Showing posts with label Majel Barrett. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Majel Barrett. Show all posts

Monday, August 22, 2011

Top Five Star Trek Favorites

Here's my top 5 Star Trek favorites so I'd better stick to Science Officer Garratt's starship rules and regulations. Actually I may have steered off course a little, phaser me! I just had to mention Khan. Now to begin.

1. Spock our pointy eared vulchie speaks for himself. "I am an accomplished Scientist devoted to logic..." says Spock to Captain Kirk and Dr. McCoy. So what does that make Dr McCoy? He's a man of science too, highly respected and as of 2267, earning the Legion of Honour duly decorated by Starfleet surgeons. Spock is well known for his statements of logic and analytical prowess which he shamelessly preaches in front of Dr McCoy. Is Mr Spock having fun at the doctors expense? Or maybe Spock's human/half is having an emotional outburst?

2. Dr Leonard H. McCoy is USS Enterprise NCC 1701 chief medical officer. McCoy is a country doctor from Georgia, called 'Bones" by his friends who enjoys the odd sip of Saurian brandy between patients and hates using transporters! You can't help but like the old coot and identify with the good doctors frailties. "In a pigs eye!" stirs McCoy, hoping for an emotional outburst from Spock's human half which he usually gets. When these two are at each others throats, with Kirk as referee, its usually highly amusing to see whos going to win which is why I'm giving them the top two slots.

"That is a human emotion " replies Spock cleverly.
"You bet your pointed ears, it is!" wisecracks Bones.

The camera swings around to Spock and we see his famous arched eyebrow raised and a look of pure astonishment etched all over his face.

Spock, you haven't changed a bit. You're just as warm and sociable as ever.

Nor have you, doctor, as your continued predilection for irrelevancy demonstrates.

3. Captain Kathryn Janeway has an iron will and loves her black coffee. She's Star Treks first female Starfleet captain to command a starship who's thrilled us with her adventures. We all know about the intrepid USS Voyager NCC-74656 which got lost 70,000 light years into the Delta quadrant. Why do I like Janeway so much? Well, maybe its because we've both caffeine addicts but no, seriously, consider for a moment and reflect. Tons of Trekkie's rooted for Voyager during her heyday.(Ooopps there I go again, sorry I don't mean to be unflattering.)


Your a lost space explorer...Your aboard the starship Voyager.Heres a crew severed from Starfleet, from family and friends feeling their own loneliness and lost in space. When you look out a porthole and see the stars whizzing by you feel a weird hungering sickness calling you home.

Its because these Delta quadrant stars are alien to you. One person keeps your dreams intact with the hope of ever getting back to planet earth in one piece. Good old captain Janeway. You believe in her effective leadership to see things through to the end.

In Voyager's two-part 'Year of hell' Janeway becomes entangled in a sinister time-altering plot. A Krenim temporal timeship commander, Annorax has gone quietly insane over the death of his lost love. Giving up just isn't an option for Janeway who propels her battered ship into the face of certain death. Kate Mulgrew is great at Star Trek Conventions.

"Captain Kathryn Janeway: How do you plan to implement this protocol, Doctor? Mr. Tuvok doesn't have a security team, both the brigs have been destroyed, and with the internal force fields offline, you'll have a hell of a time keeping me confined. You'd better grab a phaser; because before I give up command, you'll have to shoot me."

My 4th Star Trek favorite is Commander Data of the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC 1701-D who plays the chief operations officer in Star Trek TNG. Our metal friend is a sentient android comprised of sophisticated neural nets and heuristic algorithms which makes him really special. In other words hes more than just a walking, talking machine, Data is a brilliant cybernetic creation with only one flaw, hes devoid of emotions... lets hear it now, awww.

What do I love about this character? Data keeps trying to emulate humans and their behaviour despite countless setbacks.. "I will never exceed the sum of my programming, will you help me Geordi?" This tough android has amazing diagnostic abilities and can beat Klingons and Borg in a hands down scrap any place, any where. Oh yeah baby and its a hoot to hear Data's precise calculations annoying Picard, who more or less tells him to shut up.


Last but not least is 5. Klingon warrior Worf the real dark horse and tough guy. (Lwaxana Troi - Majel Barrett teased him once by calling him Mr Wolf. She had a happy talent for making people smile with her lovely light hearted humor). Worf enjoys reading Kahless the Unforgettable and drinking prune juice which he called a warriors drink!!! The klingon is tolerant of humans, honour bound to Klingon tradition, easily aggravated by Datas questions and loves engaging worthy opponents and battering them blue with his bat'leth.

