Brent Spiner on a possible Star Trek: The Next Generation series reboot

Hello everyone!

Oh Boy! Has it been a while since I've been here!

This is a post I wrote for Blastr 2 days ago and thought I should add it here, since it's Star Trek and all.

Enjoy!

Exclusive: Patti Beninati Talks DMAN, That V Movie, and Hooking Up Brent Spiner and NASA!

Sci-Fi Writer/Director/Producer Patti Beninati

Recently, I had the great pleasure of talking again with Sci-Fi Writer/Director/Producer Patti Beninati of Centerboro Productions and Are U Trippin Films about her upcoming Sci-Fi TV pilot called DMAN, and about her many upcoming projects. She has many things on her plate that will definitely make many of you Sci-Fi fans out there squeal with utter happiness, believe me!

Without further ado, I'm letting you read up the interview!

Q: Last time we spoke you were hard at work on many projects but specifically on an upcoming Sci-Fi TV pilot called DMAN. What stage is the project now at?

PB: In the coming weeks a sneak peek of the “DMAN” TV Pilot Trailer will be shown exclusively on Twitter first. We are in talks with a network discussing the TV series and the Pilot itself. That news will be announced sometime in June.

San Diego Comic-Con 2010 Here I Come!

Last year, at this time, I was making plans for what would be my first Star Trek Convention ever. To tell the truth, I had gone to one when I was about 19 (oh so many years ago) when a convention was organized in Montreal and Brent Spiner (Data) was the only guest there. But I only went to his panel. Shame on me I know. I think it was a small convention in that big hotel on René Lévesque street though truly I wouldn't know since I didn't look around haha! Star Trek: The Next Generation was still on the air back then... yep, a long time ago.

Still, Star Trek Las Vegas 2009 was my first big convention and almost 9 months later I look back on it with a huge amount of love and affection. Sure, I was dead tired, not used I was to these types of event, having travelled miles in an airplane – which I HATE to take. Plus I suffered from jet lag.

While there, some things went well, some less, and some went a bit wrong. Still I look back on it with fondness. It certainly was an incredible experience for me.

I got to meet Jonathan Frakes (believe me, that man's smile could melt a whole bunch of icebergs), Brent Spiner, Roxann Dawson and more!

I got to interview the wonderful Robert Picardo face to face (which you can read about here, here and here) and I got to spend an hour in the company of Zachary Quinto during a Meet and Greet. It was a fascinating experience.

And where else can you go have breakfast and have Jeffrey Combs and Casey Biggs eating only a few feet away from you in the morning! I tell you it's completely surreal!

Also, last year in June, I started this blog. This blog that changed my life a bit. I had never thought I would ever do something like this and it has been a strange and wonderful journey. I got to interview the lovely Sinead Keenan, the luminous Dawn Olivieri, the wonderful Wendi Lynn Allison and Patti Beninati – a woman I love as a friend and I admire deeply.

This year though, I'm not returning to the Las Vegas Star Trek Convention (though part of me really wish I would). This year, I'm going after another beast. The San Diego Comic-Con Event that will be held in July.

San Diego Comic Con will be the place where I will meet many of the friends I made on twitter and this is one of the things that I'm most looking forward to. I've made such good friends online that I cannot wait to finally meet them face to face.

This is where I also hope to meet many of the celebrities that entertain me and that I get to see weekly on my small screen and like most everyone, I have hopes and expectations concerning the many panels that SDCC will have this year.

I'm really hoping for another Heroes panel and I really want to assist to a Chuck panel. Maybe Jeffster will be there? NBC better renew both of my shows. I hope to see Zachary Quinto again and would love to meet both Zachary Levi and Joshua Gomez who play Chuck and his BFF Morgan respectively on the NBC spy comedy.

I also hope that the wonderful cast of the BBC British production of Being Human will be attending (they were SDCC in 2009) so I can shake their hands and thank them for the wonderful work they do for us the viewers. That's one thing that has me really excited about SDCC. It's the opportunity to tell these artists thank you for entertaining us week after week.

