A Nova Squad or Red Squad Series

[M.A.C.O.]

OK so in 2011 I was at the Vegas Trek convention. One of the panels had Anthony Pascale the editor for Trekmovie.com and commentator for some of the Trek movies. The panel with Pascale was about a potential future Trek series and what it would be about. When it ended he said he would like to see a series that focused on young cadets like Nova or Red Squad, set on Earth for the first season and then branch out in to space exploration for following seasons.

Why is ^this^ a "thing"? Braga wanted to do a whole season of ENT on Earth before getting in to space exploration. I'm sure everybody realizes that Trek seasons span about 25 episode per season. Could a show that hasn't been popular with the general public really softball it in for 25 episodes on Earth and not get cancelled? Why do persons of influence in the Trek community feel that camping the show on Earth would be a good thing?


Also what is up with trying to make a show about Red/Nova Squad? The 2 episodes we've seen elite cadets haven't painted the brightest picture of them, and I certainly wouldn't want to see an entire season of them doing whatever it is they do. Sounds like drek to me.

-Edit-
While I was at the panel a gentleman stood up and said that making a show as was described would basically be Star Trek: The OC for it's first season. Pretty young actors with nothing to do but live life as the best and smartest at Star Fleet Academy. Not saying that I agree with the man's terminology but with shows getting axed left and right these days and using cadets, the appeal would be for the teen/young adult audience. TPTB may just make Star Trek: The OC if they were to revive it for tv

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

I wouldn't mind a series about Cadets if done well (though it does have the potential pitfall of just becoming "future teen drama"). It would have a set run of four years, could focus on a core group of say six characters (maximum of two full-blooded humans), with potential for plenty of recurring characters as well and the occassional cameo from other series (depending on when its set).

Setting it on Earth for a year might not be such a bad thing, as it would force TPTB away from lazy stories that involve space anomaly / alien of the week, which winds up with lots of complicated technobabble or phasers firing. They would have to focus of characterisation, development and relationships between the group, looking at the future of Starfleet before they know what they're doing. It would also be (to a large extent) serialised, with previous events impacting on their lives as they work towards the ultimate goal of becoming officers, which would avoid the damn reset button VOY favoured.

The characters would also move away from their set duties, as you wouldn't necessarily need someone who is an engineer, doctor, etc. There would also be one who saw themselves as the 'leader' and others who would know what they wanted to do with themselves, but then you'd also have the aimless ones, who were brainwashed by recruitment adverts to enroll. Plus there would be no reason for inappropriate low-cut, skin-tight catsuits, as they'd all be in uniform.

Then when they get out into space then it could become more of an anthology series, with all/most of the characters gone in different directions, what they get up to and experience, as well as having potential of building up some big plots that bring them all back together.

 

[Melakon]

I dunno, it sounds like Top Gun In Space to me, only on Earth.

 

[F. King Daniel]

Future teen drama is fine by me. Smallville in space, with occasional training missions more akin to the Trek we know.

I can see Red Squad being part of an academy-based series but not the focus. They'd be the elitist douchebag jocks of the academy, and when Kirk finally gets to be one of them he no doubt finds they're up to no good and has to bring them down from within.

 

[M.A.C.O.]

Future teen drama is fine by me. Smallville in space, with occasional training missions more akin to the Trek we know.

I can see Red Squad being part of an academy-based series but not the focus. They'd be the elitist douchebag jocks of the academy, and when Kirk finally gets to be one of them he no doubt finds they're up to no good and has to bring them down from within.

Thanks for reminding me, it's been 2 years so I had forgotten this detail. Pascale said their would be training missions within the Alpha and Beta Quadrant planets like Vulcan, Kronos, etc. But it would all be supervised. These cadets wouldn't be getting a ship like Red Squad in "Valiant". Earth and academy life would be the focus. If done well we could get something like SeeD cadets in Final Fantasy VIII. However this can stumble into a ditch badley.

Also this will be set post-Nemesis/Romulus blowing up from JJ's Trek. Yes that detail will be canon to any potential new series he said. He's a big fan of JJ Trek.

 

[BillJ]

No thanks.

If it's under the Star Trek banner, I'd rather go back to big-action heroes exploring the weird and wild unknown.

 

[Hartzilla2007]

No thanks.

If it's under the Star Trek banner, I'd rather go back to big-action heroes exploring the weird and wild unknown.

QFT

 

[DCR]

Less than no interest.

Not interested in teen drama, and am so tired of shows set on Earth. If it's going to be SF, or ST, I want it set in space. We have enough shows set on this planet.

 

[LtChange]

If there is a main series, and this would be a series targeting younger audience, maybe I would turn on from time to time. But fact is that I don't care about teen dramas, so if this would be the only Star Trek series I would be very disappointed, but as no other Trek series would be around I would probably watch it ...

 

[JoeZhang]

They should it like the Seafort books:

As Riker bent the strapping Cadet over the chair, he reassured him "This will hurt you more than me"

"Don't you mean me more than you sir?" replied the cadet

"No Son, I know what I mean" and with that Riker started thrashing the cadet

 

[surak-toc]

no cadet series, got to be another series about a team set in space for sure.

 

[R. Star]

Ooh... here's a good idea. Why don't we do a 24th century reality show set at Quark's.... actually that might be entertaining.

