LeVar Burton Calls Out J.J. Abrams About Star Trek

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LeVar Burton Calls Out J.J. Abrams About Star Trek

Date: Mar 6, 2013 | Author: Rudie Obias | Category: Sci-Fi

There has always been a friendly rivalry between the fans of the various Trek series. One fan will argue that Kirk will always greatest of the captains, another will talk your ear off about how Deep Space 9 is brilliant and underrated. But for some long-time Trekkies, the rivalry between Classic Trek and J.J. Abrams’ version isn’t friendly at all. But based on the comments of one beloved Trek actor, Abrams isn’t exactly making things any easier for fans who have difficulty accepting his brand of Trek.

geordi-la-forge

In an interview with the Toronto Sun, TNG actor LeVar Burton recently called out J.J. Abrams for comments he allegedly made about his version of Star Trek. Burton says:

(Abrams’ Star Trek) was a great movie, and he brought a whole new generation to Trek. But I’m a little disquieted by things I hear coming out of his camp, things like he would like to be remembered as the only Trek—which would discount everything before he got there.

There’s ‘breaking the canon,’ which he did (by re-inventing Star Trek‘s timeline). But there’s also honouring the canon. And to pretend to be the only one is really egocentric and immature.

I just came from a conference in San Francisco with Advanced Micro Devices, and they’re working on technology towards building a holodeck. That was Next Generation. And that’s part of what Star Trek has brought to the culture. So when JJ Abrams says, ‘There should be no Star Trek except the one I make,’ I call bulls—, J.J.

While it’s unclear where/when Abrams is purported to have made those comments, something has obviously rubbed LeVar Burton the wrong way. Abrams has admitted he wasn’t a fan of Trek before accepting the reboot gig, but he’s never come across as quite so flippant or dismissive about Trek‘s long legacy. But perhaps LeVar Burton knows more than us.

This isn’t the first time a Trek icon has sounded off on Abrams in recent months. William Shatner once called the geek director a “pig” for hoarding both Star Trek and Star Wars, and said his movies are “great rides” but lack emotional heart. (To be fair, in context the “pig” comments were seemingly meant jokingly.) There’s just something about J.J. Abrams that rubs the Star Trek old guard the wrong way.

Comments

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=6822847 Jacob Teske

Abram’s Trek is merely an action flick franchise. Real Star Trek is at its best when addresses the moral issues of our day and examines and challenges our beliefs. I saw none of that in the first movie don’t expect to see any of it in the next. Obviously, all the prior films all have an action focus, but ST 2, 4 and 6 are heads above because of the rich characterization and because (especially 4) they have something bigger to say about the world we live in. I enjoy Abram’s Trek, but I mainly enjoy it because its the only new trek out there, not because it’s better than what’s been done before. Abram’s idea of character development is to have Spock make out with Uhura. Great for the fan boys, but not exactly a deep commentary on 21st century society. Good for Levar for speaking up.
http://www.facebook.com/mike.danko.79 Mike Danko

You go, LeVar! I’ve been a Star Trek fan from the beginning, and I will continue to be a fan for the rest of my life. As much as I tried to appreciate what Abrams did with his “reboot”, I couldn’t get over the fact that he killed Spock’s mom and destroyed Vulcan. I love time travel and alternate realities as much as the next guy, but smashing some of the most important aspects of the ST universe is beyond reproach. And, don’t even get me started on the Spock/Uhura relationship. That needs to go into some other alternate reality for good. I hate to think about what Abrams plans to do with the Klingons now that he screwed up the Vulcans and the Romulans. They could redeem themselves by calling their own bluff and restore things to the way they really “should be”. Paramount probably deserves as much blame as Abrams for letting the “old” franchise die on the vine. They effectively killed the movie franchise by opening Nemesis a week before Lord of the Rings. They could have opened it during Thanksgiving week and given it a solid 3 weeks or so before it had any real competition. Then, they cancelled Enterprise just when it was really starting to pick up steam and tell some great stories. Maybe the franchise was a little tired, but it could have been re-energized without turning it on it’s head with a complete reboot. No choice now but to sit back and go along for the ride and try to take the good with the bad.
Jeff

