Is it time to put Star Trek to rest?

[Schilkeman]

The new cadets show could be great. It could also be Buffy in space (I love Buffy btw). But for Trek, I like seeing competent adults confronting unknown and difficult situations. with, hopefully, a level of emotional maturity that should be aspirational. I like Trek to be an ideas show first, and a character show second.

I'm of the opinion that the more concerned Trek has been with its own lore, the less compelling it has become. I mean, a little can be fun, and certainly TNG was no worse for wear for its one-offs with TOS characters, but all the recent shows seem to demand an understanding of the world of Star Trek. Enterprise was the first time Trek looked backwards, and it's had both eyes firmly fixed in that direction ever since.

 

[Starflight]

Agreed, I wish they'd return to the "space is a stage where anything can happen" model that defined TOS, and was still largely present in TNG and Voyager.

It's not just Star Trek, the hyperfocus on all SFF franchises having internally-consistent "lore" has become such a huge thing over the past two decades. I can imagine modern audiences even reacting badly to a work being deliberately impressionistic and plot-focused in the way TOS was.

 

[The Gatekeeper]

Do people still watch Stripes? (I'm not sure I've seen it in 40 years.)

Honestly, "Light up, Francis" is just an internet meme to me.

I like Trek to be an ideas show first, and a character show second.

Gene Roddenberry Himself wanted TOS to be the other way around.

 

[1001001]

Do people still watch Stripes? (I'm not sure I've seen it in 40 years.)

 

[Set Harth]

I would hope to people who want sci fi storytelling with a show that actually has something to say about the human condition.

Spoiler

 

[F. King Daniel]

I would hope to people who want sci fi storytelling with a show that actually has something to say about the human condition.

To whom, though? To some, Gray's new body in Discovery was the epitome of it. To others, it's Kirk finding his purpose in the last movies. Or Batel using the power of love to defeat ancient evil in the last season of SNW.

 

[Starflight]

For me it's The Rock piledriving Seven of Nine.

 

[Etbj SMY]

View attachment 49583

That's the fact, Jack......even if Bill Murray's ''fight'' with Warren Oates recalls Shatner's multiple failures against Morgan Woodward.

 

[fireproof78]

Do people still watch Stripes? (I'm not sure I've seen it in 40 years.)

Definitely.

 

[Tallguy]

Re: Stripes - Does anyone younger than 40 still watch Stripes?

 

[fireproof78]

Re: Stripes - Does anyone younger than 40 still watch Stripes?

My wife is younger than 40 so yes.


And I'm only 41.

 

[Etbj SMY]

Re: Stripes - Does anyone younger than 40 still watch Stripes?

These ageist comments, even when tongue-in-cheek, invariably steam my drawers. If I wasn't writing a biography of Lumsden Hare, I'd go into this matter further.

 

[Set Harth]

Re: Stripes - Does anyone younger than 40 still watch Stripes?

Yes. Especially if a zebra walks in front of the screen.

 

[Alex1066]

To whom, though? To some, Gray's new body in Discovery was the epitome of it. To others, it's Kirk finding his purpose in the last movies. Or Batel using the power of love to defeat ancient evil in the last season of SNW

I would assume that those people, by and large, would want the current era of Trek to continue as is and their opinion is as valid as mine. I am simply stating my own that I would like them to stop and eventually go in a different direction.

There will never be a uniform consensus nor a show or direction that will satisfy or appeal to all. Ultimately. viewing figures vs budget and overall profitability will be the arbiter of how they choose to continue to develop the IP. Along with whatever the strategy is to compete in the streaming wars.

Myself, I have liked aspects, an episode here and there, of the modern era but have never loved any of it. I have also disliked much of it and detested a fair amount as well. My own belief is the franchise deserves better storytelling by and large. I am not asking anyone to agree. Just putting my own opinion out there. The thread topic was a simple question….i simply gave my opinion.

 

[Shawnster]

There will never be a uniform consensus nor a show or direction that will satisfy or appeal to all.

I wonder if some of this is attributable to the episodic vs. serialized format. The serialized seasons, if a person does not like that particular story, they won't like the entire season. With episodic stories, that same person might tune in next week if they think they might like that episode.

Which has received more positive feedback - DISCO or SNW? Those are examples of each.

 

[fireproof78]

There will never be a uniform consensus nor a show or direction that will satisfy or appeal to all.

This. It would be great if that was understood far broader, instead of the "True Trek argument."

Watching TOS was a great instruction in multiple episodes that I just straight up don't care for. I ignore them.

I wonder if some of this is attributable to the episodic vs. serialized format. The serialized seasons, if a person does not like that particular story, they won't like the entire season. With episodic stories, that same person might tune in next week if they think they might like that episode.

Which has received more positive feedback - DISCO or SNW? Those are examples of each.

That might be, but I personally attribute my like or dislike closer with characters. If the characters are boring, or uninteresting, then there is no reason to continue on, regardless of a serialized story.

 

[Alex1066]

I wonder if some of this is attributable to the episodic vs. serialized format. The serialized seasons, if a person does not like that particular story, they won't like the entire season. With episodic stories, that same person might tune in next week if they think they might like that episode.

Which has received more positive feedback - DISCO or SNW? Those are examples of each.

I do think serialized seasons, particularly those with a big “mystery” storylines, may be a bigger disappointment if they don’t stick the landing at the end of the season. Kind of retroactively ruin the whole season.

A bad idea in a serialized format can ruin an entire season, but I’ve seen episodic shows where they just did a different bad idea each week so idk which is better.

I think, by and large, SNW has received more positive feedback while DISCO received more negative feedback generally.

Just my subjective opinion but the funny thing to me is while I would never say I am a big fan of either series, I felt DISCO generally improved over its run while SNW is declining in quality the longer it goes, but it still has a season and a half to go so they may turn it around.

 

[fireproof78]

As long as it has at least 11 good episodes it keeps up with the Fry formula.

 

[Frightscape One]

This. It would be great if that was understood far broader, instead of the "True Trek argument."

Watching TOS was a great instruction in multiple episodes that I just straight up don't care for. I ignore them.


That might be, but I personally attribute my like or dislike closer with characters. If the characters are boring, or uninteresting, then there is no reason to continue on, regardless of a serialized story.

I'm into shows for the characters, too. Unfortunately, DISCO failed with more than half their characters and failed spectacularly with their arcs. No STAR TREK series has felt like a chore to watch before or since this one. (Except PICARD season 2. Damn, that was rough trying to get through it.) TAS was far more interesting.

By contrast, SNW has done great with nearly every character and their first season was wonderful. Season 2 was very good, too, with only 2 duds. Season 3? Four duds. I'm hoping it's a fluke and we'll get a return to the great form of season 1 with their 4th and 5th seasons.

 

[The Salt Umpire]

I'm into shows for the characters, too. Unfortunately, DISCO failed with more than half their characters and failed spectacularly with their arcs. No STAR TREK series has felt like a chore to watch before or since this one. (Except PICARD season 2. Damn, that was rough trying to get through it.) TAS was far more interesting.

By contrast, SNW has done great with nearly every character and their first season was wonderful. Season 2 was very good, too, with only 2 duds. Season 3? Four duds. I'm hoping it's a fluke and we'll get a return to the great form of season 1 with their 4th and 5th seasons.

I'll take 35 good episodes out of 46. What are we up to 20, 22? How many of the 30 so far are as bad as Turnabout, And The Children Shall Lead or the enjoyably campy Spock's Brain & The Way To Eden?