How the different shows carve up Star Trek like a Thanksgiving Turkey

[Omegaphallic]

Apparently Harry Kim was supposed to appear in season 3 of Picard, but Star Trek Prodigy called dibs on him.

So how do you think it breaks down, what parts of Star Trek do each of the series have dibs on?

Star Trek Legacy has dibs on both major TNG cast & Picard cast. Shares Riker with Lower Decks. 25th century.

Prodigy has dibs on its own characters and Voyager, except Seven and Noami Wildman and Tuvok, as well it appears as Enterprise E. 24th century, shared with lower decks.

Lower Decks has dibs on all the ships no one actually pays attention to, but which do the real work. Beyond that I'd add the Titan under Riker. Tom Paris I think makes an appearance. Its mostly I think odd ball characters like Sonia Gomez. I could really see Barkley appearing. Pakleds. The weirder shit or unexpected something this, the more its Lower Decks turf. Disembodied serial killers, Greek Gods, Mob planets, Nazis time travellers, etc..., 24th century.

Strange New Worlds, TOS characters, some early Discovery characters that didn't go with Discovery to 32 Century, Gorn. 23rd century.

Starfleet Academy, Discovery Seasons 3 to 5 cast, less constrained by canon, 32 Century.

Section 31, I suspect with this announced Section 31 movie, Section 31 is now the movie's turf going forward. Maybe future Terran Empire stuff as well. Probably Lt. Ash as well. Empress Georgia Phillipia, aka Cannibal Space Hilter goes without saying.

DS9, Coronal Kira, Earth, Quronos, Vulcan, Q, and Andoria are all common ground I figure.

 

[Mudd]

They can't be such idiots as to develop projects based on the Mirror universe.

 

[F. King Daniel]

When I read about Janeway and Harry being banned from Picard due to Prodigy, it reminded me of DC comics various adaptations and the silliness that goes with that. Batman is exclusive to the movies, but Bruce Wayne isn't. So on TV you get Young Bruce Wayne and Old Bruce Wayne and various AU Bruce Wayne's but no costumed Batman. Similarly, the TOS crew were said to be exclusive to the movie franchise before the CBS/Paramount reconciliation.

 

[Timofnine]

Perhaps this is what would make a Legacy series different? Anything could potentially be used as long as they made it a family orientated series with nothing too controversial and had enough money to bring actors back? They would not want Janeway in both a children’s cartoon and a violent/graphic adult orientated series at the same time. There would need to be a fine balance in any future series which keeps all parties happy, in my opinion, including potential returning actors. For example, the TNG crew seemed happy to return.

I think that part of the problem is that different characters and ships etc may have various clauses and legalities for their usage in future productions, in a similar way as to the Daleks in Doctor Who. In the case of the Daleks, although their design belongs to the BBC, they are an alien race ‘creation’ whose ownership is shared between the BBC and the estate of their creator, Terry Nation. As a result, both parties have a stake in the use and development of the Daleks, making it difficult for one to move forward without the other unless there is a consensus and mutually beneficial agreement with a satisfactory financial compensation for rights holders. Luckily, the BBC pay the Nation estate good money so they can use the Daleks quite freely, I am sure that Disney will do so too.

This is a similar situation as to the use of legacy music usage in Star Trek, such as that originally composed by Jerry Goldsmith, so there could be legalities in place relating ti the various species, characters and ship creations usage (etc.) in Star Trek too? Perhaps original writers would need compensating financially for their legacy character creations and back stories, especially if aspects of their back stories are used in a new series? It would be kind of like writers residuals but honouring creativity/concepts as well as the actual written scripts and words. Some characters or ‘things’ may be cheaper to bring back than others? Also, it may be cheaper to make up whole new backstories for some legacy characters as this would then be original writing work, free from what has been written by past writers. This may be why Seven of Nine’s past was concentrated on the Fenris Rangers, and Picard childhood background has been changed - new, original backstories for Picard series 1 and 2.

