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On September 8th, 1966,
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America tunes in to catch
a glimpse of the future
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and launches a global phenomenon.
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00:00:23,299 --> 00:00:26,036
A television series like no other
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that unites us in its vision
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of a better world to come.
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- Here's a group of people who
are solving problems together,
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and they're all different,
diverse people.
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This is the secret history
of "Star Trek."
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It's epic 50-year mission.
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- That was what was so brilliant
about "Star Trek"
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was that it was human nature
and human instinct
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and the drive to want
to know more
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combined with adventure.
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00:00:49,492 --> 00:00:52,062
The mastermind
of the "Star Trek" universe.
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00:00:52,162 --> 00:00:54,630
- And Gene says, "Do you want
to be on Star Trek?"
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I said, "Yes.
Yes!"
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00:00:58,368 --> 00:01:00,470
The cast and crew
reveal the stories
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you've never heard.
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00:01:01,904 --> 00:01:03,173
- Roddenberry looked
at the beard and goes,
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"I love the beard.
It's nautical."
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Plus Leonard Nimoy's
final full interview.
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00:01:09,245 --> 00:01:11,281
- If I were given the choice
of any character
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ever portrayed on television,
I would choose Spock.
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00:01:15,151 --> 00:01:16,452
- Happy anniversary,
"Star Trek."
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Happy 50th.
Wow, way to go.
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00:01:18,754 --> 00:01:21,057
- Before anybody else
were touching on subjects,
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racism, segregation,
discrimination,
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before any other
TV shows did.
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- "Star Trek: Voyager"
is probably my first acting job.
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- There's an optimism to it
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that I think we've never needed
more than now.
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00:01:32,668 --> 00:01:34,370
- Seven of Nine's one of my
favorite "Star Trek" characters
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00:01:34,470 --> 00:01:35,905
because she was so hot.
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00:01:36,005 --> 00:01:38,674
Featuring an intimate
conversation with cast members,
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00:01:38,774 --> 00:01:41,377
comedians, scientists,
and academics
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00:01:41,477 --> 00:01:43,546
covering all things
"Star Trek."
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00:01:43,646 --> 00:01:45,715
- That was one of my big fears
in accepting the role.
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00:01:45,815 --> 00:01:48,951
- Happy 50th anniversary,
"Star Trek."
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00:01:49,051 --> 00:01:50,686
You know how old
that makes me?
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"50 Years of 'Star Trek."
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- We're here on the 50th
anniversary of "Star Trek"
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00:02:00,496 --> 00:02:02,598
at the Griffith Observatory
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00:02:02,698 --> 00:02:04,900
outside
the Leonard Nimoy theater
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to discuss "Star Trek"
with a lot of great people
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and a lot of fine minds
and Kevin Pollak.
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Let's just jump
right into it.
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Let's talk about the general
impact of "Star Trek."
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- The great sense of discovery
and curiosity
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00:02:21,451 --> 00:02:24,254
on this five-year mission
to seek out new worlds.
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You know, those--those--
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that phraseology
was kind of impactful.
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- "The Measure of Man"
where Data's on trial,
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that's the episode that led me
to create my class.
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- Oh, wow.
- Because it has references
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to slavery in it,
and I thought about,
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"Gee,
this is very interesting."
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You know, there's a whole
pro-slavery argument.
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It's really the Dred Scott
decision worked out there.
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- Yeah.
- Is Data property or not?
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- I saw a couple
of episodes
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of the original series
when I was a kid
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because you can't not
have seen some things.
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I saw the Tribble episode,
I think,
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and I saw the planet of kids,
"grups."
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And they were saying,
"Grups, grups," that one.
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Whatever.
- Yeah.
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- But I was never a sci-fi fan,
so I wasn't into it.
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And I never watched
any of the other incarnations
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until I was on the show.
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- I saw "Star Trek" as this,
you know,
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amazing way of bringing humanity
together, right?
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You had the height
of the Cold War.
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You had a Russian and American
people working together.
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You had black people and white
people working together.
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That's an incredible thing
to see as a kid
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when, you know,
you're from two worlds
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that really also
don't get along.
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- I first started
on the original series,
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my mother was a big fan,
and those were reruns
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that were happening
at the time.
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It was right before
"Next Generation" started
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and it was--I just always
was fascinated
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by Dr. McCoy's grumpiness.
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That relationship with Spock
I thought was amazing.
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He just was, like,
"I can't stand you,
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but I love you."
- Yeah.
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- And I was like,
"Oh, that's my family."
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I understand everything
from "Star Trek."
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- Yes.
- You know, it's funny
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because I wasn't allowed
to watch TV
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when "Star Trek"
was on the air.
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My parents wouldn't let me
watch it.
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So I snuck downstairs
and I turned on the TV.
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And, uh, that was my first--
the first time I saw the show.
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I think it was, um,
"This Side of Paradise"
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was the episode.
- Oh.
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- And you could tell
that whoever was doing the show
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was a science fiction fan.
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*
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"Star Trek" begins
as the brainchild of one man,
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Gene Roddenberry,
a former World War II pilot
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and policeman
turned screenwriter.
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His first television series
premieres in 1963,
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and features a few faces
that will soon become familiar
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to "Trek" fans.
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- He was a big man,
enthusiastic.
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He really, really loved
producing a show,
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which he had never done
before.
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He created "The Lieutenant."
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- It was "The Lieutenant."
It was his first big TV show.
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And he cast me.
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- I had acted in an episode of a
series called "The Lieutenant"
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that was produced
by Gene Roddenberry.
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My agent called me and said,
"He's interested in you
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for a science fiction pilot
that he's gonna produce.
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"The Lieutenant" runs
for just one season,
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but Roddenberry's already
working on a bigger idea.
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In 1964, he begins pitching
a series about a starship
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with a multi-ethnic crew.
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- I had worked for him directly
when his secretary was ill.
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And he knew that I had
sold some things
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that I wanted to be a writer,
a full-time writer.
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And he called me into his
office and said,
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"What do you think of this?"
And he showed me
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about a 10-12 page piece
that was called "Star Trek."
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- Well, he had done...
- "The Lieutenant."
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- I went in to do a pitch
on a story.
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Somehow or another,
he asked if I was interested
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in doing "Star Trek."
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I said, "Yeah,
I would be interested in that."
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- And I went home,
and I read it,
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and I came back the next day,
and I said,
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"Who plays Mr. Spock."
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- The script was very good,
very good.
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I didn't quite understand
how it was gonna work
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as a television show
because it was so unique.
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It was really quite special.
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But it was
a very intelligent script.
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It had layers of ideas in it
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that you didn't often get
in television.
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00:06:04,773 --> 00:06:06,240
- Roddenberry
was very inspired
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00:06:06,340 --> 00:06:08,910
by Jonathan Swift's
"Gulliver's Travels."
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And wanted to tell stories
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that you couldn't
normally tell on television
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through the prism
of science fiction.
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- He was such a complex
and interesting man.
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Very bright,
very bright.
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Hard-working.
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Tough job, tough job.
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Particularly getting
"Star Trek" right
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the first couple of seasons.
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To get it--to get it
what he wanted it to be.
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- They didn't think there was
a big enough audience out there.
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They thought it was gonna be
sci-fi kooks and kids.
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And they didn't think they could
make enough money
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from their sponsors
to put these on in prime-time.
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Well, they had put on "Voyage
to the Bottom of the Sea"
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in fall of '64,
winning its timeslot for ABC.
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Fall of '65, he puts on
"Lost In Space" on CBS.
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It's winning its timeslot for CBS.
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That was when they made
the decision to put it on
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for the fall of '66.
NBC wants one.
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They felt they were missing
the boat.
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President John F. Kennedy
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issues a challenge:
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To put a man on the moon
before the end of the decade.
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00:07:05,033 --> 00:07:09,137
The space race heats up
as America looks to the stars.
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And one unlikely supporter
sees an opportunity.
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- Well, "Star Trek" may be
the first TV show
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I can really remember.
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"Star Trek"
and "Mission: Impossible."
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In fact, the both--the two great
Desilu productions.
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- The other player
in "Star Trek"
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and get it on the air
was Lucille Ball
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with Desilu Studios.
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- It was Lucille Ball who said,
"Let's make this."
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- That studio was built
on reruns.
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And when "I Love Lucy"
was in production,
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they wanted to film it
here in LA.
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So they said, "We'll pay the
difference and film this
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if we can have
the rerun rights."
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And the answer
from Harry Ackerman at CBS was,
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"What's a rerun?"
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Nobody had ever rerun anything
on TV.
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They shot it live,
it was gone.
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And "Star Trek"
was brought in.
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And Lucy said, "I think that
could rerun for ten years.
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Well, here we are
50 years later.
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00:08:01,790 --> 00:08:03,625
"I Love Lucy" is still on
five days a week
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00:08:03,725 --> 00:08:05,126
in every city
around the country.
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And probably the second most
rerun show
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00:08:06,928 --> 00:08:08,530
in the history of television
is "Star Trek."
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Let's give her credit,
Lucy loved "Star Trek."
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And we wouldn't have had
"Star Trek" without Lucy,
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00:08:14,235 --> 00:08:15,369
so we love Lucy.
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00:08:15,469 --> 00:08:19,073
- You know, my father passed
away when I was 17.
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00:08:19,173 --> 00:08:21,510
He's got such a legacy
and he's touched so many people
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00:08:21,610 --> 00:08:24,913
that I've learned a great deal
about him after his passing.
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00:08:25,013 --> 00:08:27,448
You know, he was a bomber pilot
in World War II.
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00:08:27,548 --> 00:08:32,521
He flew something like, uh,
is it 79 or 89 missions.
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00:08:32,621 --> 00:08:34,656
My father had seen the best
of humanity
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and he'd seen the worst
of humanity.
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But I think that really helped
shape his view
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00:08:38,793 --> 00:08:40,895
of "Star Trek"
and that better future.
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00:08:46,067 --> 00:08:49,738
The pilot episode of
"Star Trek" is filmed in 1965,
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introducing the world
to what would become
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00:08:51,840 --> 00:08:54,709
one of the most iconic
characters of all time,
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00:08:54,809 --> 00:08:56,945
Mr. Spock.
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00:08:57,045 --> 00:08:59,180
- And he shoved a picture
of Leonard Nimoy
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00:08:59,280 --> 00:09:00,381
across the desk at me.
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00:09:00,481 --> 00:09:04,352
At that point,
he was a Martian first officer.
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00:09:04,452 --> 00:09:06,387
- He said a character
with pointed ears,
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00:09:06,487 --> 00:09:08,856
and that set me back
a bit.
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00:09:08,956 --> 00:09:10,724
I had to think about that one.
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00:09:10,824 --> 00:09:16,296
- Leonard was an actor.
He was a real actor.
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00:09:16,396 --> 00:09:17,865
- And he walked me through
the various departments.
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00:09:17,965 --> 00:09:19,767
He showed me where they were
making the props.
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00:09:19,867 --> 00:09:22,135
He showed me where the sets
were being designed,
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00:09:22,235 --> 00:09:24,337
the design for the Enterprise,
the ship.
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00:09:24,437 --> 00:09:27,741
And I realized that he was
selling me on this job.
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00:09:27,841 --> 00:09:30,477
And that's the way
it would happen.
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The network orders
a new "Star Trek" pilot.
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00:09:33,580 --> 00:09:35,115
Spock stays on board,
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00:09:35,215 --> 00:09:37,551
but the Enterprise gets
an entirely new crew,
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00:09:37,651 --> 00:09:40,453
including a brash,
young captain,
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00:09:40,553 --> 00:09:41,822
James T. Kirk.
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00:09:41,922 --> 00:09:45,959
- William Shatner had Kirk down
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00:09:46,059 --> 00:09:48,061
from act one, scene one,
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00:09:48,161 --> 00:09:49,697
and he played that through
right till the end
232
00:09:49,797 --> 00:09:52,032
in "Star Trek: Generations"
in 1994.
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00:09:52,132 --> 00:09:54,201
- You know, Shatner,
who's totally nailing the part,
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00:09:54,301 --> 00:09:57,470
but DeForest Kelley,
the person that Gene wanted
235
00:09:57,570 --> 00:09:59,940
from the beginning
for Dr. McCoy.
236
00:10:00,040 --> 00:10:02,643
- Scotty felt like he was
a little more fully formed
237
00:10:02,743 --> 00:10:04,211
as a character.
238
00:10:04,311 --> 00:10:06,747
There was an empathy with
Jimmy Doohan's performance.
239
00:10:06,847 --> 00:10:08,882
We just liked Scotty. You wanted
to hang out with Scotty.
240
00:10:08,982 --> 00:10:11,919
You wanted to go have a drink in
the bar with Scotty, you know?
241
00:10:12,019 --> 00:10:13,520
- It's a very hallowed
and beloved thing
242
00:10:13,620 --> 00:10:15,288
that you don't want
to mess up.
243
00:10:15,388 --> 00:10:16,890
I feel honored
to play Scotty.
244
00:10:16,990 --> 00:10:18,659
I will always defer
to the greatest Scotty ever,
245
00:10:18,759 --> 00:10:20,127
which was James Doohan,
246
00:10:20,227 --> 00:10:23,063
but if I can do half as good as
he did, then I'll be happy.
247
00:10:23,163 --> 00:10:26,734
- George Takei, who plays
Mr. Sulu, sat at the helm.
248
00:10:26,834 --> 00:10:29,903
- An Asian man
on a show like this,
249
00:10:30,003 --> 00:10:31,639
you seldom saw
anything like that.
250
00:10:31,739 --> 00:10:33,741
And here he was,
a man with responsibilities.
251
00:10:33,841 --> 00:10:34,975
He was the helmsman.
252
00:10:35,075 --> 00:10:37,645
- Everyone, Nichelle,
just beautiful and smart
253
00:10:37,745 --> 00:10:40,714
and an incredible role model
as Uhura.
254
00:10:40,814 --> 00:10:45,653
- I think the first memory
of "Star Trek" really was going,
255
00:10:45,753 --> 00:10:47,487
"Oh, look..."
256
00:10:47,587 --> 00:10:49,222
"There's a black lady
in the future."
257
00:10:49,322 --> 00:10:51,524
And this was
the first time I knew
258
00:10:51,624 --> 00:10:53,861
we would be in the future.
259
00:10:53,961 --> 00:10:55,763
- Later on,
Walter Koenig as Chekov.
260
00:10:55,863 --> 00:10:58,732
- If the circumstances
hadn't fallen the way they did,
261
00:10:58,832 --> 00:11:00,267
if things hadn't happened
the way they did,
262
00:11:00,367 --> 00:11:03,003
then I probably never
been in for the role
263
00:11:03,103 --> 00:11:05,205
of Chekov on "Star Trek."
264
00:11:05,305 --> 00:11:08,208
I read one line.
He says, "You got the part."
265
00:11:08,308 --> 00:11:09,810
And that was the part
of a Russian.
266
00:11:09,910 --> 00:11:11,244
- Who had a Russian
on the show?
267
00:11:11,344 --> 00:11:14,547
We were still just reaching out
trying to make contact
268
00:11:14,647 --> 00:11:16,383
with Russia
in a friendly sense.
269
00:11:16,483 --> 00:11:18,118
- To bring these people together
270
00:11:18,218 --> 00:11:20,888
created the magic
that is "Star Trek."
271
00:11:20,988 --> 00:11:24,157
- From day one, we got along...
272
00:11:24,257 --> 00:11:25,993
just like that.
273
00:11:26,093 --> 00:11:27,527
With the cast
and crew assembled,
274
00:11:27,627 --> 00:11:30,831
the Enterprise is nearly ready
to begin its mission.
275
00:11:30,931 --> 00:11:34,101
But Roddenberry knows
something is missing.
276
00:11:34,201 --> 00:11:38,205
- G.R said, "I gotta do
an opening for the show."
277
00:11:38,305 --> 00:11:41,274
So he said,
"You take a shot at it,
278
00:11:41,374 --> 00:11:43,744
I'll take a shot at it,
we'll see what happens."
279
00:11:43,844 --> 00:11:45,345
- It was, "Space...
the final frontier,"
280
00:11:45,445 --> 00:11:48,415
was yours, wasn't it?
- Yeah.
281
00:11:48,515 --> 00:11:50,050
"The final frontier."
282
00:11:50,150 --> 00:11:51,384
- "Space...
283
00:11:51,484 --> 00:11:53,353
"the final frontier.
284
00:11:56,990 --> 00:12:00,728
- So it was some Roddenberry,
it was some Black.
285
00:12:00,828 --> 00:12:04,564
We came out with...
286
00:12:04,664 --> 00:12:07,935
"Boldy go where no man
has gone before."
287
00:12:08,035 --> 00:12:11,471
- To boldly go where no man
has gone before.
288
00:12:11,571 --> 00:12:18,879
*
289
00:12:18,979 --> 00:12:20,513
NBC premieres "Star Trek"
290
00:12:20,613 --> 00:12:23,884
on a Thursday night
in the fall of 1966.
291
00:12:23,984 --> 00:12:26,053
- Well, the first episode
of "Star Trek,""The Man Trap,"
292
00:12:26,153 --> 00:12:28,655
had 47% audience share.
293
00:12:28,755 --> 00:12:31,424
Lucy wrote a memo
to Gene Roddenberry saying,
294
00:12:31,524 --> 00:12:33,861
"Congratulations, boys,
you're a hit."
295
00:12:33,961 --> 00:12:35,495
- Back in the late '60s,
296
00:12:35,595 --> 00:12:38,698
what "Star Trek" was doing
on television was cutting edge.
297
00:12:38,798 --> 00:12:40,133
It was ahead of its time.
298
00:12:40,233 --> 00:12:42,736
- This was the first time we saw
a miniskirt on television.
299
00:12:42,836 --> 00:12:45,272
"Star Trek" premiered
in September of '66,
300
00:12:45,372 --> 00:12:48,041
the mini made its debut
in London
301
00:12:48,141 --> 00:12:51,344
in the summer of '66
and had not made it to America.
302
00:12:51,444 --> 00:12:53,313
He was way ahead
of his time.
303
00:12:53,413 --> 00:12:56,116
- It was also
a science fiction series
304
00:12:56,216 --> 00:12:59,953
that took the subject matter
very seriously.
305
00:13:00,053 --> 00:13:02,589
"Star Trek" is unlike
anything on television
306
00:13:02,689 --> 00:13:05,058
at the time,
but what makes it unique
307
00:13:05,158 --> 00:13:11,131
also threatens
to destroy it.
308
00:13:11,231 --> 00:13:12,800
"Star Trek" premieres in 1966,
309
00:13:12,900 --> 00:13:16,036
and instantly becomes one of
the most ground-breaking series
310
00:13:16,136 --> 00:13:18,138
in the history of television.
311
00:13:18,238 --> 00:13:19,739
Gene Roddenberry's vision
312
00:13:19,839 --> 00:13:22,575
is a sign of changing times
in America.
313
00:13:22,675 --> 00:13:26,579
- A story about a hopeful future
made in a difficult time.
314
00:13:26,679 --> 00:13:28,548
The times were tough.
315
00:13:28,648 --> 00:13:31,618
The war in Vietnam, the racial
issues that were happening,
316
00:13:31,718 --> 00:13:35,655
riots in the streets,
riots at political conventions.
317
00:13:35,755 --> 00:13:38,191
People were angry and upset
and nervous and concerned.
318
00:13:38,291 --> 00:13:39,860
And it was this thing
that said, "Hey,
319
00:13:39,960 --> 00:13:41,694
"in the future we have a way
of dealing with these issues.
320
00:13:41,794 --> 00:13:43,296
"It's gonna be okay.
321
00:13:43,396 --> 00:13:46,033
"Here's a group of people who
are solving problems together.
322
00:13:46,133 --> 00:13:48,335
And they're all different,
diverse people."
323
00:13:48,435 --> 00:13:50,137
"Star Trek"
tackles the most pressing
324
00:13:50,237 --> 00:13:52,672
social issues of its day.
325
00:13:52,772 --> 00:13:55,876
- We had the one
where Uhura and Kirk kissed.
326
00:13:55,976 --> 00:13:58,278
That, I think, was more of--
I mean, I think that was great.
327
00:13:58,378 --> 00:14:00,914
And the people in the South,
there were probably
328
00:14:01,014 --> 00:14:03,250
a lot of people jumping out
of windows at that.
329
00:14:03,350 --> 00:14:05,052
- The director was nervous.
330
00:14:05,152 --> 00:14:07,888
The front office at Paramount
was nervous,
331
00:14:07,988 --> 00:14:10,891
which was just dumb, you know,
then don't do it,
332
00:14:10,991 --> 00:14:12,225
which is what I said.
333
00:14:12,325 --> 00:14:14,327
And they went,
"You don't want to do it?"
334
00:14:14,427 --> 00:14:17,197
I said, "I want to do it.
It's written in the script.
335
00:14:17,297 --> 00:14:18,899
It's a great scene."
336
00:14:18,999 --> 00:14:23,203
This is the first interracial
kiss on television.
337
00:14:26,239 --> 00:14:27,507
*
338
00:14:32,745 --> 00:14:37,484
- They were writing some pretty
major stuff in those days.
