Speaking at the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecom Conference in San Francisco today, CEO of CBS Les Moonves told the crowd that streaming services like Netflix, Amazon and Hulu all wanted the new Star Trek series. And, they were willing to pay big bucks for what Moonves called “CBS’s family jewel”.
The new Star Trek series coming to CBS’s over-the-top streaming service, CBS All Access, in 2017 apparently garnered a lot of attention from big streaming services like Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu during the show’s inception.
“Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, they all offered us a lot of money. They all wanted it very badly,” Moonves said. “We could have taken the quick bucks from Netflix, but it shows we’re investing in a property we really believe in the future of.”
“For this relatively minor investment, this is how we’re going to get All Access to be where we want it to be: where there are millions and millions and millions of subscribers.” added Moonves. “And by putting that forward, we said to the world, ‘CBS is really serious about this.’ [We at CBS have] taken this crown jewel property and put it in a place where [we] know there are so many millions of Star Trek fans that they will pay for this.”
The fact that the Big Three were willing to pay top dollar for the show suggests that CBS’s move to use Star Trek to bolster their own streaming service may have been a wise choice. Moonves also indicated that Star Trek may be the first of many original shows created for the All Access platform.
If nothing else, this makes Moonvies finally appreciate Star Trek. He does understand the bottom line.
If he had made the decision to have the new show made available globally AT THE SAME TIME, fans would be a lot less apprehensive about it. Putting it on a service that is only available in the US, means piracy will be rampant unless the new episodes are made available as close as possible to it’s first run on All-Access, on alternate streaming sources.
Do we know it WONT be available worldwide at the same time though? All I’ve heard for sure is that it’ll be exclusive to this new platform in the USA at first. International has not been mentioned as far as I know (correct me if I’m wrong).
I don’t think it’s been confirmed but Meurik is spot on with what he says. We’ve seen this in the UK with shows like Agents of Shield that could have brought in a big audience if Channel 4 had bothered to show it close to the US air date.
“$$$$$$,” said Les Moonves.
Roger that.
Moonves has made it very clear that all he cares about is the dollars. (Just look at the comments he made about Trump, and you’ll see what I mean…)
While I have been a lifelong ST fan, I can’t justify buying this service just to watch one show.
This actually makes me very happy. CBS obviously understands the value of Star Trek–here’s hoping that Bryan and Nick come up with something fantastic that I’ll happily pay my $$$ to watch for years to come.
Hopefully, this will encourage CBS to invest even more money in new Trek :D
Sorry, but I’m not subscribing to another service. I’m sure they will eventually release it on DVD. If not, there is more than enough quality programming out there. I can barely keep up with it now.
I saw this one graphic/meme someone posted showing a Trek fan’s wall of toys, collectibles, comics and t-shirts and models with the text “WON’T SPEND $6/MO. TO WATCH NEW TREK SERIES.”
I will happily pluck down $10 or whatever to watch a full season of a new Trek series– particularly if it’s good.
My advice to you? Skip your cup of coffee one morning before work and give that money to CBS to help support more and better Trek.
The problem for me there is that I just don’t want to PAY for a service and then get commercials to boot. I would consider it if there were no ads. Otherwise, CBS all access can take a hike.
I am with you 100% on this. If I pay for this I want no commercials and no ‘bug’ (logo) in the corner of the screen. OR I’M NOT PAYING.
Here is another perspective:
I live in a slightly remote area about 20 minutes from the city and the only internet access I have is by using Verizon’s Home service. That is basically part of my phone data plan. Streaming Hulu or Netflix or All Access is not going to happen. Sure, I could watch it in my office but sitting at my desk staring at my laptop is not optimal.
If Trek was actually important to CBS they would put it on their actual TV network.
“I live in a slightly remote area about 20 minutes from the city and the only internet access I have is by using Verizon’s Home service.”
If I may ask, where do you live? I have a similar plan, however, my sons have been able to access Netflix, which became available in August 2015, through our internet, without problem or extra cost. I am also 20 minutes away from the Auckland CBD, but I do not appear to have the problems you seem to have. We cannot get CBS All Access either.
Personally, I hope that CBS will make DVD/Blu-rays of the new Star Trek series readily available. That is the only way that I expect to be able to watch this series, unless it comes to NZ television through the free-to-air channels, eg TVNZ, TV3…
Great point.
I don’t buy a bunch of Star Trek merchandising, I can’t afford it. I had to drop Comcast and go with the least expensive DirecTV package. Since I live in Philadelphia, that meant giving up on watching the Phillies and Flyers games, since only Comcast can. broadcast those games in the city. Many people legitimately cannot afford a streaming service in general let alone to watch a single show.
I’m out in Delco & have Verizon FiOS, but yeah, I’m a little worried about this streaming service. We shall see.
Same here — I don’t understand the outrage and righteous anger over $6.
I think it’s because these pampered onlies never had to scrimp and save to spend $203.50 for five color reels of one episode like we had to in 1978:
http://chart.copyrightdata.com/Bttlfld.jpg
Which is probably like $800 when converted to today’s dollars.
This is really interesting.