 

[C.E. Evans]

The current Star Trek shows can really reek of small universe syndrome at times. It's one thing to have an interconnected universe where they share the same history, but there's a risk of too many characters from one show appearing in another, often just for the hell of it, IMO.

 

[The Wormhole]

I think that part of the problem is that different characters and ships etc may have various clauses and legalities for their usage in future productions, in a similar way as to the Daleks in Doctor Who. In the case of the Daleks, although their design belongs to the BBC, they are an alien race ‘creation’ whose ownership is shared between the BBC and the estate of their creator, Terry Nation.

BBC doesn't share anything. Terry Nation's estate owns the Daleks, period. BBC uses them with permission of the Nation estate, which could theoretically be revoked at any time. Do to the unique nature of British copyrights, it's like this with all the aliens within the Doctor Who franchise, they are owned by the writers who created them and can only be used by another writer with the permission of the creator. Which is why in the end credits of Doctor Who episodes you'll find a credit listing the aliens featured within that episode and who created them.

 

[Timofnine]

BBC doesn't share anything. Terry Nation's estate owns the Daleks, period. BBC uses them with permission of the Nation estate, which could theoretically be revoked at any time. Do to the unique nature of British copyrights, it's like this with all the aliens within the Doctor Who franchise, they are owned by the writers who created them and can only be used by another writer with the permission of the creator. Which is why in the end credits of Doctor Who episodes you'll find a credit listing the aliens featured within that episode and who created them.

Oh right, I assumed that Terry Nation’s estate owned the concept of the Daleks, not the actual design?

I quote from the linked website below:

Nation’s description of them in the original script is vague; indeed, some of his ideas were deliberately dropped (he said they moved “on a round base” – they didn’t – and “they carry strange weapons in their hands” – they don’t). A huge amount of the Daleks’ success comes from Raymond Cusick’s iconic design; had the BBC gone with some of the earlier concepts, the Daleks would have been risible and quickly forgotten.

https://thedoctorwhocompanion.com/2...ude-the-daleks-in-every-season-of-doctor-who/

 

[The Wormhole]

Oh right, I assumed that Terry Nation’s estate owned the concept of the Daleks, not the actual design?

The Nation estate owns the Daleks and everything about the Daleks, even the design. Indeed, it is one of Doctor Who's greater controversies that Raymond Cusick never got paid any royalties from the success of the Daleks despite being responsible for their design.

 

[Timofnine]

The Nation estate owns the Daleks and everything about the Daleks, even the design. Indeed, it is one of Doctor Who's greater controversies that Raymond Cusick never got paid any royalties from the success of the Daleks despite being responsible for their design.

Well, perhaps Raymond Cusick was quite simply not in a very good union? Designers may not have been offered the same protections and recognition of their work as writers back in the day. Perhaps the Cusick estate is due some arrears in royalties?

If what you say is true, which I do not doubt, it seems obvious to me that the Dalek design itself was ‘gifted’ to Terry Nations estate as part of some form of ‘package’, or someone at the BBC may have made a mistake/oversight in the paperwork somewhere, or made an assumption.

Perhaps something similar happened with the Klingons on Star Trek: Discovery? This would explain the new ‘alien’ makeup and design aesthetics. The Disco crew may not have wanted to credit Michael Westmore.

 

[El Maestro]

They can't be such idiots as to develop projects based on the Mirror universe.

Never underestimate the the depths of stupidity to which entertainment executives will sink...

The current Star Trek shows can really reek of small universe syndrome at times.

I don't think this is limited to Trek. The current trend (which might be ending soon? Hard to tell) in genre entertainment comes from Star Wars and the MCU: the shared universe, which banks on familiarity and even the DREADED NOSTALGIA to help drive audience engagement.

 

[The Wormhole]

Perhaps something similar happened with the Klingons on Star Trek: Discovery? This would explain the new ‘alien’ makeup and design aesthetics. The Disco crew may not have wanted to credit Michael Westmore.

No, due to the way American copyrights work, Paramount owns everything about the Klingons and their apperance.

