Where No Fan Has Gone Before

[on:]

Perhaps someone Down Under or Across the Pond who has the Vol.4 R2/R4 DVDs (and listened to the commentary) can answer this.

These questions have bugged me since “Where No Fan Has Gone Before”
originally aired:

Where is James Doohan ?  He had pneumonia ?    It is rumoured that the cast was NOT together to record for this episode.  If so, the production schedule is so tight that they couldn’t add in his part later ?    Any insights from the DVD Commentary ?

Why is it they can use the name “Star Trek”, episode name and episode numbers, and even quotes from the episodes, but the uniforms were purposely drawn incorrectly (squared-off collars, and no delta symbol), and the Klingon Battlecruiser Melllvar attacks the PE ship with is also purposely drawn incorrectly ????

Why is it that we hear Alexander Courage’s great fight music as the National Anthem in “Why Must I Be a Crustacean In Love ?”, but the music in “Where No Fan Has Gone Before” is close, but just not the same music ????

Any insights from the DVD Commentary ?

[Reply #1 on:]

I think (and I do think) that he takes his acting career seriously and he took the role of Scotty seriously too therefore refusing to parody himself.

I think although someone else here will know more than I though...

[Reply #2 on:]

 

Originally posted by mars396:
Where is James Doohan?  He had pneumonia?    It is rumoured that the cast was NOT together to record for this episode.  If so, the production schedule is so tight that they couldn’t add in his part later?    Any insights from the DVD Commentary?

I heard somewhere that Doohan declined to do this episode.  The producers believe it was because he thought he had to work with Shatner.

[Reply #3 on:]

David X says on the commentary that they just got a flat "no" from Doohan.

I would guess that the reason they could use the music in the previous episode was because it was the only star trek thing they were parodying, but in this episode there was so much they had to change it a bit.

Some of the cast was together for the recording, for example Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner were in the same recording booth at the same time for their conversation pieces, the rest was separate. It was Shatner who requested this because of his great friendship with Nimoy.

There is more but I'll let you hear it on the audio commentaries

[Reply #4 on:]

Am I the only one who finds all the dissention among the old Star Trek cast depressing?

[Reply #5 on:]

 

Originally posted by mars396:
Perhaps someone Down Under or Across the Pond who has the Vol.4 R2/R4 DVDs (and listened to the commentary) can answer this.

These questions have bugged me since “Where No Fan Has Gone Before”
originally aired:

Where is James Doohan ?  He had pneumonia ?    It is rumoured that the cast was NOT together to record for this episode.  If so, the production schedule is so tight that they couldn’t add in his part later ?    Any insights from the DVD Commentary ?

As boingo said, he flatly declined to have anything to do with the episode (No way! was his exact words), most likely because Shatner would be there too. Shatner and Doohan didn't part as best of friends after Star Trek. Doohan have once said Shatner was one of the worst people he'd ever worked with. The exchange between Shatner and Nimoy might also be a hint:

Shatner: "I have an idea. Wasn't there an episode where I threw my shoe at the enemy?"
Nimoy: "You mean Doohan?"
[They both laugh and high five]

 

Why is it they can use the name “Star Trek”, episode name and episode numbers, and even quotes from the episodes, but the uniforms were purposely drawn incorrectly (squared-off collars, and no delta symbol), and the Klingon Battlecruiser Melllvar attacks the PE ship with is also purposely drawn incorrectly ????

They're allowed to use part of the franchise for parody reasons under the Fair Use clause of some obscure American Law I forgot the name of. Star Trek, the episode names and numbers would fall under that category (plus "Star Trek" is a part of American culture so it's kinda hard to stop people from using the words in references, the episode names probably aren't copyrighted) where as the uniforms and ship-designs would be protected trademarks and they had to use something that was "similar, but legally distinct" to use a phrase by David X Cohen.

[Reply #6 on:]

That doesn't explain the music, though...

[Reply #7 on:]

 

Originally posted by mars396:
Why is it that we hear Alexander Courage?s great fight music as the National Anthem in ?Why Must I Be a Crustacean In Love ??, but the music in ?Where No Fan Has Gone Before? is close, but just not the same music ????

it's possible to use the music from another show, but in that case they have to pay for it. besides, they just used a small sample in  WMIBACIL...

therefore they have to use soundalike themes on the show.

[Reply #8 on:]

Leela: "So anyway, who are you people? Haven't I seen you in some copyrighted movie?"
Wormulan: (Singing) "We resemble, but are legally distinct from the Lollipop Guild, the Lollipop Guild..."

The important thing is we, the fans, will recognise it. If that meant they would have to pay royalties to Paramount they would've done so, but since the entire scene was one big homage to "Amok Time" they went for the slightly altered music.

[Reply #9 on:]

If Doohan hadn't backed out, we would never have gotten Welshie!!

On a side note, it's been a while since I've seen "Where No Fan...", though I think I remembered McCoy having no lines.  Does anyone know if the episode was made before or after Deforest Kelley's death?

[Reply #10 on:]

After. Kelley died in 1999, this episode is most likely written in early 2001. Keeping McCoy (and not using a voice actor) in was meant as a homage to Kelley.

[Reply #11 on:]

 

Originally posted by nerdlingus:
I think (and I do think) that he takes his acting career seriously and he took the role of Scotty seriously too therefore refusing to parody himself.

I think although someone else here will know more than I though...

I heard that too.

[Reply #12 on:]

Im a fan of Trek and i think Doohan didnt want to be a part of it because he has some problems with Shatner. But i do like Welshie better.

WELSHIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Reply #13 on:]

Being Welsh, I loved the joke of swaping a Scotsman for a Welshman, classic.

I didn't think Americans even knew Wales existed !!!