PERHAPS HE WILL BE ABLE TO USE CONTRACTIONS

Easily, on of my earliest (television) writing influences was, in fact, Gene Roddenberry (herein lies a really good biography) I was introduced to Star Trek at an early age and the one-two punch of Roddenberry's humanism and William Shatner's flying dropkick had me enthralled. I never really had a chance.

Among my favorite (television) writers of the more currentish era is Tim Minear. His ability to handle character and weirdness is his one-two punch...if I must try to carry on that motif.

So hearing that Minear will be heading up a remake of a Roddenberry property has me, indeed, interested. That property being The Questor Tapes, the story of an android trying to discover his humanity. The original of which was...well, it was no Star Trek (despite the fact that the main character is essentially ST:TNG's Data).

I have utter faith, however, that Minear can not only jettison the ridiculous and maybe (in this day and age) cliche backstory, but that he can also make Questor not be Data.

This also comes at a time when I've been burning time watching my first season original Trek DVDs. "Balance of Terror" kicks ass.