 

[surak-toc]

Ooh... here's a good idea. Why don't we do a 24th century reality show set at Quark's.... actually that might be entertaining.

Seems like it could work as an internet web show

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

No "reality" TV show is ever interesting

 

[R. Star]

No "reality" TV show is ever interesting

Millions of viewers disagree with you.

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

Its so hard being right in the face of so many being wrong

 

[Shazenab]

I've been thinking about a Red Squad series for a while. To be more exact, I was thinking about a show set in the rebooted universe that acknowledged the losses created by Nero's assault on starfleet. Instead of it being teen drama in space, I envisioned a scenario where starfleet -desperate to excel young cadets into senior positions- were forced to put younger crew members under the guidance of the few senior officers left. Instead of it being about teen drama, it'd be about the relationship between the new and old, both in terms of Star Trek and the different values youth and wisdom can bring (as well as the hindrances). Jumping the gun a bit, but I then thought of a series that followed these cadets onto a new ship to add some longevity to the franchise and crew.

Personally, I love the concept of exploring the human condition in space... And, you know, exploring the age barrier has been sorely lacking. Sure, we have Wesley and Jake Sisko, but I honestly believe writers can do far better. I don't think Star Trek always has to be about gpoing to new places just 'cos... That was the worst thing about Voyager.

 

[Hartzilla2007]

I was thinking about a show set in the rebooted universe that acknowledged the losses created by Nero's assault on starfleet. Instead of it being teen drama in space, I envisioned a scenario where starfleet -desperate to excel young cadets into senior positions-

Um, they only lost six or seven ships that were in reserve while the rest of the fleet was off doing whatever in the Laurentian system. So why exactly would they be in a desperate situation.

 

[Shaka Zulu]

OK so in 2011 I was at the Vegas Trek convention. One of the panels had Anthony Pascale the editor for Trekmovie.com and commentator for some of the Trek movies. The panel with Pascale was about a potential future Trek series and what it would be about. When it ended he said he would like to see a series that focused on young cadets like Nova or Red Squad, set on Earth for the first season and then branch out in to space exploration for following seasons.

Why is ^this^ a "thing"? Braga wanted to do a whole season of ENT on Earth before getting in to space exploration. I'm sure everybody realizes that Trek seasons span about 25 episode per season. Could a show that hasn't been popular with the general public really softball it in for 25 episodes on Earth and not get cancelled? Why do persons of influence in the Trek community feel that camping the show on Earth would be a good thing?


Also what is up with trying to make a show about Red/Nova Squad? The 2 episodes we've seen elite cadets haven't painted the brightest picture of them, and I certainly wouldn't want to see an entire season of them doing whatever it is they do. Sounds like drek to me.

-Edit-
While I was at the panel a gentleman stood up and said that making a show as was described would basically be Star Trek: The OC for it's first season. Pretty young actors with nothing to do but live life as the best and smartest at Star Fleet Academy. Not saying that I agree with the man's terminology but with shows getting axed left and right these days and using cadets, the appeal would be for the teen/young adult audience. TPTB may just make Star Trek: The OC if they were to revive it for tv

As sad as it may seem for older people like you and myself, a new Star Trek show may have to focus on a younger generation, just like the new movies have. An Academy show would be great for younger viewers tired of angsty teens, rich teens, and silly teens who do wacky things (iCarly, Jonas L.A., Drake & Josh, That's So Raven, Corey In The House, The Suite Life, The Suite Life On Deck, etc., and would also help them to become something in life, much like how the other Star Trek shows have been said to have done the same thing. Star Trek: The O.C.? More like just plain ol' Star Trek: Starfleet Academy.

I wouldn't mind a series about Cadets if done well (though it does have the potential pitfall of just becoming "future teen drama"). It would have a set run of four years, could focus on a core group of say six characters (maximum of two full-blooded humans), with potential for plenty of recurring characters as well and the occasional cameo from other series (depending on when its set).

Setting it on Earth for a year might not be such a bad thing, as it would force TPTB away from lazy stories that involve space anomaly / alien of the week, which winds up with lots of complicated technobabble or phasers firing. They would have to focus of characterisation, development and relationships between the group, looking at the future of Starfleet before they know what they're doing. It would also be (to a large extent) serialized, with previous events impacting on their lives as they work towards the ultimate goal of becoming officers, which would avoid the damn reset button VOY favoured.

The characters would also move away from their set duties, as you wouldn't necessarily need someone who is an engineer, doctor, etc. There would also be one who saw themselves as the 'leader' and others who would know what they wanted to do with themselves, but then you'd also have the aimless ones, who were brainwashed by recruitment adverts to enroll. Plus there would be no reason for inappropriate low-cut, skin-tight catsuits, as they'd all be in uniform.

Then when they get out into space then it could become more of an anthology series, with all/most of the characters gone in different directions, what they get up to and experience, as well as having potential of building up some big plots that bring them all back together.

I recall that somebody had proposed a Starfleet Academy show a while back here at this site on these boards, with one of the alien characters being a Cardassian...I don't think that they have to be teens, all they have to be is young adults (say around 18-20). Think something like the movie and TV series Fame.

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

You're right, they wouldn't have to be teenagers. Depending on their species (when they mature) and their history, the Academy would admit cadets from two Earth years up to 200 and beyond, which would help add a bit of diversity as well.