Latest news
- 17 July 2008
- William Shatner has received yet another Emmy Award nomination as Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series for his portrayal of Denny Crane in the television series Boston Legal. This is Shatner's fifth nomination for the role (his fourth for Boston Legal). Also nominated for Emmys are Star Trek actress Sarah Silverman (for Outstanding Guest Actress In A Comedy Series, Outstanding Original Music And Lyrics, and Outstanding Short-format Live-action Entertainment Program), Vanessa Williams (for her role on Ugly Betty), and Alfre Woodard (for the TV movie Pictures Of Hollis Woods). Other Star Trek alumni who have been nominated include: producers Seth MacFarlane and David A. Goodman and composer Ron Jones (all for Family Guy); producer Ronald D. Moore and visual effects artists Doug Drexler, Pierre Drolet, Gary Hutzel, and David Takemura (all for Battlestar Galactica); writer Bryan Fuller (for Pushing Daisies); sound editors Ruth Adelman and Mace Matiosian and make-up effects artist Clinton Wayne (for CSI); producers J.J. Abrams, Bryan Burk, and Damon Lindelof and composer Michael Giacchino (all for Lost); and stunt coordinators Joel Kramer (for Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles), Merritt Yohnka (for Chuck), and Diamond Farnsworth (for NCIS). For the complete list of nominees, click here.
- An arrest warrant has been issued for Star Trek: The Next Generation actor Brian Bonsall (Alexander Rozhenko) in Boulder, Colorado after he failed to appear at a scheduled probation violations court hearing stemming from an assault charge in 2007. Bonsall has been accused of violating the conditions of his probation by failing to pay for domestic-violence classes, missing a urine test and daily Breathalyzer tests, and failing one Breathalyzer test. In addition to the warrant, a US$2,500 bond was also issued for Bonsall. [1] [2]
- Star Trek: Voyager guest star Andy Dick (the EMH Mark II in "Message in a Bottle") has been arrested on suspicion of drug possession and sexual battery in Murietta, California. According to police, the comedian, who was heavily intoxicated, caused a disturbance by urinating outside of a Buffalo Wild Wings bar and restaurant, after which he allegedly pulled down a teenage girl's tank top and bra and exposed her breasts. Dick was arrested and marijuana and the drug Xanax were found his pants pockets. He was released after posting US$5,000 bail and is awaiting trial. [3] [4]
- 11 July 2008
- At the Shore Leave convention this evening, Pocket Books announced its novel release schedule for 2009. Following on from the Star Trek: Destiny crossover event that will close out 2008, a number of books will deal with the aftermath of the events detailed in that trilogy, including A Singular Destiny by Keith R.A. DeCandido. Other releases include Full Circle, the first Voyager "relaunch" novel since 2004; Seven Deadly Sins, an anthology work; and the eagerly awaited The Romulan War. (The full schedule can be seen at Upcoming productions.) Two Original Series novels were also announced for 2010. [5]
- 10 July 2008
- Bio (formerly The Biography Channel) has picked up Shatner's Raw Nerve, an offbeat celebrity interview series hosted by William Shatner. Among the guests lined up for the program are Shatner's Star Trek co-star, Leonard Nimoy, and TNG guest star Kelsey Grammer. The series premieres 19 August 2008 at 10pm EST. [6]
- Scott Bakula will star in a pilot for a new drama on TNT entitled Men of a Certain Age, in which he plays Terry, a handsome, intelligent actor struggling to make it in the business. If picked up as a series, Men of a Certain Age will mark Bakula's first time as a TV series regular since Star Trek: Enterprise was canceled in 2005. [7] [8]
- 6 July 2008
- TNG's Wil Wheaton (Wesley Crusher) has landed a guest-starring role on the CBS drama series Criminal Minds. [9] Wheaton also announced he is working on a science fiction novella (potentially a novel), which he describes as "...a noir kinda thing, set in a dystopian future Los Angeles. (It's not Blade Runner. ... I've taken the appropriate world-building steps to make sure it doesn't go there.) [10] In addition, Wheaton worked with Family Guy creator and Star Trek fan Seth MacFarlane on the latter's web series entitled Cavalcade. [11]
- 2 July 2008
- Cedar Fair and CBS Consumer Products has confirmed that Star Trek: The Experience at the Las Vegas Hilton will shut down on 1 September 2008. However, CBS has stated they are currently exploring several possibilities to keep The Experience running, possibly at another location. [12]
- Star Trek: First Contact actor Neal McDonough has joined the cast of the ABC drama series Desperate Housewives. He will be playing the recurring role of a white-collar resident expected to become romantically involved with Nicolette Sheridan's character, Edie Britt. Teri Hatcher is a regular on this series; Brenda Strong is the narrator. [13]
Did You Know...
