Should a Pike show take the Orville approach?

If they ever do a Pike exploring space on the Enterprise doesn't this sort of make sense? Instead of being a love letter to TNG though like Orville make it a love letter to TOS. It seems like this show could be used to offer something the other Trek shows don't. Picard is the serious adult drama. The Section 31 show sounds like it's going to be Mission Impossible with a edge. Discovery is all about Burnham saving the universe. By doing one of these sort of retro-love letters which I would also put the show Stranger Things as well would fit in well with the Pike character and the Enterprise and all that. Even returning to mostly stand alone stories.

Also I am not saying this has to be what Trek always is. I am saying it's good for variation when put of next to the other stuff they are doing. I assume also at some point we will also get our first Trek comedy and one of these days they will figure out how do Starfleet Academy and give Trek it's first show to deal with growing up and becoming a adult theme.


Jason

 

I really don't want a Trek show to be anything like Orville, but I get your TOS touchpoint.

I'm pretty much done with standalone 'Planet Of the week' Trek. We've had...lots.

I'll never be ready for a Trek comedy.

 

I wouldn't mind Pike having a background storyline and the characters grow and change, but most episodes being stand alone.

That would differ it from the novel-like heavy arc of Picard and the action packed mostly arced Discovery.

 

A bit more stand aloneish, with maybe an overarching plot could work for Star Trek: Pike. Don't turn it into comedy though.

 

Pike is a great opportunity to do a modernized version of what TOS and TNG did so well.

 

Yeah when I said stand alone I was also thinking it would have little arc in and not a complete return the old days. Something like maybe DS9 or Stargate back in the day.


Jason

 

If they do it like ENT's first two seasons (with a light overall story arc that pops up from time to time), it might work. I for one would be okay with that. (But hey, I'm okay with just about anything if it means I'll get that Pike show, haha.)

 

Nothing remotely like ENT's first two seasons is a workable strategy for any show.

Perhaps something like the 4th, with several 2 and 3-part stories? That way we can do TOS-style, but afford more depth.

 

Personally I'd like late DS9 levels of serialization. Smaller arcs mixed with standalones, but have the characters grow and change over time, with decisions having lasting repercussions and earlier plot points and guest characters revisited.

 

None of the Kurtzmen Star Treks are episidic yet, just arc based, so Pike would be a great choice for that as it fits with Pike's mission.

 

It isn't just Pike but also seeing the Enterprise in action again. When people can't help but think of the Enterprise being about exploration as it's main function. Lot's of built in tradition but also tradition of course that can be updated. We already have seen a decent bridge. I think if they went with a show they could maybe even scale it back even more. Mostly with how they light the ship. The setting should be brightly lit instead of dark and moody. Also zero lens flares.


Jason

 

Depends on what is meant by "The Orville approach".

The Orville is really is kind of split 50/50 between being serialized and episodic. Most of the episodes tell their own story, but the actions, experiences, relationships, etc., carry over to the next episode, and so on. If that is what's meant by "The Orville Approach", then I'm all for that. That's what I've been saying a Pike show should be all along.

But I'd like to see a Pike show continue the visual style of DSC, or at least season 2 of DSC. I'm not sure if having a Pike show be a kitschy love letter to TOS in the way The Orville is to TNG-era Star Trek would work long term. Sure, there's a section of fandom that would love that, but it's not something that would bring in new fans.

 

The reason I don't think it should look like Discovery and why even some kitsch wouldn't be so bad is it needs to separate itself from the other CBS shows. Especially Section 31 which would in theory be taking place in the same time period but at least with that show I don't think Georgiou and gang will be wearing Starfleet uniforms. To me you keep the CGI and graphics and stuff and even modern film techniques. Just turn on the lights and drop the lens flares.

Modern things they can bring to the show that old Trek shows couldn't is more interesting looking alien planets and more unique aliens. Maybe kitsch is the wrong word even though I have been using. A show that has a sense of awe. I like that description much better for what the show should be. I would even have two or 3 aliens in the cast including this communication officer who was in the 'Early Voyages" Pike comics back in the day. Maybe the cat people could be given their first regular. M'ress I believe was part of them. Then you got Spock of course as the other.


Jason

Jason

 

ironic thing is TOS offered some of the most unique looking aliens in the entire franchise, before TNG set the standard of human beings with different kinds of bumps on their heads. The Horta, various kinds of energy beings, the aliens from Spectre of the Gun etc.

 

I'm all for that. I originally thought we were talking about conforming the Pike show to look exactly like TOS, 60's sets and all. But I think now after re-reading everything I might have misunderstood.

 

I wouldn't mind more touches but I really liked what they did with Enterprise Bridge. What I have noticed is the bridge when you see it with the lights on now still feels modern but even retro at the same time. Perfect for a modern version of a TOS style show. I would totally redo the main engineering from Short Treks though. I couldn't even figure out what I was looking at. I do like the idea though of giving main engineering some scale because a warp engine should be huge and taking up a large chunk of space.

Jason

 

The Orville bores me. No thanks.

 

Lens flare is cool. Keep it please.

 

I would love a Pike series with stand alone episodes with occasional double or triple episodes. People often stress that season long story arcs can tell stories that can't fit in 40-60mins. I think that the opposite is also true. An interesting food for though or experimental story might be great for an episode but not stretched out.
It should "reset" as TOS though. Things should affect later episodes and sometimes be referred to. Just avoid pushing in something overarching just for the sake like the "future guy" in ENT. I would also avoid the comic parts of Orville that would break the Trek illusion.
Also I hope for Pike to adopt a colorful theme inspired from TOS, but perhaps a little bit less :-)

 

Lower Decks seems to be shaping up to be our irreverent Star Trek comedy.

A Star Trek: Pike would probably do well as a semi-episodic action-adventure with him on a five-year mission a la Kirk. And you can also toss in some pathos and maybe some recklessness (Pike knows how he'll die. And the answer is: Not today).