SciFi Diner Podcast

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SciFi Diner Podcast Ep. 98 – Our Interview with Chris Preksta of The Mercury Men

SciFi Diner Podcast Ep. 98

Our Interview with Chris Preksta of The Mercury Men

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The SciFi Diner Podcast

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Tonight’s Diners: Scott & Miles

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The song at the end of this week’s episode is a Duel of Fates Remix which can be found here.

On the menu tonight:

  • Interview with Chris Preksta of the Mercury Men
  • Giving Away Three Things:  $100 Think Geek Gift Certificate, Bonita Friedericy Signed Print, and Mercury Men Posters
  • Dr. Horrible 2 is near completetion
  • BBC Co-Produces Three shows
  • Supernatural Renewed
  • Avengers’ Script for Sale
  • A Twilight/Ender’s Game Mashup
  • Rumors: Karl Urban Claims to know when Star Trek 12 begins filming
  • Rumor 2: Original Terminator Cast to return for a fifth installment of the franchise
  • iO9’s 10 Greatest hand guns in SciFi and Fantasy
  • Superman No Longer Proud…
  • Peter David Interview
  • Miles brings you a DVD Review of Inception
  • The TWIST: Remembering William Campbell and the Shatner Scene that was cut from the 2009 movie
  • Miles shares his top five podiobooks in the SciFi Five in Five

Give Away:

We are giving away three things: Top prize: $100 Think Geek Gift Certificate, Second:  Bonita Friedericy Signed Print, and Third: Mercury Men Posters

What you have to do: Send your favorite SciFi Diner Moment, audio or e-mail, and well select the top three winners.  If you already submitted, Kahless I’m talking to you, you are already in the drawing. We will be announcing winners on our 100th episode. That gives you about three weeks to respond.  You can call in your audio to 18885084343 or e-mail it as an mp3 to scifidinerpodcast@gmail.com .

Matt your prize in on your way.

 

Podcast Promos:

The Gatecast Promo with Mike Crate

Lifestyle Jazz Podcast

Podcast Squared

Our Interview:

Pittsburgh, 1975.  Edward Borman, a lowly government office drone, finds himself trapped, when the deadly men of Mercury seize his office building as a staging ground for their nefarious plot. Aided by Jack Yaeger, a daring aerospace engineer from a mysterious organization known as “The League,” Edward must stop the invaders and their doomsday device, the Gravity Engine.

Drawing from the same retro serials that inspired such films as Star Wars and Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Mercury Men reintroduces audiences to the great mystery, danger, and suspense the stories were originally known for.  The series consists of 10 online episodes, each approximately 7 minutes in length.

Alongside each episode of the series, additional story, media, behind-the-scenes features, and digital props will be released for viewers and creators to discuss and decipher the mysteries surrounding the Mercury Men.

The Mercury Men is created by Christopher Preksta, best known as the writer/director of Captain Blasto, for which he was nominated for two Streamy Awards. His short concept film The Mercury Men (filmed prior to the series) was featured at San Diego Comic Con (2008), the Brainwash Movie Festival (awarded Best Film, 2008), and the Action on Film Festival (awarded Best Science Fiction Film & Best Visual Effects, 2008). He was also a top three finalist at the Tribeca Film Festival Nintendo Showcase for his short film The Nintendo Office.

TV News:

Joss Whedon reveals Dr. Horrible 2’s music is ‘near completion’ – from colin

With production for The Avengers less than two weeks away, you’d think that either the shooting schedule or the $150 million budget would be foremost on the mind of director Joss Whedon. Nope. Our geek hero is still thinking about Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog.

Best of all, when asked if he would bring Dr. Horrible to Broadway, like Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, Whedon told the New York Times, “I would say my heart is more in the idea of the sequel.”

He then continued to give us something to live for:

We’ve got several songs near completion and we’ve got a very specific structure. We’ve just all got jobs. And it’s not like Neil [Patrick Harris], Nathan [Fillion] and Felicia [Day] ain’t busy either. We get together at Christmas and family occasions, and then play each other our partial songs and go, “Yup, that’s still exactly as it was the last time we played it. We’re great.”

Of course, Felicia Day’s presence implies that her character Penny will appear in the sequel. Has Dr. Horrible revived her? Has he created a clone Penny? Robot Penny? Penny from another dimension?

