SyFriday: If Anyone Can Do It, J.J. Can

Unfortunately though, very few of these re-makes ever encroach the exclusive classic status of their predecessors and for the most part go down as another money-making ploy. Not all remakes are a complete travesty though. In fact, 2009 will see a complete reboot to one of the world's biggest, most lucrative franchises ... and it looks like it might actually work.

The project is of course "Star Trek," helmed by J.J. Abrams.

As a writer, producer, director and all-out entertainment genius, Abrams has shown a genuine knack for developing strong, realistic characters and placing them in settings that they will go beyond the screen and come to life. Take for example "Alias," his five-year spy drama that was launched on the back of "Felicity." Originally envisioned as "what if Felicity joined the CIA," the series drew in some of ABC's highest ratings, particularly the post-super bowl episode "Phase One."

Despite the sharp writing of the show however, "Alias" struggled in his apparent absence during the third season. It was only when Abrams re-tooled the series at the beginning of the fourth year that the series began to recover. He also invigorated the floundering "Lost" pilot script and is in the process of launching his next series, "Fringe."

More recently, "Cloverfield," written by Drew Goddard (who has made quite a name for himself) and produced by Abrams, was roaring success and pulled in a gargantuan $170 million worldwide with only a miniscule $25 million budget. Then there is "Mission Impossible 3," which remains the most compelling of the trilogy. Abrams is certainly the man to go to for re-developing stale ideas.

It has been six years since we had the misfortune of "Nemesis" and three since "Enterprise" came to an end. To say that it was the right time to pull the plug on "Star Trek" would be an understatement because the right time would have been before either project got off the ground on a coin collecting crusade to continue the unique glimpse into the future from one visionary individual.

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