Your ideal New Trek Series

[JES]

Okay, so maybe Slipstream technology wouldn't be without it's quirks at first, but the crew of the Voyager got it to work momentarily (at least for the Delta Flyer), before it had to be shut down. Okay, so to be fair, it was lucky that the Voyager didn't crash land (again).

Who knows what a R&D project with the right funding and resources could do? Though I agree that there could be unforeseen side effects or problems that are going to need to be worked around.

 

[Tim Walker]

Conceivably, like Stargate's SG-1, Star Fleet might become technological scavengers. Trying to get ones hands on advanced alien technology. Possibly even an alien junk yard could be useful, if it included a super duper material such as unobtainium. Call it Star Trek: Junk Yard.

 

[Tim Walker]

This could be really a more subtle way to portray a Federation universe past its glory days, don't always have to hit things with the "Post Apocalyptic" hammer.

Very little innovation, the Federation would shrink rather than expand, a sort of stagnant pool of history

I recall an article by a science fiction writer, who described an Inward Turn in his future history, in the aftermath of WWIII. To over simplify, society become introverted. The culture begins to emphasize endeavors that are less innovative.

In the Titan novels, there was the idea of a token exploration effort, for the sake of morale. So it might be possible to have a few adventures where no one has gone before. However, I can imagine no big push to build new large ships. Enterprise E might be the last one for a period of decades. I imagine that shipbuilding would concentrate on smaller vessels.

 

[Orphalesion]

I recall an article by a science fiction writer, who described an Inward Turn in his future history, in the aftermath of WWIII. To over simplify, society become introverted. The culture begins to emphasize endeavors that are less innovative.

In the Titan novels, there was the idea of a token exploration effort, for the sake of morale. So it might be possible to have a few adventures where no one has gone before. However, I can imagine no big push to build new large ships. Enterprise E might be the last one for a period of decades. I imagine that shipbuilding would concentrate on smaller vessels.

That sounds intriguing and makes sense. And would fit my concept very well. A smaller ship, without all the comforts that the Enterprise D and E had would emphasize the "Outer Space is a dangerous, lonely place in which you will be completely isolated" aspect and it would literally force the crew to interact with the outside world more often, as they'd be dependent on stations and planet for a lot of supplies, repairs and simply a chance to stretch their legs a bit.
The inside of the ship could be very utilitarian and mechanic, no brightly lit bridge that looks like a hotel lobby. It would be interesting.

 

[Tim Walker]

John Barnes was the author I mentioned. "How To Build A Future", was the article. Barnes discussed technological innovation and the long economic cycle, the K-wave. Barnes commented that 500 years is about as far ahead as you can predict, in terms of society/civilization. Barnes needed a reason why several technological revolutions (the deployment of which is coordinated with the K-wave) wouldn't make society unrecognizable over the centuries.

 

[Tim Walker]

There is something of a precedent, the Ming Dynasty during the 15sth century. Under the command of admiral Zheng He, seven expeditions of treasure ships sailed to India, Arabia, east Africa. Why was the program cancelled? The theories I've read include: 1. Emptying the treasury to pay for these expeditions while 2. Mongols and others were raiding across the borders.

 

[Tim Walker]

To borrow a term from American history, call the period "Reconstruction."

True, the situation could be similar to the US after the Civil War. One arc could be to salvage what is left of the Federation and to help it to new heights, this would keep the optimism Star Trek is famous for alive.
It could even be called "Star Trek; Reconstruction" a reconstruction of the Federation and of the idea of an utopian future after it was heavily deconstructed in DS9 ala "Yeah things are pretty s****y right now, but we won't give up!"

In the aftermath of the Dominion War, a battered, exhausted/depleted Federation extends humanitarian aid to Cardassia. Imagine America doing the Marshall Plan during Reconstruction.

 

[JES]

This could be really a more subtle way to portray a Federation universe past its glory days, don't always have to hit things with the "Post Apocalyptic" hammer.

Very little innovation, the Federation would shrink rather than expand, a sort of stagnant pool of history

I recall an article by a science fiction writer, who described an Inward Turn in his future history, in the aftermath of WWIII. To over simplify, society become introverted. The culture begins to emphasize endeavors that are less innovative.

In the Titan novels, there was the idea of a token exploration effort, for the sake of morale. So it might be possible to have a few adventures where no one has gone before. However, I can imagine no big push to build new large ships. Enterprise E might be the last one for a period of decades. I imagine that shipbuilding would concentrate on smaller vessels.

