Sorry about the rant but I think it's something not said, or not said enough.
EDIT 1: I just want to explain that the trigger for this rant is the fact that CBS said NO to Renegades, and the fact that Axanar is facing legal trouble CBS. I'm not even into Renegades all that much as a series, but if it were a fully sanctioned official series, you better believe I'd be supporting it in every way possible. The fact that 2 fan series were snubbed shows zero strategy or foresight for the franchise, and I'm pissed. I LOVE Star Trek and I refuse to let it die because of some shitty decisions on the part of CBS.
Full disclosure: I enjoy the reboots, but I don't consider them 'canon'. They're fun movies, they've brought in some new fans and that's great. My big problem is that the whole franchