Bryan Fuller Wants To Bring Trek Back To TV September 17, 2008
by Anthony Pascale , Filed under: Sci-Fi, Trek Franchise, VOY , trackback
Another veteran Trek writer/producer out promoting his new show is 2008 Emmy-nominee Bryan Fuller, who is the creator and show-runner for the quirky ABC hit Pushing Daises. In a new interview Fuller assessed the state of the Trek franchise and talked about how he would love to get another go at a Trek TV series..
Fuller on Trek’s past and future [From MTV]
I would love to do another ‘Star Trek’ series. One where you could go back to the spirit and color of the original ‘Star Trek,’ because somehow, it got cold over the years. I love ‘Next Generation,’ but it’s a little cooler and calmer than the ones from the ‘60s, which were so dynamic and passionate. ’Deep Space Nine’ was the best of the modern ones, because it was so emotionally complicated. ‘Enterprise’ was the most sterile of all of them, when it should have been the most fun.
According to the report, Fuller’s Trek would be set in the TOS era, but not with Kirk and Spock on the Enterprise and he would "want to break the mold and have more fun with the series." Fuller is very much in favor of the direction JJ Abrams is taking the franchise so he may want to pick up where JJ and his team leave off. Fuller also noted:
‘Star Trek’ has to recreate itself. Otherwise, all the characters start to feel the same. You always have a captain, a doctor, a security officer, and you have the same arguments based on those perspectives. It starts to feel too familiar. So all those paradigms where it takes place on a starship have to be shaken up.
Fuller Trek?
Bryan Fuller was only with the Trek franchise for a few years, writing a total of 21 episodes (2 DS9 & 19 VOY). His Trek scripts showed his talent for character stories such as the DS9 episode "Darkness and Light" and the Voyager two-parter "Workforce." He is a huge Trek fan and very creative and was probably under-utilized. This is evidenced from his post-Trek career working on Heroes and creating three critically acclaimed shows Wonderfalls, Dead Like Me and Pushing Daisies. His latest show (Pushing Daisies) is up for 12 Emmys for its first season. When CBS inevitably gets around to considering bringing Trek back to the small screen, Fuller should certainly be on the short list.
Bryan Fuller at Sept. 9th TV Guide ABC Fall Preview
Daisies back October 1st
After a long hiatus (due to the SAG strike), Pushing Daisies kicks off its second season in two weeks (Wed. October 1st at 8 PM). If you have not had the chance to catch this quirky modern fairy tale about a pie-maker who can revive people from the dead, you should check it out. Here is a preview of the upcoming season.
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first GREAT
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My ‘Trek tv fantasy has always been the idea of having a 24/7 dedicated cable channel with all programming set in the (various) Federation universe(s), with a lot of original content of all different genres: a nightly ‘news’ report, game shows, sitcoms, ‘reality,’ newsmagazines, etc, even advertising (fictional products, but real companies and their real dollars.) Exisiting ‘Trek content could be presented as ‘a fictional account of the _________ incident,’
The idea would be that someone could put on their tv and pretend they were ‘there’ for however long they wanted to watch.
But, you know, a new show with ‘new sensibilities’ would work for me too. I lived a lot of years where the only Star Trek was (were?) the repeats of TOS. Then it changed and I got kind of spoiled. It’d be nice to be spoiled again.
Hm. On the one hand, hey! First real rumors of televised Trek since that apparently dead animated project. Hooray for that! On the second hand, Bryan Fuller’s a Trekkie, and that’s a big qualification for me.
But on the third hand, looking over his episode list on Memory Alpha, I realize that I don’t actually like any of the episodes he’s written. In fact, I think they are, to borrow his word, entirely sterile. No offense to Mr. Fuller, I hope, as I know “Relativity” is very popular with a lot of the people I hang out with, and, obviously, “Barge of the Dead” is one of the most popular Voyager episodes, period. Just not my cup of tea.
So two cheers for this. Hopefully it will get some inertia going towards getting Trek back on the small screen, where it’s always been at its best.
He worked on ‘Dead Like Me’?! Man, that show was brilliant – Abso-fracking-lutely BRILLIANT.
I would to se him do a Trek show.
I like ‘Daisies’.
I hope this could happen one day.
The colors…
Oh, and vote Manny Coto in the poll at left, gentlemen.
In fact, vote for Manny Coto in November, too. Manny/Spock ‘08. I grok Manny. That sort of thing. He gave us “Similitude,” which I hope is sufficient argument all on its own.
Love to see him do a Trek shw.
I can’t even spell anymore. :)
RDM would be a better choice for a new Trek show,
the prospect of more tv trek is, as always, tantalising…
it would make sense to use a new set of characters in jj’s trekverse as
1. the general populace will hopefully be familiar with it after the success of the forthcoming movie
2. they will avoid the inevitable “spock/kirk/mccoy etc wouldn’t have been there / done that” canon drivel
he would also seem to infer that it wouldn’t necessarily be primarily ship-based. starfleet academy perhaps? every so often they dredge up that idea
Hack.
“Dead Like Me” was an incredible show. I’m surprised that it died off so quickly. Can’t wait for the DVD movie in 09. “Pushing Daisies” is also a good show that I’m glad is coming back.
Now all we have to do is bring back “Futurama” and we’re in business. And I mean onto TV, not just the movies.
I would love to see another Trek. One that’s set in the TOS era, but not the Enterprise crew. Maybe they could do a “Corps of Engineers” series set after Nemesis.
As long as there’s something else in the future.
How about some Trek miniseries?
“I would love to do another ‘Star Trek’ series. One where you could go back to the spirit and color of the original ‘Star Trek,’ because somehow, it got cold over the years. I love ‘Next Generation,’ but it’s a little cooler and calmer than the ones from the ‘60s, which were so dynamic and passionate. ’Deep Space Nine’ was the best of the modern ones, because it was so emotionally complicated. ‘Enterprise’ was the most sterile of all of them, when it should have been the most fun.”
Now I like what I hear here. Those are super suggestions. That’s what’s needed to happen for some time. And I agree with most of what he says.
Let’s have a show about Bob Wesley and his crew….or Ron Tracy and his crew.
. . . . Hmmm. . . Should I hold my breath. . . this time? We waited for what seemed like forever for TOS to come back and we got TAS. Oh boy. Then we waited again for what seemed like another eternity and got the movies (TMP was great because at the time you got to see everyone together again!) and it was up and down for about 15 years. Then about 7 years after TMP we got TNG, 5 years later we got DS9, and 4 or 5 years after that we got VOY (oh boy). About the time VOY ended we got ENT which isn’t REALLY as bad as many make it, but it could have been better honed to say the least.
3 years after the last series bid farewell and 6 years after the last movie and lets not forget 8 months before the new movie we are sent the salivating news that a new series MIGHT be on the way. . . .
All I can say is. . . . PLEASE make it so!
Ok. Just keep Berman away! from the series. But get Manny Cotto in there as he is a great writer. He proved it with the 4th season of Enterprise. Maybe he could do some more eps of the Alternate realaty as well. Those are some of the best Episodes. So with Manny and maybe Ron Moore and Bryan Fuller that would be a great team. Lets hope People.
A TOS-era series I could get behind. A TNG-era show…not so much.
I don’t care if they call it “Pushing Trek” or “Star Daisies”–if Bryan Fuller is producing it, I’ll watch it. (Can’t wait for “Pushing Daisies” to return on October 1st!)
A Kirk era show to promote the movie would be awesome. Especially with today’s CG tech. A Lucas produced Trek show would be interesting.
3 words.
Joe.
Michael.
Straczynski.
They should probably get three films with the new team done before considering a movie back to TV. That way, we’d be looking at something like 2016 for the new show. By then, the 1987-2005 shows will have faded somewhat from people’s memories and the focus will be securely on 23rd Century Trek. Also, technology in TV is likely to be amazing by then, making all the episodes effectively mini-movies!
But I’d like a TV show to fit securely with the revamped movie universe, so I’d want the Star Trek series to be overseen by Abrams and his team, assuming they’re still overseeing the films at that stage.
I still, for the life of me, can’t understand why they didn’t go to Harve Bennett, Nicholas Meyer and Leonard Nimoy to set up a Star Trek TV show in the late 80s, rather than Gene Roddenberry. Those guys would have come up with something outstanding that I doubt would have dated as badly as the 80s TNG fascist utopia!
I mean, these guys had made three successful films in a row, with STIV getting major crossover into the mainstream, yet they go to the man behind The Slow Motion Picture to create a new commercial TV show! Weird!
13:
Yeah, like Star Trek: Romulan Wars or something similar?
A founding of Starfleet/Federation series would be awesome.
As I have said many times here (and elsewhere) I believe an ANTHOLOGY show would be the way to go.
You could bring back popular characters from the past (like Captain Sulu, Worf, or even Pike), fill in the back stories of lesser known characters (such as Commodore Mendez or Number One) and create many new ones.
We could see the Romulan War, attend the Academy, or explore in the early days of space colonization.
We could visit any era in the Trek Universe and boldly go where no show has gone before…
“So all those paradigms where it takes place on a starship have to be shaken up.”
DS9 writers always say this, but that dog don’t hunt – hence everyone since DS9, including and especially Abrams, choosing to set their stories aboard starships.
How about a weekly series about the antics of Kirk, Spock, McCoy et al at Star Fleet Academy? Could be fun.
Another Trek series? Too soon to even contemplate, I think. We’re still in the beginning of the Abrams/Orci/Kurtzman reboot and haven’t even hit the metaphorical load screen yet (the trailer).
Having said that, _if_ there is ever another Trek series, I would greatly prefer that it embrace the “less-is-more” philosophy that the BBC uses for its series. Make seasons shorter (perhaps 12 episodes instead of 24). The problem with Trek in the past is that the writers start to run out of gas half way thru. We start to get filler episodes that almost seem that they were written just to fill the quota (and the season).
Periodic miniseries might be a way to do this. Let’s make Trek on TV something special — an event.
Where would it air? Sci fi? They need some new programs. Can’t ride that Dr. Who coattail forever.
“I would love to do another ‘Star Trek’ series. One where you could go back to the spirit and color of the original ‘Star Trek,’ because somehow, it got cold over the years. ”
been there, done that, it was called ‘enterprise’. the younger trek fans couldnt bear it, because it was nothing like deep snore nine, which they mistakenly thought was genuine star trek…
maybe he means campier, complete with spaceship models on strings and cardboard sets?
of course, if the movie is a moderate hit, perhaps it could kick off a new series?
the episodes could mesh nicely with the original series storylines…
and expand the old ones… or even completely re-tell a few of them?
ah well, at least i have tos, tng and ent on dvd… thats more than enough to hold me over until they figure something out…
I would have either James Cawley or Majel Barrett-Roddenbery take the helm at a new Star Trek tv series. I think someone with passion for the show should create a new series.
