Do fans want the prime timeline back? Part 2: Poll edition.

[TRON JA307020]

I don't think a TV series will take place in the Abramsverse either. I believe we'll get a hard reboot when Trek comes back to TV.

So you think they will do a 2nd reboot with a new actor playing Kirk? I doubt that it will water the series down to much and cheapen it. Since the last prime universe story was down about 10 years ago it is still recent enough to warrant a new series set in the prime universe. Except for Enterprise the Prime Universe properties were not a failure as you stated. I believe you feel this is because ST is a niche product. If I were to go by your reasoning of failure the NuTrek movies have made much less than more popular properties such as the avengers so Trek is still more of a niche product than mainstream. When Star Wars VII is released NuTrek will be far behind in ticket sales. I mean STID only made about a 25-30 million profits and Star Wars will probably make a few hundred million profit. So would NuTrek then be considered a failure?

 

[fireproof78]

I don't think a TV series will take place in the Abramsverse either. I believe we'll get a hard reboot when Trek comes back to TV.

So you think they will do a 2nd reboot with a new actor playing Kirk? I doubt that it will water the series down to much and cheapen it. Since the last prime universe story was down about 10 years ago it is still recent enough to warrant a new series set in the prime universe. Except for Enterprise the Prime Universe properties were not a failure as you stated. I believe you feel this is because ST is a niche product. If I were to go by your reasoning of failure the NuTrek movies have made much less than more popular properties such as the avengers so Trek is still more of a niche product than mainstream. When Star Wars VII is released NuTrek will be far behind in ticket sales. I mean STID only made about a 25-30 million profits and Star Wars will probably make a few hundred million profit. So would NuTrek then be considered a failure?

According to many that I have read (especially click bait articles) STID was already a failure and ST 3 will likely received the same treatment.

Star Trek has always been a niche product, and won't make the money that Star Wars and Avengers and F & F make. And it really is not a fair comparison. They shouldn't be considered a failure because of that fact. STID wasn't a failure, moneywise, and it got a sequel, which is more than can be said for many other films right now.

As for a reboot, how does another one "water down" the franchise? If anything, it gives the audience something more to draw them in to the franchise. Oh, I didn't care for Abrams Star Trek but maybe this new show might be interesting.

I don't really think you can water down a franchise in an era were reboots are extremely common, and the franchise we are talking about barely has a showing in the TV and movie market. Another reboot could mean reaching previously unreached audiences.

 

[Ryan8bit]

The X-Files is a totally different beast as we haven't had 28 seasons of prior product and it will be a heck of a lot cheaper to produce.

Plus, it's a mini-series. I'm not sure if they intend on making it into what some Star Trek fans would want a TV series to turn into. They want the days of constant running Trek. Where spinoffs kept coming out and the shows could pretty much guarantee a 7-year run.

However, I don't think the X-files will be drastically cheaper than Star Trek would be. I'm guessing it will be at least $3 million for each episode, although potentially more. They can afford that because it is likely to get the ratings. I don't know if Star Trek could match that hype.

I honestly don't see any meaningful difference here at all.

There honestly isn't one. It's just like you said, where Vulcan, Khan, etc are different, but if they really wanted to Voyager could still exist. There is no determinism that binds the JJverse, so they could do whatever they want.

I think the biggest difference is one of the broad strokes of the history. If a show took place after all these events, it might need to stick to at least some of it. If I was running it, that's probably how I'd treat continuity. Because all of the minutiae doesn't really matter. Those little points were often contradicted in the same shows, let alone between spinoffs. Even if there is a return, expect many little points like that to be thrown out, or possibly even some of the major ones.

 

[BillJ]

So you think they will do a 2nd reboot with a new actor playing Kirk?

Yes.

I doubt that it will water the series down to much and cheapen it.

In a world with umpteen variations of Superman, Batman, and so on... I believe the universe can handle one more version of Kirk and Spock.

Since the last prime universe story was down about 10 years ago it is still recent enough to warrant a new series set in the prime universe.

Ten years may as well be one hundred from Hollywood's perspective.

Except for Enterprise the Prime Universe properties were not a failure as you stated.

The ratings slide starting with Deep Space Nine paints a different picture.

