If there were to be another series...

[Snowman37]

CBS currently owns the rights to future Star Trek television productions, so I'm not expecting anything in the near future. That said, how about a little what if fun? To start off, if there were to be another series, what kind of setting would you like to see? A top of the line capital starship has been done with the Enterprise (1701, 1701-D, NX-01). We've seen a smaller ship in the form of Voyager and a warship (Defiant). We've even had a space station setting. A new show would have to be different, so... what possible setting could be featured that would make the show new, fresh, and exciting? I'd love to see a new show move away from the large starship concept in favor of something small like DS9's runabouts. Imagine a small ship with only three to five main characters. It could still be a starfleet ship (a defining part of Star Trek), but it doesn't necessarily have to be crewed by Starfleet officers. It could be a small starfleet ship assigned to a civilian crew or perhaps even stolen. The should would have to be episodic to ensure people can tune in at any point (ratings are important), but there also needs to be a singular goal for the crew, a series-long story arc. What is this little ship's mission? I could envision it as a small science ship comparable to the DS9 Runabout. It's would go on one-episode missions. However, the civilian crew would have a secret agenda and mission, but what? I don't know, maybe one of you can think of something.

Basically, I'm trying to imagine something that would be cheaper to produce than the last few shows. This would encourage CBS to actually move forward with the series. The problem is, could a new Star Trek show survive on CBS? Could CBS own and fund the show, but let it air on FOX? FOX seems to be a bit more science-fiction friendly than CBS.

[Quizziard]

Something based at the Academy. To see what everyday life is like in the 24/25th century. But, if they're Academy, they can also do all sorts of short missions on any class of ship they like.

[Snowman37]

How would a Starfleet Academy series work without degenerating into a teen-drama with 20-something actors? It sounds good on paper, but I don't see how it can be executed in an interesting manner. Star Trek needs to be set in space, not on Earth. I want to see adventures, not college kids (that's what most cadets would be equal to) learning how to use a tricorder.

I'm not shooting down the idea as bad, I just don't see how it could remain interesting.

[4thDoctor]

As much as I have loved every version of Star Trek (except for the last feature film....yuck) I really don't want to see any future series of any kind.

[Starfist]

I'd like to see a new series of movies.
If I am to be honest.

[ussrelativity]

I'd like to see something with perhaps a Klingon, Romulan, or Cardassian ship at the forefront of the series.

Maybe another Starfleet ship, but this time with an non-human captain.

[knowles2]

It need radical change, we had full scale wars, we has science, we have exploration, we have had teen brats. Now what about some politics. May be following the president and his or her staff about. May be we could have a star ship and starship captain of the week carrying out the president orders, with the president and her team being the core that hold it all together.t.

We also get a chance to see and learn much more about how the day to day function of the federation. May be we need a overall enemy something like the Typhon pact, who goal is to undermined the Federation rather than attack it directly.

I also would like to see an enemy from with, may be someone they signed up to the Federation and is now a full member, but is working for there own goals and may be even want to replace of us Humans at the heart of the Federation or even conquer the Federation from with in, but no one has the evidence to move against, an yet there people are signing up to join Starfleet in record numbers and despite the huge Starfleet fleets that protect there planet, they still maintain there own sizeable fleet.

[Crazedwraith]

Sounds like you want; Star Trek - Firefly. Snowman.


And FOX good for sci-fi? Tell that to Firefly, or Dollhouse or The Sarah Connor Chronicles.


Really the base concept of star trek is fine; a ship exploring the galaxy. All you need is likable characters having interesting stories. The details are superfluous once you've got that down.

[Quizziard]

Sorry but politics is something I don't want to see. Each to their own, I know. But if I wanted politics I'd look in the newspaper or a current affairs show. For sci-fi I want escapism. My suggestions above were because, for some reason I thought the OP had asked for low/limited budget ideas.

[Ukko]

Something to do with the The Federations Time Ships.

