I think an animated series would work well.
Sorry, but an animated series would not work well at all. Unless it was specifically made to be a comedy (i.e. Simpsons, South Park, Futurama, Family Guy, etc.), no one would take it seriously as a legitimate serious series.
And as for setting a new show in the 25th century? That really doesn't matter either. Setting it in the 25th century, the 21st, the 39th, etc. makes no difference. Enterprise was set in the 22nd century, yet it was pretty much TNG/Voyager Jr., in that the looks, writing, characters and acting was pretty much the same as what came before it.
Additionally, as was said before, if there is going to be a return to TV for Trek, it's going to be based on JJ Abrams' Trek, not anything else. And that's only if the return to TV is next year or so.
Now don't get me wrong. I truly believe that Star Trek will return to television, perhaps in 2020 or so, because Hollywood ALWAYS returns to past successes when they run out of creative ideas (which they do all the time). But by that time, it will have zero to do with the TNG universe.