 Felix Locher as Robert Johnson ...that Felix Locher is the earliest born Star Trek performer and coincidentally, played Robert Johnson, a character who was one of the last to die from premature old age on Gamma Hydra IV?
...that John Billingsley tried to get his wife Bonita Friedericy a role on Star Trek: Enterprise as one of his character's wives, but she did appear as Rooney, a Human scientist in ENT: "Regeneration"?
...that the TNG episode "Yesterday's Enterprise" attracted 13.1 million viewers for its premiere, which was the third highest rating of the series?
...that in the mirror universe, an Admiral Black has been seen on-screen, but his counterpart has not been referenced in the "regular" universe?
Today in Trek history
- 1962
- Lee Arenberg is born.
- 1966
- Revised final script draft for TOS: "Balance of Terror" is submitted.
- 1971
- Ryan Church is born.
- 1982
- First strip of the thirteenth comic story arc is published.
- 1988
- Davis Roberts dies.
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Article of the Week
 Detail of an Issued Design Patent Design patents are a type of patent issued under United States law. (Other locations have similar protections but they are called different things.) The patent is granted based on the unique appearance or concept of an item rather than its "usefulness". Design patents typically are sought for items where the appearance is as - or more - important than the underlying craftsmanship itself. So, things like jewelry, toys, furniture, car parts, etc. are frequently granted design patents.
Design patents have a life in the US of fourteen years from the date of issuance. Their main usefulness is as a supplement to copyright protections. Whereas someone claiming a copyright in a work can prevent actual copies being made, a design patent can more easily be used to prevent the unauthorized creation of similar items which are not actually copies. Neither protection is absolute, but some counsel believe that having both is important where even the hint of similar design is a threat to the value of the original design.
From 1978 through 1987, Paramount Pictures sought and obtained various design patents for Star Trek designs. There seem to have been no other filings after 1987, and Paramount's legal department instead probably feels comfortable with existing copyright protections.
In each instance of a design patent at least one "inventor" has to be listed. The inventor can never be the corporation, it has to be an individual or individuals. It is sometimes interesting to see who gets credit for what on the official documents.
Upcoming releases
Films
Episodes
DVDs
Novels and reference works
Comics
Where to watch
Australia
- Sci-Fi Channel (Australia)
- TNG: Weekdays at 12:00pm, 6:30pm and 11:25pm; Saturdays at 9:00am and 7:30pm; Sundays at 3:55am
- VOY: Sundays at 8:30pm
- DS9: Sundays at 9:30pm
- ENT: Weekends at 11:30am and 10:00pm; Mondays at 5:05am
- TOS: Sundays at 2:20am, 8:00am and 10:50am
- Movies: Saturday at 6:00pm; Sunday at 4:05am and 5:30pm
Canada
- CityTV
- Edmonton, Calgary:
- VOY: Monday-Friday at 4am
- Winnipeg/Portage la Prairie
- VOY: Sunday-Monday at 4am
- SPACE
- TNG: Monday-Friday at 12pm, 6pm
- TOS: Monday-Friday at 3pm; Saturday at 5pm
- ENT: Monday-Friday at 4pm; Tuesday-Friday at 1am
- VOY: Monday-Friday at 8pm; Tuesday-Friday at 12am
New Zealand
- Prime TV
- VOY: Sundays at 12:00pm
- DS9: Sundays at 13:00pm
South Africa
United Kingdom
- BBC2
- Bravo
- VOY: Daily between 11pm and 12am
- Sci-Fi Channel (UK)
- TOS: Weekdays at 4pm; Tuesdays-Saturdays at 4am; Saturday at 11am; Sunday at 11am x2
- Virgin 1
- TNG: Weekdays at 10am, 4pm
- DS9: Weekdays at 2pm
- ENT: Mondays at 9pm; Saturday at 7pm; Saturday and Sunday at 2pm x2
United States (cable)
- Sci-Fi Channel
- TNG: Mondays at 7pm/6c x4
- ENT: Tuesdays at 7pm/6c x3
- Spike (also in Canada)
- DS9: Monday-Wednesday at 2am/1c
- VOY: Weekdays at 9am/8c; 4pm/3c x2; Monday-Wednesday at 1am/12c
- TV Land
- TOS: Monday-Friday at 6am/5c
- HDNet
- ENT: Monday-Friday at 1pm/12c; Mondays at 9pm/8c; Tuesdays at 12am/11c
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