| Revision as of 05:36, 9 June 2006 editViriditas (talk | contribs)Autopatrolled, Extended confirmed users, Pending changes reviewers169,060 editsm Reverted edits by 71.158.149.97 (talk) to last version by 24.141.147.6 using godmode-light.js.← Previous edit | Revision as of 05:40, 9 June 2006 edit undo71.158.149.97 (talk) do not revert edits just because you do not like their contentNext edit → | ||
| Line 17: | Line 17: | ||
| Rick Berman (along with ]) is frequently identified by ] as the primary cause of the declining popularity and ratings and eventually cancellation of the Star Trek television series. He is regularly accused of deviating from Gene Roddenberry's philosophy, deviating from established ] and dumbing down story-lines by placing a greater emphasis on action sequences and ]. | Rick Berman (along with ]) is frequently identified by ] as the primary cause of the declining popularity and ratings and eventually cancellation of the Star Trek television series. He is regularly accused of deviating from Gene Roddenberry's philosophy, deviating from established ] and dumbing down story-lines by placing a greater emphasis on action sequences and ]. | ||
| Some fans also blame Berman for the fact that ] and ] issues were gingerly dealt with in the television and film part of the Star Trek franchise. | Some fans also blame Berman for the fact that ] and ] issues were gingerly dealt with in the television and film part of the Star Trek franchise. In fact, according to numerous behind-the-scenes Trek sources, Berman had a sexual relationship with fellow Trek executive producer ]. Berman and Braga's decision to change the character of Lt. Hawk in ] from being gay, for example, is largely attributed to their uncomfortability with their own ]. | ||
| However others counter that Berman was the principal producer during some of Star Trek's most successful years, when Gene Roddenberry's declining health meant he had to take an increasingly smaller role in daily production. Also Berman is credited with writing a number of successful episodes himself, including one of the most highly regarded episodes of TNG ("]"). | However others counter that Berman was the principal producer during some of Star Trek's most successful years, when Gene Roddenberry's declining health meant he had to take an increasingly smaller role in daily production. Also Berman is credited with writing a number of successful episodes himself, including one of the most highly regarded episodes of TNG ("]"). | ||
Revision as of 05:40, 9 June 2006
Richard Keith "Rick" Berman (born December 25, 1945 in New York, New York, USA) is an American television producer. He is most famous for his work as the executive producer of the Star Trek series from Star Trek: The Next Generation onwards and since Gene Roddenberry's death being seen as head of Star Trek production at Paramount, whether in film or television. He is also very controversial among Star Trek fans, many of whom criticize his handling of the shows.
Work in television
Berman graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1967 with a B.A. in speech. From 1977 to 1982, he was the senior producer of The Big Blue Marble for PBS. His work won an Emmy for Outstanding Children's Series. Between 1982 and 1984 he was an independent producer. He worked on various projects, including What on Earth, an informational series for HBO, and The Primal Mind, a one-hour award-winning special for PBS.
Berman joined Paramount in 1984 as director of current programming. He oversaw such popular shows as Cheers and MacGyver.
Work in Star Trek
In 1987, Berman was selected by Gene Roddenberry to help him create Star Trek: The Next Generation (TNG). As Roddenberry's health declined, Berman took over more and more of the daily production of the show.
Berman went on to executive produce and co-create Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (DS9) with Michael Piller, Star Trek: Voyager with Piller and Jeri Taylor, and Star Trek: Enterprise with Brannon Braga. He is also responsible for the production and receives a story credit on the four TNG movies: Generations (1994), First Contact (1996), Insurrection (1998), and Nemesis (2002).
Although he was initially involved in producing a Star Trek XI based on a script written by Erik Jendresen, with the recent involvement of J. J. Abrams, Berman no longer appears to be involved.
Controversy
Rick Berman (along with Brannon Braga) is frequently identified by Trekkies as the primary cause of the declining popularity and ratings and eventually cancellation of the Star Trek television series. He is regularly accused of deviating from Gene Roddenberry's philosophy, deviating from established Star Trek canon and dumbing down story-lines by placing a greater emphasis on action sequences and technobabble.
Some fans also blame Berman for the fact that sexual orientation and gender identity issues were gingerly dealt with in the television and film part of the Star Trek franchise. In fact, according to numerous behind-the-scenes Trek sources, Berman had a sexual relationship with fellow Trek executive producer Brannon Braga. Berman and Braga's decision to change the character of Lt. Hawk in Star Trek: First Contact from being gay, for example, is largely attributed to their uncomfortability with their own homosexuality.
However others counter that Berman was the principal producer during some of Star Trek's most successful years, when Gene Roddenberry's declining health meant he had to take an increasingly smaller role in daily production. Also Berman is credited with writing a number of successful episodes himself, including one of the most highly regarded episodes of TNG ("Brothers").
The counterpoint Trekkies raise to most defenses of Rick Berman, is that any defense of Berman cites work he did many years ago. The quality of Voyager declined sharply in its fifth through seventh seasons, and Enterprise was considered to be a disaster during its first three years when Berman was at the helm. Accusations against Berman from late-Voyager onward were that the franchise was "resting on its laurels" and living in the past, that in effect, Berman never got over the success he enjoyed under Next Generation and was constantly trying to relive it. As a result, critics say that Voyager felt like more of a rehash of Next Generation rather than develop its own identity. Critics and fans feel that by constantly defending his lackluster performance with Voyager and Enterprise, in interviews, by pointing out successful work he had done on Next Generation, Berman was changing the subject rather than addressing the problem.
External links
- Rick Berman — profile at startrek.com
- Rick Berman — profile at Global Episode Opinion Survey
- Rick Berman at IMDb