Star Trek and American Television PDF
Preview Star Trek and American Television
Star Trek and American Television 99778800552200227766221155__PPRRIINNTT..iinndddd ii 2211//0033//1144 33::1100 PPMM This page intentionally left blank Star Trek and American Television roberta pearson and máire messenger davies With a foreword by Sir Patrick Stewart University of California Press berkeley los angeles london 99778800552200227766221155__PPRRIINNTT..iinndddd iiiiii 2211//0033//1144 33::1100 PPMM University of California Press, one of the most distinguished university presses in the United States, enriches lives around the world by advancing scholarship in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. Its activities are supported by the UC Press Foundation and by philanthropic contributions from individuals and institutions. For more information, visit www.ucpress.edu. University of California Press Berkeley and Los Angeles, California University of California Press, Ltd. London, England © 2014 by The Regents of the University of California Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Pearson, Roberta E. Star trek and American television/Roberta Pearson and Máire Messenger Davies; with a foreword by Sir Patrick Stewart. pages cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. isbn 978–0-520-27621-5 (cloth : alk. paper) isbn 978–0-520-27622-2 (pbk. : alk. paper) isbn 978–0-520-95920-0 (ebook) 1. Star trek (television program) 2. Television series—United States—History and criticism. i. Davies, Máire Messenger. ii. Title. pn1992.77.s73p42 2014 791.45′72—dc23 2013050776 Manufactured in the United States of America 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 In keeping with a commitment to support environmentally responsible and sustainable printing practices, UC Press has printed this book on Natures Natural, a fiber that contains 30 percent postconsumer waste and meets the minimum requirements of ansi/niso z39.48–1992 (r 1997) (Permanence of Paper). 99778800552200227766221155__PPRRIINNTT..iinndddd iivv 2211//0033//1144 33::1100 PPMM To Dalia and Laura—“the Next Generation” 99778800552200227766221155__PPRRIINNTT..iinndddd vv 2211//0033//1144 33::1100 PPMM This page intentionally left blank Contents Acknowledgments ix Abbreviations xi Foreword by Sir Patrick Stewart xiii introduction: “it’s a television show” 1 1. star trek and american television history 17 2 . art, commerce, and creative autonomy 55 3 . the craft-workshop mode of production 86 4 . actors: the public face of star trek 106 5. world building 126 6. character building 149 conclusion: “it’s not a television show” 185 Appendix: List of Interviewees Quoted 193 Notes 195 References 221 Index 231 99778800552200227766221155__PPRRIINNTT..iinndddd vviiii 2211//0033//1144 33::1100 PPMM This page intentionally left blank Acknowledgments This book has been a labor of love over many years, starting with our youthful interest in Star Trek, the television show, and continuing through our adult university careers, teaching about and researching American tele- vision. Many people have influenced the book’s development over the time it has taken to produce it. But the book would never have come to fruition in its present form without the help and encouragement of one person in particular: Sir Patrick Stewart, who played Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation. He was extremely generous with his own time, in granting us two extended interviews. And it was through Sir Patrick’s introductions that we were able to meet so many other people working on Star Trek during our research trip to Hollywood in 2002, people whose interviews form a central component of the book. Sir Patrick has continued to be supportive of, and interested in, the project in the several years since then. His assistant at the time, Jackie Edwards, helped us to set up inter- views and appointments—a special thank you to her. We also want to thank most warmly all the interviewees who gave us their time and the benefit of their expertise; they are listed in the appendix. Further thanks are due to the British Academy for providing a small grant, which helped to fund the research in 2002. Thanks also to Cardiff University and the University of Nottingham for providing periods of study leave to work on early drafts of the book. Many of our academic colleagues have acted as sounding boards and interlocutors over the years in which this book has been in preparation. But particular thanks are due to Professor Paul McDonald at the University of Nottingham for generous advice on the creative-industries literature. Very particular thanks are due to John Davies, husband of Máire. He is a professional copy editor, and he has patiently read and queried and iixx 99778800552200227766221155__PPRRIINNTT..iinndddd iixx 2211//0033//1144 33::1100 PPMM
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