the Mandate

[xortex]

If the mandate from Paramount was to provide a viable clean escape from canon to enable a t.v. spinoff, ST is doomed. I believe Kirk and Spock should only be maintained in the movies with prequils. Anything else would disallow history. A new spin off should take place in TOS era with different characters. That's all. Anything else would over use Kirk and oversaturate the market. they should first see if they can do a good movie within the established perameters of a strait prequil reboot - not a reimagined Trek, or as I say a ripped off ST. Star Trek is in the details and the vision.
Else let them create a new universe franchise because it just ain't that easy. It's not like anyone can do it else the name Roddenberry wouldn't be what it is. It would be called J.J. Abram's star Trek.

 

[Woulfe]

TV show isn't going to happen as long as Leslie Moonves is alive. [ Leslie hates Sci-Fi & Star Trek ]
As for J.J. Abram's Star Trek, At least it's not Rick Berman's Star Trek, so it has THAT going for it.

 

[Kegek]

I think that the best probable outcome in the near future is that Abrams' movie is a hit and we get sequels. I doubt Trek will be returning to the small screen in the forseeable future.

It's ironic, really: Star Trek is turning back to being a purely film franchise (as it was for 1979-87) around the same time that Star Wars is entering the realm of live-action TV. The old guard of space opera film and space opera TV are switching roles.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

A number of people other than Roddenberry have done "Star Trek" successfully for long periods of time, notably Harve Bennett and Rick Berman and Michael Piller.

"Star Trek" is not called "Roddenberry's Star Trek," BTW. Just about every production since its revival in 1979 has carried the credit "based on 'Star Trek' created by Gene Roddenberry."

"Star Trek" is only doomed if the producers become somehow convinced that they have to pander to the loudest complainers in fandom.

 

[Outpost4]

Somehow I think the mandate for Abrams is just to make a successful movie. If he doesn't do that, nothing else will happen. I'm sure he'll keep his eye on that ball.

 

[seigezunt]

I kind of would prefer that it not become a TV series. Trek hasn't had good luck with that of late. Just make a good movie, even if it's the last one.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

I think the mandate from Paramount is for Abrams to come up with something that makes money and re-establishes Star Trek as a viable franchise. If he can do that by re-casting all the characters as Teletubbies, Paramount would be just as happy.

It's not like anyone can do it else the name Roddenberry wouldn't be what it is.

Yeah just like James Bond died when Ian Fleming stopped being involved in it. And that Batman thing sure vanished when Bob Kane was no longer involved, ditto for Superman and Siegel & Shuster.

A new spin off should take place in TOS era with different characters.

That would flop just as ENT flopped. The best hope for reviving Trek is to use known names - Kirk, Spock, Enterprise. If you're not going to do that, don't bother.

It's ironic, really: Star Trek is turning back to being a purely film franchise (as it was for 1979-87) around the same time that Star Wars is entering the realm of live-action TV.

With Lucas' track record, I expect to see Trek back on live-action TV before Star Wars. Tho it would also be fun for them to be on at the same time...

Trek's whole premise is really much better suited to TV than movies, just as Star Wars is more suited to movies than TV. Trek is about ideas, characters and politics; Wars is about action, fancy costumes, lightsaber duals and space battles. Okay maybe that's unfair, I'm really showing my bias here (Trek = smart, Wars = dumb ) but apparently the novels have more substance than the movies and could make a good basis for a TV series. I'd like to see them both on TV, and if they want to give us a decent flick every couple of years, I'll check that out, too.

 

[xortex]

But has Kirk been overused ?

 

[Jon1701]

MANDATE

Studio "Make us some money"

J.J. "Ok"

 

[Balthier the Great]

xortex said:
If the mandate from Paramount was to provide a viable clean escape from canon to enable a t.v. spinoff, ST is doomed. I believe Kirk and Spock should only be maintained in the movies with prequils. Anything else would disallow history. A new spin off should take place in TOS era with different characters. That's all. Anything else would over use Kirk and oversaturate the market. they should first see if they can do a good movie within the established perameters of a strait prequil reboot - not a reimagined Trek, or as I say a ripped off ST. Star Trek is in the details and the vision.
Else let them create a new universe franchise because it just ain't that easy. It's not like anyone can do it else the name Roddenberry wouldn't be what it is. It would be called J.J. Abram's star Trek.

Then why not one of his kids er something? It worked for Dune.

