Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Confirmed.

[JD]

According to comments from Akiva Goldsman made in an interview with Variety, SNW will not be as serialized as Discovery and Picard.

We’re going to try to harken back to some classical ‘Trek’ values, to be optimistic, and to be more episodic. Obviously, we will take advantage of the serialized nature of character and story-building, but I think our plots will be more closed-ended than you’ve seen in either ‘Discovery’ or ‘Picard.’

I imagine it to be closer to the Original Series than even ‘DS9′ [in terms of serialization]. We can really tell closed-ended stories. We can find ourselves in episodes that are tonally of a piece.

Kirk is heartbroken at the loss of Edith Keeler in ‘The City on the Edge of Forever’ and has to be just fine the next week…

I think what we would want to do is keep the characters having moved through and recognizing the experiences they’ve had in previous episodes, but to be able to tell contained, episodic stories.

 

[Vger23]

A couple of minor observations from reading a lot of this:

1. I'm surprised at the revolt against serialization in Star Trek. I don't have any issue with Trek being more episodic...but what is the massive upset about serialization all about? Genuinely curious.

2. I can't believe that some fans are STILL holding out hope that you're going to see 1965 design aesthetics and sensibilities in this show....and what's more, lots of people are seemingly basing their acceptance of the show on this. Folks, I hate to ruin your weekend, but not only is it highly doubtful, it's also not really something that should seriously matter.

3. Seems odd that so many are resistant to the idea of more TOS characters showing up.

 

[Lord Garth]

1. I'm surprised at the revolt against serialization in Star Trek. I don't have any issue with Trek being more episodic...but what is the massive upset about serialization all about? Genuinely curious.

I'm not. I've kept tabs. I've been aware of this since Day One of Discovery (actually technically since DS9, but I'll stick to current times). As soon as they heard SNW was going to be episodic, they came out of the woodwork.

 

[NCC-73515]

"Hallelujah! PRAAAAAAAIIIIIISE THE LOOOOOOORD!!!!!!"
"Can ah hear an Amen?!"
"Amen!"
"Ah said can ah heeeeear an A-men?!"
"AMEN!!!!!!!"
"Praise the Great Bird! He had with Him a Vision! Gene's Vision!"
"Amen!"
"Ah can hear the song! Sing the sooonnnnggggg!"

Beyond
The rim of the star-light
My love
Is wand'ring in star-flight
I know
He'll find in star-clustered reaches
Love,
Strange love a star woman teaches.
I know
His journey ends never
His star trek
Will go on forever.
But tell him
While he wanders his starry sea
Remember, remember me.

"Hallelujah!"

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I would say the only casting the show really needs is a transperson.

Some of the original crew could have transitioned before the show

 

[Lord Garth]

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Some of the original crew could have transitioned before the show

Shit. I never really watched Futurama. I hit closer to the mark than I thought!

 

[Vger23]

I'm not. I've kept tabs. I've been aware of this since Day One of Discovery (actually technically since DS9, but I'll stick to current times). As soon as they heard SNW was going to be episodic, they came out of the woodwork.

Perhaps you're right.....but what's the objection? I guess I just don't understand the overwhelming opposition.

 

[Nyotarules]

A couple of minor observations from reading a lot of this:
1. I'm surprised at the revolt against serialization in Star Trek. I don't have any issue with Trek being more episodic...but what is the massive upset about serialization all about? Genuinely curious.

Episodic TV - easier to follow? I don't mind watching either format

2. I can't believe that some fans are STILL holding out hope that you're going to see 1965 design aesthetics and sensibilities in this show....and what's more, lots of people are seemingly basing their acceptance of the show on this. Folks, I hate to ruin your weekend, but not only is it highly doubtful, it's also not really something that should seriously matter.

I wonder if TMP was a shock to the system in 1979 - uniform changed, Klingons changed, Enterprise changed, crew not together. The more fans change, the more they stay the same.

3. Seems odd that so many are resistant to the idea of more TOS characters showing up.

For me it smacks of small universe syndrome. The UFP is a trillion population state, Starfleet must have millions of staff defending and exploring on behalf of the UFP, the galaxy is huge and yet the same people need to turn up on Pike's Enterprise? Why? The franchise can handle new characters, it did so with TNG, DS9 and VOY etc

 

[CorporalClegg]

Some of the original crew could have transitioned before the show

I was thinking something along those lines.