And yet STO and the novels suggest otherwise. I agree that Maybe construction on newer Galaxy class vessels would've slowed, but construction on advanced ships specifically meant to fight enemies like the Borg would've continued, in earnest even.
You could say otherwise. But hey, would you really like to say that a beauty like the Vesta class never happened?

After the devastating Borg Incursion in 2381 though, I think that the Federation might slow down, or even stop making capital grade ships, at least until they have recovered, and consolidate developing the technology brought back by Voyager, which could very well save them from any other enemies like the Borg.

Transphasic Torpedoes and Deployable Armor could very well be worked on to become standard within a few decades.

Trouble is, a more advanced race might've already though of and implemented those features throughout their fleet.

 

[T'Girl]

The theories I've read include: 1. Emptying the treasury to pay for these expeditions while 2. Mongols and others were raiding across the borders.

The theory I've heard often was there was a philosophical decision on the part of China's leadership to turn inward, and basicsally ignore the world outside of China.

 

[Tim Walker]

Regarding JES comments...I too can see a change in emphasis. At the very least, building more of the Defiant class.

The thing is, I would expect a sea change in politics. Based on fear. People would be more interested in safeguarding their homes than in exploration. So that's where the resources would go.

 

[Orphalesion]

And yet STO and the novels suggest otherwise. I agree that Maybe construction on newer Galaxy class vessels would've slowed, but construction on advanced ships specifically meant to fight enemies like the Borg would've continued, in earnest even.
You could say otherwise. But hey, would you really like to say that a beauty like the Vesta class never happened?

After the devastating Borg Incursion in 2381 though, I think that the Federation might slow down, or even stop making capital grade ships, at least until they have recovered, and consolidate developing the technology brought back by Voyager, which could very well save them from any other enemies like the Borg.

I don't play Star Trek Online (I hate MMOs), so I can't say anything to it, only that it would easy to say that STO is just another parallel timeline.
I'm not very interested in the purely dry technical aspect of SF itself (ships, enignes etc) so I would have no problem with saying the Vesta class never happened or happened in a parallel universe or whatnot.

The Borg Invasion however would also be a good starting point for the decline of the Federation (I hadn't heard about it either, I don't read many ST novels) probably it still would have to be tweaked a bit in order to make it more/less devastating as needed for the series to work. The Borg Invasion could be related to the TV audience not familiar with the novels via a prologue at the start of the pilot (a simple voice-over accompanied with pictures of battles, devastated planets and assimilation)

For this hypothetical series i would really not matter too much what exactly caused the decline, only the fact that at the start the Federation is trapped in the stagnant pool of history, very weal, divided and out of resources. I picked the Dominon War because it was the last event big enough to cause something like that as depicted in on-screen cannon, but it would work just as well with the Borg Invasion, or a Slipstream collapse or an invasion by the (now warlike and comically empowered) Ocampa Hegemony under God-Empress Kes I (joking with the last one)

 

[eyeresist]

I do think that if the Borg reappear they need to be a sustained threat - none of this villain-of-the-week BS. And in that context I do think a Borg war would be a good basis for a series or at least a couple of seasons. But I still don't understand why people want to see the Federation in decline. That would be BSG/Firefly, not Trek.

 

[Orphalesion]

I do think that if the Borg reappear they need to be a sustained threat - none of this villain-of-the-week BS. And in that context I do think a Borg war would be a good basis for a series or at least a couple of seasons. But I still don't understand why people want to see the Federation in decline. That would be BSG/Firefly, not Trek.

Not so much in decline (the decline would have already happened prior to the show), but in a weakened/ruined state and slowly finding its way back to greatness, which I think would be very Star Trek. Arguably the Federation was in decline since the Dominion War started, a lot has changed and become less utopian.

BSG....sorry but that show is far too grimdark for me, in that show I could not see any hope for them to succeed any longer and I would not want the show to get quite as depressing as BSG with its dark-dark grey andblack morality.

What might be the interest, in addition to me liking stories that lead from darkness to light is that the Federation has always seemed so powerful and clean and it be interesting to show it differently for once, just to keep things fresh maybe.
Also I hate it when SciFi shows dress their characters in contemporary clothing. It's hundreds of years in the future, get creative!

