New Animated Trek
CBS Considering New Animated Trek Series For The Web
Star Trek may be set for a comeback into yet another arena, this time in the 2nd dimension. TrekMovie.com has learned that there is a new animated Trek project under consideration at CBS, but it has yet to get the green light. The series would most likely be broadcast on the web and be made up of ‘Clone Wars’ like 6-minute mini episodes. The yet-to-be-named project was originally pitched by long-time Trek producer David Rossi (well known to TrekMovie.com readers as a producer on Trek Remastered) along with his producer/writer partners Doug Mirabello and José Muñoz. Rossi sat down with TrekMovie.com for an exclusive look at how he and his partners hope to create a different kind of Trek set in the 26th century.
The idea for a new animated Trek started back around the time that Star Trek Enterprise was cancelled. Rossi and his partners didn’t buy into the notion that Star Trek ‘needed a rest’. "We wanted to spark a little life into Star Trek and to keep it alive in people’s eyes," explains Rossi. They knew CBS and Paramount weren’t going to be keen on a new (and very expensive) live action show so they decided that animation was the way to go. Their first notion was to do a show set in the Original Series era (but not on the Enterprise), however that notion didn’t sit well with the people at CBS. Rossi then took the advice he got from LeVar Burton on how ‘Star Trek should always be about moving forward and what is next in the human adventure.’ So the team came up with the notion of taking a big leap forward and setting a show 150 years after the time of Picard and Star Trek Nemesis, but in a very different and somewhat dark Trek universe. CBS were more open to that idea and over the last year and a half have asked the team (now formed into Zero Room Productions) to flesh out their idea. Although CBS have not committed to the series, they have asked the team to develop test artwork and scripts for 5 mini episodes.
Test art shows that this Trek is kind of scary
Trek’s darker future…with a spark of hope
The Zero Room team felt that the time was right for a new approach to Trek. The setting is the year 2528 and the Federation is a different place after suffering through a devastating war with the Romulans 60 years earlier. The war was sparked off after a surprise attack of dozens of ‘Omega particle’ detonations throughout the Federation creating vast areas which become impassible to warp travel and essentially cut off almost half the Federation from the rest. During the war the Klingon homeworld was occupied by the Romulans, all of Andoria was destroyed and the Vulcans, who were negotiating reunification with the Romulans, pulled out of the Federation. The setting may seem bleak and not very Trek-like, but that is where the show’s hero Captain Alexander Chase comes in. Relegated to border patrol, Chase is determined to bring the Federation (and a ship called Enterprise) back to the glory days of seeking out new life and new civilizations.
The parallels with the real world are obvious. The view is that to be relevant Trek cannot skirt around issues. Rossi explains: "couching big social issues in allegories so they are more palatable is kind of passé now. Today shows deal with these issues head on, so we decided to make the entire show an allegory. The premise is an allegory for the post-9/11 world we live in. A world of uncertainty and fear." In addition to the attempt at relevance, the Zero Room team want to incorporate other modern techniques. The show will have an overall ‘arc’ related to the mystery of who perpetuated that ‘Omega’ attack which sparked the Romulan War (turns out it wasn’t the Romulans…ooops). As one might imagine, all of the above back-story is quite a lot to get across in animated mini episodes, but that is where the web comes in. On StarTrek.com there will be a special sub-site for the show with crew logs and detailed histories of the Federation to get viewers up to speed on what has been going on since Picard’s day. The team also want to tackle the issue of how Trek does not usually lend itself to the action-oriented world of animated shows like Star Wars: Clone Wars. "We won’t have long diatribes, we are utilizing a clipped kind of writing and the editing is frenetic," explains Rossi. The overall approach is hoped to make the show have a wider appeal than Trek’s last foray into the world of animation.
Captain Chase…bringing back the old days
A conflicted ship and crew
This new animated series would take place again on a ship called Enterprise, but the old girl has seen better days. Captain Chase’s Enterprise will be a ‘Bismarck Class’ heavy cruiser from the Romulan war and a bit out of date. Her mission will be merely patrolling the border, but Chase chose the Enterprise for a reason. As a student of the Federation’s glory days, he wants to have the Enterprise reclaim her legacy. Although they are not ready to share artwork, Rossi says the ship will be very different than familiar saucer/hull/nacelle designs while still being recognizable as a ‘Star Trek’ ship. Her crew will be a collection of humans and aliens including a chief engineer named ‘Mr. Zero’ who wears an environmental suit to survive. Life on the ship will mirror that of the Federation itself. "The Captain is more forward thinking and wants to go out and do some exploring but half the crew will be against that and want to just protect the border," says Rossi. Leading the ’stay the course’ faction will be Chase’s first officer, Commander Barric Holden who wants a command of his own and be a bit resentful of the his new captain. Rounding out the ‘big 3′ will be Lt. Kaylen Donal, a tough-as-nails security chief whose team of red shirts are all linked with Borg technology implants called ‘Biomechanical Utility Grafts or ‘BUGs’. The Zero Room team want to see this security squad kick some butt and not just be cannon fodder. Rossi draws the distinction with previous security personnel "they aren’t the hapless pajama wearing guys who get vaporized every time…these are going to be very thoughtful clever bad-ass soldiers."
Cmdr. Holden and Lt. Donal fill out the ‘troika’ for the new animated Trek
A new look and a look back
When choosing a style for their new animated series, Zero Room chose a 2D style that was both modern and yet nostalgic. The designs are influenced by the work of Darwyn Cooke who made the recent retro-cool New Frontier comic series. "Although the show is set in the future the designs are founded in TOS, it is a throwback that is also looking forward," explains Rossi. From the designs of the uniforms to the phasers there is certainly an Original Series feel to the work, possibly harkening back to their original idea to set the series in the TOS period. Jeff Parker, an accomplished comic book artist currently working on Marvel’s on X-Men, has done most of the character design work. In addition to Jeff there are some others artists who have done work on the project and Zero Room are looking to expand the team as well. [If you are a 2D artist interested in getting involved, Zero Room do take submissions. Inquiries can be sent to zeroroomprods@gmail.com]
a nostalgic look for the uniforms and props
So what is next?
One thing that should be made clear is that it is entirely unclear if, when or how this animated series will be seen. If the project gets the go ahead it will most likely be seen on StarTrek.com, however the show would be made in a way so it can be also shown on broadcast TV as well as DVD. This is somewhat similar to the Star Wars: Clone Wars animated series which was shown on StarWars.com as well as the Cartoon Network and then put out on DVD. One of the big hurdles seems to be the convoluted nature of the Trek license sharing deal between the former Viacom partners CBS and Paramount. Apparently when your name is not J.J. Abrams it is a bit difficult to work a new Trek project through the system. Currently the project is in a holding pattern and may remain so until the release of Star Trek XI in 2008. If CBS and Paramount want Star Trek to compete with other franchises like Star Wars, Superman, and Batman, then it makes sense for it to have an animated component.
Only time will tell if this project will see the light of day or end up like ‘Star Trek Phase II’ and other ‘Treks that could have been’. It is certain that this different take on the Trek universe will spark debate, but the people behind it are to be credited for attempting a daring take on the venerable franchise. The project does have the support of one of Star Trek’s most respected designers (and Trek’s semi-official historian) Mike Okuda (although he works with Rossi on Trek Remastered, Okuda is not inovled with the new animated project). Okuda tells TrekMovie.com "the concept offers fresh, exciting characters and stories, and the visuals promise to be cool…I hope it happens."
more sketches from the new animated Trek
(click to enlarge)
EDITOR’S NOTE: I would like to thank David Rossi for taking the time out to talk to TrekMovie.com about this new project, especially since this week he and his lovely wife Lili welcomed a new Trekkie in the world. A big TrekMovie.com welcome to Dave and Lili’s new daughter Frankie Lu Rossi.
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I just bought the animated DVD’s. Pretty cool, for sure. But I thought, could they not completely re-do the animation with the same voice actors? It would be a breeze and look fantastic.
I dont like it.
The adventures of the Battlestar Enterprise have zero interest for me.
Sorry.
^^^^^
I’m not so close minded as to say this wouldn’t satisfy some fans appetite for something new in the Trek universe that defies convention and where the show has been before, but this is just entirely too much of a stretch for me, too related to Battlestar Galactica.
Roddenberry postulated humanity survives, that is the fundamental appeal of Star Trek, here is yet another post armageddon scenario of picking up the peices of a calamity and having a semblance of normality.
Why is everything doom and gloom today and distorted with a cynical view?
What happened to bright, cheery, even naive optimism. That is what Star Trek was always all about. And just as in 66, the world today NEEDS that unbiased, untainted optimism.
If I wanted to see this shit I’d turn on the world news.
This sounds like another very interesting new Trek project, but just like Trek XI - it has to be done in the right way!
I would much rather a TV Animated Series from the TOS movie (not ST:TMP but rather ST:TWOK) era.
Seems like those that favor a Capt Sulu series woudl best be served by that idea. Plus, since Shatner and a few key TOS persons are still “VOICEs amongst us” we might yet see Kirk and Co. in their prime.
We still keep going further into the future and leaving vast voids of time un filled. GOLDER OPPORTUNITY here FOLKS!!!
What say you?
I think it sounds great. The idea is fresh. It would be a great way to bring some new fans in, and those that have gone astray. Having watched the Animated series recently, I’ve been craving new Trek, in any form.
I think a new animated Star Trek could only succeed if it’s one thing…FUNNY! Star Trek, as new animated cartoon, could be very enjoyable as a light hearted parody or spoof of our favorite tv show.
Go to this site for a perfect example of how funny a cartoon version of Trek could be. It’s hilarious! - stonetrek.com
Has any cartoon, or animated series ever succeeded as a serious, dramatic show? I can’t think of any. Someone here correct me if I’ve missed one…
Maybe I’m wrong, but I think a dramatic, serious animated series will only appeal to a very small segment of ST fans. That doesn’t sound like a formula for the studios making alot of money, but maybe there’s more interest out there than I realize.
For myself, if it’s going to be anything like the animated series from 1973, I will respectfully say, “no thanks.”
Long live Spock and Quark!
Mike
Unless they put sufficient resources into this project. Cash and sem-decent story lines (for a cartoon) of course then they just better forget it. IF I really want to see 2nd rate animation then all I have to do is watch the poorly made cartoons that are being churned out of Asia and elsewhere.
INSTEAD….why don’t they put in some good stories (like Jonny Quest) was in their first season? As some of you may know….that series was never cancelled - they just couldn’t afford to produce it anymore so they quit producing it. Now….that would be a cartoon worthy of anyones time and effort both in making and watching the final product. If they chose to make it in the lines (quality) of some recent films like The Incredibles…..then we’d all be in for a pleasant surprise. A nice idea….
#7–No, no, no, no, no. Trek died because it became a joke in the minds of too many people. We need projects that make Trek relevant and interesting again, and this new animated series might work, if handled well. At least it seems like a step in the right direction.
But if Trek can’t do anything other than mock its own conventions, it’ll just damage itself even further in the public’s mind–they’ll think “Star Trek = Lame Crap.”
As for any cartoon succeeding as a dramatic, serious toon? Try Bruce Timm’s “Batman.”
My only question is,
in the above picture why is Captain Pursue holding a Martian War Machine head from George Pal’s 50’s classic, and why is it not incinerating his head off?
Very interesting. I’d watch. What the hell?
This is around the time of the 1701-J i think.
[…] Sigh. […]
People who bash animation (cartoons) are akin to people who bash science fiction. Kind of discouraging to see it get bashed here.
Good God look at that Phaser!! FINALLY beefy guns to spread our peaceful mission LOL. That gun is wicked cool! And I love that they call the security guards “The Red Shirts.” Nice tip of the hat to those poor lost souls from a more dangerous era LOL!
#9 Here, here. The Bruce Timm Batman is VERY well done. How wicked would it be to see nasty aliens done with animation. If one of the producers of Trek Remastered is behind it then so am I. The care and reverence Rossi has for Trek is evident from the fantastic work CBS is turning out. I wonder if Okuda is part of this?
I hope this idea dies a slow and painful death at the hands of Regulan Blood Worms.
“…we are utilizing a clipped kind of writing and the editing is frenetic,” explains Rossi.
Yeccccch! There is enough of that garbage already.
Nothing against an animated series, but this has no reason to be called Star Trek other than wanting to use a proven brand name.
The more I read about this kind of stuff, the more I will stick with the 79 episodes and the Filmation animated series.
The concept and the art respectively for this new cartoon is going to have to be loud and out of place in the trek universe. That’s not to say I approve, but even though we adults will certainly tune in to see some new trek, no one will fund an animated series that’s not AIMED AT KIDS.
This means selling toys, video games, and cereal.
We can always make the argument that children are smarter than we give credit, and that kids would be just as content with a naive, nonviolent animated trek that is more akin to TNG than to G.I. Joe, but you’ll never convince anyone with the production money to take the risk on making toy communicators rather than toy phaser bazookas (or whatever).
Let’s just hope it doesn’t go the way of “The Batman”, you know, the new one that sucks ass, not the superior Bruce Timm one.
#9.. I think Trek is far from dead, in any sense of the word! It’s on hiatus now and maybe that’s a good thing. And why are so many fans against a humorous look at Trek? Did the movie “Spaceballs” destroy the Lucas Star Wars empire? No way!
One of the things I like about Bill Shatner is the fact that he both respects high quality science fiction, as a writer, actor and director, yet doesn’t take Star Trek as seriously as many of his fans do. I find that balance is both healthy and refreshing.
The Star Trek universe is very large indeed, and maybe that’s one of the problems. Maybe it has become too big with an emphasis more on quantity vs quality. Maybe there have been too many tv shows, too many movies, too many books, too much Star Trek in general over the years for the good of the franchise.
Like most people here I want more Trek in the future, but I don’t want CBS and Paramount to milk the franchise into the ground either. To me, an animated series will not make Trek “relevant and/or interesting” to most fans. I think it will only appeal to a very small minority of die hard fans the “love everything trek.” Maybe I’m wrong, but the first attempt at animating Star Trek was not exactly a rousing success. (Unless you consider a one year run and 22 episodes a success.)
In my opinion, Star Trek belongs in the live action arena only- live action TV and movies. If they are going to go animated, why not go comic books too.
There will always be a market for anything Star Trek, but I really wonder how large the audience is for a another animated series. You named one serious animated series that was successful, but I could name dozens of “comedy based animated series” that succeeded, even in prime time!
Star Trek has had an incredible run, but no show, no movie series will last forever. I hope that if Star Trek XI is both a critical and commercial success, the franchise ends. I really, really, really want Star Trek to go out on top! For me Star Trek ended in 1969, and anything produced after the original show ended has just been a nice added bonus, especially DS9.
Merry Christmas everyone!
Mike
It’s an interesting concept, but I, too, feel that it unnecessarily eschews Roddenberry’s original concept for the show.
In the ’60s, there was Vietnam and the threat of global thermonuclear war, and yet ‘Star Trek’ provided an optimistic, hour-long break from the days events. Surely intrepid Capt. Chase could have adventures in a more optimistic future. However, I understand that the idea of an optimistic series may not fly in the board room.
I will say this: my favorite recent Trek series is DS9, so I’m certainly open to “gritty” ‘Star Trek.’ I hope it’s done well.
#7 - The Japanese have a long history of creating dramatic, successful animated series that are very popular over here. Check out Cartoon Netowrk late at night or look on the shelves at any Best Buy store. The anime section is larger ththe science fiction area in most of their stores.
As far as American television goes, no. Americans have this grating attitude that animated means Bugs Bunny or Goofy and has to be humorous in nature. The only successful American animation that are serious and popular are full length feature films.
#18 Yes Anime has been popular since the 1990’s. I never found Japanese animation very compelling, but many younger viewers love it and prefer it over the old time cartoons I grew up with. Time will tell if it isn’t just a passing fad with American viewers…
You are right, most Americans associate animation with comedy and family movies. Not a bad thing I guess, because it’s been so successful over the decades.
Maybe a more interesting Star Trek animated series concept would have computered generated animation featured in such movies as “Toy Story,” and other Pixal features. That would be quite impressive, but I’m sure quite expensive too…
Mike
Given the excellent work on shows like the Batman/Superman animated series of the 90s, an intelligent cartoon series could work very well.
Setting it in the 26th-ish century would work quite nicely with a live action series set in the 23rd century.
I’d also like to see the classic animated series, which I’m working my way through on DVD at the mo, released with new animation, new music and maybe a couple of new voices (perhaps by actors from later Treks) to add some variety to the constant recognisable ‘guest’ voices of Majel Barrett and James Doohan.
If we can have Star Trek Remastered, why not Star Trek Re-Animated?!
Golly this I said earlier today that this is an intersting time to be a Trek fan. Wasn’t kidding was I?
I agree with the earlier writer that said that one of the elements of Star Trek that has set it apart from other science fiction like Star Wars and Galactica is its vision of the future. Thoughtful, good science fiction would be appreciated and remembered. Rushing something to take advantage of Star Wars Clone Wars successes or the interest being currently shown in Galactica would be sad, and probably unsuccessful. I think if done well, and with a serious effort to tell Trek-stories of success of the human spirit and bold explorations of uncharted territory an animated serious has great potential to raise the bar for Trek lore. Remember, the Star Trek Online MMOG is scheduled to appear on the store shelves soon and it primarily is an animated version of Star Trek….
>What happened to bright, cheery, even naive optimism. That is what Star >Trek was always all about. And just as in 66, the world today NEEDS that >unbiased, untainted optimism.
I agree. For more than a decade I have seen the ever increasing pushing of not just creatives, but parts of fandom as well to turn Trek into something it is not - a dark and dystopian action show brimming with conflict. I think those people got it totally wrong - in the 1960s, the situation was very much comparable to now, and yet, at that time TOS offered kind of an alternative view to the uncertain future people were facing, providing reassurance that it would not just go on, but become better and better. Given its stance opposition by all those pragmatists out there, back then and now, this kind of optimistic future is still way more daring than any dark scenario could be, and if Trek gives in to the latter, this will be the *real* death of the legend, because then it will be indistinguishable from the Farscapes and Fireflies and Battlestar Galacticas of this world. But I guess this is what happens when you have to cater to majority taste, which unlike the 1960s doesnt seem very open about anything but “gloom and doom” these days anymore.
No offence to those who have put work into this, but with the details and grim art provided I sincerely hope this show wont get the green-light. It’s a dead end.
Sod animated trek, get CBS Paramount to put money into the Star Trek New Voyages fanfilms so they can ramp up production and fill in the final years of the original series.
Maybe they could get a CGI department to due some facial augmentation so that it would look like the original actors continued their show.
The stories the New Voyages Team have done so far are great and would literally bring us back to the original series.
No interest. I don’t think these people realize that Kirk and crew are the characters that made Trek so great. I don’t care about some wacky future with some characters I don’t know. At this point, that’s been done, no matter what era it’s set in. It’s still a copy of a copy.
You don’t see constant cartoons based on the great grandson of Superman. You see Superman.
If they’re going to do an animated series of all things, I want something based on Kirk and his crew. Not in the TOS ERA and another crew. KIRK and the Enterprise.
Anything else is just boring.
This would be an excellent re-boot, with a chance of relevance and not the incestuous inside-looking continuity concerns. Do it as live action!
what a great idea! The art work looks great and the story idea makes me excited. As a 38 year old, I prefer animation over most live action. It’s good to see some new and exciting ideas! Rock On!!!!
Why do they keep going so far ahead?
It’s hard enough trying to figure out what the 23rd century would actually be like…………THE 26TH CENTURY?
C’mon.
CBS can try all they like to cash in on the TREK cash cow but unless they create interesting, riveting, characters like the well know triumvirate KIRK-SPOCK-McCOY, it ’s destined for failure.
The phasers look like some cheesy Flash Gordon ray gun for God’s sake. I would think by the 26th century you would be able to mount a mind controlled phaser on your finger or something.
That’s 500 years in the future folks.
Do you think in 1506 they knew there would be cars, jets, telephones, electricity, computers, space travel and George W Bush?
Not bloody likely…………….; )
I like it. It reminds me a bit of the Gene Rodenberry “Andromeda” series. I believe Andromeda was originally a trek series pitch, since they couldn’t do it as a trek series they changed aspects of it.
I don’t think that Trek is necessarily about one thing. I keep reading - its a positive vision of the future. Well, not everything in the Trek universe is positive. Edith Keeler dies, wars happen, Kirk kicks the Klingon off the mountain and into the lava, the borg are scary.
Some people just have an idealized rememberance of the past and want a movie or tv show to give them that same feeling of nostalgia that they get when they clutch their beloved DVD’s in their hands.
Star Trek can be many things - scary, funny, dramatic, powerful, thrilling. Its a wide canvas.
Hey MichaelJohn,
Check this out…
http://www.ptrope.com/Star_Trek_Reanimated/
Wow, that looks pretty interesting Spockboy…CGI is really approaching photographic realism!
I’m curious to see the end product, as it certainly won’t look at all like the original cartoon.
Just think, in a few years CGI will become so good that they will be able to duplicate the original actors from TOS and make realistic new episodes. I’m not sure if that is a good thing or not, but I don’t think it’s too far fetched, or too far in the future.
Thanks for the link!
Mike
It sounds…to be blunt, crap. I’m as much as fanboy as anyone but look at those phasers and the uniforms. Stepping forwards while stepping backwards? WTF? And the captain’s motivation? But…I’ll wait to judge.
I’d much rather have an animated continuation of Enterprise or something a little less ridiculous.
I wish them luck and good fortune but… I’m just not feelin’ it.
..well it’s certainly interesting. Not too crazy about the art…that phaser is an abomination….or the premise, and clone wars was a pain in the butt to watch until they finally got it all together on one DVD, so I don’t think I would go through the trouble to find it and watch it on the web. Who knows, the folks that love anime might eat it up, but it’s certainly not my cup of tea.
Well if it was a proper anime, then it might be more interesting. At least animes have specutacular artwork.
*spectacular even.
I think there has to be a distinction made between a one dimentional “flat” Star Trek animated cartoon, like the orginal, and a 3D Computer generated animated series that has the look of a modern Pixar studio release. They are both referred to as “animation,” but only one can be considered a “cartoon.” There’s really no comparison between the two..
I realize that the pictures that are posted above are just preliminary drawings, but I hope they don’t represent what the animated series would look like. If so, it will just look like another Saturday morning cartoon.
I honestly could care less about another animated ST series, but it they do spend the time and effort to make one, I hope they will incorporate all the updated CGI tools available today to make the animation enjoyable for a broader audience.
Well off to work…see yah later Treksters!
Mike
Congratulations to Davis Rossi and his wife on their new baby. And I too want to echo Anthony’s thanks for letting us have an exclusive peek at this new project.
I’ll judge the show if/when it is broadcast.
Great idea!
Hey!! This is really COOL!! I love it!
It isn’t Star Trek’s “optimism” that made it great. It’s the idea that in the future the Carl Sagans of the universe will be in charge and successfully run society on the principles of secular humanism and science while the George Bush and Dick Cheneys of the universe are Klingons. Star Trek is about the promise of a new Enlightenment, not the depressing notion of another Dark Ages.
I’ve got no problem with the aspect of dark Trek, it’s just everything else. The artwork, the characters, those phasers.
[…] J. J. Abrams scheint nun bekannt gegeben zu haben, dass Star Trek XI im Winter 2008 released wird. Diese Verschiebung von Sommer auf Winter wird dem Produktionsprozess sicherlich zugute kommen und entspricht auch Abrams’ Wunsch nach mehr Entwicklungszeit. Des Weiteren wurde bekannt, dass bald eine neue Star Trek-Zeichentrickserie starten wird. Diese spielt im Jahr 2528, also im 26. Jahrhundert, und repräsentiert uns mittels 6-minütiger Mini-Episoden eine wesentlich düstere Zukunft als wir es gewohnt sind. Man will damit wohl den derzeitigen Sehgewohnheiten entgegenkommen und den für Star Trek so wichtigen Realitätsspiegel zurückgeben. Diese Episoden werden wohl auf startrek.com downzuloaden und online anzuschauen sein. Eine konzeptionelle Umsetzung für TV oder DVD kann nicht ausgeschlossen werden. Das Design der Serie ist Retro, erinnert ein wenig an die Konzeptzeichnungen aus Star Trek: Online und kombiniert Elemente aus TOS und TNG. Der Held dieser neuen Enterprise wird übrigens Captain Chase heißen… die erste auf Star Trek basierende Zeichentrickserie aus dem Jahre 1973 kann übrigens seit November bei amazon geordert werden. […]
#40, very well put. I can really do without ANY more testosterone-driven hogwash.
And about the notion that “Trek can be anything” (also shared by Ronald D. Moore, btw). If that is the case, and there’s no defining quality for Trek whatsoever, then it is really just a commercial brand you can tack onto whatever keeps the masses happy. Time for a quick and painless death then - better to never see new Trek again than to have its philosophical core bastardized.
I like some of the art.
Conceptually there’s nothing fresh here for anyone who’s watched or read anything other than “Star Trek” in the last twenty years, but that doesn’t mean the show wouldn’t work.
That said, I have to echo whoever said uptopic “I’m not feelin’ it.”
I’m not opposed to any Trek series. I’d watch 4 at once if they’d produce them. IF its really Star Trek.
Here’s the two lines above Star Trek fans should be MOST wary about - not just for this proposed new Animated Series, but for the direction and road that the people in charge are GUIDING the creative people towards…
Quote from above:
“The premise is an allegory for the post-9/11 world we live in. A world of uncertainty and fear.”
Wow. That’s what the powers that be think?
There’s only fear and uncertainty if you believe there is fear and uncertainty. Any fictional accounts or broadcast entertainment that accepts this as a premise convey’s that message to the viewers.
I dont like this idea one bit. And not on the basis of make trek into an
animated form. That i am fine with. My issue resides in the limited
comprehension of writers now a days that feel that every forum has to be
an exact mimic of our times in the literal since so that we must “change”
every forum to meet it. Though some darker, more pessimistic notions of
the future work for sci-fi IT IS NOT Trek.
I compare this to the notion of a writer coming in and writing material on
a specific idea - say life in Iraq, or espionage during WWII, or the
Spanish Civil War during the early 1930’s- but decided not to either 1. do
the research neccessary to write on the material or 2. all their own views
on the world to shape what another one actually was.
Star Trek is not about rampid fear of the future or what will happen. Yes
it does come up in its stories at times (ie. Star Trek VI) but it is not
something that completely envelopes the world. The difference between
good writing and simple stereotypical one is that good writing finds ways
to make its commentary come through NO MATTER what setting or forum it is
expressed in. Simple stereotypical ones play into fears, uneducated
conceptions, and miss informed thoughts that are mainly objective in idea.
Many of the presented ideas here for this Trek cartoon simply go against
the entire reason the series was created.
Now some may argue the business side here, and at its heart that is the
way sci-fi and story telling is now. NO, that is the way that many
writers have their own beliefs and feelings at now. They themselves are
expressing their own fears and uncertainities within their own work. Now
some may say that this is just an expression of the times, and yes that is
true and may be true in other formats of story telling. BUT not for Trek.
Trek is grounded on the basis of a future that has been shaped from
violence and fears and has moved patch must of it. It is about hope
taking a hold and everyone coming to some form of understanding that we
are not as different as we make ourselves out to be. It was about social
ideas, and how did it get that across……by being different from the
rest of the sci-fi and other programming that was attempting to cater
COMPLETELY to the audience. It tested societal ways of doing things, ways
of interacting between cultures. Yes it still did have its own
stereotypes, its own selling out, but the fact is that there were giving a
little away of themselves so as to produce something that gave MORE to the
audience.
Sometimes someone or something has to stand out and attempt to make
statements about the world around us within a different voice than what is
being heard and used by everyone else. It is the only way that u stand
out and it is the only way that u will ever matter.
I like the illustrations but wish the Captain wore red, if it’s going to be post VOY era.
Dip Thong. Why have you brought bigotry to a discussion about a Star Trek cartoon?
Don’t tell me you’re one of those types who mocks everyone who chooses to believe in God (more people in the world do than don’t!) The way you’re talking, everyone who believes in God has to be some kind of fundamentalist. I guess all those old ladies who have a cup of tea with the vicar after the Sunday service are priming their Uzi’s while eating cucumber sandwiches! What the hell do they have to do with Bush, Cheney or Klingons?
Roddenberry’s scary, utopian universe of TNG might have adopted a form of secular humanism, but I’ve gotta ask: where do you think all the religious people went? What happened to Mecca or the Vatican? Are you telling me everyone gave up religion all across the world in one fell swoop?
The TNG version of humans are bland people who show no artistic inclinations and mock those who do (Barclay!) The only way a secular humanist view could be dominant in the TNG universe is if it was forced on people a la communism in the Soviet Union. Can’t you see it? Humanist fanatics locking away priests, rabbis, artists, radicals, reactionaries . . . ‘Make it so!!!’
