It’s sounding more and more like the original starship USS Enterprise – NCC-1701 has indeed been redesigned for Star Trek (11).
First came a report from IESB a month ago stating that the ship will have a new design in the movie. Now TrekWeb points us to a post over at the Star Trek New Voyages forum where James Cawley claims that he has seen the new starship Enterprise NCC-1701. Cawley is producer of the New Voyages fan-made Star Trek series and plays Captain Kirk as well.
He was not pleased with the new look of the iconic NCC-1701.
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On the forum, Cawley makes clear that he wants the film to succeed:
“I understand the reboot thing, it is simply business and a way to hopefully sell many more new action figures and toys based on new designs, it always comes down to the money to be made. I just don’t agree with changing such iconic designs that are so ingrained in pop culture, it is really needless.”
“I would be a hypocrite if I did not believe in recasting these iconic roles, I do in fact support it. I just don’t want the production design radically changed. I see Matt Jeffries’ designs as ‘TIMELESS’ and as ‘Pure Science Fiction’, I feel the Big E as designed by Matt deserves it’s day on the big screen.”
There’s no doubt that Cawley is a huge Star Trek fan as evidenced by the fact that he has put together enough money, people and resources to have created multiple “webisodes” of a series with very impressive sets and production values (they even had George Takei guest star in one episode). There’s no doubt that’s pretty hard core, but I think from his statements that he’s at least open to the concept of rebooting the series, even if he’s not totally in favor of it.
As to his specific thoughts on the redesigned Enterprise:
“Yes, I have seen the New REBOOTED Enterprise… at any rate, I don’t like it. It is supposed to be NCC-1701, no bloody A,B,C,D or E! and it sure does not look like the 1701 I grew up with!”
“I have seen what was purported to be the final design of the New Enterprise, and I don’t like the changes. Period.”
And what does it look like, exactly?
“…all I will say is that the ship design seems to borrow heavily from ‘Contemporary Trek.’”
From his comments it sounds like the ship will retain it’s overall saucer, main hull and twin nacelle configuration but within the confines of those elements you can still have a design that is very different from the original.
For reference purposes, here is a history of the design of the USS Enterprise on TV and in the movies:
This was the first Enterprise designed for the screen. The image above is from the newly remastered version of The Original Series and is a new CGI model. Notice how they avoided the temptation to “upgrade” it in any way. It’s completely faithful to the original.
This was the upgraded version used in the six films starring the original cast.
This ship was highlighted briefly in the awful Star Trek: Generations. It was on it’s inaugural journey and was the ship on which Captain Kirk was supposedly killed.
This ship was highlighted in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode Yesterday’s Enterprise where it traveled through time to the future to meet Captain Picard and crew. You can see that it has more in common with the original ship and the 1701-A than it does with the 1701-B. That’s because it was designed in 1990 while the 1701-B was designed in 1994.
This is the ship that came about 100 years after Kirk’s era. It is monstrously huge and I was always torn regarding the look of it – from some angles it looks great but from others I always thought it look very ungainly.
This is the version that followed the destruction of the 1701-D. In my opinion it’s ugly as sin and I believe that it is supposed to be even larger than the already huge “D.”
Finally, here is the prime example of a new take on what is supposed to be a ship built 100 years before the NCC-1701:
Long time Trek fans went nuts when they first saw this design for the TV show Star Trek: Enterprise. It was obviously based on a flipped over version of an Akira-class ship from the Next Generation era of Star Trek, therefore looking much more advanced than the original Enterprise. This, despite the fact that it was supposed to have been built and designed 100 years before the NCC-1701.
Now granted, there is a brand new production team working on the new film. As far as I know no one associated with the old production is on this including any of the art/design team that defined the look of Star Trek for so long. Still, I think they may go a little bit overboard on the Enterprise redesign in order to make it more suitable for the big screen. I would have been ok with them using the same ship as the frame but adding a bit more detail to the exterior, but I get the feeling that they’re going to fiddle with the core look of the ship.
It will be interesting to finally see what they come up with, but personally I’m nervous about it. Star Trek is almost as much about the Enterprise as it is about it’s crew.
[UPDATE: Here it is, the brand new USS Enterprise]
Oh, and finally… here is one fan’s interpretation of what a redesigned NCC-1701 should look like (I think I would have preferred this over what they came up with):
Source: Star Trek New Voyages forum (registration required) and images from Memory Alpha
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169 Comments
Well keep in mind that this article was written almost 2 1/2 months ago long before any image or info was available. As it turns out it seems the top two images in this post describe what the new ship will look like most accurately.
