provider for new Trek series as original series download

Unless it's undergone a truly remarkable improvement since I gave up after the premiere, it does indeed look a great deal like ass.

My bigger issue with it: the premise and characters were uninteresting. I wouldn't mind a substandard-looking series with kickass characters and plotline. I don't think Paramount or CBS are going to countenance that approach for a premium brand like Star Trek, but there are countless other sci fi stories that could be told.

 

I hate to be the realist here, but Star Trek is not a "premium brand". In fact, anything that's a brand or franchise in general is, by definition, a property that can send it's fan base anywhere, and that can be capitalized on in numerous formats, toys and other merch included.

To us Trekkers, sure, it's great to see Trek treated with respect lately, they made a big budget reboot, honored it’s roots, and it did well. It's currently the jewel in Trek's crown… To sci-fi fans in general, it's in the top 5, probably #2 to Star Wars… BUT, to the average movie seeing, movie going, televison-o-phile, gamer, renter, downloader, casual observer, popcorn munching, Mr. and Mrs. bargain bin consumer... it's still just nerd wank.

That's fine, nerd wank sells. But, the new Trek film was only really part of the recent "novelty property parade" trend that included Transformers, GI Joe, Speed Racer, Terminator, Astro Boy, on and on… Even The A-Team is coming back as a big budget release. All re-appropriated stunt projects to bring in the built-in audiences... and their kids.

It won't be considered some untouchable gold standard property, because Paramount WILL boldly go where the money is. Even if it means numerous "exclusive packaging" versions of the same DVD that the market can bear. If it's potentially profitable, Trek can be anything from a big summer blockbuster, to a cgi webisode series, to a cell phone wallpaper app... and everything in-between. That's the beauty of nerd wank; we'll lap it up gladly. And THAT is what the entertainment industry counts on.

Trek is great, but it hasn't been elevated to any higher standard then it's survived as up to now... and why should it be?

 

perhaps TOS & TNG but after those two I think anything is fair game.
TOS has been preserved even with the old visual effects in HD for many decades to come.

Yug some interesting thoughts. We have discussed in What channel should a new Trek TV series be on? that the Trek brand would not create direct-to-DVD projects and why the quality of brand that it is won't allow a premium cable channel like HBO or even CBS-owned Showtime to go near it for a new TV series.
When it comes to canon and that is TV or feature films CBS/Paramount chooses cautiously.
Videogames may have little interstitial videos but those are not canon, even with the same actors playing TOS, TNG, & VOY roles.
The closest I can see a webisode series coming is a Trek CGI animated series.
Who knows how desperate CBS will get when the next 2 or 3 Trek features come out of Paramount?

 

Hulu Plus [paid subscription] starting this Summer

This post pertains to USA only:


With Hulu Plus [paid subscription service] starting this Summer

FYI the XBox 360 will require a Xbox Live Gold subscription which is $49.99/1 year (less than $5.00/month)

Hulu pay version launch imminent

preview now via email invite:
http://www.hulu.com/plus

CBS hasn't agreed to their programming on Hulu but that may change by the time a Trek series 6 is in pre-production.

What business model would you rather have to see the next Trek series?
free over-the-air TV with 18 minutes per hour advertisements, cable television with 18 minutes per hour advertisements, premium cable channel with no advertisements, or a subscription to the show via one of the above in the Poll?

Satellite & Cable companies charge $12-20./month for Showtime [owned media giant CBS Corporation] which may include Showtime-on-demand as well. If you use a DVR you can re-watch Trek episodes for months...

Would you rather pay for a $10./month Hulu Plus streaming subscription [with some advertisements] that includes a new Star Trek TV series or would you rather pay $14.00/month for Showtime if the next Star Trek series were on Showtime?

Or what about if Hulu or Netflix Instant offered the next Trek series as a subscription only without advertisements just for streaming that series for the season?
Not like their regular monthly subscription but a special separate subscription like a season pass just for Star Trek? [just like Sports packages are a subscription on satellite & cable TV services] As if Star Trek were it's own premium channel?
CBS would make money on every person that signs up.
How much would it cost figuring they would charge $80./season on DVD? $30.?
Essentially this would be very similar to a fanbase paying for production directly to CBS.

 

"Basic cable television with 18 minutes per hour advertisements" is the most likely to synch well with the space opera format - you have a niche audience and subscription revenue to help pay the freight, but not the expectation of high-toned content like on premium cable. However, what you might call "sub-premium cable" - Starz - might go for Star Trek as an attempt to pull even with HBO and Showtime with a known brand name that the bigger premium outlets might disdain as too mainstream.