Paramount+ Star Trek: Discovery - Official Thread (1 Viewer)

[Sam Favate]

With a few exceptions, I can't say I was ever thrilled with the stories Menosky wrote.

 

[Greg_S_H]

Any time I was watching a terrible episode of Trek sequel, I'd look at the credits and see Menosky. I think he did the one with Chuck McGill as a clown and where Chakotay saw the moon. I think he did a really bad DS9 episode, too.

Heroes was awful, so not the best news.

Edit: he didn't write the moon one.

 

[Josh Dial]

With a few exceptions, I can't say I was ever thrilled with the stories Menosky wrote.

Really? Darmok is one of the most celebrated of all TNG episodes. Time's Arrow, The Chase, and Clues are great, too. Heck, even The Nth Degree and First Contact are solid. He's no Moore, but his episodes were generally pretty good.

 

[Sam Favate]

Really? Darmok is one of the most celebrated of all TNG episodes. Time's Arrow, The Chase, and Clues are great, too. Heck, even The Nth Degree and First Contact are solid. He's no Moore, but his episodes were generally pretty good.

He definitely gets credit for Darmok, which is excellent, but The Chase and First Contact were co-written (and both had Ron Moore involved). Time's Arrow isn't a bad episode, but was a disappointment. It didn't reach the heights of the other season-enders. The others you mention are okay, but not what I remember best about the series.

 

[Bryan^H]

http://www.geek.com/news/first-details-of-new-13-episode-star-trek-series-drop-1659386/

13 episodes, and one continuous story arc by writers I don't care for wrapped in a pay to watch format? No thank you.
I wont go as far as saying that the studio, and creative forces are selectively trying to kill the Star Trek brand, but honestly I don't think this is going to go over well for die hard Trek fans.

 

[Jason_V]

http://www.geek.com/news/first-details-of-new-13-episode-star-trek-series-drop-1659386/

13 episodes, and one continuous story arc by writers I don't care for wrapped in a pay to watch format? No thank you.
I wont go as far as saying that the studio, and creative forces are selectively trying to kill the Star Trek brand, but honestly I don't think this is going to go over well for die hard Trek fans.

Which part won't go over well? The 13 episode season is fairly standard for cable and streaming shows, so that shouldn't be an issue. One continuous story arc is something most audiences have also embraced in nearly every genre, so, again, shouldn't be an issue. The writers you don't care for is highly subjective and I think we can agree on that. Just about the only piece which may be the stake in the heart is the CBS All Access piece. Then again, no one has seen any finished product, so why disavow the entire thing right now?

CBS All Access is currently $5.99 a month. Let's say the episodes get released over the course of five months (13 episodes / 4 episodes per month = a little over four months). You're spending $5.99 * 5 for the show (or about $30). I'm not a fan of the CBS All Access piece, honestly, but I kinda understand what they're trying to do here. Plus, if you watch other CBS shows on the service, the cost per episode decreases dramatically.

 

[Bryan^H]

Which part won't go over well? The 13 episode season is fairly standard for cable and streaming shows, so that shouldn't be an issue. One continuous story arc is something most audiences have also embraced in nearly every genre, so, again, shouldn't be an issue. The writers you don't care for is highly subjective and I think we can agree on that. Just about the only piece which may be the stake in the heart is the CBS All Access piece. Then again, no one has seen any finished product, so why disavow the entire thing right now?

CBS All Access is currently $5.99 a month. Let's say the episodes get released over the course of five months (13 episodes / 4 episodes per month = a little over four months). You're spending $5.99 * 5 for the show (or about $30). I'm not a fan of the CBS All Access piece, honestly, but I kinda understand what they're trying to do here. Plus, if you watch other CBS shows on the service, the cost per episode decreases dramatically.

When I think season long story arc it scares me. I hated the Xindi story arc from Enterprise(which I truly feel was the nail in the coffin for that show). Done right, yes it can be great , but wrong, or not very well it can bury a show.
I'm sure I will watch the pilot it will be a good indicator of how well the show will do(if for no one but myself).

 

[NeilO]

CBS All Access is currently $5.99 a month. Let's say the episodes get released over the course of five months (13 episodes / 4 episodes per month = a little over four months). You're spending $5.99 * 5 for the show (or about $30). I'm not a fan of the CBS All Access piece, honestly, but I kinda understand what they're trying to do here. Plus, if you watch other CBS shows on the service, the cost per episode decreases dramatically.

What they are trying to do is get Star Trek fans to subsidize their profits and boost their pay-for service and then charge for advertising as well. If CBS All Access didn't have advertising then that price might be more understandable, but I believe they may charge something like $9.99 for an ad-free service. It is a pure money-grab.

Les Moonves: "All Access will put out original content and knowing the loyalty of Star Trek fans, this will boost it."

 

[Jason_V]

When I think season long story arc it scares me. I hated the Xindi story arc from Enterprise(which I truly feel was the nail in the coffin for that show). Done right, yes it can be great , but wrong, or not very well it can bury a show.
I'm sure I will watch the pilot it will be a good indicator of how well the show will do(if for no one but myself).

Nah, Enterprise was toast from the first season when the show didn't have an original thought or storyline. I could be charitable and say season 2, but no one in a position of power understood the show from the beginning. It showed. Broken Bow was a good start; the wheels just came off very quickly. Trek let the best writers leave the franchise and allowed the B team to continue (look at Voyager's later seasons; how many great eps are there?).

The Xindi season had a lot of internal problems, but it produced some of the best eps of the series, and some of the best of the franchise. The problem wasn't the arc concept; too many shows were already doing it at the time successfully. The problem was, again, the people who knew how to plan and write those arcs (basically, the DS9 team) were shoved out the door. Braga, et al. had to learn as they went, making up a new species we've never heard of before, with an attack on Earth that has never been referenced in the future.

What they are trying to do is get Star Trek fans to subsidize their profits and boost their pay-for service and then charge for advertising as well. If CBS All Access didn't have advertising then that price might be more understandable, but I believe they may charge something like $9.99 for an ad-free service. It is a pure money-grab.

Les Moonves: "All Access will put out original content and knowing the loyalty of Star Trek fans, this will boost it."

I'm no fan of the pay service. I've already said that. Playing devil's advocate, all they're doing is adding new content to an existing service, the same way Netflix and Hulu did (one type of Hulu subscription does have ads...). HBO did the same when it introduced original shows (granted, there are no ads). I get it's not the old model, but I'm not nearly as torn up about it as most people.

 

[Nelson Au]

Let me try to understsnd the pay for view issue here. I've never in my life paid for or has cable TV services at my home. I've always been OTA. I'm lucky I live in an area with very good broadcast reception.

But here's a possibly similar comparison in the software world. I use in my work and for my personal use, Adobe Creative Suite which includes Photoshop and Illustrator. I also use Autodesk Sketchbook Pro on the desktop and in my iPad Pro. I've paid to own a perpetual license for both. What I find very frustrating is that both companies now shifted to cloud and subscription plans. I get the idea that it provides the user with the latest versions of the software. But I don't like a monthly fee. Some might argue it comes out the same if you buy the perpetual license of old. Maybe this is a bad example and I'm just venting about my software. In th mean time, I'm using my old non cloud software for as long as I can. But I get the anger for having to pay more for the All Access service.

On the other hand I've never paid for TV before. I am not going to prejudge this new Star Trek series. I am willing to pay if necessary to see it and then cancel once it's over.

 

[Joseph Bolus]

I would not be surprised to see the new Star Trek series immediately available for purchase on the various streaming services the week after the 13th episode "aired". That was the case with the new Starz "Evil Dead" season one earlier this year. And it’s probably already earmarked for Blu-ray release in Fall 2017.

Having said that, I'm prepared to try out CBS All-Access for the first four months of 2017. I'm too starved for a new Star Trek TV series (in the original universe, no less!) to wait until April to view the series. (Heck -- Things are so bad I've had to break out the "Voyager" DVDs!).

 

[Osato]

I would not be surprised to see the new Star Trek series immediately available for purchase on the various streaming services the week after the 13th episode "aired". That was the case with the new Starz "Evil Dead" season one earlier this year. And it’s probably already earmarked for Blu-ray release in Fall 2017.

Having said that, I'm prepared to try out CBS All-Access for the first four months of 2017. I'm too starved for a new Star Trek TV series (in the original universe, no less!) to wait until April to view the series. (Heck -- Things are so bad I've had to break out the "Voyager" DVDs!).

I'll most likely buy the series on blu Ray to view it.

 

[Gary Seven]

Slightly off topic, the Star Trek shop now has a TOS communicator available that hooks to your phone via Bluetooth. I don't know if I can post the link here, but if I get the ok, I will. On the other hand you can google it. I figured there would be at least a few people here interested in it.

 

[Nelson Au]

In case you guys are not looking at the Scott Atwell Star Trek thread, the TOS Enterprise 11 foot filming model's restoration is completed at the Smithsonian;

Scott Atwell Star Trek Discussion thread (Series and Films)

 

[Josh Steinberg]

What they are trying to do is get Star Trek fans to subsidize their profits and boost their pay-for service and then charge for advertising as well. If CBS All Access didn't have advertising then that price might be more understandable, but I believe they may charge something like $9.99 for an ad-free service. It is a pure money-grab.

Les Moonves: "All Access will put out original content and knowing the loyalty of Star Trek fans, this will boost it."

The thing I'm worried about is that a lot of Trek fans are tech savvy - finding content to download illegally online is really really easy to do. I'm worried that a lot of fans will reject the idea of paying a monthly fee to watch one show on this platform, and will simply turn to illegal downloading instead. Then CBS won't get the subscription money or the numbers, and they'll claim that no one cares about Trek and cancel it. I'm worried that the illegal download numbers will be huge (like "Game of Thrones") but that the numbers for the legal streaming site will be abysmal.

 

[NeilO]

I'm worried that the illegal download numbers will be huge (like "Game of Thrones") but that the numbers for the legal streaming site will be abysmal.

I wouldn't be surprised if this is the case. If this is so, the CBS deserves such a response and should change their distribution model for the show.

At the present time, I have no plans of watching it streaming in any fashion. I will be interested in getting the set if it becomes available on DVD. On the other hand, if CBS All Access makes a deal with Dish Network and I can watch it through my Dish Network DVR in some fashion I might change my mind. I'm already paying CBS through (ever increasing) retransmit fees through my satellite subscription. If CBS tells cable and satellite providers that they are removing their retransmit fees and our bills go down, then I may consider paying for CBS All Access.

CBS is actually trying to (at least) quadruple dip here: 1) "over the air" advertising, 2) retransmit fees, 3) CBS All Access Fees, 4) CBS All Access advertisements.

 

[Joseph Bolus]

I think CBS will make out OK with this model.
First of all, based on what I’ve heard, they’re already committed to at least two seasons (although the second season could involve a different crew and time period).

So, logically, their distribution could be like this:
* First run on CBS All-Access for the first QTR of 2017.
* Entire series available for purchase on streaming services like VUDU and iTunes in the 2nd QTR.
* Release to physical media with lots of extras in September 2017.
* Reruns of the series on CBS network (either over the Summer, or in October) as lead-in to the 2nd season.

I don't see how they can go wrong with this model (unless the series is just plain bad). The number of viewers they lose to illegal downloading in the 1st QTR is minimal compared to the balance of the overall potential distribution.

 

[Stan]

I love the Star Trek stories. Oddly don't care for TOS, but the movies and every series after are great.

Sure they have their ups and downs, but overall it's been done very well. Currently in a major binge watch of The Next Generation years. Voyager and Enterprise to follow later. Can't comment on DS9, that one somehow passed me by, saw maybe one or two episodes, but maybe worth a try.

Shoot me, but "Enterprise" is my favorite.

The recent "reboot" movies have been very well done, hope this new series keeps up the quality.

 

[Sam Favate]

I don't see any way CBS All Access is a success. Let's compare it to the competition: Netflix is $9 a month for hundreds of movies and TV shows, many of which are exclusive, all of which run without ads; Hulu is $8 a month for loads of shows, all ad-free; Amazon Prime is $8.25 a month ($99/year) (or $11/month if you pay month to month) for hundreds of (ad-free) movies, shows, music and free two-day shipping on what you buy on the site.

CBS wants to charge $6/month (or $10/month with no ads) for Star Trek and the rest of its programming (which most people already pay for on their cable service). Every Star Trek fan in the world could subscribe (which, of course, they won't) and it's still not going to be enough to make it a success. CBS' lesson will be "I guess people don't want Star Trek on TV" instead of "Our idea was too far-fetched to work."

 

[Jason_V]

Just a point of clarification: ad free Hulu is $11.99 per month.