339
00:14:37,584 --> 00:14:40,620
I mean, very eloquent writers.
Very knowledgeable.
340
00:14:40,720 --> 00:14:44,024
- They did "Mark of Gideon,"
which got a lot of flack,
341
00:14:44,124 --> 00:14:47,694
about birth control,
overpopulation.
342
00:14:47,794 --> 00:14:49,262
'Cause nobody had talked
about that on TV
343
00:14:49,362 --> 00:14:50,763
up until that point.
344
00:14:50,863 --> 00:14:55,535
NBC was disappointed with
"Star Trek" from the get-go,
345
00:14:55,635 --> 00:14:58,038
but the rating were not bad
346
00:14:58,138 --> 00:15:01,074
and the fan mail was huge.
347
00:15:01,174 --> 00:15:03,010
"Star Trek" is doing things
348
00:15:03,110 --> 00:15:05,378
that a lot of the affiliates
were uncomfortable with,
349
00:15:05,478 --> 00:15:08,215
so they kept moving it
from one bad slot to another
350
00:15:08,315 --> 00:15:10,350
until they finally put it
in the death slot
351
00:15:10,450 --> 00:15:12,551
to get rid of this show.
352
00:15:12,651 --> 00:15:14,586
That is what killed
"Star Trek."
353
00:15:14,686 --> 00:15:16,288
The original series is canceled
354
00:15:16,388 --> 00:15:19,291
after 3 seasons
and 79 episodes.
355
00:15:19,391 --> 00:15:20,859
But it's gained
a cult following
356
00:15:20,959 --> 00:15:23,195
that's become undeniable.
357
00:15:23,295 --> 00:15:26,065
Within four years,
"Trek" is back on the air.
358
00:15:26,165 --> 00:15:30,002
This time reaching a new
generation of young fans.
359
00:15:33,039 --> 00:15:34,840
*
360
00:15:34,940 --> 00:15:36,242
- My first contact with
"Star Trek"
361
00:15:36,342 --> 00:15:39,411
was probably watching
the animated series
362
00:15:39,511 --> 00:15:43,015
on Saturday morning TV
in the early '70s.
363
00:15:43,115 --> 00:15:46,352
And, you know, I was really
struck by the, you know,
364
00:15:46,452 --> 00:15:48,620
the bright colors
of the uniforms.
365
00:15:48,720 --> 00:15:51,057
- The fans were very wary.
366
00:15:51,157 --> 00:15:53,425
In fact, some of the cast
was wary too.
367
00:15:53,525 --> 00:15:55,561
They felt, "Hey, 'Star Trek'
is starting to get momentum.
368
00:15:55,661 --> 00:15:57,196
"We think there could be
more life in this.
369
00:15:57,296 --> 00:15:59,131
But if we do a cartoon,
it's gonna kill it."
370
00:15:59,231 --> 00:16:01,700
And Gene Roddenberry
was very cagey and very smart.
371
00:16:01,800 --> 00:16:03,735
He says, "No,
this will fan the flames.
372
00:16:03,835 --> 00:16:06,072
This will keep it alive
rather than let it disappear."
373
00:16:06,172 --> 00:16:07,573
And he was right.
374
00:16:07,673 --> 00:16:10,109
- It sounds funny
for saying this,
375
00:16:10,209 --> 00:16:13,145
but it has never been canceled.
376
00:16:13,245 --> 00:16:19,485
You know, um, we were just off
longer than we wanted to be.
377
00:16:26,625 --> 00:16:28,560
- So then we have the '70s,
right, '70s hit.
378
00:16:28,660 --> 00:16:31,063
Everyone went to see
that "Star Wars" situation.
379
00:16:31,163 --> 00:16:33,032
I think we can make some money.
380
00:16:33,132 --> 00:16:35,267
- So you had a TV script that
was being padded out
381
00:16:35,367 --> 00:16:36,635
into a motion picture.
382
00:16:36,735 --> 00:16:38,437
They took themselves
a little too seriously
383
00:16:38,537 --> 00:16:40,506
and they were trying to be
a little more like, "2001."
384
00:16:40,606 --> 00:16:42,341
Then they brought in
Robert Wise
385
00:16:42,441 --> 00:16:46,078
because he was known
as a big-time movie director.
386
00:16:46,178 --> 00:16:47,746
- There never
really been a movie
387
00:16:47,846 --> 00:16:49,615
years after a show
was canceled.
388
00:16:52,318 --> 00:16:53,719
"Star Trek" would be
the beginning
389
00:16:53,819 --> 00:16:56,555
of that phenomena,
which--now, you know,
390
00:16:56,655 --> 00:16:58,090
well, unceasing phenomena.
391
00:16:58,190 --> 00:17:01,293
- When we came back to do
the first really big one
392
00:17:01,393 --> 00:17:05,597
that we did
after being away so long,
393
00:17:05,697 --> 00:17:08,767
it was amazing.
394
00:17:08,867 --> 00:17:10,436
"Star Trek: The Motion Picture"
395
00:17:10,536 --> 00:17:13,705
hits theaters
in December of 1979.
396
00:17:13,805 --> 00:17:16,342
But the cast
has its doubts.
397
00:17:16,442 --> 00:17:19,245
- So Robert Wise
was a very good filmmaker.
398
00:17:19,345 --> 00:17:22,281
He was a multiple Academy
Award-winning director,
399
00:17:22,381 --> 00:17:24,383
but he did not know
"Star Trek."
400
00:17:24,483 --> 00:17:27,686
- We sat down to watch
that first movie
401
00:17:27,786 --> 00:17:29,555
and the beginning was great.
402
00:17:29,655 --> 00:17:32,524
Dat-dat-dat-dat-dat-dat-dat.
Bum-bum-bum-bum.
403
00:17:32,624 --> 00:17:35,494
And then it suddenly became
a talking heads movie.
404
00:17:35,594 --> 00:17:37,396
Where was the friction?
Where was the conflict?
405
00:17:37,496 --> 00:17:38,964
Where was the passion?
406
00:17:39,064 --> 00:17:40,432
- It had very little to do
with "Star Trek."
407
00:17:40,532 --> 00:17:42,068
You had the spaceship,
the Enterprise.
408
00:17:42,168 --> 00:17:44,002
You had the crew.
409
00:17:44,102 --> 00:17:45,704
But the story
had very little to do
410
00:17:45,804 --> 00:17:47,606
with anything "Star Trek-y."
411
00:17:47,706 --> 00:17:50,609
The characters were not
in shape, in place,
412
00:17:50,709 --> 00:17:52,178
playing off of each other
and with each other
413
00:17:52,278 --> 00:17:54,113
the way we did best.
414
00:17:54,213 --> 00:17:56,115
- Why are they wearing
pajamas?
415
00:17:56,215 --> 00:18:01,153
Why, you know, does it look
like they're in a Holiday Inn?
416
00:18:01,253 --> 00:18:03,355
So a lot of what
"The Wrath of Khan"
417
00:18:03,455 --> 00:18:06,292
proved to be about
aesthetically
418
00:18:06,392 --> 00:18:09,495
and maybe even
intellectually as well
419
00:18:09,595 --> 00:18:12,364
was a reaction to what I saw.
420
00:18:12,464 --> 00:18:15,301
- And for a movie that was
so poorly received,
421
00:18:15,401 --> 00:18:16,902
we had done extremely well.
422
00:18:17,002 --> 00:18:20,072
To my great surprise,
they said, "Star Trek II."
423
00:18:20,172 --> 00:18:23,242
"The Wrath of Khan"
becomes an instant classic.
424
00:18:23,342 --> 00:18:26,245
It's villain is a genetically
engineered superhuman,
425
00:18:26,345 --> 00:18:28,214
who first appeared in
the original series
426
00:18:28,314 --> 00:18:31,250
bent on revenge
against Captain Kirk.
427
00:18:31,350 --> 00:18:32,884
- "Wrath of Khan"
is a classic.
428
00:18:32,984 --> 00:18:36,555
I mean, "Wrath of Khan"
just works on every level.
429
00:18:36,655 --> 00:18:39,658
You know, it just does.
It's pop entertainment.
430
00:18:39,758 --> 00:18:44,463
It's a fan's dream.
It's fun. It's funny.
431
00:18:44,563 --> 00:18:46,332
The visual effects
are state of the art
432
00:18:46,432 --> 00:18:48,200
and really hold up
even to this day.
433
00:18:48,300 --> 00:18:49,968
Those space battles
are fantastic.
434
00:18:50,068 --> 00:18:53,639
- Montalban was
a charismatic actor.
435
00:18:53,739 --> 00:18:56,142
He really gave us
this wonderful performance.
436
00:18:56,242 --> 00:18:58,410
It was theatrical,
imaginative, creative
437
00:18:58,510 --> 00:19:01,347
performance as Khan
in "Star Trek II."
438
00:19:01,447 --> 00:19:04,015
And he looked great.
439
00:19:04,115 --> 00:19:06,718
And that was his chest
that people thought
440
00:19:06,818 --> 00:19:08,987
had been built up
with makeup or something.
441
00:19:09,087 --> 00:19:10,756
That was him, you know?
442
00:19:10,856 --> 00:19:14,092
It was really
Ricardo Montalban.
443
00:19:14,192 --> 00:19:16,962
- That's his chest.
It's his chest.
444
00:19:17,062 --> 00:19:20,432
Gives you an idea
of "Star Trek-ian" scholarship
445
00:19:20,532 --> 00:19:25,070
that that's the most, you know,
frequently asked question.
446
00:19:25,170 --> 00:19:26,305
Behind the scenes,
447
00:19:26,405 --> 00:19:28,607
the cast didn't always
get along.
448
00:19:28,707 --> 00:19:32,010
- I had immediately had a good
rapport with with Nick Myers,
449
00:19:32,110 --> 00:19:34,246
but as we went through
several rehearsals
450
00:19:34,346 --> 00:19:35,947
working with the camera,
451
00:19:36,047 --> 00:19:38,217
Shatner would come over to me
452
00:19:38,317 --> 00:19:39,985
and start trying
to redirect me.
453
00:19:40,085 --> 00:19:43,121
Is the word given, Admiral?
- The word is given.
454
00:19:43,221 --> 00:19:45,557
- So I finally said,
"Can I stop for a second?"
455
00:19:45,657 --> 00:19:47,326
Nick said to me,
"What's the matter, Ike?"
456
00:19:47,426 --> 00:19:49,127
I said,
"Well, I'm getting direction
457
00:19:49,227 --> 00:19:50,629
"from other people on the set,
458
00:19:50,729 --> 00:19:52,264
"and it's making me
very uncomfortable.
459
00:19:52,364 --> 00:19:54,566
"I just want to make sure
I'm doing my job correctly,
460
00:19:54,666 --> 00:19:56,235
So I'm listening to you."
461
00:19:56,335 --> 00:19:57,836
And he said,
"That's right.
462
00:19:57,936 --> 00:20:00,005
You're listening to me.
We good?"
463
00:20:00,105 --> 00:20:02,374
I said, "We're good.
Thank you very much."
464
00:20:02,474 --> 00:20:05,177
And I just stood back.
465
00:20:05,277 --> 00:20:08,179
No one else ever said anything
to me again after that.
466
00:20:09,681 --> 00:20:12,684
Khan uses mind
control to achieve his ends,
467
00:20:12,784 --> 00:20:15,221
delivered in a gruesome way.
468
00:20:15,321 --> 00:20:20,125
- They're young.
Enter through the ears.
469
00:20:20,225 --> 00:20:23,762
And wrap themselves
around the cerebral cortex.
470
00:20:23,862 --> 00:20:25,197
- Yeah, well, that was fun.
471
00:20:25,297 --> 00:20:27,399
You know,
being on the other end of that.
472
00:20:27,499 --> 00:20:30,068
What it was,
it was a stunt bug.
473
00:20:30,168 --> 00:20:31,803
No, it wasn't a stunt bug.
474
00:20:31,903 --> 00:20:34,973
It was--it was a little thing
that had
475
00:20:35,073 --> 00:20:37,209
a little rubbery plastic
thing,
476
00:20:37,309 --> 00:20:41,680
and they had a fine filament
thread attached to it.
477
00:20:41,780 --> 00:20:43,649
It was very hard to see.
478
00:20:43,749 --> 00:20:45,651
When it was going up
my face,
479
00:20:45,751 --> 00:20:48,254
there was actually a guy
standing above me,
480
00:20:48,354 --> 00:20:50,922
and they had drilled a hole
in my helmet,
481
00:20:51,022 --> 00:20:54,593
and he was pulling it up
my face on that filament.
482
00:20:54,693 --> 00:20:58,397
And when they got
to my ear,
483
00:20:58,497 --> 00:21:01,967
and them I made
all those screams,
484
00:21:02,067 --> 00:21:04,770
really unbecoming an officer,
485
00:21:04,870 --> 00:21:07,238
but they--that's what
they wanted.
486
00:21:14,212 --> 00:21:15,947
But there is one
scene that has become
487
00:21:16,047 --> 00:21:18,883
the defining moment
in "The Wrath of Khan."
488
00:21:18,983 --> 00:21:22,387
- I read that script
and I saw the conflict,
489
00:21:22,487 --> 00:21:24,054
and I saw the passion
in it,
490
00:21:24,154 --> 00:21:28,158
and when I saw the scene where
Spock tries to save the ship
491
00:21:28,258 --> 00:21:29,694
and dies in the process,
I said,
492
00:21:29,794 --> 00:21:32,263
"This is a good,
good film."
493
00:21:32,363 --> 00:21:33,698
- I really believed
that this was going to be
494
00:21:33,798 --> 00:21:35,300
the final "Star Trek" movie.
495
00:21:35,400 --> 00:21:38,869
So I thought if "Star Trek"
is coming to an end,
496
00:21:38,969 --> 00:21:41,706
maybe it's fitting
that Spock should die
497
00:21:41,806 --> 00:21:43,341
saving the ship
and the crew,
498
00:21:43,441 --> 00:21:45,410
and be a hero and go out
in a blaze of glory.
499
00:21:45,510 --> 00:21:48,579
During the making of the movie,
I began to be concerned
500
00:21:48,679 --> 00:21:50,147
that maybe I'd made
a mistake.
501
00:21:50,247 --> 00:21:54,218
And on the day we went to shoot
Spock's death scene,
502
00:21:54,318 --> 00:21:56,253
Harve came to me on the set.
503
00:21:56,353 --> 00:21:57,588
He came to me on the set
and he said,
504
00:21:57,688 --> 00:22:01,058
"What can you give us
that might be a thread
505
00:22:01,158 --> 00:22:04,295
for the future for Spock
or 'Star Trek'?"
506
00:22:04,395 --> 00:22:05,830
And it took me a moment.
I said,
507
00:22:05,930 --> 00:22:07,965
"I can do a mind-meld
on DeForest Kelley
508
00:22:08,065 --> 00:22:09,534
"who's laying there
unconscious,
509
00:22:09,634 --> 00:22:13,170
and I can say something
ambiguous like, 'Remember.'"
510
00:22:13,270 --> 00:22:14,939
And that's how that moment
came about.
511
00:22:15,039 --> 00:22:17,107
Remember.
512
00:22:17,207 --> 00:22:19,410
- And then you have
"Star Trek's" finest hour
513
00:22:19,510 --> 00:22:21,178
between Kirk and Spock.
514
00:22:21,278 --> 00:22:24,749
That death scene
through the radiation chamber--
515
00:22:24,849 --> 00:22:26,317
cried like a baby.
516
00:22:26,417 --> 00:22:29,320
- I was always very touched
by what happened
517
00:22:29,420 --> 00:22:31,255
in that--in that sequence.
Ahem.
518
00:22:31,355 --> 00:22:34,825
I thought it was beautifully
written, the death scene.
519
00:22:34,925 --> 00:22:36,694
And it really worked
in the film.
520
00:22:36,794 --> 00:22:39,229
I have people still today
who write me and say,
521
00:22:39,329 --> 00:22:40,665
"Every time
I still see that picture
522
00:22:40,765 --> 00:22:42,900
"for the fifth, tenth time,
I still cry when Spock--
523
00:22:43,000 --> 00:22:45,436
at that death scene,"
you know?
524
00:22:45,536 --> 00:22:47,338
I have been...
525
00:22:47,438 --> 00:22:50,140
and always shall be...
526
00:22:50,240 --> 00:22:52,242
your friend.
527
00:22:57,548 --> 00:23:00,685
Live long...
528
00:23:00,785 --> 00:23:02,787
and prosper.
529
00:23:10,961 --> 00:23:13,664
Two short years
after the success of "Khan,"
530
00:23:13,764 --> 00:23:16,033
"Trek" returns
to the big screen,
531
00:23:16,133 --> 00:23:19,069
and the franchise
is truly reborn.
532
00:23:19,169 --> 00:23:22,206
- "Star Trek III" was the first
movie that Nimoy directed,
533
00:23:22,306 --> 00:23:25,309
and it was also his way
to come back to "Star Trek"
534
00:23:25,409 --> 00:23:26,744
to bring Spock back.
535
00:23:26,844 --> 00:23:30,848
- Nicholas Meyer, a very
talented guy, was directing.
536
00:23:30,948 --> 00:23:33,651
I thought,
"I-I can do what he does.
537
00:23:33,751 --> 00:23:35,520
I know what he's doing
and I can do that."
538
00:23:35,620 --> 00:23:37,087
So I went in
the next morning,
539
00:23:37,187 --> 00:23:38,989
and I put it to them
very simply.
540
00:23:39,089 --> 00:23:40,958
I said, "Michael,
you have two problems.
541
00:23:41,058 --> 00:23:43,528
"You want me to play Spock
in 'Star Trek III,'
542
00:23:43,628 --> 00:23:44,929
"and you need a director.
543
00:23:45,029 --> 00:23:47,532
I solved both of your problems
with one stroke."
544
00:23:47,632 --> 00:23:48,733
And that's the way it went,
545
00:23:48,833 --> 00:23:50,901
and he said,
"Okay, let's make a deal."
546
00:23:51,001 --> 00:23:53,037
And we immediately made a deal
and went to work.
547
00:23:53,137 --> 00:23:57,041
- You Klingon bastard.
548
00:23:57,141 --> 00:24:00,745
- There are two more prisoners,
Admiral.
549
00:24:00,845 --> 00:24:02,480
Do you want them killed too?
550
00:24:02,580 --> 00:24:06,917
- It's just such a delicious
badass son of a bitch, you know?
551
00:24:07,017 --> 00:24:11,088
He's just--he's just a bad guy
with no remorse.
552
00:24:13,390 --> 00:24:15,660
I killed Kirk's son
553
00:24:15,760 --> 00:24:18,028
and I blew up
the original Enterprise.
554
00:24:18,128 --> 00:24:20,965
Just freaking wiped it out.
555
00:24:22,967 --> 00:24:26,170
And I could do it again.
556
00:24:30,808 --> 00:24:35,079
- I was asked to do "III,"
I didn't know how to do it.
557
00:24:35,179 --> 00:24:38,816
So I said
I wasn't interested in doing it.
558
00:24:38,916 --> 00:24:41,619
I was not part of "IV"
either.
559
00:24:41,719 --> 00:24:43,588
They had had a script written
560
00:24:43,688 --> 00:24:46,557
tailor-made to star
Eddie Murphy,
561
00:24:46,657 --> 00:24:49,960
who was Paramount's
other big star at the time.
562
00:24:50,060 --> 00:24:51,729
And Paramount didn't like
the idea
563
00:24:51,829 --> 00:24:56,166
of putting all their golden eggs
in one basket,
564
00:24:56,266 --> 00:24:59,303
Eddie Murphy
and the Star Trek people.
565
00:24:59,403 --> 00:25:01,338
So I went to see Harve
and Leonard,
566
00:25:01,438 --> 00:25:04,174
and they told me the story
about the whales.
567
00:25:04,274 --> 00:25:07,244
And Harve said, "I'll write
the outer space parts
568
00:25:07,344 --> 00:25:10,515
if you do the on Earth parts,
you know, the bookend.
569
00:25:10,615 --> 00:25:13,450
And I said, "Okay."
570
00:25:13,550 --> 00:25:15,986
- "Star Trek V" is hurt
by it's budget
571
00:25:16,086 --> 00:25:18,455
more than anything else.
It's not a badly directed film.
572
00:25:18,555 --> 00:25:21,526
In fact, Bill did a nice job
directing for the most pt,
573
00:25:21,626 --> 00:25:26,163
but they just didn't have enough
money to recognize the vision,
574
00:25:26,263 --> 00:25:27,665
so it looks very cheap,
and as a result,
575
00:25:27,765 --> 00:25:29,066
it feels like a bad movie.
576
00:25:29,166 --> 00:25:30,568
- We watched the movie,
we were like,
577
00:25:30,668 --> 00:25:31,936
"Yeah, that was great."
578
00:25:32,036 --> 00:25:33,403
And I remember my brother,
579
00:25:33,503 --> 00:25:34,872
he was the one who had not
been drinking.
580
00:25:34,972 --> 00:25:36,541
He was looking at, like,
581
00:25:36,641 --> 00:25:38,375
"I don't think
it really was great."