Unlike its preachy successor, TOS always questioned the existence of God, as many of us who acknowledge the ***possibility*** of God do! There was never a definitive statement made in TOS, because the makers acknowledged the truth: we can’t know for certain! The discussion is what made things interesting rather than the preaching of TNG Trek.
Carl Sagan, for all his past remarks (and I respect his work in a way I don’t respect that lunatic Dawkins, who is the secular equivalent of Torquemada!) discussed God in his novel Contact and, in spite of everything that happened in it, never denied the possibility of God, merely giving us aliens who don’t know either.
And, by the sound of it, the smug 24th Century Federation has had a well-deserved arse-kicking in this cartoon. No society could be that sterile for so long without a major reaction.
TOS was never as positive as people make out. Yes, blacks, whites and Asians can all live and work together. That’s positive. But there are still people like Kodos and Dr Adams out there. Space is still often as dark and scary as it is wondrous. The edge of known space is littered with failed colonies and abandoned mining stations.
I like the idea that we’ll see humans regaining their zest for life in this cartoon. Strong emotions are part of the human condition, love, lust, anger, sorrow . . . as is the questioning of all things, be it Jehovah, the Prime Directive or Captain Kirk’s right to fancy Yeoman Rand!
After years of underplayed human characters and drab therapy-speak the new Treks offer us all some hope.
And once again, leave it to we Trek fans to dismantle a project before it even gets going lol. I’m not opposed to seeing a less than perfect society for the Federation. If it keeps going the way it has been, you start moving characters away from having touchstone with US. They become too cheery and perfect.
Even Enterprise, which I had a lot of high hopes for, fell flat in the character department. Sounds like Rossi wants to add some grit back to Trek and I say bravo. Lets see what you got lol!
Maybe this is all just an elaborate ruse to devert you vicious disciples from turbo lift position and nacelle caps lol.
Hey Dom…who brought up religion?
Who brought up Secular Humanism?
Who was the Dip Thong you are referring to?
Sounds like you have a beef with TNG and Roddenberry for that matter.
I love the idea. Can’t wait. But then I love change (mostly - except those blasted nacelle caps, lol) I know change frightens a lot of the more autistic Trek fans.
I think the uniforms are really neat; the concept is interesting enough that I’d watch. I think they’re just searching for a way to make Trek into an adventure series again. Embrace that, I say; drop the pretentious allegorical nonsense (it’s a friggin CARTOON, people) and make it fun, make it Johnny Quest with phasers.
Could be fun and the next generation era is relegated to preciely where it belongs: cartoon status. I said it last week and I’ll say it again , no one whores out a franchise like Paramount. They might even have George Lucas taking notes at the pace they are going.
I’m on the fence about this one. Seems kinda cool, in some aspects, yet doesn’t “feel” right to me, for some reason.
#22 Spirit
“But I guess this is what happens when you have to cater to majority taste, which unlike the 1960s doesn’t seem very open about anything but “gloom and doom†these days anymore.”
That’s because those who survived The Sixties know that it didn’t turn out so well after all. Sure, we weren’t vaporized by Ruskie nukes, but we’ve morphed into the USSR all the same. In many tangible ways, the American Way died with the Summer of Love.
Trek content: “Fool me once, shame on you…”
I’m not going to be fooled again!
to quote Mr. Horse:
“No sir, don’t like it.”
It’s too dark, and too far off concept. I’d like either a new animated series about the original crew, or the old series redone with new animation.
But then again, since this is on the web and (presumably) free, what harm can it do?
Dip Thing writes,
“It isn’t Star Trek’s “optimism†that made it great. It’s the idea that in the future the Carl Sagans of the universe will be in charge and successfully run society on the principles of secular humanism and science while the George Bush and Dick Cheneys of the universe are Klingons. Star Trek is about the promise of a new Enlightenment, not the depressing notion of another Dark Ages. ”
You wouldn’t last five minutes in a world run by secular humanists, Dip Thing. In case you’ve forgetten we already tried that.
It was called The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
They murdered some 70 -80,000,000 of their own people. “We shall have fewer Russians, but better Russians.”
The hatred within you is shocking. Particularly since you profess to hate hate. Well, what would you expect from a selfish philosophy where Man is his own god?
#48 Dom
You tell him, bro.
Guys like Dip Thing should read up on their heroes. For example, Robespierre was the Deweyan Religious Humanist’s wet dream come true.
Unless it was your blood flowing into the sewers of gay Paris.
Fanatics like Robespierre are a recurring nightmare — and why I practice my tactical carbine techniques.
#48 Dom
“There was never a definitive statement made in TOS, because the makers acknowledged the truth: we can’t know for certain! ”
Actually “Bread and Circuses” affirmed Christianity.
Uhura, “They don’t mean the sun up in the sky, but the Son of God”
Kirk, “Wouldn’t it be fantastic to see it happen… all over again!”
Knowing that Shatner is Jewish, I’ve always taken his participation in that scene to be a blazing example of grace and humility, an example of gratitude of a stranger to his hosts.
Dip Thing might learn from that example. But probably, he won’t.
Oops. There apparently was a self professed Dip Thong. I thought that was a response. My mistake. But I still believe you have a beef with TNG / Roddenberry.
Contrary to popular belief, we don’t have to take sides about U.S. political affairs to discuss/debate whether Star Trek should take for granted that today’s potential fans live in “A world of uncertainty and fear”.
It’’s fine for Trek to demonstrate a philosophy of dealing with adversity when solutions aren’t black and white. To those TNG haters out there - reference the entire Maquis story arc.
But there is something fundamentally wrong about a dark, foreboding Trek universe where the future of humanity in space is threatening and unsure. 1960’s era optimism about spaceflight and the future of mankind in space is anti-thetical to “a universe of monsters and dangerous people” threatening us in space.
Last I checked, Conservatives and Progressives alike enjoy contemplating mankind’s exploration of space.
To echo the sentiment already stated here:
The last thing Trek Needs is more stupid characters set FURTHER in the future on ANOTHER ship called Enterprise. You know what you’re going to get when you watch a James Bond film. Why can’t Star Trek be the same thing with the original Trek? All I care about is TOS and revisions of TOS. Quit trying to re-invent the frickin wheel here and give us fans what we want…TOS!!!
If David Rossi is looking to us as some sort of a marketing research group, I will offer my opinion in that spirit:
The 6-minute format invites little “storytelling” in the way that we Trek fans are accustomed. Star Trek: TAS told thoughtful, interesting tales in the half-hour format and it allowed for memorable character moments. This new venture is so compounded, I don’t know what we really can get out of the experience.
The premise is contradictory to past Star Treks. This is straight-up monsters and mayhem. In a sense, this is a genre shift that doesn’t even require that the name “Star Trek” be attached to it, but in the same breath, I can say that without it being labeled “Star Trek” I doubt many people would pay this premise much mind.
One thing that bothered me at first glance is the use of Borg technology to coordinate tactical operations among the security force. This is antithetical to Star Trek’s reverence for the individual. I know lots of people use terms like “secular humanist,” etc. to diminish some of Trek’s more ponderous voyages, but one thing is certain, the respect for a person’s individual liberty is paramount among all Treks. For Starfleet to rely on shared consciousness is a scary subject that I don’t think will receive much treatment in this format. If there was a real debate over this issue, I’d be happy to watch it, but as it stands, this is a gimmick meant to make the show more “Trekish.”
At first glance (and that’s all I mean by this critique) this concept seems more like “Doom” and less like “Star Trek.” I get it that this is a cartoon and that its a fresh take on the series, and I will keep an open mind as the information herein is very scant and preliminary. All I’m doing here is giving my honest initial reactions.
“My culture is based on freedom and self-determination” - Picard in Best of Both Worlds.
“My culture is based on freedom and self-determination†- Picard in Best of Both Worlds.
Which is the essence of Humanism; no theocracy anywhere — Christian or any other — respects the freedom and dignity of the individual.
#64 DB
Pure brainwahsed Slacker Generation drivle. You don’t have a clue what you are talking about. Go back study a while and then offer an opinion. Maybe in 20 or 30 years.
My first impression upon seeing the first test art image, chase1.jpg, was, “This is a joke, right?” It looks terrible. Perhaps when it’s moving and in context it will be better, but I doubt it will be the “look” of this animated series that will carry the day.
I’m not opposed to a more somber future Star Trek as the backdrop (to mirror the post-9/11 world), but it should be with heavy doses of optimism about building a better future and things getting better — rebuilding the federation.
Let’s hope there are some brilliant sci-fri writers willing and able to contribute to this project should it get off the ground. Otherwise, no setting or art style will make a bit of difference.
“My entertainment is based on drama and interesting characters” - Spockariffic on Trekmovie.com
Next Gen had some great stories, but ultimately when all the drama came from outside the main characters, it left little room for growth. Kirk and McCoy used to GO AT IT when they argued. Look at Corbomite which just aired. I love that. That stuff NEVER happened on TNG unless they were under the influence of something or someone.
As for the Federation never using Borg technology, it always sounded sooooo stupid that once they had the cloaking device, Starfleet never used it. If the B.U.G. things are just a way for Security to be more covert or more like special forces guys, I’m all for it.
At least they’re trying to break the mold of the last 20 years of a perfect Federation. Perfect = boring.
To weigh in…
I am intrigued by certain aspects of this idea, but feel that I need to offer the following thoughts.
While the Filmation efforts of 73-74 may seem dated to many, I agree with the poster in #62 above. TAS had many good moments of development that were fueled by the twenty-four minute format. Perhaps if we had six minute segments provided daily for a week, or weekly for a month, that came together into an episode (6×5=30!) then I might feel stronger about this concept.
I have NO issue whatsoever about the crew of a new (well, slightly used from Bob’s Discount Starship Lot) Enterprise trying to reestablish a Federation that was decimated… in fact, I think that the story has a lot of VERY strong potential.
I definately don’t like the Borg implant concept, but can see the idea of having soldiers (redshirts) who are linked together for team action at times. It has to be voluntary, though… not coercive. To coerce folks, even redshirts, against their will is unthinkable (though it would make a damned good storyline… forcing redshirts to march to battle in an unjust situation… the abuse of the link… and the Enterprise coming in under Captain Alexander Chase Me Around The Block Lieutenant Donal… but I digress.)
I love the uniform on Captain Chase in the concept drawing with the phaser/martian war machine… not too big a fan of Donal’s, unless it’s meant to represent security armour. Like the return to TOS colors, and the look of the uniforms, though different, reminds me greatly of TOS.
All in all, I would be interested and would definately watch… (meet Father Rob… he is a Trekwhore) but I feel the format needs a bit of work.
Rob+
Like the remake doctor who series, this is a huge miistake waiting to happen
^^
You read my mind
Just bring back TNG Please!
“Pure brainwahsed[sic] Slacker Generation drivle[sic]”
Sorry, neither.
I’m old enough to remember and to have participated in that world of the 1950s and 1960s that you incessantly evoke as somehow better than the present day…and more than that, I’m bright enough and have sufficient perspective to understand what I’ve experienced and studied.
If anything, your retrograde rhapsodies sound curiously secondhand, so often opening with “my father did this” or “my father told me that.” Your posts generally fail to suggest you’ve actually experienced that qualifies you to pontificate so stridently on history and the state of the world.
remains remarkably unrevealed. 
^ Should read:
“Your posts generally fail to suggest what you’ve actually experienced that qualifies you to pontificate so stridently on history and the state of the world. “
#9 and #13:
Don’t forget to include Timm and co.’s terrific Justice League series that followed the Batman and the Superman shows and just wrapped up eariler this year. The last 2 seasons had to be some of the most sophisticated animated shows ever made, both from an animation and storytelling standpoint. Highly recommended on DVD either for repeat viewing or especially if you have not seen them!
I’ve long said that a new animated Trek would be great. It would REALLY have worked in the mid-90’s when Batman: The Animated Series and also Superman: The Animated Series were in their prime (along with several other more “adult” animated fare such as “Spawn,” “The Tick” and “Duckman” until “Pokemon” came along and RUINED everything…but I digress), and all of Trek’s original cast could probably have been able to do the voice acting.
Now we may be getting too late for that even with the remaining surviving cast members…but I still applaud the idea even if new voice actors must be used.
Jon
I want to add a couple of comments
first on the ‘BUGs’ and Borg Tech
The backstory on these is that during the long war with the Romulans the Feds started bending the rules a bit. The devices will become a story issue in that there may be soom unintended side effects, plus they tend to make non security people a bit distrustful of the security squad.
RE: dark future not being ‘trek’
Perhaps this isn’t emphasised enough in the article, but the fundamental story is about an idealistic captain who is steeped in Federation history and he is trying to bring back the idealism of ‘the old days’. People should remember that setting isn’t story…the story is about this hero and his crew and their struggles to get that UFP mojo back.
I can’t believe you haven’t been slashdotted on this.
@Anthony Pascale
The concept seems to be similar to Roddenberry’s “Andromeda”. In my opinion it would have been a consequent sequel to DS9. Unfortunatly “Andromeda” wasn’t part of the star trek universe and had a low budget. Maybe today Gene Roddenberry himself would use those darker vision for a new trek series. To be honest, it doesn’t matter as long as the characters stand for themselves and keep their idealistic ambitions.
There’s one more thing I want to add that I feel strongly about (or rather, against): why does EVERYTHING these days - in the real world as well as fiction - have to center around politics and economics? I’m so terribly tired of this stuff. If not even a science fiction series can’t be exploring interesting issues, concepts, ideas anymore, I guess things have really hit the botton. We shouldnt forget when we talk about getting back to the roots that in Star Trek (The Original Series), both politics and economics were relegated to the back seat. I dont believe a second that the lack of information and consistency in this area (regarding the Federation, its economic and political system, its history) was not deliberate - it just wasn’t important. This show was about characters and issues - in the way that every week, every mission would critically explore a different, socially relevant and/or philosophically challenging one (through our crew), not end up in developing tiresome fictional constructs regarding ONE possible scenario spread out across the whole series. And I don’t see how that original concept somehow would not be applicable anymore today - I say, on the contrary it is deeply needed in a world in which you have so much “same same” in the field of “fictional political intruige” disguised as “science fiction”.
ha ha ha!
I love this. You just KNOW that if Roddenberry were still alive and was developing this, it would probably have everyone’s seal of approval. Anything outside of that… as we see with the new movie, the remasters, um, DS9, Voyager, Enterprise, and even the final years of TNG - prompts significant debate.
We the geeks and basement dwellers hereby swear to uphold Roddenberry’s vision and the canon thereof; however, like the United States constitution it is merely a framework open to interpretation and the architects are long since passed. And the debate and opinionation ensues.
I love it. Very mac in the pants.
best!!
=h=
#72 DB
I am a 42 yo family man. Been shot at, nearly died on several occassions doing “manly things”. Seen dear loved ones die. Stood up to be counted at cost of my career. Sent men to prison. Made a whole lot of dumass mistakes following the cues of you Baby Boomers. Learned from most of them and rejected the entire “Me Generation” of “Imagine”.
And therein lies the difference. I learned from my parents because I respected them. Your generation hated all that came before you discovered your navels. It wasn’t me who invented, “never trust anyone over thirty”. Look at the present Ameriprise advertising campaign. That’s the Boomers in all their selfish, self-absorbed “I am my own God” glory.
Your colleagues severed ties to the past and replaced tradition, by and large, with governmental coersion ultimatley at the barrel of a gun (that would be police power for those who miss the reference). Very Stalinist, no?
Having been on the receiving end a few times, you’ll understand why I won’t abide it here, either.
MEEEEEEOW!!!
see what I’m sayin’???
best!!
=h=
Gosh, am I the only one reading these threads that think some fans take Trek waaaay too seriously….it’s entertaiment for heaven’s sake!
I’ve been a big fan of Star Trek TOS all my life, but at the end of the day, it’s just another TV show. It’s not at all important in the grand scheme of life…
The heated rhetoric and lack of humor in these posts can be amusing at times, but all too often it rises to the point of being pathetic and disturbing!
I’m sure Star Trek has made a positive impact on many people’s lives. Fans have professed that ST gave them the motivation to study and pursue careers in science, astronomy, engineering etc, but I’m beginning to wonder if the ST influence has become overexaggerated over the years. Has it really changed lives and the world, or is it just another classic and very popular TV show?
I grew up watching reruns of Star Trek TOS, and I can emphatically say that I didn’t learn any life lessons or values, or guiding principles from Star Trek, or any other television show for that matter.
Star Trek has not had any influence on what I value and hold dearly in my life today.
To me, Star Trek is and always will be great quality science fiction entertainment, nothing more, nothing less. But it’s obvious that many fans have elevated ST to a level of importance in their lives that seems more a form of “idoltry” than of fan appreciation.
I find that very scary….
.
Mike
“I am a 42 yo family man. ”
As I suspected, more than a decade younger than me. When you launch into these little diatribes about the 1960s…these are times and events that you remember, if at all, as a preschooler. You can drop the “your generation” rhetorical attempts to impugn my observations now.
Oh, and you also can give up trying to compete on the basis of your “being on the receiving end” of violence claims, among others. Trust me, you know far less than you imagine.
This is a terrific idea and it couldn’t have come at a better time. The recent DVD release of ST:TAS certainly sparked my interest in the possibility of an animated series.
The idea of going 150 years into the future, as TNG did after TOS, is a fine idea, but I’d rather the Federation’s “bleak” state be a long-term result of the Dominion War and how the Alpha/Beta quadrants dealt with the aftermath. What happened to the Romulan Empire after the Shinzon debacle? Did the Klingons retreat inward to rebuild, as Luther Sloane predicted? Did Cardassia reconstruct and become a power with which to be reckoned? What have the Tholians, Bajorans, Gorn, Breen, Borg and First Federation been doing in the meantime? All these issues must be taken into consideration when establishing the Federation of the 26th century.
Animated characters have the advantage of being “easily replaceable” if they don’t “hit” with the audience. No more contract negotiations possibly holding things up. You can actually kill characters but still retain the vocal artists for other roles. This is a great opportunity to “break out” of the Roddenberry shell of an “ideal future” and get down and dirty with situations we can relate to in 2006.
Can’t wait! Make it so!
I have absolutely no recollection on this, but was there ever an end to the Dominion war? Seriously, I’m drawing a blank.
Whatever. The Me Generation’s accomplishments (led by their parents, the WW2 generation who for all they suffered spoiled their bratty little offspring) speak for themselves. The task of undoing them has begun in earnest.
The tie to Star Trek? TOS, as progressive as it was, is imbued with its cultural heritage. It persists as a sort of transitional anachronism. Read Oriana Fallaci’s The Pride and the Rage and you’ll get the concept.
TNG et al are the Useless Idiots’ secularist vision and it is sterile. As in, does not support life. Sadly, younger GenXers look to it for guidance because the Boomers have been so successful in stripping our civilization of any worthwhile institution that they would have look to for guidance, e.g., marriage, the church, academe.
I find it sad that several generations must turn to science fiction fantasy worlds for examples of how to live because their own history was ripped from them.
One final thought and then I’m ending this thread, I lived through the 1970s and 1980s. They were good times. Decent times. I remember prayer in school and Christian hymns in the Christmas concerts. We found much value to it all. It uplifted our spirits.
To follow my own analogy, if that makes me Winston Smith, so be it. But I’ll bear witness to “the old ways” until I leave this world for the next.
Regarding the reference to Andromeda above and given Anthony Pascale’s clarification of the context of the “setting”, I agree that it sounds very similar to Andromeda (and perhaps given the clarification, I might be more interested in seeing it).
I think I’m one of a very small handful of people that watched that series (Andromeda) - despite some of the silliness of it - and agree that the plotline sounds pretty similar. Still, that show did have a few very good moments to it. That particular series would’ve worked much better as an Animation (as would most anything Kevin Sorbo has acted in!!).
As to taking Trek seriously, you bet I do. There is a whole world of mindless and nefarious television that I am disgusted by. Trek reruns and a handful of other obscure shows are the only television I can stomach these days. When a threat emerges to my last bastion of entertainment, I’ll always take issue with those that want to see it perverted into something other than it was intended to be simply because “majority rule” equates to “maximum profit potential”.
…and for the record, I’m 31. I’ve met brilliant 20 year olds and brilliant 70 year olds. I’ve also met some really stupid 70 year olds and really stupid 20 year olds. So why don’t we just drop the age check before anyone’s feelings get hurt, okay?
Never mind, it can’t possibly happen now - The Fans Have Spoken
DB,
actually I believe the article has been slashdotted. Although it hasnt hit AICN or Fark yet. When we had the Trek Remastered scoop we got all three in one day…the geek trifecta. So far the story is also on DarkHorizons and SciFi.com as well as some other sites….but yet not on any other Trek sites.
Oh and people…settle down
#87 yeah but marriage was the institulization for the objectification of women as property of men and thus being able to be controlled by them. And notions of the Church and academe of the past presented notions that no individual can stand for what they feel is right, only what the social order wishes to be correct. Much of those institutions u proposed were structured and presented within a manner to allow for limitations in creative spirit, ingenuity and self guidance. I am not saying that the whole systems themselves are wrong, but their overall structure and what they present is in many ways for the time.
If this project comes to be, what are people’s votes on how ‘canon’ it will be?
It depends on its level of quality, but seeing as how most of these animated forms tend to be even more schewed to following simple gimics, poor character development, simple mind framed ideas that are either pc or ill charged with any real depth of substance that i feel if it were to be made (and i really do not wish it to be) then it will fall to the waste side.
The sad thing is that it seems like many who are involved in Trek (though i can not vouch for Abrams yet) or any franchise/creative endeaver do not attempt to look at the material for what it is and always feel they have to change it to match some notion of either their limited creative injections to their own world view (which in most cases in writers and producers especially) is normally bias toward political and social climates of the time and thus the final product is poor because of a direct result of that.
#88 “I think I’m one of a very small handful of people that watched that series (Andromeda) - despite some of the silliness of it - and agree that the plotline sounds pretty similar.”
I watched the first season, and enjoyed immenseley it despite some occasional storytelling failings. It was an ambitious show, to begin with, and so I was never inclined to hold stuff like “it looks cheap” against it.
After Wolfe (the guy who *actually* created it) left it tanked IMAO.
old h69 is going to go out on a limb here for the team and get opinionated. I don’t do this very often, elliot. But since we have the need for speed and greed is good and all that Gordy Gecko® let me share my take on this animated project.
Overall, it sounds ok. I hope that IF it is brought into the trek canon that someday if there is a future series about the 26th century Trek, *whoever* is in charge of the franchise at that point keeps consistent with it.
And I think that’s the overall source of ALL dissent that is Trek. While I’m happy for this guy who is pitching the idea, and wish him success, isn’t rather arbitrary in terms of who is making the decisions on the direction of the franchise these days? It’s right place, right time kinda stuff for these folks more than I think the thing that WE all want to see is.. who DESERVES to have this say, who can handle the Trek franchise with care and attend to continuity while staying true to the Great Bird?
SO what’s all this back and forth about the 60s, prayer in schools, and all that? I am going to put this in perspective for all of you, right now, hitchworld style. Global Warming© is going to kill us all. Take that to the bank. I think we should worry WAY more about that, and no one seems to be doing anything about it. Close the factories, get martial law going and anyone that drives a car gets shot. WORK on that transporter techMology. Let’s solve this thing.
Global Warming© and whatnot. It’s here to kill us all. Old hitch1969© told ya so.
best!!
=h=
“I find it sad that several generations must turn to science fiction fantasy worlds for examples of how to live because their own history was ripped from them.”
Wow. You’re in the wrong forum to be blasting folks for being sci-fi fans.
Get out from behind your podium and chat with us about cartoons, or take your ball and go home.
This is the first time I have written regarding an article, but I just had to. I think that this is a mistake unless it is handled in a serious manner along the lines of original Trek-and even then, the idea of cartooning after all the movies, TV series spinoffs, etc. is inappropriate at this time considering what Trek has become. I can understand doing an animated series back in the 70’s to prevent ST from becoming a memory, as well as bringing TOS cast and writers back. That, however, was done in a totally different period in its development, when fans were starving for its return.
ST has returned, is 40 years old, and has matured. To reincarnate it as a cartoon negates the older, mature crowd that has grown up with it, and approaches the kiddie element once again-unless CBS and Co feels that this is the market Trek is best suited for.
Paramount, in bringing a new movie to the screen, apparently feels differently. Even though they may be motivated by Abrams, a ST fan in his own right, they are more on the right track with extolling the TOS universe. CBS should take a lesson from this. Otherwise, this cartoon may turn out to be an insult to enduring fans at best, and a disaster at worst.
Great news, I got slated on numerous boards for suggesting that the franchise needed to move into the future and feature a collapsed Federation that needed to rebuild a broken dream. Now it’s going to happen and it’s even better than than ever
Bald people should NOT be allowed in space suits
and yo, acbâ„¢:
“yeah but marriage was the institulization for the objectification of women as property of men and thus being able to be controlled by them.”
YEAH BABY YEAH!!!
I’m gonna get a little mysogenistic with you and agree with your theory, even though I doubt the enlightened folk round these parts are going to pat you on the back soon. However, there must be order and the tribe cannot have two chiefs. It’s not a popular idea to speak out loud and I am sure that you will become the Kramerâ„¢ of this board for having preached this. The fact is that women are not equals. There’s a alot of the cake and eat it too going on with the old double standard when women demand to be treated like ladies old school yet want equal this and that. The modern woman should be able to take an open handed slap from a man and be called a slut. Anything outside of that is traditional subservient role which I think you are referring hereto. Same goes for child support… if a woman is equal, why does she accept the handout from the man? The law is based on assumption that she cannot soley provide for the child like the man is expected to; I would think that most educated women would find the notion of child support rather insulting. Yet here we see them not only cashing the check every month, but then playing house with some OTHER guy and letting him pay most of their stuff too. So I don’t know. I’m certainly not about domestic violence or the mistreatment of women; rather, just… pick one of the two and stop playing the ends against the middle. That will never happen in I think that your stance, the old school traditional barefoot and preggers credo is probably the most prudent route at this time because of that. SO I am with you on your control the wives and make them property of the man thing I guess if forced to choose.
You don’t see these issues addressed in Star Trek. That’s my suggestion for the writing team. Give this Captain Chase a real whore of an ex-wife and a custody situation that is less than favorable and heavily out of pocket. I wanna SEE the angst and frustration in dealing with that.
See what I am saying there? You brought alot to the table. Thank you.
best!!
=h=
I believe what was said was that it was initially going to be circulated on the Internet rather than television. If it is kept OFF television, it could be a great buzz generator among young people that spend their whole life on the Internet (as long as it is true Star Trek and they are careful/respectful of Canon). Unfortunately, I’m not sure they would be that careful about it.
I do like the idea of an Internet only series of short films — I came across that site that is doing new voyages with Sulu and Chekov and must say that is really REALLY cool as an “Internet-only” phenomenon.
btw whats a “SlashDotâ„¢” and can I get an asian one, a blonde one, and a latino one while were talking about it? I’ve got the cash AND I do tip!
best!!
=h=
The more I think about this idea, the worse it sounds. There is absolutely no excuse to do an animated series and NOT make it about Kirk and crew.
Enough with the bad clones. Let’s get the original Enterprise back where it belongs–at the forefront of Trek. No bloody A, B, C, D, E or J.
People who have worked on Enterprise or any Berman era Trek should simply not be allowed to touch it anymore. They simply have no clue. Darker Trek? Dumb.
It’s all about Kirk and crew. THAT’s what has endured for 40 years. Not some dark clone.
TNG and its spinoffs have made the studio far more money than the original series has. Though they’re not as suitable, at this moment, for a live-action kickstart to the Franchise as rebooting new versions of Kirk and Spock may be, it’s silly to think that Paramount will abandon all their other versions of the property. That would make no business sense.
The original animated series kept the show alive during a fallow period and this could do the same. And just as TAS stepped outside canon from time to time, so can this. The separation from “reality-based” Trek, you’ll excuse the expression, makes it entirely appropriate to branch away a bit. What little we’re seeing above looks interesting. They should avail themselves of the writers and producers of shows like JLA:Unlimited and the Superman/Batman Adventures, who clearly understood how to make an intelligent, well-crafted cartoon with broad age-appeal. Kudos to Dave Rossi and his compatriots for advancing this notion. And if it skews to the youth-market, hey good for them. We need new recruits to the Trek universe!
Looks exciting! I hope they get to do it!
#104 DB
“TNG and its spinoffs have made the studio far more money than the original series has.”
That is a claim I’d like to see backed up with actual figures. I’m not saying you’re wrong, but I am *extremely* skeptical.
But all of this TOS v. The Rest of the Franchise stuff is getting tiresome. This fight will never be resolved to any satisfactory conclusion. Look, some like one show over the rest. Be thankful there’s a variety to choose from. Guess what, nobody is going to change anyone’s mind in this argument. Disagreeing with a person’s preference is one thing, telling that person their opinion is wrong is something completely beyond reasonable discouse.
#102, hitch!
My man! I’m going to Montreal in a few months to find the answers to your questions.
