Star Trek: Alpha to Delta Quadrants & Everything In Between

[T'hain Esh Kelch]

Based on how he said that it might not be the Picard we all know and love, I assume he will have developed his character quite a bit. If any of you have seen Logan, you know what I mean. I don't know if that is good or bad, but it might give us a complete different take on Star Trek as we know it, which may be a really good thing. If they have 4 series in development, that can't all be of the "explore and discover" kind of series.

 

[Coloratura]

Discovery got me to sub while it ran, despite it having issues (IMO), but I was hesitant. A series based on Jean-Luc Picard and starring Patrick Stewart himself will definitely get me to part with my money for CBS All Access.

 

[decafjava]

I am happy yet a bit nervous about this announcement at the same time, I mean Picard was and is my number 1 Starfleet captain and I just hope the show is up to the challenge.

 

[Coloratura]

I am happy yet a bit nervous about this announcement at the same time, I mean Picard was and is my number 1 Starfleet captain and I just hope the show is up to the challenge.

I kind of wonder if Bill Shatner hasn't already called CBS All Access with an idea of his own.

 

[alvindarkness]

20 years or so removed from the 1960's era of overbearing alpha male acting and he, the person, and the character role was the best way forward. That's not to say I don't like Shatner as Kirk, because I do in his own way. In a sense, one could argue that the advancement of time in the United Federation of Planets between Kirk's time and Picard's time also represented a shift in our own culture and time, and in the right direction too.

Every few years I do a complete Star Trek marathon in chronological order. Starting with Enterprise, TOS, TOS Animated, TNG then interleaving it with DS9 depending on star date, etc, etc. I always skip the JJ Abraham's (Kelvin time-line/universe) movies, and plan to skip Discovery next time round.

I find Kirk acting the alpha male more refreshing each time I do a complete star trek marathon. TOS has slowly gone from one of my least liked series to most liked, which has absolutely nothing to do with the alpha male aspect mind you - and everything to do with the brilliant story writing. But I can only imagine the alpha male character being more and more refreshing as time goes on.

On the other hand any new (JJ onwards) trek does very little for me, but this new potential Patrick Stewart series I would look forward too. The pessimist in me thinks it might be too discovery like though.

 

[ActionableMango]

I’m hopeful about the new series due to Patrick Stewart, but I don’t like Alex Kurtzman’s Star Trek projects all that much. He tends toward action over story and he also runs ragged over canon.

Here is Patrick Stewart on stage announcing his return:

 

[Huntn]

I’m hopeful about the new series due to Patrick Stewart, but I don’t like Alex Kurtzman’s Star Trek projects all that much. He tends toward action over story and he also runs ragged over canon.

Here is Patrick Stewart on stage announcing his return:

A valid concern. Imo, what seperate STNG was the quality of the writing. Early into Voyager, I was turned off by early shows, besides not liking the crew that much, at least one repeat theme from STNG that made me question writing talent, and then Enterprise, the stories I watched relyed on mechanical dynamics with thought provoking sci-fi concepts mostly absent. I want thought provoking action!

 

[Peace]

When I saw this the first thing I thought of was Picard walking through his vineyard at home. Retired from star fleet and doing the one off job for the academy.

Not sure what to think when they warned us it might not be the Star Trek we know and love.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I am happy yet a bit nervous about this announcement at the same time, I mean Picard was and is my number 1 Starfleet captain and I just hope the show is up to the challenge.

Agreed.

And I agree with @Huntn that what separated STNG from the others was the quality of the writing, plus the casting of Patrick Stewart as Jean-Luc Picard.

Instead of action and CGI, give us stories, real stories, thoughtfully structured and written with proper narrative arcs and good roles for actors, roles which allow for the development of character.

And give us actors, properly trained real actors, not just pretty faces and chiselled jaws and perfect teeth. And then - in support of these stories - let us have the action and setting of space, and whatever CGI is needed to make the story believable and credible.

None of the movies, not one, came anywhere near the best episodes of the respective series.

 

[cwerdna]

Well, the "new" series (Discovery?) is not something I have heard much about This Side of the Pond

As I mentioned before, ST: D is available on Netflix in 188 countries outside the US and Canada per https://media.netflix.com/en/press-...sion-series-in-188-countries-around-the-world.

I enjoyed it even though it was so different than all previous Trek shows.

