All Things Star Trek — Page 96

Dammit, StarTrek.com, this is why we can’t have nice things. There’s really no excuse to use the first thing that shows up on GIS when you’re making an article when you’re the copyright holder.

JEDIT: My friend points out that they have the rights to that image thanks to their “Ships of the Line” calendar series. But the question of “Why are we using this image in an official capacity?” still stands.

I wonder if Scotty was ever able to retrieve Admiral Archer’s beagle? 😉

SilverWook said:

I wonder if Scotty was ever able to retrieve Admiral Archer’s beagle? 😉

The novelization of 2009 ends with a stinger scene where the transporter on the Enterprise activates and a beagle jumps off the pad and runs down the hallway.

I was just watching an episode of TOS on Netflix (S2 E13: Obsession) and suddenly it had what seemed to be the original effects, rather than the updated CGI version. It’s never played the original version of any episode for me before, so I was pleasantly surprised to see this. However, the next episode (S2 E14: Wolf in the Fold) is the updated version. Anyone else experience anything similar?

Yeah, Netflix isn’t all there.

suspiciouscoffee said:

I was just watching an episode of TOS on Netflix (S2 E13: Obsession) and suddenly it had what seemed to be the original effects, rather than the updated CGI version. It’s never played the original version of any episode for me before, so I was pleasantly surprised to see this. However, the next episode (S2 E14: Wolf in the Fold) is the updated version. Anyone else experience anything similar?

Yeah, Netflix only has the original version of Obsession, and it’s been that way for a while. I’m not sure why. I think I mentioned it somewhere on here before, but I’m not sure if it was in this thread or not.

I just wish they would replace the rest of the series with the originals.

Tobar said:

The Enterprise Has Returned to the Smithsonian!

Read the official announcement here.

That’s the best the old gal has looked in a long long time! Thank goodness that crappy 90’s paint job was undone. And Scotty’s wee bairns look screen accurate too. 😃

After watching the third Beyond trailer, I still have my concerns. I think that the space battles will be amazing but the hand-to-hand combat will be really goofy and the dialogue will be pretty over the top. The series seems to be straying further and further away from it’s roots. I hope the movie’s good but I think it’ll be a mixed bag. The only thing keeping me from not wanting to see it is the fact that J.J. Abrams is producing.

Smithers said:

After watching the third Beyond trailer, I still have my concerns. I think that the space battles will be amazing but the hand-to-hand combat will be really goofy and the dialogue will be pretty over the top.

I don’t have a problem with that. 😉

Thanks Wook, you made my point. 😉

TNG did have the advantage in that most of the model shots and other elements were still around.

Possessed said:

I’m about a week into watching the TNG remasters on Netflix and wow:they are amazing. The picture quality is incredible and the recreated special effects are very faithful to the original effects for the most part, just with better compositing and such. As much as I loved the original series remasters, these just work better because the FX were better to begin with so the superior compositing doesn’t stand out as much her compared to the originals. Although, and I know I should be ashamed, but I prefer the new fx in TOS, they’re just more noticeable. (The bad part is the new resolution that was clearly never intended you can now see Kirks makeup sometimes)

I just can’t wait til I get to season 2 and the episodes start actually being good.

Well, regarding the comparison to the remastered TOS, that wasn’t trying to accomplish the same thing as the TNG remasters. The only reason special effects were redone in TNG is because the digital effects that were used back in the '80s are unavailable and were only created at standard resolution (meaning even if the original files were still available, they would be of little use). They didn’t replace old practical effects with CGI; they took the original film elements and then remade the digital effects in HD and reinserted them. The Enterprise is still a model, etc. The only thing that was done with the practical effects was recompositing/whatever digital manipulation wasn’t on the film.

In contrast, TOS was essentially a Star Wars Special Edition deal (both versions are available, obviously); they took practical special effects and replaced them with CGI. Then, in addition to making special effects “upgrades”, they added in semi obnoxious effects changes that don’t make any sense (i.e., the torture device in Mirror Mirror shooting out visible electricity). Now, it’s not to the same level as the SW SE’s (especially because there are no story changes/added scenes), but it is what it is.
I’d also like to note that TOS was remastered in 2005. TNG was done in what, 2014?

Short version:
TNG looks better because they didn’t replace 1966-1969 era practical effects with 2005 digital effects that were often revisionist changes; they replaced 1987-1993 era digital effects with higher resolution recreations of those digital effects.

EDIT: I do wish they frame-matched the recreated effects more, though.

^Thanks for the info!

TOS was remastered to sell to syndication, TNG to sell Blu-rays. That’s how much has changed in just a few years. I already suggested to the producer of TOSR that they should re-remaster it using the restored model in the Smithsonian, but I don’t think he’s going for it. 😉

New character would’ve been the best way to go. I heard a (obviously false) rumor a long time ago that the face painted alien lady from the trailers was supposed to be a lesbian. That would’ve been a better idea.

Uh, spoiler alert?

Trek should have had a recurring gay character a long time ago. TNG flirted with it, but it was too much of a hot potato in the 80’s. DS9 had mirror universe characters who at least swung both ways, and Dax’s long history with previous hosts included male and female lovers. Making Sulu gay is a bit too on the nose though. Worth noting that Mirror Sulu was a horny bastard who lusted after Uhura.

Would Gene be okay with it? A firm maybe. An entire race of bald humanoids who have sex in all aspects of their lives, and have to take a celibacy oath when serving in Starfleet was his idea.

Not as bad as when someone spoiled TFA for me less than a day before I saw it. 😉