PS: DS9 was a terrible series, worse than Enterprise.
so this guy works on the two TREK shows that sterilized the franchise, two shows that were promptly cancelled, and a current show that’s winning awards, but has had no cultural impact.
…and now we’d trust him with a new show?
Sorry, Fuller. I’m sure you’re a mensch and a True Believer, but anyone who worked on those shows has the pox on them. Say what you want about BATTLESTAR GALACTICA and how the creator came from TREK, its success has nothing to do with what made TREK successful in the 60s, sustained it through the 70s and restored it in the 80s. Not a fracking thing.
Voyager was the worst show of all the TV series- why should this guy get another shot at iffy trek?
FINALLY
First with JJ Abrams and now with Bryan Fuller, the best and brightest in Hollywood recognize the greatness of the original series and want to bring it back!
I think it’s GREAT
Why not do a 3d animated series in which different series can be revisited with realistic graphics, so one week you can have a TOS episode the next week a Voyager episode. Imagine all the different combinations using state of the art 3d animation. William Shatner can portray a younger Kirk without physically appearing on camera! Now that would be great 3d science fiction.
Rand’s Basket Hair : Academy series? Not only no but hell no.
Commodore Redshirt has the right idea. A Trek anthology series would be exactly what the franchise needs. Maybe they could get the authors of the Trek books to contribute some ideas and canonize some of the cool stuff they’ve been doing, particularly of late.
What about little midget versions of Kirk, Spock and McCoy with really big heads battling bullies with goatees and chain mail…. STAR TREK BABIES!
You know, for the kids!
That show’s trippy!
CBS should at least be in talks for a new show, if they’re not…well they’re idiots. A new show would be difficult, everything has pretty much been done. Maybe a new show could focus on the temporal agents on a ship traveling to different points of the star trek universe???? Or maybe Star Trek from a perspective of a different race???
I think there are many talented people who could run a series, most notably Many Coto, Ron Moore, and J.J. and crew.
Why is it always here lately “Go back, go back, go back!?” That’s not the trek I know. My trek was all about going forward. Set a new series a couple hundred years after DS9, voyager and nemesis and lets see how the Fed boy’s are doing. TNG era is a little stale and i really don’t think we need to redo Kirk. If you want to give us something new then give us something new. Not “Oh, this is how it was and now this is how we could have done it better.” BS. I’d like to see a borg vs. dominion movie more than the rehash of Kirk and Spock!
i always thought they should do a 1 hour per day soap opera type show where we get the perspective from the lower decks!!
I think a new Trek series should have the bridge crew in a band when they’re off-duty, and go around solving mysteries.
I love to hear talk about really doing another Trek series on TV! The movie is super super exciting, but a TV show is hours and hours of Trek!
Full-er steam ahead with a series set in the TOS era. Starship Exeter, perhaps??
The quote “Star Trek is about going forward!”, especially when it’s used to justify not returning to TOS, is just a fluffy piece of Hollywood jargon. Star Trek was at its best when it showed us a future that we could believe in, you could watch it and say “This is where we’re actually headed.”
That simply isn’t possible when you’re trying to show us a world 500+ years from now. It’s too far, it no longer has a connect to our own world.
I realize there’s a group of ST fans who really get caught up in the fantasy that’s been written over the years, but I and many others really don’t give a shit about what the state of the alpha quadrant will be 100 years after TNG.
Are we allies with the Dominion now? Has the Klingon empire overthrown the Romulan Empire? …That’s exactly NOT what Star Trek is about. At least it didn’t used to be.
Mbenga, M.D.
“STAR TREK” NEEDS TO GO BACKWARDS…
…meaning: Release STAR TREK’s XI, XII and XIII, then release a new animated series either for Saturday mornings or for the Cartoon Network, and THEN… MAYBE… take a wack at another full-blown TV series. (As opposed to the TOS, TAS, TMP route from 1969-79.)
I’m much more excited about new TREK films. The thought of yet another TV series fills me with dreadful images of “transporter accident” and “Holodeck” episodes. Don’t need more of THOSE anytime soon…
#25
i hear ya dennis, and as usual it’s an excellent point. but at it’s conception, it made a lot of sense to go from “wagon train to the stars” to “old fort near the wormhole” because that western model is a very good one for drama in scifi.
imagine if DS9 had in fact been produced in the 60’s, where harry mudd would have been running quark’s bar (”harry’s saloon”) and the production design would have looked like a scifi sergio leone film. it would’ve been brilliant.
but i always kind of despised the production of DS9. the writing was condescending.
Hes spot on about DS9. I await the return of THE SISKO!!!
I still think CBS missed an enormous opportunity to celebrate the 40th and showcase the remastered episodes by airing them in prime time, I thought the timing was perfect with the writers strike and all. I bet if it wasnt for reality tv it might have happened. Anyone remember the big writers strike of the late 80’s when the dug out the old mission impossible scripts and remade them. See odder things have happened.
AND ANOTHER HELPFUL HINT…
…if another TREK series WERE to hit the air, then for the love of God, please hire ESTABLISHED science-fiction writers, and/or proven writers of past TREK novels and comic books. Hollywood-bred writers have been stinking-up TREK for far too long.
#31- may the profits forgive you, my child!
Prologic – agree completely. They need to tell gripping drama/human interest stories – think “Bonanza”, with a familiar framework and relateable environment. No one cares about multi-episode interstellar political intrigue except the jaded fans who have seen all the episodes and know all the backstories and bought into all the canon trivia – exactly who should NOT be the audience for any new series.
Redshirt and I have BOTH been saying the same thing all over the place – I call mine “Tales of Starfleet”, but the anthology route is the way to go. There are as many stories there as there would be Navy stories. Think of the guest stars they could get as Captain for an episode! And the inherent uncertainty of who lives and dies would be great drama.
i think star trek would be done well if it were an anthology series, or possibly a series made for tv movies based on certain moments within the star trek canon.
Also – no Straczynski, no Okudas, no Peter David’s, no Coto, no Moore – NONE of the people who are SO sure they know Trek inside out. Hire fresh eyes untainted by anything that came after TOS.
I’d actually like to see a few miniseries that focus on small facets of the Trek universe. What’s it like at the academy? What’s it like on a ship mostly/entirely crewed by [insert your favorite race here]? What actually happened in [insert vaguely described incident here]?
#46
“Are we allies with the Dominion now? Has the Klingon empire overthrown the Romulan Empire? …That’s exactly NOT what Star Trek is about. At least it didn’t used to be.”
damn right. well said. trekmodern has become so pedantic that it imagines itself interesting. continuity became cancerous, and ate up the healthy parts.
canon sucks, too.
Anthology shows are always expensive, in the case of Trek it would be pretty much impossible right now. You’d need 10X the number of sets and each would get 1/10th as much use.
Although Bryan Fuller does inspire confidence (Manny Coto too!), it still might be too soon for another trek series.
Myself, I was hoping that something was going to pan out with that new animated Trek idea that was going to be set in a post-apocaplytic 26th century. Any news on that, Anthony?
Even if the new movie wildly re-invigorates the franchise, and Star Trek is suddenly cool again, it still may be too soon for another series. I just don’t know how anyone, even Fuller, could break the creative mold on a new series and get past that “familiarity” that Fuller mentioned. Having said that, I think the idea for an animated series would give provide a new measure of flexibility while allowing the show to “get back to its roots,” if you will.
A few years ago I had the opportunity to read a treatment for a new Trek series by J. Michael Straczynski that was brilliant in terms of tying everything together and fixing all the continuity errors. If anyone was going to helm a new Trek series… Straczynski would get my vote.
Prologic – Trek is a show where an anthology wouldn’t cost any more than a regular series. A few different standing set bridges to represent multiple eras, and they could be used indefinitely with minor redressing from ship to ship. Even the uniforms could get recycled over and over. It’s not like every story would be in a completely different setting. You’d need a TOS bridge, a movie era bridge, and a TNGish bridge. Beyond that the general public won’t care. And crew quarters, mess halls, etc could be shared by all ships.
Nothing would kill Trek faster than than a dark ugly “a post apocalyptic 26th century”. The general public is just fleetingly familiar with the trappings of Trek. Why throw out the things that ARE Trek in most people’s minds?
If they are going to put time and effort into animation, here’s an idea- “Star Trek REANIMATED”. Take the crappy Filmation shows and CGI-em into something worth watching. And put Koenig in there while they’re at it! I’m sure he’d do some new lines of voiceover work. All the other acting is already recorded.
I for one don’t care to see Ron Moore ever associated with Star Trek again. He and Rick Berman helped destroy the essence of what made Star Trek great, which led Paramount feeling the need to “re-introduce” the series. Gene Roddenberry had a vision of a hopeful, positive future that was fun. Ron Moore can take his darkness and (here’s the most overused adjective used today) his edginess and his pessimism and take it to Battlestar Galactica, there’s no room for it in Trek.
The franchise needs to move forward post-Voyager/Nemesis. It’s about the future. A new show should not take place in the history of the past of the future. Enterprise…
16. Capt Mike From the Terran Empire –
“Ok. Just keep Berman away! from the series. But get Manny Cotto in there as he is a great writer. He proved it with the 4th season of Enterprise. Maybe he could do some more eps of the Alternate realaty as well. Those are some of the best Episodes. So with Manny and maybe Ron Moore and Bryan Fuller that would be a great team. Lets hope People.”
Ron Moore’s got his own thing goin’ these days so that’s unlikely. Don’t know what Manny Coto’s doing but I agree, he’d be on my list of recruits. Maybe Fuller too. Lets not forget Gar and Judy Reeves-Stevens! Awesome writers. Don’t think I’d want any more Trek alumni associated with a new show. No one else, though. Not even Ira Behr (I think he said everything he wanted in the Trek universe on DS9) whose work I admire. Certainly not the Westmores or Okudas or Herman Zimmerman or anyone who ever composed a Trek episode score from TNG-onward. We need not mention Berman & Braga. And don’t invite back those casting director’s! There was no reason in the world so many guest actors got invited back to play different roles so many times over. Hated that. JJ and company in some sort of supervisory capacity if possible — they too have pretty full plates.
31. TL –
“I would have either James Cawley or Majel Barrett-Roddenbery take the helm at a new Star Trek tv series. I think someone with passion for the show should create a new series.
PS: DS9 was a terrible series, worse than Enterprise.”
1.) James Cawley or Majel? Get real.
2.) DS9 and Enterprise both were good shows. Cawley’s fanwank and Majel’s Andromeda – now those are terrible shows.
Now get off my bridge.
35. TL –
“Why not do a 3d animated series in which different series can be revisited with realistic graphics, so one week you can have a TOS episode the next week a Voyager episode. Imagine all the different combinations using state of the art 3d animation. William Shatner can portray a younger Kirk without physically appearing on camera! Now that would be great 3d science fiction.”
