2017

[pen_grunt]

There are fairly serious rumors of a new Star Trek TV series coming in 2017.

I can't help but be a little bit excited. There is a lot of promise there.

On the other hand, the TV landscape has changed dramatically since the last Star Trek series (Enterprise) was on TV. A lot of things are bigger and better; darker, more complex--in both tone and in visual clutter.

I've watched and re-watched all of ST:TOS. (I'm considering doing it again at some point--probably when the baby is ready for TOS.) It's a product of its time. For what it was, when it was, it was revolutionary.

I just re-watched all of ST:TNG. It's also a product of its time. For what it was, when it was, it was a quality show.

I started watching ST:DS9 for the first time. I completed the first season. It's good, so far. I like it in that way that I like Star Trek. But it still feels a bit murky. Perhaps it's because it's not a re-watch from nostalgia, but I don't feel like I'm lost in the world. Yet. And, again, it feels like it's a product of its time. There was a very clear look and feel to those late-90s-early-00s shows.

That's not necessarily a criticism--that these shows are a product of their times. What TV is truly timeless, save for that made to self-consciously be inside a time capsule?

I plan to go through ST:Voyager (never seen) and also--maybe against my better judgement--ST:Enterprise (never seen). I've always liked Scott Bakula (Quantum Leap!!!), even though I've been warned that Enterprise is not a strong entry into the Star Trek universe.

I have trepidation about a new Star Trek TV series in 2017. It will, inevitably, be a product of its time...and I'm not *quite* sure that Star Trek holds up in the current format; complex, dramatic, thematic, sweeping, action-packed, blue-washed TV.

I liked the new movies...but I cannot honestly say I would have liked them as much if they weren't representing the cast-and-crew of the Original Series. If it had been just random Star Trekkie people who weren't Captain Kirk and Mister Spock...would it have been as good?

I don't think so. It's NewStarWars, in a way--in look, if not tone. And that's not a compliment.


ETA: Oh. It's a STREAMING show. That will try to entice people to buy into CBS's streaming service after a CBS-aired pilot. BOOHISS. Less excited.

Comments

[tediousandbrief.livejournal.com]

I don't know that I've ever seen any of the series all the way through, but I really liked DS9 and what I saw of Voyager. I'd probably check out the new series if there is one in 2017, though I was always more of a Star Wars person than a Star Trek one.

The one show that may be the nearest to being timeless might be I Love Lucy. It is certainly dated, especially in some of the California episodes where they talk about Hollywood stars who nobody remembers, but it still is a really funny show.

[pen-grunt.livejournal.com]

though I was always more of a Star Wars person than a Star Trek one.

BLASPHEMY!!! ;)

I guess the new series in 2017 is supposed to be original-content streaming (like Orange is the New Black or House of Cards on Netflix)...only on CBS streaming? Maybe that means they'll put a LOT of effort in...but it leaves me less than hopeful.

[tediousandbrief.livejournal.com]

I grew up with Star Wars more than Star Trek. Return of the Jedi was one of my first films to see the the theater and I was enamored with everything, even the Ewoks. For a while as a kid I'd watch Jedi every day. (Yes, I was weird).

Streaming on CBS? That does make me less hopeful. I kinda miss the days when Netflix streaming was a free add-on and the main thing about Netflix was that they mailed you DVDs!

[sacramentalist.livejournal.com]

I like to think Star Trek's DEFINED their time.

I hear a lot that DS9 takes a while to kick in to greatness: during S2 and into S3

[eyelid.livejournal.com]

Oh no, I am currently watching DS9 and it's the best right off the bat.

[pen-grunt.livejournal.com]

I think if I were coming to all three series that I've watched so far (TOS, TNG, DS9) totally cold, I would agree with this assessment. I always forget how weak TOS and TNG were/are at first, because it all averages out in my mind.

When they were good, they were very, very good, and when they were bad they were Counselor Troi being raped/violated by an alien AGAIN.

[sacramentalist.livejournal.com]

That really squicked you, eh?

Damn that Alien Patriarchy! (and 80's writers)

[pen-grunt.livejournal.com]

More like...it KEPT HAPPENING. Also, they wrote Troi as useless! So it was...problematic.

Also, being pregnant at the time myself (while watching) and having an alien impregnate Troi and her being like, "Oh, no big deal, pregnant now!" struck me as extremely tone-deaf.

