The Evolution of the USS Enterprise

Yesterday, Paramount released the first full photo of the USS Enterprise from JJ AbramsStar Trek. In an attempt to compare old vs. new, I accidently posted a photo of the NCC-1701-A instead of the NCC-1701 from the Original Series (aka TOS). I was quickly blasted corrected by a few knowledgeable Trekkies. Truth be told, I’ve watched a lot of Trek over the years, but for me, the shows and movies have always remained passive entertainment. So tonight I thought I’d give myself a refresher and put together an “Evolution of the USS Enterprise”. Click on the image below to enlarge. Enjoy!

  • danno
    Interesting, thanks.
  • Rory
    I must admit I dislike star trek.
    And cannot tell a difference between all the photos.
    lol.
    But I can say, it is a cool looking spaceship.
  • Rosario
    Lol Rory same here. I mean the first one and Abrams one look the same. I dont understand how people are getting worked up over nothing.

    Some Star Trek fans are scary, like Twilight scary.
  • Allynd Dudnikov
    Pete, I hate to be a nerd here but the NX-01 should be before the NCC-1701 if you're going in "canon timeline", even then the NX-01 should go before the NCC-1701-J..
  • uniderth
    Except that the NX-01 ISN'T canon.
  • NINJARTIST
  • Delta Assault
    Sorry Peter, but that's not the Enterprise B, it's a regular Excelsior class starship. The Enterprise B was an Excelsior Refit class which had added impulse engines on the saucer and an expanded scoop around the main deflector dish.

    Also, clicking on the image did not enlarge it, as far as I could tell.
  • ernestborg9
    WRONG!!!

    The image IS Enterprise B - it's a publicity still from the film!!!
  • Allynd Dudnikov
    Also, Pete:

    The NX-01 is labeled as from the Episode "In a Mirror, Darkly", yet it lacks the Terran Empire marking therefore is neither of the NX-class ships in the episodes as they had the clearly visible Terran Empire seal across the saucer section with yellow circular highlights across the edges:
    http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/e...
  • Okay, I think I may have fixed the issues commented about above. Boy, I'm bad at this Trek history business
  • Allynd Dudnikov
    Peter, I just thought of something aswell:
    If your doing pictures of all the Enterprises why use the Mirror Universe ship at all?
  • jL
    how about the last episode of next generation with the future enterprise?
  • Allynd Dudnikov
    "All good things.."? If I remember correctly it was still the NCC-1701-D o_O
  • Eric R.
    Ok, look guys, I'm probably one of the biggest Trekkers out there, but geez stop being so damn analytical about it. It's just a damn movie and Pete did a good job with the pics especially considering he is not a fan of it. Now commenting on the new ship that JJ and company created, its not bad, it suits his purpose for the script and that is that. However, just to remain a Trek geek, I will say that my favorite ship is the Enterprise-E. In Nemesis, I thought it was pretty cool in the end how it showed its battle capabilities.
  • J
    JJ's looks sweet in comparison. the ugliest goes to the Next Generation. i've always found that one hideous
  • coulda used a picture of the re-fitted 1701 from the first three movies.
  • Paul
    The new one looks like a silver plate strapped onto a giant norelco razor.
  • D' Viking
    I really like the pictures up for compare and contrast. But I agree with Sean that we could have used a picture of the re-fitted Enterprise from the first three movies. It would make more sense than, say, a mirror universe ship.
    In fact, I would love to see the comparison of just the three original crew 1701 ships (from the show and two movie incarnations).
  • agniyo
    This seems to further the "Muppet Babies" argument.
  • Meli
    I'm have mediocre feelings about the ship design. It's not horrible, but I'm not a real of the over the sleek look.
  • Bill
    Correction: You posted a picture of NCC-1701-D not NCC-1701-A.
  • DoctorWho
    And by the way :), the NCC-1701A was NOT in Star Trek IV. Only V-VI! I don't even consider myself a Trekkie and I know that!
  • D' Viking
    Sorry DoctorWho, but the NCC-1701A IS in Start Trek IV. If you were a Trekkie of sorts (or even saw the movie), you would know that it ends with the crew arriving at their new starship.
  • CW
    You can't please everyone...I think we all knew the new movie would require a newer version of the ship. Change is hard. Personally from what I have seen thus far the interior is a far greater departure (in the wrong direction) than the ship itself. My favorite was always the Re-fit of 1701 from the movies because it was the first time we ever got to see a starship in all her glory. Bottom line is this new starship will be the vessel that boldly takes us into the future from here…we might as well embrace it or be content to live with re-mastered re-runs. Historical note: The version of 1701-D we see in All Good Things would be a newer class of dreadnaught by virtue of the armament and third nacelle. Peter, GREAT job but if you’re going to include 1701-J, the dreadnaught is a must as well.
  • Nice. Wish all the pictures were larger / higher resolution, but nice.
  • Yorgi Bellows
    Very cool - although, you may want to also include a modified version of the Enterprise-D. The final episode in the STNG TV series (All Good Things...) found Admiral Riker using a modified version of the Enterprise-D sporting a third warp nacelle. (see links below) It's one of the more memorable episodes and certainly ranks as one of my top three favorites from the series.

    http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Image:USS_Enter...

    http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/All_Good_Things...)
  • ultifreak
    SCREW THE ENTERPRISE..... LONG LIVE THE DELTA FLYER
  • Tiger
    My favorite is the Enterprise-E, even though, in comparison to the Enterprise-D, it is longer but a smaller ship with a smaller capacity.

