Create a new series premise

[PointyHairedJedi]

Originally Posted by ijdgaf

I'd prefer something with perhaps a few ongoing arcs, some extended multipart episodes, and some overarching themes perhaps, but also a show that could rely on and not suffer from stand-alone episodes.

I refer you to my suggestion of Aaron Sorkin.

I expect it has been thought of before, but what about crime and espionage? It is more or less established that there is a civvie intelligence service in the Federation (in ST:III if you care to know). That leaves the door open to a multitude of different sorts of story, and of course there's ample oppertunity for some rivalry with Starfleet Intel and a running fight against Section 31. And given in this fantasy of mine that it will be produced/written by Sorkin, lots of walking-around conversations and unnaturally witty dialogue.

[Nate the Great]

I suppose we haven't covered the inevitable "let's go out to the Delta Quadrant and revisit some of the old Voyager species again" idea in this thread yet. I think someone brought that one up somewhere else.

[ijdgaf]

...I seem to recall most of the Delta Quadrant species being pretty boring. Only exceptions coming to mind are the Malon (did I get the name right? the trash people), Species 8472, and occaisionally the Borg. And those phage guys.

Also, I never, ever, ever want to see the Kazon again. Ever. What the hell was that supposed to be, anyway?

[Nate the Great]

Other interesting Delta Quadrant races:

The Vaduaar
The Vidiians
The Talaxians
The Ocampa
Whatever Icheb is, I forget

[PointyHairedJedi]

Originally Posted by ijdgaf

Also, I never, ever, ever want to see the Kazon again. Ever. What the hell was that supposed to be, anyway?

Well... the Ferenghi were pretty dire at first. But yeah, I agree, in terms of whiny bitchiness the Kazon are quite hard to beat.

[Nate the Great]

The only problem with the Kazon is that it took three years to leave their space. Voyager always seemed to be spinning their proverbial tires in the mud those first few years.

[ijdgaf]

Originally Posted by PointyHairedJedi

Well... the Ferenghi were pretty dire at first. But yeah, I agree, in terms of whiny bitchiness the Kazon are quite hard to beat.

Exactly. I realize every species needs a quirky theme. But "the whiny bitch species" isn't exactly an audience grabber.

[Chancellor Valium]

Originally Posted by ijdgaf

I dunno, call me crazy (and out of character?) but I'd honestly prefer a new series where ongoing plots and continuity weren't as overpowering as DS9's. The show was great, but shows like that -- regardless of quality -- have a tendency to lose audiences eventually and get cancelled.

We aren't talking about some kind of Babylon 5 here, where what someone eats for breakfast in season 1 episode 2 affects season 5 episode 29... This happens over eight-to-ten years, so there is plenty of room for some episodes which go on a tangent, and for the backplot to stay in teh background for a while.
I'd prefer something with perhaps a few ongoing arcs, some extended multipart episodes, and some overarching themes perhaps, but also a show that could rely on and not suffer from stand-alone episodes.

Originally Posted by IJD GAF

I just, you know, want some quality out of it. Some good writing and good characterization.

Characterisation requires development/regression. And that in turn requires a progressing, overarching storyline, IMO.

[Nate the Great]

Yeah, but overarching storylines don't need "Previously on Star Trek" all the time. Look at Keiko's work vs. family issues, Worf and Deanna's relationship, Data's exploration of humanity, the Delaney Sisters, and so on.

[Chancellor Valium]

Originally Posted by Nate the Great

Yeah, but overarching storylines don't need "Previously on Star Trek" all the time. Look at Keiko's work vs. family issues, Worf and Deanna's relationship, Data's exploration of humanity, the Delaney Sisters, and so on.

Also true.

[Nate the Great]

Come to think of it, weren't there a few Gamma Quadrant races that it would've been nice to meet again?

This is a bit far out, but how about a sort of anthology series, but seen from the other side's perspective? Seeing events from the Romulan, Klingon, or Ferengi perspective. We could have legacy actors provide voice cameos via commlinks and manipulated video a la Riker in All Good Things. How did the Romulans react to the Borg attack on Wolf 359? Were the Klingons for or against the actions of the Maquis?

