Do you think Star Trek needed a reboot?

Discussion in 'Star Trek Movies: Kelvin Universe' started by The Overlord, Dec 28, 2012.

  1. F. King Daniel

    F. King Daniel Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    But again, Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock are pop culture icons and as much as I love it, the truth is the generic Star Trek universe setting was a proven failure both on television and in movies. With Enterprise they revamped the show twice. They went darker and edgier with the third season's Xindi war, then got new writers and a new showrunner to take the fourth season in another new (direct-prequel-tastic) direction. Neither idea worked. Nemesis was a major flop, despite having the biggest budget and marketing push (at the time) since The Motion Picture and starring the cast that were at the helm during Trek's most financially successful period.

    J.M. Straczynski and Bryce Zabel put it best, I think, in their 2004 pitch for a rebooted TOS:
    "Over the decades, Star Trek has become so insular, so strictly defined, and placed so many layers upon itself that the essence of what made us love it in the first place has been lost. The all-too-reasonable desire to protect the franchise may now be the cause of it's stagnation.

    Imagine buying a new Porsche and leaving it in the garage all the time, because if you take it on the road, it might get scratched. But that's exactly what's happened to Star Trek. The Porsche is still clean and polished, but we're driving around in a nice, reasonable family car.

    It's time to throw caution to the wind and go out for a drive... a real drive..."
     
    Last edited: Dec 31, 2012
  2. Admiral Buzzkill

    Admiral Buzzkill Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Yes, it did.

    The only sensible alternative for Paramount would have been to spend their money on non-Trek movies and TV shows instead.
     
  3. Chronius Fawkes

    Chronius Fawkes Ensign Newbie

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    Not by any stretch of the imagination. Furthermore, it seems as if "fans" can rationalize anything, even if its just a faint resemblance to what its supposed to be. The only thing that keeps me happy about the whole thing is quantum mechanics, and the idea that the original timeline still exists in another universe. If you don't know what verterium cortenide is, then your opinion of the matter is moot IMNTHO.
     
  4. BillJ

    BillJ The King of Kings Admiral

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    This is just non-sense. The movie wasn't made for the fans but for the general ticket buyer.
     
  5. Admiral Buzzkill

    Admiral Buzzkill Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    :guffaw:
     
  6. Greg Cox

    Greg Cox Admiral Premium Member

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    Hah! We're obviously coming at this from completely opposite directions. The Voyage Home is a marvelously entertaining, feel-good movie that appeals to everyone, fans and non-fans alike. I get sucked into it every time I stumble onto it on TV.

    It's easily my second-favorite Trek film after Khan . . . which was, of course, all about revenge.
     
  7. Balrog

    Balrog Commodore Commodore

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    Ah! Good to know, thanks!

    I had to get a shot of that for my lower back...
     
  8. SeerSGB

    SeerSGB Admiral Admiral

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    I tend to count II, III & IV, as one movie when ranking. I know they're not, but the trilogy aspect of the story works really well.

    You could strip all the reboot nonsense off ST'09 and it'd pass for a TNG or TOS movie. I guarantee had they done the same script with the classic crew (kind of hard, with Doohan and Kelly being dead, just saying) or the TNG cast--even DS9 or Voyager--people would have fallen all over themselves praising it.

    Dude, I've probably watched the movies, the tv shows, and read the tech manuals more times than a man with an active sex life should be willing to admit to, and even I had to look that one up.
     
  9. Greg Cox

    Greg Cox Admiral Premium Member

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    Hell, I've been a professional Trekkie for nearly twenty years and I had no idea what that was . . . .

    You shouldn't have to pass a written exam to enjoy a STAR TREK movie! :)
     
  10. SalvorHardin

    SalvorHardin Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    And you call yourselves fans? I am disgusted to be in the same thread with you both. :klingon:
     
  11. lurok

    lurok Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Well, that's told me. I'll just grab my coat...
     
