the peace during the transition period,
so the Federation will send (via the USS Enterprise) a team to take
up residence on a space station left over in the Bajoran system.
Pretty quickly, our heroes will discover a stable wormhole near
the station and, wouldn't you know it, the Cardassians decide they want
the system back. Meanwhile, the Ferengi own the concessions (the saloons,
casinos, holodeck brothels and 7-11's) on the station.
Some of the characters:
o The commander of the station is currently named Cisco (sp?, subject to
change) and will struggle to raise his 12-year old son, Jake, while
dealing with the pressures of command. He is not particularly fond
of Jean-Luc Picard, as his wife was killed by Locutus at Wolf 359.
o After receiving a promotion to Lieutenant at the beginning of Season
Six of TNG, Lt. Ro Laran will join Deep Space Nine as first officer.
Seems Cisco thinks her Bajoran background will assist him in handling
things.
o The science officer is a woman in her mid twenties...and a Trill.
For those that don't remember, the Trill is a species which forms
a symbiotic link with a humanoid life form...Dr. Crusher fell in
love with one in "The Host."
o The security chief is the character that's come to be known colloquially
as "Jello Man." He is a shapeshifter, much like Martia in ST6. In
order to keep the writers from using his shape-shifting ability to
constantly save the day, we find that his ability to assume ANY form
is very taxing and he must rest at the end of each day in his natural
form, rather like a bowl of Jello.
o Chief M.E. O'Brien, Keiko and daughter will transfer to Deep Space Nine
***IF*** Colm Meaney decides that he would like to switch shows. No
such contract has yet been signed. If it *does* happen, Keiko will not
deal well with the change of scenery and following her husband to this
hellhole in order to support his career. Look of more domestic strife.
He would receive a commission and would be "Chief Operating Officer" in
this case.
o Stilwell did NOT mention the "woman born in microgravity who is confined
to a wheelchair" as has been reported elsewhere. Either they've nixed
that idea since the original info or it was just bad rumor or he just
simply forgot to say something about her.
o There will be two recurring Ferengi characters - one most likely being
the head Ferengi and the other a teen-aged Ferengi who is a constant
bad influence on Jake Cisco.
Lwaxana Troi will likely appear in more than one to several DS9 episodes
each season (plus her 1 TNG episode/season) and the producers plan to
have Mrs. Troi fall for Jello Man. When Jello Man tries to dissuade
her, explaining how he reverts to this Jello shape every night, her
response might be something like "That's okay - I can swim."
Guinan will make occasional appearances on both TNG and DS9. TV Guide
reported that Guinan's son would be locked up in a jail on DS9, explaining
her visits. Stilwell didn't know anything about this Guinan's son bit,
but also admitted that TV Guide is notorious for getting true information
out even faster than the people producing these shows!
Rick Berman & Michael Piller (exec. producers of TNG) will continue to
serve as exec. producers of BOTH shows, although Piller will be concentrating
most of his time and energy on DS9. Jeri Taylor, who has been serving as
a writer, story editor and co-producer this season, will be promoted in
the fall to fill some of Piller's gap on TNG.
The show is currently committed to the 2-hour pilot and 18 one-hour
episodes. If all goes well, they will get a full slate of 26 for fall,
which would mean that with a seventh season of TNG (which is likely,
but not 100% confirmed yet), we would be getting 52 episodes of Trek
during the 1993-94 season! (As Stilwell pointed out, you'd be getting
almost as much Trek in one year as you get in the entire run of the
original series.)
Stilwell reports that 70% of the stations carrying TNG now have picked up
DS9 (as well as other stations that are not currently carrying TNG).
Stilwell indicates that the darker feel on DS9 will allow the producers to
tell stories they have not been able to tell in TNG's happy crew format.
OTHER TREK NEWS:
According to Stilwell and Dorn, the TNG cast only has contracts through
the end of Season Six, though hints of a 7th season are certainly there.
I think it's just a matter of time before contracts are signed. Dorn
indicates that all of the cast members want to stay, since they now
realize what a phenomenon they're involved with.
Previous TNG schedules seemed to be a little off. Stilwell indicated
that "I, Borg" and "The Next Phase" may immediately follow "Imaginary
Friend" (without any reruns in between.)
