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Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Michael's thoughts)

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  • Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Michael's thoughts)
• Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Michael's thoughts)

• Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Michael's thoughts)

  Michael > May 9th, 2022, 01:38 AM

  We watched the first episode of this new show. I wasn't thrilled, but it takes a while for new shows to find their rhythm so I'm not ready to write it off.
  
  But what bothers me a great deal is the appeal to nostalgia. They've populated Christopher Pike's Enterprise with characters who weren't even hinted at in the original pilot ("The Cage", or its adaptation, the 2-parter "Menagerie").
  
  It seems like the whole point of the show is to tease the viewers into cheering for every characters who should NOT be on that ship showing up in some weird role.
  
  I'd rather see a Star Trek show that introduces new characters, takes the Federation in new directions. And I hate to say it, but I think the problem with the whole franchise right now seems to be that Alex Kurtzman has no inspiration for anything new. Or else he's afraid or forbidden to do anything new.
  
  I loved Scott Bakula's retro show Star Trek: Enterprise, but it introduced a lot of new characters and retconned some pretty interesting things. Now it seems like every show in the franchise is trying to re-explain the past. And add to that the odd hints that they're trying to fix Star Trek's broken history (that is, the predictions from the 1960s of what supposedly happened in the late 20th and 21st centuries).
  
  They really don't need to explain anything. Star Trek has established that there are multiple timelines and parallel universes. We can just accept that the "wrong history" isn't about our timeline but rather about some parallel/alternate universe's timeline. So let's get on with the business of connecting the Federation/Alpha Quadrant to other parts of the galaxy (or maybe extra-galactic civilizations).

• RE: Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Michael's thoughts)

  Boomstick > July 18th, 2022, 05:30 PM

  (May 9th, 2022, 01:38 AM)Michael Wrote: We watched the first episode of this new show. I wasn't thrilled, but it takes a while for new shows to find their rhythm so I'm not ready to write it off.
  
  But what bothers me a great deal is the appeal to nostalgia. They've populated Christopher Pike's Enterprise with characters who weren't even hinted at in the original pilot ("The Cage", or its adaptation, the 2-parter "Menagerie").

  
  On one hand, I will check out Strange New Worlds eventually, just because it seems to have more nostalgia than Discovery or Picard, so at least I will have something to connect with. On the other hand, I agree with you. They should have done something set 20 years after the last TNG movie that was new. Like the difference between TOS and TNG, lets say. That leaves the TNG, DS9, and Voyager folks available for guest spots, but leaves it wide open to do what they want, too.
  
  

  Quote:I'd rather see a Star Trek show that introduces new characters, takes the Federation in new directions. And I hate to say it, but I think the problem with the whole franchise right now seems to be that Alex Kurtzman has no inspiration for anything new. Or else he's afraid or forbidden to do anything new.

  
  He's terrible. The more creative control he has over a project, the worse it is. I think a strong case can be made that his career is only producing worse and worse material. Obviously he's able to be involved in good projects, but I think the problem is when he's the head guy.
  
  
  

  Quote:I loved Scott Bakula's retro show Star Trek: Enterprise, but it introduced a lot of new characters and retconned some pretty interesting things. Now it seems like every show in the franchise is trying to re-explain the past. And add to that the odd hints that they're trying to fix Star Trek's broken history (that is, the predictions from the 1960s of what supposedly happened in the late 20th and 21st centuries).

  I nitpicked it to death at first, but in retrospect Enterprise retconned nothing compared to these shows.
  
  

  Quote:They really don't need to explain anything. Star Trek has established that there are multiple timelines and parallel universes. We can just accept that the "wrong history" isn't about our timeline but rather about some parallel/alternate universe's timeline. So let's get on with the business of connecting the Federation/Alpha Quadrant to other parts of the galaxy (or maybe extra-galactic civilizations).

  
  Yep. As Shatner has said, it's science fiction, you can do anything. It just helps if what you do makes some kind of sense, and gels with what went before.

• RE: Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Michael's thoughts)

  Michael > July 22nd, 2022, 01:40 AM

  I haven't found any motivation to try watching the new show again. We've been watching other things. Since we signed up for Netflix, we've binged on a number of shows. Our latest choice is Stranger Things. We've watched the first 2 seasons so far and it's much more engaging than these Star Trek shows have been.
  
  I really think the franchise needs to evolve. Appeals to nostalgia are ruining it for me. I understand these shows have audiences, but I think they are setting themselves up for disappointment in the long run by not demanding new ideas.

• RE: Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Michael's thoughts)

  august > July 22nd, 2022, 08:59 AM

  Hey just curious - how accessible is Stranger Things, for, say, a non-sc-fi fan? Like ET, for example - since I'm told this show channels that film's vibe of childish innocence - it set the sci-fi in the middle of very realistic 80's family/Disney/John Hughes sitcom land. Or Game of Thrones, which developed really intricate human relationships a la Mad Men or The Sopranos, in the middle of very realistic sets and locations and costumes....and then began to sneak the fantasy elements in after the first season.

• RE: Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Michael's thoughts)

  Boomstick > July 23rd, 2022, 03:21 PM

  (July 22nd, 2022, 01:40 AM)Michael Wrote: I haven't found any motivation to try watching the new show again. We've been watching other things. Since we signed up for Netflix, we've binged on a number of shows. Our latest choice is Stranger Things. We've watched the first 2 seasons so far and it's much more engaging than these Star Trek shows have been.
  
  I really think the franchise needs to evolve. Appeals to nostalgia are ruining it for me. I understand these shows have audiences, but I think they are setting themselves up for disappointment in the long run by not demanding new ideas.

  
  
  If you make shows as polarizing as Discovery and Picard, I don't think you've got much but nostalgia to retreat to. In and of itself, there's no problem with nostalgia. As I've said before, if anyone at Paramount was working with a full set of brain cells, they'd hire some of the top TNG writers to write a new episode, and then do CGI animated episodes. I am certain they would make a profit on it, and more likely it would be a massive success. You get the nostalgia of kind of having a new TNG episode, but if it's telling a really good story, it isn't just some hollow cash-in, it's a quality product in and of itself.
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