Yeah, the thing about Star Trek is it may have its downfalls with the ratings game, but it also has a lot of success, too. And dammit, everyone has heard of it.
What channel should a new Trek TV series be on?
- Thread starter jefferiestubes8
- Start date
Dusty Ayres
Commodore
'Scuse me? You find it funny, how?
There are lots of smart young men and women like Wesley Crusher in the world-they go to school, get good grades, graduate, go to college/university, and become successes in life. People like you think that they are just plain worthless because (in Wesley's case) they saved the ship too much (which I think is untrue, and just an example of how people hate the character and nothing else) or are too smart, but I think that they are rare on TV and not seen enough (Will Robinson and Doogie Houser are other examples, as is Tannis Valley's character Janice Lazarotto on Head Of The Class and all of the other students on that show.)
TV is more filled with stupid moronic teen characters like Zack Martin, James "J.J." Evans, Jr., Mike Seaver, London Tipton, Steve Urkel, Maynard G. Krebs, and a ton of others we've all seen on TV over the last half-century, than smart ones like Wesley and Dougie (I don't count Steve Urkel as smart-his 'genius' is just an excuse to make a young black male look like a goof on TV, only in this case he has smarts.) Wesley was the first young man to be smart and useful, and not just a girl-crazy gonadal boy like most on TV (he does his homework, impresses his mom and the other adults around him, and his 'saving the ship' I interpret as helping out beyond what he would usually do on the ship as a civilian without being asked, unlike most teenagers who do little but play video games, watch TV, have sex, drive around in cars, take drugs, etc.) This doesn't mean that such gifted teens don't have problems; they do, but they seem to be able to handle it better than most people their own age (although the possibility of having problems due to the pressures of being that gifted can emerge.)
That is what I want to see in a potential Starfleet Academy show, and I think that it can be done.
I find it funny because a bulk of the fandom has a long-running hatred of the Crusher character. Like I said, I agree with you, but it still humored me. You obviously really want to use Wesley as a rare example of how to do things right, and while I do have somewhat of an issue with how often he 'saved the ship', I'm mostly alright with him. I just thought it was amusing that you chose that one character with the biggest history of 'fandom beef' as an example of how to do things right, regardless of any truth of the matter. Hence the jovial tone of my post.
Hopefully you can see where I'm coming from and not think of me as some whiny frakhead bitching from the anonymity of the internet.
Also, you say 'people like you' after I said I don't dislike the character.
Hopefully you can see where I'm coming from and not think of me as some whiny frakhead bitching from the anonymity of the internet.
Also, you say 'people like you' after I said I don't dislike the character.
Dusty Ayres
Commodore
Sorry about that, I apologize.
No problem!
The way the US Naval Academy did it for a while was you went to the academy for one year, then you receive academic and practical instruction aboard ships with the fleet for three years as a midshipman, followed by one more year at the academy.
A Star Trek series that follow a group of midshipman AWAY from the academy during their second, third and fourth years aboard a starship would be far more interesting than a campus show.
TV Land
Is the Viacom-owned cable tv network
TV Land an option for cable other than Spike for a CBS-owned cable channel?
I see two issues with TV Land.
1. it is not an HD channel (at the moment) which may change in 2-3 years.
2. it would probably not garner as much marketing budget for a new Trek series as a higher profile cable channel
3. If a Betty White sitcom could get 4.75 million viewers could Trek get that much for a pilot and be 'enough'?
Is the Viacom-owned cable tv network
TV Land an option for cable other than Spike for a CBS-owned cable channel?
The two new sitcoms they did were
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TV_Land
I see two issues with TV Land.
1. it is not an HD channel (at the moment) which may change in 2-3 years.
2. it would probably not garner as much marketing budget for a new Trek series as a higher profile cable channel
3. If a Betty White sitcom could get 4.75 million viewers could Trek get that much for a pilot and be 'enough'?
Has anyone mentioned HBO yet?
If not, why not?
If not, why not?
Showtime is owned by CBS Corporation, hence that would never happen.
Showtime
This is interesting news since CBS owns Showtime:
Showtime launches video streaming
Pay cabler will offer more than 400 hours of programming
So another words it would be possible for Trek to be on Showtime and also be able to be streamed online since it would technically be a premium cable channel. I'm not sure how this changes how people feel about paying a premium for Trek say for a subscription to Showtime$13./month x 12 months = $156./year if it were on Showtime vs. paying say $3./episode to just download/stream new episodes of Trek if not on premium cable TV.
This is interesting news since CBS owns Showtime:
Showtime launches video streaming
Pay cabler will offer more than 400 hours of programming
SOURCE
from this week's PR release
So another words it would be possible for Trek to be on Showtime and also be able to be streamed online since it would technically be a premium cable channel. I'm not sure how this changes how people feel about paying a premium for Trek say for a subscription to Showtime$13./month x 12 months = $156./year if it were on Showtime vs. paying say $3./episode to just download/stream new episodes of Trek if not on premium cable TV.
