Return to cheesy fun Star Trek?
- Thread starter TopperHenly
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I hated it at the time, but SGU was way ahead of it's time. On a streaming platform today it would have thrived.
Also, fun doesn't necessarily need to mean cheesy.
SGU has weird pacing. I remember one episode there was a race to get back to the ship before it moved out of range, and their attempt was foiled at the last minute by the team and the ship accidentally blocking each others attempt to get them home.
Then the next episode, they were just...back. Like that dramatic ending that left them stranded didn't matter.
SGU has weird pacing. I remember one episode there was a race to get back to the ship before it moved out of range, and their attempt was foiled at the last minute by the team and the ship accidentally blocking each others attempt to get them home.
Then the next episode, they were just...back. Like that dramatic ending that left them stranded didn't matter.
I'm hoping Strange New Worlds will scratch that particular itch. I'm originally an old school TOS guy, but I love all of the incarnations of Trek. I admit though, to craving a more episodic format that would allow for major shifts in tonality episode to episode.
It's a high wire act to do that under a seasonal arc that usually has the universe hanging in the balance.
I am more of a serialized guy despite growing up with TOS as my primary Trek preference.
I personally enjoy the universe hanging in the balance but that isn't for everyone.
I'm right there with you. Totally down for it. I'm just saying that they have an opportunity with SNW to have some variety, and some fun for old guys like me. I don't mean nostalgia necessarily (or maybe I do!).
That seems to be Kurtzman's intent.
I'll be honest, if they went in another direction, I'd be open to whatever. Anson Mount as Pike? Sold....take my money.
That I can have episodic and seasonal Star Trek is win/win.
Now if only they did a 'New Frontier' series... but that's just me being greedy.
This is what sold me. I have wanted a Pike series for a long time. Finally got it.
I get the impression that they want to have multiple different Star Trek series streaming that can each appeal to different tastes. If you're a high drama action/adventure person, you get Discovery. If you're a prestige TV/character-oriented guy? Here's Picard. You want low-stakes comedy with a dash of TNG nostalgia? Lower Decks. You want a family show? Prodigy. Prefer old-style episodic with some TOS nostalgia? Strange New Worlds. Political thriller? The untitled Michelle Yeoh series. Etc.
I think its both. They hope that all the shows appeal to a large audience but if not getting a niche will suffice.
Going back to what I had previously mentioned, at the beginning of the pandemic I saw it as a perfect opportunity to watch a few sci-fi series that I had been meaning to watch but didn't want to commit a large amount of my future spare time to due to having other interests. Of course, these was the various series of Star Trek and SG:U amongst others.
I watched the pilot episode of SG:U months ago and enjoyed it but I had got sucked into the various Star Trek series and it was only a few days ago that I had decided to watch an episode of that series. I'm off this week on holiday and with nothing to do, I decided to watch another and have binge watched the entire first season since then.
It just love the way that you get sucked into a series and the excitement of wanting to watch the following one to get make of the story which you only truly feel now when needing to sleep or have to go to work. It's great and I haven't felt that way in a while as I don't take a chance on TV series until after they finish and I know they have a satisfactory ending without being cancelled early on like SG:U and firefly for example. However, as I mentioned while it is a great viewing experience, I have come to appreciate the standalone episodic nature of the various Star Trek shows where you can dive in once in a while, choose to watch as many and as few episodes as you choose without being sucked in to the addictive qualities of modern TV shows that have season story arcs.
Having done a binge watching session of SG:U, it does put in perspective of what I was trying to originally saying. It is certainly a modern phenomenon of TV of high production and writing that blurs the boundaries between TV and cinema as well as exploring more adult themes that wasn't able to be traditionally done. There is nothing wrong with that but I don't see why they can't also be a place for more traditional style TV as well.
I had previously said that in essence if the franchise is to survive then it needs to embrace modern trends but another way of looking at it is that current modern trends will be outdated in the next 5 or 10 years years. There is a need to be continually fresh and original but there is the danger of being too caught up in modernity and forgetting what ultimately people wants and that is to be entertained. The question I was posing in my OP was that whether classic elements of the Star Trek franchise could sit in the modern age and it sounds like it can. Ultimately though, it boils down to whether the quality and viewer engagement can be maintained with an old-school Star Trek series which Strange New Worlds seems to be aiming for.
Fingers crossed that SNW lives up to expectations.
