Michael Piller dies.

November 2, 2005 2:22 AM

Michael Piller has died. The man who was the father of modern Star Trek and television sci-fi in general.
posted by feelinglistless (44 comments total)

.
posted by Meatbomb at 2:28 AM on November 2, 2005

.
posted by brundlefly at 2:56 AM on November 2, 2005

Agreed on one point so many people argue about:

DS9 was the finest show in the series.




On a less controversial point, if this guy was the one who made TNG stop sucking around the end of season two, thank you, and


.
posted by furiousxgeorge at 3:00 AM on November 2, 2005

I don't usually comment in obit. threads, but Star Trek: TNG nearly defined my childhood. Every night that a new episode came on, mom would make a big bowl of popcorn and the family would curl up on the couch together and watch. My friends and I would try to catch reruns during the afternoon - the summer of the Best of Both Worlds cliffhanger was filled with speculation between us as to what was going to happen. I must've watched the VHS of the first part twenty times.

Years later it's the only television show that has ever really held my interest and I now own the boxed set with all 178 episodes on DVD. The difference starting with season three is striking.

Michael Piller enriched my life immeasurably. He will be missed.
posted by Ryvar at 3:03 AM on November 2, 2005

.
posted by Faint of Butt at 3:17 AM on November 2, 2005

.
posted by neckro23 at 3:20 AM on November 2, 2005

.
posted by Hildegarde at 3:22 AM on November 2, 2005

So it goes.
posted by signal at 4:26 AM on November 2, 2005

.
posted by purephase at 4:26 AM on November 2, 2005

if this guy was the one who made TNG stop sucking around the end of season two

That was him, all right.
posted by mcwetboy at 4:29 AM on November 2, 2005

Obit on startrek.com: cancer, as you might expect in someone who was only 57.
posted by mcwetboy at 4:34 AM on November 2, 2005

.

I always thought I was a Trekkie, but I didn't recognize his name at all. But I see that I owe him thanks for making TNG and DS9 work.
posted by alumshubby at 4:39 AM on November 2, 2005

I agree with alumshubby. Name recognition, zero. Appreciation, infinity.

.
posted by Plutor at 4:44 AM on November 2, 2005

DS9 was the best of the series.
posted by Eideteker at 5:01 AM on November 2, 2005

.
posted by notclosed at 5:06 AM on November 2, 2005

I remember Michael from the tremendously entertaining tell-all Star Trek book he wrote about 7 years back. Unfortuantely, it was supressed by Paramount. It had made ample use of "confidential" comminques and the studio threatened to sue. Too bad.
posted by mrmojoflying at 5:07 AM on November 2, 2005

Thanks, Mr. Piller.
posted by patgas at 5:25 AM on November 2, 2005

I'm with alumshubby, too.
posted by fossil_human at 6:06 AM on November 2, 2005

Star Trek: TNG nearly defined my childhood.

Now I feel old. Oh, and:

.
posted by ToasT at 6:15 AM on November 2, 2005

.
posted by WolfDaddy at 6:32 AM on November 2, 2005

. \/
posted by ParisParamus at 6:33 AM on November 2, 2005

I, for one, welcome our new . overlords.
posted by vagus at 6:48 AM on November 2, 2005

RIP Piller, but I dearly wish Nicholas Meyer had been given control of Star Trek.
posted by johngoren at 7:25 AM on November 2, 2005

Agreed that DS9 was the best series.

But really... um... where is Star Trek now?
posted by benjh at 7:57 AM on November 2, 2005

Rick Berman is probably lacquering up Maxim pinup girls in uniforms as we speak. Sigh.
posted by cavalier at 8:00 AM on November 2, 2005

.
posted by maulik at 8:29 AM on November 2, 2005

Goodbye, Mr. Piller. I enjoyed your work.
posted by bshock at 8:34 AM on November 2, 2005

Wow, I had no idea who this guy was or how much he affected me. My childhood was also greatly influenced by TNG. Now I know who to thank for it.

.
posted by blendor at 8:36 AM on November 2, 2005

.
posted by Ber at 8:50 AM on November 2, 2005

Wow. TNG practically raised me, and influenced me in a huge number of ways.

.
posted by kalimac at 8:50 AM on November 2, 2005

.
posted by S.C. at 8:59 AM on November 2, 2005

What blendor said, except to add that it's sad I had to learn this from his obit.
posted by chrominance at 9:03 AM on November 2, 2005

.
posted by tozturk at 9:23 AM on November 2, 2005

.
posted by mdeatherage at 12:16 PM on November 2, 2005

Agreed that DS9 was the best of Star Trek and arguably one of the better shows that television has ever produced. It's too bad that the show couldn't have lasted another season or two but I think its association with the Trek franchise probably kept a lot of people from giving it a chance. I never new if Piller or Berman was the driving force behind the rebirth of Trek but this obit clearly answers the question.

.
posted by quadog at 1:00 PM on November 2, 2005

Rick Berman is probably lacquering up Maxim pinup girls in uniforms as we speak. Sigh.

with help from Brannon Braga....

RIP Mr. Piller, thank you for DS9
posted by Anders Levant at 2:11 PM on November 2, 2005

.
posted by Smedleyman at 2:17 PM on November 2, 2005

Babylon 5 is better than DS9. That being said, nightly reruns of Star Trek: TNG back in 1991 got my nerd-ass through a tough time when all my friends were off at college and I wasn't. "Best if Both Worlds" is still right up there.

So, you know... "." and all that.
posted by Cyrano at 6:27 PM on November 2, 2005

I too fell ashamed to only learn now of his influence.

TNG season 3 and on is the best ST. I had always assumed that it was due to Ryker's beard.

As I am currently between engagements, I have the chance to watch TNG everday for about 4 hours. I cannot express the joy-pain I feel when I watch "All good things..." I enjoy it but dread the cycling back to the first 2 seasons.

As I watch TNG (=>3) now, I am constantly amazed at how good a show it is.

All hail Mr. Piller!
posted by notcostello at 9:01 PM on November 2, 2005

I loved TNG as a kid, and recently fell in love with The Dead Zone. RIP Michael. You will be missed.
posted by Urgo at 10:33 PM on November 2, 2005

DS9 was the best.

.
posted by Deepspace at 12:02 AM on November 3, 2005

.
posted by mouthnoize at 11:43 AM on November 3, 2005

"Shaka, when the walls fell."
posted by Megafly at 3:13 PM on November 3, 2005 [1 favorite]

TNG was always my favorite Trek. I never really liked DS9, especially not after the first few seasons. (I'm a weirdo who prefers episodic-type series over soap opera-type series.) Spike TV used to have TNG on twice a night five nights a week, and now they only put it on in the middle of the afternoon. I love all of the series, but things really picked up when Michael Piller was around. (And yes, I knew his name beforehand.)

Goodnight, Mr. Piller.
posted by etoile at 9:07 PM on November 3, 2005