 

[Kegek]

Temis the Vorta said:
Trek's whole premise is really much better suited to TV than movies, just as Star Wars is more suited to movies than TV. Trek is about ideas, characters and politics; Wars is about action, fancy costumes, lightsaber duals and space battles. Okay maybe that's unfair, I'm really showing my bias here (Trek = smart, Wars = dumb ) but apparently the novels have more substance than the movies and could make a good basis for a TV series. I'd like to see them both on TV, and if they want to give us a decent flick every couple of years, I'll check that out, too.

No argument that, in general, Trek is smarter than Wars, but it's also been plenty stupid as well. Actually, I'd think Star Wars is one of those movie series that could easily translate into a series - provided you have a big budget - because it's got a pretty complicated pulp sci-fi environment. The Empire, the Sith, the Jedi, the Rebellion, fat slug gangsters, there's a lot of material for storytelling. At its best, Star Wars is a mix between myth and pulpy fantasy... and if they actually hire good writers (like the planetary romance novelist Leigh Brackett got picked for ESB and was a key contributor to the best script in the franchise) it wouldn't be that bad. Hell, even those guys who wrote the KOTOR games have a better grasp of depth and character nuance than the PT trilogy does, they'd do.

That would flop just as ENT flopped. The best hope for reviving Trek is to use known names - Kirk, Spock, Enterprise. If you're not going to do that, don't bother.

I agree that Trek has basically reverted to remaking the original series... and that's why I'm doubtful it'll return to TV soon, if ever. Yes, they're all relatively unknown actors with a TV background, but if the film's a hit it'll be an opportunity for many of them to branch into movies, like the sequels. I just don't see this group going from a movie to a TV series... and I don't see a TV series that just recasts Kirk and Spock again, not while the films are running concurrently. I doubt even a spinoff with one or two of the movie characters is going to happen. Trek is movies for the forseeable future in my view, maybe the fourth generation will have an elderly Quinto guest starring in the pilot of a show that recasts Kirk and Spock...

 

[seigezunt]

xortex said:
But has Kirk been overused ?

only certain parts...

 

[Temis the Vorta]

xortex said:
But has Kirk been overused ?

No, not at all. In another thread when I was listing the ways in which Kirk differs from a generic hero-type, I realized just how interesting and unique the character is, and how different from the usual archetype. Three seasons plus a few movies isn't overuse at all.

 

[Sharr Khan]

maybe the fourth generation will have an elderly Quinto guest starring in the pilot of a show that recasts Kirk and Spock...

Likely something in the manner of TNG... (no I don't mean a recast NG) but perhaps set in whatever universe is established for us after this film comes to be...

Sharr

 

[Holytomato]

"maybe the fourth generation will have an elderly Quinto guest starring in the pilot of a show that recasts Kirk and Spock..."

October 12, 2047

Live on Trekbbs:

Fan 1- "What!? Quinto isn't Spock!? Only Quinto can play Spock! Boycott this new show! "

Fan 2- "They are raping my childhood! "

Fan 3- "Geez, calm down. Whoopi Goldberg is playing Nyota's mom. "

Fan 4- "My grandfather told me about the RE wars. The more things change, the more they stay the same."

 

[Kegek]

Holytomato said:
October 12, 2047

Live on Trekbbs:

Fan 1- "What!? Quinto isn't Spock!? Only Quinto can play Spock! Boycott this new show! "

Fan 2- "They are raping my childhood! "

Heh, yep, pretty much.

But as I see it, if this film is a success, we're not likely to get Trek TV anytime soon. And if this film is a failure... it's even less likely.

 

[pookha]

xortex said:
Else let them create a new universe franchise because it just ain't that easy. It's not like anyone can do it else the name Roddenberry wouldn't be what it is. It would be called J.J. Abram's star Trek.

actually gene coon and others started to put forth their own vision of trek early on.
several hands beyond roddenberry's made what we see as star trek what it is.

 

[seigezunt]

pookha said:

xortex said:
Else let them create a new universe franchise because it just ain't that easy. It's not like anyone can do it else the name Roddenberry wouldn't be what it is. It would be called J.J. Abram's star Trek.

actually gene coon and others started to put forth their own vision of trek early on.
several hands beyond roddenberry's made what we see as star trek what it is.

blasphemer! May teh Great Bird snatch you in his talons!

 

[Balthier the Great]

Wasn't the mandate for a 5 years mission? I think the original mandate expired. So technically we can do whatever we want.

 

[Jackson_Roykirk]

Well, I doubt there will be a TV series soon -- at least not with this cast. If the rumor is correct that Quinto has signed on to do 2 more Star Trek MOVIES after this one, then they will be busy with movies for the near future.

I suppose they can do a series AND two more films simultaneously, but I doubt it. Maybe with a different cast and a different era, a la 1987 with TNG.