My idea for the next Trek series

[RegFan]

The series takes place on a space station in the prime timeline in the late 24th Century/early 25th Century (after Star Trek XI).

Serialized format from day one. Besides the story arcs the series has lots of characters, perhaps even more than DS9.

The Romulans have an important role in the series. One of the story arcs may have something to do with the destruction of Romulus and some Romulans seeking help from the Federation. We learn more about their culture (or preferably cultures). One of the main characters is a Romulan.

The Captain is a female human. She's a woman because only one past series has had a female Captain. And perhaps she's an Asian this time? We now have four white Captains and one black one, so why not an Asian this time?

The show has a realistic amount of female and LGBT characters.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Even at their most desperate, would Rommies really come crawling to the Feds for help?

I don't like the idea of blowed-up Romulus. I like blowed-up Vulcan better, so I want to see a show in that universe instead.

 

[Tarek71]

I am not a big fan of blown up Romulus or Vulcan to be honest. In any case, I wouldnt worry about setting anything in the JJverse, as this timeline may only last as long as his interest in making Trek movies lasts. I dont see him being the ST Tsar for many long years as Berman was. Maybe he will stick around longer, but I suspect he will make a 3 or so movies and then move on, in which case the JJverse may come to an end.

It may end up like Superman or Batman, where every so many years a new production team comes along with their own ideas and gives yet another take on the characters in various movies and TV shows.

The point being that no one should feel all that attached to, or constricted by, either Universe, as there may be more such universes and reboots to come. So set it wherever you like or in your own version if you prefer.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

In any case, I wouldnt worry about setting anything in the JJverse, as this timeline may only last as long as his interest in making Trek movies lasts.

If he stops being interested in making Trek movies, it won't matter. Paramount will not stop being interested in making huge boatloads of money off Trek movies, ever. They can hire some other guy to direct, for better or worse.

To Paramount, JJ's universe is the money-making winner and that old universe is the money-losing loser. It doesn't take an accounting degree to know which universe will get on TV, if anything gets on TV.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Describing a setting and a head-count of the categories into which the characters fall is not describing what the series is about or giving anyone a reason to watch it.

 

[Tarek71]

In any case, I wouldnt worry about setting anything in the JJverse, as this timeline may only last as long as his interest in making Trek movies lasts.

If he stops being interested in making Trek movies, it won't matter. Paramount will not stop being interested in making huge boatloads of money off Trek movies, ever. They can hire some other guy to direct, for better or worse.

Exactly. But do you think they care if Vulcan got destroyed by the planet sucking Goo? If James Cameron decided to make the next one, but said he had his own ideas for Trek, do you really think they will say no? They won't. And if Cameron Trek made an even bigger boatload of cash, the Suits will wave buh bye to the JJverse and never give it a second thought again.

Absolutely no one thinks the movie worked because Romulus was destroyed by a warp speed supernova. The vast bulk of non-trekkers who saw the movie probably dont even remember the name of the planet that was destroyed, let alone that they care if it is still depicted as being destroyed in any subsequent movie or TV show.

To Paramount, JJ's universe is the money-making winner and that old universe is the money-losing loser. It doesn't take an accounting degree to know which universe will get on TV, if anything gets on TV.

I am trying to picture Les Moonves saying "I was going to greenlight this, but it says here in the treatment that Vulcan was not eaten by the magical red, planet eating Goo in 2258. No goo, no show!" Ya think? I don't.

The timeline wasnt the key to anything. An exciting, well edited, slam bam action flick made a boatload of money because it was an exciting well edited slam bam action flick, and not because Romulus was destroyed by a warp speed supernova.

And whether Vulcan was or was not destoyed in 2258 will not be a deciding factor in whether a Trek TV show is greenlit or not. I think Les Moonves couldnt care less about the integrity of fictional Trek timelines. Its the economics, demographics and placement of the show that will matter.

In any case, as I said, I happen to think that more Trek universes and variations on these universes are to come in the future as different production teams get involved. I dont have a problem with that. The JJverse I suspect will last only as long as he makes these movies, and that may only be two more movies, and thats it. Who knows. But I wouldnt get too attached to the details of this one.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

If James Cameron decided to make the next one, but said he had his own ideas for Trek, do you really think they will say no?

Yeah I guess Paramount would turn Trek over to Cameron for yet another re-boot, regardless of all the squalling around here, since Abrams' approach is generally well liked. The potential for botching Trek has always been far higher than the potential for success, but a botched Trek could easily be a profitable Trek, as long as the story is simple-minded enough and the eye-candy glitzy enough, not thinking of any current movie in particular here...

But why would Cameron give a flip about Trek? That might be the saving grace.

The timeline wasnt the key to anything.

