Could we get another 5 year mission to explore strange new worlds? It seems like it might be a possibility, after Joe Michalczuk, a reporter for Sky News just tweeted about a meeting between Bob Orci and CBS about bringing the show back to air.
So, how reliable is this? Let’s run the traps.
First, Sky News, for whom Michalczuk reports, is owned by Rupert Murdoch. So, take it with a grain of salt. But, to be fair, it isn’t as trashy and tabloid-y as News of the World, nor is it as insipid and biased as Fox News. So, more reliable. However, other than the reporter himself saying he had this conversation, can he be trusted? So, take that however you will.
Second, if someone were to take a meeting with CBS about bringing Trek back to series, Orci (and writing partner Alex Kurtzman) would be a logical choice. Trek is as popular as ever, with Into Darkness being the most money-making film of the franchise. As much as we can credit JJ Abrams, screenwriters Orci and Kurtzman have never been hotter in Hollywood.
To whit, we also have the Orci/Kurtzman-produced surprise hit “Sleepy Hollow,” which I know many of us robots, esp Arse-bot, are enjoying weekly. Orci and Kurtzman’s long string of TV hits include Fringe and Alias, so if anyone is likely to helm a new Trek series back to CBS, especially in Primetime (rather than the syndicated model the last 4 series have taken), Orci (and Kurtzman) are the guys, even sans the Star Wars occupied JJ Abrams.
CBS is also likely to be interested in a primetime Trek show, given the viability of the film series. It would help them, even amongst shows with big viewership like NCIS or CSI, to bring in a younger demographic, as advertisers are willing to pay more to get to younger audiences than the geriatric crowd who seems to be the only ones watching, well, NCIS. You see ABC making the same decision with Agents of SHIELD: while the numbers aren’t huge, they skew young, making it potentially a bigger cash cow than a more highly-rated but older demo show like, well, NCIS, which SHIELD goes up against weekly on Tuesdays. And with genre shows currently working and remakes working. . .you do the math.
I rate this as plausible. But I’m not holding my breath until we get an official announcement from Paramount and CBS. This could be one of those things that gets quashed, even if it’s a good idea and CBS wants to move forward on it, as folks in the movie section of the company might not want people from the tv section playing with their franchise. Call it the “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” effect.
But what are the implications? Likely, if we’re talking Orci and Kurtzman, this show would be set in the same alternate universe precipitated by Nero and Future Spock travelling from the 24th century back to the 23rd century. However, it’s doubtful we’ll see The Enterprise crew that we know and love. Everybody is off on other projects (Quinto in American Horros Story, Pine in the Jack Ryan reboot, Urban on a new show). Perhaps an Enterpise B or C or D? A Next Gen in the alt timeline? They wouldn’t be so audacious as to re-cast Picard, Riker, Data, and the rest, would they? Nahhhh. . . too many geeks’ heads would explode simultaneously, creating a black hole and plunging the Earth into oblivion.
If it were me, I’d set it early in the 25th century. Don’t say which “timeline” you’re talking about. Or, alternatively, do it during the time of George Kirk and the USS Kelvin, before The Narada would’ve shown up. And just start fresh. There’s still plenty of space to explore, and plenty of ships named Enterprise to do it with.
Whatever it is, I’ll take it. Orci and Kurtzman have done well. Let’s first wait for an official confirmation, and then withold judgment until we see actual footage.
Live long and prosper.