Despite previous reports given both by myself and other webmasters, the German television station Sat.1 will not be showing Night and Drone on the 29th of January, but instead the Killing Game. Apologies. Thanks to TrekToday.
It was originally rumored that a new Star Trek series would be based around the Starfleet Academy with a working title of Star Trek: Flight Academy. However, Paramount has put an end these rumors, suggesting their are no plans for a new series at this point in time.Contradicting Paramount's official statement, the source goes onto suggest that the series may resurrect two Star Trek legends, Gates McFadden (Dr. Beverly Crusher, TNG) and Marina Sirtis (Counselor Deanna Troi, TNG).
Described as, "...very realistic and gritty," the contact suggests that it would resemble a type of "ER in space".
This information follows almost a year of fan speculation and over analysis of statements made by well known Star Trek producers and directors. Earlier whispers about a new series were that it would target a younger audience, moving away from TNG characters, becoming fresher and better than ever before.
Tim Allen talks about Shatner
Tim Allen, who starred on the on ABC television show Home Improvement, has had an interview with TV Guide in which he talks about his recent role as the captain in the Star Trek parody Galaxy Quest. You can read the entire interview by following this link.
Courtesy TrekToday
Nichols on GvsE
The Sci-Fi wire is reporting that Nichelle Nichols, the Original Series' Uhura, will be appearing in an episode of the USA Network's GvsE as Iris McNeil, the mother of Henry McNeil. The episode is currently only planned to air in the new season on USA.
Star Trek TV Specials
There are a number of upcoming Trek specials on television, which include:
In the UK, Sky One has been promoting a "Seven Heaven" series of episodes. Each night, there will be two episodes featuring everyone's favourite Borg on Voyager. (The Great Link)
In Germany, Sat.1 will begin airing Voyager's fifth season on January 29 starting with Night and then Drone. A new episode is planned every week after that. (TrekToday)
The USA Network in Brazil is planning a twelve-hour Star Trek marathon on January 1. Included will be episodes from Star Trek and the first three seasons of The Next Generation.
Info provided by the Optical Data Network
X-Men Release Date
According to the Optical Data Network, the Fox Film Group has announced the release date of the X-Men film starring Patrick Stewart. Current plans are for the movie to hit theatres July 14, 2000.
And also, an early report from the set is available at the Ain't it cool news website.
Both thanks to the Optical Data Network.
Millenium Trek
Info on Millenium Trek, a Trek New Year's Eve party in Tampa Bay featuring Robert O'Reilly (TNG and DS9: Gowron), can now be found on the official continuum website by following this link. Or more on the event itself can be found either by going here or calling: (813) 818-POOL.
ODN Issue Released
The Optical Data Network (ODN) has distributed it's latest issue. It has all the latest news and rumours as usual. You can view it here.
Trek Cruise
According to TV Guide, there is apparently going to be a cruise later this year, late May, through the Mediterranean supposedly to have a Trek theme. It is also to include several actors from DS9 and Voyager.
UP3!
In case you might have forgotten, there used to be a site called Utopia Plantia and was literally the primary resource for Star Trek fans on ship classes and designs. The most recent version, UP2, closed about a year ago with the rest of the Behaviour STZone.
Recently though, Charles Capps has been working on a new version called Utopia Plantia 3, or UP3. But in order to get it up he needs help. Writers, graphic artists, 3D artists, and PHP/Perl programmers are needed. If you're interested, go here.
Ashes to Ashes
Star Trek News is reporting that this episode is supposed to have the same Borg children from Collective return. Meanwhile the Great Link is also reporting something similar: that this episode is supposed to follow along in the Borg story arc started earlier this season.
Visitor Interview
Mania Magazine has uploaded a new interview with Nana Visitor who played Kira Nerys on Deep Space Nine. In the interview she talks about her current role in 'Chicago' and also looks back on her years on DS9. You can read it here.
deBoer Marries
Nicole deBoer, who played Ezri Dax on DS9, married her fiancé, John, yesterday (saturday). According to what info there is currently out on the net, all that's really known is he's a singer in a rock band. Congratulations can be posted on her official message board. Thanks to Trektoday.
