Actually TMP is a TOS script. (The Changeling - Same story, super powerful ancient earth probe returns, meets the enterprise, looking for its creator). Incidently this was the third time Roddenberry used that plot. He wrote a pilot for a series called the Questor Tapes, who was about the exact same premise - a robot with damaged memories looking for its creator.
But yeah. most of the TMP budget was blown on the Enterprise special effects. A second special effect firm had to be hired, coz the first firm was taxed out making the Enterprise shots and their other projects. The special effects were finished (depending on who you ask) either mere days or even hours before the premiere.
The film was assembled so late they never had time to make a sneak preview or test viewing. A common rumor is that the director literally carried the reel from the editing room straight to the premiere himself - probably explaining the movie's terrible pacing. And remember that TMP was a guiness world record holder for most expensive movie (Since it included costs for Phase II sets, props and costumes).
But yeah, a huge chunk of the budget went into the Enterprise, and that's why it still looks good to this day. They paid good money for it. Lots of it.
edited 28th May '11 3:29:08 AM by Ghilz
Does anyone know how those god-awful TMP uniforms came to be? They make TNG Season 1/2 look like TNG movie/Late DS 9 uniforms by comparison.
The TMP story was expanded from the original Phase II pilot scipt, it has plenty of similarities to "The Changeling" but Trek is known for using a Recycled Script from time to time. As for the TMP uniforms, I would say visually they are a step above the early TNG uniforms just by virtue of looking like a uniform rather than a jumpsuit. That doesn't mean they aren't rather ridiculous, they were overcomplicated designs that never looked comfortable. Of course, compared to the maroon jackets all the other uniform designs look rather ridiculous.
If I was to rate the uniforms I would go: maroon jackets (TOS II-VI movies), black with grey shoulders and colored turtlenecks (TNG FC and late DS 9), colored shoulders with grey undershirt (Early DS 9 and VOY), purple jumpsuit with colored division stripes (ENT), colored shirts and black pants (TOS and 2009 film), two-piece colored chest with collar (TNG season 3-7), pastel jumpsuits (TMP), crew neck with colored chest (TNG Season 1-2).
Looking over that, I think I rated them based on how well they look like a uniform and not Space Clothes. I'm kind of torn with the ENT uniforms because I don't really like the purple color or the jumpsuit, but change the base color and make it two-pieces I think it would rival the maroon jackets design-wise.
edited 28th May '11 12:44:20 PM by KJMackley
The ENT uniforms look like the kind of thing astronauts would wear. The show wasn't great, but I always liked that.
And it really does amaze me how little like a military Starfleet is. Just watched "Coming of Age" and I could swear Wesley was trying to enter a prestigious university, not a military academy.
It's not over. Not yet.The only thing about Star Trek that I find totally unrealistic, and downright hypocritical, is the notion that "money doesn't exist". This really pisses me off as an economics major. I could, no pun intended, buy that there's no physical currency, like some sort of credit system in play, but no money at all is complete BS.
In Star Trek IV, Gillian asks Kirk if they've got money in the future, to that Kirk says "Well, we don't...", and somehow, the writers took that to mean "No money at all".
edited 29th May '11 9:24:48 PM by Premonition45
It goes back and forth. Some episodes money is non-existent, in other episodes credits are used, in others gold-pressed latinum.
In ref to ST IV, in ST VI Scotty has bought a boat.
It is very much Depending on the Writer.
edited 29th May '11 9:27:15 PM by Medicus
It's not over. Not yet.Getting back to the uniforms, I think Star Trek II and Star Trek VI, and perhaps Star Trek, have been the only times where Starfleet is really depicted as a realistic military body.
edited 29th May '11 9:35:30 PM by Premonition45
Well to be fair, Starfleet is a stricly non-military organization that focuses almost all of its efforts on exploration, discovery and the like and which only in times of complete desperation (borg invasions, cardassian war, Star wars/ Star trek crossovers)is forced to actually fight. I mean, come on. At points during DS 9, large-scale ground battles were between a battalion of Red Shirts with handphasers versus the world. Contrast with Enterprise, where the ship keeps a compliment of around 100 or so Marines on board at all times.
