You probably need a break from reading about health care reform as much as I need a break from writing about it. Instead, I’m going to point out another injustice being perpetuated on the world. Norman Spinrad, the writer responsible for excellent Star Trek episodes like “The Doomsday Machine” was working with a group of talented fans to produce a web-based episode based on one of his scripts for the original series. But CBS beamed in an away team of lawyers and put an end to the endeavor. Some fans have speculated that J.J. Abrams may have forced CBS to act because he didn’t want anything stealing the limelight from his next Trek film. Spinrad wouldn’t confirm or deny Abrams’ involvement, but he did have this to say:
But I am not legally bound not to say that I found J.J. Abrams’ first Star Trek film quite inferior to the Phase II videos and his cavalier attitude towards the decades-long legacy of what Star Trek has come to mean to the general culture quite reprehensible, and indeed artistically counterproductive.
Oh, snap! I’m really not sure what CBS or Abrams has to fear from projects like this. It’s not as if fans will stay away from the next movie and anything that keeps Trek on geeks’ radar should be a good thing. Stupid lawyers.