Nimoy on Radio
Actor Leonard Nimoy, who of course played Spock on the Original Series, TOS, is currently doing radio reports for the National Public Radio (American) program Marketplace. His segment is entitled 'Y2k Enterprise' which feautures how many companies are attempting to use Y2k in order to pull off scams or bad product deals.
In the US, the Sci-Fi channel will be running a classic Star Trek "chain reaction" on December 30 from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM ET.
"Just two weeks ago, I completed what some people say is the final Fabulous Four tour with Nichelle Nichols, George Takei, and Walter Koenig," says Doohan. "We did about 15 or 20 shows starting a year ago last February and had a ball. But that’s about the extent of my contact with the original cast. I don’t have any contact with the Paramount people."While it may have been some time since he had spoken to the late DeForest Kelley, the sadness felt by his coworker’s passing is quite evident. "I moved up to Washington state eight and a half years ago, so the last time I saw him was about seven years before he died," says Doohan. "He was really a great guy. I couldn’t go to any of the memorials because I was working in Dallas at the time, but my wife and son went to the memorial Paramount held."
Warp 11 Closes
Piller Signs with WB
While revisiting The Great link a few minutes ago, I found a neat little tidbit of information on what ex-Star Trek writer and producer Michael Piller has been upto. Apparently, it seems, he has signed a two-year, multiseries contract with the WB Network. The Great Link is reporting that several projects are already in the works, which include:
I was shocked when while I was reading the latest update over at Trektoday I read a report that Warp 11, the Star Trek news site that has been on the web for quite some time (nearly three years), is actually closing down! This is of course quite a surprise to everyone, even other members of the Treknation who have known and worked with the webmaster, Leonard Schuurmans. I myself was a regular visitor, usually stopping by atleast once every week or so. I'm sad to see it go.
A concept by writer Orson Scott Card. While talking to the trade, the elder Piller described the two-hour pilot for a potential series "a contemporary spiritual fantasy with heavy special effects."A potential series done in the vein of Hitchcock’s North by Northwest. The pilot is being done with Alan Spencer (Sledge Hammer).
A futuristic science fiction series that will have a Star Trek-type scale, though it will not be set in space. Granada Television is co-producing.
Nicole deBoer Interview
After nearly a terrifying month of silence, Christopher Howell at the Great Link was finally able to update his site. Included in the update is a new Nicole deBoer interview in which she talks about her career. Excerpt is below.
Looking back @ DS9 : "In some ways the year went by very quickly, and in some ways it felt like a good, long year. Deep Space Nine was a very special experience, just to be a part of the whole Star Trek phenomenon. I was glad I got the opportunity. It's weird for me to sit here and think I may never get to do it again, and it's when I think that way that I think the year went by incredibly fast."
DeLancie Writes Novel
Actor John DeLancie, who played "Q" on The Next Generation, has apparently partnered with Tom Cool to write the upcoming science fiction novel Soldier of Light. Apparently, from what I've heard, it sounds like it's about a human socialogical acpocalypse. The main advertising ploy is that it was written by DeLancie.
Soldier of Light is now in bookstores.
Plot Info Confirmed for Daoine Sidhe
The following information was taken directly off the Sci-Fi World website about the upcoming Voyager episode entitled Daoine Sidhe.
A follow up to "Fair Haven". A resident of the Holographic town named Milo begins to suspect that evil things are at work in the town. He listens to Seamus' (from "Fair Haven") stories. He spreads stories about the evil ones - Voyager's crew - and the more superstitious people in the town begin to believe him. The town's people begin to approach self-awareness, because of this.
Both Pathfinder and Think Tank Ratings info and Polls
I do not know how in the world it slipped by me for two weeks, but I forgot to put up poll and ratings info for both Pathfinder and Think Tank. Luckily, the Think Tank info is not that late.
Pathfinder
Pathfinder was able to finish nationally with a 4.0 rating, 6 share. With this they were able to stay in the customary 5th position in it's timeslot. The Ultimate Trek special which aired the same night earned a bad 2.6. UPN was able to defeat the WB during the ever-important current sweeps season.