 

[fireproof78]

The current Star Trek shows can really reek of small universe syndrome at times. It's one thing to have an interconnected universe where they share the same history, but there's a risk of too many characters from one show appearing in another, often just for the hell of it, IMO.

I mean, I think that's the appeal. At least, that's what people tell me, and point to various franchises.

 

[Omegaphallic]

They can't be such idiots as to develop projects based on the Mirror universe.

Okay how about the Megan Universe instead?

 

[Richard S. Ta]

The Nation estate owns the Daleks and everything about the Daleks, even the design. Indeed, it is one of Doctor Who's greater controversies that Raymond Cusick never got paid any royalties from the success of the Daleks despite being responsible for their design.

All Cusick got was about 200 quid (paid by the BBC for the original job) and a Blue Peter badge many years later.

Cusick recounted that Nation said he’d do the right thing and make sure due compensation would be received but it never happened…

Personally, if I was Cusick, I would have sued the fuck out of the Nation Estate, because arguably the Daleks have had more merchandise based around them than any other thing in Doctor Who history.

But then, I’m not the biggest Nation fan.

Back to the OP, I’m really surprised that Star Trek actually is carved up the way it is… Is it actually right that Janeway can’t be on PIC cause she’s in PRO or is that just fan supposition?

 

[Tosk]

She can if she's 25% different.

 

[The Wormhole]

Is it actually right that Janeway can’t be on PIC cause she’s in PRO or is that just fan supposition?

It is true Matalas wanted Janeway in S3 of Picard and but couldn't because of Prodigy, though the reasoning seems rather questionable. Supposedly, the reasoning is that by having Janeway on Picard S3 they would be "spoiling" Prodigy since Picard being set some fifteen years or so after Prodigy, they'd be making it clear that Janeway survives Prodigy and stays in Starfleet. Though, I would think certainly just by mentioning Janeway they've done that anyway, and S3 Picard did mention her quite a lot.

 

[Avro Arrow]

It is true Matalas wanted Janeway in S3 of Picard and but couldn't because of Prodigy, though the reasoning seems rather questionable. Supposedly, the reasoning is that by having Janeway on Picard S3 they would be "spoiling" Prodigy since Picard being set some fifteen years or so after Prodigy, they'd be making it clear that Janeway survives Prodigy and stays in Starfleet. Though, I would think certainly just by mentioning Janeway they've done that anyway, and S3 Picard did mention her quite a lot.

But did they specifically mention Kathryn Janeway? If not then if Prodigy kills off Janeway (unlikely), or has her leave Starfleet (probably unlikely?) or whatever, then they have an "out" for PIC season 3... they can just claim it was someone else with the same last name. If Kate Mulgrew appears on camera, that's a little trickier.

They could even say this was the admiral in question:



Guess she took Troi's (psychically influenced) advice to heart!

 

[The Wormhole]

They didn't say Kathryn Janeway, though it is an Admiral Janeway Seven and Tuvok have history with. Though I guess someone can easily craft a scenario where the two of them meet TNG Blueshirt Janeway...

 

[drt]

It is true Matalas wanted Janeway in S3 of Picard and but couldn't because of Prodigy, though the reasoning seems rather questionable. Supposedly, the reasoning is that by having Janeway on Picard S3 they would be "spoiling" Prodigy since Picard being set some fifteen years or so after Prodigy, they'd be making it clear that Janeway survives Prodigy and stays in Starfleet. Though, I would think certainly just by mentioning Janeway they've done that anyway, and S3 Picard did mention her quite a lot.

I think they just didn’t have the budget for Kate Mulgrew. If they hadn’t mentioned her by name multiple times the “can’t use because of Prodigy” would have more of a leg to stand on.

 

[Tuskin38]

I think they just didn’t have the budget for Kate Mulgrew. If they hadn’t mentioned her by name multiple times the “can’t use because of Prodigy” would have more of a leg to stand on.

The same reason was given for Harry, but he was never mentioned in the show.