Vic
I’m a big fan and the old series helped me during the earlie years of my parents ramp of the 60’s/70s. Then the movies took off and the rest is history. We need to remember the fact that James Kirk was “NOT” the first captain of the NCC-1701 Enterprise. Christopher Pike was the man in the seat and the ship was the same on the out side as when James T. Kirk took command. So they should bring back the old ship and leave it at that. William Shatner said it best, “Why don’t you people get a live”. LOL! You got to love that guy. Reality checks are needed often.
Personally, I’m not even eager to see this Star Trek 11. I probably won’t even go. I’ve been a fan of Trek for over 25 years and I stopped watching it when Voyager ended. I was even getting sick of it during Voyager because it was so predictable and insulting. I didn’t watch ENTERPRISE, still haven’t seen a single episode of it because I knew they’d screw that up and they did. As long as they use the same idiots like Rick Berman and whatever no-talent-director they can nab for the week, Star Trek will never be anything more but repedative mundane puke. When they started veering away from Roddenberry’s view, they killed it. Even Gene knew it would happen because too many executives hounded him day after day to spice things up to compete with other television shows. He held his guns and the show lasted with a core fan base for over 20 years. Now we have this guy who’s only intrest in Star Trek is the profit margine not the integrity of the concept. That’s why I know this new movie will fall short with fans. I won’t have to see it to know. Just as I didn’t need to see ENTERPRISE to know it would bomb too.
If they want to bring Star Trek back from the dead, go to the fans who know it well. Take a look at some of the novelizations of Star Trek that are out there. You’re going to find a lot of untapped talent that Paramount simply won’t acknowledge because it’s not cannon. These outside writers and fans are what will bring Trek back to life.
Jeff,
Berman and Braga are not involved in making the new movie at ALL, bro. Completely new group of folks brought in to work on this… COMPLETELY.
Vic
Speaking in issue #117 of Dreamwatch magazine, Berman confirms for the first time that he is now developing a STAR TREK feature film project: “I am involved in the very early stages of what could be the next STAR TREK movie,” reveals Berman, in an excerpt provided by Dreamwatch. “It’s something I will be producing with two other producers.”
This was a direct quote from Dreamwatch magazine, Vic. So how “new” can this new group be?
21 April 2006 (StudioBriefing)
The hopes of millions of aging Trekkies that their revered movie/TV franchise would be revived got a boost today (Friday) when Daily Variety reported that Paramount has signed J.J. Abrams (Mission Impossible III) to produce and direct an 11th Star Trek feature. The trade paper said that the screenplay, to be written by MI3’s Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, will concern the first meeting of James Kirk and Mr. Spock at the Starfleet Academy and their first mission. In effect, it revives a project called Star Trek: Beginnings that produced a script by Erik Jendresen. It was unclear what, if any, role longtime Star Trek executive producer Rick Berman would play in the new project.
This quote was from IMDB web site. Again it indicates Berman has his hands in this prequal movie.
I’d pay $20 a ticket if it insured that Rick Berman was allowed nowhere near the Trek franchise again.
Nevertheless, with the approach of the end of the fourth season of Enterprise, Paramount and UPN announced its cancellation and the apparent end of Rick Berman’s tenure as the overseer of Star Trek productions. With the end of Enterprise, word came from Berman and Paramount than an eleventh feature was in the works, with Berman partnering with screenwriter Erik Jendresen on what was tentatively titled Star Trek: The Beginning. However, by April 2006, new leadership at Paramount suggested that Berman’s involvement in Star Trek had ended and the producer had moved on to other projects.
Speaking with Star Trek Monthly, Berman described his departure:
“Without sounding clichéd I’m not going to say never, but I assume that I have produced my last Star Trek, especially with the interest that Paramount has gotten from J.J. Abrams to do another movie, which, if successful, could lead to other television shows… I have nothing to be ashamed about. We created 624 hours of television and four feature films and I think we did a hell of a job. I’m amazed that we managed to get 18 years of the kind of work that everyone involved managed to contribute, and it’s certainly more than anyone could have asked for.”
Ok, I found this quote from ‘memory alpha’ web site that indicates that Berman started on Star Trek 11 but left Paramount because his contract ended in Dec. of 06′ So I stand corrected. Berman apparently is no longer involved with the new movie.
Yup, that’s what I said.
Not even the Okudas, who’ve done much of the visual FX design for so long in Trek are involved.
Clean. Slate.
Will it be any good? That we won’t know until we see it.
