Does Star Trek Need a Fresh Take to be Successful?

[The Overlord]

Does Star Trek need a fresh take to be successful? Most Star Trek series use the exploration theme to do stories about a planet of the week that is never seen again. I think a new TV show would to make exploration more exciting and indepth to be compelling, get away from the planet week formula and really delve into what makes exploration interesting. Maybe they can stay on a planet for a couple of episodes and we can see the relationship between the Federation and this new planet unfold over time or maybe a rival is trying to convince other planets to join an anti Federation alliance, so there is an urgency to their exploration.

I do think doing the same old formula from TOS and TNG would be a mistake at this point. Star Trek should keep the same themes, but use new a new story structure to explore them.

 

[Starborn Dragon]

I wouldn't say a mistake, but it should be used sparingly.

Since Star Trek has aired science has found a fair amount of new phenomena in space, such as Stellar Nurseries, dark matter, planets with very unusual qualities, and so on.

But I would like to avoid the Voyager theme too, of;

We just gotta get home, it's the utmost important mission and we must hurry as fast as we can, what's that? A nebula? Wow is it shiny! LET'S INVESTIGATE!"

 

[2takesfrakes]

STAR TREK's been around for Half a Century due to its versatility. Keeping things fresh has always been a part of the formula ...

 

[Smellmet]

I think these new movies are just that... a fresh take on it.

 

[-Brett-]

I think these new movies are just that... a fresh take on it.

Not really. Maybe they started that way, but then they just went right back to yet another Khan remake.

 

[F. King Daniel]

Trek's success is due to enduring characters, not space phenomena. That's why they brought back Kirk, Spock and even Khan.

 

[hux]

It doesn't need a fresh take, it just needs better writing and character exploration. Television has moved on and is no longer seen as the lesser medium. Hopefully, if a new show comes along, they will take that into account. The worst thing they could do is simply churn out more episodic stuff.

Trek has both the advantage and disadvantage of having a universe that's already established, rich and complex. The advantage being that they can explore so many things in that universe (and make brilliant telly). The disadvantage being that they might be tempted to rest on their laurels and simply throw more Trekkiness at the viewer and hope their loyalty makes it a success

The writing needs to come first. The characters, the ideas, the stories. Just giving the audience more weekly super beings and the occasional space battle won't cut it anymore.

 

[The Overlord]

STAR TREK's been around for Half a Century due to its versatility. Keeping things fresh has always been a part of the formula ...

Except I think part of the reason Star Trek as a franchise collapsed in the early 2000s is because it became formulaic. Voyager aped TNG instead of doing its own thing, even the first two seasons of Enterprise seemed to follow the same formula as Voyager and TNG, only in the last two seasons did they try something different, but by then it was too late.

The first season of TNG was bad because it was trying to be TOS in the 80s, trying to do TNG now wouldn't work either. They have to take the themes of Star Trek but rework them to fit in with a more serialized format.

 

[BillJ]

You truly want to capture the next generation, then it isn't TV Trek should be worried about but video games. They need to figure out a formula that allows them to finally get involved in that market in a realistic way.

 

[-Brett-]

You truly want to capture the next generation, then it isn't TV Trek should be worried about but video games. They need to figure out a formula that allows them to finally get involved in that market in a realistic way.

I think Star Trek missed the boat on this one. Another crash is coming in that industry.

Although it would be just like Star Trek to show up to the party after everyone else has gone home.

 

[BillJ]

Another crash is coming in that industry.

Maybe? But Sony has moved 22 million PS4's and Microsoft has added another 10 million Xbox One's this generation. Very healthy numbers for the industry.

 

[Trekkin]

You truly want to capture the next generation, then it isn't TV Trek should be worried about but video games. They need to figure out a formula that allows them to finally get involved in that market in a realistic way.

I think Star Trek missed the boat on this one. Another crash is coming in that industry.

Although it would be just like Star Trek to show up to the party after everyone else has gone home.

GOG has finally re released Anniversary, Judgement Rites and Acadamy for the PC. They're legal, and getting a fair bit of exposure on the sites homepage at the moment. I don't know how well they'll sell, but at least some new people will be being exposed to them.

 

[Autistoid]

Some things seem quite obvious and are easy to get once one departures from episodic nature.

1) You need a villian or multiple's, DS9 did this best.Develop and rotate them, don't rely on one and don't be afraid of shaking things up,

2) Have an ongoing plot, that can fall to the back burner(i.e. if it flounders Temporal cold war, getting home VOY, the evil Ferrengi, etc there is a way out) Federation missions allows for this flexibility, no need to commit until you have a winner.

3) Have continuity and character development.Characters should have ambitions getting ranks, getting famous, and fall backs, getting hurt, court marshalled etc.

4) Star trek is fundamentally about creating a vision of the future that people want to live in. You can ignore utopian ideals as much as you want, as long as you stay true to the idea that this is a future most people would want to live in.

5) Keep it smart, and have faith in the audience and in the material. You don't have to use big words(technobabble) or dumb things down(klingons are the baddies) to get this across. Have faith that the casual audience will acknowledge intelligent writing, as long as the creators stay commited to the writing.

6) Size(the numbers) doesn't matter. It's not the time period, the speed of the ships, number of casts, scale of conflicts, etc that get people. It's what you do with it. If you establish a coherent and dynamic vision of the future, it doesn't matter if your lead is a pizza delivery man in the year 2200-2400-3000.

