Is star trek dead on tv
- Thread starter tangent9
- Start date
Star Trek will be back on TV. When Star Trek XI hits big, of course they're going to want to cash in everywhere possible. Not just on TV, but everywhere else: video games, books, action figures, commemorative plates, McDonald's Happy Meals. Probably some frakkin' webisodes, too. We won't be able to get away from Star Trek. Enjoy the quiet while it lasts.
I think there's hope that it's over. I think the best we can hope for is that the flood of mediocre-to-bad television labelled "Star Trek" has stopped. This would be the worst time to have another series. It would be some sort of corporate-driven, effects-heavy, shallow action-adventure in space, not a labor of love on the part of visionaries who are in synch with what the original series was trying to achieve.
If Trek XI does well enough to warrant a sequel, and then they make that sequel, and then maybe another, then TPTB might start talking about another series, or possibly direct to video or (by then) webisodes. But not until the movie franchise is milked again, I think Paramount may have finally figured out that saturating the market with Trek isn't a good thing.
So I wouldn't doubt another decade without Trek on the small screen, though some exec might do a shit-load of coke one night and green-light something we'll all forget...
So I wouldn't doubt another decade without Trek on the small screen, though some exec might do a shit-load of coke one night and green-light something we'll all forget...
a) Trek is still a profitable franchise.
b) TPTB love to make money.
c) CBS has the television rights; Paramount has the movie rights.
d) CBS wants to make money on their part of the franchise, too.
Therefore
e) CBS will find a way to make money from Star Trek, too.
Is there really any doubt?
b) TPTB love to make money.
c) CBS has the television rights; Paramount has the movie rights.
d) CBS wants to make money on their part of the franchise, too.
Therefore
e) CBS will find a way to make money from Star Trek, too.
Is there really any doubt?
If the movie is a success paramount will focus on making more successful movies for a good long while as it did in the 80's. If it is a failure it is unlikely that we will see trek of any kind for a few years i'd say anywhere from 3-5.
Either way i think the possibility of seeing a trek series on tv any time soon to be unlikely.
the only factor i can see affecting that likelihood is the success/failure of the star wars live action series. If it does well there might be a trek show a little earlier than my previosu estimate.
Either way i think the possibility of seeing a trek series on tv any time soon to be unlikely.
the only factor i can see affecting that likelihood is the success/failure of the star wars live action series. If it does well there might be a trek show a little earlier than my previosu estimate.
Here I agree.
There will be a Star Trek series sooner or later.
Star Trek is a phenomenon which attracts millions of fans all over the world. Such a big fanbase is too big to ignore in the long run.
Besides that, in my opinion Star Trek has always been better as a TV series project than a movies project. Some of the movies are very good but they have never came up to the same standard as osme of the best TV episodes.
Here is my scientific, well-thought-out, reply, heavily supported by facts and figures:
No.
No.
As much as I am looking forward to it, I am a lot more cynical than most about how well this movie is going to do. As a result, I can't see the movie turning Star Trek's fortunes around.
I can see a future for Star Trek maybe in Direct-to-DVD movies. If Stargate and Battlestar Galactica can do it I don't see why Trek can't.
I can see a future for Star Trek maybe in Direct-to-DVD movies. If Stargate and Battlestar Galactica can do it I don't see why Trek can't.
I can't see a sequel either. It seems each series has a hook.
In TOS: A multiracial/multinational crew with one alien.
In TNG: A new Enterprise crew 80 year years later with a child genius as a crew member. There was the addition of a former enemy alien as a senior officer. I remember reading that Gene Roddenberry was excited with the addition of Wesley Crusher for this series.
in DS9: A person of color as the Commanding Officer leading a space station and not a starship. DS9 was able to go beyond this gimmick.
VOY: A female captain with a non Enterprise starship 70,000 light years from home. They added a Borg as a crew member.
ENT: The first Earth starship permitted exploration by their Vulcan allies.
So what could be next? An alien captain? A reimagined ST series? I better be quiet. The ST PTB seem to be behind the curve as far as new series or ideas.
In TOS: A multiracial/multinational crew with one alien.
