Star Trek
Star Trek: Discovery
Star Trek has always been something I look back fondly on. Spending time with my Father; sitting in front of our old box TV waiting with baited breath for the new episodes. When they opening title sequence would come on and the song would start my Grandfather would come into the living room complaining about how that show was awful and crap. It was such a horrible show to him and how could we stand to watch that stuff. I was young when it aired and don’t remember much. I followed the series thru Star Trek: The Next Generation to Deep Space Nine, and after my Father’s death I stopped watching.
The films and new storylines set up by J.J. Abrams. Having children of my own has made me excited about hearing that they had made Brian Fuller showrunner and upset when I found out that before even scripts could be written he was out. Now I don’t know how I truly feel about the new twist in what is going on with this show. Over at recode.net they have released a podcast where they are talking with CBS Interactive CEO Jim Lanzone about the new show.
Here is an excerpt of what he said.
“Scifi is not something that has traditionally done really well on broadcast. It’s not impossible, for the future, if somebody figures it out. And things like Lost and Heroes have had parts of, you know, scifi, but historically, a show like Star Trek wouldn’t necessarily be a broadcast show, at this point. And so, you kind of look at the other networks we have, CW and Showtime, it just fit the with the digital audience and having that digital Star Trek audience.”
He is saying that the series as a whole will not be able to survive on a network. I understand that television has changed and is no longer what it use to be. The episodic nature is not something that can survive as we all know, and it’s not something I think they would want. Their thinking though that this show wouldn’t survive with the public as a whole is kind of sad when you think of it. The series has survived for 50 years and it does hold some staying power. Has inspired in one way or another other hit shows. I think if they did put it on basic television it would bring people. The hitch though is that the network can’t bungle it. It can’t turn into a situation that happened with Firefly.
That really isn’t even the saddest part of it but he also mentions how swearing and nudity could be added to the show. Which for me is not apart of what Star Trek is about.
“The showrunners were like ‘Oh yeah, we could do that,’” Lanzone recalled. “Of course, the response is, ‘As long as it serves the story.’ But yeah!”
“Naked aliens, and humans?” Kafka asked.
“Theoretically.”
“And swearing?”
“Whatever future swearing, 300 years in the future, would be."
It’s about us being our better selves. It has always been something that you can sit around watching with your family being engaged and pushed in your thinking and beliefs in creative ways. There has always been sex. Kirk even in the movies tries to get down with any and all women, no matter what it does or doesn’t have. There has never been any nudity or more intimate sex. I think they are still missing the point of the series if they think they should make this show adult.
We as a community should be keeping our eye on this sci-fi jewel. Star Wars and all the old series we grew up on are back and making money. Though those shows and movies are doing things for the most part that are true to their cannon. Though things have to change and have to evolve for a new generation don’t forget though that their is a beating heart to Trek and we should protect it. I hope that they do get this show in line with the vision of Gene and not take their cue from the movies and push this series out there more than it already has.
With the Presidential elections and the way the political atmosphere is we need something with a bit of joy and light. Having a story with morality and adventure is Star Trek. I am still excited about the show and where we are going. Just hope that they don’t bury this and that they give a more true sense of what Star Trek is. Not only will it help establish their online service but it’s what the fans want. The movie studios understand this and maybe soon television executives will learn. After all we know what the mission is.
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