I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for live-action additions to the "Prime" universe. The more time that elapses the less likely it is that they ever go back to that continuity.
More popular worldwide: Trek or Doctor Who?
- Thread starter TalkieToaster
- Start date
I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for live-action additions to the "Prime" universe. The more time that elapses the less likely it is that they ever go back to that continuity.
If you had asked this question before 2005, I would definitely say that Star Trek was more popular world wide, in terms of its presence in popular culture, and general awareness. Star Trek left television right around the time that Doctor Who was returning to television, which is pretty much the reverse of what was happening in the late 1980's. Now Doctor Who has a new series going, and has had a new-found resurgence in popularity, because it is regular and current. We are getting 13 - 14 new episodes per year plus specials and spin-offs like the recently ended Sarah Jane, or K-9, so Who is a very hot thing right now.
By contrast, it seems we are getting a new Star Trek movie every 3 - 4 years, so it does not have nearly the overall presence of Doctor Who right now. Both are certainly the two greatest Science Fiction screen franchises, with both having roughly 50 years of history and are still going. Sure, Trek went away for a while after 69, but we still had the animated series and various novels and comics during that time. Doctor Who left TV at the end of the 80's, but we still had books and audio dramas. Both franchises survived their hiatuses, and I believe that Star Trek will return to television again some day. When Trek finally returns to TV, we could see it once again matching the popularity of Doctor Who, if it is done well enough.
Remember that Doctor Who was off the air for 16 years, and it has only been 9 years since Enterprise ended. Star Trek spawned 6 television series, 12 movies, had a space shuttle named for it, and has had numerous real world technologies inspired by it, so we can't forget about all of that just because Doctor Who is more popular at the moment. Personally, I wouldn't mind a revival of Star Trek Enterprise, or a new series about Worf.
By contrast, it seems we are getting a new Star Trek movie every 3 - 4 years, so it does not have nearly the overall presence of Doctor Who right now. Both are certainly the two greatest Science Fiction screen franchises, with both having roughly 50 years of history and are still going. Sure, Trek went away for a while after 69, but we still had the animated series and various novels and comics during that time. Doctor Who left TV at the end of the 80's, but we still had books and audio dramas. Both franchises survived their hiatuses, and I believe that Star Trek will return to television again some day. When Trek finally returns to TV, we could see it once again matching the popularity of Doctor Who, if it is done well enough.
Remember that Doctor Who was off the air for 16 years, and it has only been 9 years since Enterprise ended. Star Trek spawned 6 television series, 12 movies, had a space shuttle named for it, and has had numerous real world technologies inspired by it, so we can't forget about all of that just because Doctor Who is more popular at the moment. Personally, I wouldn't mind a revival of Star Trek Enterprise, or a new series about Worf.
It's interesting to notice that Doctor Who and Star Trek seem to run obverse to each other. When one of them goes off the air, the other comes back. I therefore predict that Star Trek (as a ongoing television proposition) will be revived when the new Doctor Who's future begins to look a little rocky.
^^Not only that, but it seems there's some kind of unwritten rule that says new Trek product and new Who can't co-exist. Trek XI came out in 2009, when Doctor Who was in its "gap year" and STID was released the same weekend Doctor Who's season 7 finale aired. Pretty weird, when you think about it.
Is there even a current tv sci-fi series of any real note on right now besides DW? Or even in the last few years? There's not a whole lot of mind-space competition, really. I wonder how good DW would be doing if there were another (or more) sci-fi show of similar quality continuously in the US/Canada since Enterprise ended. Battlestar Galactica took that role for a while, but it's been over for a while.
Also, DW is a geek show, while Trek is a nerd show. That's not to disparage either show, but they have somewhat different, though often overlapping, audiences (see: this thread).
Also, DW is a geek show, while Trek is a nerd show. That's not to disparage either show, but they have somewhat different, though often overlapping, audiences (see: this thread).
SyFy has Continuum, which I have not seen but really should, and it has Defiance, which is shaping up to be quite a good show. Beyond that, there is Almost Human and Revolution, but they are very light scifi, and I didn't much like the latest season of Revolution. Really, though, after the last Battlestar Galactica and Stargate ended, Doctor Who is the only major scifi franchise left on TV.
FYI: I notice that the TARDIS is on the cover of Entertainment Weekly's year-end review issue this week. Furthermore, according to an editorial in the magazine, their three best-selling issues this year featured cover stories on The Hunger Games, The Walking Dead . . . and Doctor Who.
It's definitely not just a cult thing anymore.
It's definitely not just a cult thing anymore.
Has anyone looked at the television landscape lately? Sci-Fi is a dying breed, as are many other genres which don't fit into the cop show or reality show mold.
Similar threads
