From: ottoh3@cfsmo.honeywell.com (Otto Heuer #3) Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek.current Subject: FAQL: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS LIST for rec.arts.startrek.current Date: 15 Mar 93 06:04:41 GMT PERIODIC LIST OF "FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS" in REC.ARTS.STARTREK.CURRENT (last updated 11 March 1993) This posting is intended to cut down on the "often asked questions" that seem to pop up every few months in the rec.arts.startrek.current newsgroup. It is one of a number of periodic postings posted to r.a.s.*. For a full list of informational postings, please read the "LIST OF PERIODIC POSTINGS" article in rec.arts.startrek.misc. For a list of acronyms used in this (and other) postings, please refer to the "ACRONYM LIST" found in rec.arts.startrek.misc. This FAQL is basically a list of questions that have been brought up and discussed to death in rec.arts.startrek.current, and a lot of people would be happy if they never resurfaced. See the rasm FAQL for a list of acronyms used in this post. =========================================================================== 1) Upcoming TNG season 6 episodes 2) More upcoming TNG tidbits 3) Star Trek Abroad 4) TNG season seven (the last) 5) Next movie: Star Trek VII 6) Deep Space Nine (the next televised Star Trek series) 7) Upcoming DS9 episodes 8) Moontrap II: The Pyramids of Mars 9) Inside Trek (weekly syndicated Star Trek newspaper column) =========================================================================== This entire article contains ***** S P O I L E R S ***** for upcoming movies, TNG episodes, books, etc. If you don't want to be spoiled, don't read this! 1) ========== UPCOMING TNG SEASON 6 EPISODES: "Birthright, Part I" (2/22 - 2/28): Worf and Data visit DS9 and are told that their fathers are still alive. Part I centers on Data, and we learn that Data dreams (where he gets a vision and submits to a deadly experiment). Worf dons commando gear to break into a Romulan prison camp to rescue his father, but the Klingons don't want to leave their captivity. Part II will apparently NOT be a DS9 episode, as was earlier reported. Guest stars James Cromell as Jaglom Shrek, Siddig El Fadil as Dr. Julian Bashir, Cristine Rose as Gi'ral, Jennifer Gatti as Ba'el, and Richard Herd as L'Kor. Written by Brannon Braga. Directed by Winrich Kolbe. "Birthright, Part II" (3/1 - 3/7): Worf is trapped in a Romulan prison after hearing that his father is still alive (from someone on DS9). Imprisioned in a society of peaceful Klingons and Romulans, Worf risks his life to show the younger Klingons their lost heritage and inspire them to claim their honor. Worf ends up facing a firing squad. Brent Spiner and Mike Dorn guest star as Data and Worf from TNG. Guest Stars Sterling Macer Jr as Toq and Alan Scarfe as Tokath. Written by Rene Echevarria. Directed by Dan Curry. "A Fistful of Datas" (3/8 - 3/14): Repeat (Worf and Troi on the holodeck). "The Quality of Life" (3/15 - 3/21): Repeat (Robot pigs in space). "Ship in a Bottle" (3/22 - 3/28): Repeat (Barclay/Moriarty). "Starship Mine" (3/29 - 4/4): Picard saves the Enterprise from alien invaders. "Lessons" (4/5 - 4/11): Picard becomes romantically involved with one of his shipmates (not Beverly). "Chain of Command, Part I" (4/12 - 4/18): Repeat (Jerico replaces Picard). "Chain of Command, Part II" (4/19 - 4/25): Repeat (Jerico replaces Picard). "" (? - ?): Another Lwaxana episode. "The Rivals" (? - ?): A study of the impact of competition in Geordi and a rival who renew their relationship while the Enterprise tries to get rid of an alien plane. "Limits" (? - ?): Strange happenings aboard the Enterprise lead to a discovery that warp engines are environmentally damaging the fabric of space. This *may* have been re-written into what was broadcast as "Schisms". Sounds like another bad attempt to relate Star Trek to today's social issues. "The Way to Eden"? Strike One! "The Outcast"? Strike Two! "Limits"? Most likely Strike Three! "Q Me" (? - ?): Yet *another* Q episode! Guest star John DeLancie as Q. This *may* just be the former title of "True Q". "Duelling Qs" (? - ?): Q is back (sans Vash), and is dueling (in some sort of Olympiad) with another member of the Q continuum, played by William Campbell (who played Trelane in "Squire of Gothos"). They haven't mentioned whether this means that Trelane was a member of the Q continuum or if this is a separate character. Our Q uses Enterprise crew for his team, and the other team is manned by a band of genius bodybuilders. Some of the events that were to take place would be a race through an asteroid field, a very bizzare boxing match in a triangular ring with a circular booth in the center, an alien poker game, a kind of Spartacus-like last conflict and an American Gladiators event. Page 24 of the 8/19/92 issue of the UK newspaper "The Independent" said that Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed on to be in an upcoming episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. The October 1992 Cinefantastique backed this up. WPIX in New York reported that Arnold would be on TNG as "an alien captain". Herb Wright (formerly on the TNG writing staff) said that if they had gone through with "Dueling Q's," he could have gotten Arnold to head the rival team gathered by the female Q, stating that it would have brought a huge audience to that episode. This one may be canceled due to cost overruns (Mostly due to Nimoy's previous appearance, I'd guess). Whoopi Goldberg guest stars as Guinan!! "Q and Order" (if they decide to go with this idea): Q brings the Enterprise (or some of its members) into the Q Continuum. "[?]" (? - ?): The Borg are back! And they brought more ships with them this time--but they have changed a little since we saw them in "I, Borg". They wre working with seven different Borg costumes. [speculation: my guess is that we get to see some other species that the Borg have stolen bodies from (Klingon, Romulan, and/or Ferengi; I *hope* the change is not that they have gained compassion (since the writer of "I, Borg" has been brought in as a permanent writer) --hm] =========================================================================== 2) ========== MORE UPCOMING TNG TIDBITS TNG's wrap party is mid April 1993 id they stay on schedule. Whoopi has confirmed that she will continue to do TNG episodes AFTER her statements on Arsenio. Apparently, TNG is the *only* thing she'll have to do with Paramount these days. The only reason she's been seen so rarely is her hectic schedule shooting "Sarafina" in South Africa and doing charity work. We may have a "few" episodes with Wes coming home for "spring break" in season seven (Wil is at UCLA; his character Wes is attending Star Fleet Academy). They are looking for scripts (GOOD ones) to bring back Barclay, Lwaxana, Lore, and Q, but have apparently given up hope on bringing back Sela. There will be two Riker-centered episodes near the end of season six, one of which will develop his relationship with Troi. There will be a Beverly-centerred episode near the end of season six which includes Whoopi Goldberg as Guinan. Barclay will make his fifth appearance on TNG. They are no longer thinking about a love interest between Bev and Picard. They are planning several Romulan episodes for season six. Barclay will be in a second episode in season six (his fourth total). Geordi MIGHT get married. They are trying to find a good Lore story since Spiner loves playing the character. Frakes is scheduled to direct around four episodes in season six. So far he has done "The Offspring", "Reunion", "Drumhead", and "Cause and Effect". Apparently, TPTB are as impressed with his work as are the people in these newsgroups. Gates McFadden wants to try her hand at directing. Brent Spiner was offered the chance, but refused. Stewart was given a second chance at directing as well. He directed "In Theory" and "Hero Worship"--not two of the better episodes. Denise Crosby will be seen in three episodes as a number of different characters, but apparently no longer as Sela. At a 7/27/92 convention, Doohan said he had never heard of plans for Scotty to be in Deep Space Nine, but would be open-minded about being in it. Ron Moore says (as far as he knows) the rumor is false. There were two Q episodes in development for season 5, but neither got to the point where it could be filmed. Stilwell thinks they will both end up on the screen next season, with the first one coming early in the season. He denied the previous rumors about "Duelling Q's" and William Campbell, saying that they had had no discussions with William Campbell about appearing in a Q episode or any others. Another Q episode under consideration involves Q duplicating the Enterprise for some reason. John DeLancie was originally going to be filming a Q episode starting July 29 but it got cancelled because the script wasn't quite ready. He doesn't know what the script was, nor does he know when it will be ready. But he loves doing them and will continue to be ready and willing. TNG will try to stay away from so many sequel episodes in the future and will try to get back on the track of more science fiction and new stuff next season. Stilwell realizes that they may have done a few too many socially conscious episodes this season and not enough real science fiction. While Spiner would like to do Lore again, the producers do not want to bring Lore back, amongst others, because of the sequel problem. There will definitely be no more episodes dealing with Data's interest in Sherlock Holmes due to certain legal problems with the estate of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (the Ferengi-Doyle estate wanting to profit from it). :-) Michael Dorn will play another character without the Worf makeup. Dorn wants Worf to have a ponytail. Ensign Ro will be more prominent in future episodes. There is the possibility of Nichelle Nichols showing up in season five as either Guinan's mother or daughter. It is very unlikely that William Shatner will appear in TNG, though he will not say for sure if he will not appear on TNG. Script coordinator Lolita Fatjo says there are no plans to feature Kirk in TNG. No one will move up in rank, so we don't end up with a ship full of captains like TOS did. We are supposed to see one of the bathrooms on the Big E by the end of season six. Starlight Effects (SFX) is working on a model of the 'Calypso', the Captain's Yacht, in hopes of showing it to the Star Trek office and saying "See, now you've got the model--now you can use it in a story." No word yet on how the Star Trek office will react. Season six may have Robin Williams, John Goodman, and Elliott Gould (this comes from the 3/6/92 issue of "Entertainment Weekly"). There is also a rumor that Bob Dylan is a Star Trek fan who asked to appear on the show. The people at Paramount have never heard this. HOWEVER, Eddie Rabbitt *is* a big Star Trek fan - both original and new. He can apparently quote episode titles, so he's fairly serious. He is also a friend of Johnathan Frakes, since (and I may be getting this wrong - my notes aren't as clear as they should be) Frakes is a long-time friend of a guy (I think his name is Tom Skyver, but I'm sure this is at least spelled wrong, if not completely wrong) who has written a lot of stuff for Eddie. Anyways, Eddie visited the ST:TNG lot recently (like a kid in a candy store, I heard), and he and Frakes were joking about Eddie appearing in ST:TNG as a holodeck simulation. It was *just* joking - there are no actual plans to do this. I am pretty sure that this is the source of the Bob Dylan rumor. (Sorry, I forgot whom to attribute this information to) The secret of Picard's relationship with Guinan will be revealed before the end of the sixth season. (The following from Richard Arnold): Leonard Nimoy was presented with an idea for a ST:TNG two-part episode which was given a working title of "Return to Forever". The "official" word is that midway through negotiations Nimoy's agent suddenly started asking for $1 million. Since, at the time, the budget for an average week's episode was $1.4 million (it's now $1.6 million), this was a clearly unreasonable demand. The script with Spock is still supposedly floating around somewhere. But the "official" word is that Leonard is simply more interested in working on movies (mainly directing) than he is in making guest appearances on TV. This was the news until late 1990. Nimoy told us himself in August 1991 that he would be in an episode or two of TNG during the November Sweeps, but it won't be "return to Forever" (Guardian of Forever script?) or "Broken Mirror" ("Mirror Mirror sequel?). It turned out to be "Unification I" and "Unification II". If they use the script they had for following up on the bugs from "Conspiracy" it'll be pushed back to season seven. Stewart has been cast as Daddy Warbucks in "Annie II". Shatner and Nimoy are going to be working on a play that will open in N.Y. titled 'Harry and Arthur'. Shatner plays the part of Harry Houdini and Nimoy plays the part of Arthur Conan Doyle. Directed and co-written by Shatner. ============================================================================= 3) ========== STAR TREK ABROAD The BBC only owns the rights through the end of season three of TNG (plus "The Best of Both Worlds II"). They have switched to airing TOS episodes. Apparently, the BBC did not anticipate the popularity of Picard and the rest of the gang and, as a result, only bought the show until July of 1992. Sky One has acquired the rights to TNG starting in August 1992. It will be broadcast probably from October 1992 until July 1994, airing five episodes per week. They will not cut the "brutal" scenes that the BBC decided to cut. They claim they will braodcast it in stereo as well. --R.I. Burns, General Manager of Sky One. It appears that they only have the rights to air through season three (just like the BBC had), and letters from Sue McCoulough (in charge of Viewer and Listener Correspondence at the BBC) say that Sky will not be able to air seasons 4+ until after the BBC airs them. CIC video are already releasing season five episodes in the UK. They usually release two episodes on each tape. AFN (Armed Forces Network-Europe) is showing TNG on Saturdays at 16.50. They were up to season four in January 1993. Unless your TV is NTSC-compatible, you won't be able to get a decent picture. The best you'll manage with an NTSC signal into a PAL TV is a B/W, squished image (twiddle the vertical hold and vertical size controls and you can probably make it look normal) with no audio. Talk to someone in rec.video for a better explanation. AUSTRALIA: TNG is shown once a week on Wednesday or Thursday nights (late) currently in season three (2/93) (not sure what city this is). Melbourne has TNG on Tuesday nights at 11:00 pm. FINLAND: The Finnish Channel 3 has been airing TNG since September 1990 (but not continuously). By 12/12/1992 they are finishing up season three and have *no* plans to continue on with season four. The country's channels are being juggled around and when all settles down, TNG (and possibly DS9) may get aired--but nothing definite has been planned. GERMANY: The ZDF will start over with season one on 1 March 1993, Monday through Friday at 1600 CET. They will air seasons 1, 2, and 3, including a few episodes that weren't aired last year, and possibly some of season 4. After this the ZDF does not intend to continue the show. SAT1 was airing TOS episodes in 1992. ITALY: TNG began broadcast in Italy on the national channel Italia 1 some time in the summer of 1992 (they showed a few season one episodes the previous summer, but stopped with no warning). MADRID: In 1991, telemadrid in Madrid aired seasons one and two. SWEDEN: Both TOS and TNG have been shown for a couple of months. Both are in the middle of season one. TOS is shown on TV5/Nordic and TNG on channel 4. (11/92) Paramount Pictures launched the new Deep Space Nine series onto the Europe market at the MIPCOM TV festival in Cannes 10/92. So far, which British network has bought the rights to it is not known. Its possible screening in Britain will probably be considerably delayed - as was Next Generation. ============================================================================== 4) ========== TNG SEASON SEVEN (THE LAST) The cast of TNG have signed 6-year contracts and have the option of another year. Currently, Paramount is planning on it going the full seven (this has been verified by Rick Berman February 1992), but are having trouble signing Stewart (who isn't really suited for television) and Spiner (who really hates the "Data" makeup each morning) for the seventh year. We may have "Captain Riker" for the final year, as Frakes has said publicly that he will be on TNG for as many years as they have it go. Frakes also mentioned that the new contracts leave it open for an 8th and 9th season! Ron Moore is betting on at least season eight. At the end of May, 1992, Paramount confirmed that they would have a 7th season of TNG, but will have to wait and see which actors actually stay on for the seventh year. This was re-confirmed at the end of June. In July it was confirmed that everyone except Dorn, Spiner, and Stewart had signed for season 7. "NexGen actors have all signed on for a seventh year -- at least most of them have. There will be a seventh season, for sure. They were trying to get everybody to go for eight, but they've so far resisted it. I have a feeling that if we're still in the ratings the way we are now -- which is just incredible -- I can't see Paramount letting it die. What really could happen is, when this group graduates to movies, they might keep some of them on and fill in the other parts with new people. You know, captains change, and other officers change -- or they could go for a whole new cast and just keep on filling it in. I think Paramount is now at the stage where they feel that it's the vehicle that is the important thing -- and they're just going to keep it going as long as you guys want it... Under these circumstances, the 7th movie wouldn't happen for at least another three years. I can't see Paramount letting it go that long. There was some talk -- again, it's only a rumor -- about perhaps trying to do another one with the old cast. Excuse the expression! They [the NexGen actors] work 8-9 months a year now, and only get two and a half months off, which isn't enough time to do a movie. And when you sell to syndication, those people buy 26 episodes; you've got to make 'em 26 episodes. That's your contract and that's what has to be delivered. You can't say, Well, fellas, we'll only give you 20 this year." --Majel at a Maryland convention (July 11-12, 1992) Unsubstantiated rumors from mid-October, 1992 say that Spiner, Stewart, and Sirtis are all planning to leave after the current (sixth) season. Riker would be promoted to captain, Shelby would be brought back as a permanent character (provided the actress didn't object to more steady work), and Michael Dorn would start playing a new non-Klingon character (since he enjoys working on TNG, but hates the extensive make-up each morning). Marina Sirtis mentioned at a con in Edmonton in mid-October, 1992 that she *would* be signing for the seventh season if there is one. Since this came from her first-hand, I'd tend to believe this over the info in the previous paragraph. Spiner claimed that NO ONE has signed yet (January 1993). Gates McFadden apparently said on Canada's "ShowBiz Today" that she would not be back for season seven. Michael Dorn said at a Creation Con in early March 1993 that serious contract signings for season seven wouldn't start until 1 June 1993. Also, as of early March 1993 NO cast members have signed on for a seventh (and last) season of TNG: Patrick Stweart is the only one in there negotiating (they always start with the highest paid actor). (this comes from Richard Arnold (who still works as a consultant for Paramount even though he lost his office when Roddenberry died) and the Script consultant for TNG and DS9 (Minneapolis convention). ============================================================================== 5) ========== NEXT MOVIE: STAR TREK VII After TNG runs its course, plans are to create TNG movies. They should be able to convince the entire cast to participate (big bucks in movies) and have Picard (as an admiral) visiting Riker's ship for the duration of the movie. The 13 March 1992 issue of "Video Business" (a video trade magazine) reports in their "Hollywood Grapevine" section that "ST7: The Deadly Years" (working title until they find a better name) is slated to start pre-production soon. This would be for yet another TOS movie. Shatner said he has given the producer an idea for another film, which would include all the members of the old cast, and that the producers are considering it. At a 17 July 1992 convention, Shatner said he had submitted a script idea (not an actual script) for ST7 to Brandon Tartikoff (sp). After two months of silence from Tartikoff he received a reply saying that another script idea was being considered before Shatner's. Then they would take a look at Shatner's idea. Shatner had said that Tartikoff had been very non-committal each time he had asked about it. But he did give the impression that both he and Nimoy are interested. Eric Stillwell has also mentioned a lot of talk around Paramount regarding a seventh TOS movie. Shatner has submitted a script idea (with Kirk having a young love interest) and they are re-considering Harve Bennet's "Academy Days" script with random actors portraying the crew at SFA. Rumors for the younger actors include Christian Slater as Kirk, Robert Downey, Jr. as McCoy, Crispin Glover as Riley, Alec Baldwin as Pike, and Keifer Sutherland as Finnegan. It was mentioned ta a convention in Edmonton in mid-October 1992 that Star Trek 7 was a go, and would be a crossover from TOS to TNG (which seems to be what they said about ST6). George Takei mentioned on UK TV program "Going Live" that ST7 was definitely going to happen. "Well, right now The Next Generation is scheduled to go seven years. This season is its sixth season, and right now we are not planning to continue The Next Generation beyond the seventh year. I suppose those plans could change. It's not written in concrete, but I mentioned that they're planning a Next Generation movie, and I doubt that we would release a movie feature of The Next Generation cast while that show was still on the sir. So, for these two seasons, or a season-and-a-half, since we're starting in January [DS9], there will be two Star Trek series on the air. We're certainly not rushing to the market with yet another version of Star Trek. We're putting all of our time and effort into keeping the quality up on the two versions that we have out there." --Broadcasting Magazine A radio station in the Salt Lake City area stated (during their "Star Trek Alert" spot in mid-January 1993) that it has been confirmed that there will be a 7th Season for TNG, after which they will work on movies. No other details were given. "With the launch of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the future of Star Trek: The Next Generation, syndication's No. 2 show, has been in doubt. Fans wonder how much longer it'll run. Answer: one more season. 'This season is its sixth season, and right now we are not planning to continue The Next Generation beyond the seventh year,' Paramount Television Group chairman Kerry McCluggage told Broadcasting. He says Capt. Picard and gang would 'move to the bigger screen' in a series of films." --USA Today (21 January 1993) The 7 February 1993 copy of the Los Angeles Times (Sunday Calendar section, p. 24), reported that Paramount has given Rick Berman the green light for not one, but TWO TNG movies. A preliminary release date for the first movie is late 1994. CNN reported in early February, 1993 that Piller and Berman made an announcement that they will be producing Star Trek VII. It wasn't mentioned if it would be TOS, TNG, or "other", but reports from other sources would indicate it being a TNG movie. Paramount Pictures hopes to have "Star Trek 7" in motion within a few months. This is the word from Sherry Lansing, chairman of Paramount's Motion Picture Group. Rick Berman, producer of "STTNG" and "DS9" will be very much involved. Will any members of the series' cast be featured in the movie, as has been reported? "We don't know yet," says Lansing. "We`re just beginning meetings about the project, and have to work out a concept." And commision a script. --Kansas City Star (5 March 1993) The cable network E! reported on 4 March 1993 that John Delancie has signed on for 26 episodes of TNG next season. They were unclear as to whether or not he would be playing Q or a new character regular in alien makeup. Probably he will continue to be a recurring Q as well as a new regular alien character. Mike Dorn reported at a Boston con (7 March 1993) that Paramount is hoping to start shooting the TNG movie in May 1994 for a Christmas 1994 release. ============================================================================ 6) ========== DEEP SPACE NINE (the latest televised Star Trek series): ========== FILMING: Filming started in late August, 1992. The first airing (a two-hour movie) aired the first week of January 1993, followed by 18 one-hour episodes. For each market, Paramount offered it first to the stations that are currently airing TNG, and if they didn't want it--they let any other station in the area pick it up. Majel Barrett is rumored to be involved in the production. According to armin Shimerman (7 March 1993), Paramount will decide in May 1993 if DS9 is to be renewed. ========== PRODUCTION: Rick Berman & Michael Piller (exec. producers of TNG) will continue to serve as exec. producers of BOTH shows, although Piller will be concentrating most of his time and energy on DS9. Jeri Taylor, who has been serving as a writer, story editor and co-producer this season, will be promoted in the fall to fill some of Piller's gap on TNG. ========== FLAVOR: It will have more of the action of TOS (less "talking" their way out of situations) but still have the special effects of TNG. Rick Berman, executive producer of TNG, is heading the project along with Michael Piller. The uniforms look somewhat like Wesley Crusher's SFA cadet uniform. ========== LOCATION: The action takes place on a space station that was reclaimed from Cardassians (next to a stable wormhole). Berman says it was a Ferengi-built station in orbit around the planet Bajoran (Ro Larren's home world). The studio has already sunk three million dollars into the sets alone, not to mention $12 million for the pilot episode, so Paramount is obviously betting big on DS9 to be a success. Six soundstages are now devoted to TNG and DS9 at Paramount. The station itself is an enormous ring structure, seeming quite thin (though, of course, it's huge compared to a starship). The central hub rises up in a vaguely cone-like structure, the middle of which is the Promenade. Near the top is the Ops Control Center, and at the very top of the hub is the communications cluster. Four pairs of gigantic "pylons" stretch out from the compass points of the ring, one above and one below the plane of the ring. The pylons are for large starships to dock at, and they are shaped similarly to support structures seen in the interior sets (essentially a large, tapering triangle). At the widest point of the hub, just above the support beams that connect the ring to the hub, there are "landing pads" for the Runabout class vehicles. Piller said that one of the most impressive FX shots of the entire series will feature the Runabout vessel rising to the surface of the hub and then taking off from the station. On the set of the Ops Control Center, there'll be a transporter pad right there instead of a separate transporter room. Armin Shimerman reported on 7 March 1993 that there would soon be some episodes taking place on planets in the Gamma Quadrant (the other side of the wormhole). It takes sixty years at warp nine to travel there without the wormhole (according to the DS9 bible). "In the first episode, we learn that the worm hole has been artificially created by a species of aliens that do not live in the same space-time continuum as we do. Thus, we encounter them unexpectedly within the worm hole itself. They have been sending out orb-like probes from the worm hole, one orb every century for a thousand years, seeking contact with other life forms. [...] The mysterious orbs that have arrived each century are among the fundamental sacraments of the Bejoran religion.." --DS9 Bible ========== TIME: It takes place in the same time as TNG (24th century). ========== CHARACTERS: It has some of the same actors playing roles as TNG. It has mostly new actors since they're cheaper. They all have contracts for two seasons of DS9. After two years, they'll decide to either make more episodes (if it is a hit and the actors don't ask for *too* much money) or do yet *another* ship-based series. Nana Visitor reported in early 1993 that all cast members have seven year contracts, and "famous" actors wouldn't want to be tied down for that length of time. There are about 400 people on the space station, according to O'Brien. The DS9 Bible says that by episode three, there will be about fifty Starfleet officers and crewmen stationed there and on any given day there might be anywhere from 10 to 300 visitors to DS9, as ships come through with foreigners, scientists, merchants, and spies.. Avery Brooks as the space station commander (Benjamin Sisko), who has a "sour space for Captain Picard" (because he lost his wife during the Borg attack at Wolf 359 thanks to Locutus) and is struggling to raise his 12 year old son Jake. He was serving on board the USS Saratoga three years ago during the Borg invasion, then spent some time at the Utopia Benecia Planetary Shipyards at Mars rebuilding the fleet. Sisko objected to being assigned to DS9. He told Starfleet he had a son to raise and had been asking for an Earth assignment, not this. His important work on DS9 gives him a new direction, but his is still very much a life framed by tragedy. He is a baseball fan, but since baseball died out in the 22nd century he has to visit the holo-suite to visit players and games. He is gentle, strong, soft-spoken, and short-tempered. Brooks is most famous for his role as Hawk on "Spencer: for Hire", though he shaved his beard and grew some hair for the DS9 role. Cirroc Lofton as Jake Sisko, your typical "army brat" who doesn't remember life on Earth, has been aboard four different starships, and stationed on two planets. This transient life style has taught him how to scope out a new terrain and assimilate quickly. At the same time he has an inner fear of forming new friendships because he loses them so easily. He dreams of going to live on Earth. He collects holodeck programs of various places on Earth that he uses to try to fulfill his fantasy. Deep inside he knows that his mom would still be alive if they did not live in space, and he has a suppressed bitterness about it. His father promised there would be other kids on the station; as it turns out there are only a handful of various alien species. Only one is his age, Nog, a Ferengi teenage boy who is a bad influence. Jake is close with his dad; they are buddies. The boy has no technical expertise at all. He struggles with his homework but is dedicated to doing his best. Lofton is a twelve year old African American actor seen in the film "Beethoven". This marks his TV debut. Colm Meaney as Chief Operations Officer Miles E. O'Brien (along with wife Keiko (Rosalind Chao) and daughter Molly (Rick Berman's daughter)). He's sorry to leave the Enterprise, but pleased at the promotion (to Master Chief of Operations). He will be in charge of the comings and goings of vessels, plus the nuts and bolts maintenance of the station. He's constantly frustrated by the jerry-rigged way this place is put together. He saw the Cardassians commit unspeakable atrocities and lost a close friend at the massacre at Setma III. The war changed and hardened him. The first man he ever killed was a Cardassian who jumped him on patrol. As he tells the story to another Cardassian in the NexGen episode, The Wounded, "I never killed anything before. When I was a kid I would worry about having to swat a mosquito. It's not you I hate, Cardassian: I hate what I became because of you". Colm Meaney has decided that he would like to switch shows. Keiko will not deal well with the change of scenery and following her husband to this hellhole in order to support his career. Look of more domestic strife. He would receive a commission and would be "Chief Operating Officer" in this case. Rene Auberjonois as Odo the Bajoran security chief (the character has come to be known colloquially as "Jello Man"). He is a shapeshifter, much like Martia in ST6. He was found alone 50 years ago on a mysterious derelict spacecraft that appeared in theDenarias asteroid belt and is from an unknown race. He was found by the Bajorans and lived amongst them. At first he was sort of an Elephant Man, a source of curiosity and humor as he turned himself into a chair or pencil. Finally he realized he would have to take the form of a humanoid to assimilate and function in their environment. He does it, but resents it. As a result, Odo performs a uniquely important role in the ensemble: he is a character who explores and comments on human values. Because he is forced to pass as one of us, his point of view usually comes with a cynical and critical edge. But he can't quite get it right, this humanoid shape, though he continues to try. So he looks a little unfinished in a way. He's been working on it a long time. Someone might ask him: Why don't you take the form of a younger man? His answer: I would if I could. He has the adopted child syndrome, searching for his own personal identity. Although he doesn't know anything about his species, he is certain that justice is an integral part of their being, because the necessity for it runs through every fiber of his body -- a racial memory. That's why he became a law man. He has a couple of Bejoran deputies; he doesn't allow weapons on the Promenade, and once every day he must return to his gelatinous form. He hopes someday that a ship will come through the wormhole whose crew can tell him who and what he is. In order to keep the writers from using his shape-shifting ability to constantly save the day, we find that his ability to assume ANY form is very taxing and he must rest at the end of each day in his natural form, rather like a bowl of Jello. He was there when the Feds took over the station from the Cardassians, and has his own way of doing things, though he wants to become more human (all Star Trek shows have to have ONE character who wants to be human). He'll take the law into his own hands to make things the way he wants. Rene has to wear heavy makeup, but it is not uncomfortable. Piller says that Rob Legato and the DSN effects team are working on a new twist for Odo's morphing process which will surprise all of us who've gotten used to the "T2"-type morphing. Auberjonois is best known for his role as Clayton Endicott III on "Benson", the priest from the "M*A*S*H" movie, "Police Academy 5", and "The Eyes of Laura Mars". Armin Shimerman as Quark, the Ferengi bartender/civilian administrator. He runs several entertainment concessions along the promenade, including the main bar, restaurant, gambling house, and the holo-suites upstairs where your every fantasy can be played out. He spends most of his time behind the bar. If there is some scam being run in the sector it often involves him. But beyond the malevolence he is a charming host, in a Ferengi sort of way, and forges an interesting relationship with Sisko. They actually enjoy sparring together now and then. The Ferengi lends a hand to dissolve a problem for the commander -- as long as there's something in it for him. His completely sexist attitude makes Kira an obvious adversary, and he is consumed with passion for Dax. He is willing to help the station's crew - as long as there's something in it for him. The Ferengi are ugly, sexist, greedy little aliens who are interested only in profit and getting their hands on anything of yours they happen to fancy. Shimerman is best known for "Beauty and the Beast" (Pascal), "Quantum Leap", "Murder She Wrote", "LA Law", and "ST:TNG" (he played a Ferengi in both "Last Outpost" and "Peak Performance" as well as the uncredited Wedding Box in "Haven") (yes, that was Armin's face). Nana Visitor as First Officer Major Kira Nerys, a former Bajoran terrorist. She is having trouble adjusting to the idea of peace. She's a strong, dominant personality, and she is frustrated by the way in which the Bajoran leaders are frittering away valuable time by endlessly debating what their next move should be. She has been trying without success to reach the Kai herself to air her grievances. It is very possible she was sent by the government to be the Bejoran administrator at the space station simply to get her outspoken voice out of ear shot. Kira loathes the Cardassians. She committed atrocities against them in the name of freedom, some of which bother her. This part was originally written to be Ro Laren, but Michelle Forbes declined the role. The character has been renamed, but is otherwise the same. Visitor is best known for the role of Bryn Newhouse on the short lived series "Working Girl" (based on the film). [someone] as Quark's teenage nephew, Nog. Nog befriends (and is a constant bad influence on) Jake Sisko. Together they get into lots of trouble. There are supposed to be lots of running jokes on these characters, due to the Ferengi nature. Terry Farrell as Lt Jadzia Dax, the half-humanoid science officer (an attractive 28-year-old trill woman (Lieutenant Jadzia Dax), containing a 300-year old worm). For those that don't remember, the Trill is a species which forms a symbiotic link with a humanoid life form (Dr. Crusher fell in love with one in "The Host"). Sisko knew and valued the last person this trill inhabited as one of his most respected teachers, and has some deep psychological conflicts with the fact that it now inhabits a beautiful young woman. Many centuries ago [on the Trills home world], the symbionts lived underground while the humanoids were on the surface. Due to an environmental disaster, they were forced to join to survive. As time went on this mutual support evolved to become a biological dependency, and thus two individuals became one. They speak with one voice. The symbiont's life span is far longer than the host's and, as a result, one symbiont will be combined with several hosts during its life. When a host dies, doctors surgically remove the symbiont. The worm then burrows itself into the new host. Dax's host was joined with her when she was an adult. The symbiont part of her is 300 years old, a brilliant scientist with an innate wisdom who can draw upon a library of knowledge built of six lifetimes of experience. Kira forms a very close relationship with Dax and often tells her to loosen up. Dax admires Kira for her youthful energy, her purpose and her drive and becomes something of a mentor to her. Farrell is best known for her film roles in "Hellraiser III" and "Back to School" as well as playing the character of Laurie Caswell on ABC's "Paper Dolls". Siddig El Fadil as Dr Julian Bashir, Lieutenant Junior Grade (the DS9 bible has him listed as lieutenant commander Julian Amoros), the chief medical officer (in his late 20s). He is wet behind the ears, but thinks he knows it all. He just graduated from Starfleet medical (at the top of his class) and came out here because this is where heroes are made and this is where the adventure is (even though he was offered a cushy job at Starfleet Medical). He is the antithesis of Kira who is street wise savvy but wiser and cynical. O'Brien becomes Amoros' confidant. As a man who has seen combat and a decorated veteran of Starfleet duty, O'Brien represents an ideal to the young doctor. Julian greatly respects Sisko, but is terrified of him. He is anxious to live up the commander's expectations. Sisko is amused by Julian and is very patient with him. This is the wilderness. He's got a lot to learn. El Fadil is a British-born Arab actor. DS9 marks his American acting debut. [someone] as Kai Opaka the Bjoran spiritual leader. She stays on the planet's surface. The Bajoran are supposed to be very mystic and spiritual. She provides sharp counterpoint to the secular nature of Starfleet. She challenges conventional human logic. The Kai seems to have an awareness on a higher plane of consciousness and knows things she cannot possibly know. Although our people do not accept her powers at face value, we cannot always explain them, either. She speaks in vague, mystical indirect language, forcing her listeners to seek her meaning. There are hints that she has some strange mental powers, which may or may not be explored in the series (sounds like Guinan). And like Guinan, she will be in about a quarter of the episodes each season. We will find out a lot more about Bjorans from DS9. It will be Opaka who finally legitimizes Federation prsence in Bajoran space, and ultimate entry into the Fedreation itself, as she develops a strong bond with Commander Sisko. (Remember that Ro kinda denies her heritage so you won't learn much about them from her.) Gil Ducket as the deceptively amiable Cardassian commander who represents the continuing threat to our people. The military empire and its borders are only a short distance away from Bajor and DS9. He used to be the Prefect of the Bejoran province when it was under Cardassian denomination. Thus he is the former landlord of the space station. Gil Ducket is a 40's male. There is an alien race inside the wormhole that has been sending probes through to "our" side. The Bjoran people have been worshipping the probes as gods. ========== RUMORS OF OTHER CHARACTERS: The original plans had a science officer from a planet with different gravity, so the character was confined to a wheelchair (more than once referred to as a "warp-powered wheelchair"). Now Piller says they might bring the character in for an episode or two, but not as a regular. (from Cinefantastique) Mike Gomez as a Ferengi civilian administrator? Maybe he is playing Nog now... [someone] as Sharon Garnes, a major in the Bjoran army. She doesn't like the Federation too much and doesn't think the Feds should be meddling around in Bajora. Michelle Forbes as Ro for occasional one-shot deals. Forbes has said she doesn't want to be in the series, as she would like to pursue a movie career. The October 1992 issue of Cinefantastique Magazine claims that Forbes *has* signed on to play Ro, but I think they just have old info. [ I have this strange feeling we'll at least see her in an episode or three as a "guest star" however. --hm ] The doctor is a recent academy graduate who finished in the top 2% of his class. He was given an assignment choice of any place in the federation. He chose DS9 because he wanted to be "out there on the frontier, because that's where heroes are made". He is going to be a bit disappointed with what he encounters, and Sisko has to put him in his place. The computer will be an onboard Artificial Intelligence unit with quite a personality (it came with the space station, has a will of its own, and has a secret purpose that will be made more and more clear throughout the seasons). The producers plan to have Mrs. Troi fall for Jello Man. When Jello Man tries to dissuade her, explaining how he reverts to this Jello shape every night, her response might be something like "That's okay - I can swim." Guinan will make occasional appearances on both TNG and DS9. TV Guide reported that Guinan's son would be locked up in a jail on DS9, explaining her visits. Stilwell didn't know anything about this Guinan's son bit, but also admitted that TV Guide is notorious for getting true information out even faster than the people producing these shows! Cameos will be made occasionally by the TNG crew. Stewart was in the first episode as Captain Picard. The main enemies will be the Cardassians. Stilwell reports that 70% of the stations carrying TNG now have picked up DS9 (as well as other stations that are not currently carrying TNG). Stilwell indicates that the darker feel on DS9 will allow the producers to tell stories they have not been able to tell in TNG's happy crew format. Mike Dorn said at a 7 March 1993 Boston con that he may show up on an episode of DS9 (but as a human, not as Worf) after TNG is off the air. ============================================================================== 7) ========== UPCOMING STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE EPISODES: "Emissary" (2/28 - 3/6): Repeat of the first half of the season opener. "Emissary" (3/7 - 3/13): Repeat of the second half of the season opener. "Move Along Home" (was "Sore Losers") (3/14 - 3/20): A new alien race is encountered, but when Quark attempts to decieve them he is forced to play a game which sends crew members of Deep Space Nine to a strange world where they become the playing pieces in a labyrinth. Guest stars Joel Brooks as the alien leader Falow, James Lashly as Lieutenant George Primmin, and Clara Bryant as Chandra. Story by Mike Piller. Directed by Dave Carson. "The Nogist" (was "Friends and Foes") (3/21 - 3/27): Quark's nephew Nog and Jake Sisko pal around, and Nog gets Jake into trouble. Nog and Jake teach their elders a lesson in friendship and trust. Quark becomes the "Godfather" of the local Ferengi businessmen, which gets him a lot of prestige and also gets him on the wrong end of an assassination attempt. "Past Prologue" (3/28 - 4/3): Repeat. "A Man Alone" (4/4 - 4/10): Repeat. "Babel" (4/11 - 4/17): Repeat. "Captive Pursuit" (4/18 - 4/24): Repeat. "Vortex" (4/25 - 5/1): Odo journeys through the wormhole in search of answers to his origin. "Progress" (? - ?): (takes place on bajor; features Bajorans who dislike the Federation). This may be the episode where they finally bring back Kai Opaka. "" (? - ?): An early episode: a very strange entity begins growing in the station infirmary (equivalent to the sick bay on DS9), and no one quite knows what it is... "[episode name unknown]" (? - ?): Lwaxana episode (falls for JelloMan). When circumstances bring her to the space station she forms a romantic attachment to Odo and finds reasons to come back to see him. He tries to discourage her: "Ma'am, I turn into a liquid form at night". Lwaxana: "I can swim". "[episode name unknown]" (? - ?): Odo locks up Guinan's son. Guest star Whoopi Goldberg as Guinan. "[episode name unknown]" (? - ?): A very strange entity begins growing in the station infirmary, and no one quite knows what it is. ============================================================================== 8) "Moontrap II: The Pyramids of Mars" began filming in December 1991. Walter said contract negotiations are still going on, but he's pretty sure he'll be in it. "Moontrap" was a science-fiction thriller starring Koenig released ONLY ON VIDEOTAPE in 1988. It did pretty well for a video-only movie. "Moontrap II", however, will be released in the theaters. ============================================================================== 9) INSIDE TREK (WEEKLY SYNDICATED STAR TREK NEWSPAPER COLUMN) Beginning 9 March 1993, "Inside Trek", a syndicated, weekly newspaper column, will add to the TV series, the six movies, the more than 100 novels, the 500 fanzines, and the 3000 Trekker conventions a year, all inspired by the original TV show. The column will feature interviews with the stars, trivia (e.g.: "What do the letters IDIC stand for? Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations"), plus plotlines of current episodes of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" and "Deep Space Nine". So far several newspapers have committed to the column, which is produced by The New York Times Syndicate. The Times, however, will not carry it. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Again, if you know of any other topics that should be included in this list, feel free to email me at one of the addresses below. --Otto "HACK-MAN" Heuer _____ _________ _ _____ _____ _____ _____ | ___|| _______|| | Otto E. Heuer, CEO ||___|| |_ _| |_ _| ||___|| | |__ | |___ ___| | FSD, Inc. | o | | | | | | o | | __| |___ || _ | "The innovator for |__O__| |_| |_| |__O__| | | _______| || |_| | software solutions." C, Pascal, Fortran, BASIC |_||_________||_____| Assembly Language, Snobol, Ada, APL, Prolog, LISP Unix, MS-DOS, ProDOS . . . .... . . . . . . . Audio/Video ottoh@cfsmo.honeywell.com :..: .:.:. : :.' .. :`.': .:.:. :`. : Star Trek hackman@pnet51.orb.mn.org : : : : :... : `. : : : : : `: Apple IIgs