I hope they manage the fun without the cheesy.
Having diffetent toned shows on at once... I love the idea. But I think the real reason stems from something else besides trying to give something to all types of fans. (Which is still likely to be very true.)
All Access wants to have subscribers as long as possible. Best way? More STAR TREK, as that's their cash cow. But as they probably saw after season 1 of DISCOVERY ended, people mass cancelled, only to restart when the new season starts. So the solution?
Have new STAR TREK on year round.
Given that 10-13 episodes seems to be the typical season now, you can have 4 shows on airing one right after the next. Say, 2 series with 13 episode and two 10 episode seasons. That leaves only 1 and 1/2 months without new episodes, which is pretty much what occured in the old days. (Thanksgiving for 2 weeks, Christmas/New Year break that was usually the last 2 weeks of December leading into the 2nd week on Jan. SUPERNATURAL tended to do this, too... and they are among the last genre shows still doing 20-22 episodes a year.)
It basically all comes down to money, but I think it's a great idea.
All Access wants to have subscribers as long as possible. Best way? More STAR TREK, as that's their cash cow. But as they probably saw after season 1 of DISCOVERY ended, people mass cancelled, only to restart when the new season starts. So the solution?
Have new STAR TREK on year round.
Given that 10-13 episodes seems to be the typical season now, you can have 4 shows on airing one right after the next. Say, 2 series with 13 episode and two 10 episode seasons. That leaves only 1 and 1/2 months without new episodes, which is pretty much what occured in the old days. (Thanksgiving for 2 weeks, Christmas/New Year break that was usually the last 2 weeks of December leading into the 2nd week on Jan. SUPERNATURAL tended to do this, too... and they are among the last genre shows still doing 20-22 episodes a year.)
It basically all comes down to money, but I think it's a great idea.
That does sound a great idea. However, it would need to be done properly as there would be eventual burnout if these series that we shown one after the other had the same theme or just the same episode style. I know I want something like Strange New Worlds but realistically, it would be only one of many shows that I would want to watch.
The idea of a having an all year round Trek is similar to a previous thread I had started about expanding the Star Trek universe of having standalone films and series in different genres. Why can't there be a Alien style 'haunted ship in space' film set in the ST universe? Alternatively have a Mandalorian Space western style show which could involve the Orion syndicate? The ST universe is so rich and diverse in detail that there are many themes and ideas that could be explored.
Ultimately, Star Trek has a more open ended and wider fan base that can push a sci-fi franchise forward that both B5 and BSG couldn't. For myself, a better idea is to expand this well known franchise than invest my time in a new series where the world building is in progress but the danger is the show gets cancelled before it gets a satisfying ending.
I don't like the idea of Star Trek becoming all Science Fiction and all Science Fiction becoming Star Trek.
I rather have other franchises and new universes than the same stuff regurgitated over and over again.
It runs the risk of becoming "McDonald's Sci-fi"
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My favorite Star Treks have always been the ones that actually break from formula and are more unique, regardless of whether or not they are "serious" or "fun" or "pew pew" or whatever.
For example, I loved "Conspiracy" in S1 of TNG because it was a huge departure from anything that had come before it. I also loved a lot of individual episodes from S2 of TNG that had a creepier...more mysterious and dangerous "we are out in deep space" vibe to them:
"Where Silence Has Lease"
"Time Squared"
"Q Who"
"The Royale"
It's also one of the reasons I struggled a lot with later TNG, all of VOY and the first 2 seasons of ENT. Too much of "The Formula" and not enough fascinating, risky divergence.
It's also one of the reasons I like PIC and DSC, despite some of their narrative flaws. I'd rather have stuff that feels very different than the cookie-cutter standard "Star Trek episode" every week.
For example, I loved "Conspiracy" in S1 of TNG because it was a huge departure from anything that had come before it. I also loved a lot of individual episodes from S2 of TNG that had a creepier...more mysterious and dangerous "we are out in deep space" vibe to them:
"Where Silence Has Lease"
"Time Squared"
"Q Who"
"The Royale"
It's also one of the reasons I struggled a lot with later TNG, all of VOY and the first 2 seasons of ENT. Too much of "The Formula" and not enough fascinating, risky divergence.
It's also one of the reasons I like PIC and DSC, despite some of their narrative flaws. I'd rather have stuff that feels very different than the cookie-cutter standard "Star Trek episode" every week.
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