For the uninitiated, “Star Trek: Enterprise” debuted in late September 2001, shortly after “Star Trek: Voyager” ended its seventh and closing season. “Voyager” ended a 14-year scorching streak for “Star Trek,” starting in 1987 with the debut of “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” That present, set in the twenty fourth century, was such a success that the curators of “Star Trek” — Rick Berman, Michael Piller, Jeri Taylor, and Brannon Braga highest amongst them — created two spinoffs that continued throughout the identical timeline. They debuted “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” in 1993, and “Voyager” was added in 1995. At the identical time, the franchise continued its run on the massive display, seeing the discharge of 4 function movies in that very same 14-year launch window. It was a protracted street, getting from there to right here.
“Enterprise,” nonetheless, was met with skepticism. The new sequence was set in 2151, a full century earlier than the occasions of the unique “Star Trek,” and adopted the adventures of the very first starship to go away Earth on a mission of exploration. The know-how on the early Enterprise wasn't as slick as the earlier “Trek” exhibits, and wondrous machines like tractor beams, shields, and human-safe transporters didn't exist but. Notably, there was no Prime Directive but. Although a “primitive” rendition of “Star Trek” was a novel thought, the viewers appeared burned out on the franchise.
“Enterprise” was finally a fantastic present, however it flagged in the scores from the beginning, lasting solely 4 seasons (the earlier three “Trek” exhibits lasted seven years every). By the third and fourth seasons, the tales grew to become much more bold, however it wasn't sufficient to snag a brand new viewers.
According to Rick Berman, speaking on “The Shuttlepod Show,” “Enterprise” was introduced with a beautiful alternative that will have snagged the eye of Trekkies whose curiosity was flagging. It appears that William Shatner, Captain Kirk himself, pitched an thought for an “Enterprise” story whereby he would reprise his role. Berman would have executed it, however the price ticket was too excessive.
Shatner's again, child
The final time audiences noticed Shatner in “Star Trek” was through the climax of “Star Trek: Generations,” launched in 1994. That movie noticed Kirk and Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) assembly for the primary time, due to a while journey rigmarole. Shatner and Picard teamed as much as struggle a mad scientist hellbent on destroying stars. Kirk, nonetheless, was killed in the method, plunging to his demise when a catwalk beneath him collapsed. Picard buried him underneath a pile of rocks, and that was presumably the final we would ever see of Kirk. Shatner has not returned to the franchise correct since.
But in the early 2000s, he might need. Berman recalled that Shatner, desirous to get again into the motion, had a gathering with the producer to debate a doable crossover occasion. Time journey, after all, must be concerned, seeing as Kirk wasn't born but in the “Enterprise” timeline, however that is a simple sufficient feat in “Star Trek.” Shatner's visitor spot would warrant a two-parter, and Berman was open to the thought. He mentioned:
“I had a meeting … I knew Bill pretty well because he'd been in the movie ‘Generations' with us. He called me up one day and said, ‘Let's have lunch.' So I brought [‘Enterprise' showrunner] Manny Coto and Brannon, and we went and had lunch … with Bill … What happened was Bill had an idea. Or Bill's people … Somebody had an idea. And it was a two-parter, and it was relatively clever: It was a two-part episode that [Shatner] was going to appear in.”
And it wasn't a nasty thought, from what Berman recollects. It was when he introduced the thought to Paramount they usually began to show the manufacturing gears slightly that the proposition grew to become dicey.
Shatner is simply too costly
Perhaps astonishingly, Paramount additionally appreciated the thought. Berman continued:
“We sketched it out. We brought it to the studio. The studio looked at it, just in broad strokes. They said, ‘Great.' And then either agent, lawyer, someone from Bill's team called up … And I will not even mention the numbers. But the number was probably eight times more than the studio had any interest in [paying].”
Shatner, it appears, felt he was price a hefty value, and was seemingly unwilling to take a reduce simply so he could possibly be in two episodes of “Enterprise.” And, sure, Shatner had each proper to ask for a big paycheck, seeing as he had at all times thought-about himself the central star of the franchise. It appears, although, that Paramount didn't wish to spend that a lot cash to revive “Enterprise.” Berman additionally would not say when in the present's life this provide got here. Had it been close to the beginning of the sequence, Paramount seemingly needed to carry off having a high-profile visitor star. Had it come close to the top of the sequence, although, then costs on the would have been slashed, not expanded.
Whatever the timing, Shatner didn't seem on “Enterprise.” Notably, nonetheless, the present's closing episode featured prolonged visitor spots for Jonathan Frakes and Marina Sirtis from “Next Generation.” They interacted with the “Enterprise” characters by way of holodeck. Frakes and Sirtis, it appears, didn't ask for as a lot cash as Shatner. Also, nobody appreciated that episode.
