It’s been 50 years this year since the debut of Star Trek on television. It’s had it’s ups and downs, like most other shows, but it has persevered since it’s beginnings to become the popular fandom it is today–that is for some.
Recently, I’ve seen articles around the internet postulating that CBS and Paramount have failed to give the fans anything in this defining era of the show. Postulating is probably the wrong word, whining is more like it. That, unfortunately, is what defines the era of Star Trek fans. Everyone thinks they know what is best, what should happen, where it should go, etc. I’m a bit sick of it.
Star Trek, at it’s base core. Has always been about the human experience, and how we deal with life, death, conflict, strive and a sense of hope. It’s about the connections, and acceptance of others .Bringing people together. In terms of the show, it’s akin to Spock attempting to re-unite the Vulcan and Romulan races into one.
Where did this hope go? Where did this unity go? This is the same fanbase that banded together to get one more season of the Original Series. While it only obtained one more, and the subsequent release of Star Wars encouraged the studio to make The Motion Picture, there was fan community there.
All there is now is arguments, and debates about everyone pitching their beliefs. To hell with people if someone doesn’t share them. Leading back to the articles I mentioned above. There seems to be a lot of people blaiming CBS and Paramount for not doing a lot to mark the special day. Why?
Paramount this year gave us Star Trek Beyond. While it was set in the reboot universe, Justin Lin and Simon Pegg did a fantastic job of tying it into established series. The feel of Star Trek was actually back, as far as I’m concerned (I also can’t wait to own this one on Bluray). But I digress. CBS announced recently, that they would be bringing their own version of Trek (based in the Prime timeline) back to television–which is decidely where Trek belongs in my opinion. The episodic structure of television gives a far better timeframe and scope than a movie. Along with that, CBS also announced that Nicholas Meyer was joining the writing team–the man who brought us both Wrath of Kahn and Undiscovered Country. Arguably the best of the original cast movies. As well as being showrun by Bryan Fuller, who has history with Voyager as well as Deep Space Nine.
On top of this, they continue to put out novels, games, merchandise, costumes. The license for Star Trek Online is still going strong–and just crossed onto consoles recently. I mean, for crying out loud, they have even licensed the creation of an original series communicator, and TNG commbadge that actually work with bluetooth to talk with your cellphone.
How is this lacking in supplying a 50th anniversary? The people that complain usually reference the Doctor Who 50th a couple of years ago. Again. Why? The BBC gave us one movie length special, the Night of the Doctor mini series with Paul McGann, and the Five’ish Doctors reboot. Three things.
But you say the special aired simulataneously around the world? Well, so will the new show; Discovery. In the US it’s on CBS All Access, and the rest of the world within 24 hours on Netflix.
So, tell me again how the BBC gave us more in the 50th year than CBS\Paramount.
Furthering the divide between Star Trek fans came Star Trek Axanar. Like many Star Trek fans when Prelude to Axanar began it’s original kickstarter, I was impressed. What made me donate was the bringing in of people like Christian Gosset (Red Star) and John Iacovelli (Babylon 5). The kickstarter ended, Prelude was released. I was happy as everyone else. Then things started to change. I donated to the next kickstarter\Indiegogo rounds for Axanar the full film, but Christian Gosset left the production for other jobs (and reasons). The production seemed to grind to a halt. Two years later, and they are now in a lawsuit (as of December 2015). After that announcement was the news that Tony Todd, one of the main stars, had left the production some months ago. This was news to myself, and lot of other fans. Nothing had been mentioned, and they were still advertising him as being in the full film. For more information about what happened, see Axamonitor.
The continuing months have seen Axanar, and it’s principle head, Alec Peters, tear a hole the size of the Enterprise in the fabric of the Star Trek fandom. People argue continually back and forth about whether Alec and Axanar was using the Trek IP legally (he wasn’t, by any court of actual law).
In the end, as much as he is a blight on the Trek fandom that needs to disappear into obscurity. This is not about Alec Peters. This is about what he added to the fandom–a blazing mess of conflict that is about as far from the principles of Trek as you could get.
In Star Trek, there is a term. IDIC. It means, Infinite Diversity, in Infinite Combinations. It means talk to your fellow fans, don’t argue the point. Have debates, but don’t get angry. Accept others the way that you want to be accepted. Star Trek at it’s very core is about acceptance. Being part of something bigger than yourself. It’s about family.
Well, that was a bit longer than I thought. But never the less. It needed to be said. As far as Star Trek fanbase goes. I’m out. I want to encourage people to care for each other. To accept each other. I will still watch the movies that the studios put out, as well as the new television show from CBS. I actually can’t wait. But I am out of the fandom. The fighting. The dismissiveness of someone else’s opinion. I’m over it all.
To steal a line from Babylon 5; “It showed us that we have care for one another, because if we don’t, who will? And that true strength sometimes comes from the most unlikely places. Mostly, though, I think it gave us hope.”
Because that is how I feel about Star Trek as well as Babylon 5. It gave us hope. We mustn’t lose that.
Thank you for reading this.
Live Long, and Prosper.
Dreaming Screenwriter 