The announcement of the new series has obviously caused a great deal of speculation (ie bedlam) here and amongst the wider trek community, with issues such as the potential setting, timeframe, characters, etc being discussed at length. However an underlying question seems to be there, colouring every thread without being made explicit.
People have discussed the show in terms of entertainment, demographics, relatability, canon adherence and a number of other issues which occasionally seem to have mutually exclusive requirements, or at least conflicting priorities.
When ST was first aired it was first and foremost entertainment written with an eye towards being a vehicle for social change and in that regard it was ground breaking.
However times have changed in a great many ways, as has the medium of television along with the expectations of fans. So the question I am putting out there is this:
Just what is the purpose of the new show?
Is it simply to sell a product, entertain? Refresh the commercial franchise? Or is trek still viable in it's earlier role, as a way to convince people to ask themselves questions about the world?
Can trek still be an agent for change, indeed should it do so anyway?
Has the brand long associated with Gene Rodenberry's vision any reason to assume that role now in a different time or has the mantle been passed?
Even if it tried, just how receptive would the world be anyway, would anyone actually care?
People have discussed the show in terms of entertainment, demographics, relatability, canon adherence and a number of other issues which occasionally seem to have mutually exclusive requirements, or at least conflicting priorities.
When ST was first aired it was first and foremost entertainment written with an eye towards being a vehicle for social change and in that regard it was ground breaking.
However times have changed in a great many ways, as has the medium of television along with the expectations of fans. So the question I am putting out there is this:
Just what is the purpose of the new show?
Is it simply to sell a product, entertain? Refresh the commercial franchise? Or is trek still viable in it's earlier role, as a way to convince people to ask themselves questions about the world?
Can trek still be an agent for change, indeed should it do so anyway?
Has the brand long associated with Gene Rodenberry's vision any reason to assume that role now in a different time or has the mantle been passed?
Even if it tried, just how receptive would the world be anyway, would anyone actually care?
