Why not go animated?

[Rincewiend]

Like they did with Star Wars?
The Clone Wars was pretty good and popular and Rebels seem to do well as well, so why not a 3d animated Star Trek series?!?

 

[Orphalesion]

I was thinking about that for quite some time actually. Animation with more sophisticated storytelling is much more feasible and common these days than it was when Trek was on TV the last time.
I think a big problem they are facing right now is that the current movies are such SFX spectacles that they are worried people will be disappointed with anything they can cook up on a TV budget.

Animation would solve that problem and it would remove a lot of the restrictions Star Trek has faced since the very beginning. We could finally have truly alien worlds and organisms. Species like the Tholians and Gorn could be all over the place and, like the previous animated series we could even have a larger number of alien main characters. Heck, in animation there is no need for all characters to be humanoid at all.

I would be all for it! The only thing to hope for, besides interesting characters and good storytelling, would be decent animation. I know computer generated is big right now, but I could see a 2D show as well (they often look better anyways) or a mixture with mostly traditional animation and computer generated for space scenes/battles.

 

[C.E. Evans]

I'd rather have a 2D animated series with character designs not too unlike the current Avengers and Spider-man shows on Disney XD, but naturally using Trek characters and vehicles.

Personally, I think we'll see an animated series--regardless of the animation style--before we'll see a live-action one. It might be another attempt at a web series for startrek.com maybe.

 

[Lance]

I know of a few people online who've said when this discussion has come up in the past: "Oh, I don't want to see Star Trek brought back as a cartoon -- look at what happened last time".
To these people I say this: a) The Animated Series was hardly a failure by any stretch of the imagination; and b) 2015 is a very different time to 1972.

I think animation would be great, a 'logical' way to bring the series back in a way which would make a lot of impact. I think people would actually look at it with kinder eyes than a live-action Trek. Because putting TAS aside, it would be something different, that the franchise hasn't really done much of before.....

 

[Orphalesion]

I'd rather have a 2D animated series with character designs not too unlike the current Avengers and Spider-man shows on Disney XD, but naturally using Trek characters and vehicles.

100% agree that's exactly the sort of art style I think would work very well for Trek. Fluid, warm and charming but without being cartoony or zany. It would look great!

And just think of all the non-humanoid aliens and exotic landscapes we could have

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

I would love to see a modern animated series, preferably 3D though would be happy with 2D.

 

[DeMilburn]

I have been thinking this for a while.
Star Wars has proven that, done right, an expanded universe in animated form can be fantastic cannon for the mainstream films etc.
There is also many benefits to this, especially setting it in the OS era, as you could get a couple of the key cast back to reprise roles (like Shatner)
However, the main problem is Paramount. They are very precious when it comes to their Star Trek franchise and maybe dont want it to appear on something like Adult Swim or Disney. Although on a mainstream channel I think a Star Trek animated series would be brilliant! and like they have done with Star Wars, they could link it to all their live action universes easily!

 

[Lance]

There is also many benefits to this, especially setting it in the OS era, as you could get a couple of the key cast back to reprise roles (like Shatner)

This is definitely a big benefit of going animated. You could do it in virtually any time period of Star Trek history, and it wouldn't matter if the actors have aged, because their likenesses could reflect their more youthful selves.

I mean, you could easily pick up TNG from where it left off, but without Frakes' paunch, Spiner's wrinkles or Dorn's graying hair being any sort of problem, because their voices are all passable. Just draw them how they looked 10, 15 or 20 years ago, and voila.

Of course, I'd still favor going the 'new crew' route... but then again, as a fan, something fitting into the established TV shows would be such a drawcard...

 

[Orphalesion]

I'd also prefer if they go for a new crew one of the reasons being that I'd rather have them spend the budget on making the show good and not waste it to bring in "celebrity" voices (of course that could still happen from time to time as guest appearances).

 

[Galileo7]

I would love to see a modern animated series, preferably 3D though would be happy with 2D.