582
00:25:38,475 --> 00:25:40,410
We were like, "No, it was great.
Let's watch it again."
583
00:25:40,510 --> 00:25:42,012
And we did,
so we watched it again.
584
00:25:42,112 --> 00:25:44,815
That's probably the last time
I saw "Star Trek V."
585
00:25:44,915 --> 00:25:49,153
- Then "Star Trek V" came out
and didn't perform well.
586
00:25:49,253 --> 00:25:52,957
And then Leonard came,
and he had this genesis,
587
00:25:53,057 --> 00:25:55,593
you should pardon the pun,
of an idea for "VI,"
588
00:25:55,693 --> 00:25:59,263
which was all about the wall
coming down in outer space.
589
00:25:59,363 --> 00:26:01,365
It was about the Klingons
have been their substitute
590
00:26:01,465 --> 00:26:03,400
for the Russians.
I went, "They were?"
591
00:26:03,500 --> 00:26:05,402
And we wrote it.
592
00:26:05,502 --> 00:26:08,472
- His idea was that, you know,
time's change.
593
00:26:08,572 --> 00:26:11,308
You know, you can't be,
you know, mad at a group
594
00:26:11,408 --> 00:26:14,645
for 100 years and you don't know
anything about them.
595
00:26:14,745 --> 00:26:16,346
- Michael Dorn was my idea.
596
00:26:16,446 --> 00:26:19,183
He could play
his own grandfather.
597
00:26:19,283 --> 00:26:22,987
I thought
that would be funny.
598
00:26:26,090 --> 00:26:30,027
- So "Star Trek IV" does
gangbusters at the box office.
599
00:26:30,127 --> 00:26:32,162
They're like, "Hang on,
this is a hot property."
600
00:26:32,262 --> 00:26:34,364
Gene's like,
"Guess what, fellas?
601
00:26:34,464 --> 00:26:35,933
I want to do I on TV again."
602
00:26:36,033 --> 00:26:38,268
And then Paramount's like...
- "Yes, please."
603
00:26:38,368 --> 00:26:39,536
- "I might as well."
- Yeah.
604
00:26:39,636 --> 00:26:40,771
- "Well, it's sitting here
doing nothing."
605
00:26:40,871 --> 00:26:41,972
- "How soon will you start?"
- So then we have
606
00:26:42,072 --> 00:26:43,674
"Star Trek:
The Next Generation" comes out.
607
00:26:48,378 --> 00:26:49,780
In 1987,
608
00:26:49,880 --> 00:26:52,683
21 years after the original
series hits the air,
609
00:26:52,783 --> 00:26:55,319
"Star Trek" returns to
television with the premiere
610
00:26:55,419 --> 00:26:57,554
of "The Next Generation."
611
00:26:57,654 --> 00:27:00,224
- Gene Roddenberry called me
and he was talking about
612
00:27:00,324 --> 00:27:01,458
a new version of "Star Trek"
613
00:27:01,558 --> 00:27:04,261
bouncing off the movies,
of course.
614
00:27:04,361 --> 00:27:08,565
He came up with the basics
for the older captain,
615
00:27:08,665 --> 00:27:11,902
for the characters that we see
in "Star Trek: Next Gen."
616
00:27:12,002 --> 00:27:14,839
Diehard fans
are skeptical of the reboot.
617
00:27:14,939 --> 00:27:17,775
- We got a bald, English
captain with a French name
618
00:27:17,875 --> 00:27:20,845
and you got a Klingon
on the bridge?
619
00:27:20,945 --> 00:27:23,847
Really? You got a blind guy
driving the ship?
620
00:27:23,947 --> 00:27:25,949
- Gene was there during
the first couple of years
621
00:27:26,049 --> 00:27:30,687
and all the spinoffs carried on
the tradition of "Star Trek."
622
00:27:30,787 --> 00:27:33,823
- When that cast was first
assembled and the show
623
00:27:33,923 --> 00:27:35,258
first went into production,
"The Next Generation,"
624
00:27:35,358 --> 00:27:36,660
I invited them here
to this house,
625
00:27:36,760 --> 00:27:38,361
the whole bunch of them,
all of them.
626
00:27:38,461 --> 00:27:40,263
"Come to my house.
Let's get to know each other.
627
00:27:40,363 --> 00:27:43,466
And good luck, and bon voyage.
I think--I hope it works."
628
00:27:43,566 --> 00:27:46,535
- When I first auditioned
for "Next Gen,"
629
00:27:46,635 --> 00:27:48,371
I was one of the few people
in the world
630
00:27:48,471 --> 00:27:51,841
who was not quite aware
of the phenomenon
631
00:27:51,941 --> 00:27:54,543
that we were about
to get involved with.
632
00:27:54,643 --> 00:27:57,580
- When I heard that they were
doing a next generation,
633
00:27:57,680 --> 00:28:00,449
I went, "Oh, afraid
I gotta do this," you know?
634
00:28:00,549 --> 00:28:02,686
- I got a call from my agent
who said, "You know what?
635
00:28:02,786 --> 00:28:04,187
They're casting 'Star Trek.'
Oh, my God."
636
00:28:04,287 --> 00:28:05,655
And she was a huge
"Star Trek" fan.
637
00:28:05,755 --> 00:28:09,325
I had no clue
it was going to be a big show.
638
00:28:09,425 --> 00:28:12,729
- So LeVar Burton
and I go to eat.
639
00:28:12,829 --> 00:28:14,263
I say,
"What are you doing?"
640
00:28:14,363 --> 00:28:19,002
He said, "Oh, you'll love this.
I'm doing 'Star Trek.'"
641
00:28:19,102 --> 00:28:21,805
I said, "Well,
I want to be on that."
642
00:28:21,905 --> 00:28:23,472
And he was like, "What?"
I was like, "No, no.
643
00:28:23,572 --> 00:28:25,608
You gotta tell them
I want to be on the show."
644
00:28:25,708 --> 00:28:29,112
And I made an appointment
to go see Gene.
645
00:28:29,212 --> 00:28:32,716
And Gene says,
"You want to be on 'Star Trek'?"
646
00:28:32,816 --> 00:28:36,085
I said, "Yes.
Yes."
647
00:28:36,185 --> 00:28:40,356
- And he asked me would I please
write the pilot script,
648
00:28:40,456 --> 00:28:43,492
"Encounter At Farpoint."
And I said, "Fine," did that.
649
00:28:43,592 --> 00:28:46,029
The question had been whether
Gene Roddenberry would do,
650
00:28:46,129 --> 00:28:48,998
you know, like a retrospective
back to the original "Star Trek"
651
00:28:49,098 --> 00:28:53,703
to lead into this or would he
add to my pilot script.
652
00:28:53,803 --> 00:28:55,805
He added all the stuff
that had to do with Q.
653
00:28:55,905 --> 00:28:59,042
- Three days into shooting,
uh, you know,
654
00:28:59,142 --> 00:29:01,978
somebody came up behind me
and put his hand on my shoulder
655
00:29:02,078 --> 00:29:06,015
and said, "You have no idea what
you've gotten yourself into."
656
00:29:06,115 --> 00:29:08,684
And it was--
it was Roddenberry.
657
00:29:08,784 --> 00:29:11,855
And I didn't have any idea.
I mean, you know.
658
00:29:11,955 --> 00:29:13,589
- Riker's relationship
with Picard,
659
00:29:13,689 --> 00:29:16,559
which was filled
with respect.
660
00:29:16,659 --> 00:29:18,762
With Data,
the curiosity that Data had
661
00:29:18,862 --> 00:29:20,596
about being a human being.
662
00:29:20,696 --> 00:29:25,568
And I worked
with Worf and Geordi,
663
00:29:25,668 --> 00:29:27,036
the three of us were sort of,
you know,
664
00:29:27,136 --> 00:29:29,806
we made the--we kept the
together on the ship.
665
00:29:29,906 --> 00:29:34,310
And it was--it all got
more natural.
666
00:29:34,410 --> 00:29:35,879
And as it got more natural,
667
00:29:35,979 --> 00:29:38,347
I think it got more appealing
to the audience.
668
00:29:38,447 --> 00:29:39,849
- I decided to write
a spec script,
669
00:29:39,949 --> 00:29:42,485
so I wrote a script
called "The Bonding."
670
00:29:42,585 --> 00:29:45,554
Michael Piller came aboard
to be the new head writer,
671
00:29:45,654 --> 00:29:47,356
and he found my script.
672
00:29:47,456 --> 00:29:49,358
And I get this call one day
673
00:29:49,458 --> 00:29:51,895
that he wants to buy it
and produce it,
674
00:29:51,995 --> 00:29:53,763
which literally
changed my life.
675
00:29:53,863 --> 00:29:57,366
- We used to do 26 episodes
a year, and it was great.
676
00:29:57,466 --> 00:29:58,802
So we'd work for ten months,
677
00:29:58,902 --> 00:30:00,970
and then the first Monday
after the 4th of July,
678
00:30:01,070 --> 00:30:02,271
we'd come back to work.
679
00:30:02,371 --> 00:30:06,475
And that lasted for seven years
and could have lasted,
680
00:30:06,575 --> 00:30:08,812
in all fairness,
for ten years probably.
681
00:30:08,912 --> 00:30:12,615
- The humans of the 24th century
on "Next Generation"
682
00:30:12,715 --> 00:30:15,451
didn't have the kinds
of problems and squabbles
683
00:30:15,551 --> 00:30:19,588
and petty jealousies
that we have today.
684
00:30:19,688 --> 00:30:21,791
- Chief O'Brien talks to me.
685
00:30:21,891 --> 00:30:24,460
Keiko talks to you.
686
00:30:24,560 --> 00:30:26,029
Why do they not talk
to each other?
687
00:30:26,129 --> 00:30:29,432
That's a good question, Data.
688
00:30:29,532 --> 00:30:31,901
I wish I had a good answer
for you.
689
00:30:32,001 --> 00:30:33,903
Perhaps when they're ready,
they will.
690
00:30:34,003 --> 00:30:38,842
- Hmm. Many aspects of this
situation are puzzling to me.
691
00:30:38,942 --> 00:30:43,646
- Roddenberry somehow magically
made us--made me
692
00:30:43,746 --> 00:30:48,551
believe in his vision
of the 24th century, right?
693
00:30:48,651 --> 00:30:51,821
He said to me,
"In the 24th century,
694
00:30:51,921 --> 00:30:55,791
there will be no hunger,
and there will be no greed.
695
00:30:55,891 --> 00:30:59,896
And all of the children
will know how to read.
696
00:30:59,996 --> 00:31:01,130
Gene Roddenberry.
697
00:31:01,230 --> 00:31:04,000
- He was given the right
to do "Star Trek"
698
00:31:04,100 --> 00:31:05,434
the way he wanted to do it.
699
00:31:05,534 --> 00:31:08,204
Unfortunately his health
was failing by the time
700
00:31:08,304 --> 00:31:11,040
they even got "Star Trek:
The Next Generation" on.
701
00:31:11,140 --> 00:31:13,109
So he didn't really get
the chance to do
702
00:31:13,209 --> 00:31:15,278
all of the things
he wanted to do.
703
00:31:15,378 --> 00:31:18,314
When Gene Roddenberry
dies in 1991,
704
00:31:18,414 --> 00:31:21,650
"The Next Generation"
is more popular than ever.
705
00:31:21,750 --> 00:31:25,488
Carrying on his legacy,
week after week,
706
00:31:25,588 --> 00:31:27,924
for the next three years.
707
00:31:28,024 --> 00:31:30,159
- There were those of us,
myself included,
708
00:31:30,259 --> 00:31:32,361
who thought it could go on
for ten years.
709
00:31:32,461 --> 00:31:34,030
That we weren't done yet.
710
00:31:34,130 --> 00:31:37,766
Knowing that there was another
series waiting in the wings
711
00:31:37,866 --> 00:31:40,136
where we could continue
to tell stories
712
00:31:40,236 --> 00:31:42,771
that we hadn't told yet
made that okay.
713
00:31:42,871 --> 00:31:46,242
And it seemed smart
to take "Next Gen" off
714
00:31:46,342 --> 00:31:47,911
at the peak
of its popularity.
715
00:31:48,011 --> 00:31:49,879
'Cause it was
a very popular show.
716
00:31:49,979 --> 00:31:52,348
There is a part of me
that wished,
717
00:31:52,448 --> 00:31:55,618
that wishes "Next Gen"
had continued.
718
00:32:00,756 --> 00:32:04,460
- I was asked to direct the
first "Next Generation" movie.
719
00:32:04,560 --> 00:32:05,929
I just--
I wasn't attracted to it.
720
00:32:06,029 --> 00:32:07,796
I read it,
721
00:32:07,896 --> 00:32:09,465
and it didn't feel
like something
722
00:32:09,565 --> 00:32:11,700
that I was gonna have
a good time doing.
723
00:32:11,800 --> 00:32:14,670
- Ron Moore and I
were asked to write
724
00:32:14,770 --> 00:32:17,040
the first
"Next Generation" movie.
725
00:32:17,140 --> 00:32:19,275
We were very excited.
726
00:32:19,375 --> 00:32:21,610
It was the first movie
either of us had written.
727
00:32:21,710 --> 00:32:24,747
We loved these characters.
We knew these characters.
728
00:32:24,847 --> 00:32:27,917
And we set about conceiving
the first "Next Gen" movie.
729
00:32:28,017 --> 00:32:29,685
Kind of hand-off
from the original series,
730
00:32:29,785 --> 00:32:30,886
Kirk to Picard.
731
00:32:30,986 --> 00:32:32,688
- There was sort of a list
of things
732
00:32:32,788 --> 00:32:34,490
that the movie had to have,
733
00:32:34,590 --> 00:32:35,691
so when Bran and I
stepped in,
734
00:32:35,791 --> 00:32:37,693
here's the list of things
it has to be.
735
00:32:37,793 --> 00:32:39,895
"It's gonna be the next first
"Next Gen" movie.
736
00:32:39,995 --> 00:32:41,564
"It can have
the original cast in it.
737
00:32:41,664 --> 00:32:43,699
"We want a transition film,
but the original cast
738
00:32:43,799 --> 00:32:45,168
"can only be in
the first ten minutes
739
00:32:45,268 --> 00:32:47,170
"or 15 minutes
of the movie tops.
740
00:32:47,270 --> 00:32:48,571
"It has to be a Picard story.
741
00:32:48,671 --> 00:32:50,706
"There has to be
a Data humorous runner in it.
742
00:32:50,806 --> 00:32:53,943
"We want to have a big villain,
sort of like Khan.
743
00:32:54,043 --> 00:32:56,045
"We also want to have
the Klingons in it.
744
00:32:56,145 --> 00:32:58,747
And it should probably have
some time travel involved."
745
00:32:58,847 --> 00:33:01,550
And you're just going,
"Okay.
746
00:33:01,650 --> 00:33:04,220
- By the time "Generations,"
the first movie, is coming out,
747
00:33:04,320 --> 00:33:06,889
you have Kirk and Picard on the
cover of "Time" magazine.
748
00:33:06,989 --> 00:33:09,792
That's the apex,
it's the zenith of the show.
749
00:33:09,892 --> 00:33:11,727
- "Generations" was still
in the theaters
750
00:33:11,827 --> 00:33:13,929
when the said,
"Hey, let's do another one.
751
00:33:14,029 --> 00:33:14,964
And we want you guys
to do the second one."
752
00:33:15,064 --> 00:33:16,365
And we said, "Okay."
753
00:33:16,465 --> 00:33:19,502
- "First Contact" was the film
that they should have made
754
00:33:19,602 --> 00:33:21,337
every time after that.
755
00:33:21,437 --> 00:33:23,139
- Then the second movie,
"First Contact,"
756
00:33:23,239 --> 00:33:25,108
is, you know,
a roller coaster ride
757
00:33:25,208 --> 00:33:28,143
and wonderful and really
sort of redeems that franchise.
758
00:33:28,243 --> 00:33:31,379
- That movie was a huge success.
It made a lot of money.
759
00:33:31,479 --> 00:33:32,780
And everybody liked it.
760
00:33:32,880 --> 00:33:35,050
And Alfre Woodard
was great in it.
761
00:33:35,150 --> 00:33:36,418
And Cromwell
was great in it.
762
00:33:36,518 --> 00:33:41,789
- I'm not a drinker,
so I got a fifth of Jamesons.
763
00:33:41,889 --> 00:33:46,028
And I took one
before when we rehearsed.
764
00:33:46,128 --> 00:33:49,997
And then between every shot,
I would go back up to my tr--
765
00:33:51,733 --> 00:33:56,438
So by the time I did the thing
we're at the bar,
766
00:33:56,538 --> 00:34:02,044
when I take the drink...
767
00:34:02,144 --> 00:34:04,946
Ahh!
768
00:34:05,046 --> 00:34:07,515
Oh!
769
00:34:09,251 --> 00:34:11,053
"Star Trek: First Contact"
770
00:34:11,153 --> 00:34:14,522
debuts in 1996
with Commander Riker himself,
771
00:34:14,622 --> 00:34:17,359
Jonathan Frakes
in the director's chair.
772
00:34:17,459 --> 00:34:18,793
- It was great to work
with Jonathan, you know?
773
00:34:18,893 --> 00:34:20,828
We'd worked with him before
as a director on the show,
774
00:34:20,928 --> 00:34:23,598
so we knew his working methods,
he knew us, you know.
775
00:34:23,698 --> 00:34:25,367
There was a great shorthand,
obviously,
776
00:34:25,467 --> 00:34:27,335
between him and the entire cast
and the crew.
777
00:34:27,435 --> 00:34:30,972
- This was our first movie
that was just "Next Gen."
778
00:34:31,072 --> 00:34:34,042
So that--that was
a life-changer, you know.
779
00:34:34,142 --> 00:34:36,010
- I think "Star Trek's"
a TV show.
780
00:34:36,110 --> 00:34:39,281
The movies are fun,
but, you know,
781
00:34:39,381 --> 00:34:40,815
it's--it's a TV show.
782
00:34:40,915 --> 00:34:44,186
It needs to tell the stories
each week.
783
00:34:44,286 --> 00:34:47,255
- "First Contact" is fanta--
it's like--
784
00:34:47,355 --> 00:34:49,757
it's the best of
the "Next Generation" movies.
785
00:34:49,857 --> 00:34:51,526
I'm sorry, everyone,
that's how I feel.
786
00:34:51,626 --> 00:34:53,695
- Probably.
- I see some grunting happening
787
00:34:53,795 --> 00:34:55,630
over on the corners here.
788
00:34:55,730 --> 00:34:57,965
Bobak, you grunted
particularly hard.
789
00:34:58,065 --> 00:34:59,801
- I'm just a big
"Insurrection" fan because--
790
00:34:59,901 --> 00:35:01,169
- What? What?
791
00:35:01,269 --> 00:35:02,737
- It's the most like
a "TNG" episode.
792
00:35:02,837 --> 00:35:05,373
The movies really, like,
diverge from my thought
793
00:35:05,473 --> 00:35:06,641
what made the show great.
794
00:35:06,741 --> 00:35:10,112
And I like that it was
a little bit more of that
795
00:35:10,212 --> 00:35:13,047
"TNG"-style episode than I felt
the rest of the movies were.
796
00:35:13,147 --> 00:35:14,949
- So we go
from "Insurrection."
797
00:35:15,049 --> 00:35:17,719
"Voyager's" still running
at this point.
798
00:35:17,819 --> 00:35:21,256
And then we end up with,
I hate to say it,
799
00:35:21,356 --> 00:35:23,091
"Star Trek: Nemesis,"
so Janeway--
800
00:35:23,191 --> 00:35:24,592
- They asked me to be in that.
Did you know that?
801
00:35:24,692 --> 00:35:26,194
- Really? What were you
gonna do in that?
802
00:35:26,294 --> 00:35:27,662
Were you gonna be
on the Enterprise?
803
00:35:27,762 --> 00:35:28,830
- Evidently.
- Why would you say no?
804
00:35:28,930 --> 00:35:30,165
What is wrong with you?
805
00:35:30,265 --> 00:35:31,633
- 'Cause I had just gotten off
of "Voyager."
806
00:35:31,733 --> 00:35:33,435
- Oh, my God, Jeri.
- My biggest fear is in signing
807
00:35:33,535 --> 00:35:36,371
on to "Star Trek" to begin with,
not having been a fan,
808
00:35:36,471 --> 00:35:37,872
and not really knowing much
about it other than that
809
00:35:37,972 --> 00:35:39,574
the actors get pigeonholed.
- Yeah.
810
00:35:39,674 --> 00:35:40,842
- And it was sort of known
for that.
811
00:35:40,942 --> 00:35:43,411
- Yeah.
- That was one of my big fears
812
00:35:43,511 --> 00:35:46,681
in accepting the role is ever
breaking out of that character.
813
00:35:46,781 --> 00:35:48,616
I don't know if that's even...
- No, please.
814
00:35:48,716 --> 00:35:50,252
- Known by anybody,
but apparently they were
815
00:35:50,352 --> 00:35:51,386
replacing a character.
