[Poll] Star Trek fans, are you going to subscribe to CBS All-Access?

[S.B.G]

The first one was ground breaking for 1966. I was 13 and my parents had reservations about me watching it. I loved it, but it is dated now. STNG was the series I truly fell in love with. The others- DSN, Voyager, Enterprise, all dissapointed me. So with this string of failures, ehh. I'll wait for rave reviews or alternative access, before I decide my next move.

Well.... When TNG came out I was 9 and it took me many years to warm up to it. I was more in love with TOS watching it on re-runs all the time growing up. Then DSN came out and I wanted to like it as the next evolution in the series, but quickly gave up on it when it didn't have the flare of TOS or the social drama of TNG. I've tried to watch DSN again a year or so ago and couldn't get into it and the same happened with Voyager and Enterprise.

I'm content to continue watching TOS and TNG and their associated movies over and over again. I am willing to give this new series a chance, but not via CBS all access.

 

[Renzatic]

The first one was ground breaking for 1966. I was 13 and my parents had reservations about me watching it. I loved it, but it is dated now. STNG was the series I truly fell in love with. The others- DSN, Voyager, Enterprise, all dissapointed me. So with this string of failures, ehh. I'll wait for rave reviews or alternative access, before I decide my next move.

Deep Space Nine was awesome, Huntn. It was probably one of the most mature and realistic views of what our future utopian galactic federation would actually be like when faced with an unending series of tough choices.

...as long as you ignore the first season.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Deep Space Nine was awesome, Huntn. It was probably one of the most mature and realistic views of what our future utopian galactic federation would actually be like when faced with an unending series of tough choices.

...as long as you ignore the first season.

Agree with both @Huntn, and @SandboxGeneral had to say; I saw TOS as a very small kid and adored it; then - yes - watched re-runs as an adult.

In common with @SandboxGeneral, it took me a while to get into TNG, and, when I did, I became completely captivated; to my mind, this is probably the best of all of the Star Trek franchise.

I watched the first two seasons of DS9, and found it tedious. Then, I moved elsewhere for work, and lost track, - and, more to the point, lost interest, too - and never ever got back to it.

Friends and cousins who were into the Star Trek universe assured me that the last few seasons became brilliant; and I believe them, but I have no idea when and where that brilliance starts and - unless it is pinpointed for me - have no real desire to look for it.

Re Voyager, I liked the idea of a female captain, but never really warmed to the series, though I watched most of season 1. Enterprise, I frankly loathed; again, I read that it got good later on. At this stage, I almost don't care: why will they not learn the lesson that if you serve up boring tedious tripe (poor character development, boring, unintelligent plots, uninteresting stories) for the first two or three seasons, you will lose your audience.

One of the things that worked really well in TNG was the fact that the TV series (and, granted, not the movies) was a genuinely ensemble piece of acting: All of the main cast had at least one show per season - one story per season - dedicated to them. It allowed the characters to grow with the show, and meant that you really felt you knew the crew.

However, with some of later series, Voyager and Enterprise especially, - the minor characters never really got the character development that they may have merited, which lead to a shallow - or limited - story, with a focus solely on the two or three leads.

Thus, I never felt that I knew the crew of Voyager, or Enterprise, other than one or two other than the captain; in fairness, DS9 was different, and I am sorry it took so long to warm up that I lost interest long before that happened.

As the various other series wound on, frankly, the idea of the producers that you should trim it down to focus on two or three main characters made for very predictable and shallow and limited plots.

Anyway, as I am in Europe, the whole topic of a dedicated channel is sort of moot, but I must say that I really loved the first two Star Trek series; fantastic, creative, intelligent thoughtful TV at its best.

 

[C DM]

Deep Space Nine was awesome, Huntn. It was probably one of the most mature and realistic views of what our future utopian galactic federation would actually be like when faced with an unending series of tough choices.

...as long as you ignore the first season.

I'd definitely agree, DS9 at times tops TNG for me, although TNG certainly has my full admiration. (Not to go off topic, but Babylon 5 is right up there as well.)

 

[maflynn]

Deep Space Nine was awesome

but Babylon 5 is right up there as well.

Compare and contrast - I liked Babylon 5. It was a great series, but DS9, didn't grab me. There were certainly some storylines in the series that I enjoyed, but as a whole, the series wasn't one that I liked that much.

 

[GlenK]

No. Not double paying CBS. Already pay a lot for DTV!

