I know the 2009 Star Trek movie rebooted everything having to do with "Trek History" but do you think it would still be possible to have a new TV series perhaps following the adventures of the USS Titan? Just because history changed with the movie doesn't mean that Riker didn't eventually command the Titan, and that opens up a whole new possibility for making another series, so long as they find some better writers than Braga etc. Also, do you think Frakes would make a good on-screen captain now that he is older and more "seasoned"? I always liked Riker but thought he was "misused" in a lot of TNG. But I always liked episodes when he took the captain's chair. Thoughts?
I think it is possible, and I'm certain I'd love a series like that. However, with the way things are rolling now at CBS, I don't see them doing a such a new series anytime soon, if ever. Which makes me very, very sad. To me, Star Trek began September 8, 1966 and ended May 13, 2005. Probably for good.
Some problems...... 1.) Star Trek has done absolutely everything that one can do in a Sci-Fi Universe. Altogether Star Trek has been on for 28 seasons (TOS-3, TNG, DS9, VOY-7 each and ENT-4= 28 seasons). Science Fiction is a niche market. Mostly you like Sci-Fi, or you just don't. There are people like me in the middle who like Trek, Star Wars, Twilight Zone and some other stuff, but we tend to be fickle, and only like this, without liking something else. 2.) Science Fiction is expensive to make, with the return not large enough on their investment. A lot of shows made now are reality programming, contests (like America Has Talent etc.), and news because this is the most inexpensive thing they can air for the highest ratings and profits. Battlestar Galactica had a good run, but like Trek, it was towards a niche market on a cable channel, with a budget, which they used well, by hiring relatively inexpensive actors, and being blessed by good writers. But again, the ratings for that series was just "ok." (Personally, I never watched it because of that hideous late 70's ABC show with Lorne Greene......) It doesn't seem that long ago, but TNG-DS9-VOY were made in the 1990's, when there was basic cable. Few people had the internet. Now there is so much competition out there that new programming have to go under budget. I think what might be plausable in the future is some kind of Star Trek animated series. I would be very happy with that, and animation has gotten so advanced and computer driven that it would look very realistic and they could do stuff that they could not do in a live action series.
I'd like to see something pick up after the destruction of Romulus in the prime universe. TV shows can continue from there, while the movie(s) move forward in the JJverse.
The younger generation is all caught up in magic and vampire type stories. Sci-fi does not seem to be in the forefront. As such, it's a big risk for starting new sci-fi series these days. Take FRINGE for example. This is a terrific show. It has great writing, top acting talent, and excellent production values. However, the ratings just can't seem to get out of the single digits and have actually dipped across the past 3 years. Of course, moving it to Friday nights didn't help any... and ratings are not taking into consideration DVR's capturing the broadcast for viewing later. But I have to believe if X-Files started new last year, it wouldn't have even half the ratings level it did during its run.
I think a good Star Trek animated series on Cartoon Network or the like would be the way to go. Many of the actors have done voice-over work, including Frakes, Sirtis and Stewart. Support roles could be filled with various actors from all the series. Imagine the Titan rendevousing with Voyager, or stopping at DS9. They could have a time-travel episode involving Archer, or meeting Sisko and the Prophets. The possibilities are endless.
I think Star Trek has to be more grown up if it wants to survive another show. In that sense, it wasnt niche enough. Its too slow paced and preachy to be a childrens show, but its too juvenile to really be a show aimed at adults. This was most obvious on DS9 and VOY. The same shows that try to tackle ideas of genocide and race also have characters like Neelix, and shows like 'Lace and Profit'. If Star Trek wants to make a go of it, it should become a serious show, for grown ups.
Let's see ... Any episode where the sick spaceships fired their guns and missiles. Cool FX. Any episode with the guy who could change shape. Any episode with Nog and/or Jake (target demographic). Any episode with the soldiers who were all under 15 years old (target demographic). Any episode with the soldiers who could become invisible. Any episode with the Ferengi, kids love the Ferengi.
They have that in Battlestar Galactica. Not specificaly for children. Jake is an extension of Benjamin and nog can apeal to everyone the same Kenseer can. Example... it apeals to everyone. Kids probably love Centauri too.
