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Star Trek: Section 31


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#1 Gothneo

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Posted 10 November 2018 - 08:37 PM

Well! CBS sure seems to be at warp 10 with new Trek shows!

 

 

Deadline is reporting exclusively that CBS is in talks with actress Michelle Yeoh to lead a new Star Trek TV series. First appearing in Star Trek: Discovery’s 2-part pilot where her character of Captain Georgiou was killed off, Yeoh still returned a number of times during the first season, most notably playing Geogiou’s Mirror Universe counterpart. Yeoh and both of her characters have proven to be popular with fans and the actress is also riding high as one of the stars of the current hit movie Crazy Rich Asians.

The CBS plan would be for Yeoh to play her Emperor Georgiou character, in her capacity as an operative for Section 31. Yeoh is already set to appear in the second season of Discovery and was featured in the NYCC trailer in her Section 31 outfit. According to the report, the Yeoh Star Trek show is in the early planning stages, but “looks likely to focus on a continuation of her DiscoverySeason 2 adventures in Starfleet’s Section 31 division.” There is no indication yet if they are looking at this show as a limited or ongoing series.

 

I never cared for the idea of Section 31... I always felt the mere idea was the antithesis of Trek Tenants.. but I'm sure it will make for some exciting BSG like TV.



#2 Damon1984

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Posted 11 November 2018 - 06:05 AM

I... don't know what to say anymore :(



#3 Alteran195

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Posted 11 November 2018 - 06:23 AM

A limited series or mini series wouldnt be bad, but I dont know if a ongoing section 31 series would be that good. Especially if they keep bringing her into Discovery.

#4 Gothneo

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Posted 11 November 2018 - 09:38 AM

I guess it can be seen as a exploration of the wider starfleet operation. And the section 31 episodes were always more spy.. cloak and dagger type stuff... and to be sure there were these elements in TOS and TNG but DS9 created it, though I hold DS9 overall in high esteem, it was kind of a lazy mcguffin to advance the overall story and not have starfleet have to take total responsibility for what could be seen as a war crime.

#5 Morgan

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Posted 11 November 2018 - 11:12 AM

Oooff, this smells of a JJ Abramseque approach: Turning up previously popular elements to eleven, effectively producing concepts that are too-much-of-a-good-thing.

 

The plot devices of the Mirror universe and Section 31 were used very sparingly throughout Trek, but this seems to be going: Oh, you liked that? Well how about a show with both of those things every week?
 



#6 VulcanFanatic

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Posted 11 November 2018 - 11:23 AM

They can make 14 different series if they want to but until they get back to the original formula, they won't be the success that they want.

#7 Gothneo

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Posted 11 November 2018 - 04:13 PM

Fixed that for ya  ;)

They can make 14 different series if they want to but until they get back to the original formula, they won't be the success that they I want.



#8 Gothneo

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Posted 11 November 2018 - 04:16 PM

The plot devices of the Mirror universe and Section 31 were used very sparingly throughout Trek, but this seems to be going: Oh, you liked that? Well how about a show with both of those things every week?

 

 

Yes.... and Mirror universe was, typically an easy "This isn't reality" kinda pass. they could have written in sec 31 as an evil necessity to win the dominion war and then destroyed it afterwards, but then they decided to let it creep into ENT.



#9 VulcanFanatic

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Posted 11 November 2018 - 07:10 PM

Fixed that for ya  ;)

I had it right the first time. None of the newer shows or movies have been the success they have wanted because they have gotten away from the right formula.

#10 s8film40

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Posted 11 November 2018 - 07:49 PM

I really just get the feeling theyre doing the throw everything against the wall and see what sticks approach. And yeah I think if they had found the success they wanted they wouldnt be branching out into all these very different things. Theyre putting the odds in their favor though I guess. One of these at least has to do well... right?

