Original U.S.S. Enterprise Reappears

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Image (Credit): The original Enterprise model, which is made from solid wood. (Heritage Auctions)

You may have thought the original USS Enterprise from the Star Trek series was at the Smithsonian Museum, and you are right. Mostly.

In 1974, the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum became the proud owner of the 11-foot long USS Enterprise model used in the television series. However, there was another model that was used in the opening credits. This other model was only three feet long and made of wood. And, most importantly, it disappeared year’s ago when it was loaned to the studio making the first Star Trek movie (see letter below).

The smaller model then reappeared recently, but this time priced at $1,000 on eBay. After a lot of questions (the model was said to have been in a storage unit that was auctioned off) , it was eventually returned to Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry Jr., the son of the creator of Star Trek.

All is well that ends well. The USS Enterprise model is back with the Roddenberry family and a piece of science fiction history can be shared with public. Mr. Roddenberry said he plans to display this smaller model at the Smithsonian as well:

…I firmly believe that a piece of such importance should not be confined to any private collection. This iconic artifact should be enshrined along side the 12-foot shooting model at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, where it can serve to help tell the story of television history, the history of space exploration and ultimately, a beacon of hope for the future.

Image (Credit): Letter from Gene Roddenberry to Paramount Studios regarding his lost USS Enterprise model (therpf.com)

Movie: Rebel Moon, Part Two: The Scargiver

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Image (Credit): Poster for Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver. (Netflix)

If you enjoyed part one of Netflix’s Rebel Moon, then you will be happy to hear that part two will premiere this Friday (April 19). If you are not a fan, then you can simply ignore this announcement.

The full name, Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver, follows last year’s Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire, which I previously noted was not completely terrible. From the trailers, it appears to be about as crazy and violent as the first one, but this time with light sabers, of course.

Given that Part One scored only 21 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, the second film has a lot of room to improve, as noted in the comments below:

—While watching this first Rebel Moon, you can’t help but wonder if Snyder’s specific idea was to do “Star Wars” but without any of the fun. – Mark Meszoros, The News-Herald (Willoughby, OH)

—With enormous scope to innovate, Snyder has instead gathered together a painfully obvious collection of- I hesitate to write ‘influences’, as that seems to give Snyder too much credit. ‘Things to photocopy and then mash together’ feels more appropriate. – Grant Watson, Fiction Machine

—Rebel Moon is an entertaining but flawed space opera with some great action and cinematography that would have been better as the first part of an R-rated trilogy. Hopefully Part 2 builds on the opening film’s strengths. – Erik Kain, Forbes

If you have a free night this weekend, you might want to take a look. And don’t worry, if you still don’t care for this one, there may be a part three coming soon (even though that was not the original plan).

Movie/Book Review: Mickey 17

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Credit: St. Martin’s Publishing Group

I recently read the book Mickey7 and thought to myself how it would make a great movie. I guess I was not alone since the movie was already in production.

It is the story of a crew member on a spacecraft who was literally dying to do his job. He performed the most dangerous tasks on the mission and when he died he would be reincarnated as the next version of himself. Hence, the term Mickey7 for the seventh iteration of his being.

So now it seems that Robert Pattinson wants to get in on the act, but this time as Mickey 17, who is therefore a little more experienced with death than the character in the book. The film cast also includes Steven Yeun, Naomi Ackie, Toni Collette, and Mark Ruffalo.

Unfortunately, you will need to wait for the film, which was supposed to be released last month. The Hollywood strike caused it to move to January 2025, much like Dune: Part Two was bumped from has year to this year.

That’s okay. Now you have plenty of time to read the book. Here is the teaser:

Dying isn’t any fun…but at least it’s a living.

Mickey7 is an Expendable: a disposable employee on a human expedition sent to colonize the ice world Niflheim. Whenever there’s a mission that’s too dangerous—even suicidal—the crew turns to Mickey. After one iteration dies, a new body is regenerated with most of his memories intact.

