Hidden Frontier

I have a new addiction. Since Star Trek is not on TV except in reruns and syndication, several fan-based productions have started popping up all over the web. But there is one that really deserves to be mentioned and that's "Hidden Frontier". Now in it's 7th and final (damn it) season, "Hidden Frontier" has "boldly gone where no fan film has gone before"... and embraced an openly gay Starfleet officer. Actually several if you're up on current episodes.

I've been a fan of Trek since around 1990, when TNG was still on the air. I'm not that big of a fan of the original series, but I love the movies and have watched the later shows, with the exception of Enterprise. I never really could get in to that one too much.

"Hidden Frontier" takes place shortly after the movie "Star Trek: Insurrection" and takes place in and around the "Briar Patch" that was featured prominently in that movie. All the races make an appearance... Humans, Klingons, Bajorans, Cardassians, Romulans, Vulcans, and on and on. The list includes such historical figures as the Tholians from the original series all the way to the Sona, the baddies from Insurrection. The production team uses green screens to digitally put the actors into familiar sets from the TNG universe. The Enterprise-E's Bridge, the D's Captain's Quarters, Ten-Forward, and Engineeering all make an appearance in the series. They've even gotten creative and digitally animated some of the graphics on the bridge scenes. A nice touch. Yes, the actors all have a green halo, and at times the acting can get hokey... but this is Trek...and Trek with Gays...who cares? :)

Perhaps it's shining gem in production values is the CGI scenes. The team has managed to use Lightwave to create computer models of the majority of the starships we've seen in recent years. The Sovereign-class, the Defiant, A variant of the Galaxy Class that they've dubbed the Galaxy-III Dreadnaught, and the Intrepid-class all make promenant appearance in the Federation's fleet. Also along for the ride are a multitude of crew designed ships including one Federation ship design that I think I read a fan had submitted.

Unfortunately, this is their last season. With nearly 50 episodes usually averaging 30 minutes without commercials, and with them not being able to make a dime from anything they produce, you can imagine why they're getting ready to move on. Still, it's allowed several people to get some experience both in front of and behind the camera. I'll be sorry to see it go, but I'm hoping there will be other production companies brave enough to go where "Hidden Frontier" has gone... tackling mainstream problems and doing it with honor and integrity. Gene would be proud.

Check out the "Hidden Frontier" website and download their episodes at http://www.hiddenfrontier.com