Sci-Fi
March 9th, 2005, 07:09 PM
Excerpts from TrekWeb:
John Billingsley (Phlox) joined Chase Masterson (Leeta) for her live Web radio show at TheFandom, on Monday (March 7), for almost an hour of lively listening. Billingsley answered questions sent in by fans, and shared tall tales and anecdotes from his life and loves. The final few moments grew sober, however, when the discussion broached circumstances surrounding ENTERPRISE.
The following is an excerpt with Billingsley's response to the question, "Would you be interested in returning to ENTERPRISE if we succeed in saving the show?"
JB: Sure, but, um -- and no disrespect at all to the fans, and their passion, and their appreciation for the show -- I have to say, in all honesty, I don't think it's a function so much of the Network having canceled the show as it is a function of Paramount having decided that they do not want to make this show anymore. I do think STAR TREK will return, in another incarnation, at some point; but, I think it's like one of the great principles of horticulture, you know, the ground has to be fallow for a while, before you can replant.
CM: So true.
JB: I think the time has come for the franchise to take a break. I wish that we had gotten out of the gate with, um, with more of a bang. I do think that the show has really hit its peak; but, unfortunately, that old bromide, "You don't get a second chance to make a first impression," is true; and we sort of lost the opportunity to build on the STAR TREK audience, and it is necessary now to build on that audience, to bring some new folks to the table. This show didn't do that, you know, and you could argue the reasons why it didn't do that, but it didn't do that.
CM: Right.
JB: And, um, I don't really, honestly, disagree with Paramount's thinking. I am sorry to see it go; I'm sorry to see my relationships end. But, if I worked for Paramount, I probably would, um, be inclined to agree with them, that it needs to take a little bit of a break, and it'll return.
CM: Well, there you go. You've spoken honestly, I guess that's all you can say. I want to ask you -- you and the cast are aware of all the TrekUnited efforts, right?
JB: Oh, absolutely. Absolutely.
CM: Three million dollars, I have heard, that they have raised.
JB: And, again, I realize that I may be, you know, um... I don't mean to be throwing water on anybody -- I do think it's not a function of the money. It's not a question of the fact that Paramount could certainly afford to continue doing this show, and they could probably find a channel somewhere to pick it up. Their economic argument is essentially based on this: There aren't, right now, enough fans watching the show for them to have a healthy enough profit. Their feeling is, I'm guessing, that if the show goes away, if the franchise goes away for a while, when it returns people will be hungry for it again, and more than just the people who are watching it now might be curious enough to take a look at it and give it another shot. I'm afraid I don't think even if the fans were able to raise enough money to actually put a whole season on, that it would change Paramount's thinking about this; and I say that only because I, for my own money, I think the posture at this point should be, um, an appreciation of what has happened, and enjoyment of the ride that everybody's had a chance to go on.
CM: Hmm. That's a good point.
JB: And, you know, it will come again.
CM: That's a very good point.
JB: All things have an end.
Billingsley goes on to speak about his upcoming acting gigs and immediate plans.
You may download an audio recording (MP3) of the entire interview from TheFandom (http://www.thefandom.com/Article19.phtml), which includes a telephone Q&A with STAR TREK makeup guru Michael Westmore.
:salute: :Nsalute:
John Billingsley (Phlox) joined Chase Masterson (Leeta) for her live Web radio show at TheFandom, on Monday (March 7), for almost an hour of lively listening. Billingsley answered questions sent in by fans, and shared tall tales and anecdotes from his life and loves. The final few moments grew sober, however, when the discussion broached circumstances surrounding ENTERPRISE.
The following is an excerpt with Billingsley's response to the question, "Would you be interested in returning to ENTERPRISE if we succeed in saving the show?"
JB: Sure, but, um -- and no disrespect at all to the fans, and their passion, and their appreciation for the show -- I have to say, in all honesty, I don't think it's a function so much of the Network having canceled the show as it is a function of Paramount having decided that they do not want to make this show anymore. I do think STAR TREK will return, in another incarnation, at some point; but, I think it's like one of the great principles of horticulture, you know, the ground has to be fallow for a while, before you can replant.
CM: So true.
JB: I think the time has come for the franchise to take a break. I wish that we had gotten out of the gate with, um, with more of a bang. I do think that the show has really hit its peak; but, unfortunately, that old bromide, "You don't get a second chance to make a first impression," is true; and we sort of lost the opportunity to build on the STAR TREK audience, and it is necessary now to build on that audience, to bring some new folks to the table. This show didn't do that, you know, and you could argue the reasons why it didn't do that, but it didn't do that.
CM: Right.
JB: And, um, I don't really, honestly, disagree with Paramount's thinking. I am sorry to see it go; I'm sorry to see my relationships end. But, if I worked for Paramount, I probably would, um, be inclined to agree with them, that it needs to take a little bit of a break, and it'll return.
CM: Well, there you go. You've spoken honestly, I guess that's all you can say. I want to ask you -- you and the cast are aware of all the TrekUnited efforts, right?
JB: Oh, absolutely. Absolutely.
CM: Three million dollars, I have heard, that they have raised.
JB: And, again, I realize that I may be, you know, um... I don't mean to be throwing water on anybody -- I do think it's not a function of the money. It's not a question of the fact that Paramount could certainly afford to continue doing this show, and they could probably find a channel somewhere to pick it up. Their economic argument is essentially based on this: There aren't, right now, enough fans watching the show for them to have a healthy enough profit. Their feeling is, I'm guessing, that if the show goes away, if the franchise goes away for a while, when it returns people will be hungry for it again, and more than just the people who are watching it now might be curious enough to take a look at it and give it another shot. I'm afraid I don't think even if the fans were able to raise enough money to actually put a whole season on, that it would change Paramount's thinking about this; and I say that only because I, for my own money, I think the posture at this point should be, um, an appreciation of what has happened, and enjoyment of the ride that everybody's had a chance to go on.
CM: Hmm. That's a good point.
JB: And, you know, it will come again.
CM: That's a very good point.
JB: All things have an end.
Billingsley goes on to speak about his upcoming acting gigs and immediate plans.
You may download an audio recording (MP3) of the entire interview from TheFandom (http://www.thefandom.com/Article19.phtml), which includes a telephone Q&A with STAR TREK makeup guru Michael Westmore.
:salute: :Nsalute: