CBS: Star Trek

[keg in kc]

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The Next Chapter of the Legendary “Star Trek” TV Franchise Will Premiere on the CBS Television Network, Then Move to CBS All Access Digital Subscription Service

Alex Kurtzman, Co-Writer and Producer of the Blockbuster Films

“Star Trek” and “Star Trek Into Darkness,” to Executive Produce

CBS Studios International to Distribute the Series Globally

For Television and Multiple Platforms

STUDIO CITY, CALIF. AND NEW YORK, N.Y. – Nov. 2, 2015 – CBS Television Studios announced today it will launch a totally new “Star Trek” television series in January 2017. The new series will blast off with a special preview broadcast on the CBS Television Network. The premiere episode and all subsequent first-run episodes will then be available exclusively in the United States on CBS All Access, the Network’s digital subscription video on demand and live streaming service.

The next chapter of the “Star Trek” franchise will also be distributed concurrently for television and multiple platforms around the world by CBS Studios International.

The new program will be the first original series developed specifically for U.S. audiences for CBS All Access, a cross-platform streaming service that brings viewers thousands of episodes from CBS’s current and past seasons on demand, plus the ability to stream their local CBS Television station live for $5.99 per month. CBS All Access already offers every episode of all previous “Star Trek” television series.

The brand-new “Star Trek” will introduce new characters seeking imaginative new worlds and new civilizations, while exploring the dramatic contemporary themes that have been a signature of the franchise since its inception in 1966.

Alex Kurtzman will serve as executive producer for the new “Star Trek” TV series. Kurtzman co-wrote and produced the blockbuster films “Star Trek” (2009) with Roberto Orci, and “Star Trek Into Darkness” (2013) with Orci and Damon Lindelof. Both films were produced and directed by J.J. Abrams.

The new series will be produced by CBS Television Studios in association with Kurtzman’s Secret Hideout. Kurtzman and Heather Kadin will serve as executive producers. Kurtzman is also an executive producer for the hit CBS television series SCORPION and LIMITLESS, along with Kadin and Orci, and for HAWAII FIVE-0 with Orci.

“Star Trek,” which will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2016, is one of the most successful entertainment franchises of all time. The original “Star Trek” spawned a dozen feature films and five successful television series. Almost half a century later, the “Star Trek” television series are licensed on a variety of different platforms in more than 190 countries, and the franchise still generates more than a billion social media impressions every month.

Born from the mind of Gene Roddenberry, the original “Star Trek” series debuted on Sept. 8, 1966 and aired for three seasons – a short run that belied the influence it would have for generations. The series also broke new ground in storytelling and cultural mores, providing a progressive look at topics including race relations, global politics and the environment.

“There is no better time to give ‘Star Trek’ fans a new series than on the heels of the original show’s 50th anniversary celebration,” said David Stapf, President, CBS Television Studios. “Everyone here has great respect for this storied franchise, and we’re excited to launch its next television chapter in the creative mind and skilled hands of Alex Kurtzman, someone who knows this world and its audience intimately.”

“This new series will premiere to the national CBS audience, then boldly go where no first-run ‘Star Trek’ series has gone before – directly to its millions of fans through CBS All Access,” said Marc DeBevoise, Executive Vice President/General Manager – CBS Digital Media. “We’ve experienced terrific growth for CBS All Access, expanding the service across affiliates and devices in a very short time. We now have an incredible opportunity to accelerate this growth with the iconic ‘Star Trek,’ and its devoted and passionate fan base, as our first original series.”

“Every day, an episode of the ‘Star Trek’ franchise is seen in almost every country in the world,” said Armando Nuñez, President and CEO, CBS Global Distribution Group. “We can’t wait to introduce ‘Star Trek’s’ next voyage on television to its vast global fan base.”

CBS All Access offers its customers more than 7,500 episodes from the current television season, previous seasons and classic shows on demand nationwide, as well as the ability to stream local CBS stations live in more than 110 markets. Subscribers can use the service online and across devices via CBS.com, the CBS App for iOS, Android and Windows 10, as well as on connected devices such as Apple TV, Android TV, Chromecast, Roku players and Roku TV, with more connected devices to come.

The new television series is not related to the upcoming feature film “Star Trek Beyond,” which is scheduled to be distributed by Paramount Pictures in summer 2016

[Bowser]

Originally Posted by RealSNR

MODS! SHUT THIS THING OFF!

[Mennonite]

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by Discuss Thrower

The Maquis were right, though..

Yep. Damn Federation do-gooders.

GO LORCA!

[RealSNR]

Geez, I had JUST gotten over the fact that Paramount wasn't going to do what I wanted them to do and continue the story off after the TNG-DS9-VOY events. Then I take a trip down DS9 lane and I go back to thinking these execs are butt****ing morons for not continuing the adventure with those same familiar characters and perhaps an occasional actor/character cameo or two.

It'd be so easy to "start fresh" for the casual viewer yet throw enough fodder out there for previous fans. There's just not enough in Discovery right now to give me that same Star Trek boner.

That being said, while I always though the mirror universe shit was overrated, after last week, I'm okay with continuing down this path. It appears they could possibly turn this into an entire series. Again, not what I wanted, but it's acceptable.

[RealSNR]

I know I've shared these before, but still...

