A series without a "main cast"

[Da'an]

Some TV shows have series that are one-off stories each time, with different characters in different situations, like The Outer Limits or The Twilight Zone.

I think it would be cool if there was a Star Trek series like that. Each individual episode could be about a different ship with different crew and so on.

You can also have Star Trek episodes from the alien's perspective, and not from the Federation's perspective, which could make for some cool stories.

That way, you can have whatever Star Trek stories you like without needing to push a reset button at the end of every episode nor do the characters have to "win" every single time, giving more suspense and excitement to the action.

 

[Hober Mallow]

I don't think anyone would have any interest in such a series beyond the hardcore fans.

 

[Da'an]

Did The Outer Limits and The Twilight Zone only appeal to hardcore fans?

Instead of being fantasy stories with a twist ending, they're sci-fi stories set in the Star Trek Universe.

Considering that Star Trek doesn't bother with story arcs in their seasons, there's really no difference between it and any other series except it isn't about one single ship (or space station) and it's crew.

 

[Broccoli]

A Star Trek anthology show would only appeal to hard core fans.

Also, the practicality of it would be unfeasible. For example, think of the production costs of creating new ship sets, uniforms, etc week after week.

 

[Da'an]

Ah, anthology. That's the word I was looking for.

I don't how the production costs of such a hypothetical show would be drastically different to any other series, they often use different locations and different aliens most weeks with no trouble. And all Starfleet uniforms are all pretty much the same, being Federation standard. The props and set pieces would probably already be in existence or at the very least easy to re-use, such as tricorders, phasers, transporter platforms, biobeds, etc.

All that you'd really be changing are the actors and the name of the ship.

 

[Hober Mallow]

Did The Outer Limits and The Twilight Zone only appeal to hardcore fans?

Instead of being fantasy stories with a twist ending, they're sci-fi stories set in the Star Trek Universe.

That's the problem right there. It isn't a true anthology series if it's all set in the same Trek universe with the same aliens, same technologies, same ideas, same motifs. Twilight Zone could do SF, straight fantasy, mainstream stories with few SF elements (one of my favorite episodes, "The Silence," contained no SF element whatsoever) light stories, serious stories, stories where everything turns out okay, and stories where the entire world is destroyed. TZ is like picking up a copy of The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. You never know what kind of story you're going to get. The only constant was Rod Serling (who could very well be considered the star of the show).

The fact that the stories in a Star Trek anthology would strictly be limited to the Star Trek universe right away limits the audience.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Star Trek will already have a hard time surviving on TV - offputting genre (for many) combined with high production costs - without handicapping it by removing the prime reason people watch any show, namely that they like a certain character or characters.

There's a reason you don't see anthologies on TV.

 

[Da'an]

Ah, yes. You're right. I see your point there.

Well perhaps they could be good to include as one-off episodes within a series. Like having had a Season 3 TNG episode set on the USS Melbourne leading up to the battle of Wolf 359 or an episode that was set on Bajor during the Dominion War that had nothing to do with DS9. Something that would set the feel for the Star Trek Universe as a whole Universe, where other stuff happens outside of the ship's hull, and it's not like a Beverly Crusher Warp Bubble reality (as they usually are).

 

[Broccoli]

Trek kinda did that every now and again when a character would go on vacation or return home for whatever reason. DS9 has the best example with the various Ferengi episodes.

 

[Middle Earther]

I would love to see it, but I do understand it may not appeal to the general public and more to hard-core fans. I love the idea of exploring more of the 'nooks and crannies' of Federation society.

 

[hellsgate]

I could see Gotham Central's "S.T.: Legends" as part of this "Outer Limits" style anthology.

 

[Welshie]

I don't think anyone would have any interest in such a series beyond the hardcore fans.

Actually, when JJ Abrams was being interviewed around the time of the movie's release last month, he said that if he had any input into a new Star Trek series, then he'd be interested in seeing something just like this... it'd be flexible enough to keep from getting stuck on any one story or actor, and corners of the Star Trek universe that hadn't really gotten any attention before could be looked into.

 

[NileQT87]

Wouldn't touch a series without a central cast. I'm all about dramatic character arcs and serialized progression. That is my main draw to television.

 

[Da'an]

Wouldn't touch a series without a central cast. I'm all about dramatic character arcs and serialized progression. That is my main draw to television.

Then why do you watch Star Trek?

 

[Starbreaker]

People care about characters now. Even Law & Order suffered when Jerry Orbach left. And that's too many sets to build!