If you're not a subscriber, just subscribe for a month to see how you like the show and the other stuff on the service. I don't know what country you're in (I can only guess the UK, given your expression), but you should be able to access all the other Trek shows and spinoffs, as well.

I hear plenty about it in my Facebook feed, likely because I already follow Takei and like a bunch of official Star Trek FB pages.

I just got back about 12 hours ago from the Vegas convention (I attended Thursday thru Sunday) and was in the auditorium when the announcement was made. Near the end of a panel, up on screen was something about Alex Kurztman having an important announcement at 1:30 (yeah whatever). He came out at 1:21 pm and talked about a new series, etc. and then as another video has it, he has someone come out to talk more about it. Turned out to be Patrick Stewart. This was a total shocker since he wasn't in the roster (https://www.creationent.com/cal/st_lasvegas_guests.html). As, as you could imagine those in the audience were thrilled to have him come out and to say that Jean-Luc Picard is back. Note: He didn't say Captain.

 

[wordsworth]

It's great to see Star Trek getting a whole new lease of life. I haven't seen Discovery yet but will no doubt catch it on DVD. I don't wish to subscribe to Netflix or any other of its ilk. I have plenty of DVDs here still in the shrinkwrap (I've got to get round to The Wire, for example, which I was well aware of when it was broadcast in the UK but couldn't get it on my terrestrial TV setup and only recently acquired in DVD format).

I haven't seen the rebooted Star Trek films either. I watched half an hour of the first of these on TV but wasn't quite in the mood – and it didn't manage to get me in the mood, what I saw. Again, I'll catch up with these at some point.

The Picard project sounds very interesting indeed. Thanks for posting the convention announcement by Patrick Stewart.

 

[cwerdna]

I didn't particular like the first episode, so I didn't subscribe to CBS All Access when that became the only way to watch STD. However, I've heard good things about it since, so I'm very curious. I subscribe to HBO and Netflix, but I watch both fairly frequently. $9.99 a month for one series seems a bit much. It's also too bad that STD is only available on Netflix outside the U.S.A.

Per https://www.cbs.com/all-access/subscription/plan/, is $5.99/mo w/ads and $9.99 "commercial free".

You could just subscribe, watch all STD eps and cancel in your first week or month or whatever.

CBS All Access AFAIK only makes sense to those of us in the US.

It's great to see Star Trek getting a whole new lease of life. I haven't seen Discovery yet but will no doubt catch it on DVD. I don't wish to subscribe to Netflix or any other of its ilk. I have plenty of DVDs here still in the shrinkwrap (I've got to get round to The Wire, for example, which I was well aware of when it was broadcast in the UK but couldn't get it on my terrestrial TV setup and only recently acquired in DVD format).

I haven't seen the rebooted Star Trek films either. I watched half an hour of the first of these on TV but wasn't quite in the mood – and it didn't manage to get me in the mood, what I saw. Again, I'll catch up with these at some point.

The Picard project sounds very interesting indeed. Thanks for posting the convention announcement by Patrick Stewart.

It was announced at the Vegas con that ST: D will be available on disc on Nov 13th. I'm assuming this is US. Unclear about rest of world.

As for not subscribing to "Netflix or any other of its ilk", I'm sure buying the box set whenever that comes out will be more than a month's subscription to Netflix. Don't know anything about rental choices in the UK, but I suspect renting all the discs will be as much or more than a month of Netflix. But I get it if you want to own a copy and be able to still watch it if/when you're no longer a subscriber.

I too have my concerns about what a future Picard show might look like. It seems like won't be a TNG continued. What kind of role would Jean-Luc have? Data's dead. Brent Spiner now looks much older and I don't think he'd want to deal w/the makeup and contacts of Data any longer, even as the retarded version https://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/B-4. I could see cameos or some semi-regular appearances by some TNG cast.

It's not easy to make great content. Hope they're able to make something compelling.

 

[wordsworth]

Yep. The day before the Discovery-on-disc announcement I spotted a 'Preorder' (an awful marketing person's made-up word: what they really mean is, 'You can order it now but we don't have any though when it's actually available you'll get it') reference to it on an Australian website I'd stumbled upon.

