It is unfortunate that because ST has for so many years been the
only game in town, everything gets measured next to it. Part of this
is the fact that there have *been* very few marginally successful SF
shows, unlike mainstream shows, in which there have now been so many cop
series that comparisons to any one show get kinda lost or drowned out.

As for the Gene Roddenberry comparison...I cringed at that as well,
not in any kind of insulting way, but just because I want to do my own
stuff. I'm not the next Roddenberry; I'm the first jms. He did what he
did, and I'm doing what I'm doing. (Another article used the phrased, "is
inheriting the mantle of Gene Roddenberry." When this hit the stands,
Harlan called and asked when the mantle arrived, did it come FedEx or
regular mail, could he come see it, and where did I intend to hang it?)

It is the nature of the journalistic beast....

jms