There's also no point in doing Star Trek that just re-hashes and re-visits the same themes, character types, structure, etc. that has been done 700 times already either though.
That's one of the reasons DS9 was so good. It dared to do something different with the formula.
I agree completely. One of my biggest issues with both Voyager and Enterprise back at the time, was that they were just more of the same.
There were superficial differences in Voyager, the always in the background only occasionally an actual priority status quo of trying to find a way home, but for the most part it was just Trek as usual.
Same with Enterprise for its first two seasons. Only the episodes with Shran ever really felt like the show was acting on its promised premise of being a prequel. I admired what they tried to do in season 3, which I considered a interesting and valiant, but ultimately not quite as successful as it could have been, experiment. However, I love season 4. It started to play with the premise and the formula a little bit, and actually did start to feel like an actual prequel. However, by then the damage was done and there was not going to be a season 5. So much the pity.
However, I love Deep Space Nine because, while it was obviously a show set in the same universe with characters who lived by the similar ideals, it was not just Trek as usual. I was resistant to the idea at first myself, but quickly came to realize the advantages of the show taking place largely in what's essentially a large Frontier Town in space, opened up all sorts of Storytelling possibilities, which Deep Space Nine producers embraced wholeheartedly and quite successfully. It opened up the floodgates of what Star Trek could be. However, Voyager and Enterprise chose instead to play it rather safe, much to the detriment of the franchise in my opinion.
Ultimately, if I had to compare Discovery to The Orville, I would give the nod to Discovery simply because it is trying something different, adding new texture and layers to the franchise in a way that another Trek as usual wouldn't.
And ultimately, I would lump the Orville in with Voyager and Enterprise is simply being Trek as usual. Not that it's a bad show, I'm watching it, so it's ratings benefit from my participation, and I am enjoying it for what it is. But, in my opinion, what it ultimately is is a throwback. Star Trek should boldly go...
