Best structure for a Star Trek series

[BillJ]

I'm thinking something like after the original episode aired, there's more episodes later with Geordi still talking with married Leah over the com--

Another one where they're talking and someone walks in and Geordi seems to end the transmission quickly as if not wanting anyone to know. Or is it coincidence?

Later they meet and they actually have a one time affair--or they do nothing, but still end it when they're wondering if it's becoming an affair.

Now, to me, that's interesting because you don't normally see that with TNG characters--spice it up!!!

The above is just something I literally care nothing about.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

What ever works for the story being told.

+1

I like the multi-episode arcs we get in DS9 and late ENT but I also think Star Trek has done really well with episodic formats.

Just, most shows that choose to be episodic fall into the patterns of repetitive stories and disposable character development that is completely forgotten the next episode.

 

[T'Girl]

My thinking is different than 'let's explore Will's music hobby for a few minutes'. That, I find artificial and pretty boring.

And I find it interesting and engaging. It expands Will Riker into a actually Human Being and not just a cardboard cutout delivering dialog, which is what all the charactes were in the first episode of their particular series.

TPTB could have eliminated Riker's music, and the womanizing, and the love of cooking, and the way he walks through a doorway -turns left -but looks right, his relationship with Deanna from day one, things like this. And just had him be a Starfleet officer.

But then Riker would be artificial and boring. Because he wouldn't be a person.

 

[MacLeod]

How about Geordi and Leah stay in contact until the issue of whether it's becoming an affair comes up...

Or have them have an affair (they come to their senses and regret it, of course).

Who wouldn't watch that, or see it as a major character development for Geordi?

I just don't care about who is sleeping with who.

It would really make the characters interesting, because they have real flaws.

The characters are usually interesting because of the actors and how they're written in times of crisis. It's interesting to watch how Kirk handles Kodos the Executioner or the Gorn captain or the Horta.

It isn't interesting to watch Kirk grapple with relationship issues or what book he's reading. That's just window dressing.

Instead the episodic format requires it to last one day, and then the next episode it's forgotten.

I love episodic television because it gives me a complete story in an hour.

There is nothing wrong with a little window dressing every now and then, it's just about finding the right balance do we need to know what book Kirk is reading perhaps not, but that doesn't mean you can't show Kirk reading in say his quarters before an alert goes off.

As for episodic TV that tells a complete story witin an episode, sure nothing wrong with that. However that doesn't mean the characters should forget things from 8 episodes ago.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

However that doesn't mean the characters should forget things from 8 episodes ago.

This problem isn't limited to the episodic format.

 

[MacLeod]

However that doesn't mean the characters should forget things from 8 episodes ago.

This problem isn't limited to the episodic format.

True

 

[Drone]

As for episodic TV that tells a complete story witin an episode, sure nothing wrong with that. However that doesn't mean the characters should forget things from 8 episodes ago.

Absolutely. It would seem pretty obvious, but there's no categorical reason that one-offs, crafted properly, shouldn't be able to expertly maintain continuity, as well as add to it.

 

[wulfio]

well that's pretty much the difference between good character development, and none whatsoever. Has nothing to do with episodic vs. arc.

 

[Drone]

I like the balance DS9 found. Arcs that continue throughout the season but also leave room for standalone episodes, with occasional long arcs for the biggest moments.

Like others have said, I would rather watch an episodic show with great writing than a serial show with bad writing.

Yours is a very succinct and telling characterization that gets to the heart of the question. While i voted for the multi arc option, I do think that the tradition of outstanding bottle episodes in all of the series is a venerable one that is so much a part of the Trek DNA, that it would be foolish to bypass it in any future iteration.