Say what you want. Star Trek and it’s subsequent series was the fulfilling of a vision. Not just Gene Roddenberry’s but the many, many people who had a hand in making it happen. Trek dealt with social issues and crossed boundries that no other show or shows had ever crossed before. The new Star Trek is for the youth of today and tomorrow. The one’s with virtually no attention span. Where movies need to be thrown up on a 60 ft IMAX screen with explosions and chases and heart pounding excitement virtually every second. Plot, story, characters… not necessary in the green screen world of modern Science Fiction. This is why movies like the new Trek and the last 3 Star Wars movies, Transformers etc…. all make billions at the box office. Star Trek… that was a show our daddy’s or grandparents watched. I won’t spend a penny of my money on the new Trek movie, having wasted $11 on the first one. Make as many as you want J.J…. Star Trek is what I watch on DVD.
http://www.facebook.com/patricia.wellskrob Patricia WellsKrob

YAY!! Levar!!!! I am a big Trek fan. I have the StarFleet Poodles. I have no intention of going to see this latest reboot in the theater, not worth the money. I will just get the DVD. There is to much of a gap between the movies now. We need a new series on TV.
Xzaviére

Sorry but the only person/thing that can claim they legitimately “saved” Star Trek is Lucille Ball.
http://www.facebook.com/briancmckinley Brian C McKinley

It’s “Trekkers”
http://www.facebook.com/people/Lee-Mc-Donald/1205872108 Lee Mc Donald

I’d like to thank J.J. Azzh0le for taking everything created before his “movie” and pissin all over it. I’m sure he could have relaunched the franchise without using Gene’s legacy as butt wipe.
TRoane1

LaForge= one of the worst characters in franchise history. Burton couldn’t act his way out of a box. Abrams has put out a very decent rehash of the universe and I for one am interested in where it goes from here. I would so go see a STNG movie or even one from the other parts of the franchise so I’m not overly biased against any certain installation. Burton can go away already.
- Sleeper99999
  
  Sad that you’re openly interested in something you call a “rehash.” That’s not a complimentary term, y’know.
Mr.Shvonk

LeVar Burton is not the only on insulted by J.J. Abrams’ version of Star Trek. Anyone knowing Star Trek cannon would be insulted, and I don’t just mean the alternate timeline, although that seems to be the excuse for serious screw ups. For example, in all of the star charts I have looked at to check Vulcan is on the other side of the federation from Delta Vega, and really to be able to see it with your naked eyes is ridiculous even if Vulcan was a moon of Delta Vega, or viceversa, they would have both been destroyed, the whole solar system destroyed, not just one planet. Abrams has no respect for Star Trek, he made an action movie that wiped it’s ass with Star Trek. Anyone want to compile a list of errors. What is Spock doing in a snow cave when there’s a Federation base 24 kilometers North, as he says himself, or wait was that 14 kilometers as Kirk says. oops. “A simple mining vessel” 20 times bigger than the Enterprise?? Bullshit is right.
Mr.Shvonk

Here is one if you’re looking for a list of Abrams’ Star Trek mistakes.

http://www.sf-fandom.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?32888-Boneheaded-mistakes-in-the-J.J.-Abrams-Star-Trek-movie
- http://www.facebook.com/people/Neville-Ross/100002343524258 Neville Ross
  
  Nobody gives a shit except people like you trapped in the past-stop complaining about canon and deal.
  - Mr.Shvonk
    
    Fail on accuracy, that doofus you are defending doesn’t know the difference between Star Trek and his own ass. Plus your are very BLIND, you can say you speak for “Nobody.” He wiped he ass with Star Trek while making an action movie, and he’s pull the same crap with Star Wars.
    - http://www.facebook.com/people/Neville-Ross/100002343524258 Neville Ross
      
      The ‘doofus’ is an experienced director-what the frack are you but a butthurt fan who thinks themselves to be as experienced as him in writing and directing a motion picture? Get a life, and get a clue.
http://www.facebook.com/david.schmitt#!/ David R. Schmitt

I’m an old Star trek fan from TOS to TNG and DS9 (Voyager was crap and you all know it) but I loved the new movie because it was fresh and different from the originals Who wants the same old thing?
http://twitter.com/LizabethSTucker Lizabeth S. Tucker

I was a fan of the original series, having seen it as it originally aired. Not all the episodes were perfect, but any means, but they were far beyond what you usually saw in the way of science fiction.

