Is A New Star Trek TV Series Doomed Even More Because of Star Trek Xl?

[Captain Robert April]

Re: Is A New Star Trek TV Series Doomed Even More Because of Star Trek

On my last trip to TRU, all of the merchandise connected with ST09 was on clearance, on full pegs, while the stuff from TOS was still at full price, and there was a lot less of it. The toy section at Big Lots is practically a ST09 toy clearance outlet.

Lesson: TOS sells, ST09 not so much. In fact, the only ST09 item I haven't seen on clearance is the pimped-out phaser (kids love guns).

 

[thumbtack]

Re: Is A New Star Trek TV Series Doomed Even More Because of Star Trek

That reminds me. Target is blowing out Avatar toys for anyone who's interested. What a terrible, terrible year it's been for the toy industry.

 

[Devon]

Re: Is A New Star Trek TV Series Doomed Even More Because of Star Trek

On my last trip to TRU, all of the merchandise connected with ST09 was on clearance, on full pegs, while the stuff from TOS was still at full price, and there was a lot less of it. The toy section at Big Lots is practically a ST09 toy clearance outlet.

Lesson: TOS sells, ST09 not so much. In fact, the only ST09 item I haven't seen on clearance is the pimped-out phaser (kids love guns).

No. Try again.

Which makes one wonder why CBS owns it in the first place.

Because Viacom merged CBS Productions/Paramount Television into one company.

The network that didn't want to show his creation originally back in 1964 now owns it in 2010

Sorta, but not exactly.

but still doesn't want to show it or make a TV show out of it. So the question is, why do they own it? Why not sell the rights to Lucasfilm Ltd., and let that company make a show out of it, animated or not?

They are still making money off of the older series, and CBS gets some nice licensing kick backs. It's a lucrative property as long as they aren't shelling out too much money to make the money.

 

[M'Sharak]

Re: Is A New Star Trek TV Series Doomed Even More Because of Star Trek

CBS has no motive to think twice or even once about Star Trek. They have very few slots they need to fill next season because their strategy of hewing to police procedurals, sitcoms and reality TV is working out very well and cancellations are not merited. Maybe someday this strategy will no longer work - their audience ain't getting any younger - but that's not even on the horizon yet.

So if you were in charge of CBS, why would you bother with a real outlier like Star Trek? It's not part of your strategy. The audience for Star Trek isn't your audience, which will make it hard to cross-promote. Pushing Star Trek isn't going to help your career. The only shows that get made are the ones that help someone's career.

Which makes one wonder why CBS owns it in the first place. This situation would make Gene Roddenberry roll in his grave-the network that didn't want to show his creation originally back in 1964 now owns it in 2010, but still doesn't want to show it or make a TV show out of it. So the question is, why do they own it? Why not sell the rights to Lucasfilm Ltd., and let that company make a show out of it, animated or not?

...

The network which took a pass on "The Cage" in 1964 was NBC, but they did take the (then and now) rare step of requesting a second pilot, which was aired on NBC along with the rest of the series' original 1966-69 run. CBS wouldn't enter the picture until some years later, after the creation of Viacom.

 

[C.E. Evans]

Re: Is A New Star Trek TV Series Doomed Even More Because of Star Trek

I'm inclined to think that even if Star Trek X failed

It did.

You mean it didn't.

 

[M'Sharak]

Re: Is A New Star Trek TV Series Doomed Even More Because of Star Trek

I'm inclined to think that even if Star Trek X failed

It did.

You mean it didn't.

Are you talking about Star Trek: Nemesis, the tenth (X) Star Trek movie, or about Star Trek, the eleventh (XI) movie?

 

[C.E. Evans]

Re: Is A New Star Trek TV Series Doomed Even More Because of Star Trek

I'm inclined to think that even if Star Trek X failed

It did.

You mean it didn't.

Are you talking about Star Trek: Nemesis, the tenth (X) Star Trek movie, or about Star Trek, the eleventh (XI) movie?

Hmm...didn't even see that.

I coulda swore I had put down Star Trek XI rather than Star Trek X...must have been a tipoe...

 

[Dusty Ayres]

Re: Is A New Star Trek TV Series Doomed Even More Because of Star Trek

The network which took a pass on "The Cage" in 1964 was NBC, but they did take the (then and now) rare step of requesting a second pilot, which was aired on NBC along with the rest of the series' original 1966-69 run. CBS wouldn't enter the picture until some years later, after the creation of Viacom.

No, Roddenberry took Star Trek to CBS first in 1964, as per the arrangement that Desilu had with CBS for producing shows, but CBS, addicted to the stinker Lost In Space, decided not to produce it, making Roddenberry go to NBC. NBC also didn't cotton to it, but then some shows didn't pan out, and then NBC took a look at it (although Gene had to commit to another pilot.) That's why I'm pissed off at CBS owning Star Trek, because they didn't care about the show then, but through an accident, they have the rights now, but still don't want to make any new shows, thus retarding the property.

 

[Devon]

Re: Is A New Star Trek TV Series Doomed Even More Because of Star Trek

That's why I'm pissed off at CBS owning Star Trek, because they didn't care about the show then, but through an accident, they have the rights now, but still don't want to make any new shows, thus retarding the property.

They have to have a reason to think that a TV series would be worth it. Star Trek will probably be back on TV, just give it time.

 

[Captain Robert April]

Re: Is A New Star Trek TV Series Doomed Even More Because of Star Trek

The reason CBS took a pass on Star Trek is that Roddenberry's rambling, lackluster presentation (Solow didn't attend that meeting) didn't give them any reason to favor his proposal over Irwin Allen's "Lost in Space" proposal. And Allen had a bit more of a track record with regard to sci-fi tv shows to back up his pitch.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Re: Is A New Star Trek TV Series Doomed Even More Because of Star Trek

The only way a new TV series will be done is to borrow heavily from what Abrams did. OldTrek is dead.