 

[BigMcGuire]

Compare and contrast - I liked Babylon 5. It was a great series, but DS9, didn't grab me. There were certainly some storylines in the series that I enjoyed, but as a whole, the series wasn't one that I liked that much.

As a kid I watched Babylon 5 before TNG came on, but I much preferred TNG/DS9. I didn't dislike Babylon 5 - infact I liked it - especially the big fleet battles. DS9 had some really terrible episodes but it also had some really good ones. My order of preference is probably... TNG-->TOS-->DS9-->Voy-->Enterprise. Now, I find DS9 to be something I watch most of the time if I have time to watch a Star Trek episode.

@GlenK Most of the people I know saying no to this (in real life) already pay for dish, direct tv, cable. People like me who don't pay for TV (minus Netflix and HBOGo) are much more willing to pay for CBS All Access. At least from what I've seen.

 

[Huntn]

Well.... When TNG came out I was 9 and it took me many years to warm up to it. I was more in love with TOS watching it on re-runs all the time growing up. Then DSN came out and I wanted to like it as the next evolution in the series, but quickly gave up on it when it didn't have the flare of TOS or the social drama of TNG. I've tried to watch DSN again a year or so ago and couldn't get into it and the same happened with Voyager and Enterprise.

I'm content to continue watching TOS and TNG and their associated movies over and over again. I am willing to give this new series a chance, but not via CBS all access.

Agree with both @Huntn, and @SandboxGeneral had to say; I saw TOS as a very small kid and adored it; then - yes - watched re-runs as an adult.

In common with @SandboxGeneral, it took me a while to get into TNG, and, when I did, I became completely captivated; to my mind, this is probably the best of all of the Star Trek franchise.

I watched the first two seasons of DS9, and found it tedious. Then, I moved elsewhere for work, and lost track, - and, more to the point, lost interest, too - and never ever got back to it.

Friends and cousins who were into the Star Trek universe assured me that the last few seasons became brilliant; and I believe them, but I have no idea when and where that brilliance starts and - unless it is pinpointed for me - have no real desire to look for it.

Re Voyager, I liked the idea of a female captain, but never really warmed to the series, though I watched most of season 1. Enterprise, I frankly loathed; again, I read that it got good later on. At this stage, I almost don't care: why will they not learn the lesson that if you serve up boring tedious tripe (poor character development, boring, unintelligent plots, uninteresting stories) for the first two or three seasons, you will lose your audience.

One of the things that worked really well in TNG was the fact that the series (and, granted,, not the movies) was a genuinely ensemble piece of acting: All of the main cast had at least one show per season - one story per season - dedicated to them. It allowed the characters to grow with the show, and meant that you really felt you knew the crew.

However, with some of later series, Voyager an dEnterprise especially, - the minor characters never really got he character development that they may have merited, which lead to a shallow story.

Thus, I never felt that I knew the crew of Voyager, or Enterprise, other than one or two other than the captain; in fairness, DS9 was different, and I am sorry it took so long to warm up that I lost interest long before that happened.

As the various other series wound on, frankly, the idea of the producers that you should trim it down to focus on two or three main characters made for very predictable and shallow and limited plots.

Anyway, as I am in Europe, the whole topic of a dedicated channel is sort of moot, but I must say that I really loved the first two Star Trek series; fantastic, creative, intelligent thoughtful TV at its best.

For @SandboxGeneral and @Scepticalscribe I'll reconfirm I'm still in love with STNG. Of interest I ignored it when it first came on, as I recall it was broadcast on Saturdays on Fox? It had been on for two seasons, when I stumbled across it, and I was hooked after viewing just one episode. I almost cried at the conclusion of the All Good Things episode (series final).

Deep Space Nine was awesome, Huntn. It was probably one of the most mature and realistic views of what our future utopian galactic federation would actually be like when faced with an unending series of tough choices.

...as long as you ignore the first season.

Lol, now that's funny.
[doublepost=1464536912][/doublepost]

Compare and contrast - I liked Babylon 5. It was a great series, but DS9, didn't grab me. There were certainly some storylines in the series that I enjoyed, but as a whole, the series wasn't one that I liked that much.

I realize this is a Star Trek universe thread, but for anyone who'd like to see something else based in space that might be regarded as awesome, check out Battlestar Gallactica (2004-2009). I found it to be epic although honestly it took a while for it to get its hooks into me. And Holy Crapola!

