Cosmic Confessions Of A Hollywood Sci-Fi Screenwriter

Various Reactions To My Writing For Star Trek: The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine Range From Shock To Contempt

‘The Human Adventure Is Just Beginning...’ - Star Trek: The Motion Picture

Adventure begins, but I’d politely ask, What kind? Replace Human with Writer and you’ve something of a rollicking adventure, indeed. Such a playful description rightly sums up my experiences - and no doubt those of others - writing television in Hollywood, especially for the various Star Trek TV shows.

Living Long & Prospering after writing for Star Trek. Even a casual fan knows its legacy remains a singularly brilliant one. From TV shows, novels to comic books and films, and even video games, the sci-fi trek keeps on warping.

Dorothy Fontana, one of the most important writers/producers working on Gene Roddenberry’s original NBC series, recounted an incident while shopping in a department store. It nicely illustrates Trek’s pervasive pop culture power.

She paid with a credit card. Glancing down, the clerk excitedly recognized D.C. Fontana, her onscreen name. She characterized her experience, along with other similar incidents, as Star Trek always looming large - always attached to her.

I relate. Though I don’t have as famous a name, I’ve had enough public exposure for name recognition. When sharing my Trek tenure, it runs a range of joy to aggressive agitation, even animosity.

These reactions fascinate. Within a purely psychological framework, they illustrate how much Star Trek means, and how truly powerful its influence remains.

Photo by Stefan Cosma on Unsplash

Total Excitement

My favorite. It’s most fun because I fully share in their passionate excitement. I have been and always shall be a fan.

I attended my first year of college after selling to TNG. The school paper did coverage, so media contacted them to interview me. It felt surreal. I was in my first year of college with Next Generation in its final season, and my episode would air soon. School friends got excited. It’s with fond recollection of them signing my script to wish me the best in future Hollywood endeavors.

My school did such a good job of spreading the word about my TNG episode that WPIX Channel 11 sent a film crew to report as my family watched Homeward, starring Paul Sorvino, that evening.

The next day while shopping, a customer on line recognized me and was thrilled. He’d watched me on the news.

After winter break, I returned to college to more excitement. While leaving the cafeteria, a girl approached me beaming. She wanted an autograph. I couldn’t believe anyone wanted my autograph, but I was more than happy to give her it.

Complete Shock

Bones, grab that hypospray! Deshock this patient, Doctor!

As one of my favorite musicians sings, Peter Gabriel, Shock The Monkey. Shocked ones are fun too. Obviously you don’t shock Spock, so I say, “Fascinating.”

Many simply stare blankly, to finally offer up something like, “Really!? You really wrote for Star Trek?” With all that shock going on, perhaps they require shock treatments.

One particularly memorable shock happened while hanging out with a buddy. His brother was a big Trekker, and when my friend told him what I’d done he didn’t believe it. He couldn’t believe it. He refused to believe for a good, long while, forcing me to defend my own and Trek’s honor.

Perhaps of all who were apparently shocked, was Captain Kirk himself. Yes, William Shatner reacted to my Next Generation sale.

I was still trying to get an agent after selling my TNG script. The William Morris Agency was interested, and during a call with one of their reps, I was told Bill Shatner said I was bullshitting them.

Captain Kirk calling me a bullshit artist? Set phasers on STUNNED!

This agent was friends with Shatner’s agent. He dialed up his buddy to ask the great alter ego of James T. Kirk about me selling to Paramount Pictures without representation. After being accused of bullshiting by Mr. Shatner and his agent, I replied, “When I fax a copy of my script contract to prove I sold, will Mr. Shatner apologize to me?”

I did. I had more talks with William Morris. As for Shatner’s apology, guess what? I’m still waiting.

Near Contempt

Not fun. Encountering this one is obviously sad, more than a little anger provoking, and so thankfully, I’ve only encountered it a few unpleasant times.

Of course, I’m a little biased, but I can’t believe why anyone wouldn’t watch Star Trek, moreover, I can’t conceive why they’d dislike or even hate it. But, hey, to each his own little world building escapist hobbies.

Let’s take a cue from one of the longest running comedy sketch TV shows of all time. Remember the infamous William Shatner Saturday Night Live skit, where Kirk’s alter ego admonishes the fans at a convention to, “Get A Life.” Shatner, never one to let even minor controversy go to waste, capitalized on the whole thing, and later, he even wrote a book with the same title.

When I’ve been confronted with distaste or even hatred stemming from my pro Trek connection, I don’t give haters anything even remotely able to help them spew animosity. If they crack an insult - a verbal photon torpedo if you will - I simply raise shields and reply in kind.

Future Imperfect

Let’s see what’s out there….. Engage.

Let’s keep exploring. From the looks of things lately, here on present day Earth, we’re just getting started on the final frontier front.

Space has never been the hotter, happening place than in the past few years. Look at Amazon bigwig Jeff Bezsos, Virgin’s Sir Richard Branson and fellow billionaire entrepreneur Tesla’s Elon Musk helping to turn our species into a true spacefaring lifeform. It’s said all or most of these gentlemen love Star Trek. No big surprise.

Star Trek, complete with its legendary Prime Directive, acts as a prime motivator. It elicits unique reactions and strong emotions in all sorts of people. Just as those logical Vulcans believe in IDIC - Infinite Diversity Infinite Combination - Gene Roddenberry’s complex legacy provokes us in important and diverse ways. I’m thrilled and humble to have contributed my part to the incredible phenomenon.