Vic
(Hey sports fans)
Rick Berman is off the radar for now.
Personally I love Rick Bermans work. He produced some great Star Trek.
Manny Cotto and Brannon Braga are both writting episodes of season 7 of, 24.
I know that the Okudas still do some work for Paramount and sometimes are hired for their data and research skills.
Paramount used them to cronicle all the props that went up in the Christys Auction a couple years back.
I’ve heard that the Auction Guide is rare and very cool.
Had lots of pictures of all the props.
(See know how stupid Paramount is, they could have published that as a book and made even more money). Duh if I can think of this. Wtf??
Ok, I have to jump in and give my 2 cents. I see some people in here sort of bashing Star Trek: The Motion Picture and even comparing that movie to whats being done with Star Trek 11.
First off, there is no comparison. Let me explain. The story of Star Trek: TMP took place in 2271, a few years after the ship completed it’s fourth five year mission. The first one under Robert April, the second and third under Captain Pike and the fourth under Captain Kirk. So the ship already had a history under it’s belt, just as Gene Roddenberry wanted it to have. So you figure the ship at the end of this time needed a major overhaul before striking out on another extended voyage. That’s why the Enterprise looked so different in ST:TMP. Gene wasn’t trying to retread old ground like they’re doing with Star Trek 11. He was simply holding true to how technology and things had advanced in the 23rd century.
Secondly, as Star Trek films go, The Motion Picture was probably closer to Gene’s vision of Star Trek than any other Trek film made afterward. I know this is going to tick off a few of you Wrath of Khan fans, but let me ask you this; what part of Wrath of Khan involved seeking out new life and new civilizations? Wrath of Khan was nothing more than an action/drama that simply focused on revisiting an old character from the original series and how he intended to get revenge. Big deal! Oh and I forgot, just to spice up the movie interest a little, they killed off a major character, whom later came back. At least in Star Trek:TMP, we were treated with the human condition and the concept of evolution. We saw familiar characters change and grow and saw an ending filled with possibility not finality. That to me is what defines Star Trek. Sure it may sound unrealistic and too flowery for some of todays sci-fi fans, but it is the concept of what Gene created and what has made it endure. Why turn our backs on it just for a cheap sci-fi thriller? The best sci-fi ever created makes us all ask ourselves questions and look at where we’re going as a race. Sometimes it can scare the hell out of us because it hits so close to home. To me Star Trek:TMP was widely criticized because at the time, everyone was all pumped up on Star Wars action. People wanted to see the Enterprise blow up a fleet of ships while Kirk and Spock got into hand to hand combat with a bunch of red clad warriors. People had forgotten what Star Trek was—so did Paramount. But Gene, held to his convictions and delivered his vision, without catering to the influences that be.
So I think people, when they get tired of the spoon fed action sci-fi stories, need to sit down and give Star Trek: The Motion Picture another chance.
How can you possibly think the Enterprise-E Is ugly as sin. The ugliest ship is the NX Enterprise, it looks like an aluminum can with two tooth picks!
I hate that ship.
The NX-O1 is a Akira Class attack ship turned upside down.
One of Rick Bermans low points.
Not much creativity went into the NX-01 Enterprise. As someone pointed out, it’s just an upside down version of the Akira class vessel first seen in Star Trek: First Contact. Many fans were surprised to say the least that Berman had gone that route with the Enterprise, since many fans assumed the Enterprise would have looked more like a DAEDALUS class vessel. If you look at the Star Trek Chronology published by Michael Okuda and Denise Okuda, the DAEDALUS class vessels existed around the same time period as the era of Star Trek: Enterprise, and yet none were ever seen. So there was some continuity issues here.
I know this is way of the topic, but has anyone heard of a possible stat trek tv show? They also need to finish the TNG movie series, they can’t possibly end it with Nemesis. I heard that Jonathan frakes had a great script for a movie, and they put them to sleep. Just who the hell is running the Star Trek franchise anyway?
Alexander, for the foreseeable future Trek on TV is dead. This new Trek movie is an indication that the God-awful ‘Nemesis’ is indeed the tombstone for the the TNG series.
Vic
As far as I’m concerned, they need to give ‘Trek’ a rest. For 20+ years there have been non stop Star Trek episodes (Next Generation, DS9, Voyager, Enterprise) and I think they’ve worn it out, and it showed on the last 2 series they had going and the recent movies. They should have stopped it after DS9. I for one am willing to wait 10 years before getting into another version of Star Trek.