Torchwood, I appreciate your point of view, but affordability is not the issue for me (besides, coffee is free at my office.) I choose not to give my dollars to CBS to support a streaming service (with ads to boot) to watch only one show. My choice. If the show is any good, I will catch it later on DVD or iTunes.
I certainly will not be subscribing myself if there are commercials. But I fully expect a commercial-free option to be added before release, just as Hulu did last year. It will likely be a few more dollars, but to me– money well spent. As for the “one show” concern– I would rather have all my shows on one service too, but if $10 is all it takes to watch all Star Trek, i’m very happy with that price per month given the amount of Trek I tend to watch.
On the other hand, are you familiar with ‘death by a thousand cuts’?
Please put the new Star Trek series on Showtime I already pay for that and isn’t Viacom and CBS related someway, I have access to Netflix and I hope CBS dos the pull the Star Trek Library from Netflix that would really suck.
I’ve enjoyed every Trek Series and movies please don’t ruin this new Trek for my self and allot of other Trekers.
The problem with CBS All Access, is that in the present state of things, it is only available in the US. Residents of Canada and Quebec can not have access to CBS All Access.
Could we have Star Trek via Netflix?
I have no doubt CBS wants your money and you will be able to get the new show somehow
Hope that is correct. I’m ready to pay to watch Star Trek.
CBS Prez Les Moonves: International Distribution Sales Will Cover 60% of 2017 STAR TREK Costs
http://trekcore.com/blog/2016/03/cbs-prez-les-moonves-international-distribution-sales-will-cover-60-of-2017-star-trek-costs/
I finally got to watch Captains late 2015. CBS can eat me.
As a fellow Canadian I have no doubt that a Canadian operator will carry the new series. In fact we may have it over air rather than via a streaming service. I’d note that the Canadian Crave service currently has TOS, TAS, TNG, DS9, VOY and ENT streaming, perhaps 2017 will land there?
The great thing about CraveTV is it has the remastered versions. Netflix has the 480p versions. Yuk.
Been watching TNG over again on CraveTV.
You can’t unblock through Smart DNS or VPN?
My wife and I dropped cable 15 years ago because it was simply ridiculous how much money we were putting out. For years we just stopped watching TV entirely. Then we would sometimes rent a season and Binge watch. Here we sit with Netflix, where we have a great selection to choose from for a very reasonable price…but it’s starting all over again. The networks want to chop everything up and have people paying for numerous access points. Won’t happen in our house. I’m only too happy to let it all go. As much as I would like new Trek, I am not signing up just to get it.
U can wait until the while season is out….subscribe for one month cancel… U get a season of Star Trek for $6… Rinse and repeat next year
If they got rid of the commercials I would do that in a heartbeat.
Ever tried binge watching something with commercials every 10 minutes?
My monthly bill for Netflix, Hulu Plus, and Amazon Prime is less than $30– about 1/4 of what most people I know spend on cable.
I can add CBS All Access, HBO Go, FOX Now, and half a dozen other streaming services before I even come close to the average cable bill.
I also wouldn’t have to deal with commercials, or “over-the-air” scheduling. I can what what I want when I want.
When I hear complaints like yours I laugh my butt off.
Except… The quality of the stream is still way worse than anything you get over cable. The controls work a million times better on cable than the streaming services. With cable it is only one provider rather than 3-12. And there is this device called a DVR that will allow you to watch whenever you wish and it filters out all the ads. Further, if you watch any sport other than the NFL cable is still the way to go. In the end, cable is still vastly superior to streaming. Even if the cost is higher.
Comments like yours still elicit a facepalm.
Except… The quality of the stream is still way worse than anything you get over cable. The controls work a million times better on cable than the streaming services. With cable it is only one provider rather than 3-12. And there is this device called a DVR that will allow you to watch whenever you wish and it filters out all the ads. Further, if you watch any sport other than the NFL cable is still the way to go. In the end, cable is still vastly superior to streaming. Even if the cost is higher.
Comments like yours still elicit a facepalm.
I disagree about a thousand percent. Much prefer the interface of streaming to cable. Cable being “vastly superior” is subjective at best. I completely see it the exact opposite. Would never go back to cable.
I’ve had way too many buffering issues. It’s irritating. And when you forward or reverse there is such a delayed reaction that it makes it difficult at best. And there are a few more smaller issues that make cable still the preferred option. If you do not get the same streaming issues then either your ISP is the best ever and/or you are paying top top dollar for the highest possible quality.
You must work for a cable company. Lol lol.
Ya, except that CBS All Access does have commercials.
I watched a cheesy Brady Bunch the other day. No commercials.
I do not understand why there are fans out there that won’t subscribe to All Access.
Like it or not, this is the future of television and just like first run syndication was the new platform pioneered by a new Star Trek show, so will All Access be the new platform for this new Star Trek show to pioneer.
Everyone here no matter if they say they won’t sign up will eventually sign up to it because ultimately this will be unmissable for every serious Star Trek fan out there.
It has NO future if people refuse to pay for the service merely for Star Trek. They haven’t done anything yet and I’m saying Bye to their idea and show already. Well…..they’ll learn the hard way.