[Mennonite]

Originally Posted by RealSNR

Geez, I had JUST gotten over the fact that Paramount wasn't going to do what I wanted them to do and continue the story off after the TNG-DS9-VOY events. Then I take a trip down DS9 lane and I go back to thinking these execs are butt****ing morons for not continuing the adventure with those same familiar characters and perhaps an occasional actor/character cameo or two.

Have you ever read the DS9 Relaunch novels? They're pretty good. Basically seasons 8 and 9 of the show with a mix of old and new characters. A couple of them are duds, but overall, they are enjoyable.

[RealSNR]

And yes... this is where my avatar comes from. I have no idea who the original artist is of the horse saxophone. I don't think it's the creator of these edits (gazorra) but it might be.

[RealSNR]

Originally Posted by Mennonite

Have you ever read the DS9 Relaunch novels? They're pretty good. Basically seasons 8 and 9 of the show with a mix of old and new characters. A couple of them are duds, but overall, they are enjoyable.

I have not. I may have to break my rule of not paying attention to stuff that's not canon, particularly since Paramount seems to think anything and everything remotely connected to the TNG-DS9-VOY era is a huge waste of time on their part. Pretty sad that ****ing everything has to be related to Kirk or set as a prequel, but whatever.

[Mennonite]

^^^Those videos are ****ing brilliant.

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by RealSNR

Geez, I had JUST gotten over the fact that Paramount wasn't going to do what I wanted them to do and continue the story off after the TNG-DS9-VOY events. Then I take a trip down DS9 lane and I go back to thinking these execs are butt****ing morons for not continuing the adventure with those same familiar characters and perhaps an occasional actor/character cameo or two.

It'd be so easy to "start fresh" for the casual viewer yet throw enough fodder out there for previous fans. There's just not enough in Discovery right now to give me that same Star Trek boner.

That being said, while I always though the mirror universe shit was overrated, after last week, I'm okay with continuing down this path. It appears they could possibly turn this into an entire series. Again, not what I wanted, but it's acceptable.

I started watching Sunday's episode thinking that they would probably wrap up the mirror universe thing by the end, just because that's the way it had been handled in the past. But this may be a major story arc of the whole show.

I now have no idea what the hell they're going to do, and I like it.

[RINGLEADER]

Originally Posted by Discuss Thrower

Frakes was on the 'After Trek' this Sunday and threw shade at the DS9 show runners for deviating from Roddenberry's vision..

I saw that. Frakes is a great person and that show was awesome.

[Mephistopheles Janx]

The entire first season is set in a mirror universe?

Christ.

$50 says that wasn't their original direction but the way the writers went after they got feedback from the first episodes.

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by MephistophelesJanx

The entire first season is set in a mirror universe?

Christ.

$50 says that wasn't their original direction but the way the writers went after they got feedback from the first episodes.

No, that's not the case at all. But it has been made clear that mirror universe angle was in play from the very beginning.

And if you're not going to watch it then you shouldn't bitch about it.

[Mennonite]

I haven't watched this show yet, but I do occasionally lurk on online discussion of it. Seeing Frakes' comment about "Roddenberry's vision" reminded me of a comment someone made about Mirror Lorca.

Now when Roddenberry created TNG he wanted there to be zero conflict amongst the main characters. Humans had evolved beyond almost all of their pettiness. It reached a point in one of the episodes (The Neutral Zone season 1) that one of the characters is shocked, shocked to find out that humans once feared dying.

This commentator made the point that the writers are damaging the character because the thing that makes him interesting - his questionable morality - is simply because he's from the Mirror Universe and not because he is a complex character with depth.

Basically, it would be like saying that Sisko did what he did in In the Pale Moonlight was because he was from the Mirror Universe instead of being a good man who had to do an evil thing for the greater good.

Though, come to think of it, Sisko did suddenly grow a goatee...

[Discuss Thrower]

Originally Posted by Mennonite

I haven't watched this show yet, but I do occasionally lurk on online discussion of it. Seeing Frakes' comment about "Roddenberry's vision" reminded me of a comment someone made about Mirror Lorca.

Now when Roddenberry created TNG he wanted there to be zero conflict amongst the main characters. Humans had evolved beyond almost all of their pettiness. It reached a point in one of the episodes (The Neutral Zone season 1) that one of the characters is shocked, shocked to find out that humans once feared dying.

This commentator made the point that the writers are damaging the character because the thing that makes him interesting - his questionable morality - is simply because he's from the Mirror Universe and not because he is a complex character with depth.

Basically, it would be like saying that Sisko did what he did in In the Pale Moonlight was because he was from the Mirror Universe instead of being a good man who had to do an evil thing for the greater good.

Though, come to think of it, Sisko did suddenly grow a goatee...

Hence why Roddenberry's vision was kinda hokey and why apparently DS9 isn't highly regarded by some associated with the overall brand. I guess.

The way I can rationalize Roddenberry's vision with the need to have non-boring ass characters (that is to say, ones with flaws that aren't supposedly found in 24th century Federation worlds) is that the crew of the Enterprise, regardless of era, epitomizes the best Starfleet can ever have in terms having near perfect humans / aliens living in accordance which what Roddenberry idealized.

But when you get further away from Earth and the Federation flagship Enterprise, you're more likely to see flawed people and the drama of whether or not they will live up to the Federation's (Roddenberry's) ideals.

Hell, Eddington spells this out in the Maquis arc in DS9.