[ijdgaf]

Originally Posted by Chancellor Valium

We aren't talking about some kind of Babylon 5 here, where what someone eats for breakfast in season 1 episode 2 affects season 5 episode 29... This happens over eight-to-ten years, so there is plenty of room for some episodes which go on a tangent, and for the backplot to stay in teh background for a while.
I'd prefer something with perhaps a few ongoing arcs, some extended multipart episodes, and some overarching themes perhaps, but also a show that could rely on and not suffer from stand-alone episodes.

Characterisation requires development/regression. And that in turn requires a progressing, overarching storyline, IMO.

Whoa, I'm of variable capitalization!

And I agree with Nate. Generally, you can have good characterization and character arcs on a series without drawn-out, complicated overarching plots. Character writing and plot writing are different, complimentary crafts. You can create engaging, evolving characters on a show to draw people in, without having grandiose, must-tune-in-every-week plots which tend to push those people away.

[Nate the Great]

Oooh yeah. Like I've said before, that's what turned me off on Babylon 5. Great show, great actors, great storylines, and all that, but for goodness sakes! Miss two weeks and I was LOST! What was going on? Who could keep up the concentration necessary? Not me. I didn't like being held responsible for every sentence uttered since Day One, nosiree. This also crops up with the LOTR movies. Putting aside my oft-used complaint against huge pointless battles between fake CG armies, paying attention to that many people at once makes my brain hurt.

[PointyHairedJedi]

Originally Posted by ijdgaf

Generally, you can have good characterization and character arcs on a series without drawn-out, complicated overarching plots.

*coughcoughAaronSorkincoughcoughcough*

Yes, sometimes I'm a terrible bore.

[Nate the Great]

Just sometimes?

Once again, obvious punchline, had to be done.

[PointyHairedJedi]

I've never been trapped in a lift with other people yet, but I imagine it will happen someday. It does strike me as a pity that I won't be around afterwards to see how convincing an explanation the other occupants can come up with for the many signs of blunt force trauma that the coroner will find on my body.

[mudshark]

Originally Posted by PointyHairedJedi

It does strike me as a pity that I won't be around afterwards to see how convincing an explanation the other occupants can come up with for the many signs of blunt force trauma that the coroner will find on my body.

There must be a way to manage it, though, and then you may have your series premise. Has there ever been one before in which the main character gets murdered every week? It'd be sort of Quantum Victim, or something.

[Nate the Great]

Ooooh, how about something akin to Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue (bear with me). Our heroes are temporal researchers, most likely from the 29th century. However, they went back to our time using a primitive version of the time transporter. There was an accident, and our heroes are stranded. They can still communicated with the future, but the accident tagged their molecules with something that prevents 29th century tech from beaming it. They manage to jerry-rig a more primitive transporter that can beam them around the planet, if not to the future. The computer database was damaged, so our heroes no longer no everything that's going to happen. Our heroes must find a way home without interfereing TOO much with the present. Perhaps they encounter one of the Vulcan researchers that was active in our time period and swear them to secrecy. Maybe there were other alien races directly interfering with our development which our heroes must either help or hinder. Maybe Gary Seven and Roberta Lincoln (now getting up there in years) and their assistants (or even-gasp!-children) help out our heroes from time to time. You could have the Eugenics Wars in the background, supporting it with real-world events (think the Eugenics Wars books, which I enjoyed). Henry Starling! Plexicorp! The Botany Bay project! Heck, Buck Bokai as a child! Just why did baseball die? The possibilities are endless!

[AKAArzosah]

A new series... hmm...

How about... people spontaneously developing superpowers! No wait, that's been done, what, 6 or 7 times now?

OR... people on a space ship! Wait, um, approximately 9400 times?

How about... someone is kidnapped from Earth in the 18th/19th/20th/21st Century and has to learn to survive 'out there'. What, about... 4 times?

Maybe... aliens will invade and try to kill/enslave us all! Oh right, 86 times.

Ok, so, people who are on a spaceship together (because they were all kidnapped from different times) begin spontaneously developing mutant superpowers and everyone hates them until aliens try to invade and kill us all and the mutant super heroes become the first last and only line of defense against the worst scum of the universe.

[Nate the Great]

As all of the people who keep remaking public domain classics will tell you, just because it's been done a zillion times doesn't mean that a new spin can't be put onto it. Just look at West Side Story and Romeo and Juliet.