Star Trek True Detective

[HaplessCrewman]

Article says that a new Trek TV show should be more like an anthology like 'True Detective'. OK, so it's not a totally original idea.

But, the more Trek stays away from TV, the more excited I am at the form it will take once it reemerges. By all accounts, the '90s model of TV is long gone.

http://www.vox.com/2015/3/4/8143465/star-trek-true-detective

Waiting for the usual suspects to claim that nothing with Trek need to change, the movies are making $, quit your fan entitlement, etc.

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

A number of mini-series whether focusing on a single crew or new ones each time would be something I'd support and watch. Get in some strong, well-known actors, and dependable writers/directors/producers who can do more than just breasts and explosions, that way we'd get better focus on the characters without the need for weak filler episodes.

If it was done 'Game of Thrones'-style where there were multiple crews each facing their own storylines/plots, then it would help give a broader focus--looking at various aspects of life in the Trek-verse (not all just the best of the best on the biggest, fanciest starship). This could open the door to include: a team of Starfleet investigators, a Klingon warship, behind-the-scenes goings on with Starfleet Intelligence (or [groan] Section 31), what Admirals do all day (when they're not going crazy), a little group of civvies, you name it.

 

[wildsulu]

I´m sure the article makes a good case. Having seen True Detective I´d probably agree.

But what strikes me most is that so often columnists or writers say that "Star Trek needs to be saved!" That makes me smile because it means that that fans want it back on TV and they are vocal about it!

 

[hux]

There's often been talk of an HBO style Star Trek with swearing, sex, brilliant dialogue and superior writing. I'm all in favour of that but let's also not try to re-invent the wheel. I also agree it ideally needs to avoid being too episodic

My idea would be another war BUT where we see the war from both sides. One episode is on a federation ship that's on the front lines of the war. The next episode is set in San Fransico with the Federation leaders, the next episode is set amidst the enemy and what their perspective is etc etc

A huge sprawling epic with a clear arc (but with the occasional standard Star Trek episode thrown in where some anomaly makes people go back in time or whatever)

 

[wildsulu]

There's often been talk of an HBO style Star Trek with swearing, sex, (...)

I don't mind sex on tv but it shouldn't be in Star Trek because it should stay accessible to kids. We all enjoyed it a hell of a lot as kids/young adolescents, so why change that?

A huge sprawling epic with a clear arc (but with the occasional standard Star Trek episode thrown in (...)

I think DS9 did both at the same time. Talking about DS9 - if the producers want to keep it suitable for young viewers, then things couldn't get any more grim than DS9. Not much anyway. Trek shouldn't get as violent as Game of Thrones. It's possible to do dark, grim and scary without chopping off limbs and committing war crimes.

@Hux: the story arc of a war would be fascinating Makes me think what the guys of the Axanar fan production are working on.

 

[eyeresist]

An anthology show would be pretty much impossible due to the expense of creating all new sets, costumes and props for each episode.

 

[USS Pertinax]

I´m sure the article makes a good case. Having seen True Detective I´d probably agree.

But what strikes me most is that so often columnists or writers say that "Star Trek needs to be saved!" That makes me smile because it means that that fans want it back on TV and they are vocal about it!

Are the fans enough in today's competitive television market?

 

[wildsulu]

Are the fans enough in today's competitive television market?

Fans are not enough. It all comes down to latinum and whether they consider it a risk to invest.

What I want to know: will Star Wars push Trek back to tv?

 

[USS Pertinax]

I would be more worried about all the superhero franchises. Trek will never be able to beat SW on the big screen.

 

[wildsulu]

Trek will never be able to beat SW on the big screen.

You're probably right. But would that increase chances of Trek going back to TV where it belongs?

 

[USS Pertinax]

I like it when Trek is both on Tv and the theaters.

 

[BuckBokai]

True Detective is such a great show, but I don't think Trek should try to emulate it if it came back to TV. Star Trek as a TV show has always been such a great look into humanity. That's why characters like Spock, Data, The Doctor, etc, are so popular. Their learning about humanity teaches us something about it too. I think you'd lose that with an anthology type show like TD. I like the general idea but I'd think a better fit would be similar to the Walking Dead, where some episodes leave the main group and focus on a different plot with minor characters. Trek came close to this with the TNG episode Lower Decks where they focused on junior officers. Lots of people on these ships so there's a number of groups you could shift focus to at times! Regardless, I'm just got my fingers crossed for a return to TV in the next couple years.

 

[I am not Spock]

I'd love an anthology style Twilight Zone show with different crews, characters, and settings in each episode, but all in the Trek universe. Or an American Horror Story style series, with a different cast of characters each season.

The problem is that it would be too prohibitive for the budget. It would be too expensive to build new sets, props, cast new actors, each week.

 

[Shaka Zulu]

There's often been talk of an HBO style Star Trek with swearing, sex, brilliant dialogue and superior writing. I'm all in favour of that but let's also not try to re-invent the wheel. I also agree it ideally needs to avoid being too episodic

My idea would be another war BUT where we see the war from both sides. One episode is on a federation ship that's on the front lines of the war. The next episode is set in San Fransico with the Federation leaders, the next episode is set amidst the enemy and what their perspective is etc etc

A huge sprawling epic with a clear arc (but with the occasional standard Star Trek episode thrown in where some anomaly makes people go back in time or whatever)

That sounds like it could be Star Trek: Band Of Brothers.

 

[Frontier]

The idea of breaking the mold intrigues me.

Having a short 10-13 episode seasonal-series, each season having its own new setting and characters within the rich universe of Star Trek, with each such season having the *potential* to be spun-off into a full-time traditional series if it strikes the right chord... that sounds smart.

You aim for a self-contained serialized story. That's the goal. You allow the ability to set it in any time in Star Trek. From First Contact's time to Enterprise to TOS, TMPs, before TNG, during those shows, after Voyager/Nemesis and even further beyond.

And if they happen to strike on a cast/crew/setting that really strikes people's fancies? They allow the option of it becoming the next "traditional" series running normal-length 22+ episode seasons, while the anthology/serialized/limited concept show keeps right on chugging and doing it's unique thing.

It also allows you to dig into the rich pool of talent of Trek's past, and reach out to actors who might otherwise not ever commit to a series and/or Trek at the same time. Bigger "names" who'd come in for just a few episodes.

But I don't think there is interest from those with the power to do such. And I don't think their is faith or vision to do something like this, even if there was interest.

 

[I am not Spock]

I think an anthology is a wonderful idea. And I'd watch it. A mini season of 10 episodes , all with a different cast and setting.

It would be easier to get actors to commit to just a few episodes. You could even get some of the JJ movie cast to agree to a mini series anthology.

Could they reasonably do it , without a gigantic budget, though?

Anthologies are coming back into style now, with American Horror Story and True Detective being successful

 

[Autistoid]

There's often been talk of an HBO style Star Trek with swearing, sex, (...)

I don't mind sex on tv but it shouldn't be in Star Trek because it should stay accessible to kids. We all enjoyed it a hell of a lot as kids/young adolescents, so why change that?

Kids have all the other series to chew on, and all kids become adults the reverse cannot be said.


Trek needs to be adult, otherwise it's bloody hard to be relevant to modern audiences.

I'm not talking about simply content, but social issues. The things we deal with now are much more complex than in the past.

Also the introduction of risky content makes it harder for people to get overly sensitive on something.

There are so many things today relavant to gender and orientation issues that can't be done if one is trying to direct themselves to children.

The key is to making it intelligent.

If it's all about making it with new and exciting aliens, show the consequences.

I.e. the captain going to jail, getting diseases, loosing his rank etc.

 

[Autistoid]

The problem is that it would be too prohibitive for the budget. It would be too expensive to build new sets, props, cast new actors, each week.

Ironically that is quite false.

One of the beauties of star trek that people forget are the hard wired in universe standards.

All officers where basically similar uniforms, all ships look roughly the same-minus configuration of consuls etc.

Ranks positions and duties are roughly the same.

Meaning characters can be swapped quite often.



Also I'd argue trek at it's core is an anthology.

In real life it'd be highly unlikely that one ship would survive so much.

 

[Autistoid]

Trek came close to this with the TNG episode Lower Decks where they focused on junior officers. Lots of people on these ships so there's a number of groups you could shift focus to at times! Regardless, I'm just got my fingers crossed for a return to TV in the next couple years.

Yeah lower decks is by far the best idea for a series, if the name sounds pretty dam good.

Star Trek: Lower Decks.

Ambition and individualism are our generations calling card, a show about people trying to make it big would be awesome.

Also with that format it'd be very easy to get on board with social issues of today(sexism, etc)

Also the red shirt issue which is without a doubt really important to consider would be huge.

Why do these people with such absurd deathrates take the risks they do. What are the pressures they are under?

I like the idea too of focusing on federation families.


I.e. the young ensign who comes from an established family(the kirks) who won't be accepted in his family without making it to Captain.

 

[eyeresist]

The problem is that it would be too prohibitive for the budget. It would be too expensive to build new sets, props, cast new actors, each week.

Ironically that is quite false. One of the beauties of star trek that people forget are the hard wired in universe standards. All officers where basically similar uniforms, all ships look roughly the same-minus configuration of consuls etc. Ranks positions and duties are roughly the same.

In which case you might as well just set all the eps on the same ship.

EDIT:

Actually that could be a good idea for a series. It's set on the one ship, but set in two time periods, (1) leading up to, and (2) a few years after some cataclysmic event. The time periods could appear in alternating episodes. The casts for the two periods would mostly be different, but you might have a long-lived character (e.g. Vulcan) to connect them.

The more I think about this idea, the more I like it. And it's something that could only be done in a TV series.

(I think this idea have been subconsciously inspired by the two-Earths gimmick in Fringe.)