#95. hitch1969©
Amen, Brother!
All the assertions of “my generation / ideaology / religion / viewpount / Star Trek” is better than yours” DON’t mean squat if we ain’t got a world to live on.
We haven’t been real kind to Mother Nature. Funny thing is… she doesn’t care. She’s had a lot of different tenants over the last few billion years. Someone or somethin’ new will pop up to water the grass and sweep the porch after we’re gone.
We really need to start payin’ attention ’cause the lease is almost up and we got no where to move.
#100. hitch1969©
You are cooler than anybody has a right to be but you’re on your own, baby! Or, more precisely, Herbert’s Eyes Shut Tight.
Love readin’ your prose… but that is one love-song that is out of tune.
Without gettin in front of your life… a history that ain’t mine… do your best to lighten your load… Life’s a long journey and the baggage we carry can make it a hard one.
On the plus side… that suitcase with all that stuff in it is gonna be so sweet to ride down the other side of the hill when the grass is filled with morning dew.
Keep swingin, Brother! And the best to you.
by the way. I just talked to Mike Okuda and he had some nice things to say abou the project. I have added a new last paragraph for his ‘endorsement’
I really really like the uniforms!!! Nice work!!
The further trek gets from the original formula the worse it gets.
As a big DS9 fan (my second favorite Trek after TOS), I say this looks really interesting. I’m looking forward to it, and wish the producers/writers/animators the best of luck. Don’t screw it up… ^_^
no one has even mentioned the new insignia. hmmmmm.
This looks like exploitation of the worst kind, unworthy of the name. They’ll wreck it, given the chance, the whole enchilada. Remember folks, you still have your memories, memorabilia and your DVDs, VHS, lasers or fotonovels to enjoy Trek when you want.
JON, I’d agree the futher away that Trek gets from its original formula the worse it gets. But we’d probably have differing views on what that formula is. If anything, this could be closer in spirit to the original formula (who knows, not having read any scripts). Yes the Federation has supposedly suffered some defeats, as do all established power structures, eventually. But the show sounds like its about some optimistic folks, out there looking to restore it.
Let’s face it, there’s been a lot of revisionism built up around the success of TOS — it wasn’t all about what a bright and shiny future was out there. I always felt cheated if there wasn’t a least one a**-whuppin’ handed out by Kirk. There was a lot of the wild west in there, and successfully so. The new animated premise sounds to me like it could capture that feel quite well.
[…] Ha ha I just had to post this! I was reading slashdot.org today, like you do, and I stumbled across an article about a new Star Trek series. Now before I go on I would like to defend my own honor and tell you that I’m not a Trekkie by any means. I do enjoy watching Star Trek like most of the geeks of this world, but I tend to think I don’t really fit in to that group. I appreciate science fiction, and it will always have a warm place in my heart. But I don’t care about how fast Warp 9 really is, and I really don’t care that in TNG* Episode 412 the Carbon Phase Inverter was in a Jefferies Tube on deck 12, but in TNG* Episode 605 the Carbon Phase Inverter was under a table in Engineering. I just don’t care. I enjoy a good television show like anyone else and the story line of Star Trek is cool. The last series to have the Star Trek name in the tile was canceled sometime last year (2005), and there hasn’t been any word on a new series. There will be a movie released sometime in 2008, but I prefer a mini series or a series where the story can continually grow. Today it was shared that there may be an animated web series funded by CBS. […]
I am one that tends to like all five incarnations of Trek… but this doesn’t strike me right. If it appears, I’ll watch… just to see what happens. But I am not feeling the love on this project.
please, I beg you Mr. Rossi, if you must - do something else with Star Trek, not this.
Here is my spin on it: “Go ahead, keep star trek going.” If one thing they can always claim alternate timeline :D.
The problem with this concept is the over-reliance on established Trek-history which plagued the later television incarnations.
The Original Star Trek was not dependant on it’s own history NOT because it was the first series, but rather because of the premise.
I give credit for a deliberate and systematic attempt to keep Trek in the forefront, but conceptually this proposed series is nothing new and yet another crew X, ship X, same tired mission X , formula.
Any poster here could come up with an equally mundane and generic concept.
Why not Captain Joshua McAllister commanding the U.G.A (United Galactic Assembly) starliner Enterprise (Omega class) during the mid 33rd century where star exploration now consists of traveling between galaxies via a quantum slip drive discovered in the late 27th century effectively rendering warp drive barbaric.
There is no Earth, as a rogue quantum singularity passed through the Sol system ripping away SOL itself rendering Earth an ice chunk.
Collective humanity now lives among the stars and inhabits worlds once hostile or at best neutral scattered out among the entire Milky Way Galaxy.
The Klingon, Romulan, Cardassian,Breen, Gorn, and Tholian species now comprise an insignificant portion of the vast political body the “United Galactic Assembly. ”
The Starliner Enterprise has been dispatched on an unprecedented 7 year mission to the distant Nebulous Galaxy dubbed “The shadow lands” easily 7,000 times any human built ship or crew have traveled.
Nothing is known about this galaxy or it’s inhabitants. Even utilizing quantum slip drive technology the UGA Enterprise will remain out of contact with human civilization or influence for months on end, such is the distance.
It’s purpose and mission: contact with previously undiscovered life, introduction of Milky Way science and philosophies, exchange of personnel with aliens encountered resulting in a truly species diversified representative Starliner Enterprise.
It’s obstructions:
An entire galaxy of undiscovered alien species with no love of human concepts such as freedom, exploration, cooperation, or friendship.
You see? That took me all of 3 minutes to type that.
I think the idea is great. I am so bored with Star Trek that I could scream. Now this is the movie they should make instead of Kirk and Spock at the academy. Who gives a rats. I like this idea and if it goes I’m there.
This is a horrible idea. It totally goes against what Star Trek is about, a hopeful future for humanity where we put aside differences and build a strong union and grow and learn. If CBS/Paramount resorts to this type of dark future, I will just give up on the franchise and no longer spend my dollars on a product that will become just like the other third rate sci-fi crap that is out there now.
All star trek needs to find are good writers and good stories and focus on the future (a positive future for humanity). The idea of “move forward” is a great idea, but to turn the star trek universe upside down and destroy the founding members of the federation are just ludicrus.
Everything out there now is doom and gloom and shows a dark side of humanity. I for one am tired of seeing it. Star Trek has been a good escape from reality and gives you a chance to see the future has hope and humanity can outgrow it’s current sad state. However, if star trek goes dark, it will loose a part of its soul, and I for one will move beyond star trek and focus on something else. Do no kill Star Trek as we now know it.
If paramount wants something dark, create a new series/show and start a new franchise. Give Star Trek a rest for now and maybe bring it back in 10-20 years. Star Wars grew as a result of Lucas holding the reins and keeping it pure to what he wanted the star wars universe to be. The original movies grew in popularity over time and more money was made because of that.
Paramount, focus on what you have now and work with what you have in place, especially since most of what made star trek, star trek currently is still around. Shatner, Nimoy, Stewart, Takei, Spiner, Brooks are still around. Use you current resources while you still have them.
If you want a dark cartoon, focus on the mirror universe of star trek. That way, you can have your dark stories and not destroy what you have built already with the current star trek model. All good things end, however, it does not have to die. Just rest the franchise for an extended time and work with what you have, and you will build a strong platform in the future when the timing is right, just like star wars.
By God I figured it out!
9/11 allegory? Post 9/11 “fear and uncertainty?”
SADDAM HUSSEIN unleashed the Omega detonations with his WMD!
Sorry Rossi, I figured it out already.
Shouldn’t the Captain have been Captain George Washington Shrub?
And shouldn’t the ship be christened U.S.S Haliburton?
Or U.S.S. Business endeavor?
Correction, make that U.S. Business Endeavor
Josh T’s concept above sounds a lot like Andromeda…lol.
There’s different “good” and different “bad”. It’s subjective, for sure. But here’s a quick example of my worst case scenario “different bad”.
Captain James T. Kirk meets Spock at the Academy. The two are rooming together with a whole group of moody teenagers that can’t agree on anything and are constantly moaning about who is the most insensitive person and because Antonia had too much to drink one night and spent the night in Spock’s room. But Kirk and Spock decide Antonia isn’t important and soon rekindle their friendship via text message while at a rap concert.
They get their first assignment together on the U.S.S. Farragut. The Farragut fires orange phasers, quantum torpedoes, and flies at Warp 9.5. The crew can often be seen walking down the hallway drinking Coca-Cola and frequently make reference to 20th century corporations that made wonderful products for consumers to enjoy.
After an interlude in the holodeck where Matt Damon and Vin Diesel (Spock) were dueling with Bat’leths, Starfleet issues orders for a pre-emptive attack against the Klingon Empire after the Klingons begin hinting they have a powerful new weapon - “The Planet Killer”. Starfleet ships are to head straight for Kronos where they are to destroy Praxis. But resentment amongst Federation citizens and those pesky Vulcan peaceniks ruin it all and the Klingons become a powerful force in the quadrant because the Federation is made up of bald communist wussies that hate freedom.
That took about 3 minutes to write.
I get so sick of 9/11 being used to propogate any and every agenda someone can come up with. It’s ridiculous, how long are people going to have that hang over there head.
Living in FEAR? Thats what the guy that attacked New York city, you know, OSAMA BIN LADEN wants.
Of course everyone lives in fear when you have daily “red alerts.”
My God, there is a more interesting Star Trek episode going on today than ANYTHING broadcast on TV the last 15 years.
OIL TREK
Join Captain George Walker Bush, Commander Richard “Dick” Cheney, Propoganda Minister Karl “Goebbles” Rove, failed agricultural genetic experiment Condi Rice pattie, special guest star Osama Bin Laden as Saddam Hussein, and featuring Dennis “I have no chin” Hastert , aboard the fabulously lowest bid constructed “U.S.S. Imperialism as the crew confronts the greatest danger ever confronting human being: RESOURCE Wars.
The more I think about this, the fewer misgivings I have about it. It could be pretty cool.
Let a thousand flowers bloom, and all that stuff.
Interesting that the “big three” are all human. I like that.
Let’s try an remember that we are talking about 6 minute webisodes here, not the next motion picture.
The only bad thing that I will say about it is that I do not consider LeVar Burton to be any source of credibility in terms of where Star Trek should go or not go. That may be a thin premise to try to sell to the masses.
Star Trek isnt about going forward. Thats just dumb when they say that crap. Usually means that an actor in one of the TNG era shows is insecure about their place in the franchise. I would say it too were I them. But you don’t see Shatner talking that crap. Nope. He could care less. He just wants a paycheck and a big one.
Some say money’s bad for the soul, bad for the rock bad for the roll. Bad for the heart bad for the brain bad for damn near everything OH YEAH!!!!!
Thats some Van Hagar for you classic Van Halen era purists. Don’t even make me break out the Cherone stuff.
best!!
=h=
Mr. Rossi has proven that he not only knows Star Trek and respects its integrity, but he is an imaginative writer who isn’t afraid to push the envelope. Star Trek needs exactly those qualities for the next leap in the saga.
Bravo, Mr. Rossi! I can’t wait!
Obviously by Kirk’s time, they have solved and eradicated the problem of child support. Star Trek II, in the Genesis cave, the dialogue there between Kirk and Carol Marcus shows us that he never paid her a dime in his loss of custody of David. SO it wasn’t too surprising that in III when the Klingon commander told his warriors to “kill one of the prisoners - I don’t care which” Kirk was obviously more concerned that the “Vulcan Scientist” was not killed because he wasn’t as invested in his son as he was Spock. Spock was one of his homies. David was a child support payment never made. It was all good. I still think they should have killed Saavik though. What was the point, she was already recast and that was a serious downgrade. AND they didnt even use her as the Valeris character in 6 like they planned. So that’s why Trek iii is mainly propganda against child support.
The new Captain Chase will be dealing with these child support issues. The social service arm of the Federation will be following him all around in his adventures as he misses and skips payments. They threaten to take away his ship if he gets more than 3 months in arrears. Everyone on the ship labels him a deadbeat, yet somehow he manages to get the check written at the last minute.
Oh yes, very post 9-11 doom and gloom analogies for today’s issues. Count on it. I demand it. Where’s that letter writing campaign dude????
best!!
=h=
#130 i agree to a point Hitch. I never thought the referenced “trek is about going forward” to ever encompass the notion of moving forward in time, but more moving forward in the evolving of the human being. It does not matter overall what setting it is in, as long as it is about the notion of humanity bettering itself.
And that is where i think this fails to be Trek. It takes the premiss of taking a very large step back simply so we can attempt to arrive…………back were we were. That is a rather weak writing ploy overall, as is many of cases as killing off your character at the end of a story for no reason. The only issue right now with the understanding of Hollywood and ideas of action/ drama/ sci-fi is that they feel it needs to be aggressive / dark/ pessimistic. Why? Partially it is a fracturing of the world we live in working on producers and many writers who are themselves evoking an emotion experience they themselves are going through into their work.
Now sometimes this is useful, but in the case of Trek it does not fit. At least not to the extent at which they are taking it here and not in this tone. This is clear being geared to a younger crowd and implementing simple notions and charactures for its depictions (phasers, women in tight clothing, and monsters - oh my!). This is more of a gimmick piece than anything actually attempting to be REAL Trek. What Paramount is attempting, as they did in ‘79, is that they want to make Star Trek into Star Wars. They want that kind of revenue. Now this makes as much sense as Hollywood expecting Apocalypto to surpass Passion of the Christ simply because they were directed by the same man. It is not going to happen. Passion was for a different audience than is Apocalypto, as is Trek for a different audience than Star Wars. That is not to say that some who like SW wont come to see a new Trek, but it is arrogant and presumptious (yes i am using this over used word here, but because it actual fits with the usage this time) of Paramount to think it will if they go and change it to formulate this; because in the end it will only disappoint them because it will not attract as many viewers and in the case of ST XI it will not draw 350 million at the box office. What Paramount is doing here is not to tell a new side of Trek because it is the next logical step for the franchise, what they are doing is matching it to Star Wars ( and even the new BattleStar Galactica) so as to try and ween off some profit. This is a numbers game to them, and if u dont think so look at their track record or that of any franchise really. The only time it is different is if creative people are behind or infront of the camera who are there to take the material, make it different from what we have seen but still TRUE TO THE MATERIAL and to steer it back on course again (ex: Nick Meyer, Chris Nolan [batman begins] , Martin Cambell [Casion Royale], etc)
Plainly and simply, NO. No animated Trek. Please, god, no. I have read large samplings of many, many Star Trek comic series (TOS, TNG, DS9, VOY) and you know what? In the medium of cartoony drawings, be it animated or comic strip, Star Trek becomes incredibly hokey. It will become a joke. People will again laugh at fans of Star Trek, after DS9 successfully reduced the blatant laughter to the occasional stifled guffaw.
Sometimes, the problem is that the cartoony writers don’t take what they’re doing seriously enough and the whole package loses any touch of reality. Sometimes, the problem is that they go overboard with weird ideas because special effects cost nothing in a drawn medium. Whatever causes it, Trek in any form other than live action becomes hokey and thereby laughable.
This cartoon will be full of cliched lines that the writers think are “awesome”. The voice actors will be terrible because they will be trying to overact their lines “in character”. Cartoons are fine for franchises which began as cartoons, or in comics — but for franchises which belong in live action, cartoon is a major downgrade.
“Moving forward” is the old Corporate line I hear hundreds of time every week at work.
Its corporate-speak for “accept our changes, you don’t have a choice”.
Also known as “Evolve or Die”. Though that is often used as an excuse.
yo acbâ„¢,
dude it’s all about da money. pimp’s gotta get paid. We’re not pretending that its not. So you cannot fault businessmen for trying to do good business and make money. Thats the thug gangsta life.
Honestly I’m so open to the franchise not being dead that they could take a piece of human poop, put an insignia on it, call it officially sanctioned and I would buy it. Of course I would probably end up selling it on e-bay to make child support payments but thats another story.
I don’t believe in condoms either, that’s no solution. You can’t feel a thing. It’s not natural.
best!!
=h=
…..and that is exactly why we need people like the later portion of my article said, so it can be steered correctly since there may be more who also will take a “piece of human poop, put an insignia on it, call it officially sanctioned and I would buy it” and not care for quality. Just because they can do a thing does not mean that they should or it is for the best. U need the right people in there who know the difference.
***Sigh*** This kind of idea gives me the same ugly feeling in my stomach that I always got when I came back home after being out all night and I saw mom and dads light on in their bedroom. You know, the feeling like you are in deep shit.
Well, If Trek doesnt shape up and give the Trek fans what they want (you know, the people who stepped up every time a Trek series was facing cancellation to back them up) then they will end up with a Trek that is not on hiatus but completely dead.
It is this kind of crap that has got me into shows like Stargate SG1 and Stargate Atlantis and *Gasp* yes Battlestar Galactica.
They say it best in Battlestar Galactica, you mother frackers really fracked this one up.
Yep, still naseated by the thought…
I think a ‘fall of the Federation’ scenario was inevitable at some point! The Federation, in spite of its name is essentially another ideolgically-driven empire. At this point in our history, new empires don’t last very long.
The Soviet Union couldn’t make it past one century, the British Empire faded out over a few hundred years, the Third Reich collapsed swiftly enough when the rest of the world reacted in disgust at them. China is developing a market economy, the US is looking battered and fraying at the edges . . .
The point is that Trek’s UFP hadn’t been in existence for that long in TOS. By TNG’s era, it had become a rather bloated, corrupt organisation. Eventually, to use the ball game analogy from earlier, some kids were eventually bound to feel left out. Those kids would either take their ball home or head off with another bunch of kids and start their own separate ball game.
If the human race (and others) is to survive, the Federation has to fall at some point. Star Trek is about more than just the Federation - it’s about the human race’s place in the universe (bearing in mind TOS’s view that humans came into existence on many worlds at the same time, free of prosthetic noses and foreheads) and how they relate to their history, religion, culture and so on.
At its core, Star Trek has a starship Enterprise and is meant to have exciting adventures that also explore the human condition. It’s populated by archetypal heroes and is a great example of a space western. The new cartoon series sounds like it gets that. As long as the whole war thing remains a backdrop, rather than the focus of the series, it could be very good.
The new cartoon is a ***different*** interpretation of Star Trek from TNG and so on. Like 60s Trek, it’s about about mankind going out into the universe after a series of wars (in TOS, the Romulan war was reasonably recent there were hostilities between the Federation and a number of other races!) It sounds like its pulled back on the technological excesses of the TNG era and is more focused on action, adventure and conflict.
Much as TOS reflected the 60s as space exploration began in earnest after a series of terrible wars, this cartoon has humans trying to hold on to some kind of positive idealism in the face of dark times.
I see this cartoon as an example of a positive future: one where the human spirit survives in spite of all the odds and seeks to learn more about the universe and itself. And that sounds like Star Trek to me!
Hey I was being sarcastic when I said that about the human poop. Come on. Don’t be so literal minded. You know better. OF COURSE I wouldnt buy human poop and I wouldn’t find it acceptable to be passed off as official.
I was going to one extreme to make a point about another extreme. There’s a word for that but it escapes my brain at this time. Anyway my point is for people to stop internalizing and vesting ownership into something that belongs to the suits at Paramount. You ever read Shatner’s movie memories or Nimoy’s NOT SPOCK/ AM SPOCK books? They both tell a tale of Roddenberry in the 80s during the grate movie era acting as a consultant and being laughed off the lot with his time travel back to save John F. Kennedy story.
And it really WAS a stupid idea. Rock monsters and ShakaRee were even a better storyline. SO let’s stop kidding around here when we question whether this Rossi dude can give us 6 minute webisodes. Of course he can. He’s mac in the pants and so is his concept of Captain Crane and the running from the child support and all that.
best!!
=h=
Whilst I’m not totally enamored with this project idea… perhaps, keeping an open mind is in order. The Clone Wars cartoons were pretty well done and entertaining, but alas, the short form, lends itself more to Action Adventure, and less on expounding or exploring ideas… *shrug* The Test Art isn’t too bad in my opinion, except for the lack of alien officers and the Mr.Freeze-like Phaser.
The setting of the far, flung 27th century seems just a way to get out of the quagmire of staid continuity issues. I hope that doesn’t in turn become it’s own trap.
Re:#29 spockboy; I really dug that link.
DOM! That’s a perfect assessment! Hear hear!
Let’s face it people…Trek has become a stale product, and that is why there is no new series since 1987 on the air right now. I believe this animated Trek could quite possibly somewhat revive the aging brand.
I personally have been a Trek fan since the TOS in syndication. I have always enjoyed Gene’s vision of a bright future for humanity. However, the storylines to come up with in the Trek universe keeping with this tradition alive, have quite simply put Trek into a coma.
This vision for this series, I believe, could very well be the turning point. Trek needs to be revitalized from life support, and a positive outcome could happen at the end of this storyline. Humanity will eventually overcome all odds, and this series will tell that tale. Do not dismiss this series before the writers have a chance to tell this story. Many people are afraid of change, but the inevitable does happen. Changes have to happen, or things get boring.
Paramount obviously understands this, seeing as how the franchise hasn’t been too profitable since Star Trek: First Contact. Let’s face it…Insurrection and Nemesis were good ideas, and personally I enjoyed them. The numbers told otherwise. The Trek fans were looking for something new and different.
This series will hold true to Trek’s base idea…TO BOLDLY GO WHERE NO MAN HAS GONE BEFORE…
Wow it looks great, far better than Voyager or Enterprise, the idea’s really sound like a great way forward for Star Trek, hope it happens!
Sorry….Looks like total **** to me.
Maybe if some Japanes animators were brought in….
Everytime someone comes along and tries to re-invent
the franchise it looks less and less like the original.
This project looks aborted before launch…
If done in the future (post Picard) it’ll prob. interest me. Since I don’t watch much animation I can’t comment on that aspect; however, the darker storyline is one I’d certainly give a chance.
Whatever happened to Roddenberry’s vision? Creating the next rendition of Star Trek with a universe of uncertainty and fear is completely contrary to Roddenberry optimistic and positive view of the future of mankind. Its a bad idea.
That sounds bloody awesome! About time Star Trek took a bit of a grittier turn. The mirror image episodes were by far the best of recent series and this sounds similar in tone. The whole exploration in a universe of relative peace and harmony was just getting tired.
Only qualm is the animated bit- make this as a live action series!
Wow..this thread was an all out alien cat fight!
What brought me back to Star Trek was the announcement a few months ago regarding the remastering of the original episodes. Even though I have all three TOS DVD sets, I hadn’t watched much Trek in over a year. But happily, these remastered episodes have rekindled my excitement and interest for TOS, and made something old, fun and new again. I think that’s great!
I will continue to look forward to watching the new episodes as they are released next year, but all the rest of these chats and fierce debates about the franchise, the deeper meaning of Trek, the next move etc, etc, etc is one “big yawn” to me. If these chats are no longer positive and fun, I have no interest in participating anymore.
Anyway, I still have my original series TOS and DS9 DVD season box sets to watch, I still have my old collection of “Playmates” TOS toys from years past, and I still have my old ticket and program booklet from the 1975 New York Star Trek Convention I attended as a kid.
I was lucky enough to have a Dad that liked ST too, and he agreed to take me and my friends to attend one of the very first Star Trek conventions held in New York City. What a thrill!
During that early convention, I got to meet a young Mr. Shatner when he was still in his prime! But you know, the best part of that whole convention will always be when they showed a 30 minute, super hilarious blooper reel of Star Trek TOS outtakes! I almost cried from laughing so hard!
Yes folks, that best part of the convention was when Star Trek made fun of itself and showed the fans that the series was only a TV show, made up of actors that messed up their lines and had fun playing their characters. The film pulled back the veneer of reality and showed all of us that our beloved Enterprise was nothing more than wooden walls with panels that fell over sometimes! I remember the audience roaring with laughter and delight at these outtakes!
Hmmm.. I wonder if some of the die hard Trek fans of today, who take Star Trek so darn seriously, would even laugh if they saw that same film…
Yes arguements and debates have there place I guess, but Star Trek to me is about good memories and having fun watching the reruns. But once we take the “fun” out of Trek and instead make the subject as serious and important as a United Nations debate, then I will bow out. What’s the point of doing that anyway?
Keep it fun and friendly people. All is well in the Star Trek universe!
Long live Spock and Quark!
Mike
I don’t like it one bit. It does not reflect Gene Roddenberry’s vision. I also feel that it’s far too negative. I think the story does not fit into the story as it has been so far. The story would work better if the Klingons, Romulans and Federation were allies dealing with various day to day issues because that’s how it was headed at the time of Nemesis and also after the Dominion War. The three powers allied together to overcome the Dominion. There were also good Romulans that came and helped the Enterprise crew in Nemesis, a movie I liked very much even if the critics didn’t. The fact that the seeds of friendship with the Romulans were being made in Nemesis should be reflected in any series that comes afterwards. I think that any new Trek series should be based on friendship and friends working together to solve problems. THAT’s Gene Roddenberry’s vision. After all the Klingons went from being enemies to excellent allies. Why can’t the Romulans also become friends with a new government being put in place? The same happened with the Cardassians–at the end of DS9, good Cardassians were fighting for a better place. Let’s stick to that theme that good can overcome the bad.
I give this idea a double thumbs DOWN!
[…] TrekMovie.com has the scoop: CBS Considering New Animated Trek Series For The Web. […]
There are many ways to honor Gene Roddenberry’s vision. One way to do it is to tell a heroic tale of those who struggle to bring truth, justice, and the Roddenberry way to a dangerous galaxy.
Well said Ron Jon
#150 MichaelJohn…..
EXACTLY!
#65 old timey fan…
I skimmmed the comments in here… what’s the deal with the personal attacks… I thought we all learned better? I don’t care what age you are…. debate isn’t about the other person.
This idea is “TREASON” and outrageous. This will never happen. There is Omega Directive in place, plus Federation temporal ships will prevent such alteration of the time line. We know from different time travel episdoes that the Future of the Federation is just fine. I hated when they tried to mess with the time line in the enterprise and I consider this idea an act of “War” on the Federation and Star Trek.
This is a terrible idea
Sounds like Star Trek Andromeda to me.
To the person who wrote message number 157, people die, time changes, IDEALS never die. Star Trek is not just a TV show, the principles and ideals of the Federation will be alive as long as humanity exists. I will not be surprised, if the Federation is formed 200 years from now.
Let me tell you my fav. quote from Star Trek Voyager:
“In a part of space where there are no rules, where shifting allegiance is a common thing, we must have some thing solid to rely on: and we do! IT is the principles and ideals of the Federation. As far as I am concerned, those are the best allies we could have.”
If the principles and ideals can survive the Delta quadrant, we can certainly handle conspiracies to use Omega particles. There is a omega directive in place and there are people dedicated in detecting and preventing use of omega particles. So, I think Federation will be just fine.
Its time for Star Trek to be reintroduced to a new century. Look at the recent success of Dr. Who and Battlestar Galatica. They didn’t lose the core of what had made them classics, they had to tweak it a bit.
While we are waiting for the new movie, why not a new animated series? I am open to it. Granted it is darker than the original series due to today’s world, it will still have one element that has kept ST around for 40 years which is hope despite a bleak situation. Rather than completely trash the animated which hasn’t gotten the red light from CBS and aired yet, lets have an open mind.
Two words:
Stargate Inifinity
If you don’t know about it consider yourself lucky.
I don’t hate this pitch but it really has little to do with Trek by the sound of it. By isolating the story from established Trek by 150 years and various plot points like the warp impassible areas you might as well make it a non-trek show (like Voyager basically was).
I want to see history of the established Trek Universe filled in. I really don’t want another “weekly planet of bumpy headed Caucasian people” type series.
I’m willing to see what happens with this project. The uniform dsigns are good and the storyline could work, but as said by others above…the quality has to be there. Quality animation. Quality writing. Quality. Quality. Quality.
If it can’t be done top-notch, then Rossi should drop it. The last thing Trek needs is another sub-standard outing. I’ll say it one last time, in case it wasn’t clear.
Quality.
This is clearly earth-shattering news. My initial reaction: caution. This is chronologically “moving forward”, but how in the world can you have Star Trek without an optimistic future? I mean, what does that even *mean*?
It sounds like a show I would want to watch, at least to give it a chance. I don’t think I’d want it as part of the Trek canon… fortunately, there is some precedent for animated Trek being arbitrarily de-canonized. But the darkness… in nuBSG, the dark future, and, more importantly, the darkness of each of the characters has played greatly to the show’s detriment. It’s overrated, though still on my weekly watch list, and I *don’t* want to see all new SciFi–especially Star Trek, the holy of holies–go down that route.
I’m not a Berman-type conservative, but, man, there *is* a flavor to Star Trek without which it is nothing but a licensing tool.
Hahahah! Gosh are some of you people really being serious when you write these posts, or am I slow on getting the joke?
It’s obvious that anything the studio produces in the future could never possibly satisfy all the varied “special interest groups” here in the Star Trek universe. I can see that these “Star Trek Lobbyists” are well represented on this site….
