Trek’s biggest missed opportunities
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They really squandered an opportunity to have multiple movies between 2002 and 2009 by giving control of Nemesis to an incompetent team.
Played by the same actor that played Spock's father, of course.
I don't know: a few thousand light years here, a couple there, before you know it you're rather far away...
Two biggest squandered opportunities in my opinion were:
1994 - Generations was massively hyped - but the studio cheaped out on it, and the film stunk up the place. At the time, Trek was at its peak. Same thing happened with the X-Files movie, both series were huge and then just produced awful movies. Only difference is that TNG made 4 abominations instead of just 2.
2009 - Failure to capitalise on a break out hit. What many do not know is that ST09 was for a long time the third best selling blu-ray of all time*. CBS felt the need to release TNG season 1 (remastered) alongside that release. What they should have done is flogged the remastered TV movies with the release of ST09. Instead of getting in more newbies, they squandered the opportunity and so TNG S1 remastered sold more than any other TNG box set by some margin. I can only imagine the new fans disappointment with that set. And then we waited years for STID (which I personally loved), but they left it sooo long. Imagine if we'd of had a Captain Robeau series and how great that could have been.
Oh yeah and the biggest squander of them all has to be (at least for me) not setting DSC in the Kelvin universe. Instead we are given a show that in no way ties up with Prime TOS (again - this is just what I think).
Christ, I am a grumpy old ****
*https://www.the-numbers.com/alltime-bluray-sales-chart
1994 - Generations was massively hyped - but the studio cheaped out on it, and the film stunk up the place. At the time, Trek was at its peak. Same thing happened with the X-Files movie, both series were huge and then just produced awful movies. Only difference is that TNG made 4 abominations instead of just 2.
2009 - Failure to capitalise on a break out hit. What many do not know is that ST09 was for a long time the third best selling blu-ray of all time*. CBS felt the need to release TNG season 1 (remastered) alongside that release. What they should have done is flogged the remastered TV movies with the release of ST09. Instead of getting in more newbies, they squandered the opportunity and so TNG S1 remastered sold more than any other TNG box set by some margin. I can only imagine the new fans disappointment with that set. And then we waited years for STID (which I personally loved), but they left it sooo long. Imagine if we'd of had a Captain Robeau series and how great that could have been.
Oh yeah and the biggest squander of them all has to be (at least for me) not setting DSC in the Kelvin universe. Instead we are given a show that in no way ties up with Prime TOS (again - this is just what I think).
Christ, I am a grumpy old ****
*https://www.the-numbers.com/alltime-bluray-sales-chart
I wouldn't call "First Contact" an abomination. It was actually quite good. "Generations" and "Insurrection" weren't great, but they weren't horrible either.
Do you mean the "TOS" movies rather than the "TV movies"? If so... yeah no. I doubt the likes of TMP,TVH or TFF would have captivated the interest of the "newbies" as you call them.
I wouldn't underestimate The One About the Whales. New fans can get into old films, especially if they're good and have wide appeal.
In my experience, this is what happens when I spend more time picking on Star Trek rather than watching and having fun with Star Trek. The negativity eventually convinces me it's crap and there goes the fun, replaced with grump.
It actually killed my fun here for a year. The ragging on DISC wore me down until I needed a break to get my head on again.
So, forget that ****. Watch some old favorites until you remember why you liked Trek to begin with then don't let anything make you forget again.
Keep on Trekking!
ETA And for the record, it's become way less negative here than it used to be.
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No, I meant the two part episodes that were released on VHS and Blu Ray as two part TV movies here in the UK. The Best of Both Worlds, Redemption, Unification etc...
As for my term newbies - I meant no disrespect. I remember chatting to some people down the pub who had seen ST09 and thought it was great. At this point in time, it seemed that Star Wars was dead and Star Trek could conceivably break out of its niche. The family in the pub asked me what they should watch next - I advised them on The Best of Both Worlds.
Yeah, I loved First Contact when I first saw it. But it does a terrific disservice to the character of Picard. I think it's a good movie - just not a great Star Trek movie. Dumb but fun.
"Dumb but fun" is about every Trek film ever made.