 

[Amaris]

I think these new movies are just that... a fresh take on it.

Not really. Maybe they started that way, but then they just went right back to yet another Khan remake.

Even though they used a known character, Khan, it was still done in a new way, from a different perspective. I liked it, and did find it refreshing.

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

The writing needs to come first. The characters, the ideas, the stories. Just giving the audience more weekly super beings and the occasional space battle won't cut it anymore.

Have to agree 100%.

The writing is key. Investment in good writers to come up with imaginative and thought-provoking scripts, good actors to bring the characters to life, a sense of "real life" where people change and grow over time and with all the difficulties they face.

Flashy special effects and attractive women in skimpy outfits just won't cut it anymore. That may disappoint some fans, but make a great TV (not just a Trek) series and you'll get people tuning in because the engage with the stories or like the characters.

Trek needs to get back to having more substance, rather than just gaudy style.

 

[2takesfrakes]

... I think part of the reason Star Trek as a franchise collapsed in the early 2000s is because it became formulaic. Voyager aped TNG instead of doing its own thing, even the first two seasons of Enterprise seemed to follow the same formula as Voyager and TNG, only in the last two seasons did they try something different, but by then it was too late.

The first season of TNG was bad because it was trying to be TOS in the 80s, trying to do TNG now wouldn't work either. They have to take the themes of Star Trek but rework them to fit in with a more serialized format.

Rick Berman's stated that he never "received a memo" telling him to make STAR TREK edgier, or any of that. He did state, however, that what CBS had in mind for ENT without him was not going to work, that it was a bad idea all in the name of being "different." I don't remember the specifics, at this particular moment in time. I believe the term "space cadets" might've been used.

In any case, Rick Berman, whose tireless dedication to this franchise I've always admired, felt it incumbant upon himself to keep STAR TREK within the context of Gene Roddenberry's vision, if you like. On one hand, I think it rocks that he respects another Artist's work so profoundly. What can you say to something like that? It's outstanding! On the other hand ... it's entirely possible that his interpretation of GR's Last Will & Testament might've been over attached to the letter of the law, rather than to the spirit of the law. Still, Rick kept STAR TREK alive and kicking in the changing face of television for decades ...

 

[RandyS]

6) Size(the numbers) doesn't matter. It's not the time period, the speed of the ships, number of casts, scale of conflicts, etc that get people. It's what you do with it. If you establish a coherent and dynamic vision of the future, it doesn't matter if your lead is a pizza delivery man in the year 2200-2400-3000.

Heh. The next series just wrote itself. Turn the Enterprise into a galactic pizza delivery ship who spends half it's time delivering pizzas, and the other half running around the Alpha Quadrant having their doctor treating all the aliens who get sick from eating a human food they didn't know they couldn't handle.

It could be a comedy.

 

[The Overlord]

... I think part of the reason Star Trek as a franchise collapsed in the early 2000s is because it became formulaic. Voyager aped TNG instead of doing its own thing, even the first two seasons of Enterprise seemed to follow the same formula as Voyager and TNG, only in the last two seasons did they try something different, but by then it was too late.

The first season of TNG was bad because it was trying to be TOS in the 80s, trying to do TNG now wouldn't work either. They have to take the themes of Star Trek but rework them to fit in with a more serialized format.

Rick Berman's stated that he never "received a memo" telling him to make STAR TREK edgier, or any of that. He did state, however, that what CBS had in mind for ENT without him was not going to work, that it was a bad idea all in the name of being "different." I don't remember the specifics, at this particular moment in time. I believe the term "space cadets" might've been used.

In any case, Rick Berman, whose tireless dedication to this franchise I've always admired, felt it incumbant upon himself to keep STAR TREK within the context of Gene Roddenberry's vision, if you like. On one hand, I think it rocks that he respects another Artist's work so profoundly. What can you say to something like that? It's outstanding! On the other hand ... it's entirely possible that his interpretation of GR's Last Will & Testament might've been over attached to the letter of the law, rather than to the spirit of the law. Still, Rick kept STAR TREK alive and kicking in the changing face of television for decades ...

I think Rick Berman became part of the problem in later years, as illustrated in this article:

http://watercoolerjournal.com/faile...n-ruined-one-of-tvs-most-valuable-properties/

I think we still have a show that reflects Gene Roddenberry's ideas, but take a approach that is new. A new show can still be Star Trek and yet cover new ground and get away from the usual episodic planet of the week type stories.

It doesn't have to be darker and edgier persay, but it does need a new format with a greater focus on continuing story lines, deeper characterization (no more bland characters like Harry Kim) and tighter plotting and continuity.

 

[T'Girl]

TPTB should also be willing to drop ideas that just aren't working out, none of us enjoy admitting when we've made a mistake, but sometimes you have to bite the bullet.

I know that there are fans on this board who cry out "don't listen to your audience" but to a degree they should. If social media is absolutely screaming "get rid of this arc, or that character, TPTB should at least step back and consider that they might be going in the wrong direction.

No, you're not ever going to make everyone happy, but the bulk of your audience should be.

 

[mos6507]

The main problem I have with Rick Berman is the way he seemed to want to "flatten" the peaks and valleys of drama, most notably his edict to make the scores "sonic wallpaper". The big difference between TOS (or the TOS movies) and the TNG shows was that the TNG shows were just dull. Being boring is the cardinal sin of any show and they committed that sin way too often.