There's been a running "joke" for a few weeks now along the lines of "They'll probably cast Uhura as a man." Of course, it's been to be taken as a snide joke about gender-swapping recastings and you can insert anyone there. But my thought is why not?

I think showing the process of what transitioning in the 23rd century might be like would be a very 'Star Trek' thing to do.

 

[Ryan Thomas Riddle]

A couple of minor observations from reading a lot of this:

1. I'm surprised at the revolt against serialization in Star Trek. I don't have any issue with Trek being more episodic...but what is the massive upset about serialization all about? Genuinely curious.

2. I can't believe that some fans are STILL holding out hope that you're going to see 1965 design aesthetics and sensibilities in this show....and what's more, lots of people are seemingly basing their acceptance of the show on this. Folks, I hate to ruin your weekend, but not only is it highly doubtful, it's also not really something that should seriously matter.

3. Seems odd that so many are resistant to the idea of more TOS characters showing up.

I'll address 1 and 3 for myself.

1. I've no problem with serialization or longer-form story arcs. However, they're seldom done well and stretch thin stories out over 10-13 episodes with lots of soap opera melodrama in between and more plot twists than a parody of an M. Night Shyamalan movie. Also, the current production team just can't seem to do them well. Finally, I'm sick of galaxy-extinction level events. Or billions of orc substitutes wiping out civilizations. Or Cthulhu synths with a tentacle to grind. Or [insert Thanos/Darkside/Evil God Allegory] wanting to exterminate all life. Huge universe burning stakes are boring now. Ho-hum. Give me something personal at stake.

2. I'd rather the show find its own legs before becoming a cavalcade of TOS appearances.

 

[CorporalClegg]

Modern television is loaded with serialized arcs that are done very well - especially when it comes to VOD. Star Trek is the outlier.

 

[Lord Garth]

Sorry, wasn't addressing it to anyone in particular. New forums and new shows are a new thing, with Discovery being the first new show in fifteen years. It just seems, to me, that the site administrator's should ease up a little on their unwritten new forum policy when it comes to new series. This is an evolving issue, and it's still early, but I feel a mistake was made with the Picard wait (and the continuous Lower Decks wait) that can be rectified by starting forums now and moving threads today, if possible.

But yeah, long story short, I agree with you. It'll probably be awhile.

I've come around to this way of thinking. No particular reason.

 

[Vger23]

I'll address 1 and 3 for myself.

1. I've no problem with serialization or longer-form story arcs. However, they're seldom done well and stretch thin stories out over 10-13 episodes with lots of soap opera melodrama in between and more plot twists than a parody of an M. Night Shyamalan movie. Also, the current production team just can't seem to do them well. Finally, I'm sick of galaxy-extinction level events. Or billions of orc substitutes wiping out civilizations. Or Cthulhu synths with a tentacle to grind. Or [insert Thanos/Darkside/Evil God Allegory] wanting to exterminate all life. Huge universe burning stakes are boring now. Ho-hum. Give me something personal at stake.

2. I'd rather the show find its own legs before becoming a cavalcade of TOS appearances.

I agree a lot with what you said regarding constant big stakes. I don't think serialization inherently demands that though.

"Soap Opera melodrama" is all in the eyes of the beholder. I don't mind character focus and big emotions in Star Trek. I loved the character throughlines in the TOS films and DS9 quite a bit, in fact.

I do think that serialized stories tend to disappoint people with their endings, though. I've found that fan expectations get so high when they invest that kind of time that it's virtually a guarantee that everyone will think the conclusion sucks. I can't understand why most writing teams don't more carefully plan out their endings and the lead-up pacing more effectively.

Regarding TOS characters, they're already using Spock, Pike and Una....I think the seal's already been broken. Might as well dive in and go at this point. Seemed to work pretty good for the Kelvin films.

 

[Tim Thomason]

It doesn't do much for Latif though who plays Tyler, unless they bring him onto the Enterprise for the time being.

It turns out that Ash Tyler had an identical twin, who was serving on the Enterprise. Pike didn't mention it because it was awkward.

Someone give Latif a shave and a blonde wig.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

Kirk takes command somewhere around 2265. Disco S2 is set 2257. Chances of the Strange New Worlds going 7 years are very slim, and that only matters if they insist on following some kind of one season = one year thing like Berman-era Trek constantly did.

Seasons being much shorter now, hopefully they don't even go 1 year per season. But you're right, you don't know how long any series goes nowadays.

