New Trek - What should it be?

[Evan van Eyk]

Independent of the discussion whether Trek should take a break or not, what new "theme" of Trek would you like?

I for one would be interested in the time area of 2300-2350, pre-TNG. There is a lots of interesting stuff there. We could see the Cardassian War, the UFP's struggle with the Romulans, the evolvement of the Ambassador-Class...

Maybe a series about Enterprise-C could do well. On the other hand another prequel series would have similiar continuity problems like ENT.

So another option would be depicting the adventures of USS Titan under Cpt. Riker. However maybe that is not new enough. And maybe Riker is too old, or too familiar already? It would be difficult to have character development, right?

So maybe they should jump ahead again, like they did between TNG and TOS? Change the layout of the UFP and create interesting new conflicts? Maybe the UFP developed into a militaristic empire, due to the Dominion War? Maybe the Romulans are allies... What would you like to see?

[Phoenix]

How about something new, get away from Starfleet for a while. Lets see the other side of the Federation. Possable ideas - Civilian Explorers, Merchant Fleets, Cops and Robbers (but that's getting close to parts of DS9), Private Security Force for Hire (Mercs during the Dominion War?), Pirates, Time Fleet (that would allow for a lot of options alone). There's also other species that could be the center of a series...it's a big galaxy, lots to do out there...

I really have no preferrance, just adding fuel to the fire.

[Captain Blake]

Anthology series. Take a story arc, run with it for a while (4-6 episodes), then switch to a new story arc with new characters. That way you can cover everything fans want to see, and explore other corners of the universe, without having to commit to a big series, which may or may not be popular with a large section of the fanbase.

Sulu/Excelsior, check. Riker/Titan, check. Romulan War, check. Ferengi traders, check. Starfleet Academy, check. Enterprise-C, check. Klingon Pirates, check.

Then what you do is end the anthology series with the intro of the Enterprise H, 120 years after Nemesis, and that starts your next regular episodic series.

Alex

[UFC465537]

I'd like something a little more radical, maybe 300-500 years after TNG. Then, maybe the creators loose a little bit creatively. The thing about TOS was that it was set far into the future and their tech was way beyond what could be achieved in the 20th century. Little did Roddenbury know that wasn't the case. Anyhoos, 300-500 years after the TNG would allow for more creative freedom with the fantasy side of Star Trek, without being tied down too much by canon. Heck, make it a 1000 years. It's not like you can hurt the franchise.

[Phoenix]

It's not like you can hurt the franchise.

Ouch!

[black campbellq]

I'd like something a little more radical, maybe 300-500 years after TNG. Then, maybe the creators loose a little bit creatively. The thing about TOS was that it was set far into the future and their tech was way beyond what could be achieved in the 20th century. Little did Roddenbury know that wasn't the case. Anyhoos, 300-500 years after the TNG would allow for more creative freedom with the fantasy side of Star Trek, without being tied down too much by canon. Heck, make it a 1000 years. It's not like you can hurt the franchise.

Agreed.

[AslanC]

After the impressive job (I feel) they did with the new BSG, I would like to see TOS reimagined and redone. The folks at New Voyages compare TOS to Shakespeare plays, saying other actors could bring their takes to Kirk, Spock, et al ala Julius Ceaser, Shylock and Henry V.

I would like to see that. It would be interesting and a risk that could fail or pay off big time.

[Sea Tyger]

After the impressive job (I feel) they did with the new BSG, I would like to see TOS reimagined and redone. The folks at New Voyages compare TOS to Shakespeare plays, saying other actors could bring their takes to Kirk, Spock, et al ala Julius Ceaser, Shylock and Henry V.

I would like to see that. It would be interesting and a risk that could fail or pay off big time.

I wouldn't have agreed with Aslan before this year, but I can see a remake of TOS as being very plausible now. And it would be a fitting tribute to Gene and Co. to retell the original story.

Of course, I would also like to see either something set in the early 23rd Century (2215-2230), or a decade or so following Star Trek VI.

[JALU3]

I myself think that a new series would be fool hearty at first. That is putting a lot of effort in something that the suits may or may not think is worth it. We'll like it, if its not bad, but then again we are fans, the suits most likely are not.

If anything I envision a pause for maybe 3-5 years. After that, I think they should start with a mini-series. This would be more plausable cause in the mind of the suits it would be a good way to gage the viewer-ship. For us it would allow us to wet our wistles before the main course, which I hope develops from it.

As for what the mini-series would be is up to them. However, for myself I would like to see something 10-50 years in from the end of DS9. It provides enough distance to allow the new rights some wiggle room. But allows it to be soon enough and so those fans who await the new star trek series will find a few things familar.
As for the make up, it can be a Starship setting, but I imagine more of a survey-carrier set-up. This would allow a vessel like this some defensive capability, and extends its sensor range to cover more area over a given amount of time.

[Hugh Casey]

I agree with AslanC... a "re-imagining" of TOS may actually be what the franchise needs right now.

At the very least, it will allow for new fans to start fresh, without having to catch up on almost 40 years (God, has it been that long?) of continuity... it can be streamlined to the point that it can be picked up even by a casual viewer.

Also, it would let the showrunners deal with some of those little niggling issues that have plagued the concept from early on (Is Starfleet a military or exploratory organization? Are there Starfleet Marines? How the hell does the economy work if you have a cashless society? ).

