Star Trek Picard/Discovery - Discussion Thread

[Jeff T]

Just received a notification From CBS All Access:
SPECIAL OFFER FOR STAR TREK: PICARD FANS!
Sci-Fi Bulletin calls Una McCormack’s Star Trek: Picard: The Last Best Hope "an authentic and insightful prelude to Star Trek: Picard’s first season." Get the eBook download for just $1.99* (originally $12.99)!

Here it is on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Star-Trek-Picard-Last-Best/dp/1982139447

Here is their description:“Fifteen years ago…you led us out of the darkness. You commanded the greatest rescue armada in history. Then...the unimaginable. What did that cost you? Your faith. Your faith in us. Your faith in yourself. Tell us, why did you leave Starfleet, Admiral?”Every end has a beginning…and this electrifying novel details the events leading into the new Star Trek TV series, introducing you to brand-new characters featured in the life of Jean-Luc Picard—widely considered to be one of the most popular and recognizable characters in all of science fiction.

Thought that maybe someone who just recently celebrated a birthday would be eager to add this to his collection! lol 

[Kheren]

Thanks but no

I am not interested at all in a revisionist attempt to excuse the confessed, deliberate desecration of ''one of the most popular and recognizable characters in all of science-fiction.''

It is unfortunate because it might otherwise be a very well written story. But knowing where it leads to, I am not inclined towards it at all. Moreover, buying it is validating their fiasco IMHO. Having them fall flat with this also should send a clear message that they have to make a major course correction to bring Star Trek back to what it should be (like buying off Kurtzman's contract and start again fresh), not what they try to make it to be (which is ''not Trek'').

I prefer to start reading again Frank Herbert's Dune for the upcoming Denis Villeneuve movie (who is a compatriot of mine btw )

But again, thanks for the thought Jeff

[Redding]

I'm with Kheren, their not getting a dime of my money in support of this trash.
I STILL haven't watched a single episode of ST:D and have NO plans to.

[Kheren]

You just saved yourself many hours of your life, beleive me.

After the consistent abysmal performance of Kurtzmantrek over the years, both Netflix and Amazon Prime have declined Strange New Worlds, which is also still without fundings. It is most doubtful that Hulu would bother with it (especially at the insane price Kurtzman would ask) since they already have the highly successful and acclaimed The Orville and The Expanse. HBO Max is gambling on rebuilding the DCEU as it's flagship (starting with the now famous Snyder Cut of Justice League = listening to the fans) and an upcoming Dune franchise. Not much hope either with direct competitors like Peacock... unless ViacomCBS actually sells them the IP; which would see Secret Hideout out the door. So they are not looking this way for sure! 

The shortened 3rd season of Discovery is more and more looking to be it's last. Picard season 2 is yet unwritten and unfunded as well if not also out of international distribution too; Short Treks were never sellable at all (Netflix didn't pay for them and threw them in their Trailers bin). No news yet about any release plan for the Lower Decks cartoon. All the other announced projects like Abramstrek IV and Section 31 have been in limbo for years.

Not looking good for the producer who already killed the Universal Monsterverse and maimed Sony's Spiderverse.

The current pandemic has seen a spike in media consumption (except movie theaters of course). It should have been the best of times for Kurtzmantrek. Yet it was the worst of times. Many other shows and projects are now also floundering if not sinking, all for the same reason as Kurtzmantrek: awfully bad writing.

And when you add things like disrespect of the IP and of the fans, inserting partisan politics and socio-political agendas, overbudgeting for flashy visuals and overhyped actors, you have the perfect recipe for failure.

But... this might just be what we need. Media is a costly business and investors do not look forward to failing projects and people not delivering success. This might finally take our pop culture away from the greedy hands of incompetent hacks only bent on propaganda, heralding the return of quality entertainment. At Lucasfilm, Kathleen Kennedy is already confirmed out by early 2021; all but one of her projects halted with creative control out of her hands, Filoni and Favreau poised to take over and (with the help of Lucas himself) return Star Wars to it's true self.

Star Trek should be next.

Imagine Seth Mc Farlane taking over and bringing in Rick Berman or Brian Fuller and the caring and creative people of Vic Mignona's Star Trek Continues or Alec Peters of Axanar under one roof...

As The Mandalorian and even Rogue One proved with Star Wars, all it takes is people who know and care about the IP and good storytelling.


The worst of times, the best of times.