Imagine it, for 50 years there has only been decline, fear and unrest in our corner of the galaxy and then....there comes the new Enterprise, the most advanced ship since before the ruin, a shining hope for the Federation and a promise for a brighter future... Unlike in BSG our heroes would be able to help people and to defend them, Old feuds would be mended, new knowledge progress. How would that not be Trek?

 

[Eric Cheung]

This is an interesting article that addresses something that Roddenberry often got criticized for. I wonder if it could be easier than we think to make non-bleak Star Trek stories.

 

[eyeresist]

^ That was pretty interesting (and a good insight into how "slice of life" is written). Shame the writer started talking about Derrida and referring to themself as "this writer"

 

[T'Girl]

The Borg Invasion however would also be a good starting point for the decline of the Federation ...

Of possibly earlier than that.

For this hypothetical series i would really not matter too much what exactly caused the decline ..

The decline could have been gradual at first, then accelerated.

It could have started years before the beginning of TNG. In TNG (more so than TOS) the Federation seemed to be eager to bringing new members into the Federation.

From Insurrection; "The Federation is old. In the past twenty-four months, they've been challenged by every major power in the Quadrant. The Borg, the Cardassians, the Dominion. They all smell the scent of death on the Federation."

The Romulans basically disappear for decades, then at the end of TNG's first season they reappear and start putting pressure on the Federation again.

The Cardassians, a medium sized power at best, feels confident enought to challange the Federation for a number of star systems both want.

The Ferengi have had the ability to reach the area around Earth for centuries (from ENT), suddenly in the TNG era they start sniffing around.

Starfleet (in Peak Performance) wants the Enterprise to train in a war game, something Picard seems to regard as unusual.

 

[Orphalesion]

^ Yes if you look at all of the 24th century it seems to depict a slow decline of the Federation. I think this is why speculation about it in a new ST series is so popular, because it seems like the logical next step in the meta-plot they just never decided to go.

Just like TNG arguably depicted the very end of the Federation's golden age, the new show could depict the end of the decline, with the new Enterprise being the new hope of the quadrant.

 

[uniderth]

I would like to see more about the concept of advanced humans. I think one of the missed opportunities of Enterprise was seeing the advancement of humans. We could actually see the character struggles with overcoming challenges and improving.

In TNG era we were supposed to be seeing more evolved humans; but it was little more than American culture projected into the future. A later series could show that the TNG era statements were simply platitudes. The truly evolved humans and the amazing cultural changes would have happened long ago. And TOS-TNG eras could be seen as a slow regression back to American cultural ideas. Which would help explain why Star Trek is so monocultural.

 

[Orphalesion]

^ I'm interested in what way you would like those evolved humans to be portrayed, because that is not an easy concept.

Would you, for instance like it if they went a transhumanist route?

 

[T'Girl]

We could actually see the character struggles with overcoming challenges and improving.

In a new series I personally would prefer to see the characters solve the episode's problems, as opposed to having the technology do it for them. Use technology yes, but not have the technology lead the way. If you've ever watched the show CSI, there's technology in abundance, but the people on the show find the solutions.

I would like to see more about the concept of advanced humans. I think one of the missed opportunities of Enterprise was seeing the advancement of humans.

Did you mean culturally, or physically?

Supposedly there had been a cultural change in Humans by the 24th century, this is what (I think) Picard was referring to when he claimed that Humans were "more evolved." However the series appeared to show that Humans were not in actuality all that different than present day people. Picard's claim was a false one, just a bit of fallacious boasting.

A later series could show that the TNG era statements were simply platitudes.

It would be fantastic if the new series would overtly address this, and directly dismantle it.

The truly evolved humans and the amazing cultural changes would have happened long ago. And TOS-TNG eras could be seen as a slow regression back to American cultural ideas.

Again it would be great if the new show addressed this, as oppose to retcon'ing it and treating the Federation and Starfleet as if they were always whichever way the current show depict them.

One example would be we never saw a single female Starfleet officer above the rank of Lt. Commander during TOS. The easiest way to deal with this is to simply dismiss it. Or it could be addressed.

Which would help explain why Star Trek is so monocultural.

Depicting the Federation as a culturally diverse civilization would be an effort for TPTB, that said it should be the direction (one of them) for any new series.

Just like TNG arguably depicted the very end of the Federation's golden age, the new show could depict the end of the decline, with the new Enterprise being the new hope of the quadrant.

This might be one way of ridding the show of some of the more "magical" technology. There as a partial technological fall, and some things were lost.