Like that ‘Clone Wars’ garbage?! Like that excreble Beowulf? Dear god no. Shatner portraying himself at a younger age? Have you heard Shatner recently? He sounds old and overweight. Didn’t I already tell you to get off my bridge?
43. Jeff –
“I think a new Trek series should have the bridge crew in a band when they’re off-duty, and go around solving mysteries.”
Now this at least is a good idea. The pilot could be called “The Mugato of Boggy Creek Mystery”. Excellent work, m’boy. You have a big future in television.
56. Odkin – September 17, 2008
” Hire fresh eyes untainted by anything that came after TOS.”
Post TOS had many good stories. TNG, DS9, ENT… even VOY contributed to this universe in a good way.
I’d love to see another series set in the TOS-era, but I’m not so sure I’d steer away from Kirk/Spock/McCoy…There is plenty of story-worthy time in the lost years.
For example, after the V’Ger incident and prior to the Enterprise’s assignment to training duty, there is at least time for another 5 year mission (TMP-TWOK =7.5 years). Otherwise, why spend 18 mos.
refitting the ship?
It’s also a good way to introduce some new characters–like a replacement for Chekov, who is promoted and assigned to Reliant, and the ‘missing’ navigator Lt. Ilia. This way, you get some young faces on the bridge without surrendering the unequaled character dynamics of the “Big Three”.
I’d love to see Bad Robot produce the show, but involve writers like Manny Coto, Dorothy Fontana, Ronald Moore (with no handcuffs), and Bryan Fuller, as well as Bob Orci and Alex Kurtzman.
Just a TOS fanboy wish…
MAn All you guys sure have differing ideas of what a good trek series would be….If I had a nickel for everytime I hear how horrible Voyager was…I liked Voyager…I thought the close family of characters and their interactions was some of the best since tos. And a lot of you seem to HATE the real regular star trek and wanna turn it into a dark BSG or some such thing….Sterile = sanitized? Positive and hopeful for the future?? You guys say sterile shows like voyager and ds9 were quicklly cancelled? Excuse me! They both lasted the maximum seven years….and both, and enterprise too all had stories and episodes as good as tos. Compared to today, any future would be more STERILE!!! If you want less STERILE go to the old WEST….haha…
ANyway, MY OPINION, is that I would like bryan fuller involved with any new trek series because he is very original imagintive..Dead Like Me was brilliant….with wonderful original casting too. I would think maybe a MINI SERIES first, to see or test the waters maybe on SCIFI CHANNEL….
I did like the idea of a 24 hour trek channel full of fake ads like EUREKA or STARSHIP TROOPERS. You would need a lotta humor and originality for that to work haha….
I may not agree with Fullers STERILE comment but I wouldnt mind going for a more action and humor filled little bit less stuffy stories centered around tos times maybe a little before or a little after Kirk and Co….That could be interesting….I also liked the idea of Majet Barretts invovlement..SHe did great with EARTH FINAL CONFLICT and ANDROMEDA…..at least til the last season or two on that one….at the very least she could be teh computer voice again! YAY!
I would also LOVE To see new stories by trek veterans like dc fontana and david gerrold et al….as well as manny coto and the best of the newer bunch too like ron moore et al…..
Interesting ideas here everybody
#46
Good post. You have helped me define what I felt is wrong with Trek . Too much fantasy — Lord of the Rings in Outer Space instead of a good, dramatic, science fiction adventure which explores the universe and mankind.
Quote: “You always have a captain, a doctor, a security officer, and you have the same arguments based on those perspectives. It starts to feel too familiar.”
Fuller is not looking beyond his own nose. Star Trek is more than spaceships and space stations. It’s a whole universe. We’ve seen many planets with many cultures, which would be great settings for unusual stories, we’ve seen resistance fighters, alien conflicts, the super secret Section31, which would make for a great modern and gritty ScienceFiction series in the Trek universe, but we’ve also seen futuristic Earth, and really futuristic settings and ships/possibilities like 1701-J etc.
There’s so much stuff in this universe to build upon… why always go for the usual spaceships and stations? And this is also a question for Abrams, Orci & Co, not only Fuller: Why go back to a place we’ve already been? Sure, nobody’s done “TOS Young Guns” before. Sure it will introduce lots of viewers to Star Trek. But after that we’re back in “colorful” bubblegum TOS land… modernized TOS-Rehash/Reboot/Re-Whatever-land.
What’s the use? Why not go someplace where we have NEVER been before? Wasn’t that the original motto of the series? Boldy go etc.? Everyone seems to be playing safe nowadays. I can understand this in the context of cinema. Huge budgets on the line. But in TV? If StarTrek goes back to TV, I want to see new stuff, not the same old same old.
I think Many Coto should have a chance to do a trek TV show. I Love to see trek on the small screen and I think it should be along the lines of a mix of TOS and DS9.
I think Many Coto should have a chance at trek, his time on Enterprise was interesting…he made some good eposodes before ‘Where no man has gone before’ I also think the new trek should be a mix of what they had in TOS and DS9.
sorry Anthony,.for the dual lines that are the same….
72. Schultz.
I tend to agree. In my opinion, Star Trek as a concept worked best when you had characters you came to care about (even if the writers were constantly killing them off only to bring ‘em back right before the credits!) and had them braving the frontiers of space in search of new worlds, new…I figure you know the rest. After all, The Great Bird pitched it as a “Wagon Train to the stars” and developed a fine team of writers and production specialists to build a universe that actually functioned.
Over the years, though, the cellulite of canon lodged itself in almost every nook and cranny of the franchise. As much as I have affection for all the various incarnations, it’s high time for a canon enema to wash away all the lazy story-telling debris that holds Star Trek back from reaching the next level. Pretty picture, eh?
I could care less what century they put the hoped-for next series in, but if the next producers aren’t able to make the audience connect with the characters, plus put back some of the fun into the show, as well as get it shown on a network that actually has viewers and markets throughout the country (anybody remember UPN?) then what’s the use of even doing it?
Excuse the run-on sentences back there…I just got wound up.
I agree with #73
A new Trek series also most definately will need to some awesome realism like we should be seing in Trek 11 but with much of that optimism and ultimate goodwill from TOS/TNG that we should also be seeing in Trek 11…
In the end, the new show should probably be done by JJ too! :P
Anyway, with all these dark shows like BSG (which I also love), I’m quite ready to see the bright/sunny side of the future again to remind myself what got me to believe in the future in the 1st place!
how about the mirror universe? Maybe a few years after DS9, when humans and Vulcans must fight for a better galaxy to live in. It would be interesting to see humans who were humbled by the fall of the empire and subsequently used as slaves try to rebuild. There would be interesting stories to tell as well as potential for stories chronicling the events leading up to the downfall of the empire as well as humanity’s struggle to rise from the ashes. The show would offer some fresh ideas while staying true to what Star Trek is about. Obviously, the show would have a darker tone than even DS9, but there could still be room for discovery and humour. A new production team would be required, maybe J.J Abrams, or someone else who hasn,t been with the franchise, but is a fan.
Fuller’s episodes of Star Trek were GREAT. I would love to see him get a chance to bring Trek back to TV. Make it so, Paramount!
CAPTAIN RIKER!
Seriously, Captain Riker.
Captain Riker and Byran Fuller at Tanagra when the walls fell, his arms wide open.
I need some sleep.
Star Trek: Academy
You know you want it.
P.S. What is wrong with saying “First,” I mean, really, if it makes people rush to post, isn’t this a fair draw?
#19—-”A Lucas produced Trek show would be interesting.”
Not to me. Lucas has no respect for Star Trek, and I wouldn’t want to see him anywhere near it (beyond his special effects company’s participation).
#24—”As I have said many times here (and elsewhere) I believe an ANTHOLOGY show would be the way to go.:
I hear what you’re saying, and if Trek fans were given their own network, that might be great. The problem is, Paramount is attempting to rouse new interest in the franchise. An anthology series like the one you described would, IMO, only appeal to those of us who are established fans. I think the desired effect of such a show would be lost on a potential “new” audience of younger fans enticed by Bad Robot’s interpretation of the TOS-era characters and their adventures.
#27—”Another Trek series? Too soon to even contemplate…”
Why? What else should we do until May? Rehash the Shat debate for the umpeenth thousandth time? I’d rather speculate on a Trek series in the future right now…
#34—”FINALLY
First with JJ Abrams and now with Bryan Fuller, the best and brightest in Hollywood recognize the greatness of the original series and want to bring it back!
I think it’s GREAT”
There you go, John. I agree completely. Imagine what Hollywood might feel like if Bad Robot scores big with STXI…I’m not sure if Fuller is the best choice for one of the heavily featured writers of a new potential series (I’d rather see Orci, Kurtzman, Abrams, Coto, and occasionally– Fontana, carry the load), nor do I think it should stray too far away from Star Trek’s “A-team” (Kirk/Spock/McCoy), but I like his apparent enthusiasm.
Id love to see another trek series on TV, its where it belongs honestly. But for the love of god move beyond the 23rd century. I dont see how people can say that TNG was “cold”. I think its good for Trek to stir it up a bit like some of what happened with DS9, and yes, Enterprise should have been the fun star trek, and could have been right up there with TNG in quality but sadly they couldn’t get it to that point of being fun until the last season. If JJ insists on using the original crew to shock new life into the series, fine, but after he does this movie with them I do think its time to move on, maybe he should use his talents to make a new crew, take us forward in the ongoing story that is Star Trek instead of just stagnating in one small part of it.
Does anyone think that if Star Trek is to return to television, the producers might want to return to the source: Gene Roddenberry’s original “bible” for the show? Or just find a copy of “The Making of Star Trek” on eBay… After all, everything about the concept (initially) came from Roddenberry, and so wouldn’t his Guide be the right place to begin, in order to return to what Star Trek is really about? It seems to me that if one is going to make a new Star Trek tv series, and it turns out more like DS9, then what is the real purpose of putting the Star Trek name on it – other than to attract an audience? I am one of those who really liked DS9, but still have no idea why it had to be associated with Star Trek (if you can’t call a weapon anything but a phaser, does that mean you’re automatically making Star Trek?).