 

[Luther Sloan]

Re: Is A New Star Trek TV Series Doomed Even More Because of Star Trek

I wouldn't say Old Trek (The Prime Universe) is entirely dead. If they do in fact do a TV Series set in JJ Abram's Universe (Of which they will probably do), it is quite possible that they could do a parallel reality episode that visits the Original Universe at some point.

 

[Gaith]

Re: Is A New Star Trek TV Series Doomed Even More Because of Star Trek

^^ Sounds a bit like splitting hairs to me.

 

[Dusty Ayres]

Re: Is A New Star Trek TV Series Doomed Even More Because of Star Trek

The reason CBS took a pass on Star Trek is that Roddenberry's rambling, lackluster presentation (Solow didn't attend that meeting) didn't give them any reason to favor his proposal over Irwin Allen's "Lost in Space" proposal. And Allen had a bit more of a track record with regard to sci-fi TV shows to back up his pitch.

Except that Allen's show was garbage, and CBS came to regret it, too (Bill Paley even hated Lost In Space, and had it canceled when his beloved Gunsmoke was threatened with the axe.) So, no, CBS are still DB's for what they did, and are doing now.

 

[Captain Robert April]

Re: Is A New Star Trek TV Series Doomed Even More Because of Star Trek

They kept it on for three seasons, so it was clearly doing something good for the ratings. And Gunsmoke had already been on for over ten years by that point, so the brownie points go to Marshall Dillon.

And, like I said, had Leonard Nimoy not been so eager to jump ship, they could've had at least another year on CBS, probably to take LIS' place on the lineup, and get back that audience segment (it's been speculated that CBS started using demographics a year before NBC and knew the potential of the show).

 

[I am not Spock]

Re: Is A New Star Trek TV Series Doomed Even More Because of Star Trek

I think we won't be seeing a new series for a long time, not until at least after Abrams has made his three movies. The cast are signed up for three. After that, they may well decide to make more, or maybe there will be nothing. Another dark age which lasts up until someone else decides to reboot Trek again.

We most certainly wont be seeing the Prime universe on screen again. That would be like Timothy Dalton coming back in the next Bond film; or Tom Baker suiting up as the Doctor after Matt Smith bows out. It's another era; it won't ever come back again. Yeah, I love the Prime universe too, but we have to let it go. Any future Trek series will either be in the Abrams verse, or in another rebooted universe.

I suppose we did have multiple timeline scenarios with Smallville and Superman Returns; and Terminator Salvation and the Sarah Connor Chronicles, though. (But both of those films weren't that successful, maybe because of the confusion about the divergent universes)

 

[Captain Robert April]

Re: Is A New Star Trek TV Series Doomed Even More Because of Star Trek

Nobody was confused, "Superman Returns" was mediocre and "Terminator: Salvation" stunk on ice.

 

[Captain Robert April]

Re: Is A New Star Trek TV Series Doomed Even More Because of Star Trek

The only way a new TV series will be done is to borrow heavily from what Abrams did. OldTrek is dead.

And that delights you to no end, doesn't it? However, the fact that Pocket continues to produce books based on the original timeline sort of proves you wrong. "OldTrek" may not be raising the roof these days, but it's far from dead.

The division of rights between Paramount and CBS makes it more likely that any new series would be based upon the original timeline, because that's the part that CBS owns.

Simple economics; it's cheaper for CBS to produce a show that they don't have to pay the other side of the house for.

 

[Char Aznable]

Re: Is A New Star Trek TV Series Doomed Even More Because of Star Trek

And that delights you to no end, doesn't it?

LOL, persecution complex.

However, the fact that Pocket continues to produce books based on the original timeline sort of proves you wrong. "OldTrek" may not be raising the roof these days, but it's far from dead.

Typical grasping for straws logic.

The division of rights between Paramount and CBS makes it more likely that any new series would be based upon the original timeline, because that's the part that CBS owns.

Why would they waste time making a show set in a world that did so poorly before?

Simple economics; it's cheaper for CBS to produce a show that they don't have to pay the other side of the house for.

Its also more profitable to produce a new show on, y'know, the universe that's actually popular at the moment and that the current audience actually gives a shit about currently. Simple economics.

 

[Sabataage]

Re: Is A New Star Trek TV Series Doomed Even More Because of Star Trek

I wouldn't say Old Trek (The Prime Universe) is entirely dead. If they do in fact do a TV Series set in JJ Abram's Universe (Of which they will probably do), it is quite possible that they could do a parallel reality episode that visits the Original Universe at some point.

Sorta OT, but I think there's one way to do a new series without stepping on the shoes of Abram's movies: give the Trek-verse a Doctor Who.
One of the (many) problems with ENT was that the show was a prisoner within its own timeline. They couldn't introduce new aliens (or bring back old ones from the future) without incurring backlash from the fan community. Any new series would face a similar dilemma. This new series wouldn't be able to do Klingons until Abrams' movies did them first. And even then whatever they do or say might get contradicted later. One way to get around this is to introduce a new character and a ship (from the distant future or ancient past) that is not bound to one quadrant, or timeline... or universe. One minute the gang is on a mission in the Sixties TOS universe, the next they're on the Abramsprise, bumping into Spock. They could explore every facet of Trek lore and all the what-if's therein. Like for instance, an alteranate Earth where the Vulcans never saw Cochrane's warp ship, resulting in first contact happening a lot later under less than ideal circumstances. Or an alternate universe overrun with Doomsday Machines where humanity has gone extinct. Endless possibilities witha show like that and none of them need to involve either the old or new universe.