The most visible and vocal group are the fans representing the “TOS Only Camp.” These are the people that hate anything and everything pre/post Kirk and Spock. They are constantly lobbying to bring back ST to it’s original unadulterated and pure form. To them the true vision of Trek died after the movie ST VI! In their minds, the franchise must be revised with the original crew and enterprise, for the sake of all humanity!
Then we have the “Roddenberry Purists” lobbying for a return of the “true utopian vision” of what Star Trek is or was all about…(well in their minds anyway)
We even find a small group representing Star Trek- The “Animated Series Camp” here too. These are the people that love the crap out of those 22 “crappy cartoon episodes” and considers them “canon” and equal to any of the other series. They reject, and take great offense to any assertion or suggestion that their beloved animated series was just an unsuccessful Saturday morning kiddy cartoon!
The DS9 camp- the “Niners” are well represented too and are anxiously anticipating the day when their beloved show moves to the big screen. I guess I’m a card carrying member of this group too. Go Quark!
The “TNG” lobby makes a small showing on this site, mainly because of the great hostility and contempt the “TOS Only” lobby shows toward them. These people find TOS dated, old fashioned and poorly acted, and smugly feel that TNG saved the franchise from ruin! Statements like these has created a simmering cold war between the two parties that will probably last forever!
I’m sure there are some scattered lobbyists from the “Voyager Camp” and “Enterprise Camp”, but their numbers are so small that they have gone underground!
And finally there is a very small minority that belong to the “Star Trek Humorist Camp.” These long time fans love and appreciate Star Trek just as much as any “hard core” fan, but they don’t take their Trek too seriously. Star Trek humorists can laugh deep and hard when their favorite science fiction show is lampooned and parodied in magazines and television, and they appreciate the “lighter side” of the Star Trek universe too.
It goes without saying that Star Trek Fandom is a very humorous and vocal bunch of people. It’s obvious to me that there is NO shared vision here for what Star Trek is today and what is should become in the future.
That’s not a bad thing, that’s just reality…
So be happy and enjoy your favorite flavor or Trek, but please stop telling others that yours tastes better!
Mike
“I want to see history of the established Trek Universe filled in.”
I like the way you put that, Captain Pike. Very completionist in the pants. I guess that yes, thats probably my only criticism of this as well. Its a very legitimate point. I agree with you totally.
You guys KNOW that Rossi and his Zero Room Posseâ„¢ are reading this like a motherTrucker. Look, it sounds to me that for the most part that to these guys it isnt about making money or trashing the franchise or even reinventing the wheel. It seems sincere enough to me, and I don’t think it’s so far out there that it couldnt work.
Faaaaaaak, I dunno fellas. Seems that for 6 minute webisodes that haven’t even been greenlit yet…. my oh my there’s the conflict and opinionation I was talking about in post # 67. You know what, we need a break to recalibrate and make the team GEL®, if I may use that word.
Let’s take 5 and check out the Britney Spears CLAMBAKEâ„¢, courtesy of PHAT SANTA h69:
http://www.hitchworld1969.com/britney_snatch_pics/
and.. I’m.. spent!!
=h=
MichaelJohnnyCakesâ„¢, I love you.
“Hahahah! Gosh are some of you people really being serious when you write these posts, or am I slow on getting the joke?
It’s obvious that anything the studio produces in the future could never possibly satisfy all the varied “special interest groups†here in the Star Trek universe. I can see that these “Star Trek Lobbyists†are well represented on this site….”
Dude… YES. and the rest of your post too… you’re kicking it AdCoâ„¢ in the pants by summing up what I am trying to say but I get off on tangents like Britney’s Snapper.
I liked your words. I don’t paraphrase often. YOU GET IT.
thank you!!
=h=
Many of us have been complaining how Star Trek has become tired, boring, and predictable. I know I have. A darker galaxy, 150 years after Picard might just be what Star Trek desperately needs. Even within a dark future, heroes can emerge who bring light and hope, who let Gene Roddenberry’s vision shine brightly.
I hope Rossi gets to make his show.
Im intrigued. The style of the art and the “nostalgia†part doesn’t work for me that well. However, I have always wanted to see the glorious Federation get a blemish in its long and overly optimistic history. A civil war would have been the coolest idea.
Remember folks, as much as we would like to see the old Federation where everything is all roses and sunshine, paradise doesn’t last forever and has a heavy cost. Some of the best Trek stories were in DS9, and more often then not those episodes showed what one must do to have a clean and shiny Federation.
We shall see how this unfolds, hopefully the art will improve…
In some ways Im surprised that a ST Kilngon movie, or series was never developed….
I think it would be cool to watch a series based on a Klingon Battlecruiser crew in the era of TOS.
Unlike the primary scientific mission of a Starship, the voyages of this Battlecruiser would revolve around projecting Klingon power and influence around the galaxy. Stories full of battle and conquest would be the norm, but other stories could revolve around Klingon honor and their warrior code. The series could also show how Klingons evolved from enemies of the Federation in to partners.
For those that would like a darker/grittier more action packed version of Trek, I can this concept working.
A cool concept! If I had the money I would produce this myself!
Mike
Skip the animated stuff, and have Shatner, Judith and Garfield, and all the rest of the writers start a series of books about this. Works for me!
I think this is somewhat of an abomination to many of the things I have grown to like in Star Trek. Then again for the younger generations this might be the only reminants of such a great series that they will find interesting. I know I’ll also be somewhat sad to not see Captain Picard, Data, or Spock.
Just my two cents as a recently-christened Trek fan, who took the time to read/watch any and all episodes he could get his hands on. Hell, everyone told me how crappy Nemesis was, the guy behind the counter looked at me cross-eyed and asked me if I really wanted to buy it, and I still plunked down $3 for it. But I digress.
First and foremost, before I even begin saying my peace, I’d like to get this out. The Enterprise is not a battle ship! Never was, never should be! Even in the 26th century, when all of a sudden every bad guy in every quadrant wants to come out and attack Starfleet. Now, on to my two cents…
This whole project, to me, reeks of “follow the cool kids” mentality. Paramount/CBS saw how well Star Wars did with their webisodes and decided to follow them. Only, instead of following the Trek-outline (like someone said, when you see James Bond, you know what you’re getting no matter what film) they decided to take Star Trek officers and put them into the (dark, dystopian, etc.) Star Wars Universe.
The action pose that the new Captain strikes in the concept art says it all. From what I can recall of the many episodes of various Trek I’ve watched lately, you rarely/never saw a Captain (be it Kirk, Picard, whomever) say “Let’s hunt some Klingon” and fire off phaser rounds like a space cowboy (excuse the Cowboy Bebop reference). There were also no battalions of super-soldier security officers chomping at the bit to fight. Conflicts rarely arose out of the aggressive actions of Starfleet Captains. Yes, Kirk could kick some ass when he needed to, as could Worf, or Seven of Nine, whomever. But they did it in reaction to a situation that was imposed on them.
I’m just wondering if instead of saying “exploring brave new worlds” they’ll have Captain Chase say “exploding brave new worlds” during the opening credits.
The Star Trek universe differs from Star Wars in one main way, conflict resolution. When protagonists in Trek resolve something, it can occur through diplomacy, or when a situation has reached an extreme, through space combat or hand-to-hand fighting. In Star Wars, there’s constant fighting. As much as Jedi pretend to be peaceful and all that, you’ll notice there’s no stun setting on a lightsaber. The phaser is really an allegory for the entire lesson Trek teaches. Respect life, try to solve every situation without resorting to violence, and in the most extreme cases resorting to life-threatening actions. I believe Picard once said Starfleet is not a military organization, this is true. Let’s keep it that way, guys.
If the production team of this really is reading these comments, pitch this to Lucas instead. Star Trek should be about peaceful conflict resolution, diplomacy, curiosity, wonder, and learning to co-exist with different peoples throughout the universe. Not about blowing them all to bits with your BFG-class phaser.
Re:#164 :So, hum, we’re in “Camps” now? I don’t remember ever signing up, and just, which Camp are you Camp Counselor for? Hmmm? ;-P
VinceB® - You’re so LOSTâ„¢ and missing the point that even Kurt Russell couldnt transport you into the next trek movie were he Abrams himself.
dude… just… dude.
I know kids who “follow the kewl kids”. Infact, I’m the newest KEWL KID® on the block. I’m mac-mercedes in the pants and some people on the interwebbings choose to see that. I’m a pimp who will comp you the stable and a Tony Montana pile of snort.
I went to your website man. Why dont you join mine instead? You’re a vocalist AND an actor? I want to help you in the laying down with many many many promiscuous women. You were born in the year that I graduated high school - I’m old enough to be your father, Lucas. Let me take you under my wing.
You are very young man blues in the pants. This isnt a NAMBLA recruitment, dont misunderstand. Let me be the Obi Wan to your Skywalker and help with the discipline and knowledge needed for your light saber wavings about the kitty kats.
hitchWORLD plus Vince B is very unstoppable. Like Batman and Robin. Dont you agree? OF COURSE you do.
best!!
=h=
As a webcast I suppose it’s fine. A kind of extension of that Star Trek Online game being worked on. Neither of these appeal to me sadly, so I won’t be checking them out. Star Wars: Clone Wars a few years back I found less than impresive.
Beats me why CBS can’t go the route Filmation went down in the 70’s, this time with more advanced animation. Basing a cartoon on an already existing series and its characters. One of the best things about the Legacy game seems to be the Archer era and its battle against the Romulans. I’d much prefer to see a ‘toon version of ENT’s missing years. Heck, even a DS9 anime would blow this 25th Century rubbish out of the water. If it’s purely aimed at existing fans, then forget reinventing the wheel and give us something with the voices of original actors from the TV shows. Leave this kind of migraine inducing crap to the Cartoon Network.
Anyone saying this idea is fresh and new and unpredictable obviously has not been paying attention to all the other science fiction series out there - there are three or four of them featuring a shattered universe with a testosterone-driven crew trying to get ahead. And then there are those repeated attempts of the past to introduce this stuff into Star Trek on a limited basis (Dominion Arc, Xindi Arc etc.)
No. I’m NOT AT ALL surprised that this is what people have come up with when being challenged to create something “new”. Let’s do dark Trek with gritty art and lotsa action and ’splosions for the crude, er, sorry, “cool” crowd. How original. I tell you what would have been original. Making a series that realizes the Trek concept in the present or past, without spaceships and weapons etc., or something a little bit more cerebral in the tradition of “Cube” or Stanislaw Lem’s “Solaris”. The possibilities are, of course, endless, and go far beyond mimicking a cynical trend for a quick buck (thats how it looks - free or not).
And not for a minute do I buy into the “9/11 allegory” justification. Oh please. Do we really doubt for a minute that this is just a cheap excuse for introducing hatred and aggression? Just look at these pictures posted above and tell me you see anything BUT hatred and aggression in them. How this is compatible with a vision of a better, brighter future is beyond me - not just in setting, but especially in tone. As stated, maybe this is a societal phenomenon. I have to wonder, has this nation become so used to, so comfortable with a permanent state of war that even in fiction anything BUT war and violence has become “bland” and “boring”? An interesting question, but what I know is if these guys want to make a series that is not Trek, they should make it, but not call it “Trek” and tie it into Trek canon, ruining the whole mythology and vision in the end. And those folks who have been lusting for dark Trek for so long, why bother with Trek at all and not go for the real “dark Treks”, i.e. Farscape, Firefly, Battlestar Galactica and the likes?
This sounds great. As a huge fan of the Star Wars “Clone Wars” animated series, I see this concept transferring over very well. There have been many ideas in the Trek PC games that I thought would transfer over to the screen very well and this looks like the perfect medium to start with.
Finally I’m excited about Star Trek again. Just when things started getting interesting in DS9 and ST:V, they take a step back to the old days. I want to see the story continue.
Star Trek has done lots of different genres, so I can’t see the animated series being a ‘betrayal!’
TOS was a ’space western.’ A bunch of post-American Civil War soldiers going out and exploring the frontier.
The main series of TOS films were high seas adventures, with overtones of the Hornblower and Aubrey/Maturin novels..
TMP and TNG were Trek as legal drama. Wealthy, well-educated lawyers sat in meeting rooms discussing whether their actions tie in with legal precedent and the Prime Directive. That’s not a criticism, just what they are.
DS9 is about a wild west town trying to stay independent. Then the railroad arrives, and a goldmine is discovered! Wealthy interests start to show up and the little town finds itself in the middle of a war. Then . . . ancient deities get involved an the whole thing blows up into biblical proportions. I just wish DS9 had embraced all that sooner.
Voyager was a road movie series. Like the other spin-offs, the ‘Star Trek’ name limited it. I’d love to have seen Voyager bartering technology for resources, like a historical Gypsy camp arriving near a town, selling their wares. Also, faced with a seventy-year journey home, I’d have liked each season to have followed that crew across a decade of the journey.
Enterprise was a schizophrenic show, trying to be everything to all men, but annoying everyone.
This cartoon series is simply doing Star Trek as a slightly different genre again. It seems to have been meticulously-planned already. No taking three or four years to find their feet here! These folks have a clear concept of how their show should work, which is a something novel after the Berman years. I say let them run with it and support them.
With the exception of the 9/11 reference the idea of another animated ST series is interesting. I propose another premise. It’s 150 years in the future. The Federation has colonized most of the Alpha and Beta sections of the known universe. Trans-warp drive has replaced the outdated ward driven star ships. Numerous new species has been discovered along with a variety of new threats to the Federation. There exists a fragile peace with the Romulan Empire, and some Romulans are posted on Federation Starships. There continues to be a conflict with the Klingons over the peace with the Romulans, and elements of the high council are working behind the scenes to destroy this alliance. The new series could continue to exploration of the Delta/Eplison areas of space.
The new crew of the USS Frontier/Explorer, (let’s retire to name Enterprise for a while), is comanded by a new species, and some of the crew include Klingon, Romulan, Deltans, and even a couple of andriods, or holographic characters. The first few episodes would focus on the crew and their developing relashionships. Suddenly during a first contact mission , they incounter a new species whose purpose is conflict and domination. From this point forward the mission changes from one of simple exploration into the developing of an new interstellar war. This would make an interesting story line, and would draw many new viewers into the Star Trek universe. It’s just another idea.
It’s too far away from the brand. Star Trek is about hope and the best qualities of humanity prevailing.
Where the worst qualities emerge, they either presage our best qualities, or they are encapsulated in a character who is easily dismissed, such as Mudd.
Human faults are projected out to the other races. The Vulcans are the failures of logic. The Kingons are the failures of passion.
While one can argue that it shows how limited the franchise is, I’d offer that most brands are about satisfying a particular audience, not being hip to a particular elitism.
It would be unforgivable to proceed with this story line.
Outside of Trek, it wouldn’t even be noteworthy; it would just be one more post-apocalyptic crapfest.
I don’t like those mini-episodes! And I don’t like Clone-Wars either
So, as as I’m concerned they can keep it!
But take the story and do something in life action with it. 44 minutes of star trek action on tv again! What a dream!
it good that they are doing more cartoons of startrek there shud do more of them that all i wonted to say about that
Did everyone who thinks this is a bad idea stop watching Trek during the Dominion War? Mainly because of the thought of no positive outcome? No we still watched simply to see the outcome of a dark and bleak storyline. I STILL believe that this story, if told the right way, could revitalize a dying brand. I absolutely love Star Trek, and as a huge fan, this is needed to bring Trek back from the dead like Spock in ST III:TSFS.
I hate to be the vanilla gorilla here, but I want to remind the group that this is a small-scale project under David Rossi’s guidance and it has been given a thumbs-up from Mike Okuda. Those facts lead me to believe that a few sketches and a *very* brief summary may not be enough to judge this project. I too had a lot of initial misgivings, but after reading what Anthony added during the discussion, I realized I don’t know enough to critique this yet.
I think the show is about redemption. These characters are seeking to put the Star Trek universe back into place. Sometimes you have to fight for your way of life to the bitter end. If that’s what this show represents, then I think it is worthy of the franchise’s emblem. Either way, I think its too early to render judgment.
I like the animated idea but this story line…..well sucks BIG TIME im sorry stick to Gene Rodenberrys dream i mean the man is dead but it is still his show/idea.
[…] New CBS Trek?? i came across this article..and thought i would share it here. CBS Considering New Animated Trek Series For The Web | TrekMovie.com […]
Hear Hear! Dark and Gritty, Bah! I want a positive note back with Trek rather than the idea that humanity cannot rise above it petty needs and become more altruistic. Why do we have to live in a Post 911 era?? How about a post, we got up and bettered ourselves and the world and forgot all this rubbish and self serving nonsense era? This is why I do like shows that are older and the characters aren’t flawed, but are heroes why are out to make a better tomorrow. Yes bad things happen but if we constantly harken ourselves to the doom and gloom, why should we bother with hope? Sorry, I pass on shows that are downers, even the Nu-Bsg. The actors might be good, but the stories do nothing for me.
Trek is dead, leave it alone and blame paramount for it’s failure, Move on nothing to see here.
Rossi explains: “couching big social issues in allegories so they are more palatable is kind of passé now. Today shows deal with these issues head on, so we decided to make the entire show an allegory. The premise is an allegory for the post-9/11 world we live in. A world of uncertainty and fear.”
This concept will never see the light of day. Rossi clearly doesn’t get it at all. There has never been a time since 1966 when the real world wasn’t embroiled in some kind of conflict. Yet, the franchise wasn’t all that dark most of the time. When the next show happens (and it will eventually), I want it to be more like TOS. Lots of action, a little philosophy and all sorts of wild concepts.
Also, it would be nice if the captain would actually shoot something that is menacing his ship instead of trying to negotiate first. That’s the only thing about Picard that ever bothered me.
For those of you playing along at home, the score thus far:
1). Hurray! Sounds great, give it to me now!: 34
2). I’ll watch it but remain eyebrow-raisingly skeptical: 13
3). Roddenberry’s vengeful spirit will rise up and, with his mighty sword, cleave the heads from those responsible for this: 38
4). The only hope for Trek is the story I have carefully carved into the walls of my cell: 4
This highly unscientific tabulation disregards multiple postings, socio-economic diatribes and any post that uses words I don’t understand.
Wow, some of you use lots of words.
Looks cool to me and gets the big two thumbs up from Brad!
[…] The Trek Movie Report says that CBS is considering a Star Trek webtoon: Star Trek may be set for a comeback into yet another arena, this time in the 2nd dimension. TrekMovie.com has learned that there is a new animated Trek project under consideration at CBS, but it has yet to get the green light. The series would most likely be broadcast on the web and be made up of ‘Clone Wars’ like 6-minute mini episodes. […]
“Did everyone who thinks this is a bad idea stop watching Trek during the Dominion War?”
Millions of people stopped watching Trek during the “Dominion War.” Check the weekly ratings for DS9 - they declined steadily throughout that show’s run, on the same curve as “Voyager” and later “Enterprise.”
to: 166. hitch1969© - December 14, 2006
What color is the sky in your world?
I don’t see why creatives continue to want to make Trek “dark”.
The original idea behind Star Trek was to give mankind HOPE.
I HATE the new trend of taking old classics and making them brooding and dark…more “realistic”. If I want realism I will turn on the news.
This is NOT Star Trek.
#172 That is exactly what i said Vince. See posting 133. This is not an attempt at doing actual Trek, it is about doing another Sci-fi show with Trek’s name on it.
#140 Dom I agree with the assesment that the Federation at some point would recieve a “rehauling” if u will, but my main issue here is really from the aspect of looking at this from a story tellers point of view in writing characters. I am a fledging writer, and have some background in analyzing already existing material and adapting it into a new format. My main issue with this new version of Trek is the mentality that it seems to be leaning to with its characters. Now I believe that things like absolute “canon” or an absolute perfect utopia is too simple of an idea for the meaning Trek has taken on in its social commentary.
At the same time though when attempting to write such additions to an already preconceived world, u have to take into account logical progression. The one thing that u learn from writing is to seperate your own preconcieved ideas or personal biases when taking on a new project. All i see in this are writers who have particular feelings about our world now and that they want it “express” that in their work………….(at the same time however there is also a growing move to have programs become allegories for a post 9/11 world because said to say such programs garnish more attention from an audience and now producers and studios are beginning to reach a point of exploiting the publics personally feelings to the subject)
The issue here is that the characters and the implied state of mind for this version of Trek’s society is not a convincing progression for Trek. In just comparing it to real world events in societal existence ( and i do this because Trek in the idea of its creation and its own molding of identity into a possible look at what “our” future can be if we choose to make it draws itself into comparison with the world ) a society does not reach a particular point in co-existense to have it ultimately smashed and fall apart that completely where the ideas and conceptions that have become apart of it were wiped away.
As make note that just because a current society is facing a particular issue, that does not mean that a future one will as well. It is the same thing as if u were to attempt to argue one culture on our planet is exactly the same as the other and u can not because there are none. They are all individualistic as is our past and our future.
Now some may argue that it is 150 yrs later, well that arguement only works if the previous generation then (here TNG’s) no longer existed as well as their preceeding generation. But at this point life has already been shown to stem on for longer periods than what we know as our cut off point of 75. The generations here in Trek would live longer which thus would mean the IDEAS of such generations would live on longer and be much harder to shake from the psyche.
Some may say that I am reading too much into the issue, but like i said i am looking at this from the point of view of a writer. I am also looking at it from the point of view that those wishing to create this program are hoping to make an allegory (thus commentary) on our current world. But as a writer or creator one has to take into account the “realities” of the fiction world u are working within, otherwise your commentaries will carry no wait to them and only be general and surface value only.
This might interest you guys, from the dude who did those crude, sorry, “cool” graphics above of characters who look like they really enjoy beating up new life forms and (sorry to borrow, #172) exploding strange new worlds…
http://parkerspace.blogspot.com/2006/12/sputter-sput-that-violates-prime.html
“Talky yawnfests” my ass! What an airhead….
To # 197
Ew..just EW!
How disprespectful of him.
I feel like a curmudgeon old man sometimes that these new creatives have NO RESPECT.
Seriously, I’m a Gen Xer who hates the Gen Y mentality.
I think a new animated series would work alright, but I’m not so sure about this premise. I like the dark aspects of the idea (DS9 was my favorite Trek), but I hope they don’t discount Trek future. I won’t watch it if it doesn’t have continuity. There is the Federation Time Fleet (from Voyager) timeline to consider, plus the Klingons joining the Federation as shown in an ‘Enterprise’ future sequence.
Although there is more room for continuity errors, I would be more interested in seeing the Earth-Romulan War from 2156-2160. I don’t like the idea of a fractured Federation that this new series wants to portray.
# 176 Spirit -
Said everything I felt more eloquently than I did.
THIS WILL BE THE $H!T! WAKE UP PEOPLE THIS IS WHAT TREK NEEDS. THIS IS WHAT WE ALL NEED. F - J.J.
I really like the overall concept and artwork, though I do wish they would make a few minor adjustments if this project goes live.
For one thing the phasers and gear should be a bit sleeker to fit with the time period they are suggesting. Also, given that this is an animated project, I’m really hoping more prominent non-humaniod alien crewmembers can be worked into the mix. I would especially love to see a reoccuring member of the bridge crew be an unusual lifeform.
All in all it’s very interesting and much more along the lines of what Trek is about then say…Voyager.
197 & 198 — Plenty of the posters here and elsewhere have said that or worse about the latter day series. The guy’s a talented artist and has as much of a right to his opinion of the shows as any of us without being called an ass.
“Millions of people stopped watching Trek during the “Dominion War.†Check the weekly ratings for DS9 ”
DB, I pretty much agree with most of what you wrote on this thread, but I thought the Dominion War was important for Star Trek.
It is the only Trek where we were able to observe the Federation at war. There were a few very, very well conceived DS9 war episodes — such as the episode where Sisko and crew come to resupply a decimated skeleton crew on a lonely planet that is guarding a communications device. We get to see how Federation soldiers are able to hold true to their convictions in the heat of a battle of attrition and miserable conditions. It made an excellent statement to viewers about the hell that war puts soldiers through.
I think that statement is sorely missing in America and was a good statement for Trek to make to viewers: that it better be worth it if we’re going to CHOOSE to make soldiers experience that sort of pain (emotionally / physically / psychologically).
Of course, for Trek, it helps that the war was literally forced upon them. I see no conflict with the ideals of Trek and the Dominion War.
Hi acb.
I write as well - admittedly, while I wish I had time to concentrate on fiction, I tend to write stuff for papers and magazines.
One of the things about this project being animated is that I think anything that is outside of live action tends to be seen as ‘deuterocanonical’ (sorry Lao3D, you’re gonna have to disregard anything I’ve written cos I used a long word! ;))
The cartoon series, to me, presents a ‘possible’ future, the same way some of ‘All Good Things . . .’ did!) It’s an interpretation. It doesn’t mean that someone can’t make a live action Trek in the future that contradicts it.
Arguably TMP was only Gene Roddenberry’s own ideal of a sequel to TOS. The other movies were Nick Meyer, Harve Bennett and Leornard Nimoy’s concept of Trek and disregarded TMP completely. While the same ship and sets had to be used, wherever possible, things were changed, from the uniforms and colours of photon torpedoes to the transporter FX.
TNG was Roddenberry’s and (actually, mostly) David Gerrold’s interpretation of what happened next (although it’s interesting to read Gerrold’s novelisation of Encounter at Farpoint, which has a lot more character conflict than the show ever allowed. Dr Crusher throws a right tantrum at Picard when she discovers he’s been the one blocking her posting on the Enterprise!)
Gene Coon, DC Fontana and John Meredyth Lucas could all have come up with something different and equally valid for a follow-on and they all had massive inputs to TOS.
DS9, Voyager and Enterprise all represent the Berman/Braga axis. Peter David’s got a badass borderline-warlord starship commander involved a major conflict in New Frontier.
Then you’ve got USS Exeter, New Voyages and Of Gods and Men. . .
Strictly, is anything canonical other than TOS itself? Everything subsequent has to be some sort of adaptation. To this day, the veracity of the 1970s cartoon is argued about, even though it has the voices of most of the cast and many of the TOS writers on the project.
I mean, we all accept new Sherlock Holmes short stories, novels and movies, even though they aren’t by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. And Holmes has been interpreted as anything from a Victorian/Edwardian detective, a WWII hunter of Nazis, a drag queen, a drunken fraud actor working for Dr Watson and a time traveller. He’s even turned up in two Doctor Who novels!
People should be less precious about this web cartoon and have some fun! This is a cartoon about a possible Star Trek future. It isn’t written in stone. It doesn’t prevent more future Treks being made.
People get way too serious about it.
Gotta say… I HATE Star Trek’s previous Inspid use of technology and huge gaps in applications of that technology.
It looks as if this team may be trying to pull some of this together, and NOT creating weak analogies for modern problems is something that has been needed in ALL sci-Fi for a long time. I congratulate BSG for doing just that, and bringing the issues of GNR(Genetic/Nanotech/Robotic) technologies into a society (Albeit one that failed to completely integrate them, thus causing a schism that because very violent)
They need Paul Dini up in this mofo.
#205 Valid points DOM. I suppose most of what bothers me about the topic is just it seems:
1. rather simple and at this point a predictable choice for sci-fi in general.
2. and just more of an obvious creation from a group that sort of gets its topic sort of doesn’t and are willing to skew the material to meet their benefit.
I suppose too some of my opinion also revolves around how other franchises become “misinterpreted” by later audiences when a new product is produce that is not justified whole heartedly by the previous material (Alien Vs. Predator anyone!). I personally get bothered as well when I can sit down and pencil out a possible storyline and presented to a number of people who all know Trek and respond with “Yeah, that is Trek.” and yet those who are involved from time to time do not seem to be able to control their material…….though yes they have to go through much more red tape than I in the creation of said premise but much of the issue also in parallel lies with conceptions that are running through many writers today as to what defines sci-fi.
Its also like when i try to tell someone how good Trek is at times and then they bring up Spock’s Brain or ST V, or the episode with the “space hippies” (to which i am proud not to remember the name of). Poor renditions of Trek make Trek harder to sell to a larger audience.
In the long run though, this is something that will be limited yes and come and go.
And by no means am i saying that Trek has to stay with a specific formula, but sometimes taking a right turn for the sake of taking a right is not needed when the left turn, the one already taken and gets u home safe and in the same amount of time, already does the job.
Perhaps, while i am performing self-analysis, i have just gotten tired of piling what seems to be more examples of ‘poor’ trek together than ‘great’ trek.
I agree that the series should concentrate on optimism, but it should be a optimism born out of experience — something hard-won and knowing. I’m only 32, but don’t the older people here regard the Sixties as a more “innocent” time compared to today? No AIDS, no talk of mental illness, etc.
That said, I’d like to see a few things on the series:
-A crewman belonging to an Earth religion. We’ve all been wondering what happened to Earth’s religions in the Stark Trek universe. And although the subject of relgion has been touched on by some of the serieses before, it’s always been as an allegory (Bajoran, Kligon, etc.) I’d like to see the reaction and interaction of a human-relgious crewman with the rest of the crew. Note that the crewman doesn’t have to be human him/herself. There’s always the interesting issue of relgious intermingling.