The original premise of Star Trek was (in Roddenberry’s words) “Wagon Train to the Stars.” The opening narrative “To boldly go…” really sums up the concept nicely. I always felt the biggest problem with Star Trek was that, over time, it deviated from its original premise, because, apparently, people were running out of ideas about space exploration, new life, new civilizations, and the stories that would come from such ideas. Instead, Star Trek turned into a kind of “day in the life of…” series. For me, an episode like TNG having Data explore his lack of humanity is not really Star Trek, much as I like Data. An episode like VOY having Neelix telling children ghost stories is not really Star Trek. And so forth. Now, I don’t mean to say that there was nothing good about post-TOS Star Trek, and there were some really great episodes. But I think anyone who is going to make more Star Trek should really consider the hard question “What IS Star Trek?” Yeh, if you ask 100 people you might get 100 answers, but I’m not certain of that. I think hard-core Trekkies (like myself) believe that Star Trek is about “going where no one has gone before,” and, thus, it’s about exploration and the adventure that ensues on the basis of that exploration. Perhaps the problem now is with humanity, itself. At this stage in history, there seems little exploration into the unknown going on (except, perhaps, in the world of quantum physics). When TOS was new, we were poised to reach the moon. All we’ve got to reach for now is pie in the sky, and empty pockets. You can’t make much of a tv series about that, eh?
I’d be thrilled to see Bryan Fuller bring Trek back to TV. He was badly treated on his first go-round-somebody inventive enough to write a good Neelix episode (”Mortal Coil”) is somebody Berman should have kept on board-and whether DEAD LIKE ME and PUSHING DAISIES are to your taste (and they are not to mine), they mark him as a distinctive talent, and that’s what Trek needs.
We have seen stories for years based on Starfleet Vessels with a majorly human crew , which is fine …for awhile . But I think we should see a show from another perspective .
Star Trek : Klingon
The bravest and most fierce warriors aboard the k’Roth ch’Kor (trident -think 3 headed suped up Vor Cha in dark green with red and copper accents) And we tune in weekly to see how they deal with things within the Empire . Battling houses , Romulan interlopers , spies for the enemy , Honor , Glory , spilling blood for the Empire! Yes Kahless would smile down upon this series , one that dies Honorably after 7 full seasons , not going out with poor ratings after only 4 seasons like the last show did.
Star Trek : Klingon
Qa’Pla!
My thoughts about another potential Trek TV series:
1. A new Trek series may likely be weighed against the success of the movie. If the movie is successful, CBS will no doubt consider bringing Trek back to TV.
2. They may want to keep JJ and co. attached to the TV project. Whether or not they get involved is their business, and it could always go to someone else.
Like i a few people have already said i think Anthology show could be just what star trek needs , you can have long story arc , that keep it together, and have esp about klingons and romulans and if there popular you could then make a spin off shows about say klingons , plus you could travel thought time in the star trek universe, 1 esp diplomats at the birth of the federation , next the earth romulan war, have a tos esp on the Republic with a chris pine (kirk) cameo , the dominan war from the breen side , stuff like that , lets face it the depth in the Star trek universe is more then really 100s of other show put together.
EIGHTY EIGHTH!!!
sounds just as ridiculous as first…
And while I’m here, a Star Trek year one series would do well
#68 – What a great idea, get to see the constitution class refit Enterprise once again on screen… The most elegant of all the ladies to travel amongst the stars, in my opinion…..
Temporal War. 29th century, Time Ships that explore the Entire Star Trek history.
But to really shake things up, How about a show that Revolves around a group that Considers the Federation as the Villains…..Just sayin’
A new, revived and revitalized run of the TOS crew based on Abrams’ movie. That would be really great.
#64 “Ron Moore can take his darkness and (here’s the most overused adjective used today) his edginess and his pessimism and take it to Battlestar Galactica, there’s no room for it in Trek.”
Hard words, but I have to agree. BSG is awesome and Moore is awesome, but this does not mean that the same formula would (or should) work with Trek.
A new Star Trek TV series would be great. But, do you want it in the hands of a guy who thinks DS9 was the best of the new series. Think about it.
Yeah, I would, but only if He also Thinks That Voyager was The Worst of the New Series.
It would be great to have a TV series with a new ship set in the same time as the new movie. You don’t need the actors of the movie in each episode, but you can have them in an episode or two in the season, and you can still have a lot of fun having Trek adventures in the TOS era in a ship that new audiences can relate to the one in the movie.
Also, you can use the ship of the series or not in following movies of the Enterprise.
I think it would be a very interesting move.
Re: 54. Odkin -
…. Redshirt and I have BOTH been saying the same thing all over the place – I call mine “Tales of Starfleet”, but the anthology route is the way to go.
Thanks Odkin. I’ve called mine “Tales From The Federation” , so we are on the same page!
Re: 59. Prologic9
” Anthology shows are always expensive, in the case of Trek it would be pretty much impossible right now. You’d need 10X the number of sets and each would get 1/10th as much use.”
err…it’s called “set re-dress”
Number 83 wrote…
“Instead, Star Trek turned into a kind of “day in the life of…” series. For me, an episode like TNG having Data explore his lack of humanity is not really Star Trek, much as I like Data.”
Wasn’t it Gene Roddenberry himself who said one of his goals in Star Trek was to not only explore the galaxy, but also the human condition?
And as for some of the other posts… Why all this hate for DS9? If there is a new series, I’d like to see it pick up where DS9 left off, but with the new movie set in the TOS era, a new series might end up around where the ST IX leaves off.
Am I the only one here stuck in my ways and wanting a series in the 24th/25th century? :-S
I guess it’s wishful thinking now..those days will now live on in the books. Booo. :(
98-th ! ;)
IMHO the most important question is not wether it should take place in 23rd or 25th century, but who writes the episodes. TOS consisted of stories that were just sci-fi tales, not star trek tales. The texts were rewritten to make sense within trek universe, but that’s all. They were not star trek scripts from the beginning. When you’re a scrpit writer for a tv series you can’t escape story arcs, character developement episodes, etc. Don’t get me wrong – character developement is great, but that’s not what’s important in a SF show. The SF is important. And if you want to be creative about it, dont want to begin just shuffling ideas, but construct a solid SF story – bring real SF writers on board.
@98 – No, you are not alone! I would rather have a TNG, DS9 or VOY TV movie over another prequel/TOS era series anyday!
Let’s face it, the 90’s was the golden era of Star Trek and TNG and DS9 was two series that were both better acted and better directed than TOS ever was. Many times better written as well.
Don’t get me wrong, I like TOS too, but it lacks the chemistry between the characters in the same way that latter series have. And it’s sometimes too goofy and silly for me. There are more real emotions in subsequent series. It’s hard to get moved by TOS.
But nostalgia is a strong poison for some.
I find it curious that the same people who give out about breaches of canon are so keen to re-visit that which has already been established. Move forward. New adversaries. New problems. Star Trek always reflected what was going on in present-day circumstances. So move on to pastures new. Political intrigue is part of today’s world, so it should probably be part of a Star Trek show. Epidemic and natural disasters and the humanitarian efforts needed to put things right. Piracy. It all sounds like a move back to TNG sensibilities to me, which is probably because today’s world climate closely resembles that of 1986/87 when TNG was in it’s embryonic stage. And TNG was lapped up.
In terms of moving forward, then do as TNG did, and set it 80-100 years after what has been established. It does away with the problems of canon, offers the chance of building a new aesthetic, and sufficient history will have happened in between to build up this new economic/social/political/whatever climate. How TNG dealt with the re-birth of Trek is what should be examined and… not emulated, but enhanced, I feel.
I’m not sure I like Fuller’s ideas. Ronald D. Moore’s Battlestar Galactica vision is fantastic and I’ve become an addict. Someone with his passion without necessarily his “dark” way of thinking would be great. Inherently, there has to be SOME conflict, as there’s always a time when the need for conflict arises no matter how much we don’t like it, but if Star Trek deals with it in a way the “Redemption” two-parter did (ie, trying to avoid conflict in other nations) rather than the Dominion story arc, which just perpetuated conflict, then it would be more relevant to what Star Trek is about, as well as teaching the lessons that Star Trek should be teaching.
Either way, I’ve expressed my desire for a return to the small screen for Trek. The time may not be right – yet – but it will be soon. But I think dealing with one universe in the movies and a whole different aspect of the universe in a TV series is the way to go. Why have them both closely tied together if you’re going to be dealing with different characters, anyway?
FFS let the 23rd century die already bring it back 2 the 24th
I think I’d wait to see how this movie does and how the audience reacts to the characters.
They want to keep the crew from this movie on the silver screen, and they all signed up for 3 movies. That might go on for another 5 years. If I were doing another TV show I’d see if the audience likes some of the “guest stars” from the movie. By that I mean someone like what Harry Mudd was to TOS. See who the audience attaches to from this movie and focus on this person(s) for a spin-off TV series.
Though I’d love to see the original crew back in action doing another weekly adventure on their 5 year mission, if this movie makes money, we will only see them in movies. Whatever series you make, it has to be connected to this movie, and so do the characters in some way.
DS9 is far and away the best of the Trek series, and Avery Brooks is simply stunning as Sisko.
TOS – The trailblazer but hard to watch these days.
TNG – With the exception of the odd episode, twee fascist junk
DS9 – Creative, challenging, grown-up
VOY – The worst of the series by far
ENT – Never given a chance, and harshly criticized
Any new series would be welcomed thugh, as i have said before….any Trek is better than no Trek
Peldor Joi
How about a series that evolves around Section 31.
That would show a hole other part of the Star Trek Universe. I think there
are enough stories to tell about.
@100 – “Don’t get me wrong, I like TOS too, but it lacks the chemistry between the characters in the same way that latter series have.”
Woah, there are many things one could accuse TOS of – but a lack of chemistry is not one of them. None of the other series matched the chemistry of the characters from TOS.
” And it’s sometimes too goofy and silly for me. There are more real emotions in subsequent series. It’s hard to get moved by TOS.”
This statement is obviously much more subjective but again for me the other series left me cold for the most part. And if Spock’s – ‘Jim. Your name is Jim.’ and raised eyebrow at the end of The Search for Spock does not touch one emotionally then they are probably Vulcans!
…and the adventure continues…
“I would love to do another ‘Star Trek’ series. One where you could go back to the spirit and color of the original ‘Star Trek,’ because somehow, it got cold over the years. I love ‘Next Generation,’ but it’s a little cooler and calmer than the ones from the ‘60s, which were so dynamic and passionate.”
Give this man a cigar! (And a TV series!)
I’d love to see Pushing Trekkies.
Brian’s right — keep it colorful and passionate. Hey, a Vulcan’s got to be motivated to roll his eyes at all the over-emotional humans.
Manny Coto is the only man I currently trust with the franchise.
Ahhhh…Brannon is getting no respect in the poll! People here forget all that wonderful technobabble that he ladled onto his episodes! heehee.
#83 “The original premise of Star Trek was (in Roddenberry’s words) “Wagon Train to the Stars.” The opening narrative “To boldly go…” really sums up the concept nicely. ”
Well said. Trek should be about the adventure and peril that comes along with discovery of the unknown. TOS was about real people and how they face amazing and extraordianry situations. it should never be about arguing whether a kid should be alowed on the bridge. Star Trek (not the spin-offs) was never about soap opera-day in the life drama. It was never about ordinary people doing boring ordinary things.