 

[mdtauk]

What has been missing from the two recent Trek series IMO, is the lack of variety in the stories and storytelling.

One story, told over multiple episodes, where that story has not been as interesting as it could have been.

In Berman era Trek, there were stand out episodes either conceptually, structurally, or visually. And some of those stories would grab you and linger in your memory.

With serialised Trek you may get one or two stand out moments, but could you remember which episode it was from?

 

[Ryan Thomas Riddle]

I agree a lot with what you said regarding constant big stakes. I don't think serialization inherently demands that though.

"Soap Opera melodrama" is all in the eyes of the beholder. I don't mind character focus and big emotions in Star Trek. I loved the character throughlines in the TOS films and DS9 quite a bit, in fact.

I do think that serialized stories tend to disappoint people with their endings, though. I've found that fan expectations get so high when they invest that kind of time that it's virtually a guarantee that everyone will think the conclusion sucks. I can't understand why most writing teams don't more carefully plan out their endings and the lead-up pacing more effectively.

Regarding TOS characters, they're already using Spock, Pike and Una....I think the seal's already been broken. Might as well dive in and go at this point. Seemed to work pretty good for the Kelvin films.

Let me follow up on my comment on "soap opera melodrama", which I fully think the new production team leans heavily toward when it comes to character development. For example, Burnham and Saru. They start out as rivals but they don't interact all that much as people and only in the midsts of crisis. Then in the episode where Saru is "dying," Burnham is all weepy and saying he's her family. Um... since when? The show has done none of the groundwork to earn that emotional beat.

Let's contrast that with O'Brien and Bashir. The Chief hated... hated Julian. Hate-ted. But the show laid the groundwork for their eventually bromance. Having the characters interacting with one another and being forced to work with each other on several occasions. So when there were emotional moments, it felt earned.

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As for the seal... well sure. For me, however, I don't need a connect the dots to Kirk's crew. In a military even a quasi one, crews rotate all the time. So no need to have them all on the ship at the same time. But that's me. YMMV.

 

[Jadeb]

1. I'm surprised at the revolt against serialization in Star Trek. I don't have any issue with Trek being more episodic...but what is the massive upset about serialization all about? Genuinely curious.

I don’t dislike serialization, in theory, but I don’t care for the formula streaming Trek has adopted. And it really does feel like formula, with all three seasons building to absurd stakes that we know won’t come to pass, only to have the catastrophe averted abruptly (and not very satisfactorily) in the finale. The streaming shows have unprecedented storytelling freedom, yet they already feel repetitive. Only three seasons in, that’s not good. I don’t want more of that.

I haven’t watched TNG in ages (and am more of a TOS fan), but I threw on Tapestry the other night. I was impressed at how sharp and quick it was. The four-act structure forced a discipline on the writing. I don’t necessarily want to go back to that, but I do think the current shows would benefit from structure other than “fill time until we hand wave Armageddon at the end.”

 

[Firebird]

Let me follow up on my comment on "soap opera melodrama", which I fully think the new production team leans heavily toward when it comes to character development. For example, Burnham and Saru. They start out as rivals but they don't interact all that much as people and only in the midsts of crisis. Then in the episode where Saru is "dying," Burnham is all weepy and saying he's her family. Um... since when? The show has done none of the groundwork to earn that emotional beat.

Let's contrast that with O'Brien and Bashir. The Chief hated... hated Julian. Hate-ted. But the show laid the groundwork for their eventually bromance. Having the characters interacting with one another and being forced to work with each other on several occasions. So when there were emotional moments, it felt earned.

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As for the seal... well sure. For me, however, I don't need a connect the dots to Kirk's crew. In a military even a quasi one, crews rotate all the team. So no need to have them all on the ship at the same time. But that's me. YMMV.

I don't usually pay attention to those sort of videos on Youtube (down that path can lie madness and frustration), but that one was spot on regarding DSC's lack of character development.

 

[fireproof78]

With serialised Trek you may get one or two stand out moments, but could you remember which episode it was from?

I'm sure I'm the outlier but generally yes.

I see the point many are making for episodic style stories. But, I had my fill of that. If a balanced approach can be made with character continuity with episodic stories then ok. But, even though i don't agree with how all the finales have resolved so far Discovery's approach still appeals.

 

[Turtletrekker]

We saw two members of the House of Kor on Discovery, it would be nice to meet the man himself on Strange New Worlds. It's a shame they probably wouldn't be able to get Kenneth Mitchell to play him.