Tag Archives: television series

Feb 19 2024

The Making of Star Trek by Stephen E. Whitfield—a retro review

Way long time ago, I borrowed a copy of The Making of Star Trek from a friend. After watching some episodes of The Original Series (TOS) on Pluto TV, I remembered the book, so I ordered a vintage paperback via eBay. Once I had it in hand, I could revisit a wonderful read, as well as wallow in some insider info once again. First printed in 1968, this book is both a history of Star Trek, with quite a few photos, and a “how to” guide to creating, producing, and writing a television series. However, as the book was written as the series was coming to a close, the legacy and cultural significance of Star Trek were not yet known to Whitfield (or Gene Roddenberry, who is listed as a co-author.) For more casual fans, there are other sources, from videos to more focused books.

When a ground breaking television series is created, there are thousand decisions to be made. From character names to methods of propulsion, this volume covers in detail how many of the concepts that make Star Trek work were developed, some visionary, such as the multi-cultural crew (unheard of in the mid-sixties) while others were merely practical, such as the “transporter” which was necessary as it would slow down the action if every port of call required a shuttle craft excursion (or worse, landing a huge space ship.) Within these pages are excerpts from memos to and from ST creator Roddenberry, quotes from NASA consultants, and preliminary sketches of possible ship configurations.

As this book was written alongside the filming of the series, there are glimpses of who wrote (and re-wrote) scripts, which actors were cast, and how the characters evolved. Letters from some of the actors, with insights into how their characters were to be portrayed, are included. Loosely organized chronologically, but with sections on such topics as “weaponry” and “the bad guys,” the reader sees how items familiar to TOS fans were developed over time.

Previously, I wrote a bit about a tour of The Neutral Zone Studios, where Star Trek Continues was filmed, and where fan films are still made. Our tour included some of the information in this book, but quite a bit of it was different, as the guides took a more hands on approach. Anyone planning a trip there might well read The Making of Star Trek prior to taking the tour. While the book does compliment Gene Roddenberry’s creative genius, many people helped create this vision of the future. Some of it has come to fruition (think folding cell phones) and some might never (Warp drive), but the influence that this one television series, which most deemed a failure when it ceased production, is difficult to minimize.

The Making of Star Trek is no longer in print, so it does require a bit of searching, but for fans, it is worth the effort.

Jan 22 2013

Review of Star Trek Voyager: A Vision of the Future

I really, really wanted to love Star Trek Voyager: A Vision of the Future. At times I did like it, but no love. None.

The Making of Star Trek, by the same author (under another name) was an eye-opening book for me. Like many viewers, I had accepted the brilliant series with no real understanding of how it all came about. When I read The Making of Star Trek, I learned everything from the nature of McCoy’s instruments, which were almost all made from fancy salt shakers; to fan mail from kids who wanted working phasers. The vision of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry was intermingled with fascinating facts about the production itself. And, as a fan, I loved it, but I also loved it, because it gave me a real appreciation for all that goes into making a television series.

Some thirty years later, three veteran producers of Star Trek the Next Generation and Deep Space Nine began kicking around ideas for a fourth series, which was ultimately named after the ship, Voyager.

Unfortunately, the author who recorded this process did not filter enough. Yes, I wanted to know about the casting problems, but I don’t need to know the names of the security guards on the set. Honestly, there is just too much information in this book. Unfortunately, there are no doubt some nifty tidbits that were not mentioned, so that literally everyone associated with Voyager would have a mention in this book.

Poe’s record of the process of creating Voyager is worth reading, but it could have been so much better with some judicious editing. I’d love to say it is a great book, but it isn’t. On the other hand, I did enjoy parts of it, such as the description of how Kate Mulgrew quickly pulled the cast together and helped get filming on track for the January debut.

Sometimes, one can’t see the forest for the trees, and that’s the problem with this vision of the future.