I believe you feel this is because ST is a niche product.

Star Trek became a niche product on Berman's watch. A set of shows more interested on patting themselves on the back than being entertaining.

If I were to go by your reasoning of failure the NuTrek movies have made much less than more popular properties such as the avengers so Trek is still more of a niche product than mainstream.

Star Trek has never been as popular as some fans want to believe. It had a sweet spot in the early-90's when Star Wars was asleep.

When Star Wars VII is released NuTrek will be far behind in ticket sales.

Star Trek has always made less money than Star Wars.

I mean STID only made about a 25-30 million profits...

Unless you're an accountant for Paramount, you have no real idea how much money Star Trek has made.

and Star Wars will probably make a few hundred million profit.

Star Wars has always been more popular.

So would NuTrek then be considered a failure?

In the Trek sandbox, the Abrams films are some of the most successful Trek properties. In the grander scheme of things, they are mid-range hits. Considering where the property was at in 2005, CBS and Paramount both have to be delighted.

So we have two distinct (for some fans) storytelling timelines. One that ended as a dismal failure (unfortunate, but true), one that has generated over a billion dollars across two films. If you're a head of a company that is dependent on eyeballs to generate revenue, which one do you choose?

I'm not even sure that you could sell the majority of fandom on something set 20 years after Voyager.

 

[T'Girl]

For example, if they released Voyager on blue ray and edited out all mentions of the planet Vulcan......hey presto, it now exists in the NuTrek universe

Also edit out all mentions of the term "Federation" and insert "peacekeeping armada."

 

[bbjeg]

"Fan" in this poll is defined as anyone who enjoyed one or combinations of any series, books, games, or movies.

(To modders: I'm unaware if this brakes any repost rule. I just want visual data on the topic, whichever way it goes.)

Nice to see that so many want the prime trek universe back. Hopefully one day.

It's not coming back. It is a part of the franchise that is now done. There may be reboots, re-imaginings, or whatever, but the Berman era Trek you know, in its current form, will never return. It's like people reminiscing about the "good old days". It's great fodder to use against changes one doesn't like, but it doesn't make it any more likely to return.

^It still continues in books and games FYI.

Except that if you include those, then the original question is pointless, because in that case the prime timeline never left. If, instead, we're talking about television shows and films, then yes, it is gone, and it will not return.

It is far easier to write a story set in the prime universe than it is to produce a TV or film series set in that universe.

^It's in regards to coming back to television.

Then why bring up that it's in books and games? I know it's in books and games. I have some of those books, and play some of those games. If we're talking television, though, and I assumed that's what we have been talking all along, it just isn't going to happen.

Though it's not on TV any more, it still exists. The poll ask (specified somewhere in this thread already) if fans want it back on TV. You stated "It is a part of the franchise that is now done" but it's not, even though it's not on TV.

 

[Amaris]

Nice to see that so many want the prime trek universe back. Hopefully one day.

It's not coming back. It is a part of the franchise that is now done. There may be reboots, re-imaginings, or whatever, but the Berman era Trek you know, in its current form, will never return. It's like people reminiscing about the "good old days". It's great fodder to use against changes one doesn't like, but it doesn't make it any more likely to return.

^It's in regards to coming back to television.

Then why bring up that it's in books and games? I know it's in books and games. I have some of those books, and play some of those games. If we're talking television, though, and I assumed that's what we have been talking all along, it just isn't going to happen.

Though it's not on TV any more, it still exists. The poll ask (specified somewhere in this thread already) if fans want it back on TV. You stated "It is a part of the franchise that is now done" but it's not, even though it's not on TV.

Oh for fuck sake, yes it exists in reruns, but it's not coming back to television as a new property based on the prime universe you remember. Your question makes no sense if you mean anything other than television and film, since prime Trek still exists in books, and magazines, so I'm focusing on television and film. You know, where it no longer exists as a new property. If it never left, it wouldn't need to return. Are you following what I'm saying?

 

[bbjeg]

No.

 

[Amaris]

No.

...

...

...

*kisses bbjeg right on the forehead*

 

[Kirk's Tribble]

Prime timeline.

