Drop the S31 show for a Captain Pike show?

[Noname Given]

Balance of Terror has the threat of a diplomatic incident and an antagonist who arguably isn't an especially awful person

^^^
Hahahaha! Yeah, a ship that obliterates 3 listing posts (and all their personnel) with no real provocation beyond "The Praetor thinks its about time for another War with Earth/The Federation..."; and plans to return home and start another full scale intergalactic war (although he's a bit conflicted on that point - but not enough to not carry out his mission to its full conclusion) "isn't an especially awful person"

 

[thribs]

Let’s go further back. Show April’s command.

 

[CorporalClegg]

Who?

 

[thribs]

Who?

Robert April. The chap who was the first captain of the Enterprise.

 

[TrekkieBorg1701Z]

Let’s go further back. Show April’s command.

This! I think this would make a good Short Trek or miniseries.

 

[Starflight]

^^^
Hahahaha! Yeah, a ship that obliterates 3 listing posts (and all their personnel) with no real provocation beyond "The Praetor thinks its about time for another War with Earth/The Federation..."; and plans to return home and start another full scale intergalactic war (although he's a bit conflicted on that point - but not enough to not carry out his mission to its full conclusion) "isn't an especially awful person"

I should have made the word "arguably" in bold neon letters.

 

[Boris Skrbic]

This! I think this would make a good Short Trek or miniseries.

How would you know that, given how little we know of April? Perhaps his stint was by-the-book and unremarkable.

 

[thribs]

How would you know that, given how little we know of April? Perhaps his stint was by-the-book and unremarkable.

Well that’s the writer’s job to make it remarkable.

 

[Grendelsbayne]

I don't see why April should be singled out in any way.

Pike is the captain that could've been if the pilot had been accepted, so there's an understandable fascination to that. And through that fascination, Pike has slowly developed his own significant place in the lore, from the Menagerie through the Abrams films to the now highly popular DSC version. There is significant characterization there plus an excellent, well-liked actor.

April has none of that. He appeared once in a TAS episode about forced retirement where he was portrayed as utterly generic and had no background of any interest to speak of. He's a throwaway character just as sure as every other one-shot character in the history of the franchise, and quite frankly I could probably find dozens of other one-shot characters with far more interesting concepts and backgrounds for a potential story to dig in to.

Yes, you could write an incredible story around Robert April if you really wanted to, but it would essentially be the exact same thing as writing a totally original character, so why not do that and expand on the lore instead? If you want to tell a story about the Enterprise before Kirk then it makes far more sense to use the captain everybody knows and likes who already has a beloved actor lined up.

 

[thribs]

I just think it’ll be fun to see the early days of the Connie.

 

[Rainard Fox]

I don't see why April should be singled out in any way.

Pike is the captain that could've been if the pilot had been accepted, so there's an understandable fascination to that. And through that fascination, Pike has slowly developed his own significant place in the lore, from the Menagerie through the Abrams films to the now highly popular DSC version. There is significant characterization there plus an excellent, well-liked actor.

April has none of that. He appeared once in a TAS episode about forced retirement where he was portrayed as utterly generic and had no background of any interest to speak of. He's a throwaway character just as sure as every other one-shot character in the history of the franchise, and quite frankly I could probably find dozens of other one-shot characters with far more interesting concepts and backgrounds for a potential story to dig in to.

Yes, you could write an incredible story around Robert April if you really wanted to, but it would essentially be the exact same thing as writing a totally original character, so why not do that and expand on the lore instead? If you want to tell a story about the Enterprise before Kirk then it makes far more sense to use the captain everybody knows and likes who already has a beloved actor lined up.

Totally agree. Captain April would be interesting. Captain Pike is interesting right now and has young Spock and Number One in his team. It's their time! Actors are involved, decorations are setted, what is CBS waiting for?