 

[S.B.G]

but for anyone who'd like to see something else based in space that might be regarded as awesome, check out Battlestar Gallactica (2004-2009).

I loved BSG! Too bad I never see much of it on TV, but its on Netflix where I watched the whole thing.

 

[Huntn]

I consider myself a Trekkie, and given my age, I was able to watch the TOS when it first aired

The last series Star Trek: Enterprise had so much promise I was really looking forward to this. I thought they' be getting back more of the roots of Star Trek, yet they messed it up, with so much time travel crap. They had a blank slate to really come up with some new ideas and new villians and all they could do is time travel with the same old topics.

Here's something that I'm really hoping that comes to fruition, it looks like awesome and it appears Paramount dropped the lawsuit.

I liknked this to show how much endless possibilities there can be

This is pretty cool. I had not heard of it. Here's a link: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prelude_to_Axanar

 

[Huntn]

Well.... When TNG came out I was 9 and it took me many years to warm up to it. I was more in love with TOS watching it on re-runs all the time growing up. Then DSN came out and I wanted to like it as the next evolution in the series, but quickly gave up on it when it didn't have the flare of TOS or the social drama of TNG. I've tried to watch DSN again a year or so ago and couldn't get into it and the same happened with Voyager and Enterprise.

I'm content to continue watching TOS and TNG and their associated movies over and over again. I am willing to give this new seeries a chance, but not via CBS all access.

I remember getting really pissed when one of the early Voyager episodes (I think early) was a time paradox retread story from STNG and for as long as I stuck with Enterprise, Sub-Cmdr T'Pol getting a back rub in her undies was approved , but the writing and stories seemed very basic, nothing intriguing.

 

[Mousse]

For I realize this is a Star Trek universe thread, but for anyone who'd like to see something else based in space that might be regarded as awesome, check out Battlestar Gallactica (2004-2009). I found it to be epic although honestly it took a while for it to get its hooks into me. And Holy Crapola!

I recommend to any fellow Otaku who remembers the original Yamato series from the 70's give Yamato 2199 a look. It's a remake of the original series done right--great story telling, great character development, jaw dropping animation. Already knowing the overall plot does take a bit of the suspense out of it, but the writers put a new twist on the old, keeping it interesting.

I've seen the Star Trek reboots (meh), the new Star Wars movies (more meh) and I'm a YUUGGEE Star Trek/Star Wars/BSG fan. A few guys can do EVERYTHING, the rest are expendable redshirts. The new BSG does this a bit with Starbuck (best pilot, best sniper, top notch hand to hand combatant...), but at least she's a slob. She barely dodge the Mary Sue-type a lot of new Sci-Fi characters.

 

[ActionableMango]

Deep Space Nine was awesome, Huntn. It was probably one of the most mature and realistic views of what our future utopian galactic federation would actually be like when faced with an unending series of tough choices.

...as long as you ignore the first season.

I agree wholeheartedly. DS9 has some of the very worst episodes in all of Trek ("Move Along Home"). It also has some of the very best ("In the Pale Moonlight"). The worst ones tend to be in the first couple of seasons. Unfortunately I know many, many people that gave up on DS9 in those first two years. Hated it even, and for good reason. But they missed out.

By the time the series has ended, it's actually right up there with TNG for me. In a couple of areas I feel it actually far surpasses TNG, such as character development and the history/culture/lore of some of the non-Federation races (Bajorans, Cardassians, Ferengi, and Klingons). But especially character development.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I agree wholeheartedly. DS9 has some of the very worst episodes in all of Trek ("Move Along Home"). It also has some of the very best ("In the Pale Moonlight"). The worst ones tend to be in the first couple of seasons. Unfortunately I know many, many people that gave up on DS9 in those first two years. Hated it even, and for good reason. But they missed out.

By the time the series has ended, it's actually right up there with TNG for me. In a couple of areas I feel it actually far surpasses TNG, such as character development and the history/culture/lore of some of the non-Federation races (Bajorans, Cardassians, Ferengi, and Klingons). But especially character development.

Yes, but precisely because they took so long to get the thing going, with two very poor seasons - which is when you entice your audience with plot, and character - and context - they lost much of their audience.

I remember when I used to schedule time to watch DS9 - around the time that STNG was finishing.

While some of the episodes of STNG left me awestruck, I don't ever recall feeling uplifted, challenged, made to think, - in fact, those first two seasons of DS9, when I made time to watch it, I remember vaguely being bored, and feeling that I was just going through the motions, - because I liked the ST universe, and it was one of he very few TV shows I watched for pleasure in my entire life - and wasting my time.