Yeah cause Les cares what Duane Boda thinks,
since when do you speak for the country?
Your statement is innacurate. Yes, people WILL sign up for streaming services because it IS the future, but they will not sign for each and every one. Even with Star Trek CBS will have to offer much more to compete. Netflix, Hulu and others have a headstart and CBS will be hard pressed to catch up.
The services that offer a more varied programing will be the ones that service. If Netflix can’t carry CBS programming, CBS won’t get access to Netflix programming.
What we need is a service that provides a wide variety of programming, and, I don’t know, maybe runs a cable straight into your house so you don’t have to worry about band width issues.
If they can do that, then they can come up with smart phone that can convert speech to text and then back to speech on the other end. And do it in live time.
Hehehehe
I am not sure, if Netflix and Hulu have really so much of a headstart. In the end most of their offers are shows, which aren’t owned by them. If CBS and other big channels will start to do their own thing and won’t allow other streaming sites anymore to show their series, Netflix and Hulu will lose most of their current attractiveness and therefore subscribers.
Because it’s not available outside of the US.
The programming selection at CBS is almost wholly terrible. Their audience is largely comprised of older people who still get a kick out of laugh-track fare and overheated procedurals. I’m not willing to shell out for a subscription just for Star Trek. I will either find an alternate way to watch it (perhaps some friends and I will begrudgingly share a subscription) when it’s fresh, or I will wait until whole seasons are available for purchase. I have Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime. I am behind on several series I watch and I have a backlog of others I want to investigate. The truth is, I’m at my limit. I don’t want my money going to CBS, especially considering that their programming is typically free over-the-air and this exception doesn’t justify me supporting their whole enterprise (no pun intended).
Right now, I can watch old Trek on all three services I already have. Does anyone know whether deals will be redone and those streaming rights rescinded? I might reconsider my options at that point…then again, I might finally buy seasons again. I never did get them on a disc format.
No, I won’t eventually sign up. I have all the streaming subscriptions I need. I’m not going to pay a subscription fee for ONE show. Stream Trek is ALL they have. I already have all the rest of the series on disk locally. I don’t need to stream them, and there is absolutely nothing else in the CBS catalog that I have the slightest interest in seeing.
If I never see it, I never see it. And I’ve been a Trek fan my entire life. I’m not going to cave in and validate this insane model where every Cable channel gets their own $12/month subscription. License it to an existing service or perish.
Here here! Great comment.
The idea of cutting cable sounds great until every network gets their own streaming service and to get access to the shows you want you end up paying the same or more as you did for cable…just without the cable.
As the trend grows, these services will cannibalize each other more and more, where they hold back their shows from Netflix or other services to appear on their own.
Not possible for me, what do you think I should do?
There are fans outside of US!
If you live in the woods like I do then you have to get your internet through satellite or through your phone provider’s data plan. Not optimal. I’m not wasting my data plan on ANY TV show.
Lol this is the future of yet another cancelled Trek TV show. People are not going to pay for Internet access, and CBS all access, and also have to watch commercials.
Some will. The same people who pay $90 for a season of TNG. The average person isn’t going to do this for one show.
You — and others here — must be in that category of people who count $5.99 – $9.99 as very little money. Be grateful that you can do so, and remember the thousands of fans who could be scraping by on Social Security. I’m fortunate to have military retirement, but for me, $6.00 can mean 1/4 tank of gas, a week’s supply of milk, or other necessities.
If you’re concerned about “true fans” who “won’t” shell out, show some camraderie with them and have a watch party at your house.
This also shows if the cbs all access thing does not work there is another place for Star Trek.
Really a smart move by CBS if it works they have a new outlet for shows…. If it doesn’t they can still sell Star Trek to another outlet and make alot of money
Wait, so Moonves now suddenly likes Star Trek? Come on, everyone knows how much Moonves has hated Trek. The least amount of money he has to spend for it the better for him. Only problem is that CBS All Access needs a subscription plan that doesn’t include ads, and it doesn’t have it.
Your last sentence is key.
Yeah I know. I’m subbed to All Access, it still have ads on ads on ads. Give us an ad-less subscription plan, because why pay for ads?
Moonves has said, basically: Hey, look at Hulu! They have an ad-free version and most people opt to save a few bucks and sub to the ad-supported version.
But, what CBS fails to realize is that Hulu has a *few* ads. CBS All Access has the exact ads that are seen over the air. In other words: TONS of ads. They are going to need an ad-free version if they want to compete, IMO.
They are thinking about an ad-free access:
http://trekcore.com/blog/2016/03/cbs-prez-les-moonves-international-distribution-sales-will-cover-60-of-2017-star-trek-costs/
“We estimate that the advertising is worth about four dollars [per subscription], so we’re exploring the idea that for $5.99 you can get All Access with advertisements, and for $9.99 you can do it without advertising.
I know Hulu’s tried it, and it hasn’t been very successful — because most people, despite what they say, would rather suffer through the ads and save four dollars than [pay more].”