Agree.

 

[C.E. Evans]

However, the main problem is Paramount. They are very precious when it comes to their Star Trek franchise and maybe dont want it to appear on something like Adult Swim or Disney.

If it was up to Paramount, there probably would be a new animated series on the air right now, possibly on Paramount-friendly outlets like Nickelodeon, Nicktoons, or even Discovery Family (formerly the Hub), IMO. But as it stands, Paramount couldn't even do one if they wanted to--not only do they no longer have the rights to do one anymore, they don't even have a TV division anymore (that went to CBS Studios).

I think the real obstacle to a Trek animated series is an apparent lack of interest by CBS to do any kind of new Trek series. They may be totally happy with the way things currently are, even if some Trek fans aren't.

 

[Mr_Homn]

I've been saying this for years. Go animated, and get Stewart, Frakes, Spiner, Dorn, etc. Show the missions between Generations and Nemesis (because I know they didn't just have 4 missions in 16 years)

 

[T'Girl]

Or get voice actors who sound darn close.

 

[Shaka Zulu]

But as it stands, Paramount couldn't even do one if they wanted to--not only do they no longer have the rights to do one anymore, they don't even have a TV division anymore (that went to CBS Studios).

Actually, Paramount is going to relaunch a TV division sometime this year, or so I've heard.

Paramount could do an animated series as a co-production with CBS (and there's even a possible logo for it):

[yt]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SZLv8qYaEA[/yt]


As for a possible animated Star Trek TV show, (and I know I'm beating a dead horse, but...) this show points the way to doing one:

[yt]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnSW1lpAGyU[/yt]

 

[Orphalesion]

As for a possible animated Star Trek TV show, (and I know I'm beating a dead horse, but...) this show points the way to doing one:

Well that...was actually fairly funny in parts and the...occurrence was fairly original in that it usually happens the other way around.

However the animation, while impressive for a fan project, does skid too close to the Uncanny Valley for my tastes, the models look like they were made in poser?

Also; a gung-ho captain with a Vulcan sidekick....gee I haven't seen that anywhere else in ST.
I was also gonna say that I dislike mono-gender casts, but well...that problem seams to be taken care of (at least temporarily)

 

[C.E. Evans]

But as it stands, Paramount couldn't even do one if they wanted to--not only do they no longer have the rights to do one anymore, they don't even have a TV division anymore (that went to CBS Studios).

Actually, Paramount is going to relaunch a TV division sometime this year, or so I've heard.

They've been trying to get back into TV for almost two years now by hooking up with other studios for co-productions. They're not really into doing new TV shows on their own right now.

Paramount could do an animated series as a co-production with CBS (and there's even a possible logo for it):

As it's been for nearly a decade now, they key thing there to make it possible is CBS (doesn't matter what logo Paramount's got). It still comes down to CBS saying yea or nay.

 

[bbailey861]

I have been supportive of an animated Star Trek series for a long time. I think it would be the most cost effective way of producing a weekly show and perhaps more importantly, I would hope there would be a growing fan base of younger viewers who would tune in and become fans. If done right and the stories were good, I could see all age groups watching it.

 

[eyeresist]

Anime. If nothing else, it's something Star Wars will probably never do.

 

[One Lucky Red Shirt]

They could do what they did with hell boy. I thought the 2 films were very good. Then they did 2 animated films straight to DVD. They were very good and well done.

I think it would be a great idea to do 1 or 2 animated straight to DVD films a year with the new classic crew. After the third film is released anyways. Voice actors would be easy to keep it going. Like the Scooby doo DVD films they release every year. They could do a lot going that route.

They should sell pretty good too. U know us trek fans would be picking them up left n right.

 

[Doctorwhovian]

Anime is extremely controversial (For it's limited, cutting corners animation and content) so not a good idea.

A critical consensus from animation experts reveals why: http://www.awn.com/animationworld/anime-debate