Star Trek turns 40 - How do we "Save" it?

[Worf101]

Lets face facts my fellow Klingons, Starfleet Cadets, Romulan Rouges and Vapid Vulcans, our beloved Star Trek is in a world of hurt. "Nemisis" (which I kinda liked) was a bomb and "Enterprise" was so bad it sank UPN almost singlehandedly. As Trek turns 40 it's no where to be seen save in syndication and on Spike TV. I'm not alone in realizing how far the franchise has fallen. The link below offers it's own views on Trek and how to revive it. I've a few of my own.

http://www.twitchguru.com/2006/09/11/mmr/

1. New Series on Showtime or HBO, called "Tales of the Alpha Quadrant" or something similar. Cable we con finally see ALL of 7 of 9. Hell that would be a PP View special. Make it kinda like a Star Trek meets Twilight Zone. Different stories every week that allow for writers to stretch in every way imaginable. Of couse lots of DS9 and TNG stars will make guest apperances. Hell whatever happened to Weasley Crusher.

2. Let the fans take the wheel. Nothing can replace passion for a product. People been living the dream 40 years, let they drive the bus for a while and see where it takes us.

3. Crossover films or miniseries - Who wouldn't pay to see the Borg vs. The Shadows or Xylons? The Battlestar Gallactica saved by the Defiant???? I'd love it.

4. Start mining the best of the ST books for stories and films. This was/is long overdue.

5. I agree with the article above... Bring bad DS9 in some way shape or form.

It's gonna be a tough job and long haul, but chit, somebodies gotta do it.

Da Worfster

[GMichael]

40? Time for their second wind. I like your idea's though. All of 7 on cable? Take it off drone. Take it ALL off. Can we have Dax join in? Can you see the Federation joining up with the Borg to fight off the Ori? Or have the Daedalus refueling at DS9 on the way back to Earth.

[JoeE SP9]

Although I would like to see what you're proposing, it ain't gonna' happen'. Hollywood is run by bean counters not people with vision and scope. Couple that with writers who have no idea what good science fiction is and it's a lost cause.
Look at the writing credits for Enterprise. The producers responsible for that garbage should have been assimilated.:incazzato:

[basite]

make something different, if you really like star trek, you'll start of again and watch the first episode again and then you'll watch them all again, but making really new episodes, nah, it would get boring.

[ericl]

I loved Star Trek growing up, but i think it needs a nap now. Or take a cue from Battlestar Galactica, that show is incredible.

[kexodusc]

I think Star Trek just needs to go into hiatus for 5-7 years, then come back with a vengeance. Too much of a good thing ain't so good...Use the time off to be more critical of ideas.
When they do come back, try and write a continually evolving series, like 24, Lost, Prison Break, Battlestar Gallactica, etc - where 1 show leads to the next. Random episodes are very hit and miss - give the viewer a reason to make sure they don't miss next week's show. You can still incorporate the good random stuff, while advancing the overall macro-plot.

I'm with you too on Nemesis, Worf, I thought the stupid lame time-travelling thing that ruined a perfectly good Borg plot put First Contact right behind Insurrection on the all-time crappy movie list - Nemesis was better than Generations even, that reminded me too much of Final Frontier.

Other than that I propose:
MORE DS9 stuff;
Less Borg - after 473 consecutive losses, suddenly the greatest threat to the Alpha Quadrant, isn't so threatening;
I've always asked for something like this:

A New Menacing Threat, from the Beta Quadrant or wherever - an empire maybe, like the Dominion, but more Draconian and conquest-hungry threatening all the Alpha Quadrant races - So tell the show from the perspective of all the major species - main characters from Klingon Empire, Vulcan, Romulus, Ferengi, Federation, Cardassian, etc, not just 1 ship and the Federation....This way they could keep dipping into our old favorite characters -- Picard, Sisco, Worf, Janeway if anyone likes her, etc...

Star Trek always succeeded best when the issues of the day in society were imitated on screen - the political struggles of the world today would probably transpose well onto TV.

Drama is only as good as the crisis it makes and the strength of hero charcters - put them all in the worst spot imaginable in Episode 1, and lets see what happens...

[ForeverAutumn]

Sometimes it's just better to let a thing run it's course and then die of natural causes rather than force it onto life support. Take The Rolling Stones as an example....

[Dusty Chalk]

"Nemisis" (which I kinda liked) was a bomb and "Enterprise" was so bad it sank UPN almost singlehandedly. I think you found the problem right here.

First of all, Enterprise was not bad -- it's just that there wasn't a fanbase. Everyone was like, "what, another Star Trek spin-off?" And Nemesis -- what, another Star Trek movie?

Face it -- the franchise has run its course. It's time for everyone to move on.

[kexodusc]

Star Trek has more than enough loyal followers to continue on, perhaps in perpetuity. Think we all just want more quality and less quantity, but I'll say here, if I've seen my last Star Trek series I'm a very disappointed closet-trekkie.

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

I would have been very happy if they did a movie with Captain Janeway (is that right?) at the helm.

What they really need to do is quit making television series, and make movies only. A movie once every three to four years with some talented scifi writers and quality cast built around her would be awesome.

Now I am just waiting for my bass playin Klingon amigo to tell me he hates this idea! LOL

[Worf101]

I would have been very happy if they did a movie with Captain Janeway (is that right?) at the helm.

