'Borderland' Production Report Reveals Aliens Galore
By MichelleAugust 28, 2004 - 5:45 AM
See Also: 'Borderland' Episode Guide
A production report on the episode "Borderland" confirmed that a WWE wrestler will guest star along with a recurring Deep Space Nine actor as Brent Spiner makes his long-awaited first appearance on Star Trek: Enterprise.
The official Star Trek site posted a production report on the filming of "Borderland", which commenced shooting on Friday the 13th and wrapped on Monday the 23rd of August. "Borderland" refers to the space between the Klingon Empire and the Orion Syndicate, so the episode called for numerous guest stars playing both Klingons and Orions, plus the races that appear in the Orion marketplace. "It's one of the widest arrays of aliens seen in Trek outside the movies ? some familiar (such as Tellarites) and many new," noted the report. "Needless to say, the makeup people and the costumers had some very long days preparing for and executing these scenes."
As has been widely reported, one of Spiner's requests was to avoid the extensive makeup he wore in previous appearances as Data, Lore, Dr. Noonien Soong and B-4. "Ol' Yellow Eyes is back ? but this time his eyes aren't yellow," joked StarTrek.com. "Borderland" is the first of three episodes in which Spiner will play Dr. Arik Soong, an infamous ancestor of Noonien Soong who has stolen and gestated 20 genetically enhanced human embryos. The now-grown Augments have long been isolated when they hijack a Klingon ship, killing the crew. The Klingons are threatening war, and Archer seeks out the psychologically distorted Soong to help im track down and control the Augments.
David Livingston - who last helmed "The Council" - directed the episode, which included numerous stunt performers as well as professional wrestler Paul Wight playing green Orion slavers, plus a group that plays regular non-speaking MACOs. Stunt coordinator Vince Deadrick Jr. appeared in the episode, as did his father, Vince Deadrick Sr., who acted in the original series episodes "Balance of Terror" and "What Are Little Girls Made Of?" in addition to stunt work on "Shore Leave", "The Doomsday Machine" and "Mirror, Mirror."
The guest cast list for the episode is as follows:
- Brent Spiner as Dr. Arik Soong
- J.G. Hertzler as Klingon Captain
- Paul Wight as Orion Slaver #1
- Bobbi Sue Luther as Orion Slave Girl
- Alec Newman as Malik
- Joel West as Raakin
- Abby Brammell as Persis
- Dave Power as Pierce
- Gary Kasper as Orion Slaver #2
- Dayo Ade as Klingon Tactical Officer
The script for "Borderland" was written by new supervising producer Ken LaZebnik, brother of Philip LaZebnik, a sometime writer for Star Trek: The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine. Ken LaZebnik has scripted for Touched by an Angel and Providence.
"Borderland" is scheduled to air on Friday, October 29th. For the original production report, visit this page at StarTrek.com.
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