Why the Prime Universe makes sense for new Trek series

[intrinsical]

Marvel has the MCU where Iron Man can show up in a Captain America movie, where Dare Devil and Luke Cage can guest star in a Jessica Jones tv show.

In the DC verse, the Green Arrow can go to Central City and hang out with The Flash, Batman can fight Superman.

Han Solo can have his own adventure in a separate movie from the main Star Wars Universe movie series.

Star Trek stands to benefit from the same sort of cross-pollination currently enjoyed by the Marvel Cinematic Universe, DC Universe and Star Wars Universe. I think it would be really nice to have cast members from previous Trek series guest star for an episode or two. And in order to have this, the new series has to be set in the Prime Universe.

And before anyone suggests Captain Picard would be the same in both universes, I would point out that Leonard Nimoy's Spock is quite separate and distinct from Zachary Quinto's Spock. The same would hold true for all characters in the two universes.

 

[Wulff359]

I'd guess, this sort of discussion is going on between the Producers, Showrunners, and CBS right now. I honestly don't think, they have decided on that yet. When they do, they will let us know. They can't keep it secret for long anyway.

 

[LLAP]

Wrote this in another thread:

Misconception 1

A show set in the prime universe will be too weighed down by canon for writers to be creative.

Misconception 2

A prime universe show would be somehow old fashioned/out of date.

Misconception 3

A prime universe show would require knowledge of previous trek.

Misconception 4

A prime universe show will have to explain in depth what happened to galactic politics after the events leading up to the 2380s.

Misconception 5

Fans will be really pedantic about canon in the Prime Universe, and producers will care about this a great deal.

Misconception 6

Starting fresh will bring in more viewers.

Dunno just some of my thoughts. I would explain further but I don't want to look too swivel eyed here haha.

 

[SpocksOddSocks]

And before anyone suggests Captain Picard would be the same in both universes, I would point out that Leonard Nimoy's Spock is quite separate and distinct from Zachary Quinto's Spock. The same would hold true for all characters in the two universes.

Or might never be born due to changes in the timeline. I like to think of this as highly likely. If events are different, people stand a good chance of meeting different people and settling down with someone else, or even with the same person at a different time leading to a completely separate genetic mix taking place during conception.

I personally favour the prime universe too. Actually I prefer a prime universe in which Romulus was not destroyed, but I think that's the least likely scenario we'll see (not entirely knocking the JJ movies, I just think that having messed with the prime timeline in this fashion was a mistake)

 

[SpocksOddSocks]

Misconception 5

Fans will be really pedantic about canon in the Prime Universe, and producers will care about this a great deal.

Not convinced this one is a misconception, but the truth is fans will be really pedantic about the canon of any universe if it is extremely contradictory... which it often is

 

[LLAP]

Indeed haha! My point there is that the 'canon' has always been more flexible than people like to think, and like you said often contradictory. I mean I think most people discard 'Threshold' from their head-canon

 

[LLAP]

I think for me seeing so many people rubbish the prime universe and big up NuTrek on this very forum is sad because who else is gonna stand up for the Trek we grew up with?

 

[LLAP]

Also I'll add this

http://trekcore.com/blog/2015/11/ne...aming-services-drove-cbs-all-access-decision/

Now if demand for old trek on streaming is so high CBS based their decision on how to air the new show then I fail to see how moving totally away from a winning formula is good business sense.

 

[F. King Daniel]

Marvel has the MCU where Iron Man can show up in a Captain America movie, where Dare Devil and Luke Cage can guest star in a Jessica Jones tv show.

In the DC verse, the Green Arrow can go to Central City and hang out with The Flash, Batman can fight Superman.

Han Solo can have his own adventure in a separate movie from the main Star Wars Universe movie series.

Star Trek stands to benefit from the same sort of cross-pollination currently enjoyed by the Marvel Cinematic Universe, DC Universe and Star Wars Universe. I think it would be really nice to have cast members from previous Trek series guest star for an episode or two. And in order to have this, the new series has to be set in the Prime Universe.

And before anyone suggests Captain Picard would be the same in both universes, I would point out that Leonard Nimoy's Spock is quite separate and distinct from Zachary Quinto's Spock. The same would hold true for all characters in the two universes.

I think cameos from Zach Quinto or Karl Urban would mean more to casual viewers these days than cameos from Jonathan Frames and Micheal Dorn.

That said, classic actors could always come back as new characters - a bit of that happened on Enterprise (and happens in loads of other shows, like Supergirl and Smallville before it)

 

[intrinsical]

I think cameos from Zach Quinto or Karl Urban would mean more to casual viewers these days than cameos from Jonathan Frames and Micheal Dorn.