[Snowman37]

Time Trek?

[Alterus]

Why not set it much later than all of the Next Generation stories, in the 26th century say, so many empires have risen and fallen and the once sugary hopeful fruit of the Federation has grown sour.

Basically by the 26th century the Klingon empire has dissolved into the Federation and there are many fledgling empires throughout the Galaxy. In this era Starfleet and the Federation interfere in others cultures and undermine their cultures ability to become a space power, or at least they did until the new President put a stop to it. This president is the lead character and has changed century old laws and is beginning to negotiate with the other empires, which has caused much disruption in the Federation, the other leads could be a 24th century Starfleet Captain who would be the shows moral compass, the president right hand man and the director of Starfleet’s intervention unit.

The first season would resolve around the threat of a terrorist movement trying to cause a war between the Galactic powers, however at the end of the season it would be revealed that the mastermind of the movement is a Federation citizen.

The second season would then resolve more around the politics and the declining power of the Presidency, with the presence of an ancient Federation President returning with a thirst for war with the Space powers, the Presidents right hand man would be exiled from the Federation for crimes the intervention agency discovered and at the end of the series the former President returns and starts a civil war.

The third series would be about the Federation civil war then a Dominion invasion after the civil war’s end, the rest of the series would be about the Presidential election and the former Presidents exile along with her bodyguard, they eventually have to help the new President when a new menace shows up and the Federation simply does not have and resources to fight, the series ends as a fleet of ships from another galaxy invade, they have watched the Milky Way for years and now they think that it’s ripe for conquest.

The fourth series would be essentially be about rebuilding the Federation and restoring it as for the first time in generations the Federations only hope is- outsiders, the new President has to re-implement some of his predecessors more Liberal policies and build an alliance against them, however the President refuses to a military build-up, he doesn’t see a threat from the invaders as they’ve yet to move their forces in months. So he goes with a delegation to a designated meeting point with the invaders however when his pickup team arrives all they find is his severed head with a note reading ‘We are not amused’. So the former President retakes her old post and begins rapid reform after reform making her even more unpopular with Federation citizens, however they know that she’s right and the Federation can’t stand against the invaders on their own so they don’t try to kill her, at the end of the season the invaders make their move…

[Snowman37]

I can't imagine the Klingon Empire ever dissolving into another galactic power. They're too independent for that. As for Starfleet and the Federation interfering with other cultures, you're suggesting that they do away with the Prime Directive. If they're not going to let go of that during the Dominion War or when faced with the Borg threat, what would provoke them to let go?

What you propose might make for some good novels for Pocket Books, but how on Earth could such a large story be told within a television budget? DS9 barely pulled it off on syndicated television. You assume the show would last four seasons, but what if it didn't? What if it only has enough gas to last two or three years? This is why I dislike the serial format. Honestly, I think Star Trek works best as an episodic show. The galaxy is vast, and the possibilities for stories are infinite. I'm not against story arcs, but I think a serial is a bit much.

Star Trek can be summarized as a starship crew boldly going where no one has gone before. If you were to summarize your TV show concept in one sentence, how would you present it?

[dosed150]

it would have to be after ds9 voyager and nemesis, and give us a look at the aftermath of the domnion war and the impact of technology and knowledge voyager bought back,

as the federation and klingons seem to be the closest theyve ever been it can be set aboard an expermental klingon/federation hybrid ship, with a mixed crew

and maybe try and revisit some story arcs that didnt seem to be fully fullfilled, for example the voth making contact after distsnt origin theory has become more widely accepted

[Snowman37]

it would have to be after ds9 voyager and nemesis, and give us a look at the aftermath of the domnion war and the impact of technology and knowledge voyager bought back

DS9's been off the air for 12 years, VOY for 10 years, and Nemesis premiered nine years ago. There are going to be a lot of people checking out this new show who either never saw DS9/VOY or only saw a few reruns. Honestly, no one cares about the aftermath except the Trekkies, and they will be in the minority of the audience. A late 24th century or early 25th century show could work, but it has to stand apart from TNG/DS9/VOY or it won't last more than a season or two.

