A bigger all star cast in the show...

[Sabataage]

What I'd like to see in a new Trek series is a larger cast of solid comedic actors. Make the sets for the new show bigger (like they are in XI) to give the writing team and cast more room to play around in. I'd want them to de-emphasize the monster-(or alien)-of-the-week format in favor of something like a workplace comedy, The Office- for example, only on a starship.

As the ship studies the Beta quadrant (or whatever) they barley ever run into anything remotely exciting, so they have to make their own fun.

Most of the time they're just trying to keep the ship in working order (but just barely). And to pass the time (and belay boredom) they play tag or foosball in the corridors of the ship (or even LARPer games if you will). Basically its holodeck episodes of TNG but without the, you know, holodeck. Encounters with alien species are always awkward and confusing with the crew failing to make a good impression or leaving in frustration without progress. Every so often they come into real danger, at which point the crew galvinizes and it becomes a submarine movie, like the TOS episode Balance of Terror. When its all over they're back to fucking' around again. It would make a nice rythm to the show, alternating between comedy, drama, suspense and action.

The main rival/"antagonist" of the show is another more advanced starship that's in the same quadrant as heroes. The costumes and sets for the other vessel would be the same as the movie. Everyone one (but perhaps the captain) wishes they were serving aboard that ship instead.

 

[Borgminister]

Sounds a bit like Scrubs in Space...

 

[O'Dib]

I'd want the hero ship in the pilot to run into a vessel like the one from space seed, but have it be filled with several normal present-day humans. Not rich-ass folk who payed to be frozen, rather couple of regular folks who developed an unknown deadly virus (possibly an alien threat), and were frozen by the govt. and sent away for Earth's safety. Maybe an alien is on board with them, one who would've recognized the early signs of whatever interstellar virus, and pushed this through, knowing only future tech would be able to cure them.

So anyway, they're cured, but having been picked up by a ship that's on a trajectory outside federation space with no anticipated contact with other fed ships, they have to stay there. Most of them have difficulties adjusting to the culture of the future. One feels more at ease hanging with aliens on the crew than future humans. Another chooses to stay grounded in 21st century by following films and music trends of Earth's past as it would've unfolded in real time. Sometimes he hits up the holodeck, but programs it to be a living room with a ps3 and a big screen TV. Maybe only one of them tries to train and perform duties on the ship.

Anyway, we have life on the ship as seen through the perspective of normal present day folks, their conflicts and misunderstandings with the crew, but also their friendships and relationships, helping flesh out how different future us really are, equaling comedy potential. It would feel somewhat like DS9, with an extended cast of minor characters, except it would no longer be Quark and Garak that we most identify with, but actual people.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

When it's being done right, Star Trek is supposed to be about normal, relatable folks. Even the non-humans like Quark, Kira or EMH had something about them you could relate to. Dragging modern humans into the mix would be unnecessary.

except it would no longer be Quark and Garak that we most identify with, but actual people.

Quark and Garak are actual people! (Well, actual fictional people but so's everyone else.)