816
00:35:51,486 --> 00:35:53,421
They were gonna yank
and character out
817
00:35:53,521 --> 00:35:55,290
and stick Seven of Nine
in there.
818
00:35:55,390 --> 00:35:56,724
It's a popular character,
get her in the movie.
819
00:35:56,824 --> 00:35:58,760
And that's what it felt like.
And it didn't feel like
820
00:35:58,860 --> 00:35:59,894
it would be anything
other than that story-wise.
821
00:35:59,994 --> 00:36:05,600
- Yeah.
822
00:36:05,700 --> 00:36:08,202
"Deep Space Nine"
is the most meaningful to me.
823
00:36:08,602 --> 00:36:10,638
Because it gets into
824
00:36:10,738 --> 00:36:11,873
the darker side.
825
00:36:11,973 --> 00:36:13,608
I mean, it's after
Gene Roddenberry's death.
826
00:36:13,708 --> 00:36:16,744
They're kinda free to kind of
get away from this, you know,
827
00:36:16,844 --> 00:36:18,913
- everything ends happily.
- Yeah.
828
00:36:19,013 --> 00:36:21,249
- You know, you look at war
in a variety of different ways.
829
00:36:21,349 --> 00:36:23,618
I mean, there's a great episode
on PTSD,
830
00:36:23,718 --> 00:36:26,554
where Nog has to deal
with the loss of his leg.
831
00:36:26,654 --> 00:36:27,889
Nobody does that kind of stuff.
- Right.
832
00:36:27,989 --> 00:36:29,324
On science fiction in particular.
833
00:36:29,424 --> 00:36:32,660
And so I think that show
in terms of its depth,
834
00:36:32,760 --> 00:36:34,896
in terms of the issues
it would address,
835
00:36:34,996 --> 00:36:36,664
I thought made it
the best.
836
00:36:36,764 --> 00:36:38,766
And, you know, arguably there
are some of the best episodes
837
00:36:38,866 --> 00:36:41,369
of all 700-plus hours.
838
00:36:46,107 --> 00:36:47,675
- "The Next Generation"
had become such a success
839
00:36:47,775 --> 00:36:49,411
in first-run syndication
for the studio
840
00:36:49,511 --> 00:36:52,013
that they wanted more,
so you had "Deep Space Nine,"
841
00:36:52,113 --> 00:36:55,183
which was about
a space station
842
00:36:55,283 --> 00:36:56,651
and it was a little darker.
843
00:36:56,751 --> 00:36:58,420
- "Next Gen" was
my undergraduate studies
844
00:36:58,520 --> 00:37:00,222
in TV writing and production,
845
00:37:00,322 --> 00:37:01,689
and "Deep Space Nine"
was graduate.
846
00:37:01,789 --> 00:37:05,527
- "DS9" had such
a different feel
847
00:37:05,627 --> 00:37:06,894
while still being
"Star Trek."
848
00:37:06,994 --> 00:37:08,496
It took things even deeper.
849
00:37:08,596 --> 00:37:10,965
- We were attracted to doing
darker stories.
850
00:37:11,065 --> 00:37:12,800
We were attracted
to doing stories
851
00:37:12,900 --> 00:37:14,269
that had much more conflict
in them,
852
00:37:14,369 --> 00:37:16,037
that were more morally
ambiguous,
853
00:37:16,137 --> 00:37:18,840
that were tackling
difficult subject matter
854
00:37:18,940 --> 00:37:20,174
with our characters.
855
00:37:20,274 --> 00:37:23,044
And we all felt
that we were pushing "Trek,"
856
00:37:23,144 --> 00:37:24,846
but none of us felt like
we were breaking it.
857
00:37:24,946 --> 00:37:29,284
- That was the first time
that you see
858
00:37:29,384 --> 00:37:36,291
what television is now,
which is dark and foreboding.
859
00:37:36,391 --> 00:37:39,160
- And I really wanted
to do the show.
860
00:37:39,260 --> 00:37:41,296
Really wanted
to do the show.
861
00:37:41,396 --> 00:37:42,997
I-I was like--
862
00:37:43,097 --> 00:37:46,568
I just--not only as an actor
who would get a steady paycheck,
863
00:37:46,668 --> 00:37:49,170
but more importantly,
as a fan of the show
864
00:37:49,270 --> 00:37:52,607
I wanted to be part of the ethos
that was "Star Trek."
865
00:37:52,707 --> 00:37:55,643
- It's really nice to see that
people could stick with the show
866
00:37:55,743 --> 00:37:59,347
when it became darker and more
demanding of its audience.
867
00:37:59,447 --> 00:38:05,152
- But no victory can make
this moment any easier for me.
868
00:38:05,252 --> 00:38:12,226
And I promise I will not rest
until I stand with you again.
869
00:38:12,326 --> 00:38:14,228
- Somebody had
the brilliant idea
870
00:38:14,328 --> 00:38:18,533
of bringing Worf
onto our show.
871
00:38:18,633 --> 00:38:21,969
- Unfortunately, I will be away
from the station at that time.
872
00:38:22,069 --> 00:38:23,805
- What they hoped would happen
did happen.
873
00:38:23,905 --> 00:38:27,041
Thousands,
if not millions, of people
874
00:38:27,141 --> 00:38:30,077
watched because Worf
was on the show.
875
00:38:30,177 --> 00:38:33,581
And so our fan base
got resurrected
876
00:38:33,681 --> 00:38:35,016
because of Michael Dorn.
877
00:38:35,116 --> 00:38:37,585
- And I had my concerns
about that
878
00:38:37,685 --> 00:38:40,087
'cause I didn't want Worf
to be standing around,
879
00:38:40,187 --> 00:38:42,424
just to be a, you know,
some guy that just--
880
00:38:42,524 --> 00:38:43,691
they throw in there.
881
00:38:43,791 --> 00:38:45,960
I really want him to open up
as a character.
882
00:38:46,060 --> 00:38:49,597
- Worf was, like, really
the only choice from that cast
883
00:38:49,697 --> 00:38:51,499
that made any sense
and that would actually add
884
00:38:51,599 --> 00:38:52,867
something to the puzzle.
885
00:38:52,967 --> 00:38:55,670
Here's the war-like character
coming into a situation
886
00:38:55,770 --> 00:38:57,238
that's a war-torn environment.
887
00:38:57,338 --> 00:38:59,707
So that made a certain
amount of sense.
888
00:38:59,807 --> 00:39:03,044
- What is that smell?
889
00:39:03,144 --> 00:39:08,215
Is there a pile
of rotting forshak in here.
890
00:39:08,315 --> 00:39:10,618
I loved my time
on "Next Generation,"
891
00:39:10,718 --> 00:39:14,055
but the work I did
on "Deep Space" was much better.
892
00:39:14,155 --> 00:39:16,824
- Over my tenure
on "Deep Space,"
893
00:39:16,924 --> 00:39:18,159
that was the mantra was,
894
00:39:18,259 --> 00:39:20,428
"How far can we push
this franchise?
895
00:39:20,528 --> 00:39:22,029
"Or what are the places
we can go
896
00:39:22,129 --> 00:39:23,465
"that none of the other shows
can go?
897
00:39:23,565 --> 00:39:25,132
"What can't they do
in 'Star Trek,'
898
00:39:25,232 --> 00:39:26,701
and is there a way
we can do it?"
899
00:39:26,801 --> 00:39:29,136
- Every "Star Trek" show broke
grounds in some way, you know?
900
00:39:29,236 --> 00:39:32,506
"Deep Space Nine,"
Sisko, he was a black captain.
901
00:39:32,606 --> 00:39:35,208
And then you have Janeway
in "Voyager," a woman.
902
00:39:35,308 --> 00:39:37,844
I mean, they were always
thinking ahead.
903
00:39:42,816 --> 00:39:45,386
When "Voyager"
launches in 1995,
904
00:39:45,486 --> 00:39:47,354
"Star Trek" has been pushing
the envelope
905
00:39:47,454 --> 00:39:49,255
for nearly 30 years.
906
00:39:49,355 --> 00:39:52,125
The new series pushes further.
907
00:39:52,225 --> 00:39:54,495
- A lot of women
of a certain age
908
00:39:54,595 --> 00:39:57,464
who that show meant a lot to
because of Kate.
909
00:39:57,564 --> 00:39:59,065
You know, they look at it,
you know,
910
00:39:59,165 --> 00:40:00,867
the same way that guys
of my generation
911
00:40:00,967 --> 00:40:02,569
look at Kirk
as a role model,
912
00:40:02,669 --> 00:40:04,805
they look at Kate's Janeway
and say,
913
00:40:04,905 --> 00:40:07,408
"You know, she proved that,
you know,
914
00:40:07,508 --> 00:40:10,844
"I could be thoughtful
and smart and commanding,
915
00:40:10,944 --> 00:40:13,480
and not necessarily use my
sexuality to get what I want."
916
00:40:13,580 --> 00:40:16,917
- Then you leave me
no choice.
917
00:40:17,017 --> 00:40:19,686
You are hereby relieved of duty
until further notice.
918
00:40:19,786 --> 00:40:21,722
- As a writer,
writing Captain Janeway,
919
00:40:21,822 --> 00:40:23,557
I didn't think of her
as a woman.
920
00:40:23,657 --> 00:40:25,025
I thought of her as the captain.
921
00:40:25,125 --> 00:40:28,261
And I think it's great that she
ended up being a role model
922
00:40:28,361 --> 00:40:30,797
to a lot of people,
men or women.
923
00:40:30,897 --> 00:40:33,066
- I was very
happy and proud
924
00:40:33,166 --> 00:40:37,003
of what the producers had done
with this cast in "Voyager."
925
00:40:37,103 --> 00:40:39,305
First of all, starting off
with a female captain
926
00:40:39,405 --> 00:40:40,774
'cause we had not
seen that before.
927
00:40:40,874 --> 00:40:43,877
- My friend, Rene,
got cast in "Deep Space."
928
00:40:43,977 --> 00:40:47,280
And he told me how cool it was,
and I envied him.
929
00:40:47,380 --> 00:40:49,149
I said, "What a great show
to be on," you know.
930
00:40:49,249 --> 00:40:50,851
And then
a couple of years later,
931
00:40:50,951 --> 00:40:52,553
boom,
I was in "Voyager."
932
00:40:52,653 --> 00:40:54,455
And I-I had no idea
933
00:40:54,555 --> 00:40:56,557
what the character was
makeup-wise, you know?
934
00:40:56,657 --> 00:40:59,426
But I flew out
and I-I went into the room,
935
00:40:59,526 --> 00:41:01,628
and there was UPN,
and there was Paramount,
936
00:41:01,728 --> 00:41:05,065
and there were the creators
of "Star Trek."
937
00:41:05,165 --> 00:41:07,333
And, um, I read
938
00:41:07,433 --> 00:41:09,503
and I guess I was exactly what
what they were looking for.
939
00:41:09,603 --> 00:41:12,372
- "Star Trek: Voyager" is
probably my first acting job.
940
00:41:12,472 --> 00:41:14,407
And I was so excited,
and I was so nervous.
941
00:41:14,507 --> 00:41:18,445
It was a two-part special
and I was playing a scientist.
942
00:41:18,545 --> 00:41:19,880
- What do you do here?
943
00:41:19,980 --> 00:41:22,783
- We watch the skies.
- For what?
944
00:41:22,883 --> 00:41:25,418
- Signs of
extraterrestrial life.
945
00:41:25,518 --> 00:41:27,153
Nice meeting you.
946
00:41:27,253 --> 00:41:29,656
I remembered
going to my acting coach,
947
00:41:29,756 --> 00:41:32,225
and he read through the script.
948
00:41:32,325 --> 00:41:34,628
I was looking to him
for guidance.
949
00:41:34,728 --> 00:41:37,330
And he just went, uh,
950
00:41:37,430 --> 00:41:40,000
"You know, sometimes when
you're running from lasers,
951
00:41:40,100 --> 00:41:44,270
you just--you just gotta pretend
you're running from lasers."
952
00:41:44,370 --> 00:41:47,841
- Get down!
953
00:41:47,941 --> 00:41:49,643
- I was like, "Oh.'
Ahem.
954
00:41:49,743 --> 00:41:51,111
It gave me so much freedom.
955
00:41:51,211 --> 00:41:53,747
I was like, "Oh, yeah,
I just--I pretend," you know?
956
00:41:53,847 --> 00:41:58,118
You don't really draw from
your childhood or something.
957
00:41:58,218 --> 00:42:00,621
You just pretend
you're running from lasers.
958
00:42:02,756 --> 00:42:04,457
What the hell?
959
00:42:04,557 --> 00:42:06,593
- What I wanted to do
was bring the Borg in.
960
00:42:06,693 --> 00:42:08,495
It was my feeling
that the Borg
961
00:42:08,595 --> 00:42:11,097
could always be
"Voyager's" Klingons.
962
00:42:11,197 --> 00:42:12,365
They needed
a recurring villain.
963
00:42:12,465 --> 00:42:14,234
And for better or worse,
964
00:42:14,334 --> 00:42:15,902
that's what
we ended up doing.
965
00:42:16,002 --> 00:42:18,171
And it's one of the things
that defined "Voyager"
966
00:42:18,271 --> 00:42:20,874
was the introduction
of the Seven of Nine character.
967
00:42:20,974 --> 00:42:25,612
You had a very sexy woman
in a very sexy outfit.
968
00:42:25,712 --> 00:42:26,880
You know,
it was supposed to lure in
969
00:42:26,980 --> 00:42:28,281
a certain male demographic.
970
00:42:28,381 --> 00:42:31,284
But, in reality,
she was the Spock character.
971
00:42:31,384 --> 00:42:33,319
She was the Data character.
972
00:42:33,419 --> 00:42:34,521
- Report.
973
00:42:34,621 --> 00:42:36,957
- I've applied
10,053 algorithms
974
00:42:37,057 --> 00:42:40,160
to the energy signatures
produced by chaotic space.
975
00:42:40,260 --> 00:42:43,429
- The Roddenberry influence
was always respected.
976
00:42:43,529 --> 00:42:45,699
We didn't want
to do something
977
00:42:45,799 --> 00:42:49,636
totally, outrageously
anti-Roddenberry.
978
00:42:49,736 --> 00:42:51,772
- It's almost like you have
to keep pinching yourself.
979
00:42:51,872 --> 00:42:54,575
You show up on these sets
and you have to remind yourself,
980
00:42:54,675 --> 00:42:57,310
"I'm in the middle of something
that when we do it right,
981
00:42:57,410 --> 00:42:59,412
is really important,
can really affect people."
982
00:42:59,512 --> 00:43:01,648
Now it's hard to do that
on every single episode.
983
00:43:01,748 --> 00:43:03,884
I don't know who has ever
succeeded in that,
984
00:43:03,984 --> 00:43:06,653
but I think that we all
could feel as a cast
985
00:43:06,753 --> 00:43:09,890
when we were telling
a good story and doing it well.
986
00:43:15,395 --> 00:43:16,863
- There was a lot of discussion
what "Enterprise"
987
00:43:16,963 --> 00:43:19,432
would look like
and feel like.
988
00:43:19,532 --> 00:43:20,867
"Star Trek: Enterprise"
989
00:43:20,967 --> 00:43:23,169
is a prequel
to the entire franchise.
990
00:43:23,269 --> 00:43:24,905
Set in the 22nd century,
991
00:43:25,005 --> 00:43:28,374
as Starfleet's first explorers
venture into space.
992
00:43:28,474 --> 00:43:30,410
- You know, we were trying to,
I think,
993
00:43:30,510 --> 00:43:32,312
deconstruct "Star Trek"
and figure out, you know,
994
00:43:32,412 --> 00:43:33,614
how it all came together.
995
00:43:33,714 --> 00:43:35,381
You know,
we'd certainly seen the future
996
00:43:35,481 --> 00:43:37,851
of where it was all going.
997
00:43:37,951 --> 00:43:40,854
And it was a real challenge
to kind of back that up
998
00:43:40,954 --> 00:43:43,957
and imagine, you know,
what was this--
999
00:43:44,057 --> 00:43:47,127
what was this like 150 years
before Captain Kirk.
1000
00:43:47,227 --> 00:43:49,329
- I called my mother
and said,
1001
00:43:49,429 --> 00:43:51,598
"Ma, I'm not gonna have
to stress about work.
1002
00:43:51,698 --> 00:43:52,766
I got a job."
1003
00:43:52,866 --> 00:43:56,236
- I had to audition with
a slight alien accent
1004
00:43:56,336 --> 00:43:59,172
for the character of Dr. Phlox,
which puzzled me.
1005
00:43:59,272 --> 00:44:00,941
I didn't really know what to do,
so I--
1006
00:44:01,041 --> 00:44:02,809
I sort of tried out
a variety of funny voices
1007
00:44:02,909 --> 00:44:04,577
with my wife before I settled
on the voice
1008
00:44:04,677 --> 00:44:06,412
I eventually arrived at.
1009
00:44:06,512 --> 00:44:08,081
Sounds sort of vaguely
East Indian.
1010
00:44:08,181 --> 00:44:11,985
I don't believe
you'll be needing my services.
1011
00:44:12,085 --> 00:44:13,654
- You know, I thought that
we were gonna make it
1012
00:44:13,754 --> 00:44:15,255
and that we were gonna do
seven years
1013
00:44:15,355 --> 00:44:16,823
like all the rest
of these shows.
1014
00:44:16,923 --> 00:44:19,960
- I was just trying to tell
good stories
1015
00:44:20,060 --> 00:44:24,097
and do Gene's vision proud.
1016
00:44:24,197 --> 00:44:27,033
Tell the best "Star Trek"
stories that I could, you know?
1017
00:44:27,133 --> 00:44:29,402
And now that I'm no longer
involved with the show,
1018
00:44:29,502 --> 00:44:35,809
I'm the fan eagerly awaiting
the next television show.
1019
00:44:37,878 --> 00:44:40,613
- So in the '60s, I mean,
it a period of racial discord.
1020
00:44:40,713 --> 00:44:43,416
We got the Vietnam War,
youth rebellions,
1021
00:44:43,516 --> 00:44:45,852
emerging feminism,
and, you know, TV--
1022
00:44:45,952 --> 00:44:48,388
- Dirty hippies.
- Dirty hi--exactly.
1023
00:44:48,488 --> 00:44:50,290
There's no series
or television show
1024
00:44:50,390 --> 00:44:51,591
really addressing
these things.
1025
00:44:51,691 --> 00:44:53,694
You know, Roddenberry's able
to do is kind of explore
1026
00:44:53,794 --> 00:44:57,430
these things, but again,
in a way which is--
1027
00:44:57,530 --> 00:44:59,299
not only avoids the censors,
1028
00:44:59,399 --> 00:45:00,934
which he had a lot
of problems with,
1029
00:45:01,034 --> 00:45:03,636
but also allows the audience
1030
00:45:03,736 --> 00:45:06,206
to kind of look at it
from a different perspective.
1031
00:45:06,306 --> 00:45:08,641
And if they were looking
at race in America
1032
00:45:08,741 --> 00:45:10,944
on a documentary,
that's just not gonna have
1033
00:45:11,044 --> 00:45:12,445
the kind of impact,
whereas in
1034
00:45:12,545 --> 00:45:13,880
"Let That Be
Your Last Battlefield,"
1035
00:45:13,980 --> 00:45:15,648
we have the black
and white faces.
1036
00:45:15,748 --> 00:45:17,483
You know, and you can imagine
what the American public
1037
00:45:17,583 --> 00:45:19,452
was looking at this going,
"You know,
1038
00:45:19,552 --> 00:45:20,921
yeah, this is right.
This is kinda strange."
1039
00:45:21,021 --> 00:45:23,423
And again, this is an episode
that was done right after Mart--
1040
00:45:23,523 --> 00:45:24,424
it was produced
right after
1041
00:45:24,524 --> 00:45:25,726
Martin Luther King's
assassination.
1042
00:45:25,826 --> 00:45:27,694
- That's the beauty of sci-fi.
You can sort of
1043
00:45:27,794 --> 00:45:30,530
have these allegories
without
1044
00:45:30,630 --> 00:45:32,398
people knowing they're being
taught a lesson.
1045
00:45:32,498 --> 00:45:33,700
- Yeah.
- Big two on the nose.
1046
00:45:33,800 --> 00:45:34,835
- Yeah, they just think
they're watching
1047
00:45:34,935 --> 00:45:37,669
a fun space adventure
with a Canadian.
1048
00:45:41,340 --> 00:45:44,744
- "Star Trek" very much
at a time when, you know,
1049
00:45:44,844 --> 00:45:47,579
race, in particular, in the '60s
was such a big thing.
1050
00:45:47,679 --> 00:45:49,514
It broke down those barriers
in terms of talking--
1051
00:45:49,614 --> 00:45:53,418
talking about color,
multi-culturalism, other people.
1052
00:45:53,518 --> 00:45:57,957
And instead of making walls,
and instead of trying to
1053
00:45:58,057 --> 00:45:59,624
villainize others,
1054
00:45:59,724 --> 00:46:01,460
it was all
about embracing the other.