Whedon hasn’t confirmed this, or anything else about the plot of Dr. Horrible 2, except for the title: “It’s going to be Dr. Horrible and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.”

BBC America to Co-Produce Trio of U.S. Premiere Sci-Fi Shows

NEW YORK: BBC America has signed up to co-produce the new season of Being Human, along with the previously announced co-pros Outcasts and Bedlam, for its Supernatural Saturday lineup.

BBC America is co-producing the new season of the British original Being Human. The fourth season, of eight hour-long episodes, will air in spring 2012. BBC America is co-producing along with BBC Drama Productions and BBC Three. The show is produced by Touchpaper Wales. It was written and created by Toby Whithouse (Doctor Who, Torchwood). The sci-fi drama Outcasts is a co-production with BBC America, Kudos Film & Television and BBC. Created and written by Ben Richards, the series premieres June 18 at 9 p.m. It stars Eric Mabius (Ugly Betty, The L Word), Liam Cunningham (Clash of the Titans) and Hermione Norris (MI-5, Wire in the Blood). The show explores survival, sex, politics and the drive for power in a new post-Earth era.

Bedlam is co-produced by BBC America and Red Productions. The series stars singer and actor Will Young (Pop Idol winner, Skins), Charlotte Salt (The Tudors) and Joanna Page (Gavin & Stacey), and is written by Neil Jones, David Allison and Chris Parker. The story is set in an apartment building converted from a pre-Victorian lunatic asylum, unfolding as the former asylum spirits come back to claim what they believe is theirs and seek revenge on those who have wronged them. The show premieres October 8 at 9 p.m.

CW Renews ‘Vampire Diaries’, ‘Supernatural’

Vampire Diaries_promo

Entertainment Weekly reports that The CW announced early renewals of it’s genre series THE VAMPIRE DIARIES and SUPENATURAL for next season.

VAMPIRE DIARIES is no surprize, as it’s the network’s number one show this year. SUPERNATURAL is holding it’s own, now in it’s sixth season—and since SMALLVILLE has it series finale after ten years on May 13th, a show to anchor the difficult Friday night schedule is much needed.

The fact that both shows are produced by or in association with CW half-parent Warner Brothers Television couldn’t hurt, either.

 

Movie News

Will theft of Samuel L. Jackson’s script force Avengers rewrites?

Someone—presumably not the Red Skull—has managed to get his hands on Samuel L. Jackson’s copy of the Avengers script. And not only that, but the anonymous thief has been contacting various entertainment sites and offering to sell the script to the highest bidder.

Pictures of some of the script pages have already popped up in the wild, but, as of yet, there haven’t been any takers.

The big question is, just how serious are the consequences of the leak? According to Film Fan Review, production on the film has already been halted in order to make changes to the story. There’s still some skepticism out there, though, as to whether such a costly move is really necessary.

For one thing, there’s no way of knowing how finalized the script actually is. There are plenty of smaller projects out there that get rewrites every day. Word is, the script that was leaked disappeared from L.A., not from filming in Albuquerque, which begs another question: “Just how recent is that script?”

In addition, the images that have cropped up online show scenes involving Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo and Robert Downey Jr.’s characters. Meanwhile, the scenes in production currently involve Chris Evans, Samuel L. Jackson and Chris Hemsworth. Why halt production when the scenes being filmed aren’t the ones leaked online?

Still, Avengers is no ordinary movie, and that means that a script leak means a lot of debate as to what to do, without any easy answers. Has production really been put on hold, though? At the moment, the answer seems to be “probably, but not definitely.” And if it has, it feels unlikely that this hold will last for long.

In the end, the most likely truth is that the script would be altered during production anyway, regardless of whether there was a leaked script out there. That means we’ll still be surprised when we’re sitting in the theater come next summer.

What do you make of this situation, and, if the shoe were on the other foot, what would you do?

Will theft of Samuel L. Jackson\'s s\cript force Avengers rewrites?

Twilight folks to do Ender’s Game?

Looks like Summit, the studio that brought us (and continues to bring us) the Twilight Saga adaptations, will be the next studio to try to adapt Orson Scott Card’s classic 1985 SF novel Ender’s Game, with X-Men Origins: Wolverine director Gavin Hood at the helm.

