Titles On Screen?

[Eric Cheung]

Does anyone think that the show will follow the tradition of other Star Trek shows and put the titles on screen, possibly even in the upper left hand corner, after the teaser and opening credits? It was already an old-fashioned technique by the time TNG was on the air, gradually being phased out of new shows around that time, though I remember Quantum Leap, Sliders, and even a show as late as Earth: Final Conflict, continuing to do so. By ENT, it seemed like that was the only show on the air that wasn't a cartoon or a children's show, that put the titles up, though I hear that The Librarians still does it.

As the show is supposed to be serialized, what's sure to happen is that the titles will follow the DS9 and ENT trend of naming each part of multi-part episodes with distinct titles.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

The West Wing did it through 2006 and Doctor Who still does it today.

Considering all of the previous incarnations did it, I like to think the producers will continue the tradition.

 

[Bones]

I enjoy seeing the title of an episode. The writers presumably put some work into it, and often it piques the curiosity. So go for it.

 

[CorporalClegg]

It would be very surprising if they didn't. Thanks to the streaming era, people are so much more aware of episode titles than they used to be.

 

[Hugo Rune]

It's also regularly been a producer preference, or not.

Ron D Moore has said on many occasions that he was never a fan of screen titles whilst working on TNG/DS9 and as soon as BSG came around, out the airlock they went.

Chris Carter also disliked them, never displaying them on The X-Files. On Millennium, when he was showrunner for S1 there were no titles, then when Morgan&Wong took over for S2 in came the titles, and when Carter took the reins again with Chip Johanessen... no titles.

These days I barely recall seeing them and do appear to be a technique not used much any more (at least in the shows I watch).

I think I am neither here, nor there, on this issue.

What I do want, which is typically lacking in many modern TV shows, is a uniquely designed, proper Into sequence with Theme. That feels like Trek Tradition to me. I appreciate that every year shows lose more and more minutes to advertising time, however this is one old trope that I'd enjoy being lovingly restored.

Hugo - something... bombastic, adventurous, fun!

 

[Tosk]

Either way, I'm not worried one way or the other. I'd be stoked to have no on-screen credits over the episode though. Not a fan. Save 'em for the end except for a select few on the opening title sequence.

 

[wonderstoat]

I'm sure you've all seen the Game of Thrones (if done in 1995) title sequence -

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When watching this, it struck me how, looking at Enterprise, how stuck in the 90s TPTB were. When they were trying to update the traditional Star Trek title sequence, they went for something that was already old hat. The Enterprise titles weren't a kick in the ass off of that - ok, at least they didn't have cast members mugging for the camera, but it did have crap MOR music to a montage. Just shows how Enterprise really was the last gasp of the old TV, just as the new TV was really kicking in. Hopefully Discovery will be more up to date.

 

[wonderstoat]

Mind you, not that Queen is MOR!

A Queen theme tune would have been awesome - how about "I want to break free"

 

[Amaris]

It's also regularly been a producer preference, or not.

Ron D Moore has said on many occasions that he was never a fan of screen titles whilst working on TNG/DS9 and as soon as BSG came around, out the airlock they went.

Chris Carter also disliked them, never displaying them on The X-Files. On Millennium, when he was showrunner for S1 there were no titles, then when Morgan&Wong took over for S2 in came the titles, and when Carter took the reins again with Chip Johanessen... no titles.

These days I barely recall seeing them and do appear to be a technique not used much any more (at least in the shows I watch).

I think I am neither here, nor there, on this issue.

What I do want, which is typically lacking in many modern TV shows, is a uniquely designed, proper Into sequence with Theme. That feels like Trek Tradition to me. I appreciate that every year shows lose more and more minutes to advertising time, however this is one old trope that I'd enjoy being lovingly restored.

Hugo - something... bombastic, adventurous, fun!

Well, then we should have something to look forward to in the theme department, since the show will be an All Access/Netflix exclusive. They'll get to set their own time without worrying about advertising.

 

[Tosk]

The heck is MOR?

 

[Amaris]

The heck is MOR?

It means "Middle of Road," or music that's poppy and already established. It's not written for the show specifically.

 

[Tosk]

Ah, cheers.

 

[Eric Cheung]

Berman's taste in music was not very good, but not entirely surprising. Braga wanted to use U2's Beautiful Day, which would have been a little better. But I think that if a Star Trek theme is meant to be a pop song, it should have had a little quirkiness to undercut the optimism. I think that an original commission from They Might Be Giants would have been good. Even better might have been Magic Carpet Ride, as it would have the significance of tying into Zephram Cochrane's flight.

I kind of think this show should have music with the influence of the 60s in it, kind of how the writers wanted Trials and Tribbleations to have the original TOS music for the barroom brawl. The Berman-era wallpaper kind of ruined the gag. He loosened up by ENT though, as they were allowed to change the titles for the Mirror Universe episodes. But maybe throw in some brass and bongos?

 

[Long Syntax]

Berman's taste in music was not very good, but not entirely surprising. Braga wanted to use U2's Beautiful Day, which would have been a little better. But I think that if a Star Trek theme is meant to be a pop song, it should have had a little quirkiness to undercut the optimism. I think that an original commission from They Might Be Giants would have been good. Even better might have been Magic Carpet Ride, as it would have the significance of tying into Zephram Cochrane's flight.

I kind of think this show should have music with the influence of the 60s in it, kind of how the writers wanted Trials and Tribbleations to have the original TOS music for the barroom brawl. The Berman-era wallpaper kind of ruined the gag. He loosened up by ENT though, as they were allowed to change the titles for the Mirror Universe episodes. But maybe throw in some brass and bongos?

Ohh, please - no, just NO. 60's era music with brass and bongos? Crap, my head hurts just thinking about it.

 

[Eric Cheung]

It worked well in The Incredibles. Fuller said he wanted to bring back some of the tone of the original show, which presumably means not just the colorful uniforms we've seen, but maybe some of the music too. Whatever it is, the music should be energetic, fun, and hopefully timeless.

 

[Long Syntax]

It worked well in The Incredibles. Fuller said he wanted to bring back some of the tone of the original show, which presumably means not just the colorful uniforms we've seen, but maybe some of the music too. Whatever it is, the music should be energetic, fun, and hopefully timeless.

I enjoyed the Incredibles too but it was a period piece that made sense to have some throwback music. I think the old standby Orchestral would work for me. Only time will tell if it's timeless, so that jury will be out for a while.

Lets hope for great stories and then hopefully the production around it matches the story quality.

 

[CorporalClegg]

It should be pointed out a good chunk of CBS shows still have opening credits. Probably doesn't mean much, just throwing it out there.

 

[KirkusOveractus]

Most of Fuller's series had opening titles AFAIK, so I'm hoping he stays with that and continues the tradition with DSC. Have each episode after the first recount what's happened up till then, and have the opening credit sequence.

 

[Jackson_Roykirk]

We seem to have strayed from the OP's question, which was:
Do we want to see the episode titles onscreen?

I say yes. Especially if it's serialized, I would like to see the episode titles as if they were chapter names.

Think Stranger Things, which has opening credits that are an homage to its 1980s time period. I'm not saying I want ST: DIS to have opening credits that are an homage to anything, but I would like to see the episode name on screen after the opening theme, at the beginning of the first act -- much like TOS did.

One CBS show I can think of that does that is NCIS.

 

[F. King Daniel]

I want every episode name to be ultra pretentious. None of this one- or two- word title bollocks. I want "For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky" to the tenth power.