Ron Moore: Trek “Demands a Return to Television”

[Nutso]

http://www.digitalspy.com/tv/tubetalk/a ... moore.html

"I think its home and its heart is really in television. That's really what Star Trek is - the core concept is really a TV show. I think the features are good and I really admire what J.J. Abrams has done with the last two films - I think it's great - but the heart and soul of that franchise demands a return to television.

The kinds of stories that you'll tell in the features space are not the kinds of stories that made that show so popular. The features all have to be action-oriented. They all have to have enormous stakes - the Earth or the Federation or the universe has to be in jeopardy - and the features always have to surround the Captain… and maybe one other character.

The TV shows were morality plays, they were more thematic, they were examining society in different ways. Sometimes the stakes were just one crew member's life, sometimes the stakes were just one alien world or the Enterprise. You could do a story that was just about Data or a story that was just about McCoy or about the characters who lived below decks on the Enterprise.

The TV show is really what Star Trek is to me. I think the features are great, but I think it has to return to TV if it's going to remain an ongoing franchise."

The Mighty One hath spoken!

[RK_Striker_JK_5]

Yeah. It'll go back to TV. And I hope it does, too.

[Coalition]

The question now becomes, what sort of series would you do?

A Romulan ship trying to enforce peace across the Empire, outplotting its enemies every week so they wind up defeating themselves. Partially through the season, they receive reports that the Dominion just assassinated their ambassador, and they are now at war with the Dominion. Cue Romulan centric episodes of fighting the Dominion. Lots of plotting, but also a good chance to see more of what Romulans are like.

A Federation ship trying to keep the peace away from the front lines of the Dominion War. The ship is lower-tech so it is not being sent to the front lines, some stuff not available (there's a war on!), so they have to improvise a lot. Their goal is to keep pirates from attacking Federation interests, negotiate trade agreements to get strategic materials, etc. This is a series showing what the rest of the Federation is like, rather than just the Flagship.

Klingon ship trying to balance orders and honor, to keep the empire strong. The nice part is due to the duels you can change out cast members fairly often, especially if they find out they were on opposite sides of the Duros/Gowron war. This would allow a deeper look at the Klingon empire, and make the Klingons into a 3D race.

[McAvoy]

A well thought out series that has story arcs. You can still have individual episodes that 95% of it not pertain to the greater part of the season or series. I think also 13 or 16 episodes per season may work too.

[Teaos]

Well the thing nowadays is split seasons, with two lots of 8 or 9 episodes in them so they avoid the down time around the holidays.

BUt I agree, you need long terms arcs of some sort, it doesnt need to be serious, but it just gives the show purpose and direction. Something early Ent was lacking.

[McAvoy]

It doesn't have to be serious.

What I don't want is single season arcs that differ season to season without a connection.

[Graham Kennedy]

I want it to be exactly what it has always done best. A ship out exploring the unknown, solving problems, and occasionally blowing stuff up.

That's the genius of the Trek formula - it allows for diversity of storytelling. The ship can encounter or be called upon to do almost anything, so you can tell a story about almost anything. Within the standard format we've seen everything from comedy to action to police procedural to military to... well it just goes on.

[McAvoy]

I don't disagree with that but an underlying season or series long arc should/could be present. It doesn't have to be overwhelming like B5 or DS9 or ENT S3. But just there. Maybe a possible Klingon War with a season of Romulan involvement in trying to get such a war started. Stuff like that.

Of course I think by this point, we are talking about the Abramsverse and not the Primeverse. Gene's Trek universe is dead.

Though honestly I wouldn't mind a two or three or even four part miniseries in seeing the Gene's universe finally put to a satisfying conclusion. Maybe seeing a large enough threat to the Big Three to form a permanent alliance along with Cardassia to combat or prevent the threat. A resurgent Dominion threat or maybe a TV adapted (minus certain elements) of the Destiny books. Maybe end with E-F going on her maiden voyage with a older and wiser Captain Alexander Rozhenko under command for the cheese factor.

[Teaos]

I dint think Abrams universe would do tv well.

I think the original has life left in it if done well.

[Monroe]

I agree it should be the 'real' Trek universe. I'm not overly keen on the remake one.