1055
00:46:01,560 --> 00:46:05,831
- Because, you know, when you
look at the "Star Trek" world,
1056
00:46:05,931 --> 00:46:09,534
you know, Gene really wanted
to create a world
1057
00:46:09,634 --> 00:46:12,604
where everybody could be,
you know?
1058
00:46:12,704 --> 00:46:15,040
And if we were having
some kind of trouble,
1059
00:46:15,140 --> 00:46:16,341
we could talk it out.
1060
00:46:16,441 --> 00:46:19,812
- We had one of the most
wonderful icons
1061
00:46:19,912 --> 00:46:23,082
in Nichelle Nichols, who was
not only African American,
1062
00:46:23,182 --> 00:46:25,217
she was a woman.
1063
00:46:25,317 --> 00:46:27,820
And, you know, she was there
on the bridge all the time.
1064
00:46:27,920 --> 00:46:29,288
She was important.
1065
00:46:29,388 --> 00:46:30,990
Sometimes she would just say,
"Channels open, sir,"
1066
00:46:31,090 --> 00:46:33,492
but the thing was
that she was there.
1067
00:46:33,592 --> 00:46:37,696
- She speaks
perfect English.
1068
00:46:37,796 --> 00:46:41,166
She's the communications officer
1069
00:46:41,266 --> 00:46:43,468
and she takes that
very seriously.
1070
00:46:43,568 --> 00:46:46,906
- She is not only gorgeous,
1071
00:46:47,006 --> 00:46:49,942
but she is
the communications officer.
1072
00:46:50,042 --> 00:46:51,710
She's the one you have
to talk to
1073
00:46:51,810 --> 00:46:54,079
if you want to talk
to anybody out in space.
1074
00:46:54,179 --> 00:46:56,348
And she's fly, okay?
1075
00:46:56,448 --> 00:46:59,852
And they all want to bone her,
and you know it.
1076
00:46:59,952 --> 00:47:02,221
- And there were some stations
in the South that said,
1077
00:47:02,321 --> 00:47:03,755
"Oh, you're having,"
what was then,
1078
00:47:03,855 --> 00:47:06,525
"a black woman on the bridge.
1079
00:47:06,625 --> 00:47:07,927
We're not gonna show
your show."
1080
00:47:08,027 --> 00:47:10,362
And Roddenberry said,
"you," you know.
1081
00:47:11,530 --> 00:47:13,732
And, you know,
"Too bad. You lose."
1082
00:47:13,832 --> 00:47:16,568
- A woman of color
in the late '60s
1083
00:47:16,668 --> 00:47:19,171
while the civil rights riots
were going on.
1084
00:47:19,271 --> 00:47:22,241
Her presence there
was a big deal.
1085
00:47:22,341 --> 00:47:25,044
- I had just been offered
1086
00:47:25,144 --> 00:47:28,213
a major role
in a Broadway musical.
1087
00:47:28,313 --> 00:47:32,551
And I met
Dr. Martin Luther King.
1088
00:47:32,651 --> 00:47:36,922
And I was so excited
to tell him.
1089
00:47:37,022 --> 00:47:38,991
And he said,
"You can't do that."
1090
00:47:39,091 --> 00:47:41,961
He said, "Don't you understand
what you're doing?
1091
00:47:42,061 --> 00:47:45,464
"This is television and
there's nobody like you on TV.
1092
00:47:45,564 --> 00:47:49,768
You can't--
you can't abdicate."
1093
00:47:49,868 --> 00:47:51,036
And I couldn't.
1094
00:47:51,136 --> 00:47:52,804
- The main thing
that has struck me
1095
00:47:52,904 --> 00:47:58,477
about Gene's series at the time
was how he mirrored
1096
00:47:58,577 --> 00:48:00,645
the things that were going on
in our society
1097
00:48:00,745 --> 00:48:03,582
by using the aliens
and the humans
1098
00:48:03,682 --> 00:48:05,184
to carry out those storylines.
1099
00:48:05,284 --> 00:48:06,886
He was very clever
in doing that.
1100
00:48:06,986 --> 00:48:08,087
- I liked the idea.
1101
00:48:08,187 --> 00:48:11,223
I'm not sure
it was always executed
1102
00:48:11,323 --> 00:48:12,925
as well as it might have.
1103
00:48:13,025 --> 00:48:14,359
I think we used the bludgeon
1104
00:48:14,459 --> 00:48:17,129
when we did the story of the
half black and half white.
1105
00:48:17,229 --> 00:48:19,498
You know, but we did it
you know?
1106
00:48:19,598 --> 00:48:22,267
And good for us
for taking on the issue.
1107
00:48:22,367 --> 00:48:24,436
- I am black
on the right side.
1108
00:48:27,472 --> 00:48:28,807
*
1109
00:48:28,907 --> 00:48:31,944
- I fail to see
the significant difference.
1110
00:48:32,044 --> 00:48:33,578
- Lokai is white
on the right--
1111
00:48:33,678 --> 00:48:36,848
all of his people are white
on the right side.
1112
00:48:36,948 --> 00:48:39,952
- Frank Gorshin
was a wonderful performer,
1113
00:48:40,052 --> 00:48:42,922
and he and Lou Antonio
were the two actors
1114
00:48:43,022 --> 00:48:45,124
who played
these opposing roles.
1115
00:48:45,224 --> 00:48:47,659
People who were actually
mirror images of each other
1116
00:48:47,759 --> 00:48:50,762
should hate each other
they way they did.
1117
00:48:50,862 --> 00:48:53,265
And there was that great moment
where Kirk says,
1118
00:48:53,365 --> 00:48:55,467
"Why do you people
hate each other so much?
1119
00:48:55,567 --> 00:48:57,802
You're--you're the same."
1120
00:48:57,902 --> 00:48:59,238
"Don't you get it?
1121
00:48:59,338 --> 00:49:01,941
He's black on the right side,
I'm black on the left."
1122
00:49:02,041 --> 00:49:05,344
You know, "Oh."
1123
00:49:05,444 --> 00:49:07,146
- Science fiction
is at its best
1124
00:49:07,246 --> 00:49:08,847
when it challenges you.
1125
00:49:08,947 --> 00:49:12,051
It presents a message
while disguising itself
1126
00:49:12,151 --> 00:49:13,518
as entertainment.
1127
00:49:13,618 --> 00:49:15,787
- In an episode called
"Symbiosis,"
1128
00:49:15,887 --> 00:49:18,924
there's a planet
where they're all addicted.
1129
00:49:19,024 --> 00:49:21,860
And there's another species
1130
00:49:21,960 --> 00:49:23,929
that always supplies them
with their drug.
1131
00:49:24,029 --> 00:49:25,931
And we know that--
that this is
1132
00:49:26,031 --> 00:49:28,867
this horrible enabling
situation.
1133
00:49:28,967 --> 00:49:32,371
And we could easily cure
the addicts.
1134
00:49:32,471 --> 00:49:36,808
- Please, help us.
- I'm not sure that I can.
1135
00:49:39,144 --> 00:49:40,545
- But do we get involved
1136
00:49:40,645 --> 00:49:42,047
or do we let them
figure it out?
1137
00:49:42,147 --> 00:49:45,150
- The moment that I felt
was so haunting to me
1138
00:49:45,250 --> 00:49:47,852
was the one where
B'Elanna is pregnant
1139
00:49:47,952 --> 00:49:50,956
and can see that her child
will have Klingon DNA
1140
00:49:51,056 --> 00:49:54,226
and be born with the forehead
and she has developed a way
1141
00:49:54,326 --> 00:49:56,161
to possibly alter that
so her daughter
1142
00:49:56,261 --> 00:49:58,630
doesn't have to go through
what she went through.
1143
00:49:58,730 --> 00:50:01,633
And I wept when I read
the episode.
1144
00:50:01,733 --> 00:50:03,302
But then to be responsible
for a child
1145
00:50:03,402 --> 00:50:06,905
and to have the technology to
change the future of this child.
1146
00:50:07,005 --> 00:50:09,374
And it was, um--
1147
00:50:09,474 --> 00:50:11,243
it was a difficult
and wonderful episode.
1148
00:50:11,343 --> 00:50:12,911
- When you look at Data,
you know,
1149
00:50:13,011 --> 00:50:16,015
at one point he is on trial,
you know.
1150
00:50:16,115 --> 00:50:20,719
And it's, like, is he on trial
because he's different?
1151
00:50:20,819 --> 00:50:24,756
Is he on trial because
he should be not be thinking
1152
00:50:24,856 --> 00:50:26,891
the way that he's thinking
because he's, after all,
1153
00:50:26,991 --> 00:50:28,960
a machine
and should not be moving--
1154
00:50:29,060 --> 00:50:32,831
I mean, they're all the
questions that we deal with.
1155
00:50:32,931 --> 00:50:36,135
And whether it's race
because it's skin color,
1156
00:50:36,235 --> 00:50:38,970
or race because
you're an android,
1157
00:50:39,070 --> 00:50:42,107
or, you know, race because
you're only this big and fuzzy.
1158
00:50:42,207 --> 00:50:43,575
You're a Tribble,
you know?
1159
00:50:43,675 --> 00:50:46,778
It's all of these stories
go into saying,
1160
00:50:46,878 --> 00:50:50,282
"Hey, we actually all have
to try to do this together."
1161
00:50:52,217 --> 00:50:54,019
- The cultural makeup
of the bridge,
1162
00:50:54,119 --> 00:50:55,820
that was science fiction...
- Absolutely.
1163
00:50:55,920 --> 00:50:57,556
- In the mid '60s.
1164
00:50:57,656 --> 00:50:59,824
People who watch it today
have no idea
1165
00:50:59,924 --> 00:51:02,427
how startling that was.
1166
00:51:02,527 --> 00:51:04,796
You had
this multi-cultural crew,
1167
00:51:04,896 --> 00:51:05,997
not just multi-cultural,
1168
00:51:06,097 --> 00:51:09,168
but it was male and female
as well.
1169
00:51:09,268 --> 00:51:12,104
I mean, I know that when
Roddenberry did the first pilot
1170
00:51:12,204 --> 00:51:13,905
and Majel Barrett
was Number One,
1171
00:51:14,005 --> 00:51:15,840
the studio was like...
- Yeah.
1172
00:51:15,940 --> 00:51:21,980
- Who's gonna believe a woman
in charge of a starship?
1173
00:51:22,080 --> 00:51:23,782
- The thing that's really
amazing about "Star Trek"
1174
00:51:23,882 --> 00:51:25,350
is that it definitely has
inspired people
1175
00:51:25,450 --> 00:51:27,752
to sort of, you know,
proceed down that path, right?
1176
00:51:27,852 --> 00:51:29,388
- Yeah.
- A lot of technologists,
1177
00:51:29,488 --> 00:51:31,956
of course talk about the
StarTAC Motorola phone, right?
1178
00:51:32,056 --> 00:51:33,625
The flip phone
coming from the communicator.
1179
00:51:33,725 --> 00:51:36,628
But it gives people a vision
to sort of think about,
1180
00:51:36,728 --> 00:51:38,163
"Well, why isn't
that possible?
1181
00:51:38,263 --> 00:51:39,564
- Well, the PADD
is an obvious thing,
1182
00:51:39,664 --> 00:51:41,699
which the iPad, I think,
was designed after specifically.
1183
00:51:41,799 --> 00:51:43,267
- Didn't they say...
- Yes.
1184
00:51:43,367 --> 00:51:44,435
- He took the design from iPad--
- Yes.
1185
00:51:44,535 --> 00:51:47,138
- Well, they wanted to call it
a PADD,
1186
00:51:47,238 --> 00:51:48,672
Personal Access Display Device,
1187
00:51:48,772 --> 00:51:49,840
which is what we called it
on the show,
1188
00:51:49,940 --> 00:51:51,609
but Paramount
wouldn't allow it.
1189
00:51:51,709 --> 00:51:53,377
- And what's really neat,
I mean,
1190
00:51:53,477 --> 00:51:55,045
the computer interaction
is things like we get
1191
00:51:55,145 --> 00:51:57,481
with Siri and Alexa.
- Well, yes, exactly.
1192
00:51:57,581 --> 00:51:59,283
I mean, you literally talk
to a computer,
1193
00:51:59,383 --> 00:52:01,152
and it, you know,
responds to your queries.
1194
00:52:01,252 --> 00:52:02,920
- Wow, you don't even
think about that.
1195
00:52:03,020 --> 00:52:03,921
- Yeah.
- I mean, I think this is
1196
00:52:04,021 --> 00:52:06,757
a really--kind of a neat
dynamic
1197
00:52:06,857 --> 00:52:09,393
of science sort of influencing
science fiction
1198
00:52:09,493 --> 00:52:13,030
and in return, getting some
sort of inspiration back.
1199
00:52:13,130 --> 00:52:14,898
- The only thing they got
really, really wrong for me
1200
00:52:14,998 --> 00:52:16,500
is the fact that
they plugged Data in.
1201
00:52:16,600 --> 00:52:18,035
I feel like he'd have
Bluetooth.
1202
00:52:20,538 --> 00:52:21,939
- They got to put him
in his charger every night.
1203
00:52:22,973 --> 00:52:24,275
- When I see someone
in a restaurant
1204
00:52:24,375 --> 00:52:26,910
and they have the Bluetooth
in their ear
1205
00:52:27,010 --> 00:52:28,879
while dining
with someone else,
1206
00:52:28,979 --> 00:52:32,015
I usually shout out,
"Let it go, Uhura."
1207
00:52:34,017 --> 00:52:34,918
And you know what?
1208
00:52:35,018 --> 00:52:36,154
They know
what I'm talking about.
1209
00:52:36,254 --> 00:52:38,088
- Oh, there you go.
- And they feel horrible.
1210
00:52:42,860 --> 00:52:45,629
- Gene was clearly a visionary.
1211
00:52:45,729 --> 00:52:47,265
He went and studied, though,
1212
00:52:47,365 --> 00:52:49,467
the technologies
that would be involved
1213
00:52:49,567 --> 00:52:52,236
in order to make
his show credible.
1214
00:52:52,336 --> 00:52:54,772
- Believability was
a huge thing for my father.
1215
00:52:54,872 --> 00:52:58,409
If you go back and read some
of the original writers' guides
1216
00:52:58,509 --> 00:53:00,211
and bibles
for the original series,
1217
00:53:00,311 --> 00:53:03,914
He says in there, you know,
"Believability is essential."
1218
00:53:04,014 --> 00:53:05,683
- He brought
Harvey Lynn, his cousin
1219
00:53:05,783 --> 00:53:08,286
who worked with the RAND
company, to advise.
1220
00:53:08,386 --> 00:53:10,654
And that's where a lot
of the technology came from.
1221
00:53:10,754 --> 00:53:13,056
- I think because I loved
the space program,
1222
00:53:13,156 --> 00:53:15,859
"Star Trek" to me
at that point felt real.
1223
00:53:15,959 --> 00:53:17,695
It felt like they all took
it kinda seriously.
1224
00:53:17,795 --> 00:53:19,397
There was a real ship
like that.
1225
00:53:19,497 --> 00:53:21,699
I do remember when I was a kid
I thought that was a real ship.
1226
00:53:21,799 --> 00:53:23,334
I thought, you know,
"There's a big ship
1227
00:53:23,434 --> 00:53:25,336
that flies around in space.
I see it every week."
1228
00:53:25,436 --> 00:53:27,938
- The technology absolutely
captured my imagination.
1229
00:53:28,038 --> 00:53:31,875
I mean, especially the idea
of being able to
1230
00:53:31,975 --> 00:53:33,977
live in this giant spaceship.
1231
00:53:34,077 --> 00:53:36,747
- He wanted to do adult stories,
adult science fiction,
1232
00:53:36,847 --> 00:53:40,017
so he knew that in order to make
that kind of a show work,
1233
00:53:40,117 --> 00:53:43,120
he had a very credible design
for his starship.
1234
00:53:43,220 --> 00:53:45,122
- But there's a reason
the Enterprise hangs
1235
00:53:45,222 --> 00:53:47,925
in the Smithsonian Institute.
1236
00:53:48,025 --> 00:53:50,361
It is such--
not just an iconic ship,
1237
00:53:50,461 --> 00:53:51,895
but such a beautiful ship.
1238
00:53:51,995 --> 00:53:54,164
It's a magnificent
aesthetic achievement.
1239
00:53:54,264 --> 00:53:57,167
- Roddenberry said, "We want
our audience to believe
1240
00:53:57,267 --> 00:53:59,570
"that for the hour they're
watching 'Star Trek,'
1241
00:53:59,670 --> 00:54:03,073
"they're really on a spaceship
out exploring the galaxy.
1242
00:54:03,173 --> 00:54:04,842
"So we have to design
the bridge.
1243
00:54:04,942 --> 00:54:07,044
"We have to think
about navigation.
1244
00:54:07,144 --> 00:54:09,146
We have to think
about what powers the ship."
1245
00:54:09,246 --> 00:54:10,481
And then he thought,
"You know,
1246
00:54:10,581 --> 00:54:13,150
"why don't we set up
a system
1247
00:54:13,250 --> 00:54:14,685
"in the sick bay
called the biobed?
1248
00:54:14,785 --> 00:54:16,954
"A crewman comes in,
lays down on the biobed,
1249
00:54:17,054 --> 00:54:18,756
"and on a computer screen
above the bed,
1250
00:54:18,856 --> 00:54:21,725
it instantly displays
all of their vital signs."
1251
00:54:21,825 --> 00:54:23,294
The creators of "Star Trek"
1252
00:54:23,394 --> 00:54:25,596
designed and engineered gadgets
for the crew
1253
00:54:25,696 --> 00:54:27,465
that are decades ahead
of their time.
1254
00:54:27,565 --> 00:54:30,801
And inspire the devices that
are second nature to us today.
1255
00:54:30,901 --> 00:54:34,071
- But also the smaller things
like the tricorder
1256
00:54:34,171 --> 00:54:36,840
or the communicator,
which, I mean,
1257
00:54:36,940 --> 00:54:39,142
you know I have one
in my pocket right now
1258
00:54:39,242 --> 00:54:40,911
that's not dissimilar.
1259
00:54:41,011 --> 00:54:42,980
- Leonard Nimoy, years ago,
1260
00:54:43,080 --> 00:54:47,351
he told me the flip phone
was purposely designed
1261
00:54:47,451 --> 00:54:49,152
to look like a communicator.
1262
00:54:49,252 --> 00:54:51,121
That the inventor
of the flip phone
1263
00:54:51,221 --> 00:54:54,325
wanted it to be a pastiche
of "Star Trek."
1264
00:54:54,425 --> 00:54:57,361
- A guy named Martin Cooper
in the 1970s
1265
00:54:57,461 --> 00:55:01,231
was tasked by Motorola
and Bell Labs
1266
00:55:01,331 --> 00:55:04,402
to create a, you know,
one of the first cell phones.
1267
00:55:04,502 --> 00:55:06,804
A portable telephone that,
you know,
1268
00:55:06,904 --> 00:55:08,606
you could carry
and walk around with,
1269
00:55:08,706 --> 00:55:10,741
and it would ultimately be
small enough
1270
00:55:10,841 --> 00:55:12,175
to fit in a pocket.
1271
00:55:12,275 --> 00:55:16,480
And Cooper explicitly said,
"When I was designing
1272
00:55:16,580 --> 00:55:19,983
"that first handheld phone,
I thought,
1273
00:55:20,083 --> 00:55:21,419
"'You know,
this thing is kinda big.
1274
00:55:21,519 --> 00:55:24,455
"'It's a little bulky,
but if I fold it in half,
1275
00:55:24,555 --> 00:55:27,157
"'that'll save--
that'll save space.
1276
00:55:27,257 --> 00:55:28,926
"'It'll make it smaller
and easier to carry.
1277
00:55:29,026 --> 00:55:30,628
"'Plus, it'll be really cool
to flip open
1278
00:55:30,728 --> 00:55:32,563
"'Like the communicators
on "Star Trek."'"
1279
00:55:32,663 --> 00:55:35,899
- You have these PADDs that are
now iPads and everything.
1280
00:55:35,999 --> 00:55:39,837
Well, we didn't have iPads then,
so it was--it was like
1281
00:55:39,937 --> 00:55:42,005
we were doing it,
we'd be making things up.
1282
00:55:42,105 --> 00:55:43,607
But if you set it down too hard,
you gotta do--
1283
00:55:43,707 --> 00:55:44,775
it would make a clunk.
1284
00:55:44,875 --> 00:55:45,776
You'd have to take
the whole shot over.
1285
00:55:45,876 --> 00:55:48,512
- The PADDs that they used,
1286
00:55:48,612 --> 00:55:50,914
which had nothing on them,
1287
00:55:51,014 --> 00:55:55,319
we'd use them in the stories
to somehow advance the plot,
1288
00:55:55,419 --> 00:55:57,855
or they're looking
at a report.
1289
00:55:57,955 --> 00:56:01,425
Never in a million years
did any of us think
1290
00:56:01,525 --> 00:56:03,661
this would be a thing.
1291
00:56:03,761 --> 00:56:05,629
It was total
science fiction to us.