    I love every scene in First Contact, Insurrection, and Nemesis where we get to see that ship.
  • Ian L
    I agree with you CW - the pictures i've seen of the interior are way off what they look like originally and went in the wrong direction. Looks like they are inside a giant shiny mac laptop or something. I think they should have tried sticking a little closer to the original, although i realize they'd have to make it look a little more 'modern'.

    Oh and if we want to be nit-picky - the picture of the original enterprise from the original series - that's not really original since it looks like a picture from when they re-did the effect shots for the original series - I'd call that one NCC-1701.2 :)
  • jamme Woods
    StarTrek totally Rocks. best show of ALL time I think.

    www.web-anonymity.vze.com
  • hank
    What about NCC-1701-D2, the one with three warp nacelles?
  • 790
    Enjoy the bold new taste of doubt...
  • Delta Assault
    That wasn't a D2, it was just the D Refit. And no, there's no reason to include it.
  • Zefram Cochrane
    Allynd Dudnikov Says:

    November 12th, 2008 at 2:05 am

    Pete, I hate to be a nerd here but the NX-01 should be before the NCC-1701 if you’re going in “canon timeline”, even then the NX-01 should go before the NCC-1701-J..

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    "Enterprise" wasn't canon, so the NX-01 is just fine where it is. Nice try though.
  • David John Husar
    @ Zefram Cochrane:

    “Enterprise” wasn’t canon, so the NX-01 is just fine where it is. Nice try though.

    __________________________________________________________________

    Huh? It wasn't? Who says? Paramount sure thought it was when they made the series and aired it on TV. So, if you think that "Enterprise" wasn't canon, then this new "movie" certainly isn't canon either, especially now that they are retconning everything!
  • Allynd Dudnikov
    Wait!? What? It's very canon..

    Oh! Wait! He ment to say "I didn't like it because it wasn't boring like DS9 and VOY."
  • "Live Long And Prosper" !
  • Richard Daystrom
    "Enterprise" was an alternate timeline created by the events of "ST:First Contact" and NOT canon (Klingon first contact in Montana???). They tried to force the show into the established ST timeline by the final season but it was too late.
  • Patrick
    I started out being very apprehensive. I have been a fan for 30 plus years. I think the ship is beautiful and faithful to the original conception. To me the most important issue is the use of Star Trek to explor the human experience as it did in the sixties with social issues. Yes is great to have a wonderfully designed ship. The issue that is most important to me is that this movie brings in new fans and we can begin again the journey that it the human experience told in science fiction format.
  • Ian L
    Patrick, i'd probably be willing to bet money you'll be disappointed if that's what you expect from this movie. My expectations of trek movies pretty much have steadily gone down. I'll be happy if this one is at least a decent movie - if it actually manages to be a real trek movie (besides just using the characters, names etc) that would be a very pleasant bonus for me.
  • Apollo124
    A buddy of mine posted this picture on our group website. What I said there is what I'll say here.

    This thing looks like a shrunk-down Volkswagen bug version of the Enterprise. The saucer section is too far back on the connecting pylon, the engineering section is way too far forward with the same thing, and the engine nacelles look like the alien ship from the "Lost in Space" movie from a couple years back.

    I think it's one of the ugliest spaceships I've ever seen, and I remember Space 1999.
  • Mortar
    I still remember reading a quote from J.J. saying that he didn't make this movie for Trek fans, but for fans of movies. Well, the evidence has certainly proven that statement.

    Awful. Somply awful.
  • Jonnyman
    I agree with the comments on http://screenrant.com/star-trek-how-radical-is-...
    The new Enterprise for JJ Abrams' movie looks too much like the Enterprise refit from The Motion Picture, and not enough like the original TOS Enterprise.

    Here's a thought - why didn't they just use the TOS Enterprise as a base but make a new model of it with greater detail and lighting etc, instead of redesigning the wheel? Also, why does the interior look almost nothing like the TOS bridge? After all, this is supposed to be the same ship, is it not? It doesn't say 'NCC 1700' on the front.

    I agree with one of the comments here - the new Enterprise design does look somewhat like a Ladyshave razor in it's styling!

    Film sounds like it could be a hit though. The franchise definitely needed an injection of new blood and I'm looking forward to it.
  • Ian L
    In the new bond movie they played a trailer for the ST movie i haven't seen before. I think Apollo124 hit it on the mark when he mentioned the lost in space movie from 1998 - the trailer very much had that feel to it. It did not have a trek feel to it at all. The effects shots i saw looked good for a typical sci-fi space battle movie.

    I still want to see the movie - but I have a very bad feeling it's going to be a cross between lost in space and 90210 - basically, 90210 lost in space.
  • i think the new design is much better. honestly they all look the same to me, but i like the new one the best.. im not a trekkie obviously
  • The Middleman
    For the Enterprise NX-01 you displayed the ISS Enterprise from the "In a Mirror Darkly" episode. Wouldn't you have been better off displaying just the NX-01 Enterprise from any of the other episodes of Star Trek: Enterprise?
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