You're thinking of the timeline in terms of the story. I'm thinking of it in terms of how its viewed by the suits. Abrams is the guy who saved Trek, then his timeline is golden. What exactly that timeline entails is not important. The timeline that came before is the loser timeline - once again, details are not important. The suits don't know or care which is the one where Romulus blew up and which is the one where Vulcan blew up, only that whichever planet Abrams blew up was apparently the right one.

In fact, I'm probably overstating things to imply that the suits are even aware that there are different timelines, or what the difference is between Romulus and Vulcan. What they know is, Abrams knows what he's doing, and Berman et al didn't.

If Cameron wants to invent a third timeline, that will be ok with the suits, too. As long as it really does make money. Amazingly enough, Cameron has also had his flops.

But the original timeline won't be back because why should Cameron feel any more bound to it than Abrams did? If anything, he'll feel less bound to it. At least Abrams bothered to hire screenwriters who were reasonably respectful of Trek canon. In that regard, we were just lucky. A totally disrespectful approach, that had nothing at all to do with Trek and felt totally false in all regards, could have made just as much money and possibly more. Just look at all the mindless bullshit that is wildly profitable. With Abrams, we dodged a bullet.

In any case, as I said, I happen to think that more Trek universes and variations on these universes are to come in the future as different production teams get involved. I dont have a problem with that.

The problem I have with it is, with a hundred teams involved, 99 of them will create crap. We lucked out and got the one that gave us something good. I'm not willing to play the odds because I know the odds are heavily against us.

 

[Tarek71]

Yeah I guess Paramount would turn Trek over to Cameron for yet another re-boot, regardless of all the squalling around here, since Abrams' approach is generally well liked. The potential for botching Trek has always been far higher than the potential for success, but a botched Trek could easily be a profitable Trek, as long as the story is simple-minded enough and the eye-candy glitzy enough, not thinking of any current movie in particular here...

Agreed. If the Suit-inistas get the idea that Trek as a gi-normous Cameronian visual spectactular might make anything like Avatarian Cash they will happily oblige, no matter the timeline or mangling thereof. Though I have a suspicion that Trek wouldnt make Avatarian Cash no matter what Cameron did to it. But you never know.

But why would Cameron give a flip about Trek? That might be the saving grace.

For all I know he wouldnt touch it with a ten foot pole. Then again, maybe hes always loved it and would take a stab at it, if given the opportunity.

In fact, I'm probably overstating things to imply that the suits are even aware that there are different timelines, or what the difference is between Romulus and Vulcan. What they know is, Abrams knows what he's doing, and Berman et al didn't.

Exactly, its about money. But its precisely because they dont care that much about the details of this or that timeline (or even know the details all that well, as you point out) that I say that no one should get too attached to the details of the present one, because whoever takes over the franchise after JJ may, and almost certainly will, have their own ideas. And as long as they seem like money making ideas, theres a good chance that they will pass corporate muster.

If Cameron wants to invent a third timeline, that will be ok with the suits, too. As long as it really does make money. Amazingly enough, Cameron has also had his flops.

Right.

But the original timeline won't be back because why should Cameron feel any more bound to it than Abrams did? If anything, he'll feel less bound to it. At least Abrams bothered to hire screenwriters who were reasonably respectful of Trek canon. In that regard, we were just lucky. A totally disrespectful approach, that had nothing at all to do with Trek and felt totally false in all regards, could have made just as much money and possibly more. Just look at all the mindless bullshit that is wildly profitable. With Abrams, we dodged a bullet.

Yeah I think thats true. A complete overhaul was possible. One that might have only left familiar names and jargon but little else. JJs success might have at least let the Suit-inistas know that a complete transformation was not what was needed to make it a hit.

As it happens, I do not think its likely that the Bermanverse (which is perhaps a better way of saying this than "original timeline") will be back. It lasted only as long as Berman made Trek. Indeed some of the writers from TOS didnt think what Berman so painstakingly preserved was the "original" vision and aesthetic of Trek, but only what the tottering and declining Roddenberry reconceptualized as "Trek" at the beginning of TNG, even if ostensibly in the same "timeline". But thats another matter.

The problem I have with it is, with a hundred teams involved, 99 of them will create crap. We lucked out and got the one that gave us something good. I'm not willing to play the odds because I know the odds are heavily against us.

Yeah I think we will see some crapola in the future. Of course, we've had some crap before. Hopefully the next one will be good, you never know. But I do think that different "takes" and variations on Trek are coming in the future, whatever timeline the producers may say its in. In principle, thats ok. If its good, its good. But without someone willing to settle in as the Trek Tsar for 15-20 odd years, I wouldnt expect the kind of consistency we had before, for better or worse.