-Filling in the gaps in the Star Trek timeline. Frex, whatever happened to the United African States that Uhura came from? How do you explain all those Earth-analogue planets that TOS crew ran into? Why aren’t there more of those?
-About mental illness: This might be an interesting subject to touch on. After all, the one thing the Star Trek universe hasn’t completely figured out biologically is the brain. I can imagine a brilliant, creative but mentally ill (perhaps with some analogue of bipolar disorder or schizophrenia) engineer or science officer.
[…] Zero Room is, for those who caught the name, the production company hoping to get this puppy off the ground. David Rossi is in the lead on this pitch. The show has no name yet. There are also more images and details to be found on the TrekMovie.com site. […]
[…] The Star Trek Movie Report has frightening, exciting news about a new Star Trek animated series in early development. A run of 6-minute episodes destined for the web is being considered by CBS. But fanboys everywhere are up in arms over the bold decision to rejoin the Federation 150 years after Picard and his crew were last seen in Nemesis. […]
Millions of people stopped watching Trek during the “Dominion War.â€
And yet “In the Pale Moonlight†(GO BATMAN) and “Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges†are considered among the best episodes/stories in Star Trek. This despite the fact that they show the Federation isn’t so clean and innocent.
The best stories come with philosophical dilemmas. Where the hero struggles with his morals and ethics and the consequence his actions achieve.
TNG for all its greatness was more or less black and white, just like the Federation. DS9 showed us there is a lot more grey in the universe. Hopefully, this show will do the same.
However, how canon will this show ACTUALLY be?
“Mr.Freeze-like Phaser.†-TomBot2006
LOL…THAT’S SO PERFECT!!!
“A crewman belonging to an Earth religion.â€
Religion on Earth went the way of the Dodo after WWIII. Hence the reason there is no war on Earth? Remember that science, technology and exploration became the main focus for most of humanity after first contact….wish that happened in this world.
A crewman who has a religious view would be a step backward…and I hope it never happens. I don’t want to see a crucifix or Star of David ANYWHERE on the deck of a Starfleet ship unless it’s a holodeck.
If something like that happens…good old secular humanist Gene will probably start spinning in his grave at near warp speeds.
Nuff said…
#213-
Well said. Organized religion has been the cause of more wars over the centuries than anything else.
The only thing ‘Star Trek’ about it is the title. Insipid, and the design is hideous. If Daren Doc designed the concept, and it was based on TOS, then perhaps. Takei has expressed interest.
Far inferior to The New Captain Scarlet with CGI by (former) Foundation Imaging head Ron Thornton.
http://www.fanderson.org.uk/epguides/ncseg1.html
I think Gerry Anderson could do much better, with good scripts by Fontana and Gerrold, for example.
Yo Dom Capersâ„¢
“The cartoon series, to me, presents a ‘possible’ future, the same way some of ‘All Good Things . . .’ did!) It’s an interpretation. It doesn’t mean that someone can’t make a live action Trek in the future that contradicts it.”
Brilliant. Just brilliant.
Rossi and the Zero Room Posseâ„¢ seal that deal in ep 1, and I can see widerspread acceptance. I like it alot.
You sir, are mac in the pants.
best!!
=h=
I hope they do it right. I hate to see this turn out like DS9. The security officer with the Borg implants sounds like an interesting concept.
*sniffs* What is that smell in here?
It smells of Trekweb bickering.
I was hoping Anthony could keep that kind of garbage off his otherwise excellent website.
Anthony, dude…don’t let this place become a battlefield like Trekweb…
Please!
Looks pathetic.
Gene Roddenberry envisioned Trek as having a positive outlook and using it for telling allegories that have relevance in our present-day world.
Want action? I agree with others: Battlestar Galactica and other various Sci-Fi action shows are better suited for this type of show. I, for one, still enjoy the cerebral side of Star Trek.
I don’t hate this idea. I’d like to see stories that fill in the existing backstory of the Trek universe rather visit new planets with yet more bumpy headed Caucasian people.
And I really like Darwyn Cooke’s DC: The New Frontier, mainly becuase his art reminders me of Jack Kirby. Still this could all go terribly wrong for Star Trek like StarGate: Infinity did to the SG-1 francise.
Trek Master said above:
“*sniffs* What is that smell in here? It smells of Trekweb bickering.”
Unless you want to make this a “TOS Fans Only” site, I suggest the bickering is due to the incessant mocking of everything Trek produced from 1987 to 2006 and that it is inevitable should that “tone” continue in both the commentary and the editorials.
I’m a Trek-everything-to-date fan that just found this site 3 weeks ago…should I leave because I don’t hate the past 20 years and happen to disagree with the reasoning for abandoning Trek’s legacy?
There’s a good “news flow” on this site. But the opinions…
…besides, aren’t you making money on the hits / site traffic?
NO…
Also- kinda pathetic that they chose to try and bolster their case for their crappy pitch by releasing it here. That sound you hear is the door at CBS slamming loudly, again.
I’d say it’s a bad idea. It lacks the Star Trek feel and sounds more like the alternate universe of “Yesterday’s Enterprise”.
Oh, and allegories are where some of Star Trek’s best hours have come. Rossi is being an idiot.
#222
Well, I’m not a Trek everything to date fan because to me…not everything to date was good. In my opinion everything after TNG season 4 was a mixed bag…some good…some ok…some terrible. And that goes for each series’ episodes. I am not trashing the entirety of any one particular series or film.
But, the focus of this site has been on Trek Remastered and the upcoming film predominantly. So, a focus on those things should be expected.
If you want a mixed bag focus with lots of petty infighting/political and class warfare, etc., may I point you to Trekweb?
TTM
Worst that could happen? Everyone hates it and it is de-canonized like the TAS. I’m open to it, but have some practical problems with the idea as it stands now.
1. Who is the target audience? The casual viewer or even non-trek fan who sees this will have no idea what an Omega Particle is. The purists will probably see it as a major departure from the ideal future of Trek.
2. Forward or backwards? The switch (again) of red and gold uniforms is confusing. The style of weapons and overall look seems very Battlestar Galactica. Just because that show is popular now, doesn’t mean that it should be paralleled.
3. The Enterprise. Why the Enterprise again? Why not an original ship? The Enterprise has always been the pride of the fleet (in every era), so why would it be an outdated ship?
4. The characters and aliens. What makes this Captain memorable and different than any of the others? Why would the Vulcans withdraw from the Federation?
5. Scope. The story surrounding this idea seems to be much larger than anything done before. That said, I don’t think that an Animated series is best for that. Probably a movie. Or a season arc of a tv show *cough*Xindi*cough*. Since the goal is a grittier, action/adventure Trek, why not set it during the war with the Romulans, rather than after it? I also have to point out that setting it 150 years after Nemesis makes it harder to make any future show post-Nemesis, since the future is already set in stone, much like how Enterprise was limited by events and dates laid out by the shows that take place after it.
So my though in a nutshell. Make it something that is appealing to all audiences (change the Omega Particle reference to something else). In the beginning of Clone Wars, Yoda does a quick voice over giving us a simple plot: Republic vs. Separatists; Here are the characters. I suggest the setting be moved to DURING a war, so that it can be simply explained right at the start. The current idea seems to draw a bit too much on small elements of canon that most people wouldn’t understand (Anti-Life Equation in JLU finale comes to mind). I also suggest, in order to broaden the audience, make the setting a little less bleak. After all Star Trek went through the Vietnam War, Civil Rights Movement, 9/11 and several other smaller crises, and still remained positive and optimistic.
Don’t alienate the casual viewer!
#173 Tombot…….
That earlier post was just my observations after reading these threads for the past few weeks, and my humorous, if not slightly sarcastic, take on the varied opinions in the Trek universe.
No, I’m not the camp counselor, I’m a proud card carrying member of two groups: The DS9 “Niners”, my second favorite ST series, as well as being the Vice President of the “Star Trek Humorists Lobby”, aka “The Get a Life!..Shatner Appreciation Society”
We all have our opinions and loyalties when it comes to Trek. These threads a basically low intensity debates and arguements, with each participant trying to express and persuade others to see and agree with their point of view. I think that’s fine and quite amusing at times. Unfortunately, many fans easily get upset and angry when others don’t agree with their views about Trek. I find the hostility that some fans show at times to be rather disturbing…
So my analogy of Star Trek fandom becoming more and more like Washington DC lobby and special Interest groups is valid. We all wish we could somehow influence CBS/Paramount to begin producing Star Trek- movies, series, animation etc that reflected “our desires” and points of view for the franchise. Absolutely nothing wrong with that….
Who knows, maybe there are people from the studios actually taking notes and reading our threads…but I kind of doubt it!
Oh, I forgot to mention one last Star Trek camp/special interest group from my observations. These people are in fact the most easy to please of all Trek fans, and the least vocal of the bunch. I call them “The Star Trek Consumers Union”
These people love everything Trek- Past, Present Future! They can’t get enough of Trek and are consumers of anything and everything Trek…DVDs, books, CDs, calendars, mugs, T-shirts, posters, lunch boxes..you name it! For them anything released by the studios, even a lousy new animated series, will be wonderful, and greeted with open arms. Yes, they hope for good quality products too, but as long as ST continues and has a future, they will be happy.
I wonder how many fans of Trek fall into this group? Being that Star Trek merchandising is still a billion dollar business I’m sure there are quite a few…
Mike
In that second picture above.. What exactly is that “hotdog with a handgrip” looking thing Capt Chase is holding in his left hand? Is it a phaser or flashlight??
Gosh it’s soooo fun and easy to be a critic!
Mike
This, IMHO, is one of the better trek ideas ive heard in awhile. If animation for the 18-35 set can be done on Adult Swim, Fox,ect..Why not for trek. Its bold, original and actually has a change of drawing a serious audience. I hope CBS/Paramount puts this into production, Earliest we’ll see it is 2008 with the new film.
Also, one thing we’ve heard on this board over and over is all the Trektards (yes, you obsessive TOS fanboys who think you know roddenberrys vision better than he did) poo-pooing on anything that doesnt fit their “perfect vision” of trek. yes, I disliked alot B&B did esp. with how they hosed enterprise, it had a decent concepts but poor execution. My advice, lay off and get some sun, make a difference in the world besides sitting in your parents basement all day.
Hopefully the new wellspring of ideas (both from JJ Abrams and Dave Rossi/Zero Room) Plus the upcoming MMOG (which will get produced, dont worry) is going to embrace and inspire a new generation of fans.
You know there’s been so much mention about the series “Battlestar Galactica” in these threads that now I’m very curious to watch this show. I haven’t watched one episode yet, but with all the good press it has been getting, as well as all the “swill and vile” coming from the fans on this site..it may just be an interesting show!
Gosh I hope I won’t get excommunicated by the “Star Fleet Vatican Counsel” for saying that!!
Mike
#231 Chris…
The “Trektards” (yes, you obsessive TOS fanboys who think you know roddenberrys vision better than he did)
Very funny…you made me laugh!
Mike
Love the idea new crew and adventures dark future and animation you will not hold back because is to expensive to do in live action.
I was rather surprised at how many negative comments there were here… I’ve watched Star Trek in its various forms since I was a toddler, and I can be a real purist (I originally swore never to watch ST:TNG because I was SURE it was gonna be a cheap knockoff!), but my first reaction on reading this was, “Wow, fantastic!!! They GOTTA make this one, oh PLEASE!”
Those who want it brighter and happier may have forgotten how uncomfortable certain aspects of ST:TOS were when the show first aired; it only looks THAT cheerful in hindsight, folks! But the essential core optimism of Trek is, in fact, still there in this new proposal: in a world whose boundaries have shrunk in on themselves after much hurt and harm, one human’s restless determination to stretch those boundaries again is a spark of hope and courage that can potentially seed a new wave of growth.
As for the discussion on “serious cartoons,” good heavens, has anyone watched “Fullmetal Alchemist” lately?? Sure, we don’t do much of that around here, but maybe it’s time we started, and the current popularity of serious anime may make this JUST the right time to try it!
There’s nothing wrong with attempting to make a compelling serious animated version of Trek, but I have my doubts that it would appeal to a mass audience. I think thats one of the reasons why the will be releasing this, if ever, over the internet. The cost of failure is much less with a limited, net based release.
Yes Anime is popular with some in the current, younger generation, but it’s not mainstream yet. I don’t personally care for that school of animation art.
To each his own, and more power to those fans that hope for another animated Trek..
Mike
I have to say I would much rather see a TOS story done…Im kinda tired of all the TNG stuff…but who am I to say anything im just a fan…:)
I just don’t understand CBS’s assumption that animation is what Star Trek fans want. Do they believe that the majority of Star Trek fans, would automatically be fans of an animated version of the series?
I love the classic animation I grew up, and I’m a big fan of modern CGI Disney/Pixar animation too…but to me, Star Trek is what it is today because of the live action series and movies.
I’m sure an animated series would appeal to small slice of ST fandom, but I would be surprised if CBS/Paramount would invest in anthing Trek, unless they were assured a big monetary return.
Mike
As long the proper amount of effort is invested in the script writing, I don’t think that matter if it will be live action or animation… Star Trek is about great and imaginative stories… I have to confess that I’m a bit disappointed about the overall concept… “…war with the romulans… isolated parts of the federation…”… too much “action”…
What made the original series (as the next generation series) great was its commitment to focus on exploration…to celebrate the new… the differences… to use science fiction as a vehicle to show our current mistakes and different cultures and ideas… to expand the audience horizons… to give us an optimistic glimpse of the future… where we are not as ugly inside as we are right now…
It’s about time they did another Trek animated series, the idea of setting it in a darker 26th century is perfect. But I hope and pray that it doesn’t get TOO dark that there will be some hope and some light at the end of the dark tunnel. Although 9/11 happened, it brought out the best as well as the worst of humanity. It takes events like that to show that people still care for each other even though evil still exists in the world.
This is my promotional bit, bare with me :
Stardate : The era after the Original Series, 7209.8 -
An attack on the Klingon Outposts along the Neutral Zone
has the Klingon Empire declaring war on the Federation.
The ships that attacked them appeared to be Federation
but they disappeared soon after attacking. The Enterprise
is in the final stages of refit under the command of Captain
Williard Decker and Admiral James T. Kirk assumes command
of the brand new Reliant Class starship Cochrine which will lead
a defensive fleet of starships toward the Neutral Zone. Spock
had retired and lives on Vulcan and undergoes the path of
Kohlinar. Scotty, Uhura, Chekov, and Sulu have been promoted
and is serving Captain Decker. Admiral Kirk is in the process of
acquiring Commanders Rand, Riley, and Kyle. The last man he
needs is retired on Earth and Kirk needs all the help he can get.
So he pursuades Admiral Lori Nogura to draft that man, and that
man is……..Bones McCoy………
Announcing “Phase II” - An Original Podcast Series based on
Concepts for “Trek-Phase II” created by Gene Roddenberry……
Actors, Writers, Ilustrators, Sound Effects Gurus, and Musicians
are needed to flesh out the stories needed to continue the
path that ended after the first five-year mission leading up to
The Wrath of Khan. For guest characters, I have contacted
Arlene Martel who was in “Amok Time,” and i hope to convince
other major Trek actors from all of the series and/or films to also
lend voice talent to guest characters.
This is a non-profit project which will have charity links on the
official site on behalf of everyone who works with me on
Phase II. This is a win-win venture for everyone, so PLEASE
help out… The pilot episode will be written as a 5 part hour
long segments arc. So there will be plenty of work to be done.
Live long and prosper in 2007!!!
Mark McLaughlin - marknetproductionsentrance.blogspot.com
Thing is, this is a web cartoon to be seen on trek.com. It’s not some earth-shattering big event. It’s a nice little extra for us all to have between films and live action series. It’s not going ruin Trek and it’s not aimed at a mass audience the way a live action movie is.
And as for calling TOS fans ‘Trektards,’ have I ever heard a more ignorant remark? Why the name-calling? Why not try to persuade me that there is something worthwhile and long lasting in TNG that I’m missing.
Many of us grew up with TOS and basically saw a show we cared about mocked and belittled by the fans of a show that had next to nothing to do with TOS.
Then, Anthony kindly sets up a site called Trek Movie Report about the new film, which happens to be about Kirk and Spock in the TOS era and TOS gets the whole special edition treatment and you’re ***surprised*** that lots of TOS fans show up having found a forum not dominated by fans of post-1987 TV Trek!!!
TOS fans have generally been interested in politics . . . as in the interaction of people. We aren’t into the quasi-religious humanist beliefs and ‘visions’ of a man who died 15 years ago. We like a TV show that made us think while we were entertained.
I’m sorry that TNG was an utter failure in the cinema. I’m sorry that people aren’t building their lives around its concepts and, indeed, are increasingly revolted by it. But you guys had your chance. Four movies of which one was half-reasonable and some latter day shows that were ratings poison.
You had countless chances, but times have moved on. Patrick Stewart is back being brilliant in the theatre, Brent Spiner is doing the guest star circuit, LeVar Burton is directing, Jonathan Frakes is directing, Marina Sirtis is sulking . . . TNG is over and TOS is back. Maybe there will be a return for TNG in time with another cast, but fans of TOS want to discuss the return of their show.
Right now, TOS is ***current*** Trek. We love that show and want to talk about it. Many of us don’t care for Roddenberry’s later concepts that he used under the name of his only successful series and we stick with the source material.
I’m sure there are lots of forums where you can pour scorn on people who like an idealistic 60s philosophical action adventure romantic sci fi show. I’m know there are lots of forums where people can pour scorn on the religions that inspired some of history’s greatest thinkers and artists.
Here we want to talk about Star Trek. If you don’t like that, there’s the whole web out there to explore.
can we please stop with the Trek v Trek sniping
this is not a ‘tos site’ or a ‘anti xxx trek’ site…this is a trek site. If there were a remastered version of TNG out and a new movie based on a whole new crew ….this site would still be here.
this site is about the future of trek….and having an open mind. isnt that what trek is about too?
Trek fans need to come to grips with change because when things dont change they stagnate. Change has worked well for other franchises…and it can work for Trek too….just open you mind up to the possibilities
What’s the worst that can happen?
The 6-minute show is a flop, we all look back in a few years and have a good laugh about the whole thing.
Ah, but if it is good, really interesting and entertaining, then maybe…. it’s something that can grow into a full animated show or even better, a new live action series. This project could very well be the proper way for CBS to test out ideas for future projects. I will not judge the show until I see this animated mini-series myself.
Dom, good to see you fighting the good fight. MichaelJohn, acb, TTM, and the inimitable hitch, the same goes to y’all as well. Lots of new names and faces here in the past few days. I hope civility is still the operative word here in these discussions.
Gotcha Anthony!
Believe me, I want any Trek to be good.
I’m really excited about the new film and the new cartoon show. I find it weird and frustrating that there’s a contingent who are immediately reacting with “What a load of crap!”
Star Trek’s such a flexible format that it should be able to encompass almost any kind of show.
At the same time I’m willing to accept that sometimes a series goes off in a new direction that I dislike. I loved the old Doctor Who show, but really don’t like the new one, so . . . guess what? I don’t post on Doctor Who forums anymore and I don’t watch it. There are plenty of Classic DW DVDs out there all getting the equivalent of the ST: Remastered treatment and I can catch those! I regret that they don’t publish Classic DW novels anymore, but times have changed!
I don’t understand why people who dislike the idea of something like the new TOS film or new animated series would seek out a news site which is upbeat about those things and bitch about them.
I haven’t felt so positive about Star Trek in years. I want this film to be great. I want any spin-offs to be great. But sometimes it’s hard to stay enthusiastic when so many people are pee-ing on anything different when it’s barely been announced!!!!
PS apologies for anywhere I’ve gone too far!! Love all you guys really!!!
Hi Adam.
Yeah, the place seems to be getting busy these days doesn’t it?! It’s weird that we’re all kinda veterans here already!!! Pity we didn’t get Anthony to sell us some shares in this site when we first found it: it really seems to be going somewhere!!
It’s beginning to seem that Star Trek as a concept truly has died.
I hate to say it, but Star Trek seems to be a one trick pony, every new iteration that comes out buries the concept far more deeply. The further Star Trek has advanced, the worse it gets and is.
Now we are reduced to Star Trek mini-cartoons pretending to be Star Trek when in reality they are Star Wars and Battlestar Galactica.
What’s it all about kiddos?
“It’s awesome! It’s a cool ship that fights bad guys with laser beams”
If that is what Star Trek has been relegated to by the ADD generation X and Y mentality,
It’s truly best Star Trek is laid to rest as the old friend it is and not raped like the cellmate it has become.
I apologize you aren’t here Gene to nurture and protect your creation anymore.
^^^^^^^
For students of Trek history, Gene NIXED an animated concept VERY similar to this just prior to production of the official animated series in ‘73.
That says it all.
I for one welcome the idea of a new animated Star Trek. This is a fresh new take on the genre and hope that it will be a successful one.
CON: Not another post 9-11 fear-and-uncertainty metaphor! I’m quite tired of that, thank you very much. It was already done in STAR TREK, for God’s sake. ENTERPRISE was coated in a thick layer of post 9-11 metaphor, and look how well that turned out.
PRO: The uniforms look cool. Nice mix of TOS and TNG styles.
CON: Another Enterprise led by a clean-cut white guy? Kirk and Picard were great (Archer, not so much), but 500 years from now, let’s see something new. At the very least, gimme some FACIAL HAIR. At the most, how about we show how far the human race has moved BEYOND 9-11, and put a ARAB guy in command of the Enterprise? Or better yet, an Arab WOMAN! Think big!
PRO: Alien monsters.
CON: An original animated series for the web? That’s cool and all, but does CBS Paramount have something against RAKING IN MONEY? Make these DVD premiere movies. STAR TREK is not CLONE WARS. We want a little dialogue in between all the things blowing up.
Josh,
Don’t be so glum, old boy. They say there are only 20 or so master plots in modern drama. Sometimes you get a good version, other times you don’t. I just came home from seeing Casino Royale (my second time) tonight, and I have to tell you, some 40 years later, James Bond has been revitalized. Fresh blood and new ideas are always around the corner. Star Trek will get her shot at the bog-time again. Hopefully J.J. Abrams is the man with the plan. And this cartoon, like I said, could be either a footnote or the start of something interesting.
Dom,
Anthony has definitely grown this site the right way. Hats off to him and his contributors. And I guess a little credit is owed to us loyal readers/commentators for being a sustaining force in those uncertain, early days. I know Anthony appreciates us.
Josh.
Star Trek is more than its creator . TOS was great because a lot of talented people built on ‘Gene’s Vision’ rather than adhered to it. There’s far too much of a personality cult built around Gene Roddenberry. He was a pretty solid writer and a good ideas man. But he wasn’t prophet and his idea of ‘protecting’ Trek was by trying to screw up Treks II to VI.
Let’s wait a while and see what happens before condemning stuff we know (almost) nothing about!!
#241 Dom….A well thought out and clearly written post. I was impressed! clap..clap..clap
Mike
#247 Hey Josh…I used one of your lines in the “Video of Shatner” thread…hope I don’t owe you any royalties!
Mike
#241 Dom,
I can honestly say I’ve had it up to here with everyone who feels their Trek God is the best.
“You guys had your chance”? “countless chances..?” Ummm… no. I Like TNG, but I wasn’t satisfied with the TNG movies. And no one of “us guys” here is responsible for what dumb writing and direction did to a good version of Trek. Yes, … good.
And if TOS was holding it’s own on the movie front what would that alternate history be like? I mean really… TMP… plodding, TWOK, fun and a good flick, TSFS…. ugh… like they WEREN’T going to find him? TVH… I liked..good humour, decent story… so-so ending. The rest… average stuff at best.
And try to convince you that TNG is worthwhile? Be real… no one here convinces anyone to change their opinion…it’s all about “I know more about my Trek than you know about your unworthy piece of crap show.”..or politics, religon, sex, animation, writing… etc.
Maybe I don’t get out enough, but I can’t recall TNG fans calling TOS fans anything on a regular basis…and looking around in this site, I’d say one faction pretty well keeps up with the others when it comes to name calling and belittling those poor SOBS that dare like that “other” Treks.
I LIKE TOS… but I like all the shows. All had their shining moments and poor episodes. And all are Star Trek… just different incarnations in a large imaginary universe. I can’t make you agree. Oh well.
Frankly, I don’t care what you or anyone talks about in here when it’s positive. And I know that applies to me as well… I’m fine with that. Talk positively about TOS or the actual subject. I will too. Let’s dicuss it untill the cows come home.
Portraying fans of TNG as “into the quasi-religious humanist beliefs and ‘visions’ of a man who died 15 years ago” pretty nearly equals the ignorant “trektards” remark you mentioned. You don’t know me or what my beliefs are, so please don’t try to catagorize anyone but yourself.
I realized some of your post was an answer to another… but all this BS really isn’t needed. Yours, mine and everyone elses. The respect” factor is sliding down in the threads again after a momentary rise in courtesy due to a couple people going off and announcing they were quitting the site because of the lack of respect in here on all accounts. And I see the slow downward spiral happening again.
It IS possible to like and be entertained by more than one of these series.
“We like a TV show that made us think while we were entertained.”
Yes, I do too … and I’ll try to repsect what you and the others like if you tread a little lighter on what I and others like.
It’s all good story-telling…but I’m not “building my life around” any TV shows concepts.
Let’s get back to a postive discussion of the general subject we all enjoy… Star Trek and it’s future. Please.
#254 Litenbug..
Excellent rebuttal to Dom’s #241 post. You both are skilled writers and can communicate your thoughts clearly.
Pass the Tranya! I enjoy reading well written debate!
Mike
Wed be better off using some of Shatners star trek books for movies or something then this drivel.
Theres 2 Series that are near universally considered the best in trek TOS and TNG.
Shatners written tons of Books with TOS cast and TNG cast playing together fighting off a Mirror Universe invasion,post nemesis plots etc. I would find the stuff shatners done far more entertaining
Everyone keeps harping on the use of “post 9/11″ in the description of the show. These guys are trying to set up their universe to us in a single sentence, cut them some slack. When I hear that term, it means something bad happened and the way the Federation thinks these days is different from the Picard years.
A captain that wants to start exploring the galaxy again sounds VERY TOS to me. I like the frontier attitude of the original series and getting back to that is a step in the right direction. In TNG era stuff they always zipped back and forth between Earth and the frontier like it was a block away. I like that they want to isolate the Captain and his ship.
It doesn’t sound like there’s a lot of ‘doom and gloom.’ It sounds like they’ve scaled the Federation back and brought back the days of starship captains flying by the seat of their pants. Their description, the artwork, all of it points that way to me. I say give them the chance!
Whoever said bring Paul Dini in, good call. I don’t know what Rossi and his team can do from a writing standpoint, but I LOVE what Dini could bring to this!
Post-Apocalypse? Count me OUT.
I like the look, but not the setting.
I suppose atleast it caused quite a bit of discusion, but I’m of the opinion the premise sucks. I’d love to see a well done animated series [prefeably 3d rather than 2d] but why leave the established universe. My personal preferance would be a series set in the Next Gen era and using voices of cast from each of the series.
Hmm, I guess I have to repeat myself here. It’s not about keeping an open mind and not accepting change. This is not change, a fresh direction, a new possibility. It’s the SAME OLD SHIT you can see in EVERY other sci fi program these days, it’s the SAME OLD SHIT people have been trying to turn Trek into for years. Basically, it’s succumbing to those who have been and are trying to pull the world into the abyss.
There’s something unique about Star Trek, and that’s not phasers and Klingons or even a starship called “Enterprise”. You could throw out all that and still make a valuable Trek show, sell an old and honorable concept to a new generation. Yet what EVERYONE ALWAYS decides to do when the desire to “refurbish” Trek comes up, is keep the window dressing and throw out the philosophical core, the concept of the show. Just WHY? What we get then is a show with phasers and a starship Enterprise, but it’s not Star Trek. See above, this lovely little “Battlestar Enterprise” concept. Why wait and witness the train crashing? This is the wrong direction, a direction away from what constitutes the very core of the show. To repeat myself again, if that’s all what they can do these days, better leave the honorable name alone and create a new franchise for that, rather than abuse and pervert it for the sake of commercial interest. That’s just… sad.
Litenbug.
I know my post got a bit incendiary. I tempered it in a subsequent post (244), where I apologised for going OTT, so I refer you to that one. My remarks were written at the end of a work shift that should have been 7 and half hours and ended up at almost 24. I kinda let rip harder than usual and acknowledge that - kinda wish I could remember writing the posts!!!
I honestly think it’s time for everyone to step back and hold off a little. There’s a revamped version of TOS coming, TNG won’t be back for the forseeable, unless CBS/Paramount see the good sense in making straight-to-DVD stuff, and we have an experimental web cartoon which could be a bit of fun.