“As far as I’m concerned, they need to give ‘Trek’ a rest. For 20+ years there have been non stop Star Trek episodes and I think they’ve worn it out…..I for one am willing to wait 10 years before getting into another version of Star Trek.”
Jeff, I absolutely agree with this. I don’t know whether it was the creative team running out of ideas, or the fans getting overloaded, something else entirely, or any combination of the above, but I believe Star Trek has been worn out. To varying degrees, I’ve enjoyed all the series and movies to date, though Enterprise nearly lost me , especially with its third season.
It’s only been three years since Enterprise was canceled. Paramount needs to give the series a rest for a few more years. Give fans time to really get hungry for it again, give the creative end of things time to get some new ideas, and give the real world a chance to give Star Trek something new to talk about. Until those things happen, I believe any new Star Trek project will probably just be a rehash of what it’s done before, and that’s not what the series needs.
You know, if you look back at what’s been done, there is very little left that Star Trek can really come up with that is fresh, unless they did a Star Trek comedy series (Just joking here). There isn’t one topic that humanity isn’t dealing with today that hasn’t already been addressed in some episode. I think because of that fact, many episodes seemed to be remakes of prior episodes. I think it was this issue that brought down the franchise.
George Lucas was smart with his Star Wars franchise. He didn’t overplay it and he let demand for it build when there was nothing but books to feed his fans. Then he released his second trilogy. But with his franchise, he can go in any direction he wants with it because those fans are more interested in the Star Wars galaxy than with a certain group of characters. The fans want to know all aspects of the world of Star Wars, from the Empire to the Rebellion to the world of the Ewoks to the Bounty Hunters to the events that took place 1000 years before to the Jedi and sith. I mean there is so much to look at and feed on. But with prior Star Trek episodes, we’re limited to where the ship went each week and many things were left unfinished.
I think if Star Trek were to continue, it’s going to have to treat fans to a much larger concept of the future. They want to see more than just the Federation. And by doing so they will have to maintain a strick level of continuity that has been poorly followed in the past. You can still see the human side of things in a series about klingons. I think Trek fans are ready for the series that is about Vulcan in the past or the story of how the Romulans came to be.
So this is what I think they should do. Make a Star Trek series that is about the future. One episode about the Romulans, another on Vulcan, another on Ferenginar, another on Kronos, another on Earth…etc. each episode will focus on a group of the people native to that world and the issue they happen to be dealing with. This way we get to see so many new faces. We can be treated to some new insight into a world we didn’t know existed. Some episodes could be 2 parters or 3, however long it takes to tell a story properly. You could even entertwine episodes where the actions on one planet effects what happens on another the following week. This makes the Star Trek universe much more intricate and interesting. Also, this would be good for actors who would like to have time doing other things and not get tied down on a weekly basis doing a series. They could come in for a few episodes and still have time to do something else in their career. It would also boost their recognition. But there would have to be new writers and the door to new ideas open from other writers and fans. Let it be an open market where the concerns and needs of fans are actually listened to.
Jeff you claim Star Trek is done and can only become a comedy. Then you go and spark off a bunch of ideas that they could do?
Witch is it bro?
Are they done or just not writing your favorite storys?
(Lucas was smart he didn’t overplay it) you have got to be kidding me.
“Jeff you claim Star Trek is done and can only become a comedy. Then you go and spark off a bunch of ideas that they could do?
Witch is it bro?
Are they done or just not writing your favorite storys?
(Lucas was smart he didn’t overplay it) you have got to be kidding me.
”
Star Trek as we’ve known is done. The ideas I was speaking of is something that in a few years Star Trek could do in order to try and make a comeback. It wouldn’t work now because people are tired of it all. But in a few years when people’s interest is sparked again, they could do a Star Trek in a way that hasn’t been done before. A way that would broaden people’s view of Gene Roddenberry’s vision of the future. I think it’s a way that could sustain Star Trek for a decade.
And by the way, Lucas went a very VERY long time before doing another trilogy. So it’s pretty safe to say that he hasn’t overplayed Star Wars in so much the same way Paramount has overplayed Star Trek to death.
