Alex Kurtzman Gets New Deal With CBS, Will Expand 'Star Trek' TV

[cultcross]

It strikes me that it could be, in a way, Picard's swan song, since it seems to be miniseries length. I hope it's not just some TNG nostalgia trip, checking up with where everyone (including potentially a good deal of DS9 and VOY characters) is now. It would potentially provide a lot of hooks for new 24th century content however.

A well done sending off for Picard could be immense. It was always a shame he ended with Nemesis. I'm a little worried it would turn into a cameo parade with little substance, but it could be awesome.

 

[jaime]

It strikes me that it could be, in a way, Picard's swan song, since it seems to be miniseries length. I hope it's not just some TNG nostalgia trip, checking up with where everyone (including potentially a good deal of DS9 and VOY characters) is now. It would potentially provide a lot of hooks for new 24th century content however.

They’re adapting the Destiny books

 

[Starscream2112]

A Khan miniseries? Perhaps the Game of Thrones of Star Trek?

 

[jaime]

Right now Trek exists in three eras (in universe):

• 22nd Century - Archer's era
• 23rd Century - Kirk's era
• 24th Century - Picard's era

So one logical place for a new series to be set has always been the 25th century - the next next generation. But although we fans know Star Trek is a big enough setting to have brand new crews, it seems like the studios think of Star Trek in terms of TOS being a core property around which other things are spun off.

• 22nd Century - Archer's era
• - Enterprise
• 23rd Century - Kirk's era
• - Discovery
• - The Original Series
• - The Animated Series
• - STAR TREK: Phase Two (CGI series)
• 24th Century - Picard's era
• - The Next Generation
• - Deep Space Nine
• - Voyager
• 25th Century
• - STAR TREK: The New Adventures
• - STAR TREK: Challenger/Pioneer

If that's the case, an animated CGI series covering Kirk's lost 5-mission on the Motion Picture refit would make perfect sense - no need for Shatner, Nimoy, Kelley.

But I'm worried about this trend of making things that are really closely linked to the existing shows - like a Khan spinoff could be the exact sort of uneccecary fanwank other franchises churn out if handled poorly - and a Picard return could likewise be awful (optimistically it's retired Picard going on an archaeological adventure for 50 episodes - but knowing Hollywood it would be "let's trot out the Borg, ruin them further"). So a super expanded list could end up looking more like this - and if it was a perfect world and they were handled well, I wouldn't mind:

• 21st Century
• - STAR TREK: Year One
• 22nd Century - Archer's era
• - STAR TREK: The Kzin War
• - Enterprise
• - STAR TREK: The Romulan War
• 23rd Century - Kirk's era
• - Discovery
• - The Original Series
• - The Animated Series
• - STAR TREK: Phase Two (CGI series)
• - STAR TREK: Khan's Inferno
• 24th Century - Picard's era
• - The Next Generation
• - Deep Space Nine
• - Voyager
• - STAR TREK: Immemorial (Picard the Archaeologist)
• - STAR TREK: Klingon Defence Force
• 25th Century
• - STAR TREK: The New Adventures
• - STAR TREK: Challenger/Pioneer

They could expand in any direction in the 25th Century - have the Dominion return with Odo as it's emissary - be challenged by hereto unknown civilizations, even from beyond the galaxy. But I think it would be a good idea to have an optimistic core show to re-establish the brand before doing anything crazy - and space should feel like a marvel again.

I really don't know if Alex Kurtzman or Akiva Goldsman is the right person for this, it's beginning to look like Seth MacFarlane might have been a good choice for the 25th century optimistic core show, but if they dish it out to like three different teams that could be great.

I admire your optimism, but the Kzin thing will never happen.

 

[dahj]

Hang on, I'm sure I read here somewhere that Discovery is a complete failure and CBS is intent on destroying Star Trek for good. What's this about making more of it?

 

[lawman]

It strikes me that it could be, in a way, Picard's swan song, since it seems to be miniseries length.

I suspect you're on the right track there. If they dovetail it with real time, it'd probably be set c. the late 2390s, with Picard aged accordingly. The thing is, I could see a project like that being done either really well or really badly, depending on the creative talent involved (and Kurtzman and Goldsman are not talent I trust). I suppose I should just hope and trust that Stewart won't do the project unless it's actually a high-quality story.

 

[eschaton]

I bet the subscription dropoff after Discovery ended was something to see. I have to think it's in their best interests to get these shows up and running ASAP.

Yeah. I said before that even with a mid-season hiatus, along with judiciously picking season starts and ends so that you have like a week of content in the first/last month, they'd still need at least three Trek series running concurrently to ensure Trekkies don't drop out.