That's one ship with a handful of characters. Also, these are busy movie stars who may not have time nor wish to appear on a television show. Besides, it is much easier to bring small handful of characters on one ship in the JJverse over to the prime universe. It is a lot harder to bring characters on 5 different ships and eras over to JJverse.

 

[Mudd]

Based on all previous experience with Star Trek on television, we can say a few things with confidence.

• A show set in the prime universe will be too weighed down by canon for writers to be creative
• A prime universe show would be somehow old fashioned/out of date.
• A prime universe show would require knowledge of previous trek.
• A prime universe show will have to explain in depth what happened to galactic politics after the events leading up to the 2380s.
• Fans will be really pedantic about canon in the Prime Universe, and producers will care about this a great deal.
• Starting fresh will bring in more viewers.

 

[Takeru]

Wrote this in another thread:

Misconception 1

A show set in the prime universe will be too weighed down by canon for writers to be creative.

Misconception 2

A prime universe show would be somehow old fashioned/out of date.

Misconception 3

A prime universe show would require knowledge of previous trek.

Misconception 4

A prime universe show will have to explain in depth what happened to galactic politics after the events leading up to the 2380s.

Misconception 5

Fans will be really pedantic about canon in the Prime Universe, and producers will care about this a great deal.

Misconception 6

Starting fresh will bring in more viewers.

Dunno just some of my thoughts. I would explain further but I don't want to look too swivel eyed here haha.

Misconception 7

The prime universe matters to anyone outside of the fandom.


Honestly, in what universe the show is set is completely irrelevant, there's not a single story that can be told in one but not the other. They may have to swap out a character, reference or location but that's not a big deal, if they find an artifact on vulcan or on an acient vulcan colony (in the JJ universe) makes no difference for example.

Being set in the 22nd century didn't stop Enterprise from using Brent Spiner, Marina Sirtis and Jonathan Frakes, the latter two even as their 24th century characters. If the show is set in the new universe and they really want TNG characters just have the new ship encounter an anomaly and *poof* Captain Riker and the Titan appear. They don't even have to explain it but if they want they can technobabble that their universes seem to be connected somehow and crossing over is relatively easy, the reason would be the events of Star Trek '09 but the new and TNG characters wouldn't know that. To them there would just be an unexplained connection just like their seemed to be a connection between the prime and mirror universes.

 

[fireproof78]

Wrote this in another thread:

Misconception 1

A show set in the prime universe will be too weighed down by canon for writers to be creative.

Misconception 2

A prime universe show would be somehow old fashioned/out of date.

Misconception 3

A prime universe show would require knowledge of previous trek.

Misconception 4

A prime universe show will have to explain in depth what happened to galactic politics after the events leading up to the 2380s.

Misconception 5

Fans will be really pedantic about canon in the Prime Universe, and producers will care about this a great deal.

Misconception 6

Starting fresh will bring in more viewers.

Dunno just some of my thoughts. I would explain further but I don't want to look too swivel eyed here haha.

Misconception 7

The prime universe matters to anyone outside of the fandom.


Honestly, in what universe the show is set is completely irrelevant, there's not a single story that can be told in one but not the other. They may have to swap out a character, reference or location but that's not a big deal, if they find an artifact on vulcan or on an acient vulcan colony (in the JJ universe) makes no difference for example.

Being set in the 22nd century didn't stop Enterprise from using Brent Spiner, Marina Sirtis and Jonathan Frakes, the latter two even as their 24th century characters. If the show is set in the new universe and they really want TNG characters just have the new ship encounter an anomaly and *poof* Captain Riker and the Titan appear. They don't even have to explain it but if they want they can technobabble that their universes seem to be connected somehow and crossing over is relatively easy, the reason would be the events of Star Trek '09 but the new and TNG characters wouldn't know that. To them there would just be an unexplained connection just like their seemed to be a connection between the prime and mirror universes.

I agree with this point. The stories can be told, regardless of universe, and may even take on a different meaning if retold for a contemporary audience.

The age of the Internet has led to pedantic nitpicking, regardless of fandom. I don't think that is going to change if the show is in Prime, Abrams or new.

Also, the idea of old cast members coming in is nice and nostalgic, but they don't have to play the same characters. Michael Dorn was on TUC as "Colonel Worf" and Brent Spiner showed up in ENT. Even nuBSG found a way to use Richard Hatch in a "not Apollo" role and he became quite prominent.

There are several different ways to approach the story.