Take it back to the original template. Make it bold, make it daring, make it sexy, exciting, imaginative and fun.
The blueprint is already there, has been for 42 years. All they have to do is follow it.
#100 “Don’t get me wrong, I like TOS too, but it lacks the chemistry between the characters in the same way that latter series have.”
Now that’s the boldest statement I’ve read so far! lol DJ, you REALLY need to make yourself watch TOS again. You’re really off base on this one, trust me.
Until they do a series set in the Sulu/Excelsior era, they will be doomed to failure.
One word. Minotaur.
#57 – I think that’d be fascinating. I’ve also often wanted to get a glimpse aboard those Starships that are devoted to a specialty, like medicine or science.
You could make it Event TV, with a “name” or two in the cast, and good work for a crew of solid journeyman actors.
It would be an easier sell to a network than even a 13-episode commitment.
#101 – great point all. For me, the moment the new Dr. Who series started to become too self-referential and drag up every adversary the Doctor faced in the 1970’s was when it started to fall apart as relevant TV storytelling for me. It just dissolved into Russell’s Giant Self-Indulgent Fanwank, to the point where I stopped watching.
I kinda like the idea of a TOS era TV series! We’ve already done plenty in the 24th Century with TNG, DS9 and VOY (a total of 21 seasons and four Movies) and have touched base with the 22nd century (4 seasons of Enterprise) and yet we only have three seasons set in the 23rd Century. Granted there are 6 23rd Century era movies (soon to be 7) however three season of a television series compared to 21 in the 24th Century is not nearly enough! In my opinion the 23rd Century would be the most appealling for most fans!
#33 ***Voyager was the worst show of all the TV series- why should this guy get another shot at iffy trek?***
Yeah, ‘Voyager’ as a whole pretty much sucked and the acting was usually wooden. However, I checked out the episodes that Fuller had written, and more often than not they were they few episodes from Voyager that I enjoyed, at least from a story perspective.
I’m not saying that “Fuller Trek” would necessarily be a good show, but there were many people working on VOY and not all of them were responsible for making that show into the relatively poor TV series that it was.
So, it is entirely possible that Fuller COULD create a good Trek Show. His show ‘Pushing Daisies’ is certainly better than most VOY episodes, and so was “Dead Like Me’ and ‘Wonderfalls’.
It alarms me somewhat that I agree with his assessments of the varies ST series. Don’t know if that’s good or bad!
Personally I’d like a show that looked less at humans, and gave us more on, say, the Klingons. Or Romulans. Or Vulcans (real Vulcans, not the abominations from Enterprise!)
Lots of interesting ideas and thoughts. First, if I were doing a Trek series I would set it in a very difficult era – to match the difficult times we live in now so parallel stories could be developed as they did many times on Trek.
Two possible times —
1 – The Earth-Romulan war – post Enterprise and just prior to TOS. Lots of conflict, grit, troubles, etc. Sort of BSG meets Trek – to a degree.
2 – Distant future, the Federation has been decimated by years of war with aliens (maybe the Borg, some other alien race) and now Starfleet and the Federation are trying to rebuild, explore, live again.
I’ve loved Trek from TOS and on but things on the later series got a bit too easy. Let’s get our hands dirty, make it emotional, have people explore, live, die, etc. Make you care for them and grab your audience. Now that would be good Trek and great TV!
Enterprise sterile?!?! DS9 the best 24th century show? The old paradigms of running a starship need to be shaken up?
Don’t let this guy make a new Trek TV show!
I think that Fueller´s perspective of trek would be a great show to see.
Maybe a little too colorfoul and a bit weird, but trek could use a little of that, Over the years it has become darker and pessimistic, and forgot about the need of exploration , the hunger of knowledge , the spirit of integration that i like to see in Star Trek. The feeling that if the human race does not self destroy , amazing things can be acomplished. Whitout falling in the fake moralism of some of the TNG episodes.
Moreover , i really enjoyed dead like me an pushing daisies, they´re original storytelling, with new formulas and a esquisite sense of irony.
I dont know, maybe its too soon for the return of the franchise to the small screen, let´s hope that some day will be no more dead like trek, as these days we are living
12 Starships: Constitution Class during the 2300’s. Let’s see some of that.
#120 –
I don’t think a new shows needs to have an “underlying story” such as the Earth-Romulan War or a decimated Federation. Can’t it simply be about a group of interesting people on a starship exploring space, as was the case for the best two Star trek series — TOS and TNG.
The time period and underlying premise of a TV show or movie is not what makes that show or movie a good one — it’s EXECUTION that makes a good show. A show that is simply about the human exploration space (and nothing else) can be great if it is executed well — such as was usually the case for TOS and TNG.
One thing I’ve often felt about Star Trek is that it could be a great way of exposing young people to science and exploration, in a way they would not typically get. For example, why couldn’t there be a Star Trek series about a science/research vessel, and in the course of their various adventures we would also get to learn something about space, or exobiology, etc.? Now, I don’t mean that the episodes should turn into classrooms, but I’m thinking of how a show like M*A*S*H, for example, would sometimes do episodes where we could learn something about medical procedures, or a show like the CSI programs, which show something of how investigators analyze evidence, and so forth. If you brought in a space/science advisor, you could probably come up with a lot of valuable information, ideas, theories that could actually teach a thing or two, rather than just an ongoing series of chases, battles, personal dilemmas, etc. And, for the record, solving problems by way of “technobabble” is not science…
What I am afraid of is a new Star Trek series that simply rehashes everything that’s already been, even if its intentions are to do something different. I remember having such high hopes for VOY, thinking we were going to see Star Trek with a twist. But that twist didn’t really amount to anything, and pretty soon VOY was just “same old,” running into the Borg, running into Klingons, and so on… I just never felt the sense of danger, fear, or the unknown that one experiences when one is really lost.
The Federation Channel
1. Star Trek: Terra: late 24th century setting on earth, post-dominion war, numerous starfleet/civilian characters, ‘west wing meets st’, show can use the setting to explore current issues (I’m working on a spec script for this one)
2. Star Trek: Alliance: spin off of the above, new USS Enterprise launched w/Klingon/Romulan/Fed crew, Captain Worf
3. Star Trek: Klingons: same time frame, set in the empire
4. Federation Nightly News: news show focusing on the franchise, fandom, expanded universe, modern st – related science, and reports from the 24th century (linked w/the series above)
5. Starfleet: st-based reality tv series wherein contestants compete in trials based on the franchise to become starfleet ‘officers’ and win a flight on the Virgin Galactic VSS Enterprise
6. Re-Runs:
a. The series (TOS, TAS, TNG, DS9, ENT)
b. The movies (I – XI)
c. Miscellaneous specials
7. Etc.
Make it so!!
T.’.
I think a new TV series would be great! Personally, I tend to favor jumping forward from the Nemesis-era, perhaps the voyages of NCC-1701 J…
But if they can give us a quality series, with characters we can connect with and care about, and stories that grip our imaginations and make us fall in love with what ST is really all about, then they can set it in any era they want.
I definately would like to revisit the TOS era, I have no interest in the 24th century (and I was a big fan of TNG and bigger fan of DS9). Actually, if they brought Enterprise back I’d be very happy.
What I don’t want to see:
1.) Star Trek: Klingon — ugh. The Klingons have become dopey parodies from overuse.
2.) Star Trek: Titan — Frakes just isn’t big enough to hold up an entire show. Plus he’s in pretty flabby shape. And the book series leaves me cold.
3.) Star Trek: Excelsior — Sulu is just too damn old.
4.) An anthology series — just impractical to produce given the costs. Although I would be open to a multi-night mini-series or two. Like the idea of a ENT-era Romulan War mini-series.
5.) Animated Trek — Lucas is doing that with Clone Wars to negative reviews.
Something akin to Star Trek: Vanguard might be interesting. Like all the good shows on TV nowadays it should’nt be episodic but should have long-term goals and arcs. But definately it should focus on the frontier exploration of the 22nd or 23rd centuries and not the bloated excess of the warm fuzzy 24th — utopia makes for real boredom.
21: “I still, for the life of me, can’t understand why they didn’t go to Harve Bennett, Nicholas Meyer and Leonard Nimoy to set up a Star Trek TV show in the late 80s, rather than Gene Roddenberry. Those guys would have come up with something outstanding that I doubt would have dated as badly as the 80s TNG fascist utopia!”
Actually, Roddenberry was the last person Paramount went to when it came time to revive Trek for television after the success of TVH. Harve Bennett and Leonard Nimoy were offered the chance but decline to continue the movies with the original cast.
According to the Engles bio of Roddenberry, War of the Worlds (TV) producer Greg Strangis was offered it next. His idea was similar to TNG as his treatment had the series set 100 years after Kirk and Spock but dealt with a Federation that had come out of a long war with the Klingons or some adversary (I can’t recall off hand).
Then there was a treatment, according to Roddenberry, that had a group of cadets/midshipman aboard the Enterprise. GR was the last to be called in to take the reigns of a new Trek series. According to him, he basically said, “you can’t do it without me.” However, other sources state that Paramount was fully willing to do it without him if need be. Rick Berman, according to some sources (Richard Arnold being one of them), was placed on the production to be Paramount’s watchdog on Roddenbery.
^*declined.
You fixed “decline” but not “reigns?!?”
I’d love to see a Star Trek series that uses the “24″ ticking clock/real time kind of format.
#129 “Like all the good shows on TV nowadays it should’nt be episodic but should have long-term goals and arcs. ”
Thanks but no thanks. All these supposed “clever” arcs are nothing but soap opera style hooks to get you back every week. They make for one great ride, during the initial run of the series, but make for lousy viewing later as everything must be seen in sequence.
When I need a Trek fix I don’t want to have to settle into a season long arc. Give me one hour, one episode, one story and I’ll ikely return to that story again and again during the years ahead. Give me a long, involved, complicated arc that unfolds over 5 years and sure, I’ll stick with it initially, but after that, I’ll never travel that road again.
#104- Of Bajor- THANK you.
Saved me the trouble . Though, ENT was really VOY in different clothing.
Granted, no where near as unwatchable, but still disappointing.
Nice to haer Bryan give credit where it’s due, too.
#49 commented that the writing on DS9 was condescending. (??!)
I really think they must have meant VOY, because on THAT show, it really WAS.
I’m sure you have seen the “you tube” videos of the opening credits set to the “Dallas” or “Love Boat” themes. How bout a series based on a Star Cruise Ship? Drama, comedy, lives of the future rich and famous. You can always bring a federation ship in when there is danger to create the conflict and resolution needed for the episode…lol
Fuller’s great, but he has a track record of quickly bailing from shows where he feels he’s creatively interfered with. For instance, DEAD LIKE ME, which some posters above adored, actually only has his touch in the first five episodes from the first season. He left because of conflicts with Showtime brass.
