Another Trek Flick

So, J.J. Abrams is delivering his take on the Trek universe next year. Apparently many fans are cautiously optimistic. I'm a little more ambivalent.

On one hand, I do think that the characters, especially the Holy Trinity (Kirk, Spock, and McCoy) are iconic enough that they have transcended their portrayals by Shatner, Nimoy, and Kelly. I don't have a problem with revisiting these characters. On the other hand, I don't think that a movie is the place to do it. Part of it is that it is going to contradict previous continuity while still ostensibly being a part of it. I also think that of the six Original Series movies, the only one that really lived up to the potential of the series was The Wrath of Khan. Even if you aren't a big fan of Star Trek, you can't really deny that it is a kick-ass movie. Sure, III and VI were decent, I and IV less so, but not bad. There's rumors of a fifth movie, but I'm sure that's all they are is rumors.

So, I'm not sure what to think about the new movie. I do think J.J. Abrams is talented and if anyone is going to pull it off, he can. I was excited about the prospect of Matt Damon playing Kirk. I think he would have been a damn fine James T. Kirk, but alas it won't be him. We'll see.

I've have actually fantasized for a long time about being the lead writer on a Trek TV show that remade The Original Series. As much as I love it, I don't think that TOS ever lived up to its full potential. I would kill to be the lead writer/producer on this show. It would be five seasons, with the broad arc plotted ahead of time, and a healthy mix of one-off episodes and multi-arc stories. It would retain the swashbuckling adventurism and exploration of societal issues that the best episodes had while being brought together into a cohesive whole. Sure it's perfect in my head, but I think I could make it a darn good reality. Are you listening, Paramount?