CBS are mistaken IF they think I’ll pay a wooden nickel for version of Star Trek come January 2017. They made a HUGE mistake by not allowing the big 3 streaming services a chance of doing it right.
ok we get your point, negative neil,
as I said i am sure Les and CBS wont be crying themselves to sleep cause you wont part with your wooden nickle.
You are a true fool
In the past you’ve (presumably) paid much more (equivalent) for movie tickets for 2 hours of entertainment. You’re either full of hot air or you’re brainless.
Boy, all sorts of interesting Trek news today, sans conspiracy theory.
Phil, What conspiracy theory? Did I Am Not Herbert show up?
The worst part is that “all access” has commercials. Netflix would have been great. Wouldn’t be surprised if they add a laugh track as well. CBS shows are garbage.
The idea of commercials does annoy me, but Hulu used to have commercials too. I fully expect CBS to introduce a higher priced version without commercials, and I for one will happily shell out a few extra bucks for it as I did for Hulu Plus Commercial-Free.
Wow…what a hypocrite. He states that Star Trek is CBS’s family jewel…yet, they are not going to air the new series on regular television and instead gear it to their upcoming “paid subscription” only…forcing fans to pay for the new series on their CBS All Access. Well, unfortunately, I already have Netflix, Hulu, VUDU….not going to sign up and pay for another subscription … this will be one I download for free off a site… this is bad PR for a Trek series attempting to make a comeback to the small screen. Looks like CBS is going to kill Trek yet again!
I will
The people lamenting that the new series won’t be televised on CBS need to understand that it wouldn’t stand a chance on a national broadcast network. It would have to pull in at least 11 million viewers, maybe more. Science fiction shows just don’t do that. Battlestar Galactica, even at the top of its game, only pulled in a little over 2 million viewers, but it didn’t matter, because it was on a dinky cable network. Even if the new Star Trek show kicked butt, it wouldn’t bring nearly enough numbers as a police procedural like CSI. And because syndication, which TNG greatly benefited from, is dead, the new show needs to go boldly into the new tv model.
Think of it this way, if the new show was on network today, they would be forced to dumb it down and throw a Rihanna song into the episode. Nobody wants that. The new show can experiment and be bold BECAUSE it’s online.
And for those who are complaining about the pay wall, get over it. That’s what’s happening whether you like it or not. Be thankful that we have a new series on the way.
Well said and agreed….like I said above u can watch a whole season for $6 if you wait until all episodes are realeseed subscribe for one month and cancel…. I don’t see why all the whining
Exactly! Putting it on CBS All Access guarantees its success where as it would have had a short life on network tv
Yep I agree with everything you just said. I mean no one can doubt at least on a streaming service they can go bolder since its not restricted to the same FCC rules network shows are and since it doesn’t have to compete directly with other shows it stands a great chance of finding an audience right away. And also it has a chance being less water down. Look at Supergirl, its a fun show but its clearly aimed at trying to get CBS a younger audience. Star Trek can still be grown up and not just fight for the young eye balls. They can take more chances on a streaming ste like a cable show.
Finally someone talking sense. Two massive thumbs up.
Is anyone lamenting that it wont be on CBS? I think we all know what would happen then. Its actually shocking that the premiere will air on CBS. Thats a big time “push”.
And that’s why they’ll lose a fortune.
It’s sure to be as pirated as game of thrones because CBS All Access is only available in the US and there are already far too many streaming services to bother subscribing to yet another one for a single show. Such a short sighted, greedy, out of touch shame.
You’re right on the money– pirating is why Game of Thrones failed in the ratings, and cancelled after the first season.
At least I can watch Game of Thrones on Netflix nearly a year after it airs without ads on an actual disc.
My only hope with new trek is CBS will make the season available to Netflix on disc at some point after it airs. That’s the only way I will be seeing it.
I haven’t watched an actual disc in years. The idea of putting physical media into a machine is foreign to me.
Moonvies saw dollar signs and kept Trek off of an infinitely better value per dollar service. Wonderful.
CBS All-Access is not worth the price just for Trek. At best, it’s a ‘wait for the entire first season to be available, subscribe for one month, binge Trek, then cancel’ type deal. We’re going through the growing pains all over again while these companies put out their own streaming service, watch it fail because it doesn’t have a big enough library to justify the subscription fee, then sell/license their properties to companies like Netflix who wanted it in the first place.
Would I rather have it on Netflix…..yes
Would I rather not have it at all….no
If CBS all access is a failure. …it will go to Netflix or something like it
Be happy Trek is back…. they said the same thing about syndication when TNG came out
That’s kind of what I’m seeing too. Suddenly Moonves is all about Trek bc it’ll rake in the viewers via fandom.
But will he give Kurtzman-Fuller-Meyer a free hand and enough budget to make it great?
WE’LL SEE
We will indeed….but we’re off to a good start….not penny pinching on talent so far….and don’t think those three would be aboard on shoe string budget
I think it’s a bigger gamble for CBS if star trek flops it hurts the network. If the new all access flops they’ll blame star trek and it will be off air for another 15 years. Kinda like what they did to enterprise on that crappy upn network.