#11 Gothneo

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Posted 12 November 2018 - 03:23 AM

Regardless of what any of us think of Star Trek 2009 or STID, the numbers say they were a success in ever meaningful way to any bean counter. folks can say they were are failure... but the numbers say different, which is why not one but two new movies seem to be in the works. 

 

Likewise, with DISCO, they seem to be happy with the results... especially since CBS AA managed to get Netflix to pay for it and CBS AA retained the rights. We'll never know exactly what something like DISCO brings in in actual revenue because no streaming service breaks out viewing numbers, but the fact that they seem to up to 5 other shows in various stages of production says something. 

 

The real litmus test as to if people really want more of the TOS/TNG formula will be to see if The Orville makes it. Its being put up against actual viewer demand thats paid for by advertising... so if people don't watch, then the show doesn't pay and it won't make it. S1 ranked a pretty lethargic 63rd. and it was questionable if FOX would give it a second season, but it did make the cut... though we basically got nothing for 2018. S1 was a mere 12 episodes and season 2 will only be 14 episodes... which means FOX isn't putting enough faith in the show to order full seasons.  Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the Orville, I think its a spot on update and a modern homage to Trek, and I'd love to see it succeed, but its numbers will have to come way up for it to have a chance to make a run anywhere near 70+ episodes... and validate the old formula.

 

Unfortunately, I don't think the old formula is how people watch anymore... I certainly don't...  I think streaming content is actually starting to follow the formula used for years by the BBC... which is that they come up with a project, budget it and shoot a 1/2 dozen to a dozen episodes and thats it. Maybe if it gets good reception they will do another run... but Most of the shows aren't seen as long running continuing series. Which makes sense as TV in the UK (as I understand it) is taxed on a per unit basis to pay for BBC content... which means they have basically had the streaming formula forever. 

 

Streaming sites need new exclusive content to make them relevant and to keep subscribers, so where the advertising dollars is what drove "free" TV product, subscribers drive streaming product. Part of what makes streaming services interesting is that the exclusive content is available all the time... so new subscribers can discover shows that have been around for years. People lament that they have to pay a lot more money for all these services, but I think what most people do is they pick 1 or 2 and then if they get tired with one they rotate to a new service... even if you only pick it up for a few months. AA has been continuously adding new content.. and some of it, I think is good, while some I don't care for. 

 

Michelle Yeoh was a standout in DISCO, so she'll be able to carry a new show... we'll have to see how they decide to do the format, but I expect sort of a Trek version of "The Americans" (for lack of better insight at this time). I think the idea will be interesting and entertaining, and with most stuff I watch... it comes down to good writing, decent plots etc. 

 

I always thought one of the tenants of Trek was about embracing diversity... and the different products certainly do seem to be diverse!



#12 VulcanFanatic

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Posted 12 November 2018 - 05:10 AM

Orville isn't Star Trek, even though it may be closer to Star Trek than Discovery is, it still isn't Star Trek and isn't going to attract as many as an actual real Star Trek show would.using Orville as a guage to see how many people want real Star Trek is a mistake.
I don't mind paying for streaming services but they are going to have to put something on them that I want to see to get my buck.

#13 Whirlygig

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Posted 12 November 2018 - 09:01 AM

What they really want with those movies is to recapture a franchise that nobody (including people beyond core fandom) stops talking about like Star Wars or the MCU.  Until they get that they will have, by their own ambitions, continued to fail.  Discovery isn't exactly off the ground yet either...

 

When TNG, DS9, VOY, and the movies were all up in the air simultaneously, they were branching out at a time when they were on top of the world.  Good time to experiment.

 

Now at this early stage, they just appear to me to be spreading themselves too thin instead...

IMO the Picard show should have been what they launched with.  It's not like it would have been hard to look around the room and see that everyone else is reviving the same characters from 20+ years ago successfully and figure that out, but they don't appear to think like normal people.



#14 Gothneo

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Posted 12 November 2018 - 02:02 PM

Star Wars has been a franchise gold standard for some time now.

