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from the so-many-spinoffs-I'm-getting-dizzy dept.
CBS is launching a new Star Trek series, Strange New Worlds, which will be a TOS prequel set prior to Kirk assuming command of the Enterprise. As in season 2 of Discovery, the new series will feature Anson Mount as Captain Pike, Rebecca Romjin as Number One, and Ethan Peck as Spock. Discovery has been polarizing for Star Trek fans with many fans criticizing the writing of both Discovery and Picard, saying it deviated from the defining characteristics of Star Trek. Despite the criticisms, Mount's portrayal of Pike in Discovery was generally received well. The story for the pilot will be developed by Akiva Goldsman, Alex Kurtzman, and Jenny Lumet, the first two of which are executive producers of Discovery. Because filming of TV shows has generally been halted by COVID-19, it is not known when the series will film or premiere on CBS' streaming service.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday May 16 2020, @10:43PM
I have no faith in this series because I think the current producers and directors don't understand Star Trek. There may be individually good episodes, but the series as a whole is almost certain to flop.
In light of Discovery and Piccard, I've recently developed a theory that Star Trek is "bad" science fiction (note the quotes). To be clear Star Trek is excellent science fiction, but when popular culture think of science fiction now-a-days they think dark, gritty, internal bickering over limited resources, etc. They want Bladerunner, Babylon, Neuromancer, and similar.
Which is fine for those who like it. And it's easier to write (writing an internal team fight is easy drama... how boring is it when the crew all get along with each other?).
The problem is that Star Trek is semi-unique (maybe even literally unique?) in that it is a bright, optimistic world. Even DS9, which is "darker and grittier," they were still good people trying to do good things in trying times.
The current rights-holders want the "hard men doing hard things" dystopic world falling apart world (e.g. in Picard, see the Romulan refugee settlement's dilapidated state, or the woman living in a trailer, and all the bickering and swearing). That's fine for those who like that, but that's not Star Trek. If the want to make "Babylon 6," then should "Neuromancerer Harder," they should just do it and not attach it to the expectations and baggage of Star Trek.
And until the directors, producers, and writers prove they understand Star Trek is meant to be an optimistic vision of humanity (not necessarily perfect, but at least optimistic), they will continue to fail.