All access would be pointless for me I don’t watch any other CBS crap. Especially since they always cancel every show that isn’t ncsi.
Soon they will have enough CSI properties to create another spinoff-NCIS: Internal Affairs.
Capt hash, IKR?. I hope that, if it’s not rakin’ in the bongo bux Moonve$$$ is looking for, that he just sells Trek to Netflix. Jeebus.
Re: your 2nd remark, Hee! Maybe if they put a “C”, “S”, and an “I” in the title, it’ll be #1 on streaming anywhere.
I’m not paying for CBS all access when there is a fee AND commercials. I’ll buy the show on iTunes. While that may still generate revenue to convince they to keep Star Trek going, it will not put my money where they want it to go. And I dare them to block it from iTunes.
“Block it from iTunes”? It is CBS’s show, like it or not. They can distribute it to whatever digital or broadcast services they like. Apple can’t just take it and put it on iTunes.
It probably will end up on iTunes, but I’d say no less than one year after first-run on CBS All Access, and probably 18-24 months later.
I know they CAN refuse to put it on iTunes. My point is that that would be a mistake. Ditto with Amazon (not prime, regular). Both of those are huge revenue streams for content creators in the post Nielson digital age.
It absolutely will not be on iTunes. CBS does not consider that a mistake, they consider that their marketing strategy: you want Star Trek: pay for CBS All Access.
You are correct. It is a mistake but it is their plan.
Those who are saying that Netflix will take the show if (I would say when) it fails on All Access are not realizing that the show will die with All Access. It will be worthless so Netflix won’t pay much for it…
This new show has value now because it still has the chance to succeed. The last time they pulled this crap with Trek it devalued the franchise so much we haven’t had a show for more than 15 years.
suck that it’s won’t be on normal TV.
What is this “normal TV” of which you speak?
Normal TV is dying (and looking at most of the reality garbage on it, good riddance). I’d have preferred a deal with Netflix or Amazon, say CBS All Access first, Netflix a week or month later, but I’m not going to whine about paying $5.99 an episode. Frankly, I never would have guessed so many Star Trek fans are such cheapskates.
$5.99 a month, that is.
Netflix would have done a brilliant job with it! Moonves is a short-sighted fool!
With Fuller and Meyer, I’d say CBS is showing they can do a brilliant job with it too. No, this is a case of wanting to do it themselves. One could have argued in 2008 that another studio could have done a brilliant job making an Iron Man movie.
Maybe, but it also might have gotten lost in the crowd there.
Germany here, all i want to know is if this show will be legally available to me within a reasonable timeframe after America gets to see it (within 24 hours is reasonable… a week would be stretching my patience, waiting a YEAR for the complete Season to be translated and then being drip fed to me over TV with 25% of that time being consumed by advertisements… that was maybe acceptable in 1990, not anymore.
Netflix Germany does not have ANY Star Trek (a big reason why i did not stay subscribe to it after the test month, no Star Trek, only Stargate Atlantis, no Star Wars, no BSG… barely any meaningful SciFi period… and like 3 super old Marvel Movies).
I honestly wouldn’t know where to stream Trek if i didn’t have it on Disc already, i did not watch “TV” in over 10 years, it is an outdated medium for old people that don’t know any better.
Am i again gonna end up having to consume the content over other, less legal, sources until i can buy the DVD/BluRay Versions of it?
That would make me sad, this is one of the few shows i’d actually like to support properly and give my +1
I am not aware of any details about international distribution. You can be certain that the show will be available in Germany at some point since Germany is one of the biggest non-English markets for Trek. As for the delay between a US and possible German release: The current season of the X Files runs on German free TV less than a month after the US release. So it is possible to do it. I guess it just depends on the willingness of some German broadcaster to pay enough fees to get the series early. If the German stations pay less they will only get it later.
It will: CBS has already said that international rights have paid for 60% of the cost of the show before they’ve even written an episode– meaning there are already networks and services signing up for it. I heard someone say that it might even air on Netflix outside the US in some territories.
Good to hear that Les Moonves appreciates and seems to like Star Trek as a money making property. We thought he didn’t.
I also hope that Star Trek somehow becomes available over the air for free with commercials. Since CBS has an interest in The CW, maybe the series can also air there. The advantage to subscribers of CBS streaming would be that they could binge watch the show.
One more thing. I hope that CBS All Access will also add movies. If they are going to compete with Netflix and Amazon then they’ve got to do more than just their library of TV series.
So it’s a show with a “season’s pass”, charged twice a year, with useless downloadable content ala the gaming industry? This season includes downloadable Star Trek tv skins and authentic audio commands recorded by the cast!
Pass.
Probably would have been better on Netflix or Amazon. Less interference from the suits looking for quick cash. We shall see
I will not get the CBS all access thing. I already pay for DirectTV, Netflix, and Showtime (just for Shameless). So, even though I am a huge Trek fan, I will not get the CBS thing. It’s too much for me. I’ll watch the initial broadcast of the pilot when it airs on CBS, but then I’ll wait until I can watch the other episodes some other way. Maybe I’ll even wait until my library gets them on DVD so I can watch it for free!
