Let's talk about the elephant in the room, this series violates Roddenberry's vision big time

[MakeshiftPython]

It wasn't all the same and it was well received in my opinion. That same man had a pretty good track record..

Berman had a good track record when he had a very strong staff of writers during the TNG days. By the start of ENT they had all jumped ship but Braga, who was by then exausted and that unfortunately reflected on his work. It wasn't until they brought in new writers like Coto that the show started to find direction and flesh out the characters better, but was too late as ENT already lost too many viewers.

 

[Tesophius]

Actually, quite a few are watching in spite of the Trek brand, not because of it.

A few of my work colleagues who never had an interest in Trek before have given it a go, and are loving it.

I probably wouldn't have seen it if not for it being a Trek show, given I had to sign up for Netflix, but I'm very glad I have..

Sure, it might be attracting a crowd of youngsters that like all these gritty fantasy shows. You're actually reinforcing my point, STD is a random sci fi show, not the worst, not the best.

But it's not unique the way StarTrek was.

 

[Bad Thoughts]

Sure, it might be attracting a crowd of youngsters that like all these gritty fantasy shows. You're actually reinforcing my point, STD is a random sci fi show, not the worst, not the best.

But it's not unique the way StarTrek was.

I'm sure that the audience is only one aspect of CBS' strategy. They are also looking at how it affects fandom, which will lead to lucrative licensing.

 

[XCV330]

I'm sure that the audience is only one aspect of CBS' strategy. They are also looking at how it affects fandom, which will lead to lucrative licensing.

What fan goods does Trek sell apart from the occasional Eaglemoss model?
They never have really figured out how to merchandise the show. Even the video games are usually not very good compared to that other Star Franchise's offerings..

 

[Bad Thoughts]

What fan goods does Trek sell apart from the occasional Eaglemoss model?
They never have really figured out how to merchandise the show. Even the video games are usually not very good compared to that other Star Franchise's offerings..

There isn't a whole lot planned directly from Discovery, but subjectively, I think there has been a pickup in merchandise over the last few years: larger format books, models, board games, Mega Blocks (the D-7 is really worth seeking out), etc. Yes, not all the offerings have been great in recent years, particularly related to JJTrek, but Kurtzman and Orci quite clearly stated that they hoped to merchandise far more than what took place.

 

[Kor]

Trek merchandising isn't what it used to be.

For instance, the 1990s were a golden age for Star Trek action figures (cartoonish as they were) that had big selection, play value, and collectible value at the same time.

They have not managed to replicate that phenomenon again. More recent Trek action figures have been either 1) the lousy ST09 line that kids didn't want to play with and adults didn't want to collect, 2) hyper-realistic big figures that cost a lot and only serious collectors like, or 3) those hipster "ReAction" figures that appeal purely to 1980s nostalgia.

Kor

 

[Bad Thoughts]

Trek merchandising isn't what it used to be.

For instance, the 1990s were a golden age for Star Trek action figures (cartoonish as they were) that had big selection, play value, and collectible value at the same time.

They have not managed to replicate that phenomenon again. More recent Trek action figures have been either 1) the lousy ST09 line that kids didn't want to play with and adults didn't want to collect, 2) hyper-realistic big figures that cost a lot and only serious collectors like, or 3) those hipster "ReAction" figures that appeal purely to 1980s nostalgia.

Kor

I totally agree, but then it was mostly being carried by the movies, which only appeared every few years. However, the toy offerings were clearly subpar, which I don't think can wholly be attributed solely to the success of the movies.

As a parent of an 11-year old, I can say that there is at least some demand for some sort of model or figure of the Discovery, which is more than I can say for his demand for a JJPrise.

 

[jaime]

What fan goods does Trek sell apart from the occasional Eaglemoss model?
They never have really figured out how to merchandise the show. Even the video games are usually not very good compared to that other Star Franchise's offerings..