Trek’s going through a period of change not seen since the mid-80s. There are whole new teams of talented people who want to try something different with the concept and,kneejerk rather than pour scorn on that, we should hold off until we see some results.
Right now, as far as most people are concerned, Trek is dead. If the new cartoon comes out and it sucks . . . no one will notice it exists. If the new film comes out and it sucks, Trek will still be dead.
As Trek fans, we can’t really lose with these fresh attempts.We either keep the status quo of there being no Trek of consequence or the new Treks capture people’s imagination all over again.
Hard as it is, we have to play a game of wait and see!
Paragraph 4 got corrupted. Should read:
Trek’s going through a period of change not seen since the mid-80s. There are whole new teams of talented people who want to try something different with the concept and, rather than kneejerk pour scorn on that, we should hold off until we see some results.
This series has already been done. The original idea was used for Gene Roddenberry’s Andromeda. The storyline for Andromeda was much like this one, and one that Gene was going to use for a new Trek series. Too bad someone didn;t do their homework before announcing this.
way to many comments to read. Screw the animation make this into a live action TV show. Sounds a little BG like. But it sounds interesting, got the makings of a good star trek book at least.
…well said Spirit, (#260) well said. If you’re going to make Star Trek, but change it so much that it isn’t Star Trek anymore…what’s the point? I’d rather see animated (or any other Trek), TOS style, perhaps with a new crew and let people either accept it or dismiss it on those merits…..simply on the grounds that it is Star Trek. Change the base formula of the concept, and, other than name only, it’s not really Star Trek anymore is it? Anyone remember that horrible “dramatic” re-imagining of the Brady Bunch from the early 90’s. Hell it had the original cast and it couldn’t survive…because it strayed from the formula….people wanted to see the corny Bradys that they knew and loved from the 70’s and it was promptly canceled. I’d rather see no new programming than bastardized content that caters to a whole different mindset. Why not write and produce new Star Trek the way Star Trek was conceptualized and created? Let the viewers, fans or otherwise, that actually like, or may like, the storytelling formula of TOS Trek, discover it and enjoy it on it’s own merits. If some choose not to watch it, because it isn’t dark enough, so be it. They can go back to the other countless dark and dreary realistic “sci-fi” shows out there. Just don’t change Trek to the point that it’s not recognizable any more. The spin-offs, which were soooo different that TOS, have already done that, creating a series of shows, that besides the words “Star Trek”, had little, if any, resemblence to their namesake. Bottom line for me, follow the formula…sure, go to another ship…go forward…go backward…but please…if you are going to call it Star Trek, follow the formula and precedent set by TOS and keep it Star Trek. Turn the Trek formula inside out and what endeared me to the show dissapears. And as a viewer, so do I.
Just for the record, I would prefer to be called a TrekTardâ„¢, no matter the connotation, I would like to known as the KING of The TrekTardsâ„¢.
Believe it or not, old h69 used to run a group home of developmentally disabled folks and having many times advocated mainstreaming issues and this and that I am going to tell you that not only do retarded people like Star Trek but they also enjoy being retarded. It ain’t as big a thang with them as it is with us highfalutin personages of non stunted intelligencia.
I do not consider TrekTard™ to be an insult but rather something to embrace and be proud of. I am The TrekTard™ of TrekTardation®. Please continue to address me as such and I shall appreciate in kind.
best!!
=h=
I agree with Bill 265’s comment about Andromeda. Techniacally, we couldn’t say Trek was ripping off another franchese for ideas, because Roddenberry created both. After all, Gene did recreat Data from his series :”The Questor Tapes”.
That being said, I’d like to add that they could do a darker Trek without coping ideas from other shows. I had an idea of what if we bring back the Planet Killers from the original series and have a war between them with the Borg. That would be good and would answer the need of making the show a little darker, because you could have the Borg assimulating some worlds, the PK’s eatting other worlds and the Federation, Klingons, and Romulans trapped in the middle. One of the worlds that could be destroyed could be Vulcan.
After the war, billions are lost and thousands of worlds destroyed. But the Federation and it’s allies survive though harded by the war. Out of this a new Enterprise is launched with the goal of bringing hope back to the universe and seeking out new worlds!
The thing is, we need Star Trek now! When the first show launched in 1966, the USA was bogged down in Vietnam, there was a crisis in the middle east, we were on the verge of nuclear war with the USSR, there was still poverty and we fought to keep thousands of our won people oppressed because of the color of their skin. Added to this were four slain and popular leaders and nobody knew about Watergate yet.
Thanks to Star Trek and our own real space program, we felt empowered to say if we could just find a peaceful solution to these and other problems, there would be a better tomorrow for us. It gave us hope.
Now that’s not to say BSG is a bad show. Far from it, but we don’t need a competing sci-fi show to make things darker. We need hope in our lives right now and for that, more than ever, we need the starship Enterprise.
Deep Space Nine was all about conflict. It too was considered too far removed from the original Star Trek’s message.
In the end however, whether you liked it or not, it was one of the more critically successful series in Trek.
Why not try something new? If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work.
Sounds like a combination of Babylon 5: Crusade & Andromeda to me.
The Commonwealth spanned three galaxies and a myriad of cultures. Dylan Hunt, captain of the starship Andromeda, was frozen in time and awoke three centuries later to find the Commonweath had fallen. To fight back the chaos among the stars, Hunt must use the Andromeda to restore the Commonwealth and bring unity to the galaxy once again.
Crusade , a spin-off from the Emmy-winning Babylon 5 , describes the efforts of the Interstellar Alliance vessel Excalibur to find the cure to a plague released on Earth. This plague of nano-viruses, released by the Shadow’s servants the Drakh in retaliation for the Shadow War (see Babylon 5 season 4 for details), will kill all mammalian life on Earth within five years if the cure is not found.
Hi Josh Pritchett, Jr.
How would a Trek web cartoon be competing with a live action TV show like Galactica?
Surely the two media are completely separate from one another?
For the record, I like the art. It’s inspired by previous Star Treks, but they aren’t afraid to push the envelope.
The story concept has much promise. We’ve all gotten tired of the recent, endlessly repetitive spinoffs (especially Voyager and the early seasons of Enterprise). A darker, edgier galaxy could be just the kick in the pants that Star Trek so desperately needs. Might be just the backdrop in which a new group of heroes could emerge.
I really hope they make this happen.
Yet another allegory for post 9/11. Even galactica has been killing that idea to death. sounds pretty lame.
Re: post-9/11 allegories
Maybe recent stories (BSG, this potential cartoon) are conceived as such from the outset, but even if you don’t buy into the war on terror that politicians speak of today, that does not mean you cannot enjoy a fictional series that uses those broad issues for its own unique storytelling. Stories about fighting for one’s survival and way of life have been around long before 9/11. Go read Exodus if you don’t believe me. I take each show on in individual basis- is the writing good? Is the acting/voice work good? Am I interested in what’s taking place? I check my politics at the door when it comes to most sci-fi, because even if it is a show about current events masked by the genre’s trappings, it’s still a fictional show and does not need to be taken as some sort of political statement, as endorsed by a major political party or interest group. Lighten up, people.
“It’s just a TV show!” - William Shatner, SNL
Apparently, Star Trek wasn’t dark enough.
Did you know that?
It was successful for 30 years before people realized it wasn’t dark and gloomy enough.
Huh.
But the more dark they made it, the less successful it became.
I just figured maybe they didn’t know what they were doing, but it turns out it just hadn’t gotten dark enough.
Must’ve just been a coincidence all three times it FAILED. Four, if you count Enterprise.
Funny.
I could’ve sworn it was Roddenberry’s optimistic view of the future that made it successful.
Silly me.
Just wanted to say that this idea really isn’t Trek, it just uses the name. For example, “House” is a doctor show in a hospital with exams, emergencies, et al, but so is “Grey’s Anatomy”. I never saw 3 lbs. but I’m sure it used the same settings because it was in as hospital. “Law and Order” is a law show, as is “Shark” and “Boston Legal”, and each is very different though all have courts, bailiffs, depositions, witnesses, etc. My point is that phasers and starships and the Prime Directive don’t a Trek make, which is why most if not all the spinoffs have failed to capture the public imagination as did TOS. None of them had the optimism or strong characters of TOS, but were considered Trek because they borrowed the iconography. Even Majel Barrett (I believe I read this but can’t swear to it in court) said that someone who liked tos might not like TNG because they are very different shows. So they own it and can do what they want with it but that doesn’t make it Trek. As for the idea specifically many fans could make a suitable plot and New Voyages has demonstrated greater creativity., in my opinion. I can’t draw, I like the artwork, but the idea is the same negativity which is spreading throughout TV these days. Unfortunately , Trek isn’t special anymore and probably won’t be again, there’s too much of it. And the jury’s out on Bond, this one made money, doesn’t mean it will next time. But next time out, it’ll be more like the past, most likely. And everyone who wants to rehash everything “In a Mirror, Darkly” shold just create something new, we all need the variety. But it wouldn’t work on its own in most cases, would it?
I do not agree with nor understand the negativity of so many people commenting here.
First, the project at hand is a web cartoon, an experiemental show meant to take the series in a new, unexplored direction. The entire ship that is Star Trek is not committed to a dark and gloomy path as some of you have forecast. The webtoon is a 6-minute per episode experiment. I give credit to Dave Rossi for trying something new, and if Mike Okuda thinks its worthwhile, then my interest is piqued.
How so many of you can extrapolate the death of feel-good Star Trek from this webtoon is beyond me. Keep your perspective about you. Be objective. And most of all, as Gene would expect of all of us, be open-minded to change. But pre-judging this relatively innocuous project as the death rattle of Star Trek as we know it is melodramatic.
This effort reminds me of pitch made over forty years ago. It was called “Star Trek Is….”
You know, the one where Captain Robert April of the USS Yorktown was meant to be a 23rd century equivalent of Horatio Hornblower, cut off from his command base and often struggling with his self-perceived weakness pitted against a strange universe that demanded strength.
If Hornblower was the template, it might be helpful to recall that he was engaged in a desperate battle against Napoleon, frequently cut off from an Admiralty and Government that was not always the most able or confidence inspiring. Hornblower was usually given command of
underpowered and undermanned vessels, with officers and mates that did not share their captain’s zeal or fortitude.
War is often dark, but the occasional injection of humor is that much more pronounced, and it provides opportunities to showcase what is best in humanity.
This endeavor could well be a total bust, or it could be a realization of the earliest “vision” of Star Trek, a vision of which we saw only the most fleeting glimpses over the last four decades. And, success or failure, it is unlikely that a limited series of five-minute webcasts will ever become the “last word” on Star Trek.
TOS wasn’t ***that*** upbeat. The way some people talk, every race spent the whole series in a nauseating liberal group hugs with Julie Andrews singing cheerful songs in the background.
TOS was ***dark**** - really dark. Darker than any of the other Treks. Space was big and scary, Enterprise crewmembers died all the time. Out there, there were eugenically-enhanced monsters from Earth’s history waiting to be re-animated, ancient Earth deities seeking worship, giant ship-eating viruses, ancient planet-destroying weapons from the dawn of time, creatures that could resurrect Col Green and Kahless with the intention of slaughter. Mad doctors controlling colonies with mind-ripping devices, outpost of humans wiped out by salt vampires, Earth colonies turned over to Nazism and Stalinism, Medusans who drive people mad at the sight of them, colonial governors willing to commit genocide to stop their colony starving.
TOS was positive in that its multi-racial, multi-species characters worked well together most of the time in spite of some tensions - witness a good deal of suspicion about Spock.
But the space the Enterprise NCC-1701 was exploring was as dangerous as any ‘post-apocalypse’ scenario suggests. Starvation was possible, colonies could fail at any time, death was a hair’s breadth away. Not to mention there were Klingons and Romulans out to get any Federation ships!
Don’t confuse a so-called ‘positive future ‘ with ’smiley-happy future.’
I wonder if this could incorporate the Enterprise-J we saw in “Star Trek: Enterprise.”
I doubt it, based on these quotes:
‘Captain Chase’s Enterprise will be a ‘Bismarck Class’ heavy cruiser from the Romulan war and a bit out of date.’
‘Although they are not ready to share artwork, Rossi says the ship will be very different than familiar saucer/hull/nacelle designs while still being recognizable as a ‘Star Trek’ ship.’
I think the ‘futures’ seen in TNG and Enterprise era Treks are merely possible ones - including those 29th century guys who popped up in Voyager etc. The 29th century ships and crews are from a possible future extrapolated from the TNG era.
Clearly that future isn’t happening now and the timeline is going in a different direction. That can only be a good thing, as we no longer know what the future of the Trek universe will be!
Pure crap.
Give me Rodenberry or Give me Death.
KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN
I would rather this be aa sequel to ENTERPRISE and take place 450 years or so after that. The costume designs fit the 22 century better. I think it would be a mistake to do a cartoon set in the 25th century. I would much rather see a live action show for that.
oops… I meant to say, 50 years or so after ENTERPRISE takes place. You could have tons of action with the Romulan War taking place.
I guess I’m one of the one’s who does support this series because I mean the reruns are getting old, and the fan films leaves little to be desired. I’m ready for something new and this sounds interesting to me. My 2 cents.
Capn Dunsell.
Roddenberry ***is dead*** so you can have your cake and eat it!!!
As for religion: TOS was about social, political and passion-logic conflicts. Social conflicts were embodied in Uhura, and to a lesser extent, Sulu. Political conflicts came in the form of Chekov. And of course, the passion-logic conflic was McCoy-Spock.
To really recapture the spirit of TOS, IMO, you’d need all of these, brought up to date. Now, what are the social conflicts of modern America? The one that springs to mind is Islam. So too with polical conflicts. Note that I do not mean Arab states — Iraq and Iran are Persian, the Moros of the Phillipines, are, well, Filipino, but they’re all considered Islamic threats.
The logical conclusion, then, is to have an Islamic character on the show.
As for a passion-logic conflict, we’ve seen it several times from the logical point of view: Spock, Data, Tuvok…It’d be nice to see it from the passionate side of view — a free-spirited alien with no concept of logic who handed out hugs, sex, punches, and great works of art with equal facility and readiness.
Another aspect of modern life that the show could touch on — because TOS was about social issues, after all — would be the Boomer/Slacker conflict. Contrast a experienced, optimistic, but somewhat grumpy old character with a technically up-to-date, talented but lazy and cynical young character. It might be nice to have a Dax host as the Boomer character. Then you’d get lines like, “…and there we were, Benjamin and I, scanning Tribbles -by hand- in the storage bin so Kirk wouldn’t get his rear end blown up and mess up the timeline.”
Greetings one and all,
I have been a fan of Star Trek since the age of 5. A bleak and crumbling Federation, seems to be to Tim Burton, don’t get me wrong, I like some of his movies. Using the Romulans as a reason for the fall of the Federation is just to, pardon me LAME! After the Dominion war and Nemesis, their would have to be a huge political upheaval that would probly cause a Romulan cival war between the old goverment and the unification faction that Spock started in Next Generation. CBS needs to do something that no one else has done and ask the fans what we want. I fought long and hard to save Enterprise, but it did not matter what the fans wanted UPN was determine to end the seseries. I say give US a VOICE. Even J.J. ABRAMS wants to keep with the values and legacy of Star Trek, intact.
ARE YOU LISTENING CBS.
With all due respect to these talented writers and illustrators, here´s my two cents. A STAR TREK series i would like to see, it should be more scientific minded, more like Carl Sagan´s Cosmos, with imagination and invention. Space is big and complex. Enough of this gloomy, local, temporary, “terrorist hunting”, “we must survive”, “all aliens are enemies” thing. This world we´re living in, or the way CNN paints it, it´s not the real world per se, it´s a fake world, with renewed artificial fear and very convenient fear planted all around.
Stop watching CNN, get in tune with the Discovery Channel, and National Geographic, more like “The Travels of Jacques-Yves Cousteau”. Picard himself as at first inspired by Cousteau.
Anyway, good luck in this enterprise.
…………………wow, its crazy…step away from this forum for a day and i have already lost what the topic was for some of these postings. I think the postings should return to what they once were. Peaceful, fun, friendly and more importantly the postings had IDEAS. They were trying to tell us something. These new postings are filled with fear of the future, anger at the present, and no notion of the past. Writers of current postings have no idea what the topic they are writing about, they are just filling in their own present opinion for something that does not match the beginning of what these postings were about.
I just hope for the day when the postings I once watched and read as a child will return, so as everyone will see the glory of the posting once again…………………………….ha, sarcasm
#290 acb!!!
I’ve tried to keep things in perspective with numerous posts but there’s a lot of talking and little listening taking place in this discussion.
It’s good to see a familiar, sane face back in the trenches.
RE: #273
“Re: post-9/11 allegories”
There is a faction of like-minded people with massive influence on both entertainment and journalism today that want to saturate everything broadcast with what you describe as “9/11 allegories”. It’s called social engineering and it isn’t centrally controlled. It’s more like letting loose a virus and hoping it infects far and wide.
What does it have to do with the cartoon? Not much really. But I suppose what you’ve been hearing on this thread from me and a handful of others (besides the Trek vs Trek debate) is the desire of at least some Trek fans for Star Trek not to have anything to do with that current phenomenon.
#292 senya cartel
Social engineering connotates a conscious attempt to manipulate and defraud the public at large. You’re correct to note that issue has nothing to do with this proposed webtoon. I think David Rossi is trying to “grow the brand” in a relatively cheap and experimental way. If it fails, no one will suffer. If it is compelling, fun entertainment, then maybe there’s a story there worth expanding into other forms of media.
I wish more people kept their perspective clear on this project. Why things need to inflate into Trek v. Trek debates is beyond me. If you like Voyager and I don’t (as a hypothetical example) that doesn’t threaten my love of Star Trek that we disagree. We’re way into each other’s business these days. Let people be as they please.
This site is a new venture. A lot of the readers here disagree on everything! But a majority of us (prior to this specific discussion) have adhered to Anthony Pascale’s call for civil discourse. We don’t have to agree with everyone, instead it is the tone of the debate is what matters most. Certainly, we do not condone personal attacks. And Anthony has the power to ban folks that go too far, but its important that we set an example and act like grown-ups. I appreciate your willingness to explain your point of view. That’s the kind of thing that makes this whole site worthwhile. I look forward to future discussions with you.
Having read more comments on this subject I’m coming to the view that maybe the idea isn’t as bad as I first thought. I’m one of those rare bread of Trek fans that likes all the series {all had very good eps and some truely lousy ones}. If this adds to what I’ve already enjoyed heck I’ll give it a go. And who knows if it is sucsessful it may lead to other animated projects. Heres to the future The Undiscovered Country.
Star Trek: Andromeda??
No thanks. Pass.
Do it. Why not?
CBS considera revivir la franquicia Star Trek con una serie animada en Internet…
Parece ser que Star Trek vuelve con fuerza, a juzgar por la noticia que publicaba Trekmovie hace unos dÃas. A la pelÃcula que ya está en preparación, se le une el proyecto que el productor David Rossi lleva tiempo preparando sobre un Star Trek lige…
aslong as it does not become Star Trek: Anime. I would love to see a more realistic animated Star Trek series, not just a crappy remake of another cartoon/real-life series. Put some thought into it and use what Star Trek has given to us.
I think I’m all ‘contributed out’ on this thread now. Great talking with everyone and keep up the discussion! Adam Cohen, acb, stephenmartin, an olde-timey-fan and co, seeya on another thread in while!!
BOOOOOOORING
Dom, thanks for the resonable response soooo many posts back. I’ll see you on the next as well.
Phil… from your point of view… perhaps
This show is TOOOOOOOOOOOO dark…and nothing about ‘exploring’ anything….Star Wars has LiteSabers, Trek has exploration and the human condition..this show, about a devatsated Federation, will do nothing to inspire anything..just a bunch of ‘Earthlings screwed up everything’ crap….
Bad Idea….Bad animation….
Our hopes are with STAR TREK JJ ABRAMS…
oh, and way too late likely…
I don’t recall giving up DS9 during the Dominion war. And were did this “millions of viewers stopped watching” thing come from. Show me the numbers, bud.
An anime-based Trek miniseries would be freed from the budget devils that have always plagued the live-action Trek TV shows and movies. Animation could be fantastic for Trek, opening up all-new vistas for strange new worlds. Let’s hope CBS recognizes a good idea when it sees it.
Too dark and gloomy. I liked how TOS and TNG kept everything cheery and hopeful. Think Star Trek should stay with live-action too.
CANT WAIT TILL STMMO COMES OUT!
anime is crap
#249 - ” At the very least, gimme some FACIAL HAIR.”
good grief
what is wrong with clean cut?
there is enough anti-hero stuff out there as it is…
and my last post was in no way a sign of support for this animated thing but it is a sign of support for having our heroes portrayed as clean cut individuals
‘i like things cheery and hopeful’
…well there is alwasy the Tellytubbies
folks…drama comes from conflict.
look at the universe of the entire Star wars saga..especially ep III-VI (ie ‘the good ones’). That was comprise of optimistic characters in a very dark and unhappy universe. It is the characters that count and their stories.
Setting isnt story.
the above animated cartoon does have a dark backstory, but its story is about a couragous and optimistic hero and his intrepid crew trying to bring light back to the galaxy. If the galaxy was already squeeky clean and perfect what would the fun of that be?
This sounds like Star WARS not Star TREK.
I never thought this would generate this many posts…
#309 Anthony Pascale wrote: “If the galaxy was already squeeky clean and perfect what would the fun of that be?”
THE NEXT GENERATION!
(jk, TNGers, I’m a fan of your show too!)
trek doesnt need a toon or a 150 year jump in “a” future. its like there was a fuck up with Enterprise so lets go back to the future far away from whats familar. i think it will serve no justice to the franchises before it ( archer kirk picard sisco janeway) there will be too many flashback stories too many references to history because it has to keep the old fans - not just TOS but the DS9′er too.
i dont see anything wrong with a joint picture TNG DS9 VOY its all the same time line there still many stories left to tell.
archer , on enterprise, met people for the 1st time yet the audience already knew them and this future cartoon will be some chump trying to put the universe back to how the audience remembered it, hell the fans should write in and tell the toon captain how to do his job somwhow we are all authorities on trek by this point.
my vote on Proposel CT (cartoon trek) is no and yes on LA ( live action)
50 years after ST:X maybe but none of this next gen next gen. everything that we would know as fans would be dead and we’ll watch some rookie trying to put it back … so who screwed it up in the first place
DS9 was on the right track trek was really out there in the universe dealing with everyone and everything - it didnt get the credit it deserved. take that and expend on it make it darker grittier . it was good. film it on higher quality film and make it look like the other shows instead of a sci fi soap.
Trek has always reflected the times it was produced in. TOS dealt with the cold war, TNG embraced the touchy feel nineties (ship’s counsellor anyone?) and DS9 was openly an allegory for the fall of the USSR and the gradual introduction of new, smaller states into the global stage. Similarly, ENTERPRISE dealt (When it was on form) with a world trying to figure out a new status quo for itself and for all its faults, embraced one of Trek’s principle concerns; the altrusitic quest for knowledge and humanity uniting behind the common cause of a search for ways to make things better.
And this does the exact same thing. I love it. I think it’s a great idea that does exactly what needs to be done to the series.
-The timeframe works because anything set in the NEXT GEN universe will instantly have to fit into three series and countless novels worth of continuity. By skipping ahead and by taking the concept back to its roots you have a concept which will attract new viewers as well as seasoned fans.
-The Romulan war makes sense firstly because they’re the great untapped enemy, even now and secondly because of the reveal. History is never clean cut, never simple and never easy. Wars are fought for no reason and the idea of a larger force manipulating the Federation and Romulans into all out war, or even it being an accident, reflects this.
-I’m sorry but where’s the similarity to Galactica? This reads like a show about a ship on border patrol run by a Captain who bends the rules to go and explore from time to time. There’s no omnipresent enemy, no constant fleeing from that enemy and no armageddon. This is a story set in the STAR TREK universe, recognisably in the STAR TREK universe, just further along.
-What really sells me on this is the idea of humanity rediscovering its lust for knowledge and exploration. The fact is, that six years in, the 21st century is absolutely not living up to expectations. It’s all too easy to want to lose sight of the big ideals and if this show is about rediscovering them then I’m well and truly onboard for it.
Of course, given Paramount’s less than stellar recent track record, I don’t believe we’ll ever see it. Still, nice idea:)
u know the more i think of the logistics of the story concept for what they have proposed for this webisodes the more i find myself in a cunnundrum.
1st of all, how could any of the ships; without warp drive; manage to protect any borders since it would take them years to reach anyways. And if they were left to protect the borders around which the “omega particles” did not affect….well why really worry, since any ship travelling through it would take YEARS to get any great distance.
2nd why would someone [romulan or otherwise] use a weapon that would cripple not only their enemies, but themselves as well from being able to use warp drive in a large area for an extended period of time on end. Unless it breaksdown over time, it would make little sense because if it was a “divide and conquer” scenario again it would take YEARS to do so without any way to maintain it.
3rd and since it is hinted the Romulans did not do it, why would they align with such a source who could easily destroy them.
Now I know that there are very easy counter points to any of the notions i have presented, since in one way or another they have had similar instances shown in forms of Trek already (ie Dominion wars with Cardassians siding on opposing force) but that is also an issue, technically it has been done already to a degree.
Now i have given the story concept as to a “darker tone” and some of the arguements presented here. It was not until I watched the remastered “Corbonite Maneuver” again last night (They actually show Trek remastered twice each weekend here in Baltimore, niiicceee) and remembered a point brought about by DOM about the original TOS and the notions of the dangers of the unknown presented within it compared to TNG.
TOS did have its much darker ideas of space compared to TNG when it came to both those of the crew of the Enterprise for the uncertainty laid within each encounter and more importantly, the fact that many of the aliens they encountered were actually dangerous. TNG for the most part at some of this at times, but most aliens (about 86%) were friendly, political and rather pc when it came to new encounters. Now this is fine in some instances, but TOS captured more of human nature by having new encounters laced with prejudices, fear, and quick assumptions based on lack of information that is just apart of who were are at some level.
So I propose this idea for the new webisodes (mainly for my own gratification and those who wish to respond) What if u have the shows centered around the actual “Omega Attack” (which needs a better name) occuring within the first episode or two. Picture it as if one day on TOS the enterprise was just on normal duty patrol and then all of a sudden the attack happens. Or perhaps even have it as it is; about 60 years after this unknown attack where the “omega particles” are subsiding and they can now travel through the space regions affecting. The attack may have resulted in a communication loss with the Romulan and Klingon empires. Half of the federation is closed off just as the proposed plot entails, and now we come to watch how these members of the Federation now venture back into the affected areas to see what has occured. Slowly u have the story unfold where we see that “something” had come in and destroyed most of the Romulan and Klingon Empires in shambles. Have the story arch drag out as the new Enterprise can use warp; but only at around warp 1 for certain amounts of time. Thus the whole story deals with the Federation still rebuilding itself within its lost area; with the uncertainty of what had occurred and only now being able to piece it all together.
Its along what they have proposed before, but the crew would not be so one minded in personal stances as proposed in the original material. Here u could address issues of moving into the “lost” regions because u do not know what has happened and what is out their anymore or who is left, but it could be coupled with the notion of having to help those who have been residing in the lost regions all this time.
Now have this build on itself to where u have a last encounter with an “unknown” alien race (or perhaps one that ties into a previous story from TOS or TNG.. but nothing from Ds9 or the others; has to be a classic tie in) where the Federation and the remains of those from the Romulan and Klingon empires come together to fight for their own survival together.
Yes it is a little Dominion wars, but like i said if u can capture that idea of the unknown again and I feel that if structured right the story could be engrossing as slowly what happened to the “lost” regions unfolds. what do u guys think?
I think animated webisodes of Trek is a fantastic idea and we can look to the worlds of Doctor Who to find precedence. About five years ago the BBC produced some animated webisodes. The animation was crude, but the story was interesting and novel for Doctor Who. Anyway, the traffic to the webisode site was so huge on the first day that the server was shut down temporarily. This proved to the BBC that there was still an audience for Doctor Who. They produced three more webisodes and now today we have a new Doctor Who show that is the top show at the BBC. Also, during the era of these Doctor Who webisodes there were several quasi-official fan productions, and many of those writers now writre for the new series.
So I think we should embrace animated webisodes, embrace “New Voyages”, demonstrate to TPTB that there is still an audience for Trek and give time for somebody to come of with an interesting approach to a live action trek that will both reboot the series and appeal to fans of the classic series. Until then I’m happy to watch BSG, Doctor Who, Trek Remastered and all of the other sci fi out there that I love.
I’ve thought for years that Trek should do “The Four Years War”.
During this series they wouldn’t follow the exploits of just a single ship and crew, but any number of crews fighting in the war (including the Klingons).