 

[TheSeeker]

As much as the fanboy in me would love to see a continuation of the prime universe set in the post Nemesis era, I really think a fresh start is the way to go. Something not beholden to the prime universe or the JJ-Verse. Just take the best elements of Trek and create something familiar but new so they can tell the stories they want to tell without being hampered by 50 years worth of continuity.

 

[Mudd]

Yeah, so little new continuity has been established in the Abrams films thus far - other than details pertaining to the TOS characters, it's just the destruction of Vulcan - that a new series can continue with the general style and energy of those films without committing to be part of any "canon" associated with them.

Just don't mention Vulcan.

 

[TheSeeker]

I guess there are probably enough Vulcans still around to make things interesting if they want to use them in some way.

 

[LLAP]

Wrote this in another thread:

Misconception 1

A show set in the prime universe will be too weighed down by canon for writers to be creative.

Misconception 2

A prime universe show would be somehow old fashioned/out of date.

Misconception 3

A prime universe show would require knowledge of previous trek.

Misconception 4

A prime universe show will have to explain in depth what happened to galactic politics after the events leading up to the 2380s.

Misconception 5

Fans will be really pedantic about canon in the Prime Universe, and producers will care about this a great deal.

Misconception 6

Starting fresh will bring in more viewers.

Dunno just some of my thoughts. I would explain further but I don't want to look too swivel eyed here haha.

Misconception 7

The prime universe matters to anyone outside of the fandom.


Honestly, in what universe the show is set is completely irrelevant, there's not a single story that can be told in one but not the other. They may have to swap out a character, reference or location but that's not a big deal, if they find an artifact on vulcan or on an acient vulcan colony (in the JJ universe) makes no difference for example.

Being set in the 22nd century didn't stop Enterprise from using Brent Spiner, Marina Sirtis and Jonathan Frakes, the latter two even as their 24th century characters. If the show is set in the new universe and they really want TNG characters just have the new ship encounter an anomaly and *poof* Captain Riker and the Titan appear. They don't even have to explain it but if they want they can technobabble that their universes seem to be connected somehow and crossing over is relatively easy, the reason would be the events of Star Trek '09 but the new and TNG characters wouldn't know that. To them there would just be an unexplained connection just like their seemed to be a connection between the prime and mirror universes.

Not really true though since CBS based their decision to do a new show on streaming of the old shows which were Prime Universe. It makes business sense too. They'll also want to keep previous Star Trek relevant to the current Star Trek especially as it's clear they remain popular even after all these years.

 

[garoo1980]

I think which particular setting only really has bearing on how easy it is to shoe horn in some guest stars. If it's set in the new films timeline and current time (which I doubt) then it would be pretty easy to get Zachary Quinto to pop by for the season finale. If it's set in the Prime timeline during TNG that would be harder, but they still could. He tripped and fell into a worm hole, easy. It frankly doesn't matter that much.

Putting it a few years ahead of anything we've seen makes the most sense to me, but it doesn't matter that much. It's scifi, time travel can be as big as a part as they want. TNG was 80 years later and we still have McCoy (briefly), Spock and Scotty. It's all good

 

[Greg Cox]

I think for me seeing so many people rubbish the prime universe and big up NuTrek on this very forum is sad because who else is gonna stand up for the Trek we grew up with?

I don't think anybody is "rubbishing" classic Trek. It's perfectly possibly to enjoy both the Original Recipe and any new versions. You don't have to choose sides, and liking the reboot doesn't mean disrespecting or rejecting the previous version.

(It's weird. In general, people often seem to think that liking a remake means dissing the previous version. I still remember a very heated on-line debate pitting the two different movie versions of TRUE GRIT against each other. The notion that maybe, just maybe both versions might have their merits and be worth watching never even seemed to cross anyone's mind. Sigh.)

Also, on a pragmatic level, those of us who grew up on TOS or whatever, are no longer the prime target demographic. That's just a fact of life. TREK's future depends on attracting new and younger viewers, not just us old-timers.

 

[Squiggy]

The hate for nuTrek has nothing to do in the universe in, but the style that it's presented. It might be the action or the OMGBIGENTERPRISE or whatever. The only substantive difference between the two is the lack of Vulcan, which really means fuck all to us because it never really mattered in the Prime Universe. It was the setting of what, 5 episodes total?

Plop it down in the Prime Universe and the same people will hate it. The writing is going to be same regardless of which planet is gone. The design is going to be modern. What's the point of going back to Prime if everything is different anyway?

The look - the fee - the style of the Prime Universe is what's dead. That's never coming back. That era of production went out with Enterprise.

The new fans CBS is trying to attract don't give two shits anyway.