Books. Hundreds of them. And let’s go back to when Trek was in its golden age...the nineties...
Books, action figures, playsets, a Vegas hotel experience, posters, badges, uniform and prop replicas, micro machine toys, model kits, trading cards apolooza, board games, trading card games, video games (which, despite your suggestion, have a few genuine hits, one or two misses...on a whole, Star Wars has about the same record and fires a lot more shots. It’s also been more active in the current ongoing video game boom.) greetings cards, decorations, clothing ranges, magazines, comics....
Thing is...DIS skews too old in the audience for a ton of those. There’s hundreds of monies merchandising they won’t make in my house because my little one can’t watch it. If I think how much mercy I pleaded for or later spent my own moolah on in the golden age...well. There’s a missed opportunity, and I hope my fellow thirty something Trek fans are joined by new fans making up the shortfall. But there will be no playmates toys in kids rooms off the back of DIS.

 

[jaime]

I totally agree, but then it was mostly being carried by the movies, which only appeared every few years. However, the toy offerings were clearly subpar, which I don't think can wholly be attributed solely to the success of the movies.

As a parent of an 11-year old, I can say that there is at least some demand for some sort of model or figure of the Discovery, which is more than I can say for his demand for a JJPrise.

In my experience most of the merchandising was TNG. the movies had very little presence tbh.

 

[XCV330]

Thing is...DIS skews too old in the audience for a ton of those. There’s hundreds of monies merchandising they won’t make in my house because my little one can’t watch it. If I think how much mercy I pleaded for or later spent my own moolah on in the golden age...well. There’s a missed opportunity, and I hope my fellow thirty something Trek fans are joined by new fans making up the shortfall. But there will be no playmates toys in kids rooms off the back of DIS.

Which is why Trek needs an animated show.

 

[jaime]

Which is why Trek needs an animated show.

Gods no.
I was converted to TAS by my little one in recent years, but ultimately, no. It works for Rebels because Star Wars always skewed younger. Animation in the West, particularly the kind you essentially described here, is thought of as a kids thing. (I am an anime fan, but can’t imagine a Trek series working.) It would be a divided audience, not what Trek had which was something kids watched with their parents, a sense of being grown up by watching it.
Plus, there is not a person alive I would trust to do a good job on it.

 

[XCV330]

Gods no.
I was converted to TAS by my little one in recent years, but ultimately, no. It works for Rebels because Star Wars always skewed younger. Animation in the West, particularly the kind you essentially described here, is thought of as a kids thing. (I am an anime fan, but can’t imagine a Trek series working.) It would be a divided audience, not what Trek had which was something kids watched with their parents, a sense of being grown up by watching it.
Plus, there is not a person alive I would trust to do a good job on it.

The flash-movie preview for Star Trek: Lions of the Night looks very dated now, but i think it showed promise. It would be hard to find the right studio to do an animated series, (Paramount now has an animation studio but I dont know anything about it) but it does open up a lot of possibilities and brings in past actors for voice talent. I think it's possible, just hard to do right.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

Three things made TAS good.

1) TOS alumni (and Niven) as writers.
2) TOS voices.
3) Filmation, which, the errors notwithstanding, did a generally superb job in realizing TOS in an animated form. With an incrementally higher budget, it's easy to imagine the errors being largely eliminated.

With more of 1, better voice directing with respect to 2, and a higher animation budget, TAS could have been excellent. As it was, TAS earned Star Trek its first Emmy, by the way.

 

[Vger23]

Sure, it might be attracting a crowd of youngsters that like all these gritty fantasy shows. You're actually reinforcing my point, STD is a random sci fi show, not the worst, not the best.

But it's not unique the way StarTrek was.

I think the problem, though, is that Star Trek stopped being "unique" once it started repeating itself (format, style, themes, character templates, etc) in earnest in the early and mid-90's.

It's hard when you have a franchise that sustains tremendous growth and exposure AND is duplicated by other franchises to keep it "unique."

Star Trek hasn't been unique for a long, long time.

At least DSC is trying to portray the franchise with a different story, tone, and character templates.