1292
00:56:05,729 --> 00:56:08,031
- It was 20 years after
1293
00:56:08,131 --> 00:56:10,133
"Star Trek:
The Next Generation" premiered
1294
00:56:10,233 --> 00:56:12,770
that Apple introduced
the iPad.
1295
00:56:12,870 --> 00:56:18,041
And that's, you know,
that's a dead ringer, really,
1296
00:56:18,141 --> 00:56:20,344
for the PADDs that we had on
"Star Trek: The Next Generation"
1297
00:56:20,444 --> 00:56:21,445
20 years earlier.
1298
00:56:21,545 --> 00:56:24,582
- Universal translation
technology,
1299
00:56:24,682 --> 00:56:26,384
artificial intelligence,
all kinds of things,
1300
00:56:26,484 --> 00:56:30,120
and it instilled in some fans
a passion for sce,
1301
00:56:30,220 --> 00:56:32,656
and who knows what they went on
to discover or will discover.
1302
00:56:32,756 --> 00:56:34,858
- People forget this.
They look at it now, they say,
1303
00:56:34,958 --> 00:56:36,794
"Oh, 'Star Trek's' so dated.
It's so primitive."
1304
00:56:36,894 --> 00:56:37,961
They have no idea.
1305
00:56:38,061 --> 00:56:40,063
Supermarkets didn't have
sliding doors yet.
1306
00:56:40,163 --> 00:56:42,099
That's how prescient
"Star Trek" was.
1307
00:56:42,199 --> 00:56:44,635
- It was Roddenberry's idea
for the holodeck,
1308
00:56:44,735 --> 00:56:47,270
which I always thought
was revolutionary, you know?
1309
00:56:47,370 --> 00:56:49,006
Virtual reality
was being explored
1310
00:56:49,106 --> 00:56:51,442
in science fiction novels,
1311
00:56:51,542 --> 00:56:54,244
but he was really
the first to kind of put
1312
00:56:54,344 --> 00:56:57,681
true, thorough
virtual reality,
1313
00:56:57,781 --> 00:56:59,249
certainly onto
a television show.
1314
00:56:59,349 --> 00:57:01,719
- The holodeck, which was
a wonderful invention
1315
00:57:01,819 --> 00:57:05,656
taken to imaginative creative
extremes in "Next Generation,"
1316
00:57:05,756 --> 00:57:07,691
has its origins in the
"Star Trek" animated series
1317
00:57:07,791 --> 00:57:08,859
that most people don't know.
1318
00:57:08,959 --> 00:57:10,728
The holodeck
was in an episode
1319
00:57:10,828 --> 00:57:12,563
of the "Star Trek" cartoon,
"Practical Joker."
1320
00:57:12,663 --> 00:57:13,964
That was the first time
we saw that.
1321
00:57:14,064 --> 00:57:16,133
- If you look at "Star Trek,"
the original "Star Trek,"
1322
00:57:16,233 --> 00:57:19,503
you will see Spock
holding little cards
1323
00:57:19,603 --> 00:57:22,039
and data cards
that he would slip
1324
00:57:22,139 --> 00:57:23,841
into a slot on the computer.
1325
00:57:23,941 --> 00:57:26,544
They look exactly like
the 3 1/2" floppy disks
1326
00:57:26,644 --> 00:57:28,579
that were created
20 years later.
1327
00:57:28,679 --> 00:57:30,681
- It's remarkable to think,
you know,
1328
00:57:30,781 --> 00:57:32,015
Siri's getting pretty close
1329
00:57:32,115 --> 00:57:33,651
to the computer
on the Enterprise.
1330
00:57:33,751 --> 00:57:37,054
- "Star Trek," I think,
on the technology side,
1331
00:57:37,154 --> 00:57:39,923
partly it's the extraordinary
vision of Gene and the people
1332
00:57:40,023 --> 00:57:42,460
that he worked with
in creating that original show
1333
00:57:42,560 --> 00:57:46,362
and thinking about how things
can be better in the future,
1334
00:57:46,462 --> 00:57:48,598
and then people growing up
watching "Star Trek"
1335
00:57:48,698 --> 00:57:50,232
making those things happen
1336
00:57:50,332 --> 00:57:52,201
because they were inspired
by "Star Trek."
1337
00:57:52,301 --> 00:57:55,337
So it's a really fascinating
kind of feedback loop
1338
00:57:55,437 --> 00:57:58,040
between art and science.
1339
00:57:58,140 --> 00:58:00,510
- I can't think of another show
that had nearly the impact
1340
00:58:00,610 --> 00:58:04,547
for people who really, you know,
work in the aerospace industry
1341
00:58:04,647 --> 00:58:06,115
that "Star Trek" did,
right.
1342
00:58:06,215 --> 00:58:08,250
Or even for a lot of cases,
physics and things like that.
1343
00:58:08,350 --> 00:58:11,754
Because it did take
a realistic approach to science
1344
00:58:11,854 --> 00:58:13,990
and using science
to solve problems.
1345
00:58:14,090 --> 00:58:19,528
But you try to solve them
with a rational approach.
1346
00:58:20,897 --> 00:58:21,931
"Star Trek" begins
as a prime-time
1347
00:58:22,031 --> 00:58:23,332
television series,
1348
00:58:23,432 --> 00:58:24,967
but over the next
half century,
1349
00:58:25,067 --> 00:58:27,403
it reaches far beyond
the airwaves
1350
00:58:27,503 --> 00:58:29,706
to help shape our world.
1351
00:58:29,806 --> 00:58:32,308
- "Star Trek" inspired people.
1352
00:58:32,408 --> 00:58:36,045
"Star Trek," like,
people became scientists.
1353
00:58:36,145 --> 00:58:37,614
They became physicists.
1354
00:58:37,714 --> 00:58:40,282
They became doctors
and astronauts
1355
00:58:40,382 --> 00:58:42,218
because of "Star Trek."
1356
00:58:42,318 --> 00:58:44,987
- When you see someone who says,
"You were such a role model.
1357
00:58:45,087 --> 00:58:46,856
You know, I went to med school
because of you."
1358
00:58:46,956 --> 00:58:48,791
Or, "I got into nursing
because of you."
1359
00:58:48,891 --> 00:58:51,427
It made it richer for me.
It made it a richer experience.
1360
00:58:51,527 --> 00:58:54,997
- I've received a lot of letters
from people
1361
00:58:55,097 --> 00:58:58,100
who were inspired
by "Star Trek" in general
1362
00:58:58,200 --> 00:59:00,770
and from my character,
specifically,
1363
00:59:00,870 --> 00:59:03,072
to go into the sciences,
into engineering.
1364
00:59:03,172 --> 00:59:06,008
It's cool that you can make
science cool.
1365
00:59:06,108 --> 00:59:09,512
And that it can inspire somebody
to move in that direction.
1366
00:59:09,612 --> 00:59:11,413
- One of the reasons I wanted
to become an engineer
1367
00:59:11,513 --> 00:59:13,282
was because of "Star Trek."
1368
00:59:13,382 --> 00:59:17,053
Because there was something
different about it
1369
00:59:17,153 --> 00:59:21,624
in that the world felt
more thought through and real
1370
00:59:21,724 --> 00:59:24,193
than other things
that you had seen.
1371
00:59:24,293 --> 00:59:27,664
- I mean, there's a picture
of NASA and Mission Control
1372
00:59:27,764 --> 00:59:29,832
and people were wearing
Spock ears.
1373
00:59:29,932 --> 00:59:33,836
- People who went to college
to study physics
1374
00:59:33,936 --> 00:59:36,505
or engineering or medicine
because they grew up
1375
00:59:36,605 --> 00:59:38,240
and were inspired
by "Star Trek."
1376
00:59:38,340 --> 00:59:41,043
And wanted to be the next Scotty
or the next Dr. McCoy.
1377
00:59:41,143 --> 00:59:42,579
- Jimmy Doohan,
who played Scotty,
1378
00:59:42,679 --> 00:59:44,981
and DeForest Kelley,
who played McCoy,
1379
00:59:45,081 --> 00:59:49,051
were always relating stories
1380
00:59:49,151 --> 00:59:50,587
of people
who had written to them
1381
00:59:50,687 --> 00:59:52,655
and would become engineers
and doctors
1382
00:59:52,755 --> 00:59:54,591
because of "Star Trek."
1383
00:59:54,691 --> 00:59:56,826
I think that was great.
1384
00:59:56,926 --> 01:00:00,129
But how does that apply to me?
And it didn't.
1385
01:00:00,229 --> 01:00:02,164
And for the longest time,
it didn't.
1386
01:00:02,264 --> 01:00:05,668
Until I met a young lady,
who after "Star Trek"
1387
01:00:05,768 --> 01:00:09,105
had gone to school
to learn Russian
1388
01:00:09,205 --> 01:00:12,274
and went to work
for the State Department.
1389
01:00:12,374 --> 01:00:16,946
Her mission
was so important
1390
01:00:17,046 --> 01:00:18,915
that she couldn't tell me
what it was about.
1391
01:00:19,015 --> 01:00:21,017
But it had to do
with the Russians,
1392
01:00:21,117 --> 01:00:24,286
so I actually helped
inspire a spy.
1393
01:00:25,487 --> 01:00:27,624
- I was so fascinated
by "Star Trek"
1394
01:00:27,724 --> 01:00:31,093
that maybe the first filmmaking
book I can remember reading was
1395
01:00:31,193 --> 01:00:33,596
"The Making of Star Trek"
by Stephen Whitfield.
1396
01:00:33,696 --> 01:00:35,464
And I remember being
so fascinated
1397
01:00:35,564 --> 01:00:38,868
by looking at the
behind-the-scenes pictures,
1398
01:00:38,968 --> 01:00:41,704
the layout of how the sets
were put together
1399
01:00:41,804 --> 01:00:44,340
at Desilu
and Paramount Studios.
1400
01:00:44,440 --> 01:00:46,575
The idea of using
a colored light
1401
01:00:46,675 --> 01:00:48,544
to create different planets.
1402
01:00:48,644 --> 01:00:51,948
Just all the imagination
that went into it,
1403
01:00:52,048 --> 01:00:53,783
it just really excited me,
1404
01:00:53,883 --> 01:00:57,319
and it really became a doorway
into the idea of filmmaking
1405
01:00:57,419 --> 01:01:00,823
and into television,
which obviously, you know,
1406
01:01:00,923 --> 01:01:02,191
I've spent my whole life on.
1407
01:01:02,291 --> 01:01:04,861
- Probably one of the most
influential books in my life
1408
01:01:04,961 --> 01:01:06,763
was discovering
"The Making of Star Trek"
1409
01:01:06,863 --> 01:01:09,331
by Stephen Whitfield, which I
found at a school book fair
1410
01:01:09,431 --> 01:01:10,900
in the sixth grade.
1411
01:01:11,000 --> 01:01:14,370
And I read that thing cover
to cover over and over again
1412
01:01:14,470 --> 01:01:17,173
'cause that really was about the
making of a television series,
1413
01:01:17,273 --> 01:01:20,576
about selling a pilot,
you know, show bibles
1414
01:01:20,676 --> 01:01:23,045
and production questions
and issues
1415
01:01:23,145 --> 01:01:24,180
and fighting with networks.
1416
01:01:24,280 --> 01:01:26,749
And I was completely
enthralled with it.
1417
01:01:26,849 --> 01:01:30,687
And it sort of--it imprinted
itself in me in a profound way.
1418
01:01:30,787 --> 01:01:32,755
You know, I didn't really
think about
1419
01:01:32,855 --> 01:01:35,057
becoming a television writer
at that age,
1420
01:01:35,157 --> 01:01:36,258
and wouldn't for many,
many years.
1421
01:01:36,358 --> 01:01:38,060
'Cause that wasn't a real job.
1422
01:01:38,160 --> 01:01:40,897
But reading that book
gave me a hunger to do that.
1423
01:01:40,997 --> 01:01:43,632
I wanted, on some basic level,
to do that, too,
1424
01:01:43,732 --> 01:01:46,135
to make a television series
and to do those things
1425
01:01:46,235 --> 01:01:47,503
like Gene had done.
1426
01:01:47,603 --> 01:01:51,073
- We were invited to the rollout
of the Enterprise shuttle.
1427
01:01:51,173 --> 01:01:54,576
I didn't have an understanding
of how significant it was
1428
01:01:54,676 --> 01:01:56,445
until we got there.
1429
01:01:56,545 --> 01:01:58,347
And there were several hundred
people there.
1430
01:01:58,447 --> 01:02:00,683
And they had
the Air Force Band.
1431
01:02:00,783 --> 01:02:05,587
The conductor raised
the baton and waved his hand
1432
01:02:05,687 --> 01:02:08,657
and the band started
playing up.
1433
01:02:08,757 --> 01:02:11,994
The Enterprise rolled out
from behind the building,
1434
01:02:12,094 --> 01:02:14,396
and it was amazing to see.
1435
01:02:14,496 --> 01:02:16,999
As it came out,
the band started playing
1436
01:02:17,099 --> 01:02:19,168
the theme music
from "Star Trek."
1437
01:02:19,268 --> 01:02:25,374
And we jumped up as one,
and were cheering and screaming.
1438
01:02:25,474 --> 01:02:28,244
It was just the most
remarkable moment.
1439
01:02:28,344 --> 01:02:31,013
And, you know, across the nose
of the shuttle
1440
01:02:31,113 --> 01:02:33,349
was the word "Enterprise."
1441
01:02:33,449 --> 01:02:37,386
For the first time, I realized
that there was a significance
1442
01:02:37,486 --> 01:02:41,457
beyond the fact that we were
a television show
1443
01:02:41,557 --> 01:02:43,092
that went on once a week.
1444
01:02:43,192 --> 01:02:46,863
That we really had
an influence in the culture.
1445
01:02:46,963 --> 01:02:48,297
And I guess it was
the first time
1446
01:02:48,397 --> 01:02:51,700
that I really felt that
I could take a bow.
1447
01:02:51,800 --> 01:02:55,604
Up until then, my sense was,
"I'm a supporting character
1448
01:02:55,704 --> 01:02:57,840
"with very little to do.
1449
01:02:57,940 --> 01:03:01,844
I'm riding the coattails
of this television project,
1450
01:03:01,944 --> 01:03:04,113
and I haven't really
contributed very much.
1451
01:03:04,213 --> 01:03:07,416
Well, that was all true,
but I realized then
1452
01:03:07,516 --> 01:03:11,320
that I was part of a group
that, as a group,
1453
01:03:11,420 --> 01:03:12,789
we had an influence.
1454
01:03:12,889 --> 01:03:15,958
That we had an influence
in society
1455
01:03:16,058 --> 01:03:17,726
- Because of "Star Trek,"
I am all the things I just said.
1456
01:03:17,826 --> 01:03:20,997
Engineer, physicist,
doctor, psychiatrist.
1457
01:03:21,097 --> 01:03:23,565
I've joined the military.
I became a policeman.
1458
01:03:23,665 --> 01:03:27,436
But the most potent,
I think,
1459
01:03:27,536 --> 01:03:29,305
are the stories
where someone comes up
1460
01:03:29,405 --> 01:03:33,009
and looks you in the eye
and says,
1461
01:03:33,109 --> 01:03:36,578
"Star Trek was the only time
in my house
1462
01:03:36,678 --> 01:03:38,647
"where there was peace.
1463
01:03:38,747 --> 01:03:41,851
"Where my dad or my mother
or the abuse or the alcohol,"
1464
01:03:41,951 --> 01:03:44,486
or whatever it was, "the only
time where we sat together
1465
01:03:44,586 --> 01:03:48,925
and it was peaceful
and trouble-free."
1466
01:03:49,025 --> 01:03:51,192
And--and it's heartbreaking.
1467
01:03:51,292 --> 01:03:52,393
And it's true.
1468
01:03:52,493 --> 01:03:54,095
You can see it in their eyes
how true it is
1469
01:03:54,195 --> 01:03:55,396
and how important it is.
1470
01:03:55,496 --> 01:04:00,635
- There are people who have gone
to nine foster homes,
1471
01:04:00,735 --> 01:04:05,640
and the only steady thing
in all of those foster homes
1472
01:04:05,740 --> 01:04:07,809
was that the family
watched "Star Trek."
1473
01:04:07,909 --> 01:04:10,846
- "Star Trek" over the years
has inspired people.
1474
01:04:10,946 --> 01:04:16,217
And whether it's inspired them
to follow their dreams
1475
01:04:16,317 --> 01:04:18,186
or believe in themselves,
1476
01:04:18,286 --> 01:04:21,222
I mean, that's the--
one of the key messages
1477
01:04:21,322 --> 01:04:25,493
in "Star Trek" is,
"You're a great person.
1478
01:04:25,593 --> 01:04:27,795
"You have valid thoughts,
valid ideas.
1479
01:04:27,895 --> 01:04:31,066
"Never think of yourself
as less than anyone else.
1480
01:04:31,166 --> 01:04:35,703
Now go out there
and follow your dreams."
1481
01:04:35,803 --> 01:04:37,338
- We were talking earlier,
Doug,
1482
01:04:37,438 --> 01:04:41,042
before we started shooting here
and I just found out,
1483
01:04:41,142 --> 01:04:44,479
somehow, just found out
about a book right here.
1484
01:04:44,579 --> 01:04:46,047
- How could you
have missed this book?
1485
01:04:46,147 --> 01:04:50,886
- Here it is,
"The Making of Star Trek."
1486
01:04:50,986 --> 01:04:52,420
- That's the book.
1487
01:04:52,520 --> 01:04:54,189
- The book.
- The book.
1488
01:04:54,289 --> 01:04:56,557
That book
changed my life completely.
1489
01:04:56,657 --> 01:04:57,725
That book came out,
I guess, like,
1490
01:04:57,825 --> 01:04:59,027
the second season
of "Star Trek."
1491
01:04:59,127 --> 01:05:01,062
- Uh-huh.
- I was crazy about the show.
1492
01:05:01,162 --> 01:05:03,664
- That book was,
I mean for me,
1493
01:05:03,764 --> 01:05:06,034
it was like Popeye
downing a can of spinach.
1494
01:05:06,134 --> 01:05:07,068
Can I see it?
- I mean, look at this.
1495
01:05:07,168 --> 01:05:08,403
This is the diagram
of the bridge.
1496
01:05:08,503 --> 01:05:11,739
- Honestly, I mean,
it totally gave me a direction.
1497
01:05:11,839 --> 01:05:14,309
I knew what I wanted to do
after I read that book.
1498
01:05:14,409 --> 01:05:17,512
And I could say that
"Star Trek" and that book
1499
01:05:17,612 --> 01:05:19,780
made me who I am today,
and that kinda sounds a little sad.
1500
01:05:19,880 --> 01:05:22,283
But, you know, it led me
to a couple of Emmys.
1501
01:05:22,383 --> 01:05:24,319
Led me to
an Academy Award, you know.
1502
01:05:24,419 --> 01:05:26,420
And that's all because
of "Star Trek."
1503
01:05:29,258 --> 01:05:31,292
- My favorite episodes
were always the ones--
1504
01:05:31,392 --> 01:05:33,228
personally, 'cause, you know,
I was doing 'em.
1505
01:05:33,828 --> 01:05:35,096
Were the ones where Seven
1506
01:05:35,196 --> 01:05:36,497
was really exploring her humanity.
1507
01:05:36,597 --> 01:05:38,699
So I think it was
"Someone To Watch Over Me"
1508
01:05:38,799 --> 01:05:40,201
where the doctor's teaching
Seven how to date.
1509
01:05:40,301 --> 01:05:42,403
- Oh, that's a great one.
- And I just--
1510
01:05:42,503 --> 01:05:44,940
I thought that was so lovely
and so touching,
1511
01:05:45,040 --> 01:05:46,541
and it just broke my heart
at the end
1512
01:05:46,641 --> 01:05:47,976
when he's kinda
falling in love with Seven
1513
01:05:48,076 --> 01:05:49,744
and she's like, "Yeah,
there's nobody here for me."
1514
01:05:49,844 --> 01:05:51,279
I hated that moment.
1515
01:05:51,379 --> 01:05:53,814
That's where you break the exoskeleton
if I'm not mistaken.
1516
01:05:53,914 --> 01:05:55,350
- Yes!
- The lobster.
1517
01:05:55,450 --> 01:05:57,017
- The creature has an exoskeleton, yes.
1518
01:05:57,885 --> 01:05:59,887
So that was
one of my favorites, definitely.
1519
01:06:04,959 --> 01:06:08,629
- Well, a truly great
"Star Trek" episode,
1520
01:06:08,729 --> 01:06:13,034
in my opinion,
has a list of ingredients.
1521
01:06:13,134 --> 01:06:15,070
It's an equation.
1522
01:06:15,170 --> 01:06:18,073
And that equation includes:
1523
01:06:18,173 --> 01:06:21,009
a great high concept
1524
01:06:21,109 --> 01:06:24,279
that provides
cool character dynamics
1525
01:06:24,379 --> 01:06:27,482
and conflict,
but also is a parable.
1526
01:06:27,582 --> 01:06:28,916
It has some deeper theme.
1527
01:06:29,016 --> 01:06:30,385
- "Devil in the Dark"
1528
01:06:30,485 --> 01:06:31,819
I thought was a wonderful episode
1529
01:06:31,919 --> 01:06:35,523
about--about
fear of the unknown.
