TNG At 30: Writing For Next Generation

Check out my new article over at TrekNews - I talk about my first script sale for Next Generation coming in TNG's seventh and final season. 

Who's On First? Starfleet's First Officers

Red Alert!  Who's on first base?  20th century comic duo Abbott and Costello may have never warped on a Starfleet starship - although they did go to Mars - but their historically popular comedy bit, 'Who's On First?', evokes a responsible officer rank which doesn't always get deserved attention nor respect.

Check out my TrekNews article about those Number Ones of Star Trek.

I Join Forces With TrekNews - My TNG at 30 Column

I'm thrilled to announce that I have joined forces with TrekNews. Here's my first column in my special series focusing in on The Next Generation at 30.

http://www.treknews.net/2017/03/21/tng-trepidation/

Trek News Interviews Me For My Book

Great chat with writer Kyle Hadyniak over at Trek-News.  This was a really fun interview!

Thanks, Kyle!

http://www.treknews.net/2017/03/13/will-stape-star-trek-sex-ds9-tng/

The Game of Pokemon Go According To Wesley Crusher

I'm excited to announce that I've joined forces with OMNI - here is my first article.

As a kid, I wouldn't miss an issue on the newsstand.  OMNI informed me, entertained me and most importantly of all, as a burgeoning writer, it fired my imagination more than any other magazine at the time or probably since.  

Those Uniforms

Starfleet defines elegance, simplicity and effectiveness.  It prowls the galaxy in enormous warp powered Starships which boast a clean, economical look combined with spectacular performance.  After all, the crew of the Enterprise may work hard, but they are known to play even harder.  Of course, all that work and play demands the best possible uniform.

With the dawning of The Next Generation on syndicated TV in 1987, we saw the return of Starfleeet's finest strutting around in one piece uniforms. Yeah, sure, they looked great, but the form fitting numbers weren't exactly forgiving for those Enterprise foodies who over indulged at the replicator.  That fat fashion faux pas plus no pockets - yup, pockets will be obsolete in a few hundred years, you'll see - made for actors who weren't very fond of their costumes.  By third season, we got a two piece, snazzy version of the uniforms, and Patrick Stewart's legendary 'Picard Maneuver' shirt straightening ritual was born.

Android Cosplay

TNG fans remember that Data created an android daughter for himself. In the Next Generation episode, The Offspring, we're introduced to the artificial life form Lal - albeit all too briefly. After the sentient android can't deal with the stress of coping with the emotional complexities of the real world, she goes offline or dies.

Here, we see a cosplay character interact with actor Brent Spiner.  She undoubtedly would have made Data's creator - Dr. Noonian Soong - proud as the feminine template for Data and brother Lore's sister.

Riker Sets His Beard Like His Phaser

Starfleet phasers have many power settings for many uses.  For Commander Will Riker's beard, there really is only one setting that he swears by.

Jamaharon Anyone?

If you visit the pleasure planet of Risa, you'd better know what this means.

Love Hurts Or Scares A Starfleet Captain

Love me!  Captain Jean-Luc Picard gets into a Fatal Attraction like scene with an emotional alien.

A stalker isn't funny to the one being stalked, but in the Next Generation episode, Liasons, Picard gets the stalker like treatment from an odd woman named Anna.  Turns out she's just one of those wacky aliens who wish to study the perplexing concept of human love.  Where's Glenn Close when you don't need her?

The Skant Beguiles

Do the Skant!  No, it's not a new dance craze nor a slick and hip, hip-hop rhyme.  It's what Deanna Troi wore occasionally on Star Trek: The Next Generation's debut season.  Somewhere in between a skirt and a pair of pants lies the beguiling mystery of the skant.  

For the record, the guys weren't immune to the fashion faux pas either. Infinite Diversity Infinite Combinations, indeed!  Sung to The Hustle - Do the Skant!

A Valentine Crusher

Leave it to the legendary Dancing Doctor - Gates McFadden as Dr. Beverly Crusher - to give us a perfect Valentine's Day motto.  Who do you have a Crusher on this year?

Make My Valentine's Day So!

Alien Valentine - The Bynars Get Ready For The Love Day

11001001  If you were speaking machine language (binary) which powers computers, you'd know what that means.  As it is, you probably don't, but as a Star Trek fan, you do know it's the title of a Next Generation first season episode. 

Of the many alien races found in Star Trek, the Bynars - performing their tasks and living out their lives co-joined - seem the perfect culture to embrace the spirit of Valentine's Day.

Android Phone Data Plan

A Data Plan was never so easy....

Ashley Judd On Next Generation

Do loyal Ashley Judd fans remember one of the big star's first roles? The actress known for her gritty roles opposite Morgan Freeman in Kiss The Girls, and as a determined mom in, Double Jeopardy, opposite Tommy Lee Jones and Bruce Greenwood - Captain Pike himself from the Abrams' Trek films - first played one of Starfleet's finest on board Captain Picard's Enterprise.

Judd is known to TNG fans as the dynamic Robin Leffler in the episodes, Darmok and The Game.

The Ultimate Voyage Tour - Trek At 50

With Star Trek turning 50 this year, the joyous celebrations are happening all over the place.  One of the most iconic aspects of Gene Roddenberry's sci-fi legacy is the space opera's compelling music. From the original series, throughout the feature films and onto the later incarnations of Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager and Enterprise, Trek's sweeping symphonic ear candy remains some of the most emotional in Hollywood and pop culture history.

For the 50th Anniversary, The Ultimate Voyage Tour will enable fans to experience all of that beloved music, plus other unique surprises.  Click here for more info and the touring dates for the show.

Riker Feels Pretty

Starfleet members are professionals.  They are expected to do whatever it takes to see that their important mission is carried out efficiently and completely.  In the Next Generation episode, Angel One, Commander Riker really takes one for the team.

Oh, Commander Riker, don't you look pretty!

Roll-Up Piano From "Lessons"

Captain Picard's love interest, Nella Darren, in the TNG episode, Lessons, played a mean roll-up keyboard.  Sadly, the actual prop hasn't stood the test of time.  Available for $3109 bucks, the item is pretty beat up now.

Devilish Fun

Could you deal with the devil?  Captain Jean-Luc Picard had to do just that when he battled a shifty being known as Ardra in the Next Generation episode, Devil's Due.

The Devil is in the details.

Android Logic

The problem with Android programming is - the programming...