as the federation and klingons seem to be the closest theyve ever been it can be set aboard an expermental klingon/federation hybrid ship, with a mixed crew

Enough with the Klingons! They've been great, but seriously... there is more to the galaxy than Klingons. Why not focus on some aliens we don't know much about? That's why the Cardassians were so interesting on DS9, we barely knew anything about them from TNG.

and maybe try and revisit some story arcs that didnt seem to be fully fullfilled, for example the voth making contact after distsnt origin theory has become more widely accepted

Why not create new story arcs? Again, a lot of people watching the show will only be vaguely familiar with DS9/VOY. Bringing back characters, aliens, settings; go for it. Continuing storylines from shows the audience probably didn't see, bad idea.

[dosed150]

DS9's been off the air for 12 years, VOY for 10 years, and Nemesis premiered nine years ago. There are going to be a lot of people checking out this new show who either never saw DS9/VOY or only saw a few reruns. Honestly, no one cares about the aftermath except the Trekkies, and they will be in the minority of the audience. A late 24th century or early 25th century show could work, but it has to stand apart from TNG/DS9/VOY or it won't last more than a season or two.


Enough with the Klingons! They've been great, but seriously... there is more to the galaxy than Klingons. Why not focus on some aliens we don't know much about? That's why the Cardassians were so interesting on DS9, we barely knew anything about them from TNG.


Why not create new story arcs? Again, a lot of people watching the show will only be vaguely familiar with DS9/VOY. Bringing back characters, aliens, settings; go for it. Continuing storylines from shows the audience probably didn't see, bad idea.

well it doesnt have to be an obvious, this is happening because of this sort of thing, just setting a series in that timeline would end up answering some of those questions, and it doesnt take much to clue in new viewers to an existing story, ds9 did it with the maquis and bajorans, you didnt need to have seen tng to understand what was going on

maybe this ship could be operating near breen space, we barely know much about them, their something of a mystery

I think a more diverse crew would be a good idea as well, maybe just 1 or 2 humans among the 8 or 9 main characters,

i mean tng started trying but even they had, a half betazoid, an android created by humans, and a klingon who grew up with humans,

then ds9 was much better with characters like quark and garak amongst others, but voy went back to being mostly human

arent there over 100 races in the federation, a future series should feature more of them as main chatacters

[Snowman37]

well it doesnt have to be an obvious, this is happening because of this sort of thing, just setting a series in that timeline would end up answering some of those questions, and it doesnt take much to clue in new viewers to an existing story, ds9 did it with the maquis and bajorans, you didnt need to have seen tng to understand what was going on

In the case of the Cardassians and Bajorans, they were reintroduced and explored in DS9's first episode. This helped people who didn't watch TNG or did and missed the Bajoran and Cardassian episodes. Though the seed for the Maquis was in TNG's "Journey's End," it was very much a DS9 story line to set up the Maquis for VOY. The Maquis were also reintroduced in VOY's premiere for people who hadn't watched DS9 or did and missed the Maquis episodes. If you can reintroduce story lines, settings, aliens, and characters and work the series for an audience who's never watched Star Trek before, go for it.

maybe this ship could be operating near breen space, we barely know much about them, their something of a mystery

Now see, that's what I'm talking about. The Breen would be great for a new show. Who are they? All we know is they wear environmental suits and sided with the Dominion during the Dominion War. They are very mysterious.