In TNG: A new Enterprise crew 80 year years later with a child genius as a crew member. There was the addition of a former enemy alien as a senior officer. I remember reading that Gene Roddenberry was excited with the addition of Wesley Crusher for this series.
in DS9: A person of color as the Commanding Officer leading a space station and not a starship. DS9 was able to go beyond this gimmick.
VOY: A female captain with a non Enterprise starship 70,000 light years from home. They added a Borg as a crew member.
ENT: The first Earth starship permitted exploration by their Vulcan allies.
So what could be next? An alien captain? A reimagined ST series? I better be quiet. The ST PTB seem to be behind the curve as far as new series or ideas.
Once again, as always, it's a matter of execution. If it's done well and in a way that connects with an audience then it can work. If it's done in much the same way as we've had for the past decade or so then, no, it won't fly.
The current conventional thinking that space adventure is dead for television is pure bullshit. If space adventure is well done then folks will warch it. While I personally don't like the new BSG (or the old) in the least it has found an audience and has been successful.
A new Trek, or a new non-Trek space adventure, could find a sizeable viewership if done right. Whether it would appeal to me I couldn't say without seeing it, but it could be done nonetheless.
I would suggest that whoever tried it would be well served to understand what made the successes of the past work and what made the failures bad, learn from that and then go on to make the new project distinctive from what came before.
As with superheroes my fear with new Trek or any new space adventure is that TPTB (whomever they may be) will be hampered by bucket loads of expected cliches and formulas or so called "must haves."
I'm sure we'll still get a trek series if the movie is successful first. Lets hope that the 6th series (if the movie is sucessful) takes place a few years after Star Trek Nemesis (perhaps 10 years after Voyager got home).
Like many of the fan fic stories out there have proven-you don't need an appearance by Kirk or Janeway to make a story work. However-even casual references to canon icons or events would allow the writers of a new series to tie old-show viewers to the new series/characters. Junking everything at this point might be a big mistake. As evidenced by the people who bop around on this BBS, there's a lot of people invested in ST and every one of them carries some piece of the old shows in their head. Not to mention books, short stories, the movies and even fan fic, so some kind of tie-in makes sense.
However-any heavy linking to what came before would put limitations on a new show-limitations better avoided. If they do a new series they have something no other show would have-US. We've all analyzed the hell out of ST and have a pretty good consensus of pitfalls to avoid to make the ideal Star Trek tv show. So my guess is anyone creating a new show will ignore us completely. "Why the heck would we ask the fans what they think? We're the television people, we know what we are doing!"
Dr_Daystrom
Commander
If I'm not mistaken Paramount owns all the rights to Star Trek (they purchased them back in the late 60's I believe). It was Paramount that said Star Trek was going to be mothballed on TV and in the theaters. But then JJ Abrams and MI:3 happened and TPTB decided he had the Midas touch, so they tapped him for one more try at reviving the franchise. If STXI is successful I think Paramount will focus on two more films before returning to TV. Build a new following with blockbuster movies and then follow up on the little screen. IMHO.
I'd say concensus is not the best word to describe trek fandom.
darkwing_duck1
Vice Admiral
The objective reality is that space-based sci-fi is all but dead and NON space-based sci-fi is limited to "niche markets" like Sci-Fi channel, where it is produced on a relative shoestring budget.
The Big Four certainly won't go for a space-base show (Star Wars notwithstanding, as it has a strong "brand" backing it), and there is no "direct to syndication" market to speak of anymore either as a potential outlet. Even if there were, the risk-averse studio execs won't pony up the upfront costs to make a quality show.
The Big Four certainly won't go for a space-base show (Star Wars notwithstanding, as it has a strong "brand" backing it), and there is no "direct to syndication" market to speak of anymore either as a potential outlet. Even if there were, the risk-averse studio execs won't pony up the upfront costs to make a quality show.
It doesn't really matter if Star Trek XI does well or not, someday we'll get a new Star Trek TV show. Even if the TV show doesn't make money, the merchandise will make a ton of money for Paramount, and there's nothing the movie/TV studios like more then money.
Actually I think that franchises like Star Trek that run for years and years usually need a break in order for the viewing public to catch their breath and to get a new creative staff to come back stronger then ever.
Actually I think that franchises like Star Trek that run for years and years usually need a break in order for the viewing public to catch their breath and to get a new creative staff to come back stronger then ever.
