News - New Trek Series to be Anthology; Time Era for First Season Metntioned

In recent news on the new Star Trek series, it is being suggested that the new series is going to be an anthology, much like the current rage with hit shows like Fargo and American Horror Story. Read about it here. Also, it is mentioned that the first season will likely be set in the time after the events of the sixth feature film (you know, the one where Kirk and Spock make peace with the Klingons), and it will not be set in the reboot timeline.

My thoughts - This is interesting. I like the idea of a show that fills in some of the gaps of the previous incarnations. With TNG, DS9, and VOY all overlapping, there was a sense of continuity. Enterprise put us after the First Contact film, but before Kirk and crew. TNG came about 80 years after Kirk. There are rich eras that have only been briefly mentioned, and this is exciting to think that we can get some of the stories that have not been told. Also, with an anthology series, there are new rules. Characters, even the captain, are now at risk of meeting untimely demises. We can bring in old familiar faces with new crews. Possibilities are opening up.

And yet there is another side to the coin. One thing I liked about all previous incarnations was their ability to create rich characters. Doing this takes time. I must confess that when DS9 started I was bit annoyed with Doctor Bashir, and yet by the end of the series his character had become so rich and vibrant that he was a favourite. That took time, and I worry that unless they only focus on a smaller core of characters, you are going to get a lot fewer Datas and a lot more Mayweathers. In other words, rich, juicy characters that we enjoy watching grow and develop over time will be fewer, and more of the cast will be there, but really only have token developments that are ultimately shallow and dissatisfying. With that reservation aside, I am more intrigued than pessimistic about this news. Let's see what happens, and if this pays off. Besides, this means we can see how the Federation is doing after their war with the Dominion, Janeway becoming Admiral, and maybe see if Sisko makes it back to see the birth of his kid. Imagine, we could find out how Data's sacrifice in "Nemesis" plays out, the adventures of Captain Riker, and possibly even early adventures of the TNG characters before TNG. Many doors can open with this, so that is a good thing.