On stardate 47653.2 (2370) in the episode "Genesis" TNG (7th season) Mr Worf devolved into a merciless lower lifeform with a very bad temper and intense dislike for doors. Worfs the man to have on your side if you've got spooks to chase up. Remember how Worf gave our brave captain, Jean Luc Picard the worst shock of his life turning him into a scaredy cat. My guess is the captain wasn't the only one terrorized out of his wits. Right? Gates Mc Fadden (Dr Beverly Crusher) did a brilliant job directing.



The City on the edge of Forever.
Genesis
Year of Hell.
Star Trek Wrath of Khan
Best of Both Worlds

Live Long and prosper, trekkies.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Majel Barrett's X Factor.

What was the name of Lwaxana Troi's former valet (before Mr Homn) who had pornographic thoughts of her and was dismissed? Lwaxanna could read him like a book and mentions him in Star Trek's TNG "Haven" episode.


A. Xendi
B. Xandu
C. Xelo
D. or Xylo?

Friday, April 15, 2011

Spookiest Star Trek TNG "Schisms"

Majel Barrett-Roddenberry, an American actress...
M is for Majel Barett. Do you ever get that creeped out bogeyman vibe? You know the kind that surprises unsuspecting sleepers with goosebumps during the night.

 But hey, thats never going to happen! right?? Schisms is one of the most disquieting TNG episodes to air with Riker, Troi, Data and Worf being kidnapped overnight and taken to alternate dimension. What made this epic even more gruesome were the aliens, who conducted medical experiments on the USS Enterprise-D crew and crikey... These creatures were pure ugly, not exactly what you'd want to wake up to in the morning, if you catch my drift.

But take comfort. If you're a cat owner or petlover then the chances are good you'll really enjoy Star Trek's TNG Schisms. This episode has Data reading his "Ode to Spot" poem.

The crew of the USS Enterprise NCC 1701-D thought they were invincible, safe aboard their mighty Federation Flagship but Starfleet's finest thought wrong, big style. I must warn you readers, "Schisms" is pretty creepy, so prepare yourself for an awesome Star Trek TNG episode with sinister aliens. So Commander Riker, Chief of Security, Worf and Chief Engineer, Geordi La Forge are sleeping soundly when an insidious race of solanagen-based aliens sneak silently aboard the USS Enterprise-D flagship!



What follows comes in the shape of a Medical Horror with biobed nightmares freaking out crew members. The abductees try to piece together a reproduction of the biobed from their hazy memories by reaching deep into their subconscious thoughts. The mysterious aliens conducted a secret experiment on living Enterprise crew for no other reason other than to satisfy scientific curiosity. The aliens fail to realise that they are leaving behind clues.

The abducted Enterprise crew are kept drugged during their ordeal, but the big give away is physical exhaustion. Some of them seek medical help bewildering Dr Beverly Crusher who soon figures theres more to this than bad dreams and disturbed sleep. Many Enterprise crew have undergone metabolic changes and some have had limbs severed and invisibly reattached. Sweet dreams Trekkers!

Monday, August 02, 2010

Star Trek

During the reign of U.S. President Gerald Ford, Star Trek fans sent in a flood of letters to protest against NASA's original plans to name their space shuttle "Constitution". Isn't that fascinating? Trekkers weren't simply going to roll over and let NASA get away with this little stunt. It was their ship too! Remember the "Doomsday Device"? Captain Kirk is in the hot seat but at least he had a ship to tackle the planet killer! But what exactly was NASA doing?


















Playing with Trek's Final Frontier sent trekkies flying off the deep end, who reacted with phasers set to kill. The year was 1976 and NASA officials were stumped by all the fan mail pouring in but the message was clear. The needs of the many outweighs the needs of NASA. Officials cleverly employed vulcan logic to counteract the trekkie storm now flooding in engulfing their people. NASA released news about a space shuttle soon to be named after a world war II carrier called Enterprise in honor of the Starship USS Enterprise NCC 1701 from the Original Series which brought a ceasefire. Star Trek fans were delighted. It was their wishes expressed during the write in campaign which "won the war" and designated the shuttle "Enterprise" of course!.

Gene Roddenberry is the creator of Star Trek. During Sept 1966, Roddenberry showed the pilot "where no man" at the Sci-fi convention in Cleveland. The audience loved the pilot and gave a standing ovation. Star Trek made its debut on Thursday, Sept., 8th 1966 at 8.30pm. Gene made a lot of people happy with Star Trek's special brand of humanism despite its concept portraying a future where explorers and scientists from peaceful Earth of the Future roaming the galaxy in a starship, meeting beautiful women, fighting ugly monsters and asserting Western values had already been broadcast on television before.

