If Paramount+ Put You in Charge Of Trek, Where Would You Take It?

[Rowdy Roddy McDowall]

I would rehire David Gerrold, Simon Pegg and Michelle Specht, permanently fire Shatner, Brian Bonsall and Marina Sirtis, retire Majel Barrett's voice forever while replacing it with Nichelle Nichols for the next century, promote Michael Dorn to Captain, and award the late Peter David the rank of the new, true Great Bird.

 

[Rahul]

Go back to roots.

But not a reboot or anything. Just go back to the basic concept. No lore dumps, no legacy characters, no epic saga storytelling, don't rely on twists, no deconstruction. And don't try to make DS9 again, yes it's a fan favourite, but it's not the Star Trek that became so popular in the first place.

Just go very basic.
Weekly sci-fi adventures on a starship. An interesting premise every week. Have some action, have some drama. But primarily be about characters having to figure out a solution to a problem, might it be ethical, technological, human, or strategical. Important is that the characters act in a humanistic way, treat life with respect (no gunning down evil goons every week).

And for god's sake get science advisors back on board.

You can have season long plot arcs, as long as they don't take over the whole narrative. You can have two parters, three parters, picking up on previous plot lines - just don't follow up specific plots of old television series.

It is a must to have continuous character arcs - that's just the way television works now. Try out different genres (drama, horror, comedy, suspense). But keep the characters consistent & focus on the ensemble, not just one or two.

And the most important part, have a new & diverse crew (no more Klingons or Vulcans please), and find a way to create interesting plots every week - either by adapting short stories, accepting spec scripts, having lots of guest writers - and a living writers room - to just get the ideas flowing.

 

[C.E. Evans]

I'd let the second season of Starfleet Academy be its last and also be the final chapter of the original continuity that began with TOS. I'd cancel all proposed movie projects for the foreseeable future. After a two-year break, the next Trek series would be a total reboot with different takes on Kirk and the gang (one or two characters may even be gender-swapped). There would also be different approaches to Starfleet, the Enterprise, and even the 5-year mission.

There would also be a return to pre-Kurtzman era visuals with more establishing shots of the Enterprise and various other locales, less lens flare/blinding sunlight, and a brighter color palette without it looking like a department store.

 

[BillJ]

Get some production people that know what they’re doing, get some decent sci-fi writers and let them do what they do best.

 

[Saul]

At this point, James McAvoy is the same age Patrick Stewart was when TNG was in production. I don't think he'd be the go-to to play Stargazer era Picard anymore.

James is 46. Picard was supposed to be 59 when he took over the Enterprise. I think they can get away with it. There's quite a gap in Picard's career too after the Stargazer. They could make a show about his command between those two ships.

 

[Nerys Myk]

The toppermost of the poppermost.

 

[Nerys Myk]

And for god's sake get science advisors back on board.

So they can be ignored again?

 

[fireproof78]

So they can be ignored again?

That's their job. Same with historical advisers.

 

[Rahul]

So they can be ignored again?

Yes. Overruling then for dramatic purposes is a conscious decision.
Not having them at all just means you flat out don't know what you're doing or getting wrong.

 

[FederationHistorian]

24th century
Greenlight a continuation of Lower Decks

25th century
Burn off Matalas' Legacy pilot as a streaming film. And treat it as a backdoor pilot for a Janeway series.

Then greenlight a Janeway series for 2 seasons, that can function as a do over on VOY's finale, and resolve the loose threads of PIC:
- Jurati Borg
- Coppelius joining the Federation/Ambassador Soji/Kore the Traveller/Soong Legacy//tensions with Romulans/xB society & the Artifact/synth civil war with the extradimensional synths
- The end of the Q Continuum
- The fate of the rogue Changelings/Investigating S31
- The resting place of the Ent-E
- The whereabouts of Narek and Laris

And then that will be the capstone of the TNG/DS9/VOY era.

Then greenlight Tawny's sitcom show, that goes 5 seasons and is set 50 years after Legacy/Janeway series.

22nd century
Greenlight United for 5 seasons, the first 4 to cover all eight years of Archer's presidency. And the final season as an ENT reunion season for a PIC S3-esque turn-of-the-century cinematic adventure. And then that will be it for exploring the 22nd century.

32nd century
SFA gets 3 more seasons and a crossover streaming film with Discovery.

23rd century
Kelvin streaming trilogy:
1st film - Kelvin cast reunion. Admiral Sulu cameo possible.
2nd film - Kirk, Spock, & George Kirk
3rd film - Kirk, Spock, and Tom Hardy as Picard (TNG era). Though Kelvinverse Picard would not have the Ent-D, but a Constitution-class Stargazer. Would be Logan-esque noir film.

