One Word

[alan_cx]

Firstly: Hello.

I was reading an article about JJ Abrams doing a StarTrek movie:

http://trekweb.com/articles/2006/08/...-Trek-XI.shtml

I got to the second sentence and stopped dead upon reading one word:
'Reboot'

Correct me if im wrong but wasnt that the specific word JMS used to describe his StarTrek treatment? Is it not an odd word to use now? Never heard it used before in that context appart from JMS' use of it.

Are we back at the beginning of a familiar circle?

[NotSoWize]

It seems that "reboot" is a common term in the comics industry, so that may be where the similarity begins and ends. It seems to be used whenever an established character/franchise is redone by a new writer who starts at the beginning and changes just about everything that they want to change. I am not much of a comic book reader, so someone else would probably have a much more solid definition than I do.

At the same time, since the movie seems to be based on Kirk and Spock's first meeting and it features new actors in those roles, anyone with a suspicious mind can certainly wonder if JMS/BZ's treatment of ST:Rebooted had anything to do with this direction. If the movie leads to a new series that features the classic trek characters played by new actors, then it would be really interesting to hear JMS/BZ's reaction. In any case, I'm sure that I have read some response from JMS to the new trek movie and he didn't seem to have any problem with it.

Finally, Paramount would have to be unbelievably dumb (even for Hollywood!) to do anything that even looks like it could have been plagiarized from known writers in the SF/TV field.

[SmileOfTheShadow]

Yeeeeah...I've been following this and I think the new reboot is verrrry coincidental to the JMS treatment. Kinda like DS9 was verrrrry coincidental to B5. But JMS did just give them that out of his goodwill, and so it's nice to see that they took him under advisement, perhaps. I am a little grumpy at them plagerizing him over and over though. And I'd much rather see JMS at the helm of Trek, even though he seems to be quite busy right now

[Jan]

I don't think it's any kind of plagiarizing at all, just using a common term. There's been talk about going back to the beginning of the series on and off for years now.

Also, remember that Paramount *refused* to see the treatment that JMS and Mr. Zaibel did...so as not to upset the (then) current Powers that Be (Were?) so it's only a couple of months ago that Mr. Zaibel posted the treatment on his blog that they would have seen it.

Jan

[SmileOfTheShadow]

Good point. I just don't like JMS gettin' turned down on something that looks just like what's going on now.

[alan_cx]

You are of correct Jan, I know that. But what I hadnt heard was the specific term 'reboot' being used in connection with ST untill after the treatment was published.

I dont do comics (unless the I have to to complete the story) so I have never come across the connection there. Yeah, JMS has that connection, but Im not aware of JJA or the current ST mob having that natural connection.

Sorry I still find it odd that a month or so after the publication of the treatment called a 'Reboot', all of a sudden the word is used by the current ST project. Im not saying they plagerised the work necessarly, for all we know JMS and Mr. Zaibel have done a minor deal, and parts of thier effor may be used but they have to keep thier claim quite.

Maybe thats why the treatment was published in the first place.






Come on Scully, lets go............

[Jan]

There's actually a funny story about the posting of the treatment that JMS told at Heroes Con. JMS said that there's what he *heard* Bryce say to him about posting the treatment and then there's what Bryce says he actually said.

It seems that when Bryce wanted to post the treatment, he gave JMS a call to discuss it. What JMS heard was: I want to talk about the treatment in my blog. What Bryce says he said was: I want to post the treatment in my blog.

JMS wasn't overly happy with the treatment being published online but once it was up, it was up. So I doubt if there's any secret deal we don't know about. Anyway, just because it's been posted doesn't make it any less copyrighted to JMS and Mr. Zaibel.

BTW, welcome aboard, Alan!
Jan

[alan_cx]

Ah, I see you are thinking along the same lines as me:

Bryce got paid, JMS did not !!!

[AmyG]

That's "Zabel," all. Z-A-B-E-L.

Amy, bringing good nitpicks to light

[Donald]

I don't particularly find a reboot appealing.

[alan_cx]

I don't particularly find a reboot appealing.

On one had I was supprised that JMS didnt have an origional idea and went for the BSG style re imagining.

On the other hand I would have watched it.

[Jan]

I would've loved to see the dynamics between Kirk/Spock/McCoy as written by JMS.

Jan

[alan_cx]

I would've loved to see the dynamics between Kirk/Spock/McCoy as written by JMS.

Jan

For me the draw would be a properly arced Trek. It was the big grand story that hooked me to B5.

An Aside:
Jan, can you help me out here? And please, trust me I am not being sarcastic, this is an honest, straight question. Im asking you because you seem capable of answering!!!!!!!

You used the word 'dynamics' . This is a word that comes up over and over again, in art, business, science, economics, etc, but I honestly dont completely know what it means. Probably because it is often used as a sort of smokescreen. I know what it means in my field, but never quite understood its wider use.

Now , I cant (and dont) expect you to answer for the other uses of the word, but what do you mean by it in your context.

Thanks in advance.

[AmyG]

Since Jan's winging her way to WorldCon right now, I'll try to offer what I assume she meant. In the context of relationships -- such as that among Kirk, Spock, and McCoy -- "dynamics" means "the forces or properties that stimulate growth, development or change within a system or process." That's straight out of the dictionary. So I think Jan is saying that there would likely be a lot of 'motion,' or maybe more catalysing behavior, development, change, etc. among those three if written by JMS. Hope that helps.

[Jan]

Thanks Amy. That's basically it, Alan. Simply stated, the relationships between those three characters was incredibly well done in the original. You knew, without anybody saying a word, that they'd all three go through hell for each other, even though one would snipe or the others would tease each other on a day-to-day basis. There was a bond of deep friendship there that is seldom seen on TV, then or now.

I tend to think of 'dynamics' when it comes to relationships as being the underlying basis of the way people relate. As Amy said, that can include growth and change and even break-ups (like Sheridan and Garibaldi, for instance). So what I'd've enjoyed seeing is those already complex characters as written by JMS. I think we can assume that they'd've boldly gone where those characters had never gone before.

(Answer to your aside: I pretty much always treat questions seriously, Alan. In fact, without emoticons, usually somebody has to come and club me on the head to let me know that somebody's being sarcastic.)

Jan