Gene campaigned and shared his vision of Star Trek's philosophy with the fans, writers, actors and families granting him the opportunity to "mind meld" with sci-fi communities. Star Trek's future is a place where man has ceased squabbling, where the Earth has been transformed into a garden, where androids are ten times stronger and smarter than us and strive to be human. It's an optimistic future, an Utopian one, and its not to much of a stretch to imagine that people like watching Star Trek, because at some level we'd like to live in a place like that.

"Star Trek speaks to some basic human needs that there is a tomorrow. It's not all going to be over with a big flash and a bomb. The human race is improving, we have things to be proud of as humans. No astronauts, ancient astronauts did not build the pyramids, human beings did, because we are clever and work hard and Star Trek is about those things" -Gene Roddenberry.





"It's the Human condition to improve and to improve" - Gene Roddenberry.
Thanks to Genes and Majel's hard work, the committee, the Science Fiction writers, The Fans, Film Crew, Production Staff, The Actors, Paramount/Viacom/CBS and everyone who works on the lot. Star Trek wouldn't be what it is today.

The Enterprise was a true feat of technological engineering. Gene consulted experts and the ship was designed and blueprinted down to the last detail. The spaceship layout was exact. NASA examined Gene's plans to gleam ideas on spaceship design. They even took a look at the orange bed sheets in Dr Mc Coy's Sickbay.

The ship was completely real for Gene. So too was the Star Trek universe, the phasers, the communicators, the transporters, the shuttlecraft, the chain of command, The Prime Directive which Kirk effectively ignored when necessary. Star Trek is beamed into peoples homes and has become part of every trekkers, normal daily life.


Long Live Star Trek, Trekkies and Trekkers.

Friday, December 19, 2008

Majel Barrett Roddenberry


Majel Barret Roddenberry died peacefully in her Bel Air home on December 18th 2008. Her roles in Star Trek introduced a confident "Number One" character in the pilot episode "The Cage" which was reinvented as the lovely Nurse Christine Chapel with a soft spot for Mr Spock later on.

In fact during an early scene in Star Trek: The Motion Picture, viewers are informed that she has now become Doctor Chapel, a role which she reprised briefly in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.

She provided the regular voice of onboard computers in several Federation starships for Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, and most of the Star Trek movies.


Majel was famous as the ships computer voice which she supplied for Federation starships but particularly the USS Enterprise 1701, living long and prospering in the reboot version of Star Trek 2009 movie.  J.J. Abrams film is dedicated to her as well as Gene.

She starred in most of the Star Trek movies and appeared in three Star Trek series.  ("Star Trek" (1966), "Star Trek - The Next Generation" (1987), "Star Trek - Deep Space Nine" (1993) playing the Betazoid Ambassodor Lwaxana Troi on Star Trek, The Next Generation including Deep Space Nine and was brilliant

Majel also made a point of attending a major Star Trek convention each year in an effort to inspire fans and keep the franchise alive. I will miss her and our journeys through the galaxy together. May she find eternal happiness with her husband Gene beyond the final frontier, going boldly where none of us have ever, gone before.

Sunday, October 29, 2006

Orion Slave Woman

Here is a shapely, seductive green skinned Orion Woman wearing a skimpy seductive costume. She's also wearing a golden sapphire necklace and bracelets, worn for the purpose of enhancing her appeal to a prospective suitor.

Orion Women were said to have the power and seductive charms to delight any male under their influence.

Image owner/creator: Paramount Pictures or CBS Paramount Television.

In 23rd century humanoid females of this kind were a precious commodity and were marketed in disreputable parts of the galaxy. This trading suggests ownership and as a result of this some Orions were not treated with the respect they deserved.

In the episode "The Cage" (Star Trek) Vina appeared to Captain Christopher Pike as an illusionary youthful Orion Slave Woman in order to break his resolve.

Actress Majel Barret was painted green for the initial makeup trials of the Orion woman.

After the shoot took place and the film came back from the photolab there was no green skin. So, it was concluded, we'll just put on a darker green. The film came back and there still was no green skin. The make-up artists made her an even darker shade of green. When it came back, no green skin.

Image owner/creator: Paramount Pictures or CBS Paramount Television.

Finally someone had the bright idea to ring up the photolab and say "You do know we want her Green and yet the film keeps coming back with pink skin!" It turned out the lab technicians were completely unaware of this and had been changing the skin from green to pink the whole time!




Live Long and Prosper, Trekkies!

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