The USS Pasteur

[Mojochi]

Imho, this would have been the ideal spinoff to TNG

That damn ship is basically the biggest baddest super sci-fi M.A.S.H. unit ever devised by the mind of man. It's a light speed traveling, skyscraper sized hospital, ambulance & medical research facility, capable of saving whole worlds/species

Given that there has never been a time where there wasn't some sort of popular medical drama airing, how did no one ever even consider a Star Trek medical ship show? I'd kill for a show like that

 

[nightwind1]

Imho, this would have been the ideal spinoff to TNG

That damn ship is basically the biggest baddest super sci-fi M.A.S.H. unit ever devised by the mind of man. It's a light speed traveling, skyscraper sized hospital, ambulance & medical research facility, capable of saving whole worlds/species

Given that there has never been a time where there wasn't some sort of popular medical drama airing, how did no one ever even consider a Star Trek medical ship show? I'd kill for a show like that

I've always thought that some type of show (or even novels) about Starfleet Medical would be an interesting take on things. Kind of like a Trek version of James White's "Sector General" novels.

 

[sojourner]

The networks tried a "mash in space". It flopped hard. Look up Mercy Point.

 

[Mojochi]

The networks tried a "mash in space". It flopped hard. Look up Mercy Point.

Never saw it, but from what I gather, it's a space station, looks to be more soap opera than quality drama, isn't Star Trek, & was on UPN.

I'd hardly call it's failure a formidable foundation for condemning the whole notion. They also seemed too invested in being "Medical Drama" based. I'm thinking more Star Trek based, but with a medical slant


A Star Trek series set on a Starfleet medical ship has more potential for better drama, action & sci-fi, & having been rooted in the Trek universe would give them a fertile landscape of an existing universe to feature & develop, which would mean less leg work for the upstart of the show

Certainly an opportunity to tell Star Trek & Starfleet type stories, from a new perspective. It's still basically Star Trek, but the mission is slightly different

 

[Sandoval]

I'd kill for a show like that

Who would you kill?

Can we offer suggestions?

Is it me?

 

[Knight Templar]

I don't think mixing genre's tend to work so well. Mashups be hanged.

 

[T'Girl]

I'd kill ...

Is it me?

It everyone, with anything even approaching a pony as their avatar.

Enough's enough already.

 

[Holdfast]

While it might be fun for a few episode, I can't see it having legs.

The problem is that for a large majority of the population, medical dramas set in the present day are already effectively science-fiction. The medical science side of it is already technobabble to them; making it actual technobabble adds nothing to the "glamour" side of medical drama. In fact, it makes it less gripping because the audience now knows it's just technobabble.

The more interesting human/ethical side of medicine can already be explored within present-day settings. Sure, you can invent new technologies that result in medical ethical issues in an SF setting. Star Trek itself has done this on occasion, for some great episodes e.g. Ethics, The Enemy, Half a Life, Sarek, etc. But even those invented issues just tend to parallel real-life ethical issues rather than explore an issue in a way you couldn't in a present-day drama.

So from a marketing perspective it's difficult to see the attraction of commissioning a series that is unlikely to extend an existing market (either SF or medical drama), nor to create a new one containing many fresh viewers. The same audience problem tends to occur whenever futuristic legal dramas are commissioned.

It would be certainly fun for a few episodes though.

 

[F. King Daniel]

Starring Gates McFadden? No.

But, it may make for an interesting novel. Like, a one-off. Once they finally split the rest of the Enterprise-E crew.

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

While I like the idea of Star Trek M*A*S*H, the problem with 24th century medicine is that there is a hypospray for just about everything.

Also the Pasteur was a pretty cool ship I thought--very retro.

 

[C.E. Evans]

I think the idea of a 24th-Century Starfleet medical ship could work, but not with the Pasteur with Captain Beverly during the future timeframe of "All Good Things..."

Prior to 2001, I could have seen one taking place on the heels of VOY, but it'd have to be a series that's still essentially a sci-fi adventure show more than simply a hospital drama in space. The ship being a medical vessel would be its excuse for traveling to different worlds and dealing with whatever emergency is going on there, including contacts with both new and old aliens. The ship would even occasionally find itself in unfriendly territory and having to fight its way out of a jam at times. It'd still be a Starfleet hero ship in the final frontier, encountering strange new worlds and civilizations, otherwise.

If set after VOY, there could have been a few episodes featuring a guest appearance by a previous Trek show doctor every once in a while...

 

[Mojochi]

Yeah, I don't really see it being presented as a medical sci-fi drama, but rather a Star Trek adventure show, with the back drop of it being a medical ship. That way, it can avoid some of that stigma Holdfast brought up

The main aspect would be interacting with alien worlds & species. Many of the dilemmas they would encounter would have them treating global problems that a standard Starfleet vessel & crew couldn't handle & therefore wouldn't be assigned to. Then occasionally having some episodes that are more medical drama oriented

A lot of the demand for a vessel like that would be as a giant FEMA disaster response unit, or in times of war, with like the Dominion or Cardassians, as a fleet MASH

 

[Amaris]

It would be interesting, for a Trek fan, but I'm not sure it would draw in very many mainstream medical drama fans.

 

[toughlittleship]

The spherical section of the Pasteur makes sense for a medical ship; it looks damn ugly in the episode.

 

[Mojochi]

The spherical section of the Pasteur makes sense for a medical ship

Why is that? because it's like a huge hospital? with multiple sickbays/treatment centers, O.Rs & patient recovery rooms, etc... capable of housing & treating masses of a planet's population, as well as housing crew & medical staff

So cool. I still think this would be a cool show I didn't think it looked that ugly for what it was. Does look kind of like an insect though

 

[lewisniven]

It's a cool looking ship but I couldn't see the design being used for a hero ship, it'd probably look quite weird from a lot of angles.

 

[Anji]

This Pasteur is a good idea. I like it.

Now let's get you an appointment with CBS.

 

[Butters]

It is a cool looking ship and always wished we'd seen more.

As for medical drama in the 24th century. I'd have a hard time believing that there are any medical dramas in the 24th century. Treknology has already gives future humans godlike power that it conveniently forgets on a weekly basis. The writers would struggle to find a compelling reason why the crew couldn't immediately cure something.

 

[Sindatur]

It is a cool looking ship and always wished we'd seen more.

As for medical drama in the 24th century. I'd have a hard time believing that there are any medical dramas in the 24th century. Treknology has already gives future humans godlike power that it conveniently forgets on a weekly basis. The writers would struggle to find a compelling reason why the crew couldn't immediately cure something.

Wouldn't have be about curing hard to cure things, necessarily. Could be assigned to a War Zone, where they are constantly getting wounded from the War, and then do the Personal Dramas on top of that.

 

[Mojochi]

It is a cool looking ship and always wished we'd seen more.

As for medical drama in the 24th century. I'd have a hard time believing that there are any medical dramas in the 24th century. Treknology has already gives future humans godlike power that it conveniently forgets on a weekly basis. The writers would struggle to find a compelling reason why the crew couldn't immediately cure something.

Wouldn't have be about curing hard to cure things, necessarily. Could be assigned to a War Zone, where they are constantly getting wounded from the War, and then do the Personal Dramas on top of that.

It could be all of the above. Mass triage one week, incurable disease the next, unique alien anatomy, aftermath of war, environmental catastrophy. There's all kinds of things they could assign a ship like that to do

Plus the personal stories, internal relations. Tech episodes where they come up with a new something. Not to mention that discovery of new life in the Staflett paradygm brings with it new adventures for all Starfleet, including the medical personnel