I think a more diverse crew would be a good idea as well, maybe just 1 or 2 humans among the 8 or 9 main characters,

If most of the characters are somewhat human-like, this could pass. Remember, the show is simply a metaphor for the human condition. I think so long as you have a strong human duo, you can get away with everyone else being aliens.

i mean tng started trying but even they had, a half betazoid, an android created by humans, and a klingon who grew up with humans,

When the show began; we got six humans, a half-alien (Troi), a full-alien (Worf), and an android (Data). Given how much Worf and Data stand out and that nearly everyone the Enterprise encounters are aliens, that's enough, no? I like the idea of a mostly human crew, but I'd be open to half or more of the main characters being alien. It worked for DS9. That show only had four main characters who were human: Sisko, Jake, O'Brien, and Bashir. Jake was only in a third of the episodes from each season, so really... it was just Sisko, O'Brien, and Bashir as far as the crew goes.

then ds9 was much better with characters like quark and garak amongst others, but voy went back to being mostly human

DS9 benefited from an alien-built space station in alien space, a static setting. That's why there were so many aliens from episode to episode. VOY took us back to a Starfleet ship and thus a mostly human crew. That said, of the main characters, we had enough aliens, no? Tuvok the Vulcan, B'Elanna the half-Klingon chief engineer, the holographic doctor, Neelix the Talaxian guide to the Delta Quadrant, and Kes the ship's Ocampan nurse. Later, Seven of Nine, an ex-Borg, joined the crew.

arent there over 100 races in the federation, a future series should feature more of them as main chatacters

There are several hundred, but... it's less about the fictional world and more about what the audience will be captivated by.

You can get away with a lot of alien characters so long as most of them aren't buried in alien makeup (budget and less makeup helps the viewers relate). Also, though the alien may be creative, one has to ask... will the audience care about this alien? Why should viewers watch him, what makes him worth their time? Vulcans, Klingons, and AI's (Data, EMH, and Seven to a point) clearly have won over the audience. Odo was also great, not because he's a shapeshifter, but because of his isolationist personae combined with the actor's brilliant portrayal.

[Giantevilhead]

I've said this before and I'll say it again, DS9 set the stage perfectly for a new Trek show. They should do a series that takes place not long after the Dominion War. It's a great opportunity to create a series that combines the best elements of all the Star Trek shows. There is relative peace in the Alpha Quadrant. The Federation and the major powers are rebuilding. It is a more hopeful time and they are creating a brighter, better future.

The time is right for solving problems through negotiations, building new alliances, creating new friendships, and repairing fractured old relationships. They could blend the darker themes and pragmatism of DS9 with the optimism of the TNG and TOS.

A new Star Trek should be about overcoming old prejudices and fears to create a more peaceful and stable future. It should also retain the serialized nature of DS9 so that it could show us the process through which these things could be accomplished. Prejudice and fear must be chipped away slowly and friendships must be forged through hardship and compromise, and it would take many episodes to show the gradual change in the relationship between the Federation and its former enemies.

There's just so much potential. They could do big 5 to 10 episode arc about a conflict caused by the rebuilding of Cardassia. The Federation would have to deal with Cardassian hardliners who refuse help from outsiders, Romulan saboteurs who don't want Cardassia to regain their strength, Klingons who refuse to relinquish Cardassian planets they conquered, and maybe even Jem'Hadar who have lost faith in the Founders and stayed in the Alpha Quadrant.

They can also take breaks from the heavier more serialized stories by bring back the exploration of the unknown so there's a break between big storylines. They can also incorporate new elements into the old exploration tropes. Presumably the Federation is not the only organization interested in learning more about the secrets of the universe and that other races are interested too. We rarely see those facets of alien races. It would be great to see joint scientific or exploratory ventures between the Federation and the Klingons or the Romulans or the Cardassians or even the Dominion. It would combine the exploration elements that were more prominent in TOS and TNG with the relationship elements that were more prominent in DS9. A new Trek should be about rekindling that wonder and excitement of exploration and discovery. It should show us what we could become if we learned from the mistakes of the past and worked together to build a better future.

[Snowman37]

Basically, DS9 Part 2?

[mr_kennedy]

A spy fi star trek type series would be kinda cool post Nemises