And would it be too much for a girl to ask for a glimpse for David Tennant and John Barrowman? I hope to have enough time to be in the presence of my favourite actors.

Sadly, I wont be tweeting, but I will try to update my blog about my experiences when I get home. Many of my friends on twitter will probably report live on the subject so I invite you to stay tuned. When I know who will be tweeting away, I will give out their twitter info.

Brent Spiner in The Questor Tapes?

Could we possibly see Brent Spiner in another Android role? That is the question, and the answer may disappoint certain people. It all has to do with the news concerning an old Sci-Fi television movie called The Questor Tapes.

One of Gene Roddenberry's many Sci-Fi creations (Andromeda, Earth Final Conflict and of course Star Trek), The Questor Tapes aired in 1974 and starred Robert Foxworth.

About three weeks ago, Roddenberry Productions announced that it will be brought back to life in the form of a new pilot following a deal with Imagine Entertainment.

The character of Data on Star Trek: The Next Generation was based on the android of The Questor Tapes, and Rod Roddenberry (Gene's son) has expressed his desire to see Brent Spiner play the android on the new show.

However, it seems that the actor has shown no interest in the project, and his involvement on the show could simply be that of a guest spot or a recurring role.

Please go here to read the full story.

Happy Birthday Brent Spiner!

Turning 61 today is actor Brent Spiner who played the beloved android Data for many years on Star Trek: The Next Generation.

I met Mr. Spiner briefly at the Star Trek Convention in Las Vegas last August but I never got around to talk about it here until now.

He was an absolute angel, a lovely man who was really nice to me. He even remembered me from twitter to my utter embarassement!

He put up with all my fan nonsense even though his handlers wanted me to shoo me away because it was not a ''Meet and Greet'' in their words (thank you for treating the fans like this Creation) but Mr. Spiner signalled me to come over so I could talk to him when he saw me just hovering there waiting to say something.

Later, when I went to have my picture taken with him, he was again quite lovely and really really nice and he remembered my name, which, by the way, he said really well (it's french). I have to say, this is one of the fondest memories I have from the convention.

So I raise my glass to you and wish you a HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRENT!!!!!!

2009 Star Trek Convention: Saturday Night Gala

Picture 1: Robert Picardo belting it out for the crowd

Picture 2 and 3: Tim Russ with his electric guitar, accompanied by a piano man

Picture 4: Jacqueline Kim getting ready for her performance

Picture 5: Brent Spiner entertaining a raptured audience

Picture 6: The Enterprise Blues Band at the Dessert Party

On the Saturday night of the Star Trek Convention, I attended the gala presentation where four beloved actors were scheduled to perform.

Opening the evening and in great form, was Robert Picardo, all dressed to the nine – minus the tie. Accompanied by the orchestra, and to a thunderous round of applause, Mr. Picardo entertained the attending crowd with four musical renditions of various love songs.

He was then followed by Tim Russ who accompanied himself with his electric guitar (and by a piano player as well) and blew us away with his raw musical style.

Third up was the lovely Jacqueline Kim who was there for the first time. Playing acoustic guitar, and visibly nervous, Miss Kim charmed many in the audience with her soft voice. I was delighted to hear her sing a song in french, my own native tongue.

Last, but not least, was Brent Spiner, accompanied by his orchestra. The highlight of the gala, it was Mr. Spiner's first time singing during a Star Trek Convention. He closed the evening with 6 songs, and managed to make us laugh – while at the same time showing his showmanship – by admitting he had missed a few of his lines. The audience was laughing and was completely under his spell.

At the end, there was a much deserved standing ovation from the crowd.

The gala was then followed by a dessert party (mainly ice cream and many toppings, no cakes – shame on you Creation, I feel you're going cheap on us). We were again entertained by Star Trek actors, namely from the Enterprise Blues Band. On certain tables, throned centerpieces made by convention-goers themselves.

All in all, I thought it was a better evening than the previous Thursday Night Gold Party. My recommendations to Creation though, stop going cheap on your guests with the food. Nuff said.