So you pay for showtime just for one show? But won’t shell out another $6 for Star Trek? You sir, should be ashamed of youself (pun intended).
Loving all the arguments against streaming shows, just as House of Cards is advertising its fourth season. As Daredevil gets set for a second critically acclaimed run, and shows like Transcendent and Orange is the New Black are winning all sorts of awards.
All shows you have mentioned are on more popular and comprehensive streaming services. And I don’t see anyone here having “arguments against streaming shows” – it’s arguments against having to purchase yet another streaming service.
All of those services were not always popular nor as comprehensive. The lack of understanding of the issues at play amongst everyone here is astounding. Nobody here seems to have any foresight. Naysayers only. Good luck with that.
You’ve pointed out shows on Netflix which I think we all universally enjoy. The issue is that the series is not going on the premier streaming service that is super high quality and that most people already have.
The problem with streaming is that I dont want to have cable AND 20 streaming services. The point is to cut cable and buy a couple of streaming services. Its great when everything is in one place like Netflix.
Plus, if CBS All Access has commercials, then WTF?
Again, Im in Canada so I probably wont have an issue.
If you don’t want cable and all these services, i’d recommend scrapping cable. You’re paying $100-150 a month for shows WITH COMMERCIALS.
$6 for Trek with commercials really offends you?
It bothers me, but as i’ve said a thousand times and nobody seems to be listening: there will likely be a commercial-free version of CBSAA introduced in 2016.
Hulu did this last year.
In other words, Netflix wanting it so badly made them realise they could make it the cornerstone of their own streaming service. Unfortunately “All Access” aint Netflix and never will be. The loss is ours.
Never say never. With some more and better content and the addition of a commercial-free option I could imagine CBS AA rivaling the quality of Netflix. Amazon Prime used to be a joke, but with their own original series and deals for Doctor Who and other popular programs it’s become my second-favorite go-to streaming service.
Then there’s this…http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/les-moonves-donald-trump_us_56d52ce8e4b03260bf780275
Im curious about the buy in from fans. I think if it was on Netflix, its a no brainer as a huge amount of people already have the service. And obviously the viewership of Star Trek on Netflix indicates that a lot of Trek fans reside there (and would seem to logically lend credence to the idea a Netflix produced show would be Prime Universe).
But Trek fans seem pretty enterprising. How many will sign up for a service they otherwise dont want versus illegally streaming the show? I know a lot of people who watch TV online and its not “legal” streaming services. We can argue the morality but its a moot point since a lot of people do it.
Im in Canada so I expect a terrestrial channel will offer the show, so I dont have skin in the game of streaming a Star Trek series. But the idea of “if you build it, they will come” sounds nice unless everyone dislikes the ballpark. This series will have to be VERY GOOD with solid advanced reviews to convince a lot of people to take the plunge, I think.
What they’re banking on is a good chunk of the sizable Trek fandom will add $6 to their streaming bill rather than being forced to choose between it and other services.
“But Trek fans seem pretty enterprising.”
“enterprising,” tee hee
Good for them. I’m still not buying the streaming service. If it becomes available on disc later I will check it out. But that looks to be the only way I may ever see this new show.
For me, all these platforms are getting expensive. Basic cable might just have to go.
What the heck is wrong with CBS?!?!?!?!?! Netflix would have been perfect!!! A lot of hit shows are on that platform! Daredevil, House of Cards, Longmire. Jesus CBS, you people are retarded. NOBODY WANTS TO SUBSCRIBE TO YOUR STUPID SERVICE.
Maybe they want Star Trek to be the star, and not just another voice in the chorus on Netflix?
Netflix plays well with our poor DSL internet. Their buffering routines work well. CBS All Access does not play well at all through our Verizon DSL. Either their buffering routines are not good or they didn’t pay a ransom fee to Verizon to get streaming? Either way, I guess I am screwed as far as viewing the new Trek series?
Does anyone know if subscribing to the CBS service will require CBS-specific hardware? Or will “CBS All Access” simply show up as one of the options on my Apple TV, along with Netflix, Hulu, and so on?
It shows up as a channel you can add to your device on Roku and Apple TV. They say it is available on Amazon Fire TV, but my Fire TV does not list it.
I take it back. CBS All Access finally showed up on Amazon Fire TV. It wasn’t listed last week, but now it is.
The FCC recently passed regulation that require media companies to offer their programming on any hardware platform. Digital media hasn’t yet been put to the test, but the precident has been established with cable boxes.
“Game of Thrones”: prepare to be dethroned and now be the 2nd most illegally downloaded television show!
They are Using Star Trek, experimenting with it, exploiting it’s sad reliable fan base like they did with Voyager & Enterprise on UPN.
Look how that went, the station failed & the shows were seen as failures because they didn’t get the big network numbers or syndication numbers. Thsi has weekened Star Trek & made it far more vulnerable to criticizm.
Not really. I have Netflix. I’m not paying for another streaming service just for Star Trek.
People are turning off cable because they’re getting tired of paying for shows they don’t watch. It sounds like CBS is following this same business model but on a smaller scale. We’ll see how that works out.