In all 3 films, I'd use the SNW set as a refit version of the Constitution-class.

Prime timeline:
Emperor Georgiou and Lorca movie as a sendoff of the Emperor Georgiou character, switching places with Prime Georgiou at Battle of the Binary Stars. While Prime Georgiou ends up in the Lost Era and takes on Garrett, Quasi and Alok as a part of her crew.

 

[Ovation]

I’d make sure no one on the production team was a fan of Trek before they were hired. Give them all homework—watch all up to 100 hours of each show, take copious notes, identify what was best of each one and what was worst. Thoroughly hash all of those views out. Then tell them to come up with whatever they think would work best from the premise.

I would NOT bring in anyone from any previous iteration to advise, consult, or discuss ideas prior to making the new version (whatever form that might take). Basically—ship, a crew, space setting in the future. Do whatever you (creatives) want. Surprise me.

 

[BillJ]

Give them all homework—watch all up to 100 hours of each show, take copious notes, identify what was best of each one and what was worst. Thoroughly hash all of those views out. Then tell them to come up with whatever they think would work best from the premise.

I think I would just tell them to watch each show’s pilot. A hundred hours might be too much to keep them from leaning on what came before.

 

[Ovation]

I think I would just tell them to watch each show’s pilot. A hundred hours might be too much to keep them from leaning on what came before.

Perhaps. Maybe 50-100 hours total (all versions inclusively)? The important bit is that they NOT be fans nor have direct work experience on any Trek iteration.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Yes. Overruling then for dramatic purposes is a conscious decision.
Not having them at all just means you flat out don't know what you're doing or getting wrong.

Which shows don’t have science advisors?

 

[XCV330]

24th century
Greenlight a continuation of Lower Decks

25th century
Burn off Matalas' Legacy pilot as a streaming film. And treat it as a backdoor pilot for a Janeway series.

Then greenlight a Janeway series for 2 seasons, that can function as a do over on VOY's finale, and resolve the loose threads of PIC:
- Jurati Borg
- Coppelius joining the Federation/Ambassador Soji/Kore the Traveller/Soong Legacy//tensions with Romulans/xB society & the Artifact/synth civil war with the extradimensional synths
- The end of the Q Continuum
- The fate of the rogue Changelings/Investigating S31
- The resting place of the Ent-E
- The whereabouts of Narek and Laris

And then that will be the capstone of the TNG/DS9/VOY era.

Then greenlight Tawny's sitcom show, that goes 5 seasons and is set 50 years after Legacy/Janeway series.

22nd century
Greenlight United for 5 seasons, the first 4 to cover all eight years of Archer's presidency. And the final season as an ENT reunion season for a PIC S3-esque turn-of-the-century cinematic adventure. And then that will be it for exploring the 22nd century.

32nd century
SFA gets 3 more seasons and a crossover streaming film with Discovery.

23rd century
Kelvin streaming trilogy:
1st film - Kelvin cast reunion. Admiral Sulu cameo possible.
2nd film - Kirk, Spock, & George Kirk
3rd film - Kirk, Spock, and Tom Hardy as Picard (TNG era). Though Kelvinverse Picard would not have the Ent-D, but a Constitution-class Stargazer. Would be Logan-esque noir film.

In all 3 films, I'd use the SNW set as a refit version of the Constitution-class.

Prime timeline:
Emperor Georgiou and Lorca movie as a sendoff of the Emperor Georgiou character, switching places with Prime Georgiou at Battle of the Binary Stars. While Prime Georgiou ends up in the Lost Era and takes on Garrett, Quasi and Alok as a part of her crew.

How many shows does Janeway need? She's got two now, Picard's got two.
I think you can fill a small room with Jurati Borg enthusiasts and still have room, and they'll probably find something more interesting to talk about quickly.

as for Laris..


well ..

 

[Rowdy Roddy McDowall]

Go back to roots.

For a fleeting moment I thought that was a swipe at LeVar.

 

[Set Harth]

I’d make sure no one on the production team was a fan of Trek before they were hired.

"Why does this show keep getting the tech completely wrong?"

 

[Ovation]

"Why does this show keep getting the tech completely wrong?"

Can’t be “wrong” if it’s a completely new iteration.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Can’t be “wrong” if it’s a completely new iteration.

First day in fandom?

 

[Ovation]

First day in fandom?

For my plan, that’s kind of the idea.