Summer Glau is a Star Trek Girl!

Summer Glau is one of those quintessential Sci-Fi tv actresses, having starred in such fares as Firefly, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles and most recently Dollhouse.

Recently, she gave an interview to SciFi TV Australia, and the actress admitted that:

I really grew up on . . . Star Trek: The Next Generation. That was a show that I watched with my parents that I talked them into letting me stay up to watch it. I got to meet Marina Sirtis last year, which was a really special moment for me. I grew up idolising her.

So our Summer Glau is a proud Trekkie then?

And when asked if there was someone particular from the Sci-Fi circuit she'd like to meet the actress said she'd like to meet the original Captain Kirk himself: William Shatner.

Please go here to read the rest of the great interview.

Summer Glau will next star in NBC's The Cape in the fall.

Reunion with the Rikers - Video

There's a video of Marina Sirtis and Jonathan Frakes, now online, that was part of the special Star Trek: The Next Generation Blu Ray set.

Jonathan Frakes, who played Commander William T. Riker, and Marina Sirtis, who played Counsellor Deanna Troi for seven years on TNG as well as on 4 subsequent movies, first pitch a sitcom for their characters which they liken to Star Trek meets Galaxy Quest (I loooooove Galaxy Quest). Very funny stuff. Then they go on talking about the show, the movies, their characters and more.

Enjoy!

Star Trek's Wil Wheaton to Guest-Star on Eureka

Actor Wil Wheaton, who played Wesley Crusher in Star Trek: The Next Generation, has announced on his blog that he will be guest-starring in episode 403 of Eureka titled ''All the Rage.''

I love Wheaton and am always happy to know when he gets an acting gig. He also happens to be a very talented and funny writer.

The Star Trek veteran also put up SyFy's press release on his blog:

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!!!!!!

Star Trek's Patrick Stewart and Kate Mulgrew Speak at Dragon*Con 2009

Interesting tidbits about Patrick Stewart and Kate Mulgrew have appeared from the Dragon*Con convention on Daily Dragon Online.

Daily Dragon reports that Patrick Stewart, who played Captain Jean-Luc Picard on The Next Generation, had interesting things to say about his friend and colleague Jonathan Frakes:

One of Stewart’s fondest memories is of Frakes’s first chance to direct an episode of TNG. He said that Frakes was “confident right from the start.” Stewart felt proud to have witnessed the beginning of a wonderful directorial career.

It seems that Patrick Stewart feels that there will be no more Captain Jean-Luc Picard for him. During a comment about a possible cameo in JJ Abram’s movie he said: ''I feel I have left behind a legacy as Jean-Luc Picard that doesn’t need adding to.'' He also called the new movie ''terrific.''

Stewart also had a few words for both Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner:

When asked about the opportunity to work with the legendary Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner, Stewart joked, “Can you be legendary and be alive?” On the subject of Nimoy, Stewart said he was, “somewhat in awe of his presence on stage.” Stewart was impressed with Nimoy’s humor, dignity, and enthusiasm. Stewart then said, “Mr. Shatner, on the other hand.” A long paused followed, after which he added, “He’s a piece of work, isn’t he?”

Kate Mulgrew, who played Captain Kathryn Janeway on Voyager, also had some interesting things to say about her time on Star Trek.

On her views about being the first female captain on Star Trek, Daily Dragon Online reports:

She said that her tenure as Janeway was the hardest decade of her life. As the third captain in the Star Trek franchise (she didn’t count the space station featured in Deep Space Nine, as “star ships fly”) and the “first girl,” she described a “sense of privilege, terror,” and a “new frontier,” paraphrasing what she called the “Star Trek mantra.”

“Just me and a lot of men, just the way I like it.” Mulgrew cautioned, “you don’t want to make me naughty; it never ends.”

Daily Dragon also reported what Mulgrew said about Trekkers, Captain Janeway's ever changing hairstyle and her status as a leader:

Mulgrew complimented the assembled fans, asserting “these are Trekkers, the smartest audience in the world.” She stressed that there was no need for feminine wiles and romantic interests to establish Janeway as a leader. After some initial battles over her hair style and uniform, the producers left her “to her own devices” and “within two seasons the entire demographic shifted and broadened. You are the greatest audience in the world.”

About her time on Voyager:

She remembered giving “the best I could give” to Voyager: “certainly I tried [with] two little devils, I mean sons, at home.” She warned that you can’t give 24 hours to the job and 24 hours to your children. “You do your best and forgive yourself. It’s diabolical.”

You can read more by clicking on the links below

Source, Source

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.