Just a thought.
i basically stopped reading about this when i got to “surprise attack of dozens of ‘Omega particle’ detonations throughout the Federation creating vast areas which become impassible to warp travel”… o.O wait what!?
next thing i know the vulcans leave the federation, romulans somehow take over the klingon homeworld (you know, they just maneuvered around those omega particle holes), and we’ve killed off Andorians. (no one liked those blue guys anyway right?)
oh wait, and it’s all in 2D equipped with action-packed battle armor ripped straight from something in between lord of the rings and cartoon network’s teen titans.
great idea guys… really focusing on Gene’s vision. and this is all post-Picard!? this is what the 3rd generation of trek is focused on?
After looking on CBS website I found out they are not willing to taking anybody elses ideas but their own.
Anyways just out of coursity how much does it cost to make a star trek animation cartoon.
[…] Under the headline “CBS Considering New Animated Trek Series For The Web” Trek Movie reports: The idea for a new animated Trek started back around the time that Star Trek Enterprise was cancelled. David Rossi and his partners didn’t buy into the notion that Star Trek ‘needed a rest’. “We wanted to spark a little life into Star Trek and to keep it alive in people’s eyes,” explains Rossi. They knew CBS and Paramount weren’t going to be keen on a new (and very expensive) live action show so they decided that animation was the way to go. Their first notion was to do a show set in the Original Series era (but not on the Enterprise), however that notion didn’t sit well with the people at CBS. Rossi then took the advice he got from LeVar Burton on how ‘Star Trek should always be about moving forward and what is next in the human adventure.’ So the team came up with the notion of taking a big leap forward and setting a show 150 years after the time of Picard and Star Trek Nemesis, but in a very different and somewhat dark Trek universe. CBS were more open to that idea and over the last year and a half have asked the team (now formed into Zero Room Productions) to flesh out their idea. Although CBS have not committed to the series, they have asked the team to develop test artwork and scripts for 5 mini episodes. […]
#319 That is why i was thinking image if it was an incident that occurs where all of a sudden a section of space is blocked (though i agree they need another idea that omega particles) where the warp drive is cut off and so is contact with the Romulan and Klingon empire and a large section of Federation space. No sensors or probes can penetrate the cut off section. Now have it be a few years after the initial “incident” and this captain of the Enterprise and his crew either: 1) Find a means to at least travel at warp one for short periods of time; to which allows them to venture into the “lost” region and find out what has happened or
2) Have it where whatever affects the ships warp begin to deteriorate or 3) a ship crosses from the “lost region” and its crew talks of the situations on the other side with vague references to an attack and individuals fighting one another for survival in space.
Now, just picture an entire few seasons set on the fact of this new Enterprise investigating the “lost region” to discover what has happened, to help who they can, restore some order and report it back to the Federation. The only catch is that once they enter the “lost region” they can not contact Star Fleet; thus they are on their own in this large sector of space with no knowledge of what to expect.
They can discover new life forms still because, even though it is “charted” territory there are still sections that were not 100% investigated and when u are forced to move slower then u catch more of what u may have overlooked when traveling at warp. U can also set story arches to revolve around uncovering what has happened; to where u may find that the Romulan Empire has been destroyed and the Klingons are spread through out the lost region along with multiple other races.
Combine this with perhaps an unfolding story idea of a new enemy (or one that can be drawn from a past episode of TOS or TNG perhaps; but definitely not the Dominion) that has come about to attack this region and over the course of perhaps a few seasons of web episodes we discover is preparing to position itself to take down the Federation, and having only been halted due to the underestimating the remaining Klingon and Romulan forces. That way the Federation can still be the Federation and the notion of what it and The Enterprise stand for ( a beacon of hope) can be reiterated in this series as it was in TOS, along with the ton of uncertainty and danger Kirk and crew faced in space in the original series. Not to mention it opens up many stories of character potential not only for the crew of this Enterprise but for the survivors who have been liviing within the “lost region” since the incident.
“Mr. Rossi…is an imaginative writer who isn’t afraid to push the envelope.”
Talk about laying it on thick. Is someone looking for an internship?
No offense, but what have these guys done? Rossi “produced” a 40 year old rerun, Doug was a clearance supervisor 7 years ago, and Jose was a PA.
No wonder the studios haven’t gone with it. They are obviously looking for someone to come in and run it. They aren’t going to turn the franchise over to unproven novices.
and roddenberry was a cop. way to pigeonhole people
sorry, i just work with people that only see people as their positions and those people suck. Rossi worked on Trek for a long time and was a producer on Enterprise. i don’t know the other 2 names, but people have to start somewhere. i like the premise and say give them their shot. rossi seems pretty passionate about trek based on his G-4 appearance and the great work he and okuda are doing on trek remastered.
you’d rather another berman get a crack at it? PLEEEEAAAAASE. at least it’ll be in the hands of someone who knows something about the franchise.
And further more YES, i’d like an internship LOL
The Trek world is IDIC….bring it on!
“and roddenberry was a cop.”
Actaully Rodenberry wrote over 30 episodic scripts for a variety of TV programs before TOS hit the airwaves. He didn’t roll straight out of the squad car and onto the studio lot.
it’s better to keep your mouth shut and have people think you are an idiot rather than speak up and prove them right.
sorry, i just work with people who don’t know what they are talking about and those people suck.
But at some point he DID roll onto a studio lot. His transition from cop to writer happened how exactly? Someone at a studio didn’t gave him a break when his resume said cop? Of course they did. And they did because his work spoke for itself, not because someone said “All this guy’s ever done is be a cop? Forget it.”
“it’s better to keep your mouth shut and have people think you are an idiot rather than speak up and prove them right.” Agreed.
and your imdb search on the other names, obviously an exhaustive search of ALL their capabilities, is as narrow sighted as your feeling that 6 minute long web cartoons is “turning the franchise over to unproven novices.” Because I’m sure Doug Mirabello has no other experience than the clearances he did 7 years ago and Jose Munoz couldn’t possibly have learned more than what being a Production Assistant offered him. And they only turned the Original Series over to Rossi to remaster. Thats a bit of “turning the franchise over” I believe. Lets all share a collective “Thank God” you weren’t the studio exec that Roddenberry approached for a break.
“sorry, i just work with people who don’t know what they are talking about and those people suck.” Mister Kettle, allow me to introduce you to Mister Black.
And if you’re looking for a professional break or advancement, it STILL sucks being looked at as nothing more than your current job no matter how you slice it. Ihope they get the chance and I hope they knock our socks off.
OK. Sounds good. I like the idea.
However, what I’d REALLY like to see, is a feature film that covers the time period where the Federation falls.
The teaser trailer would go something like…
“No government…”
“No empire…”
“No federation…”
“…lasts forever”
(during this speech the camera would pan in on the seal of the United Federation of Planets. As the word ‘forever’ is said, the seal cracks and crumbles into dust.).
After that, the title of the film is shown:-
“FEDERATION’S END”
And, I think Joe Straczynski would be the best man to write it.
I’ve read a BUNCH of Trek pitches since ‘Nemesis’ tanked. Hands down, this is the best one yet. It’s socially relevant, makes excellent use of Trek history and takes us even further into the future… Everything Trek should be.
Please don’t do it.
CLASSIC TREK FOREVER.
“Of course they did.”
Please stop illustrating you don’t know anything about the business. The studio didn’t give him a break. It was the staff of television programs that bought his scripts that gave him a break, and most likely before that an agent. Unless you can name the studio exec who, according to you, gave Roddenberrry his big break?
You think these guys must have done something other than what’s on their bios, but offer no proof. Of course, because Hollywood is filled with modest people who want to keep their resume a secret. The next time you know what you are talking about will be the first time.
“And they only turned the Original Series over to Rossi to remaster. Thats a bit of ‘turning the franchise over’ I believe.”
It’s not like Rossi got carte blance to do what he wanted. He was asked to oversee effects shots, making him a post production supervisor. That’s a far cry from being “an imaginative writer who isn’t afraid to push the envelope”.
“it STILL sucks being looked at as nothing more than your current job no matter how you slice it.”
I’m sure it does for you. Now go get me an order of large fries.
Capt. Sulu…that kind of belligerence is not tollerated here
and you are wrong
Anthony, please show me one instance where what I have said was wrong.
Awwww now you’re all angry. You came off initially as a cold, heartless, rigid kind of guy. But you’re really quite…sensitive, aren’t you.
The bottom line is (even though you won’t admit it because it would mean you had to recant something you’ve said and that would impact that very large yet fragile ego) Roddenberry was a cop and became successful as a writer in the Entertainment business because someone gave him a shot. And as a staff writer on a police show or Western (a lot of what Roddenberry did) I believe it was Lucille Ball of Desilu that stood up for that till-then staff writer when he approached her with a sci-fi concept for his own show.
I would guess that Hollywood is replete with people struggling to make it and get discovered creatively. Just because they have no credits, doesn’t mean their ideas are no good. They just need that break.
This angry attitude of denegrating people because your computer tells you they don’t have experience is just narrow-minded. It is. What’s your beef with giving people a shot?
What have you done Mister Hollywood? Where is your long list of credits and successes that afford you the luxury to bash others? Oh right, you have a computer. Your attitude is exactly the kind that Shatner must have molded his “Has Been” song after. Give it a listen.
Maybe you should think about the small fries. Fat and angry is no way to go through life, son.
Spockariffic…same warning to you
and to everyone…stop the personal attacks..
I have given a lot of leeway in this thread because of all the new people and interest, but enough is enough
I really dont like to have to police this stuff and I dont want to debate it….no more personal attacks period
I stand appropriately admonished Anthony. Sorry I got sucked in, but some people..grrrrrrrrrrr.
Continue to love the site.
“Awwww now you’re all angry.”
Awwww, you continue to remain clueless. There’s no anger on my end, just frustration that someone who apparently knows so little says so much combined with the patience to school you.
I know consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, but if someone is supposed to take you seriously, the trick is not to constantly change your position. You started with the studio giving a cop a break to a generic someone giving him a break. Though you aren’t man enough to admit you were wrong, I see you’ve conceded to my point.
“Just because they have no credits, doesn’t mean their ideas are no good.”
Did you do an exhaustive search to find out they have no credits? And why do my credits matter? One minute you don’t care about them, the next you do. You might need to change your name to Schizoriffic. While I have worked in many aspects from greenlighting scripts to post production, I currently cover the industry for a few magazines. That’s why unlike you, I don’t have to guess about Hollywood.
Plus, I never said their ideas weren’t good. I said they weren’t proven. Studios are businesses and they usually take risks with unknown players, especially with franchise material. It’s not like The Little Rascals putting on a show in their uncle’s barn.
I am thinking about small fries otherwise I wouldn’t be providing you with this free education. I am neither fat or angry, so stop projecting.
Rossi has strong credits as associate producer on the spinoff TV shows. His role as producer on Star Trek Remastered has been described in the press as being considerably more than that of “post production supervisor.” And in my view, his writing as described in the pitch for his Star Trek Animated series qualifies him as “imaginative writer who isn’t afraid to push the envelope.”
For whatever it’s worth, Lucille Ball did arguably give Roddenberry his big break. She, as president of the studio, chose to follow the recommendation of Herb Solow, her VP of development. Solow, in his book “Inside Star Trek,” credits Ball.
Yes but…..what about my version (posts 316 and 322). Lets talk creative deduction, not semantics on Roddenberry. I think the idea can be adjusted to work well, with my posts as an example.
The truth is we don’t knwo what they have planned. We have less than an outline sketched out via interview. If tehy’ve been in talks for a year or whatever and they have the first bunch of scripts, they must have stuff plotted out.
I hope CBS does this. I wanna see the new Enterprise!!
#322
“to slowly go where no man has gone before”
i like how you elaborated on the idea, but i still don’t think it’s a very interesting one in the first place. in a way it’s very similar to VOY. “we’re gonna get there… come on guys… almost there… we’re gonna make it” . and who wants another show copying the TNG formula again and again?
like i said, instead of a cartoon anime show, we could have a full blown new live action star trek with a new idea and new cast… although that’s never going to happen (soon) is it?
oh well…
(Ok, initial warning anyone who reads this may want to read postings 316 and 322 for some of this to make sense)
Actually the tone i was imagining for the version I posted is that of a loose comparison to the feeling of lets say “a zombie film.” Now what i mean by this, before anyone jumps on me, is in the notion of how zombie films present their incident (a zombie infestation) early in the film and then cut forward after the infestation has happened, where u have your characters now going through the aftermath and we as the audience are placed in their shoes; seeing what has happened without actually witnessing the action. Let are imaginations create what occured and then focus on this new Enterprise crew attempting to survive in the cut off region so as to find out what has happened while the possibility of attack and death is always eminate; there are no safe zones.
U can even add interest by really nailing the backstory before they jump into such a product. Say figuring out that if this was an attack by a “new” race, then they chose to attack the Klingon and Romulans first because
1. Neither one would assist the other in combining forces
2. With the Klingons and Romulans out of the way, the Federation is the only one left, and since no communications can leave the regions they can perform a preemptive strike before the Federation would have time to prepare.
I do kind of like one part of the concept: take away what we have become accustomed to in some degrees; not only from the point of the audience but also from the point of the characters. Perhaps have it where all three groups had grown too comfortable within their own “worlds” and now the incident forces all three to connect more with the other. Sometimes it takes a large event to cross social prejudices, and this can be shown here in Trek as a possible crossing point to where an eventual coming together may be reached by all parties.
Its just what would need to be captured very well for such a version to work is the actual threat, which the example of a zombie feel is the best comparison i can make at this point (and only at the initial establishment of the developing story as i explained before, not an entire zombie film).
I can see your point about making it interesting though. Thats why I think there is an element there that may work, but as i was saying I do think it needs to go through many more stages before it gets to a solid framework; which i do not feel they have with this one.
Plus if the elements of where the ship cannot communicate or call for help is done correctly I feel that it does not neccessary have to fall anywhere near being similar to voyager, especially if a new writing staff is implemented. There are many stories in film and television that can be compared to one another on a basic level (Terminator and The Matrix = technology conquering humanity) but can focus on particular aspects to make themselve different.
That and if u can capture a real sense of possiblity threat from this “new race” I think there are many elements to explore that are still Trek, as long as they keep the Federation more or less close to its depiction from TOS and TNG and not “updating” it into an early 21st century one.
Okay, what the heck does this mean?
“Star Trek may be set for a comeback into yet another arena, this time in the 2nd dimension.”
When has Trek NOT been in the second dimension??
……………………………..well it has not been in the two dimension on every live performance that was filmed using 3 dimensional actors.
Umm…Doesn’t Enterprise establish that the Federation is stronger in the 26th century then it is in Picard’s era (with the Klingon’s among other’s joining).
Dont know for sure, stopped watching Enterprise after episode I……like alot of others. but even if it did, this could be used to show the catalyst for that. If this new Enterprise does go and venture into the “lost regions” as i described in earlier posts (#’s 316, 322, 344) then the Klingons could see such an action as couragous, and if it goes further to where this new Enterprise helps combat the “new enemy” then that could be shown to lead to a longer lasting peace.
According to Enterprise, by the 26th Century the Federation was a far more powerful entity than it was in the 24th century, and it is at least implied that it is still alive and well into the 29th century.
ok…………………but that does not go to say that they did not have to fight for that either though, which I think..if done right…this story element can show that.
350 posts and still going strong…wow! A record thread here on Trekmovie.com?
Mike
It just seems like a stretch…I mean we know that in the 26th century there is a Federation Starship Enterprise, we have seen the design, and it looks similar to the other one’s.
It just seems like this “dark time” comes out of no where.
For example, by the 2550’s, there is an Enterprise J that teams with the Xindi.
Damn, that looks corny.
I like my Post-TNG better, with David Alter, the Ent-K, and Transporter/Replicator based stuff, like Customizor Arrays.
We “know”, Seth? Phhh, that’s if you accept Enterprise, but as Picard said: “I think they’re going to keep building them until they run out of letters”, so there’s likely gonna be Enterprises in many versions of continuity for centuries and centuries.
how about everyone stop thinking about themselves and start thinking about more. every thought & idea is a great opportunity wait to take flight….take advantage…make it happen…believe…That is what I feel Gene Roddenbery’s true nature was!
Okay, anyone who is still saying things like “this post-9/11 world” needs to be punched in the face. It was not the end of the world, people. If we’re still living in “uncertainty and fear” (and I personally am not), it’s only because people are still waving their hands going “booga booga 9/11! Terrorism! Be afraid!” Star Trek is fundamentally about hope even when the situation looks bleak.
That said, I liked Andromeda, and I’d welcome the chance to see some red shirts who aren’t, well, redshirts. If this series is good it may even make up for some of Enterprise. A little bit, at least.
startrek is too serious to be made into a cartoon. besides that, this is completely against cannon. i think it would be cool, but only if no writers at all of the live action shows considered it cannon that needs to be stuck to. if they did, that would ruin star trek.
TOS-ANIMATED !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I wish it was 3d Computer animation rather than 2d.
Hello Star Trek: Enterprise #2m or should we call it ‘Animated Enterprise - Twice removed from the timeline’?
I remember these same comments from the (not so) dynamic duo of Berman and Braga before they got canned fr attempting to can the franchise! Gritty, New, Dark, these are all words that should be read, we are doing it our way whether the fans like it or not.
This, in the end, won’t be a show about Star Trek, or for the fans. It will be these producers way of saying, ‘here I am, I worked on a big franchise, now give me my own show.’ Just like Berman and Braga tried to do (Have you heard anything about there big time travel series, I thought not).
On second thought let me add….
How is this an allegory to the post 9/11 world????
Was America split in half with our vast network of interstates destroyed?
Are the good old days of TV, politics, music on demand, technology to serve your every whim removed?
Our are world leaders begging with all there might to stretch out the hand of peace while the masses stand shoulder to shoulder screaming ‘BLOOD, BLOOD, BLOOD’?
I think not if it were then The Federation would be secure in the knowledge that they bludgeoned the immenent threat of the Sigma Iotians, the Pakleds, and the ever pesky Halkins before they had a chance to rise to galactic prominence and threaten to look cross-eyed at the Federation Council.
The citizens of the Federation of course would only be aware that while the Sigma Iotias were threatening to develop warp technology at some point in the near future, the Pakled were a band of theives intent on galactic domination, and those damn pesky Halkins (though outwardly peaceful) did in fact have the technological means to create a doomsday machine.
That is the citizens who weren’t busy buying up the new cyberpod with the lastest in downloadable (at a small price) video games, music, and movies.
The only fear is that coming from Hollywoods fear factory. If you want to make an allegory of the real world, make it a point to actual see what is happening in the real world.
I understand these people are busy in there dark rooms and there production staff meetings but the real world is but a door away, really. Bring your sunglasses, cause it is brighter out here then in there!
355-Ellis
I couldn’t agree more. This is a tremendous opportunity to do something both new (In terms of timeframe) and absolutely faithful to original TREK (Returning to slightly maverick Captains, making large areas of space unknown and mysterious again). As for whether or not its canon, firstly I could honestly care less as long as the stories are good and secondly, surely that’s for Mike Okuda to worry about:)
The amazing thing about this project is not its pros and cons, but the amount of people here whose kneejerk reaction to new Trek is negative. It’s like Enterprise all over, where fairweather fans abandoned the franchise. Personally, I am a fan of all Trek. Each series had its ups and downs, strengths and weaknesses, but in the end I’m just happy to watch Trek. If Star Trek is to go on, which undoubtedly it will, then Trek fans need to stop being such a group of whiners and complainers. For god’s sakes, just enjoy new Trek, whatever its form. To a true fan, any Trek ought to be better than 90% of the other shows out there on TV.
364th posting wow
LLAP
Star Trek: Battlestar Andromeda.
Way to make baby Spock cry.
366th post. How about that for being late to a conversation.
To be honest, Star Trek, in every inception, is truly great. It is a story that ranks with the likes of Asimov’s Foundation Series or Clarke’s Space Odysseys.
I am saddened, however, of the dabate that it creates. To be sure, it has its strengths and weaknesses, its positives and negatives. Everybody has a right to dislike TNG or hate TOS.
I’d like to make this as succinct as possible. Let Star Trek go in whatever direction it’ll go in. I would hope that it would be forward, and I hope that it would retain some semblance of its style.
Star Trek shouldn’t be about making parallels to our current social situations. That would be illogical. Grab a ship, maybe a rickity old Miranda Class, and have it traverse the galaxy in a mission to find new life. Fill the crew with likeable and memorable characters, such as Kirk or Data, and put them into a community together. Imbue the missions with wonder, drama, humor, and disaster.
That is the essence of Star Trek. Adding current social commentary to a setting in the far future in which our society is completely different makes no sense.
I support this cartoon, although I would suggest that they remove the half-baked “omega particle” idea. Give this captain Chase a new ship, nor some half-battered leaky barge with the name Enterprise. That name has run its course. Give it an original name. If you want to revive a series like this, lay to rest the old things, and generate something new.
Infuse a little more fantasy in it. Fantasy would be good for this series. To be sure, the Q idea may have been a little too much. However, creativity and fresh ideas about the future of the Federation would make this more interesting. Using the same ideas over and over again would make the series dry and dull.
I do love all of the Star Trek series. Enterpise may have been disliked by many, but it explained many things (most notably in my mind the ridgeless Klingons of Kirk’s era).
Despite the fact that I’m 19, my opinion is that real sci-fi died with Heinlein and Asimov. Roddenberry was truly but a hiccup in sci-fi, although his name and Star Trek aren’t.
The perfect Star Trek series, in my opinion, would be one that focuses not on conflict, but story. DS9 had a terrible habbit of giving us little story with too much conflict. TNG, however, was successful because of its characters, storytelling, and fantasy.
We need a Next Next Generation.
366 I agree with much of what you say.
I just finnished watching Vol 1 of The Clone wars, please don’t make the animated series anime. Star Trek should be inovitive, not dirivative. If they want to stick with 2D animation atleast do good 2D animation.
I like the idea. Finally they will approach things more realistically like Enterprise was on the track of doing before it was canned. But it should have been live action. This “cartoon” wont survive if it cant be as good as the Batman,X-men,G.I.Joe,Transformers,Macross,Gundam(most series),and even Star Wars. But then again there is ALOT of crap animation shows on the air. There is room for this to thrive.
This is Star Trek: Clone Wars. How much storytelling can you do in 6 minutes? Even the acts of a 50-minute episode were longer than 6 minutes.
Even though I’m excited about this concept, I am a little worried.
Firstly, the dark setting. Now I’m not against this but I just hope the whole series isn’t totally pitch black with violence, suspicion and treachery. We need a light at the end of the tunnel. The idea of Vulcan withdrawing from the Federation and the Klingons taking a beating from the Romulans just doesn’t make sense. It’s very un-Trek.
Secondly, the era I mean the 26th Century is pretty distant even for Picard, I’m worried that it might be too far into the future.
But on the other hand, perhaps this is what Trek needs, a major shake-up so that it can come full-circle. Enterprise wasn’t very Trek, Star Trek is about looking forward not backward. While Gene Roddenberry may have had concerns over the nature of DS9 and the sometimes plodding pace of Voyager I doubt he would have supported a series that ran into the past. Prequels rarely ever work and in Trek’s case they likely never will.
But I like how this concept is paying tribute to TOS. Having command officers wear gold rather than red, and holding back from cursing the crew to wear the awful spandex jumpsuits from TMP and the first 2 seasons of TNG. Though to honest I’d rather they wore something similar to the burgundy uniforms first seen in TWOK.
I hope this series is green-lighted, TAS was the first major step towards bringing Trek back to our screens and sometimes you have to start small-scale in order to achieve something bigger.
I will not tolerate any defeat. The Federation loosing Andoria and Vulcan! The Klingons occupied by the Romulans! That’s impossible! Everyone knows the Klingons. I think it’s a joke! It was enough with the Dominion War during the 24th century.A such scenario would desappoint any Trek fans!
I think it will be better without a such disaster. And the Enterprise, is she the same as the Enterprise-J from STAR TREK:ENTERPRISE that fought the Sphere-Builders in the battle of Procyon V? Is there something
coherent with the STAR TREK phylosophy? If it is not the case it is not STAR TREK!
Please. PLEASE don’t screw up Star Trek like this.
OH Please People stop whining! this is a great idea! the only thing that is constant in this universe of ours is change, and in 150 years from now our society wont be the same, just look back at our world 150 years ago. plus Star Trek needs to have it’s ups and downs in it’s universe, that’s how its work in reality. Zero Room Productions I think you guys are going to do a great job, I say go for it!!! and may the winds be at your backs, you’ve created a brave new world for Trek. I only wish that I was with you on your adventure! I guess the next best thing is to watch the show when it comes out on our side of the alfa-quadrant.
For those of you who hate this idea, and wish Star Trek would go back to its happy days… I’m sorry.. it’s not going to happen…Star Trek is dead to you. That premise will not draw an audience.
Its an Animated series with an interesting plot that i believe will draw in a new audience, much like TNG did.
I’ve read some posts above and some people actually say “to proceed with this story line would be unforgivable”…. You’re a jerk…lol these people have give you sooo much entertainment that you have no right to complain about anything…. If any thing you say “Thank you”
Deep Space Nine had a dark premise…. It was an incredible show. It still dealt with the issues TNG and TOS did, but with the dark premise on top…
I think everyone should calm down; it’s simply an animated series with mini episodes… Some people will say it won’t fall into the “Star Trek Time Line”, much like the novels. I wouldn’t disagree with that, I just think this is an interesting idea and that people should give it a chance before judging it a failure..
You wanna animated Star Trek series that’ll work? I’ll give ya one.
Based upon the model provided us by the various Justice League series that have come down the pike in recent years, we kick things off with one more season of episodes along the lines of the ‘73-74 series, with the surviving cast members and someone new to do McCoy and Scotty (I’m thinking Craig Ferguson for Scotty and other miscellaneous voices), so we can effectively have our fifth season of TOS and put a fork in that section of the franchise.
Then, pick up with a new run of episodes beginning with the end of TMP. Those uniforms may have been bland as a week-old bagel on film, but for animation, they’re perfect. And with presumably two five year missions between TMP and TWOK, that’s plenty of room to play in.
As for this post-apocolyptic proposal that’s currently on the table, I have said it before and I’ll say it again: It’s just a Star Trek spin on the Andromeda concept, which itself was just a mushing together of Genesis II and Roddenberry’s “Starship” concept from the mid 70’s. In other words, it’s been done, with debatable quality. Personally, I liked Andromeda, while others absolutely despise anything past the second season. Since I don’t see this one rising to even that level of quality, it’s best to get back to basics and try something a bit more established.
374 I’m afraid its you who has no idea. The whole point to the reason Trek has survived this long and will survive well into the future is it’s optermistic view of the future. Simple we survived. We didn’t wipe ourselves out in some global catastrophe. WELL written Trek will always draw an audience, wether the stories are up beat or dark. One thing anyone attempting to create new Trek should remember though is Trek at it’s best runs the full gambit of emotions. It can be sad on moment and have you belly laughing the next something both the produces of this animated series and JJ should remember.
LLAP
ps if nothing else this article has created plenty of discussion.
There is only one way to make a Star Trek anything work. That is to create a series that dose not inclued all powerful characters (Q), time travel, or alternate realities. You will destroy a new series if you add those elements. Enterprise was a great series until two years of time travel made it so unbelivable that people just go bored and stopped watching it.
[…] Yet, even as science is central to the American experience, it gets short shrift in popular culture. Often marginalized, occasionally trashed, seldom if ever was it celebrated properly — until Star Trek. The accomplishment of Star Trek, and the true source of its enduring appeal, was its portrayal of a future in which adventure and romance go hand in hand with rationality — or, as one like-minded fan commented recently, It isn’t Star Trek’s “optimism” that made it great. It’s the idea that in the future the Carl Sagans of the universe will be in charge and successfully run society on the principles of secular humanism and science while the George Bush and Dick Cheneys of the universe are Klingons. Star Trek is about the promise of a new Enlightenment […] […]
Gene Rodenberry would be appauled.
Is this what the vision is reduced to? The only admiral part to this idea, is the notion that it will confront the major social issues of our time.
Star Trek is great because it conbined thought-provoking ideas with entertainment, presented by aspirational charactors.
The way forward should not be to move further away, into the future. To be a success, we must return to the core, the beginnings of Star Trek. Rodenberry gave us a dream, why are they trying to invent another winning formula. This is not to say re-do the old stuff, like a possible line of the film XI.
Take the the early works, of the original series and the next gen and look at them. Find what makes them still good to watch now, even with the out-dated effects, low-buget sets and old-fasioned hair-styles. Why do people still buy the DVD’s? Find the vision; the essence of Trek.
Then, use it.
Add to it the second component - entertainment. Use the modern CIG, humour, language, camera styles. Use the modern issues of today. But do not modernise the heart. Don’t change it make an Independance Day, a Star Wars, a Mission Impossible; or dare I say Film XI?
Return to the beginning formula and place it in the entertaining medium of the day.
Entertainment made Trek popular, the dream made it timeless.