In my experience, this is what happens when I spend more time picking on Star Trek rather than watching and having fun with Star Trek. The negativity eventually convinces me it's crap and there goes the fun, replaced with grump.
It actually killed my fun here for a year. The ragging on DISC wore me down until I needed a break to get my head on again.
So, forget that ****. Watch some old favorites until you remember why you liked Trek to begin with then don't let anything make you forget again.
Keep on Trekking!
Sage advice there. I'll stick on TUC again, my all time favourites.
I'm really struggling with DSC - Season 4 has been terrible so far. In fact, I am two episodes in and cannot bring myself to watch any more. For the first time ever, I think Trek might not be my cup of tea any more, I find myself drawn to shows like The Expanse - which is just so well written*. Maybe I'll come back to DSC one day. There's still the Orville for me - and, strangely, I don't mind Prodigy - which is supposed to be for kids!
*Take a bow Naren Shankar - former writer on DS9, I think.
The only Trek movie that my wife really enjoys. Such a risky and ballsy movie too - the TOS movies really weren't afraid to change things up.
TNG, but he also did a couple stories for VOYAGER, and I believe one DS9.
If memory serves me, he started as a science consultant for TNG. Then went on to writing/producing.
Ah okay, I had no idea that those two parters were packaged as TV movies in the UK, cool to know.
I didn't have the impression that you meant disrespect. No worries.
I just mentionee this in another thread, but I think it bears repeating here.
"The Masterpiece Society"... not focusing on Geordi and Hannah. The scene with the visor and birth defects was really good, and I think that was the real meat of the story. I found that far more engaging than the Troi/Connor romance. Swapping the focus would have made the episode not only less boring, but more impactful.
(And I'm sorry, but the more I rewatch it, the more biring it gets. It was a good idea, but it just fell flat because of the romance.)
"The Masterpiece Society"... not focusing on Geordi and Hannah. The scene with the visor and birth defects was really good, and I think that was the real meat of the story. I found that far more engaging than the Troi/Connor romance. Swapping the focus would have made the episode not only less boring, but more impactful.
(And I'm sorry, but the more I rewatch it, the more biring it gets. It was a good idea, but it just fell flat because of the romance.)
Regarding the Maquis, I don't have a problem with their easy integration. However, if I was a marquis member... well, I'd be happy to help out and contribute to getting everyone back home, but there's no way in the Seven Hells you'd get me to put a Starfleet uniform on.
Same and up till now it's a show I've enjoyed more each season. Season 4 just hasn't landed for me though. Watched the first four episodes and gave up.
I think I'm not in the right headspace for it TBH. Maybe I'll come back to it and start from the top of the Season in the summer.
Same and up till now it's a show I've enjoyed more each season. Season 4 just hasn't landed for me though. Watched the first four episodes and gave up.
I think I'm not in the right headspace for it TBH. Maybe I'll come back to it and start from the top of the Season in the summer.
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I really think, in the history of the entire franchise, the greatest "missed opportunity" has to be Star Trek Generations.
Trek was riding a massive high...TUC had been successful, and the TNG finale was a huge event. DS9 was out and VOY was on the way. And, on top of all this, you have a movie that is going to give fans and even casual audiences something they can't possibly resist: the two "generations" are finally going to "meet!"
And....it wasn't bad....but it wasn't good either. It disappointed too many, and it never really became the hit it should have been.
The second-biggest missed opportunity was also in the movie portion of the franchise...and that's Paramount Pictures failing to properly manage the film franchise after the massive success and buzz that the 2009 reboot created.
Trek was riding a massive high...TUC had been successful, and the TNG finale was a huge event. DS9 was out and VOY was on the way. And, on top of all this, you have a movie that is going to give fans and even casual audiences something they can't possibly resist: the two "generations" are finally going to "meet!"
And....it wasn't bad....but it wasn't good either. It disappointed too many, and it never really became the hit it should have been.
The second-biggest missed opportunity was also in the movie portion of the franchise...and that's Paramount Pictures failing to properly manage the film franchise after the massive success and buzz that the 2009 reboot created.