And if you think whoever takes over the Trek TV franchise isn’t going to have network suits breathing down their necks, I have a bridge I’d like to sell you. . . .
DO IT! JUST DO IT PARAMOUNT!!!
75
“Over the years, though, the cellulite of canon lodged itself in almost every nook and cranny of the franchise.”
What a great metaphor! And so true.
(There is a part of me that wishes that this movie (and any subsequent series) was a total reboot, ignoring the previous iterations of Trek in terms of canon or continuity.)
As for what kind of series that I like to see, I don’t care about the time period as much as I care about the intangibles.
Is it going to have normal people facing extraordinary circumstances and overcoming them (and sometimes not)? Will the exploration of space and science reflect current fact with a minimum amount of “fudgery” (i.e., will it be SCIENCE fiction?) Is the world created believable and do the characters consistently portray their belief in the world they inhabit?
Is it going to be about the exploration of ideas as well as the exploration of space? Will the ideas examined be subtlety integrated into the stories and not dependent on exposition for expression? Will the ideas explored have relevance in the 21st century?
Is it going to have complex characters with virtues and flaws that impact the outcome of events? Do the characters respond to moral issues on all levels of their psyche? Are the relationships between the characters believable?
In other words will it be about great stories that just happen to be in the Trek universe?
136
“I have a bridge I’d like to sell you. . . .”
[/obligatory]
Off of which starship?
Bryan is smart and funny, a perfect combination for doing Trek. Its great to see that so many creative people are comitted to the show, after the Franchise was almost destroyed by mindless repetition. Good news.
Off Topic:
I have been watching my season 2 of the original series remastered and revisited the episode “The Changeling”. What I’m about to ask is not in any way voicing any kind of displeasure because I love both, but has anyone else noticed the striking similarities of the story between “The Changeling” and TMP?
Both are Earth probes originally sent out to explore (Nomad and Voyager)
Both got damaged by hitting a meteor
Both got repaired (one by another probe and the other by a machine homeworld)
As a result of the repairs, both probes are now set on a destructive path to Earth, while searching for it’s “creator”.
I wonder if Alan Dean Foster ever watched the episode “The Changeling”?
i always wanted to see how civilian life on Earth was like during TOS… what politics, culture, economy, etc was like. Although we got some glimpses on occasion, and by the time TNG came along, everything became a communist utopia where there was no poverty, war, etc, and money wasnt used. Come to think of it, i’m sure music, art, etc. must have sucked. So nevermind!
God…. no more TV shows. Wait at least 5 years!
Good, Lord, talk about “Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations”… I think it would take roughly three hundred years for all of us here to come to a consensus about a new Star Trek program.
However: if I were acting as mediator in this situation:
1) I’d strike any and all possible continuity while at the same time not going against it. I’d burn the goddamned technobabble down to its very basics.
Two nights ago, my girlfriend broke down and asked me to introduce her to TNG. I put on what I thought was the best access point into the show- ‘The Best of Both Worlds’. Even as a huge TOS fan, she had ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA WHAT WAS GOING ON; it was like the show was in French. This was a real eye-opener; a really basic story, but so couched in ‘Trek Talk’ that it didn’t let her in one bit. So for all those people who keep trumpeting “Do a show all about Icheb!” “Do a show where Roger Korby is a Borg who meets Spock on the Enterprise-J!” — do you WANT Trek to immediately fail? No! Boil it down to its essence, and-
2) Follow # 83’s suggestion and go back to Roddenberry’s ideas from his TOS and TMP bibles. The Trek that Roddenberry was involved in was like nothing else on television, and that’s enough to answer the question “What is Star Trek and what makes it popular?”. It’s staring everyone in the face.
131. The Underpants Monster – September 18, 2008
You fixed “decline” but not “reigns?!?”
Just for you:
GR was the last to be called in to take the reins of a new Trek series.
How about a new Trek series set in the TOS era about a travelling carnival- because you know Klingons love a good carnival. I can see a great scene with a group of Klingons getting onto a rickety Tilt-A-Whirl ride and crying out as they pull down the lap bar “It’s a good day to die.”
No?
Oh well. I tried.
To ME..The Problem with ENTERPRISE was that it looked to good to be set Before TOS..I honeslty think if it had been set..say 15-20 years AFTER TOS..It would still be on the air..and think of the all the great TOS Guest Starring possibilities..an opportunity LOST…a Shame!!
It’s pretty easy to get great Star Trek back on TV. Just bring Manny Coto, Scott Bakula, Jolene Blalock and the rest of the bunch back together and shoot season 5!
Riker and the Titan. I’m all for it. Instead of the young, brash, ladies man from TNG, we have a paunchy, weathered, veteran captain of the Titan trying to make sense of the grittier, more nuanced post Clintonian/Picard world ideology. In the pilot episode, Troy can get eaten by a Gorn she’s trying to counsel. Before Riker court martials the Federation Gorn member, he has sex with it. The End.
#145 – Thank you! I’m hardly typo-free myself, but equal time for equal typos and all that!
#147 – ITA. They sabotaged themselves by setting it in that era. A feature film or two set pre-TOS is fine, but you really limit what you can credibly do week after week without mucking up the timeline.
#149 – It may be gritter, but I’d call it LESS nuanced.
149: “In the pilot episode, Troy can get eaten by a Gorn she’s trying to counsel.”
Hahahahaha! This made my day!
141: did you also catch in TMP THE BIRTH OF THE BORG???? The Shat delved into this in his Trek novels…that Voyager 6 was assimilated by a drastically different faction of the Borg Collective thus becoming V’Ger…
as for other peoples’ comments on the topic of new Trek series…how about one set completely in the mirror universe? or a series thats part torchwood, part x-files and part csi but in star trek, one dealing with the SUPERNATURAL aspect of Star Trek…add a whole new dimension to trek one with demons and stuff…
but yes the enterprise j series sounds intriguing…:)
as for who to helm said series, how about james millar and alfred gough? theyve done such a great job with smallville and the non-scifi series one tree hill :)
CBS will “wait and see” how JJ’s Trek goes, and react accordingly. Within Viacom, CBS is happy to let PP take the risk on Trek, rather than push forward with a new series on their own.
It’s a shame, as Bryan Fuller has as much cred as JJ Abrams. But the trademark is co-owned by two divisions of the same company, so Senior Management will likely want PP to succeed before allowing CBS to go through with a TV project.
Perhaps the one thing we can all agree on when it comes to a new Trek series is that there will always be those who will be dissatisfied with it, for whatever reason they may have. At this point, we should count ourselves blessed that anyone will even consider wanting to bring Trek back to TV. Again, I’m betting this will hinge on whether the new movie is successful.
Trek is dead. We have all killed it. All we do is critque everything new till it sucks. No one can just accept it for what is was, a damn good show. Now all we have left is reliving what’s left behind. Enjoy what you have. Trek is dead. :(
Hey everyone–
Great ideas- intelligent conversation (mostly) — and LOL funny stuff.
Now this is TrekMovie.com at its best.– thanks for a great read.
A Star Trek anthology series with 3d animation like the Final Fantasy movie would be great.
@ 106 & 112:
I know it’s a controversial opinion, and maybe I exaggerated it for effect. But my point is that the so-called chemistry in TOS is overrated. The chemistry is only between three charachters. As for the rest of the crew, how much do we see of them really? I have watched every single episode and every single movie of Star Trek from 1966-2005 so it’s not based on nothing.
I guess the thing is that all of the characters in TOS, with the exception of Spock are just… flat. Three men of course. Not that interesting really.
With the subsequent series you have a chemistry between ALL of the characters, it’s like one big family. Even when they’re adversaries (Odo & Quark).
TOS is much about rank and basically, very much about old values. Women running around only as yeoman’s for instance. But that’s all part of the sixties of course.
If you’re going to do an anthology series, I agree, animating it will be the most logistically sound way of doing it. And it affords a better use of guest voices. The work can be done in less time (and therefore more cheaply) and we don’t need to worry about the fact that the TOS actors all look like they could be made into wallets.
Although in saying that, the idea of guest stars isn’t one that’s appealing to me. At least not from the TOS era. The Riker, post-Nemesis story is one way to go with some already developed characters, but as someone quite rightly pointed out, he’s encountered the (not-so-mathematical) pie.
Wow, a lot of differing opinions.
I also read the JMS treatment for a St re-boot, and thought he made several excellent points, and had a lot of good ideas. I recommend it as essential reading for anyone seriously interested in creating a new ST show, and how it should be done right. I wonder if JJ also read it because he seems to be taking a very similar take to his version of the upcoming movie.
Personally, I feel that the 24th centuary has been done to death. The problem with that era is that it always felt as though they hardly ever went anywhere new and unexplored. (before anyone flames me, I said “hardly ever”) as oposed to the 23rd where it was “where no man has gone before” every week. THAT is what Star Trek is at it’s core. The farther away you get from that aspect, the weaker the show. My suggestion would be to place a new crew on another constitution class starship, follow GR’s original show bible, and follow their adventures. (Even in The making of star trek GR said (to paraphrase) that the name of the ship or the name of the Capt. didn’t matter and he could have named the capt “Capt Magillicutty” and it wouldn’t have changed the basic premise of what he was about.) So a ship based adventure in the 23rd centuary, written by established hard core SF authors the way TOS was written. After all, most of the best TOS shows were written by Ted Stergen (I know I didn’t spell it right), Norman Spinrod,, and that wack job that wrote City on the edge of forever…LOL! among others to may to mention. Point being, they didn’t just have guys in a writer’s room writing every show, unlike TNG/DS9/Voy/Ent.
If you really want to be creative and successful, then this is they way to go, IMHO!!
Until Next Time,
FM!!
@ Tony Whitehead, #20:
I agree with you 100%. Straczynski would be the perfect choice. B5 was excellent, he’s a great writer/
#2. Anthony Pascale:
“OK TrekMovie has a no ‘first’ policy, but allows ‘first’ if you have something substantive to say about the article. For future reference, the above does not qualify”
Thank you AP! God bless you and god bless Trek, and may I never have to read another lame, worthless, cringe-inducing “first” ever again.
I agree with #109 Coto Should have been given more of a chance…he only had One Season of Enterprise and it was the best one. Also #110 he may have given us a lot of good techno-bable but he left a bad taste in a lot of Trekies mouths. He didn’t even put much of his strength into Enterprise and didn’t hand the series over to Coto when fans started writing to Paramount that they wanted a fifth season done by Coto. He only cared about his project that was going to come after Enteprise in my opinion.
Brannon Braga killed Star Trek. Ron Moore basically resents Star Trek (just listen to his interviews on any Battlestar Galactica disc). Its time for fresh blood and writers who actually CARE and ARE INTERESTED about what they are writing. This soon-to-be time-travel reboot of the Star Trek universe just before the period of the Original Series is essential for Star Trek to ever come back to life. A new path must be blazed, not worked around any longer.