Also, we would be able to take the characters who were given short shift in TOS and let them shine! Scotty, Sulu, Uhura, Chekov, Rand, Chapel... all of them can really be delved into, and the show can be more of an ensemble piece.

I was just thinking as I was writing this... maybe Starfleet could still be figuring out it's mission... "Are we soldiers, or explorers?" It would certainly provide a source of conflicts for stories.

If done right (yeah, that's a BIG if, I know, but...) it could be one of the best Treks ever.

JMNSHO... YMMV

[First of Two]

Prequels? Inter-series shows? Re-Imaginings?

The 'continuity fetishists' that helped kill Enterprise will absolutely FREAK.

IMHO, they're going to need to look to the future of the series, not the past. Something a few years past the "book continuity," 'cause it'd be a shame to see all of the hard work that goes into the novels have to be thrown out with the bathwater, really. Something post-"Titan."

[Modem]

If the Prequels or Inter-series shows shows were done 'right' (with which I mean with the proper RESPECT to the Cont./Timeline), then they would be welcommed; Re-Imaginings (like the bett...er, great...um, larger part of Ain't-a-prize) are not.

Myself, I could see one of three things:
1) An 'Inter-series' set in the original-series movie era, preferably on the Excelsior w/Sulu...but Geogre is getting old, and so are the rest of the people who were on his bridge. Still, it would be a great 'nod' a'la Pierce Brosnan finally getting the role of James Bond (after being jacked around by NBC).

2) Further into the future: 25th Cent.: What are the ramifacations of Janeways interference and giving over 'future tech' to the Fed.? How about the the same of the Dominion War (would Cardasisa straighten up, or grow millitant again). This could also be the one place where Nemisis actually could be justified, corrected, and so on. But, as someone (was it REG, I forget) pointed out (and paraphrasing): 'It can't be done under the current management, as look how bad 'They' screwed up 'the past'...do you really trust them with 'the future'?'

3) and Lastly, what someone else suggested, and I love it:
A Star Trek series that varies its cast and storyline, sort of like 'The Outer Limits'.
Think about it: one show about a murder mystery with diplomats, next a Klingon-outpost 'Farmer' trying to 'work the land'; when he finds out that the plantlife is sentient (while the Klingons are beginning to terraform). How about an entire Section 31 Episode ("The Man Who 'Wasn't There' "). Heck, if it took off, you could even have episodes that 'follow-up' on previous ones (within series, or of 'another series'), or refer to them (or both). This would a great idea, sort of a 'catch all' (as it would have to focus on 'era' or 'faction', or anything really...hmm, a 're-cap' episode w/The Guardian of Forever as narator...). The downside: Marketing; how would you make action figures and playsets for this (it ALL about 'the kiddies' after all, right ). It would also be very difficult to push to the studio (not to mention a network) "Variable Trek". Mind you, with the right writers, right stories and right cast-per-episode; this would be a smash. (Ain't gonna' happen though, is it).

[REG]

After the impressive job (I feel) they did with the new BSG, I would like to see TOS reimagined and redone. The folks at New Voyages compare TOS to Shakespeare plays, saying other actors could bring their takes to Kirk, Spock, et al ala Julius Ceaser, Shylock and Henry V.

I would like to see that. It would be interesting and a risk that could fail or pay off big time.

I have to oppose. The closest we could touch TOS is by remastering the old footage and update them with CG effects. I'd like to see new CG ships, like they did for Defiant ("In a Mirror, Darkly") and NCC-1701 (at the end of Enterprise series finale).

A re-imagination might work well for short-lived series or film (like original BSG and Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie), but not a long-running establishment.

[Tobian]

I don't have a probem with people like New frontiers making new material allong the same lines as TOS etc, it's what fans have been doing for 30 years, only with computer special effects and bells on: it is an outgrowth of the love of the franchise. However if it were to be done for REAL it would be show suicide - you can't realistically produce a 'new' show, which effectivelly is a nostalgia piece, trying to carefully weave between canon. It woul dbe worse than Enterprise, because all of the major players are in place and all you'd be doing is playing second fiddle to the original Enterprise.It's doomed to failure!

Ii rather like the anthology or mini series concept. All of those shows where you think "yeah that woul dbe SO sweet, but would they have enough material to stretch out for 7 seasons" Like Sulu's Excelsior.. the guy is OLD now, he can't do 150+ episodes! or the Klingons.. is there enough depth to them for ditto.. The one thing I think would be extremelly offputting for such a show is the expense. yes digital technology brings down the cost.. but not a huge ammount.. Startrek sets are expensive, and having to make new one's every time, every few months! I don't think the studio is going to foot the bill for that when they couldn't foot the bill for Enterprise, which already had the ship, sets and crew bough and paid for!

I'v often said the problem with the TNG era is the huge advances they've made, capped by Voyager and their warp dirve of the week.. any show set post Voyager really needs to have transwarp condit technology.. or something else, but it's going to be hard to put the genie back in the bottle on that. Maybe you embrace it , and it sets a different pace for the show. however what it might take out of the equasion is the sense of time.. If ships can show up en masse, like Asguard ships (from Stargate) - winking accross the galaxy at will, how will you have story driven tension, as someone is waiting for a rescue etc? Hmmm.

[black campbellq]

Go 50-100 years forward. Let's see more of the Federation and who the politics/economics work ( or don't.) More character-driven stuff, less "head of the week" crap. I'd like to see change ...not just technological, but political, economic, and social and how it is effected by the increase of technolocial proficiency.