This wiki really needs a preview button for posts
edited 30th May '11 3:19:18 AM by theobviouscaptain
Я очень радThey have money in the future, but humans/Federation-ites don't bother using it because they prefer acting out of the goodness of their own hearts.
It doesn't seem any more ridiculous to me than perpetual world peace or a happy coalition of alien planets, or the ship's counselor having a seat on the bridge for that matter.
Except [condescending response follows]. Because [sarcasm here]. You do understand [snark], right? POTHOLE TO SARCASM MODE
Respect the Red Right Hand
I think it wasn't until the first season of TNG that they officially established the no-money future of at least Earth, in the episode with the frozen 20th century humans being brought back to life and one of them rambling on about how big his trust fund must be. Of course this is expressly inter-Earth currency and not about resources to trade or some form of money to trade with other people. Gold Pressed Latinum is apparently so valuable because it is either impossible to replicate or extremely difficult to replicate a pure form.
I believe the TOS production notes mentioned that the Enterprise did have a team of combat ready "Marines" but was never implimented in the show, probably due to budget and Roddenberry always fighting the network over the action quotient of the show (that's the reason so many episodes ended with Kirk in a fistfight despite being relatively cerebral in nature). The series was conceived as one of exploration and not strictly military. But one of the more interesting parts of Enterprise's third season was the conflict between Major Hayes (commander of the MACO's) and Reed, as well as just showing the MACO's efficiency in combat situations compared to anything we've seen in other series.
Money-free future... I didn't actually realize up until that scene from SF:FC where Picard explains. And I call myself a Trekkie
MACO... you're referring to the space marines the Enterprise carried, yes? Sorry, I never really cought the name ine the very few episodes of Enterprise I watched.
Я очень радI've seen some interesting ideas about how the Federation works politically. Personally I think that in TNG Earth is a socialist planet. Everyone is guaranteed food, clothing, housing, an internet connection, and a basic education. If you don't want to do anything you don't have to. If you want to spend your life in your apartment on the couch watching netflix you can. However if you want to better yourself, get disposable income, etc. you can go out and get a job or donate your time to a research program or something like that.
Doesn't work perfectly but it does get you to the point where you can have explanations like "no money," and "work to better ourselves" with the fact that in the pilot you have an example of one of the crewmembers buying something. In the pilot.
"Tyyr's a necessary evil. " SpiritThe Federation does seem to have both a minimum standard of living which is enough for a low-middle class lifestyle (house, transportation, education, basic needs covered, perhaps some luxury goods) and private enterprise for those who are: either not satisfied by the forementioned system or desire freedom to pursue their own goals and aspirations. So "no money" is correct in that you don't need it but there is still some importance in it.
Think Of The Ewoks.....Just because the Federation doesn't believe in money doesn't mean that no other society does. The Klingons, the Ferengi, the Cardassians, etc. use money. On Deep Space Nine the Federation are surrounded by money-using-societies, so some form of scrip is implemented for the Starfleet folks.
If you live on a Federation world and never do business with other cultures, you don't use money.
But if you're not motivated by the acquisition of material wealth then why do Starfleet personel need any money at all. Just appreciate how nice that tapestry looks and move on. Instead Beverly bought the thing. So if you work in Starfleet you do get money and you can buy goods other people can't? Then there's the problem that this supposed moneyless society is confined to humans and not the whole of the Federation.
Accepting the whole "no money," concept at it's most literal possible interpretation doesn't work. Hence my socialist idea. You don't technically need money as everything you need to survive is provided to you by the government. Y Ou don't work because you have to, you work because you want to.
"Tyyr's a necessary evil. " SpiritWhich is possibly the most bullshit idea I've ever heard of.
Gordon Gekko was right, Greed Is Good, if it didn't exist we'd still be subsistence farmers. Almost every major technological advance made in the last two centuries was based around the idea it might net the inventor a profit.
It's not over. Not yet.
Even the invention warp drive was the product of greed!
But then humanity evolved, and were no longer motivated by getting islands full of naked women.
In the post-scarcity world of Star Trek, no one has to work, and there are enough islands of naked women for everyone to have their own — if they wanted them — which they don't anyway.
Except [condescending response follows]. Because [sarcasm here]. You do understand [snark], right? POTHOLE TO SARCASM MODE

Considering they blew their budget on it, I frikkin hope so!