I’m glad people are talking about bringing Trek back to television, but to be honest I’d love another one in the TNG/DS9/VOY era as opposed to TOS.
Come on, this need to “go back go back” to TOS is simple nostalgia. Same thing with Star Wars and Transformers.
I just watched the TNG episode “Tin Man” with my non trekker wife and we thought it was great, great effects, great soundtrack, and, contrary to popular belief, completely ACCESSIBLE!
The non trekker population is not dumb, they can get a sci-fi world after a little explanation, they get “The Matrix”, they get “Dune”, they even get “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy”.
Don´t worry about poor Aunt Petunia on the farm, she can get science fiction too, maybe better than us.
The 24th century STAR TREK is not inscrutable, doesn´t need to be dumbed down, doesn´t need to be “happy go lucky”, “Top Gun” in space.
Just bring the folks from “Discovery Channel”, the guys from “National Geographic”, from “COSMOS”, to lay down a hand, let them dazzle us with their knowledge. :)
A historical note for some of the youngsters: “Wagon Train to the Stars” is not a reference to settlers traveling on the Santa Fe Trail, it’s a reference to the tv western “Wagon Train”, i.e., the adventures of the aforementioned settlers and they made their way west. The pitch is typical producer’s shorthand for getting an idea across to the network as quickly as possible. Rick Berman referenced this when he said that if TOS was “Wagon Train to the stars”, then DS9 was “The Rifleman in space.”
Bryan, we should talk, ’cause I’ve got an idea or two. In fact, I’ll give you a tease: Star Trek meets McHale’s Navy.
Let’s do lunch.
167
Also IIRC Wagon Train had a core cast of characters that ran the wagon train and most of “the settlers” were guest appearances for that episode only. Other guest stars were the type of characters you might see along the way (outlaws, Indians, mountain men etc,). IMO GR used this analogy not because the suits were dumb but because ST could follow this same pattern, having guest appearances from both the large crew and the characters you might meet while exploring. Hard to believe but in an age when successful SF on TV meant “The Twilight Zone” type anthology, this was thinking outside the box.
104. Of Bajor
Well Said.
your Pah is strong.
I like the idea of Fuller’s Trek being set concurrently with TOS but not on the Enterprise. What they should do is plant some seeds for the spinoff in future movies, so if it gets made we have some idea of who this new crew is and what they’re doing from the very start.
If it was to be set concurrently with TOS with a different crew, wouldn’t we just be re-hashing the same scenarios we got with the Original Series, or would there have to be some kind of hook (á la Voyager being lost in the Delta Quadrant) to make it different? Would they be on a Constitution-class ship, like in the Original Series, since that was the backbone of Starfleet, which would require the aesthetic to be the same as STXI, and therefore of less interest to the audience? I think that could just fall into the realms of parody in exactly the same way JJ is trying to avoid, and that could be very bad for the franchise.
A new trek show would be great, how about basing it on the Mirror Universe with yes the Mirror Kirk and Mirror Spock
172. “how about basing it on the Mirror Universe with yes the Mirror Kirk and Mirror Spock”
I like that idea!
#166
Maybe I misunderstood your post, but it seems you equate “going back to TOS” with “dumbing down Star Trek”.
Can you explain how you came to this conclusion? I don’t think that is true at all.
TOS in its “presentation” may have be a little simple, but I found most of its stories to be very deep and thoughtful.
Anyone who posts “first” should be outright banned. I’ve never understood the facination with doing that. Do you guys think someone is going to come here in 60 years, read throught the comments, and think, “wow, that guy was first!” They won’t care then, and we don’t care now. Stop doing it.
More on topic, I like this guy, he seems to have a lot of good ideas, and I pretty much agree with what he said. On paper, Enterprise seemed like a great idea but it just didn’t work. “Sterile” is the perfect word for describing it.
It’s like they forgot what Star Trek was supposed to be.
Voyager is the best star trek show.
1. Voyager ( THE BEST )
2. DS9
3.Enterprise
4. TOS
5. TNG ( THE WORST )
Voyager the best? Yeah… if you would rather sit and watch your eyelids from the inside. Total snooze-fest with piss-poor characters (with the exception of the Doctor and Seven, and Torres had her moments too).
1TOS
2TAS
3TNG
4Voyager
5Enterprise
6DS9
178 and 176
1. DS9 -Best of the best.
2.TNG
3.TOS
4.Enterprise and Voyager
5.TAS -Least and not really needed.
1.TOS
2.TNG
3.DS9
4.TAS
5. VOY
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
ENTERPRISE….
1. TNG
2. DS9
3. VOY
4. ENT
5. TOS
6. TAS
How can anyone prefer TAS over TNG? That’s just insane.
Well since we’re all being 4 on the matter…
1. TNG
2. DS9
3. Enterprise
4. TOS
5. Voyager.
It hurts me to put TOS so far down that list, but I’m only being honest with myself. After the first four, though, there’s a hell of a drop-off.
And in terms of the movies:
1. The Undiscovered Country
2. The Wrath of Khan
3. First Contact
4. The Search for Spock
5. The Motion Picture
6. Generations
7. Nemesis
8. The Voyage Home
9. The Final Frontier
10. Insurrection (saw it on opening day – STILL waiting for something to happen)
129. Ryan T. Riddle
Interesting, that. Thanks for the info. I regret that Bennet, Nimoy and co made the choice they did. I wonder if those guys regret it as well. TNG, in its very conception killed TOS stone dead. Two more films limped out from Paramount and that was it. It’s sad. A proper Next Generation would have been set on the Enterprise-A or -B and still been able to feature the original cast and allow for more films. TNG was so TOS-hostile that the original characters felt completely out of place in it!
166. Victor Hugo. You’re going on the assumption that TNG is Star Trek. It isn’t. Take away the Star Trek terminology and designs and you’re left with a completely different show, conceptually. Star Trek is Hornblower or Master and Commander in space with a dash of old-style westerns thrown in.
TNG is a mix of police procedural and LA Law in space. Philosophically, they’re different as well. In TOS, Pike fights against beings that use illusions. In TNG people choose to use holodecks and are so uptight that they don’t even use them for sex!
I mean, let’s be honest, who needs prostitution with holodecks? You can conjure up your perfect woman and never catch a disease!
The irony is that Reg Barclay, the man who banged a holographic Deanna Troi and Beverly Crusher, is treated as a freak in TNG, yet he’s the most believable character in all the 24th century Treks!! ;)
@183 Who the h*** are you to determine the next course of evolution of Star Trek!?
TNG is real Trek, get used to it. Also, it’s the most popular Star Trek TV series of all time, and as you might recall it wasn’t cancelled after only three seasons either…
How about a show set during Pike’s command? It could detail what actually what happened on the planet with the castle and Kaylar warriors. There are always possibilities. Seeing Spock grow up from his 20s into his 30s as we know him as would be, well, “fascinating.”
WOW. I just looked at the list of the Fuller-written eps, and they were all my favorite DS9 and VOY stories. Absolutely sign him (and Coto) up ASAP. :)
PS: Rated in terms of the number of times I’ve rewatched them (which I guess is a valid measurement):
1. TOS (by a mile; so good that JJ spends $200M to copy it for the modern era)
2. TNG
3. Voyager
4. DS9
5. TAS
100. Enterprise
The thing is, DS9 was a lot better than 4th on this list. It was darker and more thoughtful. (Probably would be higher if Jadzia hadn’t been orbified by Dukat, which really ticked off my wife.)
Enterprise was literally some of the worst television ever created. Rabid ST fans stuck with it, but eventually it was too boring to watch. I wanted at least two more seasons in the worst way, but ultimately it needed to be put out of our misery. 5 or 6 eps were good, 1 or 2 were GREAT and recaptured the feeling of the original Trek. Berman and Braga had the right idea but it was poorly executed. I wanted to like it so much. :-(
PPS: Also rated by the # times watched:
1. TWOK (duh)
2. First Contact
3. Search for Spock
4. Insurrection
5. TMP
6. Voyage Home
7. Nemesis (not great, but still underrated)
8. Undiscovered Country
9. Generations
1000. Final Frontier
FWIW
They still don’t get it, do they? It never ceases to amaze me, the gall of some of these poeple. You’d think they’d get the message, but noooo…
The movie’s npt out and you’ve got these retreads from the last 20 wilderness years jumping on the bandwagon; whereas folks who’d be the Suits’ first choice to actually do a new series based on that Era are wisely keeping their traps shut and waiting for the call, if such series is ever [and I hope to God it won't be] is ever greenlit.
Case closed.
Hi DJ Neelix (184.) You said: ‘Who the h*** are you to determine the next course of evolution of Star Trek!?’
There’s an article at the top about Star Trek’s future on TV with a comments section. Who the, ahem, hell are you to say I can’t offer an opinion? I didn’t try to determine the future course of anything! Where in my piece did I say where Star Trek ***had*** to go next, anymore than else here who has commented . . . the, ahem, hell . . . on where they’d like to see Star Trek go in TV terms. Go on! Point it out to me. I dare you! What the, ahem, hell? I double and triple dare you! ;) Personally, I’m backing JJ Abrams film and looking forward to being surprised! I don’t need any other Trek shows right now!
‘TNG is real Trek, get used to it.’
Perhaps I should have said ‘TOS’. Star Trek was a TV show called Star Trek, not Star Trek TOS. Funnily enough, I use its name! And Star Trek: The Next Generation is ***not*** Star Trek: it’s Star Trek: The Next Generation, a 1980s TV show loosely based on a 1960s show called Star Trek . . . sigh! . . . TOS.
‘Also, it’s the most popular Star Trek TV series of all time, and as you might recall it wasn’t cancelled after only three seasons either…’
Ah, I see! A fanatic! Nicely bitchy in a ‘I think you dissed my series, so I’ll diss your’s nyay nyah nyah nyah nyah!’ way! It’s so long since I was in a school playground, I’d forgotten what that was like. I’m sure you’ll remember when you’re back in yours on Monday at 9am! :p
My point if you’d cleaned you specs/contact lenses/VISOR and read what I said properly is that TNG is a conceptually different show from Star Trek (I suppose I’d better put TOS before you fly off the handle in another hissy fit!) from the ground up.
They have nothing in common beyond a bit of design, terminology and the bits of backstory based on Star Trek . . . sigh!! . . . TOS that they decided not to contradict (Rodders took a revisionist approach with TNG, since he didn’t like season three of Star Trek . . . sigh! . . . TOS or the Star Trek . . . grrrr! . . . TOS movies after Star Trek: TMP!)
TNG was successful because it attracted a different audience. Hardcore Star Trek . . . ahem . . . TOS fans watched it because it had the Star Trek name, but a large part of the TNG audience were people who weren’t the type who’d be attracted to Star Trek (I mean Star Trek: TOS . . . so spank me!)