I was dubious when ST:TNG was first announced, but willing to give it a try. I loved it as well. I also came to love the later series, at least until Enterprise. Good actors aside, I just couldn’t get into it.

The movies, with the exception of the first, were acceptable. The Wrath of Khan was brilliant, but after all it did have Ricardo Montalban.

As to Abrams’ reboot? I freakin’ loved it. He wasn’t a fan of the original series and, frankly, I think that helped. It is a reboot, just as BBC’s Sherlock is a reboot of Sherlock Holmes. They are two different critters, but it doesn’t mean that fans of one can’t enjoy the other.

Of course, I never got the alleged Star Trek vs. Star Wars rivalry. Adored them both, as any good scifi fan with a love for old style space adventure movies should.
- http://www.facebook.com/people/Neville-Ross/100002343524258 Neville Ross
  
  But, I don’t think that he did say that, which to me sounds like Burton misheard him and decided to be annoyed anyway.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Troy-Carrington/1328851181 Troy Carrington

TNG, was the best of what the star trek canon did. I always had a problem with it because everyone got along, everyone was smarter than the average guest star and we all knew that no one would die that was a major character. I have met Mr Burton, found him to be a very no nonsense, straight forward person as would anyone that has achieved what he has. He has an educated opinion being that he has been in front of and behind the camera having been around that product for many years.
Did STNG revive the industry? which industry? sci-fi? no. star trek? nope, the movies had already making money and remember movies like Road Warrior, Blade Runner and others were also running around (remember TOS had four movies out before TNG came out in SYNDICATED TV). I could see it making syndicated TV stronger by such a great brand being available and leading to interest in shows being made like Highlander, Zena and Hercules.
All the Treks have their strong points and their weak points. While i am a huge fan of DS9, the tail end of season 3, the show kind of was looking for something to boost the ratings. Worf came on board and ratings went up. Was sort of on the fence with Voyager but grew to love it. And i think that Enterprise, saddled with that god awful theme song (IMHO) and the sell of Paramount to CBS with demise of UPN, was a show that never saw it’s full potential.
As for Mr Burton and his comments, he is entitled to them and he has earned the right to make them just like Shatner and I really think people need to get over it.
http://www.facebook.com/people/David-Wilson/1279205910 David Wilson

If Abrams really made such an egocentric statement (I’m not saying he did, mind you) then LeVar was 110% right to call him out for it.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Davy-Bible/618118720 Davy Bible

I agree with LeVar and alot of the comments on here. It’s good to know that there’s others that feel the same. Perhaps the 2009 film just needed time to establish everything and maybe the next film Star Trek Into Darkness will have more soul to it and feel all around more Star Trek.
Valkery Draconis

it could have something to do with the fact that Abrahms is destroying story lines that we grew up with
milspecsin

I could bore you with a massive point by point dissertation on why JJ should be removed from trek, but I am going to point out one thing. At the end of Star Trek, Scotty was ordered to eject the core.

9 pods flew out the dorsal section on the secondary hull…

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot ????!!?!?!

Core is a singular reference.

Everyone knows that the core of a starship is at least 3 decks high, and gets ejected out of the ventral section of the hull.

But then again engineering was a Budweiser brewery in this film… Guess everyone was drunk from the free beer.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Paul-Emerson/100002485258920 Paul Emerson

I think this is something that’s going to blow over. If, indeed, Abrams made those comments, and I can’t imagine he actually would, though he is still young, then he should retract them, and keep in mind the truth that all of the rest of us Trek fans came first, we’ve literally put Billions into the original time-line, and it was really hard to accept the change to the time-line, though accept it many have.
SoothSayer

I fear for Star Wars VII, considering JJ Abrams essentially wiped out all Trek history with his first foray into the Trek universe.

Vulcan was always shown as an ancient place with equally ancient ritual sites, not forgetting TNG episodes like Gambit Pt2, which essentially necessitate that Vulcan still exist. Now, thanks to Abrams, Vulcan was destroyed before Kirk even became Captain of the Enterprise. I also found the destruction of Romulus in such a hokey way cheap; a poor ending for such a mainstay adversary.

Sure the films are fun, but they lack a lot of what made Trek great. The obvious nods to TOS characterisations (e.g. McCoy’s “I’m a doctor, not a ….”) felt tacky and shallow, but then all the characters feel shallow; the only character that feels it has any real depth is the old Spock.

Giant Freakin Robot