I'm not interested in Netflix et al simply because I don't have time to do justice to it/them. I watch about an hour, maybe two, of terrestrial TV each week, maximum – sometimes not at all, and otherwise I catch up on DVDs intermittently. I'm currently watching season two of Deadwood. I recently bought The Wire, various seasons, at £4 each including postage, new, so my DVD habit is quite affordable, though I did get ST Voyager at the approximate current going rate of £60. I've been wanting to revisit the Delta Quadrant for ages so I was happy to cough up.

I did consider signing up to Netflix when ST Discovery was announced as part of its stable but couldn't quite get past the line.

Great content not easy to do? I agree. I'm in awe of the acting and scripts in Deadwood. I love Mad Men too, for example: state of the art TV.

If the Picard concept can capture some of the TNG quality we'll surely be well entertained.

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

I think my kids are now old enough to appreciate Star Trek (they're 7 and 11). My question is this. Do I start them with TOS, or take them straight to TNG?

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I think my kids are now old enough to appreciate Star Trek (they're 7 and 11). My question is this. Do I start them with TOS, or take them straight to TNG?

My recommendation would be that you pick some of the better episodes from ToS - Mirror, Mirror, and City on the Edge of Forever were both excellent, as was The Cage which was years ahead of its time, - some of the episodes in ToS were excellent (some were dire, and others merely mediocre), as this gives an introduction to that world and places it in context, and then, proceed, - with all due haste - to the wonders of TNG.

 

[Mac'nCheese]

I think my kids are now old enough to appreciate Star Trek (they're 7 and 11). My question is this. Do I start them with TOS, or take them straight to TNG?

Too young to like TOS IMHO. special effects are old and dated as is the acting/music/directing styles.

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

Too young to like TOS IMHO. special effects are old and dated as is the acting/music/directing styles.

That's exactly my concern, and I don't want to put them off.

@Scepticalscribe Is Mirror Mirror the one with the alternate universe and bad Kirk and Spock, etc?

Is it just that it was a great episode (which I think I recall it was), or is there more to it that's needed?

Also which one was City on the Edge of Forever?

The Cage, I think I recall. It sets up the first Enterprise captain as Pike. Not sure how much that matters?

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Too young to like TOS IMHO. special effects are old and dated as is the acting/music/directing styles.

A classic is a classic is a classic.

"Dated"?

Everything is "dated" that isn't contemporary, if one judges solely by that.

I would argue that Leonard Nimoy's character of Spock isn't dated, and, had the franchise the guts to go with the unnamed female First Officer portrayed in The Cage, (played by Majel Barrett), that, along with Lt Uhuru (possibly the first black woman ever depicted as a commissioned officer on a TV show), along with the conflicted character of Spock, would have made it even more timeless.

Some of the stories are excellent; some, good, while some, inevitably, have dated poorly.

However, I will argue that "Enterprise" (which I thought underwhelming in the extreme) will age a lot less well, CGI, notwithstanding, than does (or did) ToS.
[doublepost=1534109829][/doublepost]

That's exactly my concern, and I don't want to put them off.

@Scepticalscribe Is Mirror Mirror the one with the alternate universe and bad Kirk and Spock, etc?

Is it just that it was a great episode (which I think I recall it was), or is there more to it that's needed?

Also which one was City on the Edge of Forever?

The Cage, I think I recall. It sets up the first Enterprise captain as Pike. Not sure how much that matters?

Mirror, Mirror was the alternative universe (Spock with a goatee, but still with integrity and a moral compass in an alternative universe, though he would have argued he was governed by logic, not ethics); City on the Edge of Forever was brilliant - an alternative history story that won awards (the same award that The Inner Light won for STNG years later).

Do you worry that they (your children) are too old or too young?

A good story is a good story, and doesn't need CGI or special effects to be told. It will hold its audience anyway.

My quarrel with most of the movies is that they fail to tell a story, and, instead get lost in spending their budget on blasted and bloated special effects and CGI, - instead of telling a story and making the CGI secondary to that - which, frankly, makes them instantly forgettable.

 

[cwerdna]

@Scepticalscribe Is Mirror Mirror the one with the alternate universe and bad Kirk and Spock, etc?
...
The Cage, I think I recall. It sets up the first Enterprise captain as Pike.

Yes. Actually, there was supposedly a Captain Robert April before Pike, but that was never in any of the series (well, I don't know about TAS (The Animated Series) off the top of my head.)

