"An Ode to Star Trek"

Yes, after months of speculation, the news is official. UPN has announced today that the fifth STAR TREK television series (aka, "Enterprise") will not continue beyond this fourth season. They have decided to cancel the show and put the franchise to rest. The series finale will air on Friday, May 13, 2005.

This is sad news for Star Trek. Sad news indeed.

Sad news for me too, a life-long fan of Star Trek. Call me a nerd, Trekkie, nut, you can use whatever term you want. It would probably be applicable in some way. But I can't help it. I grew up on Star Trek. I chose to grow up on Star Trek. It presented a future of adventure, time-travel, space exploration, and unique characters. It presented me with a universe to dream in. And being a creative kid from birth, I did a lot of dreaming! :P

I became a huge fan of the franchise starting with the adventures of Picard and company in The Next Generation. I watched many of the Classic Kirk episodes (which had originally been before my time). I religiously tuned into Deep Space Nine, easily making it my favorite Trek series, and I enjoyed Voyager (despite it's often questionable continuity). Enterprise has been no different. Continuity or not, Trek is in my blood. And that's something you can't put a price on.

As I was growing up, I could often be found drawing dozens of designs for starships, aliens, alien worlds, and unique future technology. I greatly enjoyed my visits to the local Star Trek conventions with my father. Those were probably even some of my greatest childhood memories. I adored seeking autographs and conversation from the stars, building a few of my own Trek collections, and from time-to-time enjoying the occasional roleplaying event in the tradition of the Original series. Those were good times. Great memories. Heck, I even had the serious childhood dream of one day working professionally behind the scenes. I longed to thoroughly drown myself in the artistic aspects of production, such as painting mattes, building models, dressing the sets, etc. That stuff intruiged me then, it still has a hold on me today.

More recently, though, now that I am pursuing a career in acting, that artist's dream has become an actor's dream. Odd as it may sound, I've dreamt of earning a role on the series someday. Maybe even a walk-on role as a Starfleet crewman. He wouldn't have had to say anything. No, he'd just be there -- forevermore part of one man's unique vision of a possible science fiction future. A vision that I couldn't help but make my own.

But, unfortunately, all good things must come to an end -- even if prematurely. It's just sad to see ratings and money be the reason. Those Trek dreams of mine, they may never come to fruition. The franchise has been put to rest. It seems to be over. For how long? Well, unless something happens, years at best. I'm going to miss my regular sci-fi universe, and I'm going to miss looking forward to the next week's adventure.

But it's been a good run over these nearly twenty years. Even through the ups and downs. As far as I'm concerned, the Trek franchise may cease it's run on television, but it's still going on in my dreams. I'll still keep blazing a path into the unknown through the successful Star Trek online roleplaying game I maintain. And my creative ideas will still find their way through my art onto paper. I'm a Star Trek fan for life, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

So, here's to all those in production who have worked hard to preserve that adventurous future dreamed up by Gene Roddenbury. Here's to all the fellow fans like myself who grew up making it their own. And here's to eighteen years of a science fiction universe that has made such an impact on the lives of so many dreamers.

Here's to Star Trek. May she continue to live on in the hearts of those who have truely made her what she is today. May [entertainment] history never forget the name, Enterprise.

"Star Trek: Enterprise Cancelled!"

"An Enterprise Lost"

God's blessings to all on a new day. Until then,

Your happily blogging friend,
-Jon
posted by Jon at 11:19 PM  I   I  0 comments