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And the new head of Enterprise is....
Manny Coto, writer for the show and creator of Odyssey 5.
http://cinescape.com/0/editorial.asp...5&obj_id=41801 |
An interesting renewal tidbit:
UPN renewed Star Trek: Enterprise because Paramount TV substantially dropped the price per episode, a new report has claimed. Next week's TV Guide, dated June 20th - 26th, has printed that according to sources, the real reason UPN renewed Enterprise was that Paramount offered to drop the price of each episode of the series from $1.7 million to $800,000. Reporter Stephen Battaglio called it "an offer [UPN] couldn’t refuse." With UPN aiming for a female demographic, putting America's Top Model on Wednesday night along with new drama Kevin Hill, there was no room for Enterprise in its former time slot, which put it in competition with the more successful genre series Smallville on the WB as well as with ratings powerhouse American Idol. Paramount argued that UPN could afford to air a reduced-price Enterprise on Friday nights, when the network's ratings have been dismal. It has long been known that Paramount strongly desired a fourth season for syndication rights, which become far more lucrative for a series that has produced nearly 100 episodes. Paramount will make up some of its lost revenue on a syndication deal, and more on merchandise sold to Star Trek fans. "While only Trekkers would care if the show was canceled, Paramount knows it pays to keep them happy because Trekkers buy a lot of merchandise," wrote Battaglio. "Star Trek video games, books, dolls and other collectibles ring up about $200 million a year in retail sales, bringing in royalties of $20 million to Paramount." "It’s important to have fresh Trek product lines," Marty Brochstein of The Licensing Letter told TV Guide. "There are still a lot of die hard fans. And they want more." |
So with the slashing of the price, will we be seeing 60s-style props? ;)
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OK question: Paramont produces Star Trek. Enterprise airs on UPN, a Paramont owned channel. Why should he producers bother to drop the price. If Paramont wants a 4th season, how would anyting keep it form the air? They own the friggin channel, they can put whatever they want on it. If they want to air shows about rotting garbage, they can put it on.
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It's the difference between "hard" and "soft" dollars. While you're right, the money basically stays in the company... the difference is that if UPN has to pay less of it's budgeted money for the series, it makes it's particular bottom line look better.
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Originally posted by Red Dog So with the slashing of the price, will we be seeing 60s-style props? ;) |
Originally posted by Shannon Nutt and/or stories that take place in dark tunnels and caves (don't have to pay set design for all the detail). So in other words, they'll just be re-running S1. |
Sort of what happened to the old origional series..
I expect a "T-Pol's Brain" episode next season. :( |
Originally posted by General Zod I expect a "T-Pol's Brain" episode next season. :( I'd prefer a "T-Pol's Breasts" episode myself. |
So Enterprise is, in essence, a weekly hour long entermercial. Knowing all UPN sees in this series is 200 million dollars helps me to know they willl treat it with respect.
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Originally posted by calhoun07 So Enterprise is, in essence, a weekly hour long entermercial. Knowing all UPN sees in this series is 200 million dollars helps me to know they willl treat it with respect. |
The only drawback to Coto is that he's a time-travel junkie too. I'm not complaining, though, as I want Braga as far from the Trek name as possible.
das |
I predict a remake of Spectre of the Gun complete with the framework ghost town.
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Am I the only one who thought the last 6-8 episodes of Enterprise were actually pretty good?
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Originally posted by JasonF Am I the only one who thought the last 6-8 episodes of Enterprise were actually pretty good? Relative to the 60 episodes prior to them? Yes. Otherwise, compared to the rest of television, merely okay. |
Dropping the price isn't that hard for Paramount, is it? I mean like they admitted to, the real money is in the merchandise sales.
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I'm personally surprised that Trek still rings up $200 million in merchandise sales each year. I would have expected that much back in the big revival era during the run of Next Gen and early DS9, but the franchise has faltered so badly that many long time fans simply don't watch anymore. I was into Trek big time as a kid and early teen, but Voyager completely turned me off to the series and I've only seen one episode of Enterprise.
I remember when we used to have Star Trek conventions with every few months here in Pittsburgh. I can't remember a single one coming around since about 1998 though. I think alot of Trek fans simply left, or like myself, found another show to watch. I know I much prefer watching Buffy and Angel now, although I do still watch Next Gen, but its simply too expensive to collect. |
$200 million worldwide a year on a franchise really isn't that much. They have pimped out everything imaginable, so the shear glut ensures that amount.
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Originally posted by NitroJMS I remember when we used to have Star Trek conventions with every few months here in Pittsburgh. I can't remember a single one coming around since about 1998 though. http://www.creationent.com/cal/stphil.htm |
So what was Odyssey 5 like, quality-wise?
Is there any reason to hope this new guy can make modern Trek seem original or fresh again? |
Odyssey 5 was pretty good. It was one of the most interesting premises I'd seen on a SFTV show in a while, and they seemed to be setting up some well-planned story arcs when the plug got pulled.
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What you'll see is a lot more stories that take place in one location (i.e. the bridge) and/or stories that take place in dark tunnels and caves (don't have to pay set design for all the detail). |
B5 Creator Pitches Trek
Did everyone see this?
http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/art-h...06/21/10.00.tv Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski told fans on a B5 Usenet group that he and Dark Skies creator Bryce Zabel have put together an idea for a new Star Trek series, which he said would revive the ailing franchise. "I got together [with Zabel] and wrote a treatment earlier this year that specified how to save [Star Trek] and develop a series that would restore the series in a big way," Straczynski wrote. "I actually think it could be a hell of a show. Whether that ever goes anywhere with Paramount, who knows?" Straczynski added that Paramount called him last year to accept an executive producer position on the currrent Trek series, Enterprise, in its upcoming fourth season, but that he declined. "The series I mentioned has nothing to do with any current series," he added. "It's a new show." Manny Coto, who created Showtime's SF series Odyssey 5, will take over Enterprise next year as show runner. "As for Manny, he's a good writer, and left to his own devices, I think he could be a big help over there without the other powers-that-be impeding the process," Straczynski said. EDIT: Ah, I see there was already a thread (http://www.dvdtalk.com/forum/showthr...hreadid=370902). Oh, well... I'll leave this here, just in case anyone missed it. |
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