Andy Weir Shares Thoughts on Star Trek During Podcast

Last week, Andy Weir, the author behind the novel adapted into the successful movie Project Hail Mary, discussed his views on Star Trek during an appearance on the Critical Drinker Podcast. He commented on how the current portrayal of Star Trek could be described as “not great.”

Weir expressed that every modern sci-fi show and film has been significantly influenced by the original Star Trek, although he noted that this influence seems absent in the latest versions of the franchise.

Reflecting on his background, Weir mentioned, “Being Generation X, my sci-fi experience was shaped by shows like the original series and Lost in Space.” He added that it felt like there were few new sci-fi shows until Star Trek: The Next Generation came along.

When the host, Will Jordan, brought up the cancellation of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, Weir responded with enthusiasm, exclaiming, “It’s gone, baby! It’s all gone!”

Even though he found Star Trek: Strange New Worlds to be decent and Lower Decks enjoyable, he had a much harsher view of the other offerings, calling them “not good.”

“As a viewer, I think Strange New Worlds is pretty good. I didn’t dislike Enterprise, and found Lower Decks to be interesting and fun,” he stated. However, he had little praise for the rest of the shows, mentioning that they didn’t meet his expectations.

Weir went on to describe how he had spent considerable time discussing ideas with Star Trek showrunners, including executive producer Alex Kurtzman. Despite this, he was candid in saying, “I don’t really like the new Star Trek series.” Eventually, his blunt comments led to an apology.

In a message to Kurtzman on Facebook, Weir clarified, “I feel like my quote was taken out of context and came off as a nasty soundbite. I hope you saw the part where I said how much I appreciate you as a person.” He indicated he was trying to be humorous, but was aware his words might have seemed disrespectful.

I can understand why he felt the need to apologize. It’s complicated navigating public opinion, especially in an era where comments can quickly spiral into controversy. While he didn’t backtrack on his critique of the shows, he did show respect for the people involved, which I think is commendable. In today’s world, you have to be careful, as a casual comment can take on a life of its own online.