  12. Mach5

    Mach5 Admiral Admiral

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    The franchise needed an overhaul, that much was obvious, and has been obvious since the last few seasons of DS9. And as Dennis said, Enterprise was supposed to be IT, but it wasn't. And these expectations of ours were way to fucking high considering the show was being made by the same two schmucks who haven't delivered anything of any real value since the mid nineties.

    But as much as Trek needed an extensive overhaul, I don't think a reset button was all that necessary.
     
  13. Dale Sams

    Dale Sams Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Your assesment of DS9 is way off. And it became obvious immediatly that Enterprise wouldn't be it as soon as the notes of that theme song started to play.

    And as you said it was helmed by those two schmucks.
     
  14. Mach5

    Mach5 Admiral Admiral

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    Not an "assessment".

    [​IMG]

    Just an observation.
     
  15. Admiral Buzzkill

    Admiral Buzzkill Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Only to the extent that he consigns its failure to carry the Franchise successfully forward to only its last seasons.

    In fact, DS9 lost viewers consistently throughout its run beginning from the second episode aired. You can have your own opinions about its quality, but not your own facts about its success.
     
  16. Dale Sams

    Dale Sams Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Is it possible that the very nature of syndication at the time of DS9 and what the post TNG shows had to compete with as opposed to TNG had an effect? I'm actually asking.

    edit: I can certainly see why they would lose viewers immediatly though after the first few eps. DS9 is a 'dirty' looking show (as opposed to TNG)....and I've always hated those jumpsuits... Top that off with Bajoran mysticism, Bajoran politics etc...I suppose I meant I objected to the notion that (at the time you mention) a very-well written and done show needed an overhaul, not seeing you meant from a business standpoint.
     
  17. Mach5

    Mach5 Admiral Admiral

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    DS9 was, for the most part, a great successor to The Next Generation. The only problem was that non-fans couldn't give a shit about the post-occupation Bajor, Cardassians, Klingon political intrigue and such. The same stuff that gave most of us (fans) nerd-gasms the "normal folk" found pretty much unwatchable.

    The fact is, the general audiences never found any appeal in DS9. And instead of learning from that, CBS gave us TNG's ugly annoying younger sister (Voyager), followed by the "Faramir" of TV shows (TNG's geeky little brother ENT, which could have held its own with some encouragement, but sadly, no one ever saw it).
     
  18. los2188

    los2188 Commander Red Shirt

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    Just to try and clear a few things up about my post. Again, I have no problem with the reboot. The reboot was very clearly successful. Mission accomplished. When I said that the reboot wasn't NEEDED, I emphasize the word NEED or NEEDED. I also stated that I don't think anyone can argue that it was absolutely needed. The reason I say that is because to think that there isn't one writer, producer, director, etc out in this planet that we call earth that couldn't re-imagine and come up with new and exciting Star Trek movies and stories in what ever way they see fit to release it and it be in the prime timeline and it be successful like current Trek is, seems to me to be a ridiculous statement. Am I making any sense? I understand that Kirk and Spock are icons, but to say there couldn't be a new crew introduced or a re-telling of some older stories, or stories of Kirk and Spock that were not ever told, not be a success is again a huge stretch to think. Again I have no problem with the reboot, but to say it was NEEDED, as in there was no other option and without it, Trek would die, is a huge stretch and unlikely. But when it's all said and done, the reboot worked (the success of the reboot is all that really matters) and I'm very happy with what they've done and am excited to see where things go from here. Does that clear things up a bit from where I'm coming from?
     
  19. lurok

    lurok Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Just out of curiosity, does anyone know if the studio talked with anyone - say, a Bryan Singer - about a post-NEM movie? I know there's been talk about TV series, but not movies.
     
  20. Jackson_Roykirk

    Jackson_Roykirk Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Yes, they can. That makes it even more confusing why some of those same fans seem to become totally unable to fit Abrams Star Trek into the body of work that is "Star Trek" as a whole...

    ...Actually, let me rephrase that. I think they ARE "able" to do it, but for some reason they are unwilling to do it. It seems some of them just WANT to hate AbramsTrek, so they suddenly become very stubborn and uncharacteristically nit-picky about continuity and canon.