[sacramentalist.livejournal.com]

They've had 5 years to improve doula technology. No more c-sections! They just transport that thing out of the womb. The Transporter Chief is also an OB/GYN


I loathed Troi immediately from Farpoint. I was worried we'd have to hear her lugubriously lament the pain of other species. Yep. She did.

I loved when Cpt Jellico made her put on a damn uniform. He was great. I wish HE had a spin-off series. Ronny Cox is probably too old now. I can hear the theme song right now:

"Are you cock of the walk when you're walking alone? Because Jellicle can and Jellicle do. Jellicle do and Jellicle would."

Speaking of, still watching Bojack?

[pen-grunt.livejournal.com]

Apparently I'm on season 2 of Bojack--which I didn't realize because of the Netflix format. I just watched the episode where Diane Nguyen goes back to handle her father's funeral.

I wasn't as annoyed with Troi when I was younger--because I really didn't see how useless she was (or how, when they actually COULD HAVE USED a little deception-detection *cough-Cardassians-cough* she was mysteriously not in the episodes).

She was just problematic all around. And a bad counselor; what other counselor gets you to talk about your feelings by ambushing and berating you into giving it up so she'll stop ambushing and berating you?

Like the holodeck, she was a cool concept (apart from the whole "she's a WOMAN so she has the FEELINGS job" thing)...but poorly executed.

[sacramentalist.livejournal.com]

That is NOT season 2. That's s01e05. It's still in the "sit-com" episodes I love how she has a literal black sheep in her family. And he hates on her as well. Poor Cryane.


She WAS a bad counselor.

I pretty much hated the one-off Seventh Heaven episodes she was in. The boy whose father dies and worships Data so Troi meddles to let him mourn. Bleah!

[pen-grunt.livejournal.com]

I got turned around on the Bojack seasons. I remember looking ahead and thinking the seasons were short. So I'm on episode 6 or 7 of the first season.

[pen-grunt.livejournal.com]

I think TOS defined what people WANTED the 60s to be. Likewise with TNG. They're the optimism in our times. We couldn't have had a Star Trek series in the 80s, I don't think.

Yeah, DS9--I just started the second season and there is a THREE PART "To Be Continued"!!! And it's totally compelling!

[sacramentalist.livejournal.com]

It's been a long time, but I remember it being pretty mediocre until the Dominion stuff kicks in.
Really, once they get rid of the first Dax . Terry Farell is beautiful but...

I do like the episode with the woman Ferengi

[pen-grunt.livejournal.com]

It's weird, Terry Farell Dax was pretty good for the first two episodes or so--she had kind of a quiet depth and confidence. Now she's like, "Here's the skin cream you loaned me! Tee hee!" ... so I wonder if it's both a writing AND actress problem. They don't seem to know what to do with her character contrasted with Major Kira, so they've made her default to girly-girl.

[sacramentalist.livejournal.com]

I've had it out for her since I heard they cast her as the Cat in a US pilot for Red Dwarf. Eek! Meanwhile, Nicole De Boer was in Kids in the Hall, and an iconic episode of Outer Limits. So she got a pass. I'm not that petty, anymore, PS.

[pen-grunt.livejournal.com]

Upon googling: Nicole De Boer is who I think of when I remember crew photos of DS9. I was a little confused about Terry Farell, but I figured I was remembering wrong.

Or, you know, white women. They all look alike.

[newlifeinstpaul.livejournal.com]

Oh YOU.

I read the first sentence of this post and thought, Only Missy.

Of course, wait 'till I begin raving about available Skylake architecture CPUs vs. What I Want or whining 'bout ValleyFair's sad little cap ex plans........

[pen-grunt.livejournal.com]

Hey, I like reading about people's particular *things*. I may not share the passion (or understand most of what you're talking about), but I definitely appreciate that kind of enthusiasm. I like watching people get all geeked-out about their things. :D

[(Anonymous)]

One of my folks 'round here used to write thousands of words per post about Blizzard's changes to WoW or whatever else they do online and how SHE didn't like it. Real-life passerby probably wouldn't peg her as a Warcraft nerd but HOOOO BOY.

Speaking of which? There's not one but two--TWO--PC-based Rollycoaster Tycoon type games coming out in a couple months. My next post after they're released will be in early 2143.

[newlifeinstpaul.livejournal.com]

That 'anonymous' comment was actually mer. Whoops!

[pen-grunt.livejournal.com]

It would have been WAY coincidental to know both you AND someone who's just as roller-coaster-geeky...so I did assume it was, indeed, you. ;)