1530
01:06:35,723 --> 01:06:37,158
How we fear--and even hate
1531
01:06:37,258 --> 01:06:39,294
something that we
don't know anything about.
1532
01:06:39,694 --> 01:06:41,429
Learn who your enemy is
and maybe then--
1533
01:06:41,529 --> 01:06:44,532
maybe then it's no longer
your enemy.
1534
01:06:45,700 --> 01:06:47,335
Interesting episode.
1535
01:06:47,435 --> 01:06:49,670
- You know, I remember
the "Devil in the Dark" episode
1536
01:06:49,770 --> 01:06:51,506
with the Horta.
That really left
1537
01:06:51,606 --> 01:06:52,807
a big impression on me
as a kid,
1538
01:06:52,907 --> 01:06:54,742
that he didn't kill the monster
1539
01:06:54,842 --> 01:06:56,077
and that the monster
was a mother
1540
01:06:56,177 --> 01:06:57,512
and had all these eggs.
1541
01:06:57,612 --> 01:06:58,846
- They're eggs,
aren't they?
1542
01:06:58,946 --> 01:07:00,781
- Yes, Captain.
Eggs.
1543
01:07:00,881 --> 01:07:02,450
And about to hatch.
1544
01:07:02,550 --> 01:07:04,019
- "A City on the Edge
of Forever"
1545
01:07:04,119 --> 01:07:06,154
which is, of course,
the episode of "Star Trek"
1546
01:07:06,254 --> 01:07:08,656
that is the one that
everybody knows is a great one.
1547
01:07:08,756 --> 01:07:11,126
It's a little bit--
it's an eccentric episode.
1548
01:07:11,226 --> 01:07:14,895
I love also the two-parter.
1549
01:07:14,995 --> 01:07:17,732
The repurposing
of the original pilot
1550
01:07:17,832 --> 01:07:19,067
into "The Ca--"
1551
01:07:19,167 --> 01:07:21,036
What is it,
"The Cage: Part one and two"?
1552
01:07:21,136 --> 01:07:25,173
And that's brilliant--we refer
to these shows all the time
1553
01:07:25,273 --> 01:07:26,707
on "Breaking Bad"
in the writer's room.
1554
01:07:26,807 --> 01:07:28,709
We prefer to, you know,
Tranya.
1555
01:07:28,809 --> 01:07:31,946
We refer to Captain Pike
with his--with the light.
1556
01:07:32,046 --> 01:07:34,515
I mean, which, you know,
couldn't even think of
1557
01:07:34,615 --> 01:07:36,884
as being a little bit like
a Hector Salamanca
1558
01:07:36,984 --> 01:07:39,054
when he's in the wheelchair
and he's got the bell.
1559
01:07:39,154 --> 01:07:40,921
- I really loved
"Yesterday's Enterprise."
1560
01:07:41,021 --> 01:07:42,490
It was a spec script
that I had
1561
01:07:42,590 --> 01:07:45,026
that had gone through
a couple of drafts already.
1562
01:07:45,126 --> 01:07:46,927
Then I took a pass at it
1563
01:07:47,027 --> 01:07:49,797
and reconceiving the story
and kinda making it
1564
01:07:49,897 --> 01:07:51,799
a much more darker universe
on the other side
1565
01:07:51,899 --> 01:07:54,202
and emphasizing
the war aspect of it.
1566
01:07:54,302 --> 01:07:55,770
And the tragedy of it.
1567
01:07:55,870 --> 01:07:59,240
- My favorite is my favorite
because it's just brilliant.
1568
01:07:59,340 --> 01:08:02,143
Brilliant writing.
Brilliant directing.
1569
01:08:02,243 --> 01:08:03,711
Brilliant acting.
1570
01:08:03,811 --> 01:08:06,147
And it's called
"Far Beyond the Stars."
1571
01:08:06,247 --> 01:08:09,084
It's where all
the series regulars
1572
01:08:09,184 --> 01:08:11,052
appear as humans,
1573
01:08:11,152 --> 01:08:14,855
and the episode
has to deal with racism.
1574
01:08:14,955 --> 01:08:16,857
It's not just good "Star Trek."
1575
01:08:16,957 --> 01:08:19,127
It's not just
good science fiction.
1576
01:08:19,227 --> 01:08:20,561
It's great literature.
1577
01:08:26,601 --> 01:08:28,936
- Well, you know,
I think I'm the last
1578
01:08:29,036 --> 01:08:30,771
character Gene created.
1579
01:08:30,871 --> 01:08:34,509
I think I'm the last one
that he actually created
1580
01:08:34,609 --> 01:08:36,777
based on Texas Guinan.
1581
01:08:36,877 --> 01:08:39,680
- Guinan her name was.
After Texas Guinan
1582
01:08:39,780 --> 01:08:41,582
who was a famous card player
and gambler,
1583
01:08:41,682 --> 01:08:44,285
or whatever she was.
1584
01:08:44,385 --> 01:08:48,389
And Whoopi showed up in the show
and brought in
1585
01:08:48,489 --> 01:08:52,260
this--this aura.
1586
01:08:52,360 --> 01:08:55,163
And the wild--
remember the shovelhead hats
1587
01:08:55,263 --> 01:08:57,698
she used to wear?
That beautiful face
1588
01:08:57,798 --> 01:08:59,934
with those big eyes
and that gorgeous skin
1589
01:09:00,034 --> 01:09:03,070
and the voice.
And she played it so straight.
1590
01:09:03,170 --> 01:09:05,206
- Guinan was great, again,
'cause Whoopi's playing it.
1591
01:09:05,306 --> 01:09:07,242
Guinan was a strange,
mysterioso character
1592
01:09:07,342 --> 01:09:08,543
that no--none of us
really understood
1593
01:09:08,643 --> 01:09:09,877
what the hell she was.
1594
01:09:09,977 --> 01:09:12,747
When we started really
getting into "Next Gen"
1595
01:09:12,847 --> 01:09:14,782
in the later years,
what we said was,
1596
01:09:14,882 --> 01:09:16,817
"It's really about
her relationship with Picard.
1597
01:09:16,917 --> 01:09:18,786
"Yes, she's the bartender
and, yes, she listens
1598
01:09:18,886 --> 01:09:21,489
"to all their problems
and gives insight to people
1599
01:09:21,589 --> 01:09:24,759
"for various issues,
but she has some back-story
1600
01:09:24,859 --> 01:09:27,262
"with Picard, and it's a
personal relationship with him
1601
01:09:27,362 --> 01:09:28,696
"that drives
that character forward.
1602
01:09:28,796 --> 01:09:30,365
"And it's the only reason
she's on the ship.
1603
01:09:30,465 --> 01:09:33,268
It's the only reason that she
really matters on the show."
1604
01:09:33,368 --> 01:09:36,271
- In my mind,
always believed that
1605
01:09:36,371 --> 01:09:39,106
Guinan was the
great-great-great-great-great-
1606
01:09:39,206 --> 01:09:40,941
great-great-great-great-great-
great-great-great-great-
1607
01:09:41,041 --> 01:09:43,578
great-great-great-great-great--
couple more greats
1608
01:09:43,678 --> 01:09:46,181
grandmother of Picard.
1609
01:09:46,281 --> 01:09:49,617
And the reason she's on the ship
is just to see how he's doing.
1610
01:09:49,717 --> 01:09:51,786
'Cause, you know, she can go
anywhere at any time,
1611
01:09:51,886 --> 01:09:54,454
and she just irritates
the hell outta Q.
1612
01:09:54,554 --> 01:09:57,224
Which made me very happy.
John is wonderful.
1613
01:09:57,324 --> 01:10:00,126
- You know him?
1614
01:10:00,226 --> 01:10:01,628
- We have had some
dealings.
1615
01:10:01,728 --> 01:10:04,698
- Those dealings
were two centuries ago.
1616
01:10:04,798 --> 01:10:07,434
This creature
is not what she appears to be.
1617
01:10:07,534 --> 01:10:09,603
She's an imp,
and where she goes
1618
01:10:09,703 --> 01:10:11,571
trouble always follows.
1619
01:10:11,671 --> 01:10:13,607
- You're speaking of yourself,
Q, not Guinan.
1620
01:10:13,707 --> 01:10:16,176
- Guinan?
Is that your name now?
1621
01:10:16,276 --> 01:10:18,445
- Guinan is not the issue here.
You are.
1622
01:10:18,545 --> 01:10:23,717
- I ended up doing six episodes
of "Next Generation."
1623
01:10:23,817 --> 01:10:25,452
- Anytime there was an episode
with Q in it,
1624
01:10:25,552 --> 01:10:29,289
I loved because whenever
he was in an episode,
1625
01:10:29,389 --> 01:10:31,325
he was, you know,
he was Agent Mayhem.
1626
01:10:31,425 --> 01:10:34,761
He was--it was going to be
something really intense,
1627
01:10:34,861 --> 01:10:36,796
and he was
seemingly unstoppable.
1628
01:10:36,896 --> 01:10:39,032
And so it was always
really fascinating to watch.
1629
01:10:39,132 --> 01:10:41,034
- Jonathan Frakes
used to say to me,
1630
01:10:41,134 --> 01:10:43,102
"You're the litmus test.
1631
01:10:43,202 --> 01:10:44,804
You come back once a year."
1632
01:10:44,904 --> 01:10:48,375
I always looked forward
to come back, but I never asked.
1633
01:10:48,475 --> 01:10:50,210
It's a little bit like
asking whether you're gonna
1634
01:10:50,310 --> 01:10:52,346
be invited to somebody's
dinner party.
1635
01:10:52,446 --> 01:10:55,649
- The character of Q--
that omnipotent,
1636
01:10:55,749 --> 01:10:57,617
Machiavellian,
1637
01:10:57,717 --> 01:10:59,319
cunning, bitter,
1638
01:10:59,419 --> 01:11:01,688
nasty, mean-spirited,
1639
01:11:01,788 --> 01:11:03,890
controlling character--
1640
01:11:03,990 --> 01:11:06,593
I can't even fathom
anybody else
1641
01:11:06,693 --> 01:11:08,828
doing as much with it.
1642
01:11:08,928 --> 01:11:11,298
Painting that canvas
as completely
1643
01:11:11,398 --> 01:11:15,669
as de Lancie did and does
with all his characters.
1644
01:11:15,769 --> 01:11:18,071
Have you any idea
how far we'll advance?
1645
01:11:18,171 --> 01:11:21,040
- Perhaps in a future
that you cannot yet conceive,
1646
01:11:21,140 --> 01:11:23,042
even beyond us.
1647
01:11:23,142 --> 01:11:25,379
- The character on the page
is just not as entertaining.
1648
01:11:25,479 --> 01:11:26,713
You give it to John de Lancie,
1649
01:11:26,813 --> 01:11:28,582
and it becomes
this other thing, right?
1650
01:11:28,682 --> 01:11:30,450
And everyone enjoyed
writing for him.
1651
01:11:30,550 --> 01:11:32,719
It really--
people would just write
1652
01:11:32,819 --> 01:11:35,221
scene after scene after scene
for Q in any of those shows,
1653
01:11:35,321 --> 01:11:38,692
and many of them were too silly
or too over-the-top,
1654
01:11:38,792 --> 01:11:40,660
but you just really enjoyed it.
1655
01:11:40,760 --> 01:11:41,928
You really couldn't wait
to dig your--
1656
01:11:42,028 --> 01:11:43,797
dig into a Q episode.
1657
01:11:43,897 --> 01:11:45,799
Internally, what we said
all the time was,
1658
01:11:45,899 --> 01:11:47,133
"Q is in love with Picard."
1659
01:11:47,233 --> 01:11:48,902
That was the fundamental
of the relationship.
1660
01:11:49,002 --> 01:11:50,337
He's in love with him.
He just is.
1661
01:11:50,437 --> 01:11:51,738
He loves Picard.
1662
01:11:51,838 --> 01:11:54,541
It's a particular relationship
with this one human
1663
01:11:54,641 --> 01:11:56,543
and this omnipotent being
that's bizarre,
1664
01:11:56,643 --> 01:12:02,549
but that's really
what's at the heart of it.
1665
01:12:02,649 --> 01:12:04,651
- "Star Trek"
is so character-oriented,
1666
01:12:04,751 --> 01:12:06,820
and there were so many
great characters.
1667
01:12:06,920 --> 01:12:08,288
So many people got a chance
to shine.
1668
01:12:08,388 --> 01:12:09,823
But I think
that my favorite character
1669
01:12:09,923 --> 01:12:12,326
is "Mcskirk."
- "Mcskirk"?
1670
01:12:12,426 --> 01:12:13,360
- "Mcskirk."
1671
01:12:13,460 --> 01:12:14,694
Which is McCoy,
Scotty, and Kirk.
1672
01:12:14,794 --> 01:12:16,195
- Oh--
- 'Cause they're really one guy.
1673
01:12:16,295 --> 01:12:18,197
- I was like, "What did I miss?"
1674
01:12:18,297 --> 01:12:19,533
Mcskirk?
- I didn't see that episode.
1675
01:12:19,633 --> 01:12:21,267
- It's a transporter
malfunction.
1676
01:12:21,367 --> 01:12:22,969
- You take that--
those three--
1677
01:12:23,069 --> 01:12:24,871
those three,
it's like one guy
1678
01:12:24,971 --> 01:12:26,272
split up three ways.
1679
01:12:26,372 --> 01:12:27,674
You know, ordinarily,
if you have one person,
1680
01:12:27,774 --> 01:12:29,175
if you want to know
what's going on in their head,
1681
01:12:29,275 --> 01:12:31,445
you gotta have a voice-over
or something.
1682
01:12:31,545 --> 01:12:34,013
But with those three guys,
split up that way,
1683
01:12:34,113 --> 01:12:35,615
they could have
a conversation...
1684
01:12:35,715 --> 01:12:36,883
- Yeah.
- And it's really like one guy.
1685
01:12:36,983 --> 01:12:39,252
- I love, love, love Scotty.
1686
01:12:39,352 --> 01:12:41,688
I-I think that he's--
1687
01:12:41,788 --> 01:12:44,324
A, he's always the funnier one
of everybody.
1688
01:12:44,424 --> 01:12:47,461
He's always--I love that he's
third in command of the ship.
1689
01:12:47,561 --> 01:12:49,929
- He saw himself
equal with the captain.
1690
01:12:50,029 --> 01:12:51,765
- Oh, and he was.
- The ship was his.
1691
01:12:51,865 --> 01:12:53,567
- He was the captain
of that engine room.
1692
01:12:53,667 --> 01:12:55,068
100%.
1693
01:12:55,168 --> 01:12:57,637
- Scotty was great,
and I love how he got mad
1694
01:12:57,737 --> 01:12:59,973
and would yell at the captain
about the things he needed
1695
01:13:00,073 --> 01:13:01,274
and how he couldn't
really do it,
1696
01:13:01,374 --> 01:13:02,876
but really he could do it.
1697
01:13:02,976 --> 01:13:03,910
I just love it.
I just loved him.
1698
01:13:04,010 --> 01:13:05,178
As a kid I was just like,
1699
01:13:05,278 --> 01:13:06,713
"I don't know why
this guy's amazing,
1700
01:13:06,813 --> 01:13:08,815
but I want to be an engineer."
- I think that's a great answer.
1701
01:13:08,915 --> 01:13:10,984
- You know the techno-babble.
- Yeah.
1702
01:13:11,084 --> 01:13:12,719
- Which is so difficult...
- Yeah.
1703
01:13:12,819 --> 01:13:15,855
- For the actors
to do that stuff.
1704
01:13:15,955 --> 01:13:17,691
LeVar Burton, it didn't matter
how late it got.
1705
01:13:17,791 --> 01:13:19,158
- Oh, you kidding me?
- It could be 2:00
1706
01:13:19,258 --> 01:13:21,828
in the morning and he was just,
like, right on the money.
1707
01:13:21,928 --> 01:13:23,162
- He's--I--for some reason,
1708
01:13:23,262 --> 01:13:24,598
I can fix a warp core breach.
1709
01:13:24,698 --> 01:13:26,766
I know that I need to reroute
1710
01:13:26,866 --> 01:13:29,302
main power through
the secondary coupling
1711
01:13:29,402 --> 01:13:32,271
if there's a coolant leak.
1712
01:13:32,371 --> 01:13:33,907
Why do I know that?
1713
01:13:34,007 --> 01:13:35,709
Because of LeVar Burton.
- That's right.
1714
01:13:35,809 --> 01:13:37,444
- Uh, Worf.
- Worf!
1715
01:13:37,544 --> 01:13:38,678
- Yes.
- Really?
1716
01:13:38,778 --> 01:13:40,213
- Thank you.
- I just--for some reason I--
1717
01:13:40,313 --> 01:13:42,248
I mean, Data's the--
is really close,
1718
01:13:42,348 --> 01:13:44,418
but I just--something
about Worf I really like.
1719
01:13:44,518 --> 01:13:46,119
- What is it about him?
Is it the fact that he's
1720
01:13:46,219 --> 01:13:48,087
terrible at firing weapons?
1721
01:13:48,187 --> 01:13:50,156
He misses everything.
1722
01:13:50,256 --> 01:13:52,358
- I don't know.
- The captain--Captain Picard
1723
01:13:52,458 --> 01:13:54,728
will never take
a suggestion of his.
1724
01:13:54,828 --> 01:13:56,630
- Does that make him
more human to you?
1725
01:13:56,730 --> 01:13:58,064
- Yeah, he was--
- Because
1726
01:13:58,164 --> 01:14:00,066
it's immigrant family
raised by Russians?
1727
01:14:00,166 --> 01:14:01,401
- He drinks prune juice.
1728
01:14:01,501 --> 01:14:03,236
Come on, now,
who doesn't--who does that?
1729
01:14:03,336 --> 01:14:04,838
And he's a big warrior, so...
- Yeah?
1730
01:14:04,938 --> 01:14:06,873
- But I think, you know--
I think partly 'cause he also
1731
01:14:06,973 --> 01:14:09,142
went--he transcends
the two series.
1732
01:14:09,242 --> 01:14:11,010
You know, "The Next Gen."
and "Deep Space Nine."
1733
01:14:11,110 --> 01:14:12,979
- I gotta go with Kirk.
1734
01:14:13,079 --> 01:14:14,714
- You gotta go with Kirk.
- I mean, the original series.
1735
01:14:14,814 --> 01:14:16,516
You just--the way he just
kinda, you know,
1736
01:14:16,616 --> 01:14:17,984
sauntered around.
- Yes.
1737
01:14:18,084 --> 01:14:19,085
- You gotta love him.
1738
01:14:23,623 --> 01:14:26,025
- The Shat was the guy
I grew up on.
1739
01:14:26,125 --> 01:14:28,327
I admire Picard.
1740
01:14:28,427 --> 01:14:30,664
I love them all equally,
but...
1741
01:14:30,764 --> 01:14:33,366
uh...I think there is
no substitute
1742
01:14:33,466 --> 01:14:35,334
for Bill Shatner.
1743
01:14:35,434 --> 01:14:38,905
- Shatner's putting on
such a great persona
1744
01:14:39,005 --> 01:14:41,374
of a trustworthy captain
1745
01:14:41,474 --> 01:14:43,577
with just enough sense of humor.
1746
01:14:43,677 --> 01:14:46,212
You know?
And calm under pressure.
1747
01:14:46,312 --> 01:14:47,981
And good with the ladies.
1748
01:14:48,081 --> 01:14:49,616
Shatner had it all.
1749
01:14:49,716 --> 01:14:52,251
The way he presented that
character was just so awesome
1750
01:14:52,351 --> 01:14:54,554
and believable and theatrical
at the same time.
1751
01:14:54,654 --> 01:14:56,523
He's not a subtle guy.
1752
01:14:56,623 --> 01:14:58,825
But I just thought it was great.
1753
01:14:58,925 --> 01:15:00,560
He fought--
I think it was, like,
1754
01:15:00,660 --> 01:15:03,362
a Gorgan or whatever.
It's where he had--
1755
01:15:03,462 --> 01:15:05,732
Captain Kirk is stranded
in the desert
1756
01:15:05,832 --> 01:15:07,433
and he's got, like,
this lizard creature
1757
01:15:07,533 --> 01:15:09,102
he's gotta fight
and he's gotta learn
1758
01:15:09,202 --> 01:15:10,837
how to make, like, gunpowder
1759
01:15:10,937 --> 01:15:12,806
and projectiles
and stuff like that.
1760
01:15:12,906 --> 01:15:15,341
- Certainly the iconic,
classic scene
1761
01:15:15,441 --> 01:15:17,844
in which Spock--
or Kirk
1762
01:15:17,944 --> 01:15:19,813
confronts "God" and says,
1763
01:15:19,913 --> 01:15:22,115
"What does God
need with a starship?"
1764
01:15:22,215 --> 01:15:23,583
What other character
in the history of cinema
1765
01:15:23,683 --> 01:15:25,985
would come up to God?
Not even Charlton Heston
1766
01:15:26,085 --> 01:15:28,888
would say to God, "What do you
need with a starship?"
