Blog #36: Pop Culture Eraser

A few months back the 'Nerd Lunch' podcast did an episode called 'Pop Culture Eraser' where they took one person and one thing from pop culture (TV series for example) and erased them from pop culture. What would theramifications be? This episode got me thinking of a couple things I would erase from Trek pop culture, and I of course am going to discuss it here:

 

Person to Erase from 'Trek' pop culture: Rick Berman.

 

I agree, it is a gamble getting rid of Berman since TNG really got it's groove in season 3, the season he took over the reigns. Biggest thing for me is Rick Berman is an admitted Non-Trekker. He did not watch it growing up, did not watch it in preparation to work for Gene Roddenberry, he was simply a TV Producer, period. But had someone like Michael Piller been in charge, a man who seemed to have a firm grasp on what works and doesn't work for Star Trek, we may have had even more quality TNG. Or someone who is a Star Trek fan running things after Maurice Hurley left TNG at the end of season 2. It worked for the 'Avengers' film having someone at the helm who was a fan of the original material and who knew what would work and what wouldn't. Berman really didn't have a clue, in my opinion.

 

Thing to erase from 'Trek' pop culture: The UPN Network.

 

From what I have read the TNG cast had agreed to an 8th season. But because of Paramount was getting ready to launch their 'UPN' network in the USA they wanted their flagship show for this new network to be a Star Trek series. Because of syndication deals in place at the time they could not transfer TNG to UPN, also they wanted a Trek series for many years to come thus 'Voyager' was created and TNG ended in syndication at the end of season 7, one of TNG's worst seasons. Had UPN not existed TNG may have done an 8th season, a season to wrap up all loose ends and leave television on a higher note. But sadly it was not meant to be, thanks UPN and Paramount.

 

Anywho that's all she wrote, or rather all I wrote. Thanks again to the Nerd Lunch podcast for giving me this blog topic. Nerd Lunch is a great podcast that listen to weekly, and they do talk Trek from time to time. Definitely give their show a listen. I made a guest appearance on episode #28 of Nerd Lunch where Trek was being discussed! Also give them a iTunes review, I'm sure they would appreciate that. See you next time!