If Discovery is a bust...

[CJCade]

I am looking forward to Discovery and have high hopes it's successful, but by chance if it is a bust and doesn't make it past one season, do you think CBS will be willing to give it another go immediately or do you think we'll have another decade or more with no new Trek series on TV or streaming sites?

 

[Nerys Myk]

Less than decade I think. It's too big a property to lie fallow that long.

 

[Takeru]

It's already making a profit, unless it completely tanks on Netflix they'll want a second season. There's no way CBS won't do one even if it fails on All Access, that'd be throwing away money and because a streaming service doesn't have timeslots it's not like they could put a more successful show in its place.

But should it fail another attempt will be made sooner rather than later, I assume within 3 or 4 years. They'd probably use established characters though, maybe a TNG reboot? It's not as iconic as TOS but still very well known and it'd give them an Enterprise.
I don't think another TOS reboot would be considered so soon after the fourth Abrams universe movie.

 

[Balok's Decoy]

They'd probably use established characters though, maybe a TNG reboot?

I generally don't like to make demands on creators, but a TNG reboot series would not excite me at all. I'd be open to Kelvin Timeline TNG films, but not a whole series. Hope DSC does well and that CBS won't feel like a reboot is their only way to make a buck off the franchise.

 

[F. King Daniel]

If Discovery tanks (after two seasons, CBS are claiming to already be in the black thanks to their Netflix deal), and if Star Trek 4 is put on indefinite hold (after Beyond's underwhelming theatrical performance), Star Trek probably goes on the Big Pile of Used Up Franchises, next to Terminator, Stargate and a bunch of others you probably forgot ever existed. It'll definitely be back, just not for awhile.

 

[Dukhat]

If Discovery is cancelled after the first season, we will not be seeing Trek on TV again for a very long time.

But, don't worry, everyone; Discovery isn't going to get cancelled.

 

[BillJ]

But, don't worry, everyone; Discovery isn't going to get cancelled.

Yeah. That is why CBS is going with this particular model instead of putting it on a traditional TV network.

 

[Balok's Decoy]

But, don't worry, everyone; Discovery isn't going to get cancelled.

I sure hope you're right. If it's a choice between saving $6 on a streaming service and not having new Star Trek for another 10 years, or paying $6 a month for a meh streaming service and having new Star Trek for many years, I definitely take the latter. I hope American Trekkies' hostility to this subscription model doesn't bury Star Trek for the foreseeable future.

 

[Dukhat]

^Worst-case scenario: CBS-AA is a complete bust, and Discovery is then either shown on a CBS affiliate station, or on Netflix like it already will be for everyone else on Earth who isn't living in the US. I don't think CBS would cancel the show just because their streaming service didn't work out the way they wanted. That wouldn't be the show's fault.

I'll tell you right now: I have no plans at all to subscribe to CBS-AA, but I do plan to buy Discovery on DVD/BR when it comes out. So either way, CBS gets my money.

 

[BillJ]

^Worst-case scenario: CBS-AA is a complete bust, and Discovery is then either shown on a CBS affiliate station, or on Netflix like it already will be for everyone else on Earth who isn't living in the US. I don't think CBS would cancel the show just because their streaming service didn't work out the way they wanted. That wouldn't be the show's fault.

If its a flagship that is supposed to deliver subscribers, CBS may well ditch it if it stumbles too badly. Not that I expect it to stumble, but the chance exists.

 

[CJCade]

What worries me about CBS-AA is the content (besides Star Trek) being developed for it. What I've heard so far is a CBS-AA exclusive version of Big Brother (a show that while still popular to an extent, has been around forever) and a Good Wife spin-off. I think they are on the right track with ST-DSC, but for me personally, the other two are less than exciting in any way. They need to be bold and develop something truly exciting, original, and new to draw in more subscribers. And then there is also the fact they need to enhance the technical side of the service as well as rethink the plans (who wants commercials at any price?).

 

[Balok's Decoy]

What worries me about CBS-AA is the content (besides Star Trek) being developed for it. What I've heard so far is a CBS-AA exclusive version of Big Brother (a show that while still popular to an extent, has been around forever) and a Good Wife spin-off. I think they are on the right track with ST-DSC, but for me personally, the other two are less than exciting in any way. They need to be bold and develop something truly exciting, original, and new to draw in more subscribers. And then there is also the fact they need to enhance the technical side of the service as well as rethink the plans (who wants commercials at any price?).

I agree in general. I would like to see them do some other sci-fi show. Colbert is a good draw for me. As for the commercials option versus the "limited commercials" deal, it irritates me a little but it's no different than Hulu's limited ads premium. That doesn't make it a good idea, but it's not a new concept.

 

[cultcross]

I think it's unlikely to not make at the very least a modest profit so I think a true failure is unlikely but if it reaches an ignominious end rather sooner than the bosses hoped, I still don't think it will be long before they try again. I don't think we'll get reboots with existing characters outside of the TOS crew though, which has got me wondering... has anyone ever done a reboot of a sequel?

 

[Takeru]

... which has got me wondering... has anyone ever done a reboot of a sequel?

Dawn of the Dead was remade and the original was the a sequel to Night of the Living Dead. For tv shows, the new Melrose Place that aired a few years ago.

It's not something that's done often but it has happened. The reason I think it could happen with TNG is because unlike many other sequels it actually stood on its own succesfully and has left an impression. It's not nearly as big as TOS in pop culture but still worthy of being revisited imo.

But ultimately the discussion is moot, the Netflix deal alone almost guarantees a few seasons of Discovery, they made three seasons of Hemlock Grove after all and that show was neither good nor popular.

 

[Trekkin]

.... which has got me wondering... has anyone ever done a reboot of a sequel?

In movies? In the (Japanese) Ring series, Ringu 2 was essentially a reboot. They basically did a do-over when the more book-faithful Rasen (Spiral) flopped hard.

The Godzilla series regularly reboots all the non-Gojira films in and out of continuity. King Ghidorah has had his 'first' run-in with around...3 times now?

 

[Stewey]

If Discovery does end up a failure, then they should just go post nemesis.

Most fans seem to want post nemesis over any other premise offered for consideration, at least going by polls conducted here that I have seen.

Going for post nemesis would be the best way of retaining existing fans and adding more to the fanbase.

 

[Captain Atkin]

I don't think Discovery will be a failure.

 

[Ghislaine H. B. BRAEME]

I don't think Discovery will be a failure.

Just let's wait and see!
Fuller pleaded the postponement of the launch of Discovery from Jan to May/June 2017 (and maybe more money too), to improve its quality. I guess that CBS bosses will be extremely "nitpick" and demanding on the result.
-> if audiences do not reach the threshold fixed by the broadcasting after the airing of 5 or 6 episodes (or even at the end of the 1st season) and if the criticisms from fans and medias are too numerous, you can be sure that Fuller and his people will be "invited" to bring some drastic "artistic" change for the 2nd season!

Anyway, for my part, I hope that Discovery will be a success (especially if stories and cast are good, even if I'm not fond of the idea of a pre-Entreprise), because it would allow CBS to propose after 3/4 years of Discovery, an other series which could be, a post-Nemesis, this time.

 

[Greg Cox]

The show hasn't even aired yet and we're already worrying about what do if and when it fails? How about we cross that bridge when we come to it?

As for reboots of sequels:

THE BRIDE (with Sting and Jennifer Beals) was basically a reboot of THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN. Alas, it was deadly dull as well.

And the most recent PLANET OF THE APES movies owe as much if not more to the some of the original sequels, most notably BATTLE FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES, as the classic 1968 movie.

 

[Jinn]

The show hasn't even aired yet and we're already worrying about what do if and when it fails?

Better than already hating it for now reason except the timeframe.