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Michael Piller, Trek Writer, has Passed Away...

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Michael Piller, Trek Writer, has Passed Away...

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Old 11-01-05, 02:03 PM
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Michael Piller, Trek Writer, has Passed Away...

I've got word that Michael Piller has died. Here is the news link here: http://trekweb.com/articles/2005/11/01/436796b6736bd.shtml

He was suffering from cancer and was taken away from us at the early age of 57.

Last edited by Cancer Man; 11-01-05 at 02:20 PM.
Old 11-01-05, 02:08 PM
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Woah.

Old 11-01-05, 02:15 PM
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Wow. That's totally out of the blue.

Sad, sad news.
Old 11-01-05, 02:39 PM
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That's very sad. He's not my favorite writer, but I've often felt that his influence was very positive, and with perhaps the exception of DS9, shows tended to be better when he was involved. I'm glad he lived long enough to see his son marry. I wonder where Shawn's career will go from here.

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Old 11-01-05, 04:40 PM
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Originally Posted by das Monkey
That's very sad. He's not my favorite writer, but I've often felt that his influence was very positive, and with perhaps the exception of DS9, shows tended to be better when he was involved. I'm glad he lived long enough to see his son marry. I wonder where Shawn's career will go from here.

das
It is sad.

I had to ask why didn't you think his involvement in DS9 improved that show? I certainly think it did.
Old 11-01-05, 05:01 PM
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According to Aint-it-Cool news, he created DS9. But you guys are just saying he 'improved' the show...Who is right, who is wrong?
Old 11-01-05, 06:22 PM
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A Great Writer and turned TNG into something special.
Old 11-01-05, 08:43 PM
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Whew. At least we have Berman & Braga to carry on the ST legacy.

Old 11-01-05, 09:56 PM
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Originally Posted by Seantn
According to Aint-it-Cool news, he created DS9. But you guys are just saying he 'improved' the show...Who is right, who is wrong?
Well, anyone who has actually seen an episode of DS9 would see that in the opening titles, it says at the end:
Created By
Rick Berman & Michael Piller.

Read into that however you want...

Definetly a great Trek writer....
Old 11-02-05, 04:31 AM
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Forget TREK...the real loss here is that Piller was one of the executive producers on THE DEAD ZONE. He was one of the main reasons that series has been so good - and perhaps one of the reasons it was so weak last season...he wasn't involved as much. His son, Shawn Piller, who was co-executive producer with his father and helped develop the show is still on the series as far as I know.

From all I know about him, he was a great guy and a really good writer. There's some worthwhile behind the scenes interviews with him on THE DEAD ZONE DVDs, if anyone wants to check them out...
Old 11-02-05, 08:44 AM
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calhoun07

I had to ask why didn't you think his involvement in DS9 improved that show? I certainly think it did.
Nothing against Piller, but he created it and then left to create Voyager (which was definitely better with him than without). I don't think it's a causal relationship, but the simple fact is that DS9 got better after he left. There are countless reasons for that, independent of his writing talents, but I can't very well make the statement "shows tended to be better when he was involved" unless I note the one major exception. It's not a criticism of him, just the reality of what happened. And I didn't say his involvement didn't improve it, just that it wasn't an example of a show that was better with him than without.

das
Old 11-02-05, 10:43 AM
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He gave Buffy writer Jane Espenson her big break by letting outside admissions come through, all in all, he was good for tv.

RIP
Old 11-02-05, 11:21 AM
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I just found out and came here to find this thread. Very sad and surprising news. I picked up "The Dead Zone" based on his involvement (and Nicole deBoer being in it too ) as I loved "Deep Space Nine".
Old 11-02-05, 11:39 AM
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It's too bad. From the few instances running into and talking with him at the Trek offices, he was very personable and had a vast amount of knowledge. While it was cool to pal around with Braga and be mentored by Jeri Taylor, it was always nice to interact with Michael. At that time he wasn't touching Voyager too much and was working on Legend.
Old 11-02-05, 11:55 AM
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Fuck.

For those who did not know, and no one would since I never really discussed it, Michael Piller was my cousin. He was my mother's first cousin and my second cousin.

Michael has actually been ill for a very long time and while I had been hearing for some time that he was close to death, unfortunately this thread is the one to actually inform me that he died today. He did not want a lot of people to visit him as the end neared. News was sporadic, especially for the last few months. I just called my mom to let her know.

Michael was a great person who cared deeply about Trek, even though he was not initially a Trek fan before joining the show. He cared deeply about the shows he created and worked on as well as the people he worked with.

He was far too young to die. This sucks terribly.

I will miss him.

Last edited by sherm42; 11-02-05 at 12:03 PM.
Old 11-02-05, 12:15 PM
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Originally Posted by sherm42
For those who did not know, and no one would since I never really discussed it, Michael Piller was my cousin. He was my mother's first cousin and my second cousin.
My sympathies to your family.

But that makes him your first cousin, once removed - not a second cousin. His children are your second cousins.
Old 11-02-05, 01:04 PM
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Very sad.
Had does a writer go from great writing in Best of Both Worlds to the abysmal Insurrection?
Old 11-02-05, 04:18 PM
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Just got back from the funeral. It was a sad affair, but he had many people who loved him in the family and in the industry.
Old 11-02-05, 04:50 PM
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Originally Posted by sherm42
Just got back from the funeral. It was a sad affair, but he had many people who loved him in the family and in the industry.
Damn, you learned about it here on the same day as the funeral? Glad you were able to make it.
Old 11-02-05, 04:52 PM
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Me too. My mom got the e-mail yesterday, but was out of town. I learned of the funer 45 minutes before it started. I had just enough time to get there.

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