FYI, http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/Portal:Main is a good reference. See below on the two eps:
http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/Mirror,_Mirror_(episode)
http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/The_Cage_(episode)

In the future, one can probably easily bring up an entry by Googling for memory alpha followed by the ep name.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Based on how he said that it might not be the Picard we all know and love, I assume he will have developed his character quite a bit. If any of you have seen Logan, you know what I mean. I don't know if that is good or bad, but it might give us a complete different take on Star Trek as we know it, which may be a really good thing. If they have 4 series in development, that can't all be of the "explore and discover" kind of series.

Haven't seen Logan so I don't get the analogy.

However, I would be cautiously optimistic (and not a little eager) about such a series.

Bear in mind that it was the casting of Patrick Stewart as Picard that made STNG.

To my mind, Enterprise would have been far better with a few classically trained actors and some decent stories and scripts.

When I saw this the first thing I thought of was Picard walking through his vineyard at home. Retired from star fleet and doing the one off job for the academy.

Not sure what to think when they warned us it might not be the Star Trek we know and love.

........... He came out at 1:21 pm and talked about a new series, etc. and then as another video has it, he has someone come out to talk more about it. Turned out to be Patrick Stewart. This was a total shocker since he wasn't in the roster (https://www.creationent.com/cal/st_lasvegas_guests.html). As, as you could imagine those in the audience were thrilled to have him come out and to say that Jean-Luc Picard is back. Note: He didn't say Captain.

....
I too have my concerns about what a future Picard show might look like. It seems like won't be a TNG continued. What kind of role would Jean-Luc have? Data's dead. Brent Spiner now looks much older and I don't think he'd want to deal w/the makeup and contacts of Data any longer, even as the retarded version https://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/B-4. I could see cameos or some semi-regular appearances by some TNG cast.

It's not easy to make great content. Hope they're able to make something compelling.

Somehow, I missed all these posts which qualify the manner of the return of Jean-Luc Picard.

Fascinating, but I am still intrigued and interested; anything with Patrick Stewart is worth watching.

 

[T'hain Esh Kelch]

Haven't seen Logan so I don't get the analogy.

Logan spoilers: Professor X and Wolverine has become older, and are starting too loose their powers. For Professor X (Patrick Stewart), this has resulted in dementia and a lack of ability to control his psychic powers, making him quite dangerous. He's often rambling due to his dementia, and Stewart does a marvelous job in portraying an old decaying man, with severe mental issues, who is at the same time haunted by the things he has done. One of his very best performances IMHO.

I could see something along those lines, but without the psychic powers, for Picard. A deeper, and different Star Trek show.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Logan spoilers: Professor X and Wolverine has become older, and are starting too loose their powers. For Professor X (Patrick Stewart), this has resulted in dementia and a lack of ability to control his psychic powers, making him quite dangerous. He's often rambling due to his dementia, and Stewart does a marvelous job in portraying an old decaying man, with severe mental issues, who is at the same time haunted by the things he has done. One of his very best performances IMHO.

I could see something along those lines, but without the psychic powers, for Picard. A deeper, and different Star Trek show.

Thank you for taking the time to post this explanation.

That could be very interesting; I have no doubt that Patrick Stewart will develop the character of Picard and take him to "where no man has gone before" as part of that.

 

[cwerdna]

Somehow, I missed all these posts which qualify the manner of the return of Jean-Luc Picard.

You can watch http://www.startrek.com/article/watch-full-sir-patrick-announcement. Another copy was posted earlier.

You can skip to 10:12. Or, if you want to see Kurtzman talk about the new series then bring out Stewart, skip to 1:00.

 

[Mac'nCheese]

A classic is a classic is a classic.

"Dated"?

Everything is "dated" that isn't contemporary, if one judges solely by that.

.

Yeah but they are kids. They might not get into it just cause its a classic.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Yeah but they are kids. They might not get into it just cause its a classic.

@Mac'n'Cheese: I originally saw ToS as a kid - if memory serves, I was around ten when the episodes aired - and, while some were probably beyond me, and some, even then, I knew were simply completely stupid, I recognised that some were excellent.

A good story is a good story; the eleven year old would be more than capable of following every story, while the seven year old would be able to follow a good tale with some action.

Don't underestimate kids: If they can read Harry Potter, they can certainly follow the plot of most episodes of ToS.