Most likely the Star Trek will end up on Blu-ray. The question is and If figure if I buy the Blu-ray, for $40 that’s cheaper than the $60+ I’ll pay for All Access and without the commercials. But I suppose CBS is banking that people will both watch All Access and buy the Blu-ray.
It depends on how many episodes they make per season. If they do 20, that’s five months of episodes at $5.99 per month or $29.95 per season.
You definitely won’t get Trek on Blu-Ray for $29.95. Paramount/CBS have gouged us Trek fans for decades. Try $49.95 or $59.95.
The only negative is that ‘Trek on All-Access means CBS will be micro-managing the whole affair, which means risk aversion.
Always a possibility, but I think being on All Access also means CBS will give Trek far more latitude than if it were on broadcast TV.
WRONG! They’ve already announced that CBS will have no creative say in the show.
So you say. But considering that this new series is suppose to be CBS’s “crown jewel”, and considering that the people picked to head the new series was a deliberate move, CBS is already micro-managing obliquely. And if the series don’t get the numbers that the studio want, you can bet your bottom dollar CBS is involved. But, we’ll see.
I would say, given the people they are hiring, that CBS is showing they don’t intend to micro-manage. There are some strong personalities involved. The studio will sign off on the people and the vision and the budget but I doubt they will micro manage.
If anything, with Fuller and Meyer on board, it probably reduces Kurtzman role from detailed creative guy to more the studio liaison guy. And if he has faith in Fuller, he will do his best to keep the studio at bay.
http://trekcore.com/blog/2016/03/cbs-prez-les-moonves-international-distribution-sales-will-cover-60-of-2017-star-trek-costs/
http://trekcore.com/blog/2016/03/nicholas-meyer-says-2017-star-trek-show-will-go-in-a-different-direction-in-new-interview/
LLAP
Where do I want CBS all access to be? In Brazil, where I live. I want to see no message saying “sorry, this show isnot available in your country”.
They’ve already announced it will be available in foreign markets, whether TV or streaming, but not yet announced.
I seriously hope they have a commercial free option. I can’t stand the current CBS AA app now where you can’t FF past or skip the ads…
Well, at least Netflix was able to get the new “Lost in Space” series from Legendary. I’ll definitely watch that. Especially since I already have Netflix for a lot of movies and TV not limited to one network.
Regards.
As a UK viewer, I’ll hope that Netflix gets it or at least iTunes provides a series pass.
It’s got a great team working on it. It’s a shame Leonard Nimoy is no longer with us. If they’d had him as a consultant on the team, it’d be a perfect gathering of Trek minds.
The thing I’m hopeful about is that Nick Meyer was always careful to avoid his Treks getting too pompous (he mentions on the TWOK DVDs that he liked to give a gentle nudge in the ribs to anything that got too preachy) and there’s a love of the original show evident in both the things he’s said as well as things Bryan Fuller has said.
I always felt there was an shade of contempt in the Berman-era shows towards TOS, confirmed in some of the documentaries such as Chaos on the Bridge and that left a bad taste in the mouth for me. In having a very successful TV writer who has experience of that era, as well as making some great shows in his own right, along with the man behind Trek’s greatest movies and one of the team behind the current films, with his understanding of ‘summer blockbuster’ cinema we have a tremendous mix of talent.
This new show actually stands a chance, if handled correctly, of reuniting the all frayed threads of Trek fandom.
As for the plan to launch the series on CBS All Access . . . my great fear is that different TV companies will deliberately start running their own services in order to flood the streaming-on-demand market and ultimately tank it.
Star Trek being called “crown jewel property” and Netflix, Amazon, Hulu all be willing to pay a lot of money for it, is really nice to hear. :-)
I am bummed about this. We don’t have internet at home and a single Star Trek series isnt going to magically create room in the family budget for internet AND an on-demand pay service.
Hopefully some day the episodes will be released on DVD and wont be $60 a season.
Ive seen some comments about how Netflix will swoop in and take the show when it inevitably fails on CBS All Access. Im sure Netflix will have an interest in it but if the show is even average CBS will be determined to get to the 100 episode area for syndication where they can continue to reap profits for many years.
Although Im curious if this will follow the traditional season run of 20+ episodes or the more modern route of 12-ish.
There are pros and cons to both.
@Cyg (and everyone else), interesting that “The Fox” on Trekcore is reporting:
“It wont be post undiscovered country, my understanding is that it sounds like its going to be pre TOS.”
Also:
“No, thee series I would bet ius proabably a Robert April Captaincy or a Chris Pike Captaincy on the Enterprise. Alternativly I would say its post TMP or on the enterprise B, IT WILL be 23rd century and there are marketing reasons for this. ”
Now Im excited. Also if its Robert April, I want a credit! lol
Cya whats your opinion on the speculation that Paramount would be sold off and how that would impact Star Trek? Would Viacom keep Star Trek and re-join it with the TV side in CBS?
