Would STAR TREK: PHASE II have stunk ?

[Mikey]

Star Trek: Phase II
The best show that never happened .....

We, as Trek fans all have fond memories of something that never was, but are we basing our fondness on our own wishes of what it might have been without really analyzing it for what it would have probably been ?

Many people like to think The Next Generation is basically what Phase II would have been but I disagree (for the most part) ...

Next Generation seen more ups and downs than Phase-II.
Next Gen saw the downs of the Motion Picture and ups of WOK and The Voyage Home.
It seen how Roddenberry in moderation was much more palatable than Roddenberry running everything.

Phase II is almost like finding a photo of your great grandfather and hearing one short fond story about him ...

I think in reality Phase II would have been way too full of itself and probably would have killed the franchise right then and there.

Established Trek fans would have probably liked it, but I don't think it would have brought in any new fans ......

What do you think ??



m

[The Bat]

I think since they weren't going to get Nimoy...I'm glad they never made it.

[palitoy]

I have the book that describes the series and I honestly think it would have been a hit, it was pretty much recycled into the next generation. I probably wouldn't have liked it...

[spotter]

If you look at the Fan Film of the same name ( now new voyages I think) it could have been pretty good. I love the animated series and have given every trek a chance. I actually liked the JJ abrams one in an offhanded sort of way (I like enterprise about the same). Any chance to see apple green captains shirts would have been tops for me

[Mikey]

I have the book that describes the series and I honestly think it would have been a hit, it was pretty much recycled into the next generation. I probably wouldn't have liked it...

Is that Trek The Lost Years ?

I think I have that one too.

[wilbs518]

I think from what I have read that it would be pretty good.

[UnderdogDJLSW]

Is that Trek The Lost Years ?

I think I have that one too.

Mike, I think what Brian is referring to is the Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens book that talks all about the making of...before it became TMP. I have this book and it is great. It has some screen test photos, synopsis of the first 13 episodes, and some great stories (Like the actor who was to play Xon - Spock's replacement - had a "pay or Play" contract, so he got a full salary for 13 episodes that never happened. He is the guy who plays the Epsilon station commander in TMP.

In the book the authors conclude that the best thing to the franchise was that it did not go to series. They have used copies on amazon.

[david_b]

I would be forced to agree that it wouldn't have been as warmly remembered as the first. I remember it was supposed to be the 'flagship' for a new network back then, so one would wonder just how much network/studio pressure there would have been for it to conform to other show's ideas at that time, how provocative it could get with censors, etc..

1) I agree that without Nimoy it would have been a hard sell, to both fans and general audiences (Nimoy might have made some guest shots..), so it depends on the existing character interplay.

2) Writing Staffs..: This might have been an issue for the continuing series: I heard a series of scripts were submitted, but with all I heard about the writers being brought in/taken out at that time (written up in Starlog..), would it have had the same the same issues as the first two years of Next Gen..?

3) Budget-wise, I'm not entirely sure the effects would have been that spectactular. Space:1999 spent a huge amount on effects. Would Trek's budget have been comparable..?

4) Most likely, we as fans would have still enjoyed it. With fashions at that time (disco-influences..), the alien outfits would have likely been loud but interesting.

5) Harlan Ellison would have wrote for it (and complained about it later, after cashing his checks..).

More importantly to us, I wonder what new products Mego would have presented..? New packaging, new uniforms..?

I too LOVE the Animated Series. It's one of the few complete DVD sets with me here in Kuwait.

david_b

[TrueDave]

Maybe some things needed to take a break. Dr Who was pretty lousy by the end of the 1980s so it took a decade off. The new series is too much a love story for me but hey times change.

I think things worked out pretty well for Star Trek.

Except after DeepSpace Nine season six they should have just sat quietly for a decade. because things began to get worse( Voyager) and WORSE( Enterprise) and downright unreconizable altogether ( JJ Star Trek.)

I remeber the cartoon was consider to have kid side kicks for all the main characters .

[Nostalgiabuff]

I think Phase 2 wouold have killed Trek. It would have been cheesy 70's sci-fi as everything being produced then was. The best thing that ever happened to Star Trek was the success of Star Wars at the box office. It led to Trek making the jump to the big screen with big budget.

I also agree with Dave they should have ended Ds9 at season 6 and stopped making anything new for a decade or so. People were so tired of Trek by the time Enterprise aired that it was doomed before it ever aired.

I do like the JJ reboot a lot though and think this was the shot that Trek needed and it would have worked even better had they not gone ahead with the Enterprise TV show and Nemesis.

[david_b]

All excellent points, Nostalgiabuff..!

[fallensaviour]

It's a really tough call to make either way.
You would have had most of the cast except Spock.Who knows though that may have been a hold out on nimoys part?We'll never know but a show trying to pass Xon off as the new Vulcan is a big stinker in my books.Part of the shows big appeal was the Triumvir of Kirk,McCoy and Spock.Without that the entire Dynamics of the show would have been different.
Still old costumes and enterprise a plus.
You can see some actual footage of phase II on the motion picture directors cut and see for yourself Xon in make-up and costume.

[Earth 2 Chris]

It may have been successful in it's own way, but anchored to a 4th network at that time, the whole thing would have probably failed. And after that, I doubt anyone would have given Trek much of a third chance.

I know at one time it was to be a TV movie, and that would have probably killed the franchise for sure. Maybe a couple of TV movies would have been made, but it would have come across as TV-reunion movie, and let's face it, most of those are awful.

I understand several early TNG episodes used recycled scripts from Phase II, and Troi and Riker are most definitely Ilia and Decker with new names.

Chris

[Werewolf]

In the book the authors conclude that the best thing to the franchise was that it did not go to series. They have used copies on amazon.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...500_AA240_.jpg

I have that book too. It's an interesting read. But I think Phase 2 would have stunk unfortunately. The classic cast, minus Spock, with Next Gen style scripts would not have been a good mix in my opinion. I think it would have killed the franchise.

[Thor]

I think Phase 2 wouold have killed Trek. It would have been cheesy 70's sci-fi as everything being produced then was. The best thing that ever happened to Star Trek was the success of Star Wars at the box office. It led to Trek making the jump to the big screen with big budget.

I also agree with Dave they should have ended Ds9 at season 6 and stopped making anything new for a decade or so. People were so tired of Trek by the time Enterprise aired that it was doomed before it ever aired.

I do like the JJ reboot a lot though and think this was the shot that Trek needed and it would have worked even better had they not gone ahead with the Enterprise TV show and Nemesis.

I totally agree. Trek had been on TV for 13 years straight plus the movies. Some of the series overlapped also. It seemed that they just started churning Star trek out and thought that people would watch it because it's Star Trek. I don't hate Nemesis (even though it was predicable) and I have a love/hate relationship with Enterprise, I liked some of the concepts but the execution was sloppy and oriented to a far younger audience imo. Plus it seemed to either have canon issues or ignored common sense in plotting.