[Kheren]

On the down side, rumors be true, there is indeed no desecration beyond Kurtzmantrek:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhiUoyiO0P4&feature=em-lsp

So, after utterly destroying Spock and Captain Picard, Captain Kirk is their next target.

That being said, on the plus side, the persisting lack of fundings and distribution for their Strange New Worlds (like their Section 31 and Trek 4), the utter silence about the Lower Decks cartoon and the reported record-disaster of test screening of STD season 3, everything we hear brings us all the more closer to seeing Star Trek freed at last from Secret Hideout/Bad Robot.

It's odd to wish for failure with our beloved franchise; but at this point, it is stepping back to better leap forward.

[Kheren]

The new Kurtzmantrek installment, Lower Decks, a Star Trek animated spoof by the Rick & Morty creator, is being announced for the first week of August.

Unfortunately, CBS pulled off their official trailer when the dislikes surpassed the likes by more than 50% after 2 hours. So if you want to see it, or at least parts of it, you have to go to the various reviews of the trailer still up on Youtube.

A word of warning; they are not exactly full of praise.

As this cartoon has been rejected by Netflix (already burned with DISC) and Amazon Prime (already burned by STPicard), it is still lacking any international distribution. So as of now, it will only be seen in the US through CBS All Access and in Canada (for free) on CTV Sci-Fi.

Speaking of DISC and Picard; season 3 of DISC, despite being announced as ''coming soon,'' still has no date of release and is the final installment, at least on Netflix. Studio leases have not been renewed, sets have been dismantled and reports of test screenings are said to be worst than for the 1st and 2nd season. As for Picard, Amazon Prime is not renewing it, so season 2 is in limbo, with no financial support nor script yet either.

Same situation with all the announced projects; no international distributor and no investors for Strange New Worlds nor Section 31 (for years now).

Meanwhile, the acclaimed so-called Trek parody, The Orville, brought 2 billion of profit and is about to release it's much anticipated 3rd season on Hulu... from the guy (Seth Macfarlane) CBS said ''no'' to when he pitched for Star Trek and thus decided to make his own version of it.

So as of now, it's not looking good so far for Star Trek outside of STO... or maybe it's just the opposite?

[Kheren]

Well here is most of it and with an excellent sumrizing of what Star Trek is supposed to be and why we are still waiting for it to come back since 2005:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctHFNIhitTk


Since a trailer is supposed to offer us the most enticing material... I wonder if I will endure even the first episode. There is virtually nothing I like, want or care about this show I never wanted in the first place.

But that's me. Will I be surprised on August 6? So far, Kurtzmantrek always managed to deeply disapoint... to say the least. Does this promises to be any different? you be the judge.

[Jeff T]

Sadly it is as if Star Trek had been replaced with a pod, like in the Invasion of the Body Snatchers or The Stepford Wives.
No depth or substance at all in these bizarre manifestations since 2009. Just a veneer of trek-like epidermis... or perhaps the worst incarnation of the Mirror Mirror universe in which all characters are shallow morons and all plots pointless and haphazard; going against everything established about the franchise that made it beloved and revered.

That was how family and friends could see beyond the "replacements" in Invasion of the Body Snatchers or The Stepford Wives. The characters didn't know anything or act normal. They were schizophrenic and pathetic. Unfortunately, that is how Star Trek has been for 11 years now. Virtually unrecognizable and miserably inadequate.

[Kheren]

Quite an apt comparison Jeff.

Although the actual trailer is still nowhere to be found since CBS pulled it out from public criticism, you can basically see it here in this review of it and it's critical analysis much in agreement with your assessment:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctHFNIhitTk&t=6s

Disney is about to send Kathleen Kennedy packing sooner and Star Wars is about to get George Lucas back. Can we hope CBS to buy out Kurtzman's contract and Star Trek get someone like Rick Berman back?

Until then, we only get a crappy show about crap. Again.

[Kheren]

The most anticipated  Star Trek panel at Comicon 2020 has happened... and it tells much about the current state of Star Trek... by saying basically nothing.

As CBS is agressively banning, copyright striking and bringing down just about every internet report of it, including that of Comicon itself, we will not have a link for any one of them here. There is however a video editorial that provides an in-depth overview and analysis of it, with a smart approach to avoid any such politburo problem.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CYviE1NNds&feature=em-uploademail



I myself saw the entirety of the discussion panel and can confirm ervery detail of this report. And I for one agree with their assessment and conclusion.

In short,after a decade of Abramstrek and almost four years of Kurtzmantrek, Star Trek has a warp core breach. But once that warp core will be ejected, the ship might be saved.