Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, June 29, 1993 TAG: 9309010277
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: IAN SPELLING
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
``To put it simply,'' he says by phone from his office on the Paramount Pictures lot, ``I think `Deep Space Nine' has taken its place beside `Next Generation' as one of the best dramatic hours on television.
``I think the show's quality, in terms of scripts, production values and performances, has been consistently high. And as we ended the season I could say it's been one of the proudest accomplishments of my career.''
And that career has been quite varied.
Piller, 45, a native New Yorker, graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1970, then worked as a TV journalist in Chicago, New York and North Carolina.
``I was an on-camera reporter in Chicago, then started to produce,'' he says. ``But I got restless. Local news was changing, and I discovered I was more adept at making pictures dance than delivering the news.''
When his station scheduled Kermit the Frog to co-anchor a newscast, Piller decided it was time to move to Los Angeles (where he still lives with his wife and children) to pursue an entertainment career.
Two years as a CBS censor led to the chance to write scripts for ``Cagney & Lacey'' and ``Simon & Simon.'' Piller quickly rose to writer-producer on ``Simon,'' followed by brief stints with ``Miami Vice'' and ``Hard Time on Planet Earth.''
While doing ``Time,'' he talked one day with ``Next Gen'' producer Maurice Hurley and told him how much he enjoyed the series.
```He said, `If you like it that much you should meet Gene Roddenberry and Rick Berman.'''
Piller did - and was promptly given a script assignment (``Evolution'').
``I thought I had blown it,'' he says, laughing, ``but everyone liked the script.''
Berman later asked Piller to join ``Next Gen'' as a co-executive producer supervising the writers.
Last year Piller and Berman teamed to develop ``DS9,'' which debuted in January to mostly rave reviews and stellar ratings. Despite some early kinks, Piller is pleased with the series' progress.
``You begin any new show with a shakedown cruise,'' he says. ``You learn a little more each week about the characters' voices, about performance levels.
``Look back at some of our earlier episodes and the performances were very uneven. Some cast members were underplaying and some were too strong.
``As the season went on each actor found the level that makes for an ensemble effect.''
Piller points to writing, subject matter, special effects and character growth as ``DS9's'' greatest assets, citing ``Progress,'' ``Duet'' and ``Captive Pursuit'' as some of the best episodes.
As for the aspects of the show that need work, he would like to broaden the scope of storytelling, take more risks (such as a three-part second-season opener), upgrade the look of the Promenade and have the crew spend more time away from the space station.
Though some fans see ``DS9'' as too violent, Piller vehemently disagrees.
``You don't want to do a body count because my instincts are you'd find as many people die on `Next Generation,''' he says.
``If you look closely you'll see we're talking about this dark feeling, the conflict people are noticing. It has very little to do with actual violence.''
Piller, who, like the entire cast, will be back next year, is pleased with the prospects for the series' future.
``The scripts and subject matter are provocative, entertaining and full of interesting science fiction,'' he says.
``It's been very, very fun for me, and I'm already hard at work on next season.''
CON CALENDAR JULY 9-11
Shore Leave 15 at the Marriott Hunt Valley Inn in Hunt Valley, Md., featuring Rene Auberjonois and Robin Curtis and others. (410-821-5563).
Creation at the Sheraton Cavalier in Saskatoon, Sask., Canada, featuring Nichelle Nichols. (July 10-11 only; call 818-409-0960)
Creation at the Rapid City Howard Johnson in South Dakota, featuring Grace Lee Whitney. (July 10 only; 818-409-0960).
\ TREK ALERT
If you have Trek news or trivia to share - or if you have questions relating to ``Star Trek'' - write to Ian Spelling, in care of the Features Department, Roanoke Times & World-News, P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke, Va. 24010-2491.
\ Ian Spelling, a syndicated reporter, writes about film, TV, music and all things Trek.
by CNB