Everyone wants to be it but few are. I think one of the best examples of a franchise that peaked long ago but still has its resurgencies is plant o the apes. A huge cultural phenomena way before trek or wars... and it still has movies toys and other media but not like wars... I think in terms of a cultural phenomena trek hit its peak long ago. And will follow suit as POTA... tastes change and people move on. One day the Star Wars franchise will likely sputter to a low flicker.

I guess what Im rambling on about is that I see the experimentation as kind of a last gasp. If they find something that hits trek may see some resurgence... but I dont think it will ever hit the high it was at again.

I think we should try and enjoy what we can of it... which isnt to say I wont be critical of it when I dont like it but I just dont see it returning to its heyday.

#15 MisterPL

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Posted 13 November 2018 - 08:03 AM

Sad how dismissive "fans" get about even the rumor of a new Trek series. Star Trek is about optimism.



#16 Gothneo

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Posted 13 November 2018 - 09:19 AM

Sorry... wasnt trying to be dismissive of it all together... Ill watch it... I guess keying in on you point of optimism... section 31 is a shadow spy agency dealing in the gutter so to speak... which doesnt typically lend to an open optimistic setting. But I say lets see what they come up with. In the end they need to win so it will probably be exciting and bad guys will loose!

#17 s8film40

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Posted 13 November 2018 - 10:20 AM

Star Trek is was about optimism.

I fixed it for you.

 

After a dystopian reboot series of movies and a new season of a show that also doesn't exactly have a positive tone. I would say I'm very cautiously optimistic. I would like to see them go in a more optimistic direction, but I'm not going to just blindly believe that everything is going to be great. I'll give them each a chance and hope for the best just like I did with the first two Abrams movies and the first two episodes of Discovery.



#18 MisterPL

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Posted 13 November 2018 - 12:22 PM

It seems like there's an entire generation of participation trophy winners who were never taught how to deal with disappointment. They'd prefer to be cynical so that they can either be pleasantly surprised when they're mistaken or vindicated when they aren't.

 

I enjoy Star Trek. I have my favorites (TNG, DS9) and my disappointments (TAS, VOY) and my missed opportunities (ENT, NEM). But for the most part, I still find the franchise immensely entertaining. That's why I'm still here.

 

Other franchises, not so much. When they become more frustrating than fun, I just walk away. There's too much other stuff out there to waste time with something that I truly believe is going to bring me more angst than satisfaction. 

 

But some people would rather be negative at the first rumor (and bring down as many other people with them) before we even have a title for the show. What a morose bunch "fans" have become.



#19 Alteran195

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Posted 13 November 2018 - 01:01 PM

How were the Kelvin movies in any way dystopian? I am genuinely curious how you could watch them and have that mind set.

Same goes for Discovery. The series wasnt constant optimism since it was a war, but there were definitely moments, and saying the whole show is dystopian after only watching two episodes isnt fair to the show at all.

#20 s8film40

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Posted 13 November 2018 - 02:07 PM

I don't know maybe destroying entire worlds just isn't my idea of an optimistic future. Sure Discovery probably had some moments. For me all it comes down to is very simple. What I want from Star Trek is to see a world in the future full of exploration and discoveries that makes me want to live in that world. Obviously you have to have conflict to have drama and I get that, but it seems they've focused on making sure that drama can drive action and that just doesn't leave as much room for exploring strange new worlds and fascinating stories that make you think. I'm staying optimistic that one or more of these shows might be what I want out of Star Trek. However retreading old stories versus just following the same formula and doing something new and original doesn't give me full confidence. As MisterPL said we seem to be in a generation of participation trophies and everyone seem to think CBS gets a trophy just for making a show and putting the title "Star Trek" on it. If others are happy with the shows or movies great. What they've been producing lately simply hasn't been for me, if that changes I'll be happy to start enjoying new Star Trek again and gladly pay for my CBS membership. If not I'll continue to collect TOS and TNG era merchandise and enjoy other movies and shows.






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