This makes a lot of sense. Assuming the idea isn’t some wild out of the box idea like a series revolving around the Roman Secret Service or political intrigue involving the Ferengi ruling party or something…
You have to expect the studio wants the Enterprise in it. Its the easiest thing to market next to Kirk & Spock.
If TOS merchandise is really the best sellers for CBS, they might want to have something that relates to that while creating new merchandising opportunities. ie. they want to keep selling TOS stuff without having to pull it in favour of the new series stuff. If the Bad Robot march isn’t selling very well, thats a telling sign because it IS Kirk & Spock but not the Kirk & Spock that fans want.
So if you recast TOS for a series, you risk the same backlash. But if you simply play in that same sandbox with related characters and objects, you have a better chance of pulling people in.
Thats why any of those ideas makes sense. Robert April, Chris Pike, Enterprise B…they all make sense.
The only problem with Chris Pike is that it might require casting a young Spock. And that causes issues. But Im sure the popularity of the character in Bad Robot has potentially raised some eyebrows. His character is arguably the best in the film series.
The Fox also claims STB will be the last one and the 4th film option that Pine and Quinto signed was simply to get them to come back.
All of this could be nonsense, but we will find out soon enough.
IF the teaser trailer is an indication of what STB is actually going to be like there won’t be a 4th film because it will bomb.
Such turbulent times for Star Trek when we should be celebrating. Films in the theatres, another series coming… why are they all half efforts though?
It’s all up to Sumner Redstone. But, being that CBS is going forward with a Trek TV series now, I don’t see why Redstone would sell off the Trek movies. I’d expect him to dissociate Trek movies from Paramount before selling off the latter, if it’s to be sold.
As for the CBS series being set in the 23rd Century, of the possibilities mentioned I’d most like to see the Enterprise B. There’s been almost no development of the Enterprise B—just that little bit at the beginning of Generations. It seems like the best way to have all new characters while maintaining the iconic and easily marketable “Enterprise” setting. I don’t particularly want to see new versions of old characters like Pike (or Spock). We’ve never seen Robert April, but we have seen the original Enterprise—soooo much of it. A new ship that is a successor to the original Enterprise would be fresh.
I just posted about this in the other thread, but the E-B idea has me squirming, because for over two decades I’ve had a whole limited/mini series notion mapping out the E-B and Harriman’s post GEN redemption (and have avoided reading CAPTAIN’S DAUGHTER for this very purpose.)
Would be interesting to find out who has the E-B filming miniature and whether they got contacted. It would make sense to have the miniature scanned first if they were going to recreate it digitally. I kinda doubt ILM still has those old files from GEN.
Just found links to me discussing this briefly, from a few to several years back on tbbs. post listed under TREVANIAN, my usual moniker.
http://www.trekbbs.com/threads/big-budget-mini-series-10-episodes-150-million-dollars.105582/page-2
http://www.trekbbs.com/threads/is-the-opening-section-of-gens-basically-the-best-part-of-the-movie.202774/
Also found a funny thread there with a funny from me that is pretty sharp if I say so myself
http://www.trekbbs.com/threads/who-was-ferris-and-what-did-he-do-to-gene.82182/page-2
kmart, Trevanian? My favourite book is “Shibumi”! Yours?
THE MAIN (seem to have a thing for novels written in present tense — I love the first revision of Gerrold’s YESTERDAY’S CHILDREN from the late 70s as well.) I dig all of Trevanian’s stuff, though I haven’t read the books he did under the other name; I even tried to option SUMMER OF KATYA a long time back (still think Keira K would be a kickass Katya.) SHIBUMI is 28 kinds of awesome, love the interaction with Hel and his Basque bud.
Thanks for sharing, kmart! I love THE MAIN as well. Trevanian had such a great writing style. Too bad EIGER SANCTION was the only book made into a movie.
I’d be perfectly pleased with an E-B series. The reason I’d say they might not go that direction is the idea that it’s not THE Enterprise.
We can assume one directive from the studio is probably the series must feature the Enterprise. it’s the most iconic thing in the franchise with the possible exception of Kirk and Spock.
Does making it the “B” cloud the waters as far as what ship this is? Or am I underestimating viewers?
The benefit to B is, as you said, there’s a lot of sand to play in with that era. You have tense but opening relationship with the Klingons. You really could delve into climate change with what the Klingons might suffer through due to Praxis’ destruction. The politics of the Klingons/Federation not to mention the Romulans.
You can explore the Delta Quadrant with the notion of it being a true final frontier (with hardcore fans knowing some things that *might* be found out there).
You also leave open the possibility of stunt casting guest stars such as Shatner, Takai, etc. In fact, in the case of Sulu, it’s a no brainer. TNG launched with Bones making a guest appearance, I’d have Captain Sulu on the premiere doing the same thing – endorsing the new Enterprise.
You can always undo Shatner’s death. If you get really fancy you could have Quinto play older Spock (the Prime version).
Its a good era to explore. The ship, as seen in Generations, is a cool looking ship. Sure, they will change it somewhat but I bet it looks a lot more like the ship from Generations than the Enterprise from the Bad Robot films.
I tried out the streaming service wasn’t impressed at this point,
Lots of room for improvement.