By the way, the season wrapped last Wednesday (April 22).
RUMORS ABOUT UPCOMING EPISODES (Season 5):
"I, Borg" - A Borg surveillance vessel crashes while surveying an
alien planet and there is only one survivor. The _Enterprise_ comes
across him and beams him up. It turns out he is an adolescent (not
fully matured) and the crew realizes that the Borg will be along
eventually to collect him. In the meantime, Picard must deal with
re-surfaced feelings about Locutus and the Borg and Guinan must also
confront her own problems with the Borg. Picard and Guinan will discuss
some of their feelings in a very dramatic fencing scene.
"The Next Phase" - Romulans! Due to a transporter accident which shifts
them out of phase, Ro and Geordi are presumed dead. While Data prepares
their funeral, they discover the Romulan plot and try to figure out how
to communicate it to their comrades. There was a wonderful slide of
Ro holding a phaser to Riker's head as he blasted out notes on his
trombone. Apparently she's not so fond of his playing...?
"Inner Light" - For whatever reason, we get to see what the entirety of
Jean-Luc Picard's life might have been like had he not joined Star Fleet,
instead marrying, raising a family, etc. We'll get to see him right into
old age. Patrick Stewart's real-life son, Daniel, will play Picard's son.
(Some of the slides seemed to indicate to me that Picard may have become
an archaeologist rather like Henry Jones, Sr. in this alternate time line.)
"Time's Arrow" - During renovation of part of San Francisco, construction
crews discover evidence of extra-terrestrial visitations to Earth in
late 19th century. Amongst the artifacts is Data's head! Data must
then confront his own mortality while the _Enterprise_ tries to figure
out who was there and why. In the process, Data gets sucked through a
time warp and back into the 1890's, where he meets Mark Twain...and a
rather prominent San Francisco socialite named Madame Guinan. This
episode is a cliff-hanger, to be resolved next fall.
FINALLY:
o Whoopi Goldberg appears in 4 of the last 5 episodes this season.
She's simply been too busy with a film project for most of the season.
o There were two Q episodes in development this season, but neither got
to the point where it could be filmed. Stilwell thinks they will both
end up on the screen next season, with the first one coming early in
the season. He denied the previous rumors about "Duelling Q's" and
William Campbell, saying that they had had no discussions with William
Campbell about appearing in a Q episode or any others. Too bad.
o TNG will try to stay away from so many sequel episodes in the future
and will try to get back on the track of more science fiction and new
stuff next season. Stilwell realizes that they may have done a few
too many socially conscious episodes this season and not enough real
science fiction.
While Spiner would like to do Lore again, the producers do not want to
bring Lore back, amongst others, because of the sequel problem.
o There will definitely be no more Data-Sherlock Holmes episodes due to
certain legal problems with the estate of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
AND
Brent Spiner is coming to Denver in the fall - Star Con '92 in September!
-- The Admiral Email address: tarrall@horton.colorado.edu
---------------------------- ghewmey Daghaj SoH ---------------------------
"Beverly, would you mind taking off the uniform for a moment?"
-- Captain Jean-Luc Picard, ST:TNG "The Perfect Mate"
P.S. to Eric Stilwell (in case you're reading): Notice that I did NOT
mention that thing you asked us NOT to spread to the computer networks.
And now maybe you'll understand why I asked a) about William Campbell
and b) when casting for Deep Space Nine begins.
--
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Edited by Jim "The Big Dweeb" Griffith - the official scapegoat for r.a.s.i.
Email submissions to trek-info@dweeb.fx.com, and questions to
trek-info-request@dweeb.fx.com
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|
Article: 1169
Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek.info
Path: nntpd.lkg.dec.com!pa.dec.com!decwrl!ames!fxgrp!news
From: IO10033@MAINE.maine.edu (Jim Troutman)
Subject: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine promo
Message-ID: <1992Apr20.171653.19325@fx.com>
Followup-To: rec.arts.startrek.misc
Sender: trek-info@dweeb.fx.com
Reply-To: IO10033@MAINE.maine.edu
Organization: Vulcan Science Academy, Tau Ceti Sector
Date: Mon, 20 Apr 1992 17:16:53 GMT
Approved: griffith@dweeb.fx.com
[Note - for those who have been asking, the FTP archive has been updated - ed.]