Not sure exactly where it should take place but I think the best route would be to jump forward in time. Maybe 30 years? THat way you can just put old face on the old actors and have them do cameos. I like the future uniforms and ship designs we've seen so far.

Some plot ideas though:

Maybe have a new race added to the federation that has amazing technology which explains the fantastic jump in technology seen between the TNG/VOY/DS9 area and the era seen in the 2400s. Or have some wild genius scientist take the helm. I know Trek likes to be homo-centric but I'd prefer it be a non-human. I remember a race in TNG that said they had their own prime directive who were only a few decades more advanced. They could join the Federation.

Have the Voth return to Earth! Janeway's meddling has resulted in the Voth wanting to reclaim their lost planet. Earth is occupied and all humans are transported off it across many light years ala that teleporter device from VOY that transported people 40,000 lightyears. Federation tries to get access to Earth but are refused at every turn. Maybe Federation go to war and actually lose for once? I think whatever happens that its not resolved.

A hologram uprising. I'd love it if the character from TNG led it but the actor is probably too old. Maybe though he modified himself to look different? TNG said they'd do something with it and then they just left him in their holodeck program and then the ship crashed. Way to pay back the favor, jerks!

Have Q revealed to be the descendants of humans which explains the Q's weird obsession with humanity.

Reveal whats on the other side of the Klingons, Romulans, Cardassians, etc.

Maybe deal with those bug creatures from TNG that took over their host?
or
Have an Inter-Galactic Empire arrive in the Milky Way from Andromeda and DO NOT MAKE THEM HUMANOID.

Anyway, those are some ideas

[Teaos]

Is there precedence for having two universes run at the same tie?

[Graham Kennedy]

Have an Inter-Galactic Empire arrive in the Milky Way from Andromeda and DO NOT MAKE THEM HUMANOID.

Set it 50 years after TNG and have a Transwarp ship exploring the Andromeda galaxy and finding the remnants of the Kelvan empire. We know the Kelvans were a warlike race ("We do not colonize. We conquer. We rule.") Dozens of former slave worlds could have broken free and be forming alliances or fighting amongst one another, others might have reverted to barbarism. Here and there might be pockets where the Kelvans themselves were still strong. And of course Kelvans are " Immense beings... 100 limbs which resemble tentacles, minds of such control and capacity that each limb is capable of performing a different function." Which could look pretty cool in CGI.

Funny, I googled around and despite that canon description there's next to nothing in the way of artwork about the Kelvans. You'd think some comic or book cover or something would have them, but I can't even find fan art depicting a possible look for them. They're an almost totally unexplored species.

[Monroe]

Yeah that's who I was thinking of, Graham, but I couldn't recall the name of the race. Either that or have the Kelvan Empire try to conquer the Milky Way but would that be too much like Species 8472?

[sunnyside]

Realistically if it made it back to TV I think it'd have to be Abramsverse. I wonder if it would be possible to get the cast from the movies?

To an extent I think it might be interesting to see them occasionally exploring the same scenarios, just with the slightly twisted mentality of the Abramsverse. It'd be all new to the younglings, and I think even if the "twist" was spoiled for existing Trekkies I think we'd just get excited with our secret knowledge the crew doesn't have and wait to see how they deal with things.

You couldn't do that every episode though. Personally I'd like the idea of doing more with non-humanoids or at least non-humans. But I doubt that would play very well.

[Sonic Glitch]

I've fantasized about an idea that combines the best of TNG and DS9 and acknowledges the movie as well. Skip down the timeline about 20 - 30 years, maybe 50 and address the destruction of Romulus. Begin with the fallout from the destruction of Romulus politically and socially, a bit like the end of Nemesis implied: a federation task force has been sent into the territory of the former Romulan empire on a humanitarian mission but there is also drama with a some of the Romulan subjugated races, as well as perhaps some Old Guard romulans (military or Tal Shiar remnants) trying to restore the Glory Days of Empire -- a bit like the Romulan plot of Star Trek online but no Iconians -- and have the crew/crews deal with them. HOWEVER, the destruction of the Romulan political authority has opened new territories of the galaxy to Starfleet's exploration arm, so the series would include a few pure exploration and first contact missions as well.