What they really need to do is quit making television series, and make movies only. A movie once every three to four years with some talented scifi writers and quality cast built around her would be awesome.

Now I am just waiting for my bass playin Klingon amigo to tell me he hates this idea! LOL

Good God Man... have you no shame???!!! At long last??? The bottom line is this... I actually LIKE your suggestion... but NOT Voyager. Janeway's voice gives me hives. Nope DS9 is the way to go... Save Sisko from limbo, see how Rom's running the Ferengi Alliance... How's Kira doin' without Odo, have Odo drop in on her new husband and family. Have Martok try to stop Grrack taking revenge on Odo and the rest of the Dominion Soup. Hell see how Kira and Quark's marriage is doing!!! Bashir and Ezri Dax are divorced and Bashir and (fill in the blank) are keeping time. Worf's now a Priest living in solitude rasing Alexander's Orphaned son. There's SO much to deal with here... I'd like to see it.

Janeway got home with her virginity intact. Nuff Said.

As for letting ST end with a whimper not a bang.... Nevah!!!!!

Da Worfster

[noddin0ff]

They need a new series told from the Tribble point of view for NickJr...

2 cents.

[bobsticks]

Well, first of all you need me. I don't mean that in the literal sense. I mean you need to reacquire the 30-40 male demographic, specifically the ones that are positive but passive about sci-fi, are familiar with a few of the series but heretofore haven't committed to a life of "Trekiness" ( I have found the womenfolk that are diehard trekkies to be a strange lot that ultimately spend most of their money on therapy thus not adding revenue to the advertisers)
I read the thread that you dropped and agreed with a few of its suggestions. I think that finding a more adult venue for the show would add to its numbers. You don't have to take the content to the level of Heavy Metal, but a little spice aint a bad thing (see post #2 and dial it down a notch cuz its the Bear-Guy)
I also felt pretty strongly about the idea of including continuing plotlines within the fabric of individual shows. This seems to be working well with most popular shows right now and, hey, sometimes you just can't save the multiverse in 60 minutes...

Actually, the concept about which I feel strongest is the one that's gonna take the wheels of the wagon for Worfster and I. There need to be real actors involved. Face it, up until now Picard and Sisco have been the only multi-dimensional characters. There's a reason that y'all are screaming for Sisco's return--Avery Brooks is a terribly gifted, though underrated actor. It also wouldn't hurt if occasionally the characters did not or weren't capable of occupying the moral highground...
...Now Worf don't come bustin' through my door with that Klingon War Cudgel of yours,,,I'm warnin' ya, I've sharpened the headstocks on all my Jacksons...you come bustin' through that door and it's gonna be an SL2H through the solar plexus! :devil:

Cheers

[Worf101]

Well, first of all you need me. I don't mean that in the literal sense. I mean you need to reacquire the 30-40 male demographic, specifically the ones that are positive but passive about sci-fi, are familiar with a few of the series but heretofore haven't committed to a life of "Trekiness" ( I have found the womenfolk that are diehard trekkies to be a strange lot that ultimately spend most of their money on therapy thus not adding revenue to the advertisers)
I read the thread that you dropped and agreed with a few of its suggestions. I think that finding a more adult venue for the show would add to its numbers. You don't have to take the content to the level of Heavy Metal, but a little spice aint a bad thing (see post #2 and dial it down a notch cuz its the Bear-Guy)
I also felt pretty strongly about the idea of including continuing plotlines within the fabric of individual shows. This seems to be working well with most popular shows right now and, hey, sometimes you just can't save the multiverse in 60 minutes...

Actually, the concept about which I feel strongest is the one that's gonna take the wheels of the wagon for Worfster and I. There need to be real actors involved. Face it, up until now Picard and Sisco have been the only multi-dimensional characters. There's a reason that y'all are screaming for Sisco's return--Avery Brooks is a terribly gifted, though underrated actor. It also wouldn't hurt if occasionally the characters did not or weren't capable of occupying the moral highground...
...Now Worf don't come bustin' through my door with that Klingon War Cudgel of yours,,,I'm warnin' ya, I've sharpened the headstocks on all my Jacksons...you come bustin' through that door and it's gonna be an SL2H through the solar plexus! :devil:

Cheers
Actually, I agree with your take on the matter. It is about demographics to a point and widening the tent. For the sake of my physical well being I will NOT discuss the quirks and foibles of female Trekkers. Some of dem folks know where I live. But back into saving Trek, yes actors are needed, desperately... not just characters but actors and WRITERS. Nope I'm not pissed off at all, I'm actually kinda heartened...

Da Worfster

[Groundbeef]

I think that they need to make a Star Trek movie about saving whales. You know, join up with Geenpeace and Peta. Sort of an envrionmental film of sorts. Oh wait....they already did that...hmmm

After that film, the whole series should have been taken out and shot.

[ericl]

This thread reminds me, Worf, that your signature should have the classic Worf line in it:

"If you were any other man I would KILL YOU where you stand!!"

[Dusty Chalk]

I think that they need to make a Star Trek movie about saving whales. You know, join up with Geenpeace and Peta. Sort of an envrionmental film of sorts. Oh wait....they already did that...hmmm

After that film, the whole series should have been taken out and shot.Yup. Pretty much jumped the shark on that one.