 

[Scargate]

Well they don't really need to worry about the Summer months. July, August, and September. They get great numbers with Big Brother live feeders subscribing to All Access for those 3 months.

 

[eschaton]

Hang on, I'm sure I read here somewhere that Discovery is a complete failure and CBS is intent on destroying Star Trek for good. What's this about making more of it?

I think the question of if Discovery is good has no bearing on whether MOAR TREK is a good idea financially for CBS. They're just going to go with quantity, and hope they come up with enough Trek OC to keep die-hard fans continually subscribed to CBS All Access.

Seriously though, they said from day one they planned to do multiple Trek shows, and they indicated that even if DIS was a failure they were still going forward with more Trek content. None of this is a surprise other than Kurtzman being in charge.

 

[Ralphis]

2. Confidential short-run show (may be TNG reunion show)

3. Khan-based miniseries likely written by Nicholas Meyer

I like the idea of doing multiple limited-run series. For a long time I've wanted a Star Trek 'anthology' show, kind of like American Horror Story or Fargo - where each season has different characters and settings - but I realize for Star Trek that probably isn't practical. The multiple limited-run approach kind of gives us something close to that, but done in addition to Disco and any other upcoming regular Trek series. I loves it!

4. Animated series with confidential plot

Probably in the minority here, but I think it would be fun to do a 'untold voyages' set within the first 5-year mission. A Clone Wars/Rebels style show would give you the avenue to do something reasonably faithful to the look and feel of TOS, but also add in Trek's 50+ years of evolution. Kirk vs. Disco Klingons? You could do it.

This must fake news.
Everyone knows that the studio is only interested in making TOS era content for casual fans.

That GIF kind of makes him look like he's doing a John Cena impression.

 

[Tracer Bullet]

I've hoped for years that the TNG cast would get one last hurrah. They deserve a better final adventure than Nemesis.

 

[Mudd]

Can't get worked up about an i09 report. When there's something approaching a TV series I'll give a shit.

None of this is exciting, though - McDonald's announces a new kind of bun for their toadburgers.

 

[cultcross]

For a long time I've wanted a Star Trek 'anthology' show, kind of like American Horror Story or Fargo - where each season has different characters and settings - but I realize for Star Trek that probably isn't practical.

Allegedly this is what Fuller originally pitched for Discovery. It may be they listened harder than they made out!

 

[F. King Daniel]

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/l...os-will-expand-star-trek-tv-franchise-1104232

"Under the new pact, Kurtzman will serve as the show's lone showrunner after taking over Star Trek: Discovery from Aaron Harberts and Gretchen Berg, who were recently fired from the series. Kurtzman will also expand the Star Trek franchise for the small screen, developing new series, miniseries and other content, including animation."

Holy fuckballs!

It's JJ Abrams' plan from 2013

 

[Terok Nor]

This is the best news about Trek I've heard in years! Multiple spin offs including an animated series and a possible TNG reunion. Well probably end up getting a show set in the Kelvin timeline too! Everyone wins!

 

[PixelMagic]

Who knows if this is still the plan, but last I heard, the first series will be a "Pike's five year mission" series that will spin off from Discovery. There have been lots of showrunner changes though, so maybe that's not the plan anymore.

 

[Tuskin38]

Well probably end up getting a show set in the Kelvin timeline too! Everyone wins!

Seems unlikely to me unless Paramount gets involved.

 

[eschaton]

Who knows if this is still the plan, but last I heard, the first series will be a "Pike's five year mission" series that will spin off from Discovery. There have been lots of showrunner changes though, so maybe that's not the plan anymore.

IMHO that only makes sense if they either cancel Discovery or radically retool it. Two treks - both in the same time, both in roughly the same place, and both based on ships - seems mighty redundant. Of course, they could try and make them different structurally - make the pike show more episodic, maybe a bit lighter in mood - but the best-case scenario would be "Pike Trek" overtaking Discovery and leading to its cancellation.

 

[PixelMagic]

IMHO that only makes sense if they either cancel Discovery or radically retool it. Two treks - both in the same time, both in roughly the same place, and both based on ships - seems mighty redundant.

Yeah, could you imagine if they'd done that with TNG/DS9/VOY? Total disaster!

Actually it makes sense, and they wouldn't be on at the same time. When Discovery is between seasons (a year time frame) you'd have Pike's show on. When Pike's show is between seasons (a year time frame) then Discovery will be on. This helps greatly in avoiding burnout when you only get one show at a time over long periods.

It also keeps CBS All Access from losing a mass of subscribers during Trek down time.

 

[Relayer1]

...different approaches and appealing to different audiences.

I'm ALL of them. I'll watch (and buy) the lot !