 

[eschaton]

Watching all of TAS last year, I did wonder how possible it would be to do a "reboot" of sorts. Basically keep the old voice acting (except maybe some of James Doohan and Majel Barett's voice acting as the guest stars, which could be redone) but update the visuals with modern animation and add better sound effects.

 

[KirkusOveractus]

I think the problem, though, is that Star Trek stopped being "unique" once it started repeating itself (format, style, themes, character templates, etc) in earnest in the early and mid-90's.

It's hard when you have a franchise that sustains tremendous growth and exposure AND is duplicated by other franchises to keep it "unique."

Star Trek hasn't been unique for a long, long time.

At least DSC is trying to portray the franchise with a different story, tone, and character templates.

They're making an effort, but they're using templates from other series that have come and gone (even to the point of using the same actress for some BSG-type moments and dialogue!)

 

[Albinator]

What fan goods does Trek sell apart from the occasional Eaglemoss model?
They never have really figured out how to merchandise the show. Even the video games are usually not very good compared to that other Star Franchise's offerings..

Trek has never really worked in video games because the best video games are action/adventure and Trek is (when at its best) not an action adventure. And when it is (JJ films) fans freak out.

They've tried games with more thoughtful stories, but generally those kinds of games even when successful are not licensed. Licensed games are hard to make, and only made easier when it's an action/adventure (Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, etc).

It's not about figuring it out, either. It's about finding an audience that buys lots of merchandise. When Trek appealed to younger audiences (1960s/early 70s, and late 80s/early 90s) there was TONS of merchandise EVERYWHERE. And it sold well.

But since,..idk, 1995 or so, Trek has mostly been a property that appealed to older audiences, and that's tough to merchandise. Though they've done a decent job of it.

The reasons the JJ movies failed in toys and merchandise, I've heard, is that JJ Abrams wanted to oversee the development of everything-- he had it in his contract I think-- and it really slowed down and hurt their ability to make lots of cool stuff.

 

[Vger23]

They're making an effort, but they're using templates from other series that have come and gone (even to the point of using the same actress for some BSG-type moments and dialogue!)

But, at this point in the history of entertainment...what is NOT derivative? It's easy to say "Trek should be unique." It's much harder to answer "oh yeah...great! How, exactly?"

At least it's a unique exploration of the Trek universe. That's refreshing in itself, in my opinion.

 

[KirkusOveractus]

The reasons the JJ movies failed in toys and merchandise, I've heard, is that JJ Abrams wanted to oversee the development of everything-- he had it in his contract I think-- and it really slowed down and hurt their ability to make lots of cool stuff.

That's part of the issue with the toys and merchandise from the last three movies, but also was Bad Robot's request to CBS to slow down on marketing TOS-themed merchandise, and CBS said no.

 

[Noname Given]

I think the problem, though, is that Star Trek stopped being "unique" once it started repeating itself (format, style, themes, character templates, etc) in earnest in the early and mid-90's.

It's hard when you have a franchise that sustains tremendous growth and exposure AND is duplicated by other franchises to keep it "unique."

Star Trek hasn't been unique for a long, long time.

At least DSC is trying to portray the franchise with a different story, tone, and character templates.

Star Trek was NEVER "unique" - it's unique progenitor was the 1956 film Forbidden Planet and even TOS writing structure was the way it was because a number of the staff and hollywood freelancers who were called in to submit/pitch a script had also done stories for popular genre TV series of that era in the 1950ies like Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits.

I realize it's hard for generations who became fans after the 1960ies/1970ies era find it hard to separate out Gene Roddenberry's out and out buillsh*t and he likes to claim Star Trek was 'the first adult Science Fiction series/Always dealt with topical issues (again it did, but not all the time - and both the Twilight Zone and Outer Limits did the same using the science fiction aspect to mask that they were too.)

This is not to say Star Trek did have many original concepts and add it's own aspects of style to the space based science fiction genre but it was hardly 'unique' in it's creation or presentation and borrowed HEAVILY from previous science fiction films/series/stories that came before it.