I would argue they did stay true.

They just broke the eggs and made a new omelet out of it, but it still has the same ingredients.

Considering they had to reinvent true icons that are known and loved beyond the trekkies and sci-fi community, they had a tough road to go. To stay 'true' to the original, they would have had to cast impersonators and then inject stories into the established timeline. Can you imagine the debates and arguments over 'when this could have happened' and 'Yeoman Brand wasn't in THAT season' etc. They have room for errors, as it were now.

I also find it interesting that we are not going to watch in anticipation as Kirk and Spock bond. There is an added pressure here. They HAVE to bond. They've been told that they are meant to be the best of friends. For me, it will be more interesting watching them try to figure out how that could even be possible considering the differences in personalities.

The back story on the characters was great. Something we never had before. Chekov is the teenage wunderkind. Sulu obviously uptight and on edge yearning for guidance and acceptance. Bones- the whole divorce thing, being older, wiser- you can't help but like the guy. Scottie - not just a genius but you get to see where his arrogance comes from.

My only issues were with Spock, arguably the most recognized icon of all of them and the sci-fi world. No one will ever be able to fill Leonard Nimoy shoes. He defined what it is to be Vulcan. In all the years I have watched Trek, I have not been able to keep from comparing every Vulcan interpretation to his and only two have come close - Suzie Plakson on STNG and, though I hate to admit it, Kirstie Alley in Wrath of Khan. For me, this new guy has got to pull it together. He definitely needs to be more restrained. However, I think they have left him an out by having him witness his mothers demise. And the whole BS storyline with Uhura has got to go away. In her case, I feel like the writers copped out on even trying to give her a back story.

What I will be looking for is deeper exploration into who these characters are, especially the lesser characters. They have the opportunity to do what the series didn't really try to do until the end and then in the movies. What I will really be keeping an eye on is Kirk maturing (as Captain, he can't be hitting on the crew), Spock's struggle with who he is, what he thinks he is, and what he thinks he should become, and the inner relationships of the the rest of the supporting characters and what happens that unites them so strongly. (The crew is 800 to 1000, so what is it that draws this particular group together. It's a 'military' operation, they would be working in rotating shifts 24/7 with different officers, etc. So what binds this group as a whole and to one another?)

George takei was in Star Wars?

Also, among the vampire-killers, he forgot to mention:

These 'good parts' of that execrable film are really at the core of my disgust. The appalling details like a transparent water pipe large enough to easily contain an adult human would be less offensive if they weren't juxtaposed with excellent casting and good character dialog, complete with canon bones thrown to the hardcore horde. It's like serving a very nice soup with a dollop of shit as garnish. 

"These 'good parts' of that execrable film are really at the core of my disgust. The appalling details like a transparent water pipe large enough to easily contain an adult human would be less offensive if they weren't juxtaposed with excellent casting and good character dialog, complete with canon bones thrown to the hardcore horde. It's like serving a very nice soup with a dollop of shit as garnish."--GW Swicord

Man, am I with you. I hated the way they shit on everything Trek was. Yeah, yeah...I get it; it's a whole new timeline, but there were things, details, which the timeline wouldn't have altered. And why the hell would Pike put Kirk--a hot-headed, snot-nosed punk fresh out of the Academy--in charge of the ship?
And I always had the impression Kirk was 5-10 years older than Sulu, Uhura, etc. And Chekov didn't even appear until the second season of TOS; I mean, okay; he may be taken to have been a no-name crew member in the first--otherwise Khan wouldn't have known him--but he was nowhere near the Navigator's station.

Nah...forget it. All I can do is hope they go back at some point and fix things. But I know they won't. Re-boot in the ass.

Trek should have ended with the original series.

Everything after was 'jumping the shark'...

Trek for me began with re-runs of TOS, about the time i saw Khan on the big screen, i guess i was 5 or so. So when TNG came on the scene it was epic for me, so, i for one needed the franchise to go beyond TOS.

Only good thing about Starship Troopers, was Paul Verhoeven. Without him, it would have been even worse....if that is possible.

 Kill Twilight with cool, thats what!

**Picks up mouse....."Hello computer"**

Thou talkest from oust thine arse....

Star Wars was several hours of Lucas product-placement advertising for kids' toys.

Anything else read into it [Star Wars] is the mindless ranting drivel of obsessive pre-pubescent mostly male rug-rats.

Oh....was I a little harsh?

Nah....quite reserved critique of the pinnacle [?] of Hollywood S/F craptology...

It fell off from over-use...

Yes, but WHY? Gots no problem with the idea of very strong transparent materials. Having the guts of the Enterprise contain some mashup of a brewery and a water park, that is just inexcusable.

Now if you flushed some glittery Twilight brats all the way through to whatever dangerous thing needed water cooling, that could be fun. 

Let's sey Mr immortal try and act first. Iv'e seen planks of wood with more emotion. maybe they should have sat Keanu Reeves in that role!!!