Star Trek . . . this is doing my head in! . . . TOS was high seas adventure mixed with the wild west genre reformatted into a sci-fi show. These guys were soldiers, not diplomats (’I'm a soldier, not a diplomat!’ James Kirk, Errand of Mercy.) That’s why many people liked it and still do.
TNG was more corporate. The readyroom was the company chairman’s office. The TNG briefing room was a boredroom (I mean boardroom!) where heads of different company divisions would discuss strategy. It attracted the sort of audience that were into that sort of thing: LA Law and so on. In a lot of ways, TNG is The Office without the jokes! I never did like talking head dramas, I’m afraid. TNG attracted the kind of audience that liked talking head shows. The early-mid-nineties was full of those shows as a reaction all the fun action series we had in the 1980s, like Knight Rider and Airwolf.
I watched TNG in the hope that one day it would become more like its predecessor, Star Trek . . . sigh! . . . TOS! But its mix of touchy-feely 1980s therapy speak and boardroom politics was popular with a big demographic at that time. The Cold War ended in TNG’s time and there weren’t the direct threats we had in the days of the warring superpowers, so it mirrored that rather anondyne world where the only wars were foreign ones seen on TV.
2008 finds us dealing with global terrorism, a resurgent Russia, an emerging China and countless threats to our liberty from within (political correctness as a form of population control, surveilance culture) and without (see above!)
This isn’t an era for touchy feely politics. This isn’t an era for a psychotherapist to sit on the bridge! This is a world where sometimes sh*t happens and (in sci-fi) who ya gonna call?
Star Trek . . . cough cough . . . TOS!
My take on Bryan Fuller is that his Voyager scripts were pretty much like everyone else’s- dreary and bounceless. His efforts since then have not appealed to me in any form or fashion [it must be a personal taste] and it franklly scares me if he is the One to take over Trek TV if there is any more to be had anytime reasonably soon.
Considering the schlock that makes up most series TV these days, 12 Emmy nominations is sort of like saying “I found these 12 roses in the trash and they’re not quite dead yet, dear. Happy birthday.”
Dom, That was quite possibly the most annoying post I’ve ever read here. If you’re going to talk about playground tactics then you need not perpetuate them, especially in such a pedantic and condescending manner.
Say whatever you want, mojonaut! You never even read the other stuff I was saying did you? You just wanted to read the soap-operatic argument stuff.
Sad, very sad! And to reply to the ‘annoying’ remark, your post is actually as annoying as an STD (not that I’d know much about STDs myself; maybe you could tell me some of your experiences!!) :p
I’ve been here from the start when there were just a few visitors and I’ve never even noticed you! I quite happily post here, have enjoyed talking to a lots of people and plan to do so for the foreseeable. The only arguments I get into are when someone is rude to me!
This has always been a friendly forum, so when someone metaphorically smacks me in the mouth, I will metaphorically smack them back three times as hard! Too many fora are ruined by self-righteous individuals who dictate their beliefs and politics and refuse to let other people have their say!
DJ Neelix’s remarks were rude and not even relevant to any conversation I had had with him/her/it! I was replying to someone else’s post. If he/she/it hadn’t shoved his/her/its oar in, hadn’t invoked ‘Hell’ and questioned my right to discuss future Treks ***in a topic about future Treks*** I wouldn’t have even raised an eyebrow.
I never post anything here without a friendly smile on my face unless someone is being stroppy. And believe me, I can strop back just as hard.
Now, in my ‘pedantic and condescending’ way I’m not going to perpetuate my presence around you any longer, since you never even bothered to read anything else I was saying!
End of the day, this is Anthony’s forum. If he doesn’t like something I say he or one of the other mods can say so. When I’m reprimanded, I willingly apologise. Some random nerd barking orders at me, though, will get what he/she/it deserves!
Get off your high horse. I read everything you said. And it was annoying and you were quite rude yourself. You accuse people of using playground language and then say “your post is actually as annoying as an STD (not that I’d know much about STDs myself; maybe you could tell me some of your experiences!!)”. Smacks of double-standards to me. And as far as I’m concerned you just got what you deserved, because you come across as a total hypocrite. The sad thing is, I didn’t even necessarily disagree with what you were saying. It was more HOW you said it.
And just because you haven’t noticed me doesn’t mean I haven’t been following (and contributing) to topics on here for quite a while myself. Not that that should make any difference. It’s an internet forum. How long one posts on it doesn’t give them any more or less of a right to be a horse’s ass.
Now you can go on calling me names if you want. I am a nerd, and I’m proud. But really, what has that got to do with anything other than you being rude? Oh… sorry. Your standards for being rude are different to everyone else’s. Mea culpa.
mojonaut.
With all due respect (and trying to keep my near limitless patience in check) I was a bit sarky with dj neelix because he/she used unwarranted aggression in post that was a bit ‘WTF!!’ I’d had a long day/night shift, and was a little more loose of tongue than I should be.
If dj neelix chooses to come back and take me up on it, he’s very welcome to. Indeed, often as not on these fora little spats happen, then they resolve themselves amicably a little later.
If you find a post not aimed at you annoying, that’s fine. But you ought to realise that if you find someone’s post replying to another poster annoying, it is best ignored by you and left to the originators of the posts or the moderators. I’ve learned that the hard way in the past.
In interfering you’ve contributed to blowing a petty situation completely out of proportion. If you saw a couple of guys lining up to each other in a bar, you’d keep your distance rather than get thumped in the crossfire.
Your unwarranted interference has made a minor bit of aggro into a full blown barfight.
Now, you’re clearly a talented, intelligent guy, judging by your very impressive deviantART blog, so it’s better I not keep you here arguing the toss with me over trivia and we try to remain civil to one another on other posts.
And I’m also man enough to say sorry for my occasional excesses when I thump people back. So sorry for losing my rag at you and seeya around.
#181—”How can anyone prefer TAS over TNG? That’s just insane.”
I guess I’m insane too, then. TNG was BORING to me. It’s characters were uninteresting, and it had several other ruinous qualities IMO (holodecks, children on the birdge, friendly Klingons, android pinnochios, and ship’s counselors to name a few). I found TAS, “Yesteryear” to be better than any TNG episode aired in 7 seasons.
1. TOS
2. ENT
3. DS9
4. TAS
5. TNG
6. VOY
1. TWOK
2. TMP
3. TSFS
4. TVH
5. TUC
6. FC
7. TFF (aka The Great Trek Turd Of ‘89) and “any” other TNG-era film.
The fact that STXI features Kirk, Spock, and McCoy already places it above any TNG-era film to me, and with nowhere to go but toward the top of the list…
@Dom
This thread is rather dead now and you will therefore perhaps not see my reply.
In any case, I’d have to say you made quite a response! I am sorry if I misunderstood your post, and yes, I agree with your analysis of Star Trek vs Star Trek: The Next Generation (btw we all know it was just called Star Trek but makes it a lot easier to refer to it as simply TOS because after all, Star Trek is a bigger concept than just that first series).
As for the “How the hell…” part, that was a reference to a Star Trek movie you might not have seen, after all it’s a TNG such ;) In other words, not really meant all that harshly and I wrongfully expected you to get that. I am sorry if it came of as rude, that was not the intention!
Dom,
I applaud the above post and am willing to put the (even further) above to rest. I offer a metaphorical handshake and thank you for the compliment on my DA site.
I can see from that post that you are a reasonable person. I appreciate the thought you put into said post and hope nothing further arises between us.
This post is not in defence of myself, nor DJNeelix (I always hated Neelix as a character, just as an aside… sorry). Just as my original post was not in defence of DJ Neelix or myself. It was simply me standing up for principles.
Dom, I apologise if I came across as somewhat rude myself, but it was simply in defence of my own standards. My interference was not intended to be blown out of proportion. I just have pretty high standards when it comes to how people conduct themselves.
And may that be an end to it all. Apologies to all who feel they have wasted their time reading the above.
Hey, Closettrekker (194)
I know where you’re coming from. It fits with my view that TNG was a completely different show that simply used some bits of Star Trek to sell itself to the network!
Even the characters in DS9 (far more of an actual successor to Star Trek in so many ways!) pretty much rolled their eyes at Galaxy-class starship crews when they arrogantly swaggered around the station.
And I reckon the destruction of the Odyssey and its arrogant crew was pretty much Ron Moore showing us his opinion of the TNG, its characters and philosophy!
For me, the TV shows rank:
Star Trek
Star Trek (animated)
DS9
Voyager
Enterprise (would have rated higher if all the seasons had been as good as most of season 4!)
TNG (that’s my view of it as a show related to Star Trek. As a show in its own right, away from proper Star Trek there were many great pieces of TV!)
Films
TWOK: Trek as gunboat diplomacy. A classic high seas adventure in deep space.
TUC: A brooding treatise on aging and acknowledging that sometimes enmities can’t be solved by one generation and the next has to bury the hatchet.
TVH: A fun, unabashedly-cheesy trip to 1980s San Francisco, with a dash of environmental politics thrown in for good measure.
TSFS: A moody tale, which darkens the events of TWOK.
FC (Frakes realised that TNG isn’t cinematic and threw it out the window in favour of making a cool sci-fi zombie movie featuring TNG characters!)
TFF: Good intentions, sabotaged by messy plotting and scripting, budget cuts and dodgy FX. Also Shatner plays Shatner rather than Kirk.
TMP (pretty looking, but pretty bland!)
Insurrection (aka Star Trek: The TV Movie. Where Rick Berman realises Jonathan Frakes was on to a good thing in FC and, scared his cast might hijack control of the films the way they did in the original Star Trek movies and handcuff’s Frakes’ creativity! had this film been made for TV it would have been an unremarkable bit of fluff and a fun 90 minutes. As a Trek theatrical feature it’s a waste of money!)
Nemesis (aka Star Trek: The Straight-to-Video Movie, aka ‘an embarrassment!’) The best thing about this film was that the scales fell away from people’s eyes and they realised the TNG crew were too old and simply didn’t work away from TV!
Generations: a disgrace and a waste of celluloid! Nuff said!
Hi DJ Neelix. Apologies from me and for the misunderstanding. it’s a while since I put myself through TNG movies, so I missed the in-joke. I wish they’d put smileys on this site: it would help avoid a lot of aggro!
And, hey mojonaut! Sorry again about throwing my more colourful metaphors around.
The problem with spending time coming up with one liners for the short films I’m working on is that sometimes those colourful metaphors can leak into other writing. Face it, we all laugh when someone comes up with a cool insult on TV, but if we make a remark like that in real life, we’ll probably get thumped!
Hope we’re all cool now! :)
@ Dom: we’re cool.
@ mojonaut: I’m not exactly a fan of Neelix either, I just thought DJ+Neelix was a fun combination (plus, I came up with a name in a split second and has stuck with it for… continuity).