I suppose for DS9 it isnt as much actual episodes as just general parts of the show. A big aspect was sex. Jadzia and Worf seemed to have a really sexual relationship, but they could never actually mention it as anything more than a joke because it was on when kids watched. It not specifically a childrens show, but its very 'child friendly' in a way that Battlestar and B5 were not, especially Battlestar. On that show someone got his eye ripped out, people had sex, soldiers deaths were pretty graphic. Also, one of the main characters nearly got raped. Generally, the action seemed to have real consequences for the characters. B5 didnt have that, but then it also didnt have things like Ferengi or Tribbles. I mean, if you take a show like Six Feet Under or Nip/Tuck or something, those shows can deal with adult issues, and the way adults actually respond to each other seems realistic. Im NOT saying that trek should be like those shows, but the main thing non trek people say to me about post TOS trek is that it seems really childish. So, those people dont watch, and children dont really watch, so thats what I mean when I say a new show has to choose a side, in that respect.
The main problem is CBS Television Studios, the Viacom entity that absorbed Paramount Television (not Paramount Pictures, as I've since learned). Paramount Pictures retained the rights to the Star Trek films through a license from CBS Television Studios, but CBS owns the rights to the Star Trek franchise now. Anybody wanting to do a new Star Trek movie or TV series has to pay them significant licensing fees and royalties, probably more than most would consider it worthwhile doing. Perhaps after a decade has passed, Paramount will loosen its grip. Maybe we'll see a new production of some kind, probably through SyFy or another cable network. With CGI becoming better and cheaper as time goes on, I wouldn't doubt that it'll eventually be affordable enough to risk another Star Trek series. Although it feels like "it's all been done" at this point, it really hasn't. There's always something new to tell, when you're talking about the vastness of space. Not all of the quadrants of the Milky Way have been thoroughly explored. Also, there's the matter of Andromeda. What if a stable wormhole that reaches it could be created or is somehow discovered? There could be a whole new series of species to discover. But the other factor will be the resurgence of interest in dramatic sci-fi. Right now, the only thing that seems popular is action overload movies, like Transformers. Or doing reboots of older sci-fi story ideas. Not much new seems to stick very well. True, Star Trek 2009 was popular and I won't doubt that the follow-up will also be well received. But is JJ Abrams interested in doing that, shouldering a continuation of the Star Trek reboot? I'm not so sure...
Just anything in-universe would be good with me, and I don't care what time period it takes place in (although, prime-timeline TNG era would be great) would be good with me. Even change the premise up a bit and do a few different things. The problem with TV, apparently from what I can tell nowadays, is that in sci-fi they do the stupidest stuff in the early part of the series (e.g. SGU: make everyone an asshole, The Event: all the 'six years earlier' 'two weeks later' 'five years earlier' caption crap between every scene, V Reboot Series: not having an outline at all), and then when it gets cancelled, that's when the writers decide to stop drinking on the job and the show actually gets orders of magnitude better -- for all the good it'll do. I don't know though -- make it interesting -- yeah maybe have a ship with a crew, or a space station or whatever, but how about Star Trek: Section 31 and kinda make it sorta like 24 or Star Trek: SVU, Klingon ship, Klingon cops, Cardassian SWAT teams, Bajoran CSIs, whatever man. Hell, I got a great idea -- The Federation discovers a previously undetected Iconian gateway near the South Pole buried deep underground that connects to other Iconian gateways spread around the galaxy in all four quadrants. They use it to send special Starfleet teams to explore other planets that can't be reached by starship. You can even do stories about the political ramifications of the Federation using Iconian gateways to explore the galaxy in secret -- then the Romulans stick their noses in, the Klingons, etc. Heck, even have Section 31 trying to undermine the whole thing for their own nefarious ends. The possibilities here are endless. Look, I just like Prime Universe Star Trek no matter what story they tell. Last I heard, there were a metric crap-ton of people who do too.
As much as I've enjoyed the post-Nemesis Star Trek universe in the novels, I think they should stay there where the complexity of the established universe can continue to grow and be appreciated by people who care, and I can imagine the characters as I want to without having to look past a sixty year old Michael Dorn or Jonathan Frakes try to pull off Worf or Riker at forty, or (OMG!) new actors trying to take on the roles. If there is a new series, I would want it to take place either in a far-future time period where familiar themes and races can be explored without being tied down by "current" plot-lines, alliances, characters or technology. I would suspect that if they ever bring back Trek for TV it will be post-JJ but continuing in the same time period, a reboot of the original series in premise with some twists. Probably Kirk and Co, without the film's principal actors, at least as far as the principle leads like Pine or Quinto are concerned.