Trek Alumni, Writers Speak On 'Enterprise' Cancellation

Reactions to the cancellation of Star Trek: Enterprise continue to pour in, from hundreds of fans and celebrity supporters of the series as well as from people who were or remain connected to the franchise.

The Lawrence Journal-World, reporting on University of Kansas Trekkers, noted that many Jayhawks have contributed to Star Trek, including alumni Scott Bakula, who plays Captain Archer, and Kevin Dilmore, a novelist for the Pocket Books Trek line.

"Enterprise is over. 'Star Trek' is absolutely not over," Dilmore told the paper, who spoke of the excitement for a childhood fan like himself of getting to write words for the characters. Two University of Kansas teachers, emeritus professor James Gunn and English lecturer Kij Johnson, have published Star Trek books as well. Johnson, who co-wrote the Next Generation novel Dragon's Honor, cited the importance of women's roles on the original series, saying that little girls like herself had been given the chance to imagine playing a role in the sort of technological future that boys had always been encouraged to dream of.

Another Trek writer, Peter David, said at PeterDavid.net that pundits have previously announced the deaths of sitcoms, westerns, and even Star Trek itself after its first cancellation in 1969. "Star Trek" has died more often than Jean Gray, and yet it rises once more like...well, like a great bird," he stated, referring to the X-Men character who has been resurrected in several versions of that franchise. "I think that *a* Star Trek series that never fully engaged (no pun intended) the viewership is dead. But if they build a new series, I think viewers will come right back and at least sample it."

And VRRRM has video footage of comments from several former Trek actors, including Nana Visitor (Kira), LeVar Burton (LaForge), Vaughn Armstrong (numerous roles including Enterprise's Admiral Forrest) and Denise Crosby (Tasha Yar, and the narrator of the Trekkies films).

"I think the franchise is in trouble," Visitor said, stating her belief that the franchise needs to make changes. Burton blamed the long continuous run, saying that once a show starts repeating itself, it's hard to keep viewers' respect, while Crosby too said she thought the franchise could use a break from continuous broadcast.

Armstrong cited his opinion that it might be a good idea to make a feature or animation targeted at a younger audience, "to get the kids involved so that they might want to see more of it later on." He also stated his opinion that Star Trek would never die. The video clip can be downloaded at VRRRM.

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