Look at it this way, 156 a year and just watching Trek shows Showtime that people are interested and want it. Not to mention, there would probably be some storyline alternatives that couldn't be explored on network TV (and I refuse to believe that "Damn" and "Merde" is the only swear words Humans will use in the future) without changing too much what kind of a feel Trek has. Also, I think there could be a few more minutes of longer running time? That could be pretty good.
SyFy (I hate that name) would be the next alternative, because if it was a critical hit, the production staff could do what they want. Not to mention, given the nature of SyFy (though, I guess Showtime fits this bill as well), the series could receive lower ratings and still get a chance to run on air for multiple seasons (most shows I hear of getting canceled on there are getting under a million viewers per episode).
The other stuff, I could take it or leave it, Spike is alright enough, I guess, but CBS it self does episodic procedurals and CW does angsts shit.
SyFy (I hate that name) would be the next alternative, because if it was a critical hit, the production staff could do what they want. Not to mention, given the nature of SyFy (though, I guess Showtime fits this bill as well), the series could receive lower ratings and still get a chance to run on air for multiple seasons (most shows I hear of getting canceled on there are getting under a million viewers per episode).
The other stuff, I could take it or leave it, Spike is alright enough, I guess, but CBS it self does episodic procedurals and CW does angsts shit.
Spike TV still a possibility on cable in a few years
In a few years cable TV may be a different landscape.
Spike TV is already switching to an older audience
12/1/2010
via
Spike Looks for Older Viewers, Orders 20 More Episodes of 'Auction Hunters'
In a few years cable TV may be a different landscape.
Spike TV is already switching to an older audience
Spike Renews Auction Hunters, Touts Older Viewers
12/1/2010
via
Spike Looks for Older Viewers, Orders 20 More Episodes of 'Auction Hunters'
Showtime would be just peachy by me. I have to subscribe anyway, as long as Dexter is running, that's the one show I won't risk spoilers for. 
TNT just announced a series Enigma that is coming from CBS Television Studios. While CBS might be less likely to air a franchise like Star Trek on another network, showing that they will sell any show to another network does give some hope that they would do the same with Star Trek. And I still think TNT is the best fit network for Star Trek.
A live action show on TNT and an animated series on Cartoon Network could be an interesting package deal for CBS and Turner to work out.
A live action show on TNT and an animated series on Cartoon Network could be an interesting package deal for CBS and Turner to work out.
CW is my first choice. They just ended Smallville and majority of their programming has not been lasting too long. Their goal of appealing to young female demographic has not been paying off so they probably going to shift toward something else. Supernatural is still doing well, showing an interest in Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Horror.
Second Choice is Syfy channel, they need a new space show now after messing up Stargate. A Trek show will draw in big numbers if done right. Copyright Ownership is irrelivant, CBS will make a new Star Trek if they have a buyer.
Second Choice is Syfy channel, they need a new space show now after messing up Stargate. A Trek show will draw in big numbers if done right. Copyright Ownership is irrelivant, CBS will make a new Star Trek if they have a buyer.
Showtime is part of the CBS corporate empire. If they're doing a show for premium cable, why send it to the competition?
Since when? They're doing more shows for that demo - branching from vampires into witches - so clearly they're happy with the strategy.
Since when? They're doing more shows for that demo - branching from vampires into witches - so clearly they're happy with the strategy.
I doubt they think they "need" a space show at all. They might try one every now and then, but they're getting strong ratings off reality TV, wrestling and sf/f fluff.
Well at least the options are expanding. That's something.
USA would be as bad a place for Trek as CBS. Star Trek doesn't fit the cute 'n quirky template, and I'm pretty sure that sf/f genre stuff would be inherently a poor fit. (It's easy enough to envision sf/f done USA style - think Warehouse 13 or Eurkea - but I can't see USA opting for even sci fi that light, nevermind the kind with spaceships).
TNT has a successful sf series with aliens: Falling Skies. And that show also bodes poorly for Star Trek, if that's what the TNT audience wants. They're really piling on the Spielbergian schmaltz. Star Trek is not supposed to be a heartwarming family drama.
FX would be a great fit for the kind of Star Trek I'd like to see. It's not too highfalutin, but definitely a good place for intelligent, substantive drama.
USA would be as bad a place for Trek as CBS. Star Trek doesn't fit the cute 'n quirky template, and I'm pretty sure that sf/f genre stuff would be inherently a poor fit. (It's easy enough to envision sf/f done USA style - think Warehouse 13 or Eurkea - but I can't see USA opting for even sci fi that light, nevermind the kind with spaceships).
TNT has a successful sf series with aliens: Falling Skies. And that show also bodes poorly for Star Trek, if that's what the TNT audience wants. They're really piling on the Spielbergian schmaltz. Star Trek is not supposed to be a heartwarming family drama.
FX would be a great fit for the kind of Star Trek I'd like to see. It's not too highfalutin, but definitely a good place for intelligent, substantive drama.
Similar threads
