The Future of Star Trek (revealed)...

[Krieg]

No, it isn't. Actually, the entire UPN network is a figment of your imagination.

Unfortunately that really isn't too far from the truth.

 

[Orius]

Enterprise is an okay series, and there are a few episodes that are very good. I just don't really care about Archer et al. They just seem to lack the magic of earlier casts. Would that be aided by not being stuck on UPN, and having a higher budget? Almost certainly.

I agree. I think the fact the show's stuck on that non-network called UPN is part of its woes. First of all, UPN doesn't even have affiliates in every Nielsen market in the country. Because of that simple fact, Enterprise is naturally going to pull in lower ratings. That's one of the reasons UPN is the lowest rated network, that and they pretty much air shows that have been rejected by the other networks (I can't imagine a producer pitching a show to UPN first.)
Secondly, the fact that the show is on a network means that brain-dead network execs are going to screw with it. How many Sci-Fi series that had good potential were trashed because a network couldn't resist tinkering with it, and mostly to increase viewership of the highly coveted 18-35 male demographic. This is why TNG and DS9 were syndicated, and were successful in syndication: Roddenberry was burned by networks twice and he had the brains not to go back to them again.
Third, I think Berman and Braga are burned out, and they didn't have the strength of will to actually get into exploring the origins of the Federation. They had a great idea, but just ended up doing the same boring recycled stories that have been done for years on Star Trek. The whole TCW and Xindi plot are really part of this. It's not that they're bad ideas, it's just that I think it would have worked better in the future. The Xindi plot in particular, while having some good stories, doesn't present the sort of tension it should for me, because I know Earth will overcome the challenge in the end. The fact that Berman and Braga are saying the Xindi plot is creating an alternate timeline is really an excuse to retcon on a galactic scale and is irritating and insulting to the fans as well.
Look at the good shows that have aired. The Andorian episodes seem to be the biggest fan favorites. And some fans complain about the Klingons in Enterprise, but I think their presence in the sedries has been mostly good (except for that lame-ass episode Unexpected) Showing more aliens like Tellarites, Romulans, Orions, etc. and exploring these classic races I think would have generated far more fan interest than than the TCW, Xindi plot, etc.

 

[Altalazar]

Look at the good shows that have aired. The Andorian episodes seem to be the biggest fan favorites. And some fans complain about the Klingons in Enterprise, but I think their presence in the sedries has been mostly good (except for that lame-ass episode Unexpected) Showing more aliens like Tellarites, Romulans, Orions, etc. and exploring these classic races I think would have generated far more fan interest than than the TCW, Xindi plot, etc.

I totally agree. Those were the episodes I liked. They had a rich tapestry of "firsts" they could have explored - orions, tellarites, etc. And they dumped it all for the Xindi. Sad, really. I haven't been watching it this year.

The only thing I have liked about the Xindi was seeing how it make Archer start to make moral compromises and get really ruthless in a way you'd never see someone in later series do.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Love this idea! just get rid of the 'Star Trek' rider



The only drawback to this I can see is that the technobabble content would reach critical mass, implode in on itself and render all Star Trek writers mute and sterile.


Hmmmm, maybe it's not such a bad idea afterall.

Oh don`t be so harsh. Remember that Startrek does, unlike many other series, not have a strong regular "cast" of authors. They take many outside scripts. This causes the lack of continuity, I guess, but it also gives "young" authors a chance. Unfortunately, young and unexperienced writers sometimes don`t produce the best plots. But maybe, in a few years, it might pay off - unfortunately again, it might not affect Startrek. :-(

Mustrum Ridcully

 

[jasamcarl]

Ok, I think the initial post is disingenuous. This guy claims to be a dispassioned observer, i.e. 'not a trek fan', and yet he talks about how this possible script messes with the 'timeline'.

More flagrantly, he claims Star Trek has always been about 'characters'. Uh no. Every trek film and show i've ever seen has only had the most broadly drawn characters; mostly they are just mouth pieces for whatever theme or grand idea that a particular episode/movie is trying to push on its audience. Nothing wrong with this; there is place for that kind of idealism, though its obviously more and more dated with each passing year; it also tends to come off as naive and 'juvenile' to a degree. My point being is that Trek has always been about stories, not characters; they only differ with big budget epics in that their themes.

 

[John Crichton]

Ok, I think the initial post is disingenuous. This guy claims to be a dispassioned observer, i.e. 'not a trek fan', and yet he talks about how this possible script messes with the 'timeline'.

You don't need to watch every ep of Trek to know about that.

More flagrantly, he claims Star Trek has always been about 'characters'. Uh no.

Actually, he is spot on. Trek is almost always about the characters. Every original cast Trek film was basically a character piece or about the big 3 (Kirk, Spock & Bones). Even the new films (I haven't seen Nemesis) are about the characters, usually focusing on the captain.

Every trek film and show i've ever seen has only had the most broadly drawn characters; mostly they are just mouth pieces for whatever theme or grand idea that a particular episode/movie is trying to push on its audience. Nothing wrong with this; there is place for that kind of idealism, though its obviously more and more dated with each passing year; it also tends to come off as naive and 'juvenile' to a degree. My point being is that Trek has always been about stories, not characters; they only differ with big budget epics in that their themes.

The writers would beg to differ. Yes, some of the stories are about current issues and Trek is certainly famous for that. But at the same time the stories on the shows and in the movies focus on the characters and how these issues effect them and that's what the audience draws on.

So, I disagree about Trek being more about stories than characters. It is more about the characters and the stories that revolve around them. It even applies to Enterprise. The 'Expanse' mission is about Archer and the changes and compromises he has to make to accomplish his goals. I could give examples of each series except for Voyager as I haven't seen many eps.

 

[Mark]

There's simply no way to please most of the fan base. I think part of the problem with the show is that they even bother to try.

 

[Ranger REG]

I disagree. Although they have bothered to try, such great story episode are rare. I mean there is usually one good episode for every three or four months' worth of episodes. And they're the ones not directly related to the the side arc (Xindi WMD Threat) or the main arc (Temporal Cold War or TCW).

So it's hard to stay on to watch, wondering if this episode will be one of the GOOD ones. Otherwise, I wasted that one hour a week.

Then again, I have been watching Trek all my life, so I'm basically tired of it.

The only good Trek movies are usually Nicholas Meyer's. Even his two Trek TOS films (II and VI) trump the only one Trek TNG film I like. If Berman has at least a kilo of functioning gray matter between his ears, he'll bring Nick Meyer.

 

[Ashwyn]

Improvements in TV makeup and a higher budget. For the in-continuity explanation, Worf gave the official word in the Tribbles crossover episode: "We do not speak of it."

I know, but I still want to know what happened. I guess I'll have to make it up for myself.

 

[Hand of Evil]

I know, but I still want to know what happened. I guess I'll have to make it up for myself.

Thought it was discussed in a book or such that the Klingons poisioned the home planet of the Tribbles to dust then made it into a prision.