I don’t mind darkness in Trek, but I think the idea of a “devastated” Federation is just so counter-Trek. Trek is supposed to be–ultimately–hopeful, and to try to sell the idea to Trek fans that all the efforts of Kirk, Picard, etc. are ultimately wasted in a giant war is not really going to sit well. Besides, “Enterprise” went all post 9/11 on us and look how that turned out.
PS: That said, I’m all for animated Trek:
http://www.auroratrek.com
I think the concept sounds terrific. I really like the idea of taking a new series further into the future rather than this ridiculous obsession with prequals. The Star Wars prequal movies were awful, Star Trek: Enterprise was mediocre at best (and not because of Scott Bacula who is fantastic). Star Trek is supposed to be about moving forward, so the concept of a show set after TNG, VOY, and DS9 is exactly what the franchise needs. I think a new crew and ship sound great too. The animation style has me a bit concerned, but I like the darker story line that is being discussed. And for those who don’t think that a cartoon can be adult oriented, check out Adult Swim!
A cartoon carrying the franchise? Another war-based Trek? Sorry — not interested.
Has it ever occurred to anyone that Star Trek’s numbers started to decline precisely BECAUSE the Bermans and Bragas running the franchise introduced darker story lines, protracted wars, deeply flawed characters and a future that was far too uncertain and too similar to today for it to be comfortable? I for one am not interested or need an ambivalent future.
Does Star Trek need conflict to succeed? Yes, and humour and silliness and occasional self deprecation. –just like the Original series. But conflict doesn’t always mean war — a fact that seemed to be lost on too many of the franchise’s would-be revisionists.
Can’t say I’m intrigued about this concept except that it’s set in a post TNG era. As it stands, the back story sounds too much like a cross between ANDROMEDA (remember that?) and BATTLESTAR GALACTICA.
In place of it (and keeping relevant, thank you) consider an alternate post-Dominion War scenario: societies trying to rebuild and restabilize, people tired of fighting, a general malaise setting in — sound familiar? And yet the galaxy is still over 80% unexplored. A new Enterprise setting out to recapture the wonder of exploration and the unknown and offer people renewed hope– certainly a throwback to the promise of the original series, and THAT’S something I could get excited about!
In response to an earlier post about how Star Trek shouldn’t have all-powerful forces like the Q. I agree but up to a point, Q, V’ger and others made the Federation look ridiculously weak at times. DS9’s portrayl of the the Trek universe wasn’t just that it felt much more genuine but it was far more entertaining than having an god-like force call humans primitive and spend a whole episode poking fun at them.
As for Carl Sargan-like people running the future, well not that it’s bad in any way (Sargan to my knowledge wasn’t all for destroying Religion) it was too unreal to believe. Ira Steven Behr’s vision of a Federation united by countless ideals, many of which often collided was far more interesting and believable. And even though Behr and others wrote episodes dealing with a clash of ideals it’s not as if he had the Federation split between the Religious-Right and the Secular-Left. To me the idea of the Federation is that even though you may disagree with someone you can still live and work beside them and not hate them for having an opinion that is in conflict with your own.
Much of the time in TNG the Federation portrayed the Human race as having a 1-Size-Fits-All policy and that can’t work. I think it was Robert Moore who said that Roddenberry’s vision of a Human who doesn’t have conflicts with another Human whilst ideal didn’t work as if limited the character’s depth.
Anyway, I’m all for this new animation and I hope it gets the green-light.
I believe that the Xindi and the Klingons were part of the Federation on the XVI century. And the war between the Federation and the Creators of the Spheres (of ENT) shows a powerful Federation, not a shadow of a better past.
Even the color of the uniforms are different,…
This is not Star Trek, its the death of the Trek universe…
In my opinion if Trek is to have a new animated series, which I feel would be a great idea I feel it should be set in either TOS or Next Gen time periods. Also now that Paramount owns Dream Works it should be done by them using the latest 3-d computer animation.
LLAP
something new = soemthing worth seeing
“Optimism and pessimism, as cosmic philosophies, show the same naive humanism; the great world, so far as we know it from the philosophy of nature, is neither good nor bad, and is not concerned to make us happy or unhappy. All such philosophies spring from a self-importance and are best corrected by a little astronomy.”
-Bertrand Russell
Well I have enough doom and gloom in my life and I miss the Candy coated trek but I do like Anime,space battles, and star trek in any form so I will watch it and be happy that as with the first animated series it won’t be considered Cannon.
They are doing everything in there power to destroy what star trek stands for it’s the shadow government a group of the richest most powerful people on earth at work they are trying to make a anti federation were the world is brought together under a iron fist and all are freedoms are erased they are responsible for all the major events threw out history assassinations, terrorism, the world wars, disease, all in attempt to cut the world’s population to a more manageable level and to bring the world under there control haven’t you noticed how things are slowly changing for the worse? How even old people that have lived in really dark times are starting to say things are really bad? We must take control of Star trek and make it pure again, let it be our sword against them.
Who says that an animated version has to be “campy” All you need to do is look at the “almost” cult like status of the following animated series:
Justice League, Batman, Batman Beyond. They were all highly successful and critically acclaimed and have huge fan followings. If DONE RIGHT — this can be a great thing
Vulcans left the Federation, Klinogn Empire defeated. Come on, be serious, they’re making us hate the species that brought us Spock and T’Pol. And the Klingons, come on. And why do the weapons and uniforms look very familiar to 24th century ones, you know how far technology has progressed, the real world technology progressed within the blink of an eye, but what about the federation, even with aliens technologically advanced
Finally! Trek is growing up. The goody-two-shoes days worked in the 80s but got far too old and obsolete for the new century. DS9 did good things in the last 3 seasons and this is taking it farther.
Good job!
Oh geez, please don’t say it should be computer animated. I am myself a computer animator, and with the budget limits of a small cartoon like this, you don’t want a crappy CG result. By the way Paramount owns DreamWorks live action, not DreamWorks Animation.
I really like the designs of the characters. I personally love the darker aspects of Star Trek, but I’m not so sure that an armageddon story, without a Federation, would work. The appeal of Star Trek, and what sets it apart, is that it has an optomistic view of the future. DS9 and First Contact were the only two Treks that were somehow able to mix Trek optimisim with believable “dark” human drama.
**addition**
At the same time, I think it’s worth checking out. An armageddon story doesn’t mean armageddon in real life. If it comes to be, I’ll watch it, and reserve judgement until then.
Reserve judgement? Does that have any meaning on these boards?
If it happens well and good, but i still dislike the animation style. Also I’m far from happy with the ‘Dark’ future. I’m not a cononist but lets face facts it totally blows away the future history of Trek.
Why not do an Andromida animated series if they want a dark future, oh I forgot that wouldn’t get the audience a Trek series will. This is nothing but a badly thought out grab for cash.
I am a long time Star Trek Fan! Although Clone Wars explained what was missing in the Star Wars Universe, This has nothing to do with the original series of Star Trek! If you follow the original history of Trek! Captain Pike was in charge of the enterprise, Before Kirk! No starship Enterprise was aroung before that? So are they planning an alternate universe theme once again, Or are they just off on a wild tangent again!
Enterprise was ok, But they change Gene’s history of Trek. If an animated series is in the fold, Maybe they should stick with a 24th century theme, So they might have guest spots from, Next Generation DS9 & Voyager!
“Just a thought” If the animation looks like Clone Wars, I probably won’t watch. I Think cartoonist’s should take a look at some Japanese comic books on Trek and see real cartooning at it’s best……….
Hailing frequencies closed:
they need to shake it up. What they should do is almost a restart, set 150 years in the future, but after a massive war, say like they mentioned with the romulans, but the federation was decimated and earth has been cut off for maybe a hundred years and they’re finally getting back to the stars, maybe breaking out of an ancient blockade left by the romulans to reclaim their rights to the stars. Now, that would be cool. Reinvent the series in a new way, sort of start over farther ahead in the future. I like that idea! Hell, why don’t they just let me write the damned thing!
People want to see the federation kick ass, not get kicked in the ass. I want to see a trek universe that gets better as time goes on, not worse. And for those of you who think that a new series should be dark because of the “dark age” we live in now remember that the great creator made his show during Vietnam, a war that makes Iraq look like a cakewalk, and I don’t remember a lot of Kirk and Spock fighting in the jungle of Ceti Alpha ‘Nam. Star Trek was popular because it took serious issues and showed how humanity has found the answers to them in the future. If having a tos-esque or tng-esque trek isn’t possible in today’s television atmosphere, then I would rather have it rest in piece that be bastardized by CBS executives looking to make a quick buck.
I have a dream, a Federation where Romulans, Klingons, Humans, and Vulcans live in piece. If this isn’t possible, let Star Trek be damned.
I like the idea of Trek focusing on the problems of our current world. If I want the extreme optimism of the future I’ll pop in my TOS or TNG dvds. Any new Trek is better than nothing. I would watch it either way.
I think it’s a mistake for Star Trek to try to move the story to a time earlier than what we’ve seen so far. In addition to good stories, I think many Trek fans are fascinated by the technical gadgets. Seeing a Trek crew less technically advanced, to me, is frustrating at times. I was disappointed when I heard about Star Trek: Enterprise, but watched it anyway because I’m a loyal fan. But I was really hoping for a series that would take us further into the future with technologies that would seem like magic compared to Picard’s Enterprise and Janeway’s Voyager. I think the year 3000 would be a nice place to go, and in a seven-year run, there could be a few episodes that reveal some highlights of what happened from 2350 to 3000. I agree with the idea of a “dark series,” but I only wish it was live action, or at least computer-animated characters. Technology has advanced since the amazing Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within. Surely a new Trek series would look best if animated this way.
Is it just me, or do all the characters look like they’ve fallen out of an Esurance TV advert? Did Paramount learn noting from the crash and burn of Enterprise.
This lame attempt is some hack’s attempt to make a name for himself with someone else’s material. Either keep to the Roddeenberry model or just rebrand whatever the concept is.
Final fantasy is gay
wow……….I am surprised this forum is still running.
Animated series is opening up new opporunity that hasn’t been presented to everyone for while. Different era to play with. Bit Edgier than before.
However, sounds like despite its edgie appearance, sounds like their trying to get back to basics of trying make animated series more than just flash and bang like later tv series were. Try be more like TOS by reflecting on current events as the old TOS did.
I just hope their more creative this time around. Thou 6 minute episodes aren’t exactly something i’m looking forward too. Worked for Clone Wars but doesn’t mean it would for trek.
I’d definitely watch it.
But the best thing about Star Trek has always been the detail in it’s history. Enemies become friends, friends become enemies, actions have consequences and these rattle their way down the timeline should the writers decide that it should be so. That is a lot of back-story to include in a 6-minute webisode.
The Clone Wars worked only because we already knew the back story after seeing Star Wars II.
I’d prefer something to flesh out the existing series as they already stand. Something like the history of the Klingon Empire or an Andorian ship during the Romulan War.
Personally, I’d love to see the confrontation between the Romulans and Federation writ large from the Romuan point of view. Just imagine the levels of subterfuge the Romulans would go through in order to interfere with the continued growth of the Federation - like the proxy wars of the Cold War with one side supported by the Soviets, the other by the US. This could lead to great interaction with other races as the Romulans would not think twice about providing advanced technology to infant races if they thought it would further their aims (ie, is the militaristic Cardassian government of DS9 a result of Romulan support and direction - the number of similarities in structure are striking).
I think that if this incarnation was to exist without the proper history, it will be ignored by most and be easily ignored.
I say Kudoos! Yeah… Yeah… It isn’t like the TOS TNG DS9 or E(thank goodness!!) but than every Star Trek Enterprise isn’t gonna follow the exact same plot as the other… (DS9 followed a war torn Voyager followed a “Lost in Space” arc and Enterprise,by concept, follows a pre-Federation exploration arc) so if you look at it from a different view their might be something worth checking out…. and it helps on a concept I have wrote (for personal use or fanfic or maybe more…) which is set in 3177,over a 1000 years after the Federation’s formation, also a “divided” (more for over territoral expansion reasons) and a group who does more investigative crime work (NCIS meets Section 31) along with exploration (”SPOILER”one of the main characters is a decended of Captian JamesT. Kirk and a Romulan the group’s medical expert ) . Just an idea I’m working Like said it is something personall I am interested in seeing the animated series idea… if it comes to being.
I said: every Star Trek Enterprise isn’t gonna follow the exact same plot as the other…
That’s Star Trek Franchjse not Enterprise…sorry
!
Who in the CBS Corporation can i write to stop such an atrocity from occurring? The last thing we need is a Dark future to a dark time in star trek history. Look how well Enterprise did with that ‘cruddy ship’ appeal. What we need is the happiness and technological wonders that Gene Roddenberry gave us in 1966. If that means waiting a few years for a new show, thats fine with me. It was years before TNG came around, and look at how well it did. We need time to come up with new ideas, and for people to stop being so fascinated by sad plots.
As someone who has grown up with startrek,born 1969. I would hate to see it rinsed out in this fashion. How about some films based on DS9 which in my view,is the best of the bunch. Gritty and realistic. Wonder why they dont show that series on british tv. Could it be that it shows parallels to real life i.e. racism,military occupation etc?
Star trek DS9 is the best of the bunch. How about some DS9 films!
I don’t really agree that DS9 was best, but I loved it and definitely want a TV movie at the very least. Except for the resolution of the Dominion War, I felt very unsatisfied with the ending and would like to see Captain Sisko’s return. And if we’re going to talk about a Romulan war, why not do a series based on the promise of the producers of Enterprise that we would actually get to witness the FIRST Earth/Romulan war? Enterprise was building up to that. Whether you were an Enterprise fan or not, I’m sure most of us would love to see that.
Anyway, as for my thoughts on this potential animated series: Firstly, we all want Trek to be “relevant” again, but you all know that this would never be taken seriously by the general public. I myself am a casual Anime’ fan, but a half-hour animated series on TV is never seen as anything more than children’s fare by the general viewing audience, much less 6 minute “webisodes”. it will be seen as a novelty for hardcore fans only, much like the comics. So what is CBS/Paramount’s thinking on this? The only potential income awaiting them on this project is DVD sales. They would make much more money with a live-action series. Failure or not, Paramount could not have possibly lost money on Enterprise, could it? Paramount seems to think making money on a new live-action TV show is now an impossibility. It isn’t, and we need to be vocal about that. They just need to be fresh and creative. There have been a few comparisons of this concept to the new Galactica, but I think it has a few unique ideas.
I have no real problem with the premise, it might be kind of cool. And it would still espouse Roddenberry’s dream, since the main character is striving to rebuild the utopia of the once-great Federation. Every moral of every story would involve that dream. Gene has used this idea before by saying that there was a third world war in the mid-21st century. The moral is that no matter how bad things get, humanity can not only recover, it can become better.
I say, change the backstory a little and make it live action. Why a war with the Romulans? Why not say that the Borg decided to invade the Alpha Quadrant in full force and sent hundreds of cube ships to invade instead of just one, but were ultimately defeated? Why do they always send just one ship, anyway? lol We know they have the resources and the intent, it would make much more sense to write about a war with them. They were more interested in Omega than anyone. Hmm, just a thought, maybe they were the ones who were actually responsible? At the very least, say that the Dominion rebuilt their forces and came back with a vengeance.
I just hope that we can trust CBS with the franchise. They initially passed on Gene’s pitch in 1964, and you know they have been kicking themselves in the pants for it ever since. Now they have it, let’s hope they will do something interesting with it. I for one do not believe that Trek “needs a rest” and I am certainly not looking forward to a revamped Kirk and Spock in the next movie.
I forgot to say, I would actually love to see a series based on the 29th-31st century time-traveling Starfleet we have seen hints of more than any other concept. I don’t think that area has been explored enough.
One more thing, lol. For those of you that don’t believe that this concept could work as a CGI series (I do), you should REALLY check out the link in post #381 www.auroratrek.com. I was VERY impressed with your series, Tom, if you’re reading! PLEASE finish episode 2 as soon as possible! Paramount should definitely funnel money into your project and make it a full-time series, as well as using your techniques for this new animated web project of theirs. Kudos!
Sorry about that, TIM Vining, not Tom.
[…] A new Star Trek animated series on the web? Hmm, I wonder if Trek fans will have any opinions about that? You can read the piece talking with mastermind Dave Rossi at Trekmovie.com. Oh and look, it appears I designed the early pitch pieces. […]
[…] Ein Konzept fehlt, auch wenn es indirekt in einer anderen Roddenberry Serie umgesetzt worden ist, nämlich den Fall der Föderation ähnlich dem Vorschlag der Trickfilmserie: CBS Considering New Animated Trek Series For The Web | TrekMovie.com Früher wäre ich dem recht kritisch gegenübergestanden (das tue ich an sich immer noch), heutzutage denke ich jedoch, dass es eine der Möglichkeiten wäre Trek wieder in den Fokus zurück zu bringen. __________________ Meine Fanpage: www.startrek-club.de Original Zitat von Kilana zum Thema "Was ENT fehlt": Der Serie fehlen Gegner die auch akzeptieren können, dass ‘Enterprise’ auch gute Aspekte hat. […]
This sounds WAY, WAY too dark for Star Trek. They blew up Andoria and took away the Vulcans! How does that fit into the whole thing? Plus making half the federation go omega turns me off. It’s too much disaster for Star Trek.
Maybe a war with the romulans and stopping the threat of omega explosions, that sounds better if you ask me. No offense to anyone, but i hope they don’t give this the go ahead, and if they do that it isn’t considered cannon.
First time poster here. I have read most of the posts here and one thing bothers me about this discussion. A lot of people keep saying things like: “this is not what Gene Rodenberry would have envisioned” or “this is not Roddenberry’s vision of the future”. Another poster previously stated that TOS wasn’t all that “cheerful and happy” and pointed out many details to prove that point. Plus remember TOS came out at a time when “Flipperâ€, “I Dream of Genie†and “Andy Griffith†were the top shows. TOS was a very gritty show for it’s time.
Now I am certainly not Gene Rodenberry nor do I claim to know what his definitive version of the future was but it seems to me that his vision of the future was more about humanity uniting and over coming its differences. I don’t think his vision was a happy cheerful place were everyone holds hands and sings Koom by yah all the time.
At the time TOS came out the world was fearful of nuclear war and humanity in general didn’t know if there would even be a future. What Rodenberry showed us was a future where humanity over came those problems and unified as a species and flourished. Exactly what the world needed at the time.
Even in Rodenberry’s future, humanity’s past wasn’t perfect. The Eugenics War, World War 3, The Romulan War, and the conflict with the Klingons were all a part of the history of Gene’s “positive future”. Granted humanity had over come those issues by the time the TOS time line started but all of that was part of humanities past. What I believe Gene wanted to show was that Humanity is capable of over coming even the worst of things and if we believe in the potential that we have, the future will be great.
To me it sounds as if this new Cartoon series seems to fit with Gene’s vision perfectly. You have a past where things have gone to crap (like the eugenics war, WWIII, Romulan War) and you have a Starfleet vessel attempting to overcome those obstacles and make a positive future. The series does not appear to focus on a Romulan War. The Article states the war has been over for 60 years. It is in the past by the time the series begins.
For all of those that are making the argument that this new series does not fit with Rodenberry’s vision of future, I don’t see how you can make that conclusion based on the few facts presented in the article. To me the premise for the series seems to fit Rodenberry’s vision of the future better than any trek since TNG.
On a side note I am not one of those Trek fans that feels everything labeled Trek must fit into the tiny confines of what was established during what was made in Rodenberry’s life time. I personally believe DS9 is the utmost pinnacle of Star Trek. By far the most intelligent and well written Trek IMO. But I do believe DS9 was not exactly in line with all the ideals that Gene had laid out. But that is fine by me. It was a great show regardless. My argument here is to point out that using the argument that the premise for this new cartoon series does not fit Rodenberry’s vision is a little off base, IMO.
Kamen
Sounds good to me. I hope they go ahead with it.
I especially like the look of those uniforms.
I always thought a Pike-era Star “Trek” animated series, with a “Batman: The Animated Series” feel to it would be cool. This might work, too, but I hope it’s not too militaristic. As was said above, we need optimism now just as much as we did pre-Vietnam War.
While the idea is intriguing, I’m not liking it.
go for it. I think its fresh and has a good storyline. I mean the TOS was good but the franchise just can’t live in the past. I mean if they want to take this big leap why not. trust me i think you should GO FOR IT AND LETS SEE WHAT HAPPENS
has anyone heard any news about this??
even the Zero Room temp site has been offline for quite a few months, and the domain available. this does not fill me with confidence…
Now I agree that Star Trek is optimistic but wouldn’t that be a great topic? Not lossing the hope and optimism even in light of the absolute horribleness surrounding you everyday. That sounds like ST at its best. And I have to agree about it NOT being a spoof. People seem to think that weird crazy stuff has to be taken light heartedly because if you take it too serioulsy it will just seem stupid, but I can’t disagree more. One of the major rules of writing sci-fi or anything that goes outside our normal world is to set your rules and then don’t apoligize. In order to get people to believe and get pulled in, you have to act and write as if the crazy stuff is absolutely normal. Star Trek is about many things but one of the main componets IS the weird aliens and crazy stuff. Don’t spoof this part of it instead embrace it and write awesomly cool stories using that “goofy” part of it.
Star trek is only lame and stupid, when people try to apoligize for it and “make it cool.” Don’t try to appeal to the younger crowd. Just stick to what makes Star Trek, Star Trek and thats appealing enough.
Remember the TNG episode when an old Enterprise came through some time warp, and it changed the future, having the Federation at war? That was shocking because Star Trek isn’t about war. It’s about a charismatic captain and crew exploring the galaxy. And while I liked DS9, it was more of a side story to TNG.
And I liked Clone Wars, too. But I agree with others that Star Trek means a certain formula. Voyager was terrible because it was like Gilligan’s Island and I couldn’t watch Enterprise because the very premise was ridiculous. The franchise was going backwards. A uniform and phaser does not Star Trek make. Everyone loves TNG Trek. Why not do another show like that one? I just don’t get it.
If they were to do a new cartoon series after TOS like the reanimation episode they are working on, this could be really awesome!!!! and a Huge Sucess!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This new cartoon idea is garbage. When are they going to do one about the first Romulan War. That would be much more interresting. Plus the Romulans looked like they were going to become allies at the end of Nemesis.
Yah, now I know why Trek has been floundering, it apparently has some of the most self-jilted, close minded and utterly paranoid fans in Sci-Fi. All of you “Kirk and TOS only” guys need to be shot into the sun for being such huge trek fans that you don’t actually understand “Trek” at all. It’s about moving forward and doing new things and whether or not it’s Trek isn’t up to a bunch of fanboys with Lucas-like control issues no matter what you may think.
TOS TNG, both had a lot about more “advance” life forms and the fedrations interactions with them. TNG had the “Q” an powerful avanced species that did nothing but played games with the crew and constantly called them pathatic. TOS had alot of distopias, many episode had a basicly messed up soultion applied to some problem and having a horible messed up outcome. The virus that end old age yet killed everyone who was over the purberty. Hence the problem with voager it for most part was basicly like a bunch of filler episodes of TNG stringed to gather. DS 9 I liked it, it had a little to many filer episodes. TOS captin Krik if he was anything he had a tendancy to mess with authority. Half of the episode at least to me are to me at least Kirk starting a rebillion(of one form or another). So a filer episode was when either the captian was not encountering a “advanced” lifeform or starting a rebillion, there where very few filer episode that I know about. The basic theme of TOS to me at least was messing with authority. Theme if TNG was alot of times authority is messing with me, Q, borg, all the avanced aliens things that just mess with them how they basicly just limped along. I think that if they are actual able to do both make it unique and intresting enought and also able to actual use the fact that is set in the whole “start trek” universe in some usefuly way it could be good.
i agree it about time for a new cartoon,comic,animation show on tv.I cnt wait for a good star trek show. How about base on the fed.and romulan war in the begin and then fill in the blank of star trek.
Star Trek is a Great Show.
I like the idea behind it, but I’m not sure if I like the cartoon concept. I’ve always found cartoons to be less than actual shows, but as its Trek I’ll give it a go.
Great premise, but don’t set it so far in the future. 10 or 20 years from Picard’s time is fine. Stop going backwards….MOVE FORWARD is a good thing.
Lets see the movie first before the over-saturation begins-again. Roddenberry was an awful writer so lets get that out there. His ideas, as seen in TNG lost all of their dramatic possibilites as he tried to make everyone perfect; never argued, never indulged in selfish tendencies. Zzzzz. His only asset was the optimism the show inspired. If they keep that sentiment throughout any future Trek incarnations, Trek will live for as long as it wants.
I’ve had a great idea similar to this for years. Have Frakes as Captain, the Federation is destroyed. A biological disaster learned later to be caused by the political hacks in charge. Has caused politcal strife and massive planet secessions.
Starfleet ships and it’s officers are fugitives. The Caddassians, Romulans, Klingons and Ferenghis, greedy opportunistic humans and other life forms take advange of the warring. All fight for control of the galaxy. Each race has it’s own territory and will fight anyone to keep it. A nice way to ratchet up the paranoia and suspicion themes.
It would put Trek in an all new scenario-war. DS9 worked its best during it’s war story. BSG mines plenty of drama from the fugitive angle. Imagine Trek’s optimism set in the middle of a war-torn galaxy on the verge of collasping. Great stuff I say.
If this series is meant to parallel the post-9/11 world, then it’s just going to far. All al-Qaeda did was destroy a few buildings, and the US waged some relatively small-scale wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Here we are talking about a post-apocalyptic world where the Federation’s infrastructure has been wrecked and split in two and humanity is degenerating back to an older cultural state. Sorry, this is too much.
I like the concept of a “new’ Star Trek Animated series… and if this is the final premise, well, I’ll watch it… just because. But I agree with what most of the Fans here have been saying… it’s too much. The great appeal of Star Trek wasn’t the doom and gloom, but the hope for the future. That we can overcome and that we are able to unite and work for our common good.
Let’s keep Star Trek, Star Trek. Too many writers want to make Science Fiction dark and depressing. Philip K. Dick was great with his stories… Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep (Blade Runner) and You Can Buy It Wholesale (Total Recall) and building a darker world. And then we have the Matrix and it’s darker vision for the world… so let’s keep Star Trek, STAR TREK.
But again, I will watch this series because it is Star Trek.
[…] Forrás: http://trekmovie.com/2006/12/13/cbs-considering-new-animated-trek-series/ […]
[…] Forrás: http://trekmovie.com/2006/12/13/cbs-considering-new-animated-trek-series/ […]
Is there any sign of this thing actually being made. Been awhile…
I can handle the animation style, the plot, and even the darkness, but 6 minutes? Crap. Tell me a story. A GOOD story, and let me take time to enjoy it. Give me an hour a week where I can sit back and get to know some new characters..
I could go for a webtoon but would much prefer at least a 30min weekly cartoon for television. Also, I like that it would be a ‘darker’ Trek. No apologies for that, Star Trek has fallen to the wayside thanks to (1) Berman and Bragga’s horrifying mismanagement of the franchise and their ridiculous reliance on time-travel for storylines, and (2) Gene Roddenberry’s ‘Wagon Train to the Stars’ began turning into the vomit when it became ‘Little House on the Astro-Prairies’, which apparently is what he wanted… Not sure why, but whatever.
As a result, Star Trek became nice and safe and dull, and the stories and characters became unintersting pap because they were all about IDEALS and not PEOPLE. I can discuss ideals, but I can relate to people much better: That is where Roddenberry, Berman, and Bragga caused the biggest disconnect with fans and public, and it needs to be re-established. Also, major characters need to show the effects of the events of their lives, including the ‘bad’ times. Babylon 5 did this and its characters fresh and interesting. Star Trek did not, and they missed out on a lot of great opportunities to put human faces on its characters. Our loss.
Anyway, the web toon is based on overcoming adversity and pain, reclaiming civilization and returning to better times of enlightenment. If that’s not a good message worthy of Trek then nothing is and the series deserves to die with a whimper. As a lifetime Trek fan I feel let down and insulted by what Trek has melted down and morphed into, and I’m almost ready to give up the ghost on the whole franchise as a result. I like the idea for a new storyline, let’s see the characters discover themselves and their purpose without some dues aux machina like the grotesque surprise ending to the Dominion Wars on DS9, and let’s see it hit the television screen instead! Due to incompetent management and subsequent lack of interest, Star Trek needs a reboot: Even without a new movie, this could be the way!
Bah! Just an attempt by a bunch of mindless blobs to captialize on the name Star Trek. Six minutes because it fits well on a web or wireless delivery medium!
They will never understand what Star Trek is about and why people around the world have an interest in this ongoing story phenomenon. The use their weak thoughts to create mindless, puny entertainment(!?!?!?!) that they can not sell and then try to stamp it “Star Trek!”
Even worse would be the utilmate stupidity if Viacom approves such a concept and project. LIke lemmings to the sea, follow the least common denominator of reality programming and battle-filled entertainment.
TV has gone beyond the boob-tube stage and the vast wasteland; it has degnerated into the sewage lagoon of the entire universe!!!