 

[pst]

what is CBS waiting for?

probably a few things: star trek: picard viewership numbers, short treks season 2 viewership numbers, data showing subscriber retention between seasons between series, and (on the off chance they have always intended to produce a pike show) a window where the announcement of that show wouldn't eat into the hype surrounding another star trek show.

i'm as impatient as the next guy for a pike show and half expected some news on it this past month, but it makes zero sense for CBS to announce it now, it would just cannibalized the picard show hype.

 

[BillJ]

i'm as impatient as the next guy for a pike show and half expected some news on it this past month, but it makes zero sense for CBS to announce it now, it would just cannibalized the picard show hype.

I'm not sure, as they have no issues hyping the Short Treks featuring the Enterprise trio. They also have announced Section 31, Lower Decks and the Nicktoons show that I don't know the name of.

 

[pst]

I'm not sure, as they have no issues hyping the Short Treks featuring the Enterprise trio. They also have announced Section 31, Lower Decks and the Nicktoons show that I don't know the name of.

CBS recently trademarked a show called "star trek: prodigy" (in addition to "star trek: section 31"), so that might be the name of the nick toon.

i can't claim to understand CBS' marketing strategy, i can only assume announcing more shows wouldn't help them at this point, even if it's a show the fans are clearly demanding. that fan demand might even hamstring them even more, no one really knows what to make of section 31, lower decks, or nick toons, so it's all hypothetical until we see footage. we've basically seen the pike show's backdoor pilot in the disco season 2 finale and people are excited for it in a way that might rival picard.

 

[Starflight]

I'd like an April show just because he's so boring in TAS. Pike is more or less a different (and better, IMO) character in Discovery than he was in The Cage, it'd be cool to see April get the same treatment.

Sarah April could be an interesting character too - in addition to being apparently one of the greatest doctors in the Federation, there has to be some interesting stories to tell about the relationship between Robert and Sarah working on the same ship.

 

[fireproof78]

Totally agree. Captain April would be interesting. Captain Pike is interesting right now and has young Spock and Number One in his team. It's their time! Actors are involved, decorations are setted, what is CBS waiting for?

The appropriate timing, working out the money, release schedule, etc. It's not like these things just fall together. Whatever stipulations that were in their contracts were likely for Season 2 alone, and possible short Treks. A full show is a longer commitment.

 

[Lord Garth]

If Paramount and CBS re-merge, then it might not be a TV Series they want to do with Pike, if you get my drift...

... wild speculation on my part and wild speculation only.

 

[Noname Given]

I'm not sure, as they have no issues hyping the Short Treks featuring the Enterprise trio. They also have announced Section 31, Lower Decks and the Nicktoons show that I don't know the name of.

the difference is: Both the Short Treks and the Picard series have upcoming near term release dates - so OF COURSE CBSAA is going to HYPE THE HELL out of them at every Convention they have their people at until the premieres.

It makes NO SENSE to hype something still at the conceptual/development phase with two Live action series (one in it's first season and one in it's third) premiering in 5/6 months as well as two animated series. CBSAA wants to drive up interest for what they are about to show on their service.

 

[dswynne1]

Considering the nature of today's streaming service, you could easily have a complete, televised story with no need to commit to32 additional seasons. Ergo, I don't see why we can't have both a S31 show and a Pike show, with both having definite endings, in one form or another.

 

[Grendelsbayne]

I just think it’ll be fun to see the early days of the Connie.

I don't really understand how it's any different if the Enterprise is five months out of drydock or five years. The only really unique aspect is the shakedown cruise which has never been all that interesting when previous incarnations of the franchise have done it.

But even if there is something interesting there, I'd still say, why not expand the lore instead? Tell a story about the USS Constitution, Endeavour, Emden, etc, or make up a new one (I always liked the name Horizon). That way the captain and crew can be whatever you want them to be, the ship can be brand new if you want it to be and if the story takes off, you can use those characters as guests on the Pike series/S31 series or use the Pike/s31 characters as guests on that ship.