Essentially, I felt I was paying homage to an idea that no longer interested, delighted, stimulated, or challenged me. It bored me, and I came to the conclusion that it was tedious.

Now, yes, others tell me it improved; but - precisely because I so rarely watch TV - I have never seen it, and, unless I am in the company of someone who can point me directly to what was good - and when it became good - I am unlikely ever to do so.

 

[ActionableMango]

unless I am in the company of someone who can point me directly to what was good - and when it became good - I am unlikely ever to do so.

There are many "DS9 skip it" and "DS9 watch it" lists. If you feel like giving it another chance, I feel the following guide is pretty good. They identify critical episodes (those that you need to watch for the overall season or story arc) and recommended episodes (those that are stand-alone, but worth watching). The rest can be skipped with no negative consequences.

http://www.geek.com/news/star-trek-...-to-watch-the-most-story-driven-trek-1613741/

There are HUGE spoilers in the episodes summaries, so I would avoid reading ahead on those if you are bothered by spoilers.

 

[Renzatic]

Yes, but precisely because they took so long to get the thing going, with two very poor seasons - which is when you entice your audience with plot, and character - and context - they lost much of their audience.

To be fair, TNG isn't exactly well known for its spectacular first season, either. Though granted, it was better than what DS9 put on the table that first year.

Now, yes, others tell me it improved; but - precisely because I so rarely watch TV - I have never seen it, and, unless I am in the company of someone who can point me directly to what was good - and when it became good - I am unlikely ever to do so.

Mango posted a nice primer above. To sum it up, it starts hitting it's stride around season 3, when they introduce the Defiant, expanding the scope of the show. I believe this is also the point where it starting becoming a little more serialized, allowing them to delve into more complicated story arcs. By the time Worf shows up in Season 4, it's easily on par with TNG (though I will admit that it doesn't quite manage to hit as high as TNG did at its very, very best).

 

[ActionableMango]

The poll results look really bad for CBS All-Access.

I know a MacRumors Community Discussion poll isn't reflective of the TV viewing population as a whole, but I see similar discussions everywhere this topic is posted. CBS is either completely clueless, overly optimistic, or have something up their sleeves that I don't know about or understand. Perhaps it is all a marketing ploy to generate discussion. Then when the day actually comes, they just air it as normal as look like heroes and a company that listens to their customers.

 

[Renzatic]

Somewhat on topic, somewhat off topic, but I saw this just a bit ago, and immediately thought of this thread...

Get all your friends together, slap some VR headsets on, and PREPARE TO NERD OUT!

 

[mobilehaathi]

No, I'm not going to subscribe just to watch what will likely be a show that's Star Trek in name only.

 

[Mousse]

Does the VR game have exploding instrument panels? I ain't gonna waste my money unless I get the real Star Trek bridge crew experience.

 

[Renzatic]

Does the VR game have exploding instrument panels? I ain't gonna waste my money unless I get the real Star Trek bridge crew experience.

It damn well better.

 

[C DM]

No, I'm not going to subscribe just to watch what will likely be a show that's Star Trek in name only.

Might very well be more than that given who is involved.

 

[mobilehaathi]

Might very well be more than that given who is involved.

Who is that? (Sorry I haven't been paying close attention.)

 

[C DM]

Who is that? (Sorry I haven't been paying close attention.)

Basically the showrunner is a big Trek fan who was a writer on DS9 (and Voyager), and one of the overseeing writers/producers is a writer who worked on Star Trek II and Star Trek IV:
http://www.cheatsheet.com/entertain...-know-about-the-new-tv-series.html/?a=viewall talks about it some more.

The potential for this to be something good is there, whether or not it lives up to it, that remains to be seen.

 

[mobilehaathi]

Basically the showrunner is a big Trek fan who was a writer on DS9 (and Voyager), and one of the overseeing writers/producers is a writer who worked on Star Trek II and Star Trek IV:
http://www.cheatsheet.com/entertain...-know-about-the-new-tv-series.html/?a=viewall talks about it some more.

The potential for this to be something good is there, whether or not it lives up to it, that remains to be seen.

I see! Well, I'll reserve a small amount of hope, but I'm still not falling for CBS's marketing ploy to gain subscribers. I'm sure it'll be available more widely eventually.