The following is a transcript of the 5 minute Deep Space Nine video
presentation that Paramount has been giving to TV stations interested in
showing the new series. The transcription undoubtedly has some errors.
The presentation is very lively and fast paced, using special effect
shots from the original series, the movies, and the Next Generation,
with different movie music themes playing over all of it. Overall, very
impressive. To read this transcription properly, you have to imagine a
very deep, authoritative announcer voice reading it ;-):
--- Begin transcription
"For over 25 years, only one extraordinary legend has achieved success
time after time with audiences around the world. What began as Gene
Roddenberry's unique vision of the future, became one of the most
popular legends in the history of television and film. Shortly after the
original 79 episodes aired on NBC, Star Trek found unprecedented success
in syndication, creating a loyal viewer following that launched a series
of six blockbuster motion pictures. Then, in 1987, history repeats
itself. Star Trek: The Next Generation debuts to critical and public
acclaim. It captures 3 Emmy awards and a coveted Peabody Award for the
best of the best. A second television phenomenon had begun. In 1988, in
only its second season, Star Trek: The Next Generation out-delivers 3
out of 4 prime time dramas in men 18-49. In 1989 the Next Generation
moves up the ranks to finish among the top five prime time hours in key
male demographics. In 1990 it beams up to the number two slot,
consistently outperforming top network hours. Then, in 1991, this series
sets record highs, taking the top spot among men across the board and
blasting ahead of such shows as Cheers, LA Law and the all time network
heavyweight champion: Monday Night Football. In addition the recent two-
hour Star Trek: 25th Anniversary Special drew in record numbers of
viewers across the galaxy, proving that anything Star Trek touches turns
to gold. And now . . . the next thrilling chapter of this remarkable
legend is ready to beam aboard the airwaves. A bold new series of
adventures comes to the final frontier. The time: the 24th century --
the era of the Next Generation. The place: a remote space station
manned by a new team of Federation officers. Their mission: to restore
peace to a land filled with hostile alien cultures. Welcome to a very
different part of the galaxy. A mysterious world, once ruled by an evil
empire. Where chilling memories of the past collide with the future.
Exotic pleasures are bought and sold by greedy fortune hunters. And a
thrilling outerspace gateway instantly slingshots passengers lightyears
across the galaxy. This is where Starfleet's new team of deep space
officers encounter new life forms and alien civilizations, each
possessing their own unique skills and unusual abilities, destined for
the most amazing adventures in uncharted space. Imagine a voyage to the
threshold of new discovery, featuring the same tradition of legendary
excitement that has captivated audiences for over 25 years. In a
universe of new adventures -- where no one has gone before. Imagine...
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: coming to your quadrant, January 1993."
---- END transcription
A few notes:
-- They tape showed a Cardassian when talking about 'an evil empire',
and a Ferengi when 'greedy fortune hunters' was mentioned. Of course,
the Regula One space station model was shown whenever 'space station'
was mentioned.
-- They used some brief scenes from Total Recall during the DS9
'preview' portion of the promo (walking on Mars in suits and the
explosion of the mountain at the end of the movie), a scene from 2010,
and several scenes from Dune (mostly of things blowing up and soldiers
firing weapons). The entire segment when the announcer it talking about
DS9 had a starfield image ghosted on top of all the clips, making it
harder to identify them. It also looked like the clips had been
intentionally darkened to make them harder to identify.
-- The end of the tape shows a "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" logo, which
is essentially the words typeset in a modified version of the Adobe
typeface Revue, with both of the "a"s being replaced by
Enterprise/Starfleet insignias. It is not really that good looking.
I hope it is just something someone threw together at the last minute,
and not the permanent logo for the series.
--
Jim Troutman, IO10033@maine.maine.edu or next32.isnet.com!ailanth!root
Editor, TREKinfo magazine
--
--
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Edited by Jim "The Big Dweeb" Griffith - the official scapegoat for r.a.s.i.
Email submissions to trek-info@dweeb.fx.com, and questions to
trek-info-request@dweeb.fx.com
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