Think Tank
The overnights for Think Tank which have been coming in so far show it as having a 3.8 rating, 6 share, which is very decent considering it was a rerun. Of course the nationals could come out differently.
Braga Interview
Brannon Braga info has been put up on The Sci-Fi Channel website. In it he discusses his relationship currently with the studio.
Braga denied Internet-based rumors that the new series will take place in Starfleet Academy or be completely Klingon-based. "I will say that our goal is to make sure the show is fresh and different and unlike any Star Trek you've seen, and yet the essence of it will be Star Trek. … I hesitate to put another crew of people on a ship and rename it … It's got to be different," he said.Braga also denied reports that the producers were at loggerheads with the studio over the new series. "I wouldn't describe our relationship with the studio as rocky, not at all. I would describe it as very creative and cooperative. We are all very conscientious about the state of the franchise. There's no disagreement on that."
Kes on Voyager?
According to Warp 11, the official Star Trek site mistakingly posted some info regarding Fair Heaven not Think Tank's rerun. Included in the posting was that it was written by Robin Burger, assumed to be Robin Bernheim, and Jennifer Lien was part of the cast, playing Kes. Some sort of sick typo? You decide.
False Colors
An article on the upcoming Star Trek comic in a new line from from Wildstorm is now available at Another Universe. You can get it here.
'Elite Force' FAQ List Available
The official 'Voyager: Elite Force' developer, Mike Gummelt, has uploaded an unofficial frequently asked questions list onto the official Raven Software website. You can find it here. And if the length of that one freaks you out, there is a shorter version. Thanks go out to Trektoday.
Marina Sirtis Interview
I forgot to mention this yesterday, but I recieved the latest issue of the Optical Data Network in my inbox. The issue has been archived at ODN's website. As usual, there are loads of in-depth info.
Updated Episode Info
I've been looking for more info on some upcoming Voyager episodes, including Tsunkatse which of course have already been archived. I found a good deal and so I'm putting them each under their own header. Info for the majority of these episodes have already been posted, consider this an update.
Tsunkatse
Virtuoso
Features an alien race of short people who have lots of technology, but no music. The
Doc introduces them to music and becomes like a rock star. Guest stars Paul Williams as one of the aliens.
A WebTrek source also reports that "Virtuoso is the usual holodoctor affair. His incredible
ego over inflates again and causes him to want to leave the ship....LOTS of singing, and some possibly cool alien musical effects by the
sound guys."(WebTrek)
Robert Picardo said that "We begin shooting another humorous Doctor episode Oct. 25th
which I believe will air in early February. It involves more singing and the Doctor discovers the painful fickleness of celebrity."
The Collective Part 1 of 3
They finish shooting the Voyager episode: 'The Collective' on Monday. It is
the start of a three part arc to deal with the Borg. The episode is about these abandoned Borg children who try and assimilate races, but they end up killing them rather than assimalating. This is episode 15 and it directed by a new female director."
ODN Out
Formerly known as Arena, the episode was give a new title because an episode of the original series already existed with the same title. Tsunkatse, pronounced soon-kot-see, is the name of the alien sport. The show has been pushed back a bit due to some re-shoots scheduled for Dec 6th.
The Hirogen (Hunters,Prey, The Killing Game) kidnap Seven of Nine and force her to battle a Pendari alien (played by WWF wrestler "The Rock") to entertain them. "The fighters will have sensors and targets on their bodies," says Trek executive producer Rick Berman, "and when they make contact, there will be some very interesting fireworks." The Rock (real name Duane Johnson) performs 225 nights a year and doesn't get to watch much TV. So he's not a huge Trekker - but his wife is. "She's even more excited than I am."
Jeffrey Combs (Brunt/Weyoun on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine) guest stars as Penk, an alien who runs Gladitorial-style contests. He wants Seven to be his next Gladiator.
Writer Bryan Fuller said J.G. Hertzler (General Martok on Deep Space Nine) will play a Hirogen on an upcoming episode (probably this one, unless there's more than one Hirogen story in development).
James Doohan has recently had an interview with Eon Magazine in which he discusses some of his latest projects including the writing of a recent novel. Also included where his thoughts on his currently troubled relations he is having with Paramount.