1767
01:15:28,988 --> 01:15:30,256
- Absolutely,
without question,
1768
01:15:30,356 --> 01:15:33,392
my favorite captain
is James T. Kirk.
1769
01:15:33,492 --> 01:15:36,329
I mean, he just--
Kirk did the right thing.
1770
01:15:36,429 --> 01:15:38,632
He said the right thing.
People looked up to him.
1771
01:15:38,732 --> 01:15:41,801
He was a man of action.
He was a man of romance.
1772
01:15:41,901 --> 01:15:45,739
And, like, I mean, as performed
by William Shatner?
1773
01:15:45,839 --> 01:15:47,674
I mean, there was a reason why
as a little kid
1774
01:15:47,774 --> 01:15:49,509
I wanted to be Captain Kirk.
1775
01:15:49,609 --> 01:15:53,547
There's a reason why as
an almost 50-year-old grown-up
1776
01:15:53,647 --> 01:15:55,448
that I still watch
the original series
1777
01:15:55,548 --> 01:15:57,651
and I still wanna be
James T. Kirk.
1778
01:15:57,751 --> 01:15:59,118
He is the best captain.
1779
01:16:01,820 --> 01:16:03,055
- The way he would
stare down
1780
01:16:03,155 --> 01:16:06,158
100-foot tall Apollo,
and with great...
1781
01:16:06,258 --> 01:16:08,460
sort of indignation:
1782
01:16:08,560 --> 01:16:11,029
"What gives you the right--"
you know,
1783
01:16:11,129 --> 01:16:15,100
to a 100-foot tall god...
1784
01:16:15,200 --> 01:16:17,435
he shouted,
"What gives you the right?"
1785
01:16:17,535 --> 01:16:19,605
When Apollo just could have...
1786
01:16:19,705 --> 01:16:21,506
done that.
1787
01:16:21,606 --> 01:16:24,810
Yeah, the sort of leadership
and the fearlessness
1788
01:16:24,910 --> 01:16:28,446
and also...my first
understanding
1789
01:16:28,546 --> 01:16:29,447
of what a...
1790
01:16:29,547 --> 01:16:30,949
you lead by example.
- Yeah.
1791
01:16:31,049 --> 01:16:32,450
- The captain's setting,
1792
01:16:32,550 --> 01:16:34,186
the fish stinks
from the head down,
1793
01:16:34,286 --> 01:16:36,755
all of those leadership
qualities
1794
01:16:36,855 --> 01:16:41,059
that hadn't been shown to me
by a family member
1795
01:16:41,159 --> 01:16:42,628
or by anyone at school,
a teacher.
1796
01:16:42,728 --> 01:16:47,666
Really, it oddly was
that leadership necessary
1797
01:16:47,766 --> 01:16:50,736
as put forth by
Captain James Tiberius Kirk.
1798
01:16:50,836 --> 01:16:53,171
- I mean, I love Captain Kirk.
However...
1799
01:16:53,271 --> 01:16:55,440
I have...
you know, I have to say
1800
01:16:55,540 --> 01:16:57,676
that I think my favorite captain
is Picard...
1801
01:16:57,776 --> 01:16:59,444
- Uh-huh.
- Because the thing is
1802
01:16:59,544 --> 01:17:01,714
Kirk is really
only 1/3rd of a guy.
1803
01:17:01,814 --> 01:17:03,381
- Oh...
- He's only 1/3rd of a guy!
1804
01:17:03,481 --> 01:17:05,283
- Interesting.
- Picard is a nice,
1805
01:17:05,383 --> 01:17:06,685
well-rounded guy.
1806
01:17:06,785 --> 01:17:08,954
And he doesn't have to
punch anybody in the face
1807
01:17:09,054 --> 01:17:10,723
to get his point across,
right?
1808
01:17:10,823 --> 01:17:11,990
- But if he has to, he can.
- Well, he can,
1809
01:17:12,090 --> 01:17:14,059
but he usually has
Riker do it or Worf.
1810
01:17:14,159 --> 01:17:16,294
Yeah, he, uh...
1811
01:17:16,394 --> 01:17:18,263
You know, for me,
in a lot of ways,
1812
01:17:18,363 --> 01:17:20,866
"Next Generation" was a...
1813
01:17:20,966 --> 01:17:22,935
"Star Trek" kind of grown up.
- Yeah.
1814
01:17:23,035 --> 01:17:24,637
- You know? And that
started with Picard.
1815
01:17:24,737 --> 01:17:26,805
- Yeah. My answer's
actually Picard too.
1816
01:17:26,905 --> 01:17:28,774
Just because I find him
to be--
1817
01:17:28,874 --> 01:17:31,143
I don't think he's the most
realistic of a captain.
1818
01:17:31,243 --> 01:17:33,211
I think that Picard
has so few flaws,
1819
01:17:33,311 --> 01:17:35,113
and he only really
finally becomes human
1820
01:17:35,213 --> 01:17:37,382
after he's a Borg
and then turned into a human.
1821
01:17:37,482 --> 01:17:38,684
You know, he really
just starts like--
1822
01:17:38,784 --> 01:17:40,819
They give him a love story
once in a while...
1823
01:17:40,919 --> 01:17:42,287
But it just--I don't know.
1824
01:17:42,387 --> 01:17:44,990
I just love--
I found Picard to be virtuous
1825
01:17:45,090 --> 01:17:47,726
and I found Picard
to be like, oh...
1826
01:17:47,826 --> 01:17:51,730
if humans could one day
turn into that guy,
1827
01:17:51,830 --> 01:17:54,032
maybe "Star Trek's" plausible.
1828
01:17:54,132 --> 01:17:55,567
But it's not gonna happen.
1829
01:17:55,667 --> 01:17:57,035
- Yeah, he's a great
representation
1830
01:17:57,135 --> 01:17:58,603
of kind of Rodenberry's vision.
- Yeah, a vision of what
1831
01:17:58,703 --> 01:17:59,872
humanity can be.
- A captain needs to be.
1832
01:17:59,972 --> 01:18:01,674
- What a captain is.
- Exactly.
1833
01:18:01,774 --> 01:18:03,175
- Yeah. Just putting every--
1834
01:18:03,275 --> 01:18:05,043
He just--I don't know.
I just always...
1835
01:18:05,143 --> 01:18:06,812
And that accent.
I mean, you can't really...
1836
01:18:06,912 --> 01:18:12,317
- Well, the accent, yeah.
- Top that voice.
1837
01:18:12,417 --> 01:18:14,352
n - The show is about
what it is to be human,
1838
01:18:14,452 --> 01:18:16,288
and that never
goes out of style.
1839
01:18:16,388 --> 01:18:18,023
And it's the type of stories
that they tell
1840
01:18:18,123 --> 01:18:20,358
that you don't generally get
in other television shows.
1841
01:18:20,458 --> 01:18:22,327
- Yeah.
- The introspective...
1842
01:18:22,427 --> 01:18:24,663
And the basis of it is
who are we...
1843
01:18:24,763 --> 01:18:26,231
who are we
as human beings?
1844
01:18:26,331 --> 01:18:28,033
- I think it's because
1845
01:18:28,133 --> 01:18:30,135
it's an optimistic
view of the future.
1846
01:18:30,235 --> 01:18:31,837
- Hope.
- Yeah. It's hope.
1847
01:18:31,937 --> 01:18:33,371
- Yeah.
- I think that's exactly
1848
01:18:33,471 --> 01:18:35,073
what it is--
it's an optimistic portrayal
1849
01:18:35,173 --> 01:18:37,142
of what we could
hopefully achieve
1850
01:18:37,242 --> 01:18:39,845
and what our society
could be like
1851
01:18:39,945 --> 01:18:41,613
and that we finally
accept each other
1852
01:18:41,713 --> 01:18:44,349
and we finally learn
to look past differences
1853
01:18:44,449 --> 01:18:45,918
and things like that.
1854
01:18:46,018 --> 01:18:48,120
And I think that we so
desperately hope
1855
01:18:48,220 --> 01:18:50,222
that we can achieve that.
1856
01:18:50,322 --> 01:18:52,891
- And it evolves, you know,
from series to series,
1857
01:18:52,991 --> 01:18:54,359
over the 50 years.
1858
01:18:54,459 --> 01:18:56,461
It may have some core values
and ideas
1859
01:18:56,561 --> 01:18:58,263
and the optimism and the hope,
1860
01:18:58,363 --> 01:19:00,398
but it evolves
with the times, too.
1861
01:19:00,498 --> 01:19:04,402
So it, you know, it--
hopefully the next reiteration
1862
01:19:04,502 --> 01:19:07,672
will fit our times today
much like, you know,
1863
01:19:07,772 --> 01:19:09,708
"The Next Gen" did
in the late '80s, early '90s
1864
01:19:09,808 --> 01:19:11,844
or "Deep Space Nine"
and "Voyager" in the '90s,
1865
01:19:11,944 --> 01:19:14,212
and, of course, the original
series back in the '60s.
1866
01:19:14,312 --> 01:19:15,680
But it's been able to evolve.
1867
01:19:15,780 --> 01:19:17,449
It hasn't been
a static kind of franchise.
1868
01:19:20,418 --> 01:19:21,418
- There's that
Martin Luther King line...
1869
01:19:23,388 --> 01:19:26,424
"The arc of history
bends toward justice."
1870
01:19:26,524 --> 01:19:28,060
I think for fans
of this show,
1871
01:19:28,160 --> 01:19:30,195
the arc of history
bends towards "Star Trek,"
1872
01:19:30,295 --> 01:19:32,630
that we have this hope,
this belief,
1873
01:19:32,730 --> 01:19:35,667
that...things
are getting better.
1874
01:19:35,767 --> 01:19:38,103
And that, yeah, we're probably
not gonna, you know,
1875
01:19:38,203 --> 01:19:40,238
run into guys
with pointed ears out there.
1876
01:19:40,338 --> 01:19:43,241
But we will find a way
1877
01:19:43,341 --> 01:19:45,710
to fix our problems
1878
01:19:45,810 --> 01:19:48,346
and move out into the universe
1879
01:19:48,446 --> 01:19:50,515
and believe in, you know,
the...
1880
01:19:50,615 --> 01:19:52,985
you know, the better angels
of our nature
1881
01:19:53,085 --> 01:19:55,888
and...and make the world
a better place.
1882
01:19:55,988 --> 01:19:59,257
- One thing about "Star Trek"
that I've said before
1883
01:19:59,357 --> 01:20:00,993
and I really believe it
1884
01:20:01,093 --> 01:20:05,563
is it was the Beatles
of 1960s TV.
1885
01:20:05,663 --> 01:20:07,665
And if you had to describe
the Beatles,
1886
01:20:07,765 --> 01:20:09,234
you would say it's magic.
1887
01:20:09,334 --> 01:20:11,369
And take any one of them
out of that band,
1888
01:20:11,469 --> 01:20:13,238
and it's not the Beatles.
1889
01:20:13,338 --> 01:20:15,507
Well, "Star Trek's"
the same way
1890
01:20:15,607 --> 01:20:16,875
from the same period.
1891
01:20:16,975 --> 01:20:19,144
I mean,
take William Shatner out.
1892
01:20:19,244 --> 01:20:20,645
Take Leonard Nimoy out.
1893
01:20:20,745 --> 01:20:23,015
Take Rodenberry or Coon
or Fontana out
1894
01:20:23,115 --> 01:20:25,683
or Deforest Kelley,
and you don't have it.
1895
01:20:25,783 --> 01:20:27,319
It's still gonna be good,
1896
01:20:27,419 --> 01:20:29,687
but it's not gonna be
what it is,
1897
01:20:29,787 --> 01:20:32,858
and we wouldn't have
what we have now 15 years later.
1898
01:20:32,958 --> 01:20:35,327
- I think there's a lot of
reasons why it endures so long.
1899
01:20:35,427 --> 01:20:38,230
You know, I think, um...
1900
01:20:38,330 --> 01:20:39,764
I think the biggest thing
to me,
1901
01:20:39,864 --> 01:20:41,900
in terms of its longevity
and success,
1902
01:20:42,000 --> 01:20:46,271
is that it is unique in that
its portrayal of the future,
1903
01:20:46,371 --> 01:20:48,807
the optimistic portrayal
of the future,
1904
01:20:48,907 --> 01:20:51,209
does kind of stand alone
in pop culture.
1905
01:20:51,309 --> 01:20:53,145
The vast majority
of science fiction pieces
1906
01:20:53,245 --> 01:20:54,813
that take place in the future,
you know,
1907
01:20:54,913 --> 01:20:57,749
show us a dystopian future,
a terrible future.
1908
01:20:57,849 --> 01:21:00,618
Here's the only real
science fiction construct
1909
01:21:00,718 --> 01:21:02,654
that I wanna go live in,
you know,
1910
01:21:02,754 --> 01:21:04,089
that I want to be part of.
1911
01:21:04,189 --> 01:21:07,325
I want to join that crew.
I want to live that life.
1912
01:21:07,425 --> 01:21:09,928
I want to have those adventures
with those people.
1913
01:21:10,028 --> 01:21:13,665
- "Star Trek" has something to
say about who we are as people,
1914
01:21:13,765 --> 01:21:15,834
who we aspire to be,
1915
01:21:15,934 --> 01:21:19,437
and it says that
we will endure.
1916
01:21:19,537 --> 01:21:21,473
We will overcome
all obstacles.
1917
01:21:21,573 --> 01:21:23,508
- I think "Star Trek"
will be around
1918
01:21:23,608 --> 01:21:25,510
for a long, long time
1919
01:21:25,610 --> 01:21:28,246
because it's a unique
piece of science fiction
1920
01:21:28,346 --> 01:21:31,049
in that it's optimistic.
1921
01:21:31,149 --> 01:21:32,317
"Star Trek" is optimistic.
1922
01:21:32,417 --> 01:21:34,319
It holds out the hope
1923
01:21:34,419 --> 01:21:37,822
not that humans are gonna be
somehow perfect in the future
1924
01:21:37,922 --> 01:21:39,324
but things can get better.
1925
01:21:39,424 --> 01:21:41,026
- I think "Star Trek" succeeded
1926
01:21:41,126 --> 01:21:43,996
because a number of elements
fell into place.
1927
01:21:44,096 --> 01:21:47,099
They had a great overall story.
1928
01:21:47,199 --> 01:21:51,703
They're modern-day pioneers
where no man has gone before.
1929
01:21:51,803 --> 01:21:53,671
So it could be the Wild West.
1930
01:21:53,771 --> 01:21:57,275
It's the Wild West in space,
really, led by a great captain
1931
01:21:57,375 --> 01:21:59,144
and an incredible team.
1932
01:21:59,244 --> 01:22:02,047
- And I think it's gone on
for 50 years so far
1933
01:22:02,147 --> 01:22:06,150
because it is a show about
human interest
1934
01:22:06,250 --> 01:22:09,620
and adventure
and how far we will go
1935
01:22:09,720 --> 01:22:13,357
to try to learn more
and to expand our own worlds
1936
01:22:13,457 --> 01:22:14,725
and our own minds.
1937
01:22:14,825 --> 01:22:16,660
And I think that's something
that resonates
1938
01:22:16,760 --> 01:22:18,195
with people 50 years ago,
1939
01:22:18,295 --> 01:22:20,864
and it'll resonate with people
50 years from now.
1940
01:22:20,964 --> 01:22:25,236
- And now, of course, J.J. has
taken it to a whole other place.
1941
01:22:25,336 --> 01:22:27,304
- Why "Star Trek"
is still relevant
1942
01:22:27,404 --> 01:22:30,574
is because of the paradigm that
Gene Rodenberry came up with,
1943
01:22:30,674 --> 01:22:33,177
the idea of unity,
of humanity--
1944
01:22:33,277 --> 01:22:36,480
and other species, actually--
working together.
1945
01:22:36,580 --> 01:22:38,215
There's an optimism to it
1946
01:22:38,315 --> 01:22:40,617
that I think we've never needed
more than now.
1947
01:22:40,717 --> 01:22:43,054
- Well, it starts with
the characters, you know.
1948
01:22:43,154 --> 01:22:44,555
I love the ensemble.
1949
01:22:44,655 --> 01:22:46,023
I love the idea that, you know,
1950
01:22:46,123 --> 01:22:47,424
this group of people
came together
1951
01:22:47,524 --> 01:22:50,294
and through the shared journey,
they become a family.
1952
01:22:50,394 --> 01:22:52,563
The sense of family
that goes beyond blood.
1953
01:22:52,663 --> 01:22:55,499
And I also love every night
there's a sense of discovery
1954
01:22:55,599 --> 01:22:57,101
and exploration, you know,
1955
01:22:57,201 --> 01:22:59,570
and that, to me, is the DNA
of "Star Trek."
1956
01:22:59,670 --> 01:23:01,973
- You know, I think
"Star Trek's" enduring appeal
1957
01:23:02,073 --> 01:23:05,042
is really because it presents
a vision of humanity
1958
01:23:05,142 --> 01:23:08,012
that is united and, particularly
in this day and age,
1959
01:23:08,112 --> 01:23:10,581
it's wonderful to have
kind of a beacon of morality
1960
01:23:10,681 --> 01:23:14,051
to see that, you know,
maybe the dystopian future
1961
01:23:14,151 --> 01:23:16,753
that you see in a lot of movies
like the "Mad Max" movies
1962
01:23:16,853 --> 01:23:19,490
and the "Blade Runner" movies
is not gonna be our future.
1963
01:23:19,590 --> 01:23:21,058
- Collectivism versus
separatism,
1964
01:23:21,158 --> 01:23:23,494
which is a big thing
in today's society, you know.
1965
01:23:23,594 --> 01:23:25,629
About how we're better
together.
1966
01:23:25,729 --> 01:23:27,764
And that was something
that we felt obligated to do.
1967
01:23:27,864 --> 01:23:29,100
This is "Star Trek."
1968
01:23:29,200 --> 01:23:31,002
"Star Trek" has always spoken
about who we are now.
1969
01:23:31,102 --> 01:23:33,770
- And now it's, I guess,
coming back on another network.
1970
01:23:33,870 --> 01:23:36,440
You know I'ma try to get on
there, you know, just to see.
1971
01:23:36,540 --> 01:23:40,611
Because I try--You know, Guinan
is everywhere all the time.
1972
01:23:40,711 --> 01:23:43,580
- A majority of the "Star Trek"
fans that I've met
1973
01:23:43,680 --> 01:23:45,216
are proactive
1974
01:23:45,316 --> 01:23:48,719
in making that vision of
a better future a reality.
1975
01:23:48,819 --> 01:23:51,989
- The "Star Trek" fans
are the most unique people
1976
01:23:52,089 --> 01:23:53,590
you've ever met.
1977
01:23:53,690 --> 01:23:56,160
They know your character.
1978
01:23:56,260 --> 01:24:00,031
They know every episode
and what it meant
1979
01:24:00,131 --> 01:24:02,066
and how it affected them.
1980
01:24:02,166 --> 01:24:03,967
- If I were given the choice
1981
01:24:04,067 --> 01:24:07,538
of any character ever portrayed
on television--
1982
01:24:07,638 --> 01:24:08,939
that I could play
any character I wanted--
1983
01:24:09,039 --> 01:24:10,541
I would choose Spock.
1984
01:24:10,641 --> 01:24:12,809
- Well, people identified
with us.
1985
01:24:12,909 --> 01:24:16,013
They identified with
"Star Trek,"
1986
01:24:16,113 --> 01:24:18,982
they identified
with the characters.
1987
01:24:19,082 --> 01:24:21,485
They were dressing
in their own uniforms
1988
01:24:21,585 --> 01:24:23,054
and their own costumes.
1989
01:24:23,154 --> 01:24:25,922
- It resonated with
that group of people
1990
01:24:26,022 --> 01:24:27,891
that were kids, you know,
1991
01:24:27,991 --> 01:24:30,227
and now they're young adults.
1992
01:24:30,327 --> 01:24:32,296
- "Star Trek"
created an umbrella
1993
01:24:32,396 --> 01:24:34,965
for everybody else.
1994
01:24:35,065 --> 01:24:38,369
And then once we got in
under the shade,
1995
01:24:38,469 --> 01:24:41,238
we then said, "Oh, come.
Come and join us."
1996
01:24:41,338 --> 01:24:44,141
That's what "Star Trek" did.
1997
01:24:44,241 --> 01:24:47,311
And that tent
will continue to grow.
1998
01:24:47,411 --> 01:24:49,080
- And it's now 30 years later
for our show,
1999
01:24:49,180 --> 01:24:50,481
when I'm talking to you,
2000
01:24:50,581 --> 01:24:54,151
50 years for the original show,
and, I mean,
2001
01:24:54,251 --> 01:24:57,321
it goes in waves,
but people are still
2002
01:24:57,421 --> 01:24:59,956
attached to, committed to,
2003
01:25:00,056 --> 01:25:02,793
affected by, interested in
2004
01:25:02,893 --> 01:25:04,928
this thing that Gene invented,
2005
01:25:05,028 --> 01:25:07,128
and I was blessed enough
to be part of.
2006
01:25:07,609 --> 01:25:08,609
-- English --
160126
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