As long as it's into the future in the timeline (say 2500s, 2800s) and they don't delete or change any previous events of the prime timeline with time travel or other means.

A new crew and new stories, as well as showing that the prime timeline is continuing (definitively proving that the alternate reality films are an alternate reality) would be good to see.

 

[Disco]

Re: Prime timeline.

As long as it's into the future in the timeline (say 2500s, 2800s) and they don't delete or change any previous events of the prime timeline with time travel or other means.

A new crew and new stories, as well as showing that the prime timeline is continuing (definitively proving that the alternate reality films are an alternate reality) would be good to see.

Not an alternate reality. A different timeline.

 

[Disco]

It's not coming back. It is a part of the franchise that is now done. There may be reboots, re-imaginings, or whatever, but the Berman era Trek you know, in its current form, will never return. It's like people reminiscing about the "good old days". It's great fodder to use against changes one doesn't like, but it doesn't make it any more likely to return.

Then why bring up that it's in books and games? I know it's in books and games. I have some of those books, and play some of those games. If we're talking television, though, and I assumed that's what we have been talking all along, it just isn't going to happen.

Though it's not on TV any more, it still exists. The poll ask (specified somewhere in this thread already) if fans want it back on TV. You stated "It is a part of the franchise that is now done" but it's not, even though it's not on TV.

Oh for fuck sake, yes it exists in reruns, but it's not coming back to television as a new property based on the prime universe you remember. Your question makes no sense if you mean anything other than television and film, since prime Trek still exists in books, and magazines, so I'm focusing on television and film. You know, where it no longer exists as a new property. If it never left, it wouldn't need to return. Are you following what I'm saying?

How do you know it's never coming back?

 

[bbjeg]

Re: Prime timeline.

As long as it's into the future in the timeline (say 2500s, 2800s) and they don't delete or change any previous events of the prime timeline with time travel or other means.

A new crew and new stories, as well as showing that the prime timeline is continuing (definitively proving that the alternate reality films are an alternate reality) would be good to see.

Not an alternate reality. A different timeline.

NuSpock said it was "precisely" an alternate reality and that's how I'm taking it. It's right up there with the mirror universe or one of Worf's parallel universes. Star Trek believes in string theory.

 

[Disco]

Re: Prime timeline.

As long as it's into the future in the timeline (say 2500s, 2800s) and they don't delete or change any previous events of the prime timeline with time travel or other means.

A new crew and new stories, as well as showing that the prime timeline is continuing (definitively proving that the alternate reality films are an alternate reality) would be good to see.

Not an alternate reality. A different timeline.

NuSpock said it was "precisely" an alternate reality and that's how I'm taking it. It's right up there with the mirror universe or one of Worf's parallel universes. Star Trek believes in string theory.

I stand corrected. Prime Spock referred to it as a different timeline.

 

[bbjeg]

[YT]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMK0qLVt0UU[/YT]

 

[Squiggy]

Though it's not on TV any more, it still exists. The poll ask (specified somewhere in this thread already) if fans want it back on TV. You stated "It is a part of the franchise that is now done" but it's not, even though it's not on TV.

Oh for fuck sake, yes it exists in reruns, but it's not coming back to television as a new property based on the prime universe you remember. Your question makes no sense if you mean anything other than television and film, since prime Trek still exists in books, and magazines, so I'm focusing on television and film. You know, where it no longer exists as a new property. If it never left, it wouldn't need to return. Are you following what I'm saying?

How do you know it's never coming back?

The same way we know there won't be a remastered DS9 or TNG season 8.

Common sense.

 

[Myko]

"Alternate reality" and "different timeline" are for all intents and purposes the same thing.

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

I suspect that Les Moonves' diabolical master plan is to wait another 20 years, at which time "I don't care, just give me Trek" will have taken the lead, and then launch something without all the baggage.

 

[bbjeg]

Like it or not, the Prime timeline is coming back with Star Trek: Discovery. To all that said it would never come back, hopefully, you'll learn to live with it and enjoy the ride.

 

[Greg Cox]

I'm surprised it's coming back, but I can certainly live with it. With any luck, we'll be seeing both the Prime AND the Kelvin timelines for years to come.