I agree that Star Trek needs a break, 5 to ten years. Perhaps its on a phase like the one between the original series and the next generation and that was a long gap, about 15 years! Going back to what i said a few days ago, i believe it’s only just for the cast and fans to see a final next generation movie. One with a pivital ending ending Picards command of the Enterprise-E, not necessarily Dying. While on the subject of endings, personally i think the only series that had a better ending was Deep Space Nine. And Voyager, well i am not even going to touch that with a five foot pole. How she became an admiral i don’t know. Not only did she mess up the time line on several occassions, she brought back technology from the future. The armored plating and transphase torpedos. Lol!, there goes the balance of power in the alpha quadrant!! Going back to the original subject submitted in the last few days… I think this new movie is going to make matters worse for Star trek. Re inventing Star Trek with the original Characters is not going to work. Star trek needs to move on. This is a perfect example of Star trek is doing wrong as one of you metioned. IT’S BEEN DONE!. This movie is probably going to kill Star trek for good. I mean if it is succesful somehow, what do they plan to do next? Make more movies? I really think it’s not going to work. And if they do, it will be like the original series never existed, like being erased. I mean Batman is one thing, and it worked great with Batman Begins. But with an era of star trek, i don’t think so. What they should have done is made one last next generation movie like i stated earlier, end picards era and leave it to the future to see what evolves in the Star Trek universe. A 5 to ten year brake. The only way Star Trek will be revived is through a well thought out t.v show not a movie. That movie coming out is such a Dead End. I mean do you really want to see another Kirk and spock?
OMG!! It was really late when i wrote the comment above. Actually more like early when i wrote this. Sorry for the terrible grammar.
“Perhaps its on a phase like the one between the original series and the next generation and that was a long gap, about 15 years!”
“The only way Star Trek will be revived is through a well thought out t.v show not a movie.”
17 years, actually, and it was closer to 10 years after the end of the original series before the first movie, even less if you count the animated series from the 70’s. And Star Trek was originally revived by way of a movie, there’s no reason to believe that it couldn’t happen again.
The big difference I’m seeing between the first Trek revival and this current attempt at one is that there was so little material available for fans of Star Trek back then. 79 episodes, only available as reruns, and 2 seasons of a Saturday morning cartoon, maybe some comic books, and a few fairly bad novels. Today we’ve got 5 complete series, with hundreds of episodes, available on DVD for viewing anytime someone wants to watch them, 10 movies also on DVD, hundreds of novels, both good and bad, and an ongoing comics series for those who are interested.
With all of that, I don’t believe that the fans are truly going to be as hungry for new material, movies or a TV series, for several more years. When they are, though, I believe it could easily be a new movie that kicks things off. What better way to gauge fan reaction than to see how a movie performs before committing to a full series?
I think what you said is possible FlameStrike. But this time they are using the same characters with a different cast. It is not original or fresh. Star Trek The Motion Picture was original and fresh, same chast and characters. What we are all going to see next year is a re-invention of something already made. Star Trek needs to stop going to the past of Star Trek for material.
Doing so, will continue sabotage the time line we all know from the original series and the next generation. Like the episode of Enterprise about the borg. If you remember, in first contact. The Enterprise-E blew the borg sphere to hell with three quantum torpedoes. Then they make an episode about the sphere crashing in the artic on Enterprise. LOl!, if you saw that episode it shows a wreck of half a sphere on top of the ice with some intact borg drones. I mean, COME ON!
A perfect example of how the Enterprise producers and writers had their head up their ass when they created Enterprise. The reason why it failed miserably. Star Trek 2009 will most likely fail the same way. What do they plan to do?, make more movies? How is this going to help launch a new t.v show with a movie about a cast of characters that already have been done. It seems like more of the same, same, same. I don’t mind seeing a new joker or scarecrow and so forth. But i don’t want to see another kirk and spock. I mean what do they plan to do if they get a t.v show. Re do all the original episodes with these new people. Or perhaps create all new ones, which will erase and sabotage the original series we all know and love. Even if they make more movies it will have the same damage. What ever path this takes it is a dead end.
What they should have done is create a movie about the stability of the alpha quadrant after the dominion war. With a new crew and ship. based on a broad perspective on all the races and how they evolved after the war. The are so many great possibilities and ideas that can come out from this post war alpha quadrant. This would be moving forward in time in the Star Trek universe, not backwards.
Alexander, I agree with you that they should move forward, and I agree that they should wait a few more years before doing so. My previous post was simply trying to make the point that a movie is the most likely way to gauge whether the fans are going to be up to supporting a new series. It took four movies before they made “The Next Generation,” and that was as a time when there was far less Star Trek material than there is today
Now, as for going back, I don’t entirely agree with you. If you have good writers and a good idea, it should be possible to go back and work within the gaps of the timeline to create a new story in an earlier timeframe. The problem is getting the good writers and actors to make sure it’s done well. I don’t know about the actors, but this Trek movie does not have good writers.
I’ll also have to disagree with you about having them deal with the aftermath of the Dominion War. I think that’s too close to what’s been done before. I’d say move ahead even further, move out of the 24th century and into the 25th. Set things up 100 years after Picard, Sisko and Janeway, and see how things are developing there. Who know, maybe they’ll have advanced to the point where the Federation is exploring the Magellanic Clouds.
Flamestrike. There are no gaps in the original series with kirk and spock. If you “recall” Cristopher pike was captain of the Enteprise in the original series. Then in the middle of the first season James T. Kirk took over. The only gaps that exist in the star trek universe is between Enterprise and the original series, and the gap between the original series and the next generation.
There is no gap to fill in the original series, “kirk and crew”. The only possible gap was between the series and movies. During this time James T. kirk was an admiral, while Captain Decker was in command of the Enterprise for five years, till Star Trek The Motion Picture when decker was declaired “missing” and Kirk took over in the wrath of khan with spock’s permission.
The new movie in 2009, is set to take place in the academy days of kirk and spock, and their first space mission. LOL!! spock’s first space mission was with captain Cristopher pike and crew. The movie is not even out yet and they already messed up! Kirk and crew’s first space mission was when kirk took over the enterprise near end of season one. But for the sake of turning the cheek to that, lets say OK this is their first mission. And ignore the time line “hopefully” everyone knows.
Still,if they keep making movies or a t.v show with this new cast. It will overwrite the original series episodes and movies that we all know and love. So i mind as well throw away all the the original series episodes and movies because now they no longer exist. So now it becomes a parody, then u sit and go hmm? What Star trek fans fail to see is that they are pulling a Batman Begins. Re-doing the same thing but with a new cast, characters and different plots. Batman Can be overwriten over and over till the end of time, and it will work like “Begins” Why, Because it’s Batman not Star trek. Batman is simple, good guy catches bad guy, and Batman always wins!. Star Trek is more complex, you just cant erase and over write a whole era like the original series. If this movie succeeds and they make more movies or if the cast goes straight to t.v. Star Trek will never be the same. I will see the movie like every Star Trek fan, but i hope it fails. Then Star Trek can cool off for some years and take a new crack at it in the in 7 to 10 years. With post next generation future or a far future. Like the Magellanic clouds that orbit the Milky Way, cool idea! I hope people really do understand that they are trying to re-do Star Trek the original series and not fill in the gaps. Because there are no gaps to be filled in with Kirk, Spock And crew. Like i said before it’s done!
This new movie, from what I can tell, is already screwing up the Star Trek Timeline. If you recall, Doctor McCoy wasn’t originally assigned to the Enterprise as CMO at the start of Kirk’s 5 year mission. Check out the episode “Where No Man Has Gone Before.” And I believe that they have an actor cast to play “Bones” in this movie.
Pike was never in command during the fist season of TOS.
I do agree that Spock and Kirk never met in the Academy and that yes it seems they got that wrong, HOWEVER , I have a feeling that when Spock goes back in time, things change to Star Trek Canon…
Alexander, you are wrong. Flat out wrong.
First off, in terms of film time, Chris Pike was only the Enterprise Captain in one episode of the original series: The Cage/The Menagerie in “archive footage.” Kirk was the Captain of Enterprise in every other episode of the original series. Also there are plenty of gaps between episodes, there are potentially two entire years of the original series’ five-year mission to see, and there’s whatever we didn’t see between “The Cage” and “Where No Man Has Gone Before”, which could include much of Pike’s tenure as Enterprise Captain.
As for Decker, he took over as Captain of the Enterprise during the time Enterprise was being refitted after the end of the five-year mission we saw part of in the original series. He never commander Enterprise on a five-year mission, though it’s possible that Kirk may have commanded a second one after The Motion Picture, and that is certainly an area that could be explored. On top of which, there’s the time period between “The Final Frontier” and “The Undiscovered Country” which could easily be a few years unto itself since Enterprise-A was only on it’s first adventure in Trek 5 and was going to be decommissioned in Trek 6.
In addition, there were a few other ships in the fleet at that time, and anyone who wants to revisit that era could certainly show the adventures those ships had. We could also visit the time when Robert April was said to be in command of NCC-1701. All it takes is a little imagination, some good writers, and people willing to make the effort, and you could easily fill in those gaps if that’s what Trek fans wanted to see.
None of that, however, says to me that they should move forward in the timeline. Most of that exploration can be left to novels and comics, where it’s been done for most of the past 30+ years.
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