If I'm being allowed to go back to the "original source material", then I'm going to go one step further than some of the other suggestions in this thread.
The format:
26 half-hour episodes, animated series with a linked story-arc.
The setting:
The year 2245. In the wake of the Romulan war, and with ever increasing tensions with the Klingon empire as well as the recently discovered Cardassian union, the brand new Constitution Class vessels are given their shakedown cruises, setting out on a mission of firstly territorial protection, and secondly an exploration of the borders. Starfleet has been severely hit by a prolonged Romulan war, so in many cases they start from a point of weakness, and there is a paranoia about what might happen next, particularly with the Klingons and Cardies each champing at the bit to expand their realms of influence... by any means necessary.
The regular cast:
- CAPTAIN ROBERT APRIL; male, seasoned Starship commander. Already a widely decorated officer, April was placed in charge of the construction of Starfleet's newest vessels,
Constitution and
Enterprise, and is now commanding the latter on her shakedown cruise.
- COMMANDER AZIZAH MOHAMMED; female, ship's first officer. Of Arabiac descent, one of the fleet's most brilliant officers, fast-tracking her way through the command structure. She has a brilliant military mind and her defined role aboard ship is manning tactical.
- LT.CMDR SARAH APRIL; female, ship's doctor. Wife of the captain, but this is a cause for many tensions as both their roles place them in danger frequently. We see something of their off-duty life alongside their on-duty responsibilities.
- LT.CMDR JACE MULDEEN; male, late 50s, chief engineer. Of African desent, Muldeen serves not only as the ship's general "Mister Fixit", but as the oldest of the regular characters, and with an impressive career behind him already, his age and experience means that he serves as something of a mentor of sorts to Captain April, and they form a unique bond on this basis.
- LIEUTENANT PREX; male, Andorian helmsman. A little cocky about his skills as a pilot and looks down a little on humans for their being unable to react as fast as his people do, but usually he chidles humanity in a good natured and humourous way, and when the chips are down he becomes a solid and professional officer. His nature does often see him rub people up the wrong way however, but he soon wins them round with his charm.
- LIEUTENANT JANET HANSEN; female, communications and 'first contact' specialist. Hansen comes to Starfleet from the diplomatic corps, where her duties included being one of the first points of contact for new Federation members. She brings a wealth of this experience to the team.
-ENSIGN SPOCK; male, Vulcan. Junior science officer. This Spock is
very young, fresh from the Vulcan academy. Despite professing the usual Vulcan control of his emotions, he is going through something not unalike adolesence, so in practice his culture's inner passions rise to the surface much more readily than he'd often like. He is nevertheless already a brilliant mind, something which is recognised immediately by the captain, and his input and opinion is invaluable to the success of many of
Enterprise's missions.
Antagonists:
As mentioned, the Klingon empire and the Cardassian union (despite the Romulans forming a basis of the backstory, they have retreated to a position of neutrality and isolation following the signing of a non-aggression treaty with the Federation, so they play no 'overt' part of proceedings). The Klingons are a war-like and aggressive species, although contradictorially, they are honorable in combat also, always giving the other side the chance to fight on equal terms. By contrast, the Cardassians (a recent 'first contact' of the Federation) are a much more political foe, devious and manipulative, often avoiding outright conflict, but squeezing at the Federation in a much more subtle way. Either of them could take initiative and invade Federation space, something which the chiefs of staff on the Federation council fear the most (having come out of a long a brutal conflict with the mysterious Romulan enemy, many in Starfleet are feeling the effects of war, and are fearful of it starting up all over again). There are many times when both enemies test the waters, by for example the Cardassians contesting the Federation's validity to have a colony on a planet that
they claim they have had territorial sovereignty over for centuries; or the Klingons acting extensively in something of a 'jihad' on the Federation, citing religious imperitives to do so; and so on.
The style:
Can be either CGI or a more traditional animation. The show uses a modern style of storytelling, but asthetically it ties in to the visual look of the ship, weapons, uniforms etcetera as they were seen in "The Cage", thus maintaining a
broad sense of continuity with the old Star Trek.