My Top Ten Data Episodes

Lieutenant Commander Data is arguably one of the most popular characters of the Star Trek universe and one of my own personal favourites. After finishing my TNG marathon viewing this winter, I wrote down a list of favourite episodes that have Data as the main protagonist. For you, dear readers, I decided to chose which ones, in my humble opinion, are the 10 best of the bunch. The choice was based on whether the episode brings character development or because it is simply fantastic. It was a difficult list to come up with because there are more than 10 episodes where the android shines. In chronological order they are:

1- The Measure of A Man (2x09): One of the greatest Data episodes as well as one of the best of Star Trek. It dealt with Data’s rights as a sentient being and whether or not he was the property of Starfleet. This episode will have repercussions on a further TNG episode titled The Offspring and on a Voyager episode called Author, Author

2- The Ensigns of Command (3x02): Data alone must convince a colony of 15, 000 people to evacuate a planet within three days before the planet's alien owners - the Sheliak Corporate - arrive and wipe the colony. The episode provides a further step in the android’s development as Data must use all his skills to convince people to trust and follow him. He will later get the chance to show his commanding skills in Redemption Part II

3- The Offspring (3x16): In this episode, Data’s rights as a father are challenged when Starfleet wants to take possession of a female android he has created, a ''daughter,'' named Lal (meaning Beloved in hindi). It is both funny and poignant as Data deals, in one scene, with his daughter’s flirtation with Commander Riker, and later with her untimely death when she exceeds her own programming and develops emotions causing damage to her system. An emotionless Data can only stand by and watch. This episode is a true testament to Brent Spiner's magnificent performance as Data who makes us, the viewers, feel for him.

4- The Most Toys (3x22): Data is kidnapped by a trader named Kivas Fajo who wants to add the android to his collection of unique and valuable items. Fajo’s subsequent murderous action, in order to keep Data, brings the android himself to the brink of murder - despite his directive against killing for no reason.

5- Brothers (4x03): Data endangers a mission when he is summoned by his creator, Dr. Noonien Soong. This episode is a real Tour de Force by Brent Spiner who plays the multiple roles of Data, his brother Lore and his creator Dr. Soong. We also first hear of the emotion chip in this episode.

6- Data’s Day (4x11): This fun and light episode shows 24 hours in the life of the android recorded for Commander Bruce Maddox, the man who previously challenged Data’s rights in Measure of a Man. Data tries to understand human behavior as his friend Keiko Ishikawa decides to cancel her wedding to Lieutenant O'Brien in a case of cold feet. The android also learns to dance for the wedding and acts as Father of the Bride.

7- Birthright, Part 1 (6x16): The main protagonist of the story is Worf but equally important is Data’s story because in this episode, the android gains the ability to dream. In Data's dreams, we also see a young Dr. Soong.

8- Descent, Part 1 and 2 (6x26, 7x01) Data gets manipulated by his brother Lore and the Borgs. In this episode, Data gains the capacity for emotions, albeit only violent ones. In the end, he chooses to have the emotion chip removed, wants to destroy it but keeps it, on his friend Geordie LaForge's entreaties.

9- Phantasms (7x06): Data begins to have nightmares because of interphasic parasites. This episode features some disturbing images of Data cutting a Counsellor Troi cake and stabbing her. He even visits a holographic Sigmund Freud to help him understand his nightmares.

10- Inheritance (7x10): Data discovers that his previously unknown ''mother,'' Doctor Juliana Tainer, is in reality another android and that she is completely oblivious to that fact. It is also discovered that androids can age due to an ''aging'' chip or program (surely to account for the fact that actor Brent Spiner was getting older in appearance whereas an android should remain eternally young).

Special love mentions go to: Deja Q (3x13) in which Data helps a temporarily human Q who has seeked asylum on the Enterprise. At the end of the episode the android is recompensed with a one time gift of sudden laughter; In Theory (4x25) in which Data gets a girlfriend - it's really a sweet story; and Time's Arrow parts 1 and 2 (5x26 and 6x01), a story that has Data stuck in 19th century San Francisco and aware of his possible upcoming ''death,'' after his severed head is found in an archaeological dig in the 24th century.