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Rick Berman wanted to get rid of technobabble as he thought it was overdone

BBG News

As a dedicated Star Trek fan and gamer for over two decades, I’ve had the pleasure of immersing myself in the vast universe created by Gene Roddenberry and his team. The intricate details and advanced technologies that make up this world have always fascinated me, and the use of technobabble has only added to the allure.

Star Trek actors often struggled with memorizing complex, meaningless tech jargon, or technobabble. This challenge likely put a strain even on the most experienced acting veterans. Remarkably, some actors have managed to retain these lines over the years, as evidenced by Robert Picardo’s public sharing of them on YouTube.

According to “The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years from The Next Generation to J.J. Abrams” by Mark A. Altman and Edward Gross, Rick Berman openly opposed the extensive use of technobabble in Star Trek during Gene Roddenberry’s tenure. He found it not only excessive but comically so, and engaged in heated debates with Roddenberry and others to eliminate it.

Have you ever pondered how Star Trek would lose its unique charm without the complex scientific jargon? The unfamiliar terminology used by the crew adds to the intrigue of their advanced technology. As intelligent beings on board those spaceships and stations, scientists and engineers are expected to possess knowledge beyond our grasp. Similarly, captains and officers need to be well-versed in the uncharted territories they navigate through, making that specialized language an essential part of the Star Trek universe.

The actors speak their lines with such conviction that it seems as if we’re witnessing genuine space explorers encountering new extraterrestrial lifeforms for the first time and battling unexpected threats from dark matter, momentarily persuading us that these events are authentic.

Berman attempted to eliminate the technical jargon, but I’m thankful Roddenberry held firm on this point. Even if I don’t grasp a single word of what Commander Stamets or Lt. Commander Data speak, their delivery makes it seem significant. This is just one factor that contributes to Star Trek’s captivating allure.

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2024-07-24 05:23

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