The last attempt to bring Ender’s Game to the screen imploded in 2008, when the project was at Warner Brothers and being developed by Das Boot and Troy director Wolfgang Petersen.

Now, on the surface, this might look like it could be pretty bad news: the studio bankrolled by sparkly teen vampires making a hard-hitting story of little kids trained for war against an alien enemy directed by the guy who made a so-so entry in the X-Men series. But Hood has also made some pretty emotionally rough dramas, like the Oscar-winning Tsotsi and Rendition. Also, Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, two of the minds behind the recent Star Trek reboot, will be producing.

So … fans of Ender’s Game, is this good news? Bad news? Or just a setup for another adaptation that will have the plug pulled on it?

Karl Urban says the next Star Trek movie could begin filming in September or November – comes courtesy of Trek News

Karl Urban

During an interview with Collider, Star Trek actor, Karl Urban said that he believes filming for the sequel will begin sometime in September or November of this year.

When asked if he thought Star Trek 2009 Director JJ Abrams will be back for the sequel, Urban said “I certainly hope so… he’s a phenomenal director and we had such a great time working with him on the first one… fingers crossed”

Rumor of the day: Original Terminator cast to return in new film

Remember last week’s news that a pitch for a new Terminator film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger was making its way around Hollywood? Turns out that Arnie isn’t the only cast member who might come back.

According to a rumor at Latino Review, the proposal circulating through studio offices—which is currently going under the name Terminator 2012—has attached to it not just Schwarzenegger in his signature role, but the “entire original cast” of the first Terminator film.

We put that in quotes because the report doesn’t get any more specific than that, although the site claims it comes from a valid source. Does that mean just the main characters, like Linda Hamilton as Sarah Connor and Michael Biehn as Kyle Reese? Or will Bill Paxton get a mohawk and reprise his role as the “punk leader”? No clue. We can probably assume, however, that anything involving the “original cast” would have to include Hamilton and Biehn.

Keep in mind that not a single actor has signed on the line that is dotted, and a screenplay doesn’t even exist yet. A director (Justin Lin of Fast Five fame) is attached as well, but the movie doesn’t become a reality until one of the studios taking a look at the property decides to write the check.

As for how Terminator 2012 would fit into the snarled continuity of the last two films in the series (Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines and Terminator Salvation), Latino Review offers a suggestion: Don’t bother. Forget those movies ever existed and use the end of Terminator 2: Judgment Day as your starting point again.

Would you like to see the original Terminator cast reunited? Do you think there’s a way to make that work somehow, without rebooting the series completely?

10 Greatest Handguns in All of Science Fiction and Fantasy – io9
10 Greatest Handguns in All of Science Fiction and Fantasy

10) Mal Reynolds’ Sidearm (Firefly)
We weren’t really sure whether to include this one, but it got by far the most votes in our Facebook poll. (There’s just something about Browncoats and polls.) And you have to admit, it is a gorgeous piece of ordnance. According to this super-detailed gun-related website, it’s an antique-styled weapon, but judging from the sound effect, it uses some unknown futuristic propellant. Like everything on Firefly, it’s retro but also futuristic.

9) Deckard’s hand-cannon (Blade Runner)
By all accounts this gun shoots explosive shells, meaning it makes quite a mess if Deckard decides he didn’t like your responses to those turtle questions. And it’s a big scary gun, with some rifle characteristics as well as bits of a basic .44. It’s got intimidation as well as blasting power.

8) The Lawgiver Mk II (Judge Dredd)
These puppies are just scary-looking, despite the weird Viewmaster wheel over the grip. They are DNA-locked to each Judge, and have a range of up to three miles, including exploding ordinance and heat-seeking bullets. Mostly they are designed to be an overwhelming show of force that fits snugly in your hand — the perfect symbolism of judicial power run amuck in a world with no other social control. Carry one of these, and you ARE the law.

7) The Needler (The Stainless Steel Rat and Halo)
Halo may have made the Needler gun famous, but Harry Harrison’s hero, the Stainless Steel Rat, was shooting them first. In the Harrison books, the Needler gun could shoot all sorts of different needles, including paralyzing needles, truth serum, nerve toxins and so on. In Halo, the Needler shoots needles that track your opponents, and it can shoot at a very fast rate. If you embed seven needles in a player in the same area, they explode and kill the player. Image via Kotaku.10 Greatest Handguns in All of Science Fiction and Fantasy6) The Colt (Supernatural)
We have to give some props to a gun that can kill almost anything. It’s the ultimate magic gun! Made by gun-maker Samuel Colt (whom we met last week), this gun is enchanted with such powerful spells, it can kill even the most powerful demons and beasties. There’s only a few supernatural creatures whom the gun won’t work on… including one of the most important evildoers in the Supernatural mythos. Still, it’s a great plot device and an awesome object for your mystical gun fetishism.

5) Winona (Farscape)
Sometime during season 2 of Farscape, John Crichton starts calling his trusty phase pistol Winona, and she’s his constant companion through thick and thin — even if she does jam occasionally. She’s a nice sleek automatic pulse pistol, and she’s quite possibly the only gun named after Winona Ryder. She becomes a big enough part of Farscape mythology that the Farscape PC game devotes some time to explaining how Crichton got her.10 Greatest Handguns in All of Science Fiction and Fantasy

4) The Noisy Cricket (Men In Black)
Agent J learns what Yoda could have told him — you shouldn’t judge by size. Agent K gives Agent J a tiny gun — which sends him flying backwards every single damn time he tries to shoot it. And it tends to make anything he aims it at explode. Hence the name.

10 Greatest Handguns in All of Science Fiction and Fantasy

3) The DL-44 Heavy Blaster (Star Wars)
Because Han Solo couldn’t have shot first if he didn’t have an awesome gun at his side. As with everything else in Star Wars, there are absurd amounts of info about the DL-44 on the internet. It has great accuracy and yet packs a heavy punch — and the ability to pack a bolt twice as powerful without damaging the sidearm. And it includes galven circuitry (whatever that is) which allows it to inflict more damage with a normal drain rate.

2) The Good Samaritan (Hellboy)
Speaking of magic guns… According to the Hellboy comics, “The gun itself has unearthly resistance to almost all forms of attack, and includes grips carved from fragments of the True Cross. The metal of the gun is forged from a combination of Irish church bells, cold iron from crucifixes, blessed silver, and other mystic metals.” It’s basically the total package in terms of magically enhanced armaments. Of course, Hellboy gets an even bigger gun in Hellboy II, called The Big Baby.10 Greatest Handguns in All of Science Fiction and Fantasy

1) The mighty Phaser (Star Trek)
We pretty much had to include this one. Whether it has a traditional handgun shape or a weird cellphone shape, the phaser is a totally awesome weapon. It can stun, kill or disintegrate. And if you’re stuck on a frozen ice planet, it can heat up rocks for you. You can even set a phaser to self-destruct and turn it into a bomb that’ll go off in an undefined period of time. Our love affair with this gun wasn’t only a phase — it was for always.

Comic News:

Superman Drops the American Way?

That’s the big question this week as the Man of Steel celebrates a major milestone. While Action Comics #900 carries many stories in it from different authors and artists, it’s “The Incident” by The Dark Knight and the upcoming Man of Steel writer David Goyer that’s got everyone talking, and rightfully so. In its pages, Superman faces a very real threat and then renounces his citizenship to the U.S.A.

Let’s back up, though. If we only talk about the conclusion, we miss out on the “why,” which, for my money, makes the scenario much more interesting. The story goes that Superman, having a nose for news after all, is following the story of protests in Tehran. Deciding that it’s not enough to handle supervillains and apocalypses, Supes flies directly into the chaotic city and … stands there. That’s all. He stands in solidarity with the protestors for 24 hours. Then he leaves.

The Iranian government assumes that Superman is acting on behalf of the president of the U.S. and considers his actions and act of war. With that in mind, Superman makes the realization that, if he wants to be a hero in this way, stand up for the oppressed, the starving, and the dehumanized, he can’t do so as a representative of any one nation. Hence, he renounces his U.S. citizenship.

But is he any less an American icon now? No doubt this alteration will be a temporary one, but, in addition, it feels like Superman is just changing to meet with the times. One could argue that with the multitude of global crises we’ve been dealing with in the last years that America has become more connected to the rest of the world than ever. What hurts us hurts everyone else, and vice versa.

Maybe the comic argues that what we need now is more than just an American hero. Maybe what we need is a global one, someone who will take the big risks in order to push the world forward, to try and make things better for everyone. At its most ideal, isn’t that the very definition of “The American Way”?

What do you think?

 

Some Responses:

Peter David Interview: Comics

Hope this finds you well. This weekend was awesome for me. As part of a Sci-Fi convention in Louisville, KY. I got to interview Peter David (www.peterdavid.net) and we talked for a good while about his Sci-Fi work as well as his comic book writing.

He talked a good deal about his Star Trek: New Frontier series and other projects he is working on that I think fellow fans of the SciFi Diner Podcast would be interest in. I just released the interview as an episode of the podcast I produce called Completely Comics over at www.completelycomics.com. Feel free to give it a listen and if you think it might be of interest to others that listen to your show, please feel free to share it in any way!

Thanks,
Troy

DVD Review:

Inception: written & directed by Christopher Nolan

In a world where technology exists to enter the human mind through dream invasion, a highly skilled thief is given a final chance at redemption which involves executing his toughest job to date: Inception.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Leonardo DiCaprio Leonardo DiCaprio
Joseph Gordon-Levitt Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Ellen Page Ellen Page
Tom Hardy Tom Hardy
Ken Watanabe Ken Watanabe
Dileep Rao Dileep Rao
Cillian Murphy Cillian Murphy
Tom Berenger Tom Berenger
Marion Cotillard Marion Cotillard
Pete Postlethwaite Pete Postlethwaite
Michael Caine Michael Caine
Lukas Haas Lukas Haas
Tai-Li Lee Tai-Li Lee
Tadashi
Claire Geare Claire Geare

TWIST (This Week In Star Trek):

Remembering William Campbell

Campbell as Trelane on TOS

It is our sad duty at StarTrek.com to report the passing of William Campbell. The actor, beloved in Star Trek circles for his roles as Trelane in the TOS episode “The Squire of Gothos” and as the Klingon Koloth in the TOS episode “The Trouble with Tribbles” and the DS9 episode “Blood Oath,” passed away in the early evening of April 28 following a long illness. Campbell died peacefully and, appropriately, in Woodland Hills, California, at the Motion Picture & Television Country Home and Hospital, a facility for which he worked tirelessly as an advocate, volunteer and fundraiser. Campbell was 84.

Though hundreds of actors and actresses have guest starred on the various Star Trek shows and in the features over the years, few made as much of a personal connection with fans as Campbell. A big, burly man with a booming voice, charming smile and playful demeanor, Campbell loved Trek fans as much as they loved him. He attended numerous conventions over the years and was a familiar face on Trek cruises, and never was he more thrilled than when he reprised his roles as Trelane in the video game Star Trek: Judgment Rites and Koloth on DS9, as they gave him plenty of fresh stories to share with convention attendees. Though slowed by health problems in the early 2000’s, Campbell found the strength to attend Creation’s 40th anniversary Star Trek convention in 2006, and, as usual, he held the audience spellbound.

It should be noted that Star Trek was not Campbell’s only claim to fame. He sang with Elvis Presley in Love Me Tender; starred in Dementia 13, produced by Roger Corman and directed by a first-timer named Francis Coppola; and co-starred in The High and the Mighty, Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte and Pretty Maids All in a Row, that last one a post-Star Trek feature written and produced by Trek creator Gene Roddenberry. His many television credits include Cannonball, The Millionaire, Perry Mason, O’Hara, U.S. Treasury (with George Takei), Gunsmoke, Quincy, M.E., The Return of the Six Million Dollar Man and Bionic Woman, and Kung Fu: The Legend Continues.

Campbell is survived by his wife of nearly 50 years, Tereza. Funeral services will be private, but Mrs. Campbell asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Motion Picture & Television Country Home and Hospital. For details, click here.

Bob Orci: Shatner Scene Not Included In Star Trek 2009 Because Of “Fan Pandering” + Poll: Was it?

shatIn late 2009 TrekMovie exclusively revealed a scene written for William Shatner for JJ Abrams Star Trek movie. In a recent roundtable interview, co-writer Roberto Orci discussed this scene and why JJ Abrams never approved it for the final script. Details below, plus a repost of the scene. We also have a poll asking if you agree that the scene was “fan pandering.”

Orci talks Shatner “Star Trek” scene

In a Hollywood Reporter round-table discussion with other screenwriters of Summer movies, Roberto Orci spoke briefly about the Star Trek (2009) scene written for William Shatner:

THR: Do you guys ever write scenes into the script that you know aren’t going to be in the movie?

Orci: We wrote a scene for William Shatner at the end of the movie where Spock, played by Leonard, gives his young self, played by Zach Quinto, something he’d kept with him. And it was basically a recording of Kirk singing “Happy Birthday” to him for the last time before he went off to die in Star Trek VI. J.J. had determined early on that he felt it might seem like it was, a) too small, and b) pandering to the fans a bit. But we wrote it anyway because as a fan you’re always trying to protect that thing where you want to be able to look fans in the eye and say, “We were ready.”

Here is the full (and lengthy) round table discussion with Orci, along with  screenwriters Jonathan Aibel (Kung Fu Panda 2), Greg Berlanti (Green Lantern),  Ehren Kruger (Transformers: Dark of the Moon), Christopher Markus (Captain America: The First Avenger), Ashley Edward Miller (Thor &  X-Men: First Class).

Repost of TrekMovie Exclusive (11/23/2009)

Putting Shatner into “Star Trek”

TrekMovie received the scene below from one of our trusted sources and it has been verified to be the scene written for Shatner (but never shown to Shatner). The “Alternate Scene B” actually creates alternative versions two scenes from the end of the movie: the moment between Spock Prime (Nimoy) and Spock (Quinto) in the hangar, plus the award ceremony with Kirk (Pine), Pike (Greenwood) and the Commandant (Tyler Perry).



Including Shatner would have made alternatives to these ending scenes

Shatner would have played Kirk, but would have appeared as a recording. The timing of the recording is not stated, but would have have been before Star Trek Generations and therefore not violate the canon that Kirk was killed in Generations. JJ Abrams has often noted that dealing with Kirk’s death was one of the hindrances of including him in the new Star Trek.


Shatner in “Star Trek Generations” (1994), his last time in the chair

The Scene
Here it is…

—————————

ALTERNATE SCENE B

SPOCK PRIME
Then I ask that you do yourself a
favor… put away logic, and do what
feels right. The world you’ve inherited
lives in the shadow of incalculable
devastation… but there’s no reason you
must face it alone.

And from around his neck, he removes the PENDANT that
until now, we’ve only caught glimpses of. Places it on
the table beside his younger self. The feeling in his
eyes is profound…

SPOCK PRIME (CONT’D)
This was a gift to me. Representing…
a dream. One we were unable to fulfill.
(softly)
The way you can now.

And moves to the door. Stops. Offers the VULCAN SALUTE:

SPOCK PRIME (CONT’D)
As my customary farewell would appear
oddly self serving, I will simply say…
good luck.

Their eyes hold. Spock turns, disappearing into the
corridor. Young Spock stares at the empty doorway a
beat, his mind a jumble of thoughts. Looks to the
pendant… and realizes it’s a HOLO-EMITTER. After
considering a beat, he hits an activation button and a
MOVING HOLOGRAPHIC MESSAGE materializes before him:

CAPTAIN JAMES T. KIRK. WILLIAM SHATNER. As always,
brash, wry, confident — and SINGING:

KIRK/ SHATNER
Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to
you…
(stops, grins)
I know I know, it’s illogical to
celebrate something you had nothing to do
with, but I haven’t had the chance to
congratulate you on your appointment to
the ambassadorship so I thought I’d seize
the occasion… Bravo, Spock — they tell
me your first mission may take you away
for awhile, so I’ll be the first to wish
you luck… and to say…
(beat, emotional)
I miss you, old friend.

… and we’re PUSHING IN on Young Spock, taking in the
image of Kirk’s future self, the message, but above all —
the clear, unquestionable friendship these two men had…

INT. CORRIDOR – CONTINUOUS

As Spock Prime walks off down the corridor, he passes
right by a man conferring with a nurse — the man pauses,
turns… it’s SAREK. Suddenly overcome by a feeling that
the stranger who’s just passed him is… oddly familiar.

KIRK/SHATNER (V.O.)
I suppose I’d always imagined us…
outgrowing Starfleet together. Watching
life swing us into our Emeritus years…

INT. STARBASE ONE – HANGAR – ETERNAL NIGHT

MUSIC BUILDING — glass walls reveal THE ENTERPRISE at
dock, UTILITY CRAFTS floating around it, repairing.
Standing at attention in rows, THE ENTERPRISE CREW —
over four hundred of them wearing DRESS UNIFORMS — TRACK
DOWN the faces, all proud:

KIRK/SHATNER (V.O.)
I look around at the new cadets now and
can’t help thinking… has it really been
so long? Wasn’t it only yesterday we
stepped onto the Enterprise as boys?
That I had to prove to the crew I
deserved command… and their respect?

And we STOP ON YOUNG KIRK. Composed, focused, proud. A
man. And to every fan’s delight, finally wearing his
YELLOW SHIRT. The FEDERATION COMMANDANT stands at a
podium:

COMMANDANT
This assembly calls Captain James
Tiberius Kirk…

Kirk breaks from formation, pivots, marches down the
hangar — past UHURA… SULU… CHEKOV… SCOTTY. All
Beaming. Notably absent, is Spock. Kirk ascends the
stairs, snaps to attention:

COMMANDANT (CONT’D)
Your inspirational valor and supreme
dedication to your comrades are in
keeping with the highest traditions of
service and reflect utmost credit to
yourself, your crew, and the Federation.
By Starfleet Order 28455, you are hereby
directed to report to Commanding Officer,
USS Enterprise, for duty as his relief.

Kirk turns. Walks to… PIKE. In a wheelchair now,
wearing an ADMIRAL’S UNIFORM. Overnight, his hair’s
turned totally grey — but despite his trauma, his
pride’s overwhelming. They SALUTE each other:

KIRK
I relieve you, Sir.

PIKE
… I am relieved.

He opens a BOX in his lap — glorious in repose, a MEDAL:

PIKE (CONT’D)
And as Fleet Admiral, for your… unique
solution to the Kobayashi Maru, it’s my
honor to award you with a commendation
for original thinking.

Pike containing a smirk, pins the medal to Kirk’s
chest…

PIKE (CONT’D)
(a touch choked)
Congratulations, Captain.

KIRK
Thank you, Sir.

Kirk turns to the crowd. Eyes shining. WILD APPLAUSE.
OUR MUSIC SOARS. Bones leans in to Sulu, rolling his
eyes:

BONES
… Same ship, different day.

As Kirk rejoins his crew for hugs and congratulations, we
go to the BACK of the hangar… SPOCK PRIME. Watching.
Moved beyond words. He turns and leaves them to it… as
he goes…

KIRK/SHATNER (V.O.)
I know what you’d say — ‘It’s their turn
now, Jim…’ And of course you’re
right… but it got me thinking:

INT. STARFLEET HOSPITAL – EARTH – DAY

Our montage comes full circle as we END on Kirk’s
transmission:

KIRK/SHATNER
Who’s to say we can’t go one more round?
By the last tally, only twenty five
percent of the galaxy’s been chartered…
I’d call that negligent. Criminal even —
an invitation. You once said being a
starship captain was my first, best
destiny… if that’s true, then yours is
to be by my side. If there’s any true
logic to the universe… we’ll end up on
that bridge again someday.

Stops, grins. Because this is the part he needs to say
most…

KIRK/SHATNER
Admit it, Spock. For people like us, the
journey itself… is home.

Young Spock’s face. Lost in feelings that flood through
him.

—————————

POLL: Powerful or Pandering?

So JJ Abrams felt that the above scene was too small and pandering to us the fans, what do you think? Do you want pandering?

SciFi Five in Five

Top 5 Current Favorite Podio Book Podcasts by Miles
1. Leviathon Chronicles by Christof Laputko
2.  7th Son Series by  J.C Huchens
3. We’re Alive by KC Wayland & Shane Salk
4. Children of the Gods by C Mack
5. Star Wars: In The Shadows

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