On a routine scouting mission, Mickey7 goes missing and is presumed dead. By the time he returns to the colony base, his fate has been sealed. There’s a new clone, Mickey8, reporting for Expendable duties. The idea of duplicate Expendables is universally loathed, and if caught, they face being recycled into protein to feed a hungry colony. Meanwhile, life on Niflheim is getting worse, and the native species are growing curious about their new neighbors, which has Commander Marshall very afraid. Ultimately, the survival of both lifeforms will come down to Mickey7.

That is, if he can just keep from dying for good.

Television: For All Mankind

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Image (Credit): Promotion for season two of For All Mankind. (Apple TV+)

While awaiting the return of the Star Trek and Star Wars televisions series (by the way, do not forget that the fifth and final season of Star Trek: Discovery is slated to start tomorrow), I started to watch For All Mankind on Apple TV+. I am only halfway through season two, but I have enjoyed every minute so far. I am just surprised there has not been more press about this impressive series.

I was somewhat skeptical to start the series because I knew it was an alternate reality to our actual space program. Yet what I saw as a weakness was actually the show’s strength. The series re-imagines the space race with the Russians, having the U.S. set up a Moon base after the Russians are the first to step foot on the Moon. It just shows us what could have been if we did not stop the Apollo program 50 years ago and dither around until the Artemis program.

And while the series has plenty of action – almost as though your are watching multiple Apollo 13 movies – what makes it different is that it has heart. It is almost the Mad Men of NASA, showing the good and bad of that period in terms of human lives.

For All Mankind is honest about the period from the 1960s through the 1980s, showing that the real drama was right here on Earth as we dealt with Vietnam, racism, immigration, marital and family issues, and even a lesbian astronaut.

I did not expect all of this in one show, nor the superb acting that makes it all come to life. I am now hooked on the series, finding it strange that I already have nostalgia for an American lunar space program that never existed even though it could have.

The series continues with a Mars program in seasons 3 and 4, but I do not want to get ahead of myself. Let’s just say this other America gets to the Red Planet long before we do.

We are creating plenty of drama today with the real lunar program currently under way, as well as an eventual Mars program. It may in fact lead to some great television series down the line. I just hope we stick to the script and keep the current drama going for years to come.

Television: 3 Body Problem Premiering on Netflix

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Credit: Netflix

We live in a time where we have plenty of science fiction options on television and at the theaters. Be it the Apple TV+ remake of Issac Asimov’s Foundation, the current showing of Frank Herbert’s Dune: Part Two at theaters, or the ongoing television series spinning more Star Wars and Star Trek tales.

And now, starting tomorrow, we will be treated to a Netflix series on the 3 Body Problem, one of the more recent science fiction series from the mind of Chinese writer Liu Cixin. The new series based on the Hugo-awarding winning book was created by Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and DB Weiss, as well as Alexander Woo from HBO drama series True Blood.

So what is it about? Netflix has a paltry summary, so let’s go to the book summary itself (and the trailer):

Set against the backdrop of China’s Cultural Revolution, a secret military project sends signals into space to establish contact with aliens. An alien civilization on the brink of destruction captures the signal and plans to invade Earth. Meanwhile, on Earth, different camps start forming, planning to either welcome the superior beings and help them take over a world seen as corrupt, or to fight against the invasion. The result is a science fiction masterpiece of enormous scope and vision.

The reviews are mixed, though I am sure you will want to judge for yourself. But just in case you want some insights from others, check out these reviews:

Should you want to see the Chinese television series, you can find it here on Youtube. Or you may want to circle back to this version if you don’t care for the Netflix production.

Note: You can also find the Chinese version of the series on Amazon Prime. Rather than 8 episodes, you will find the Chinese version called Three Body has 30 episodes. I am working my way through the Amazon Prime series and so far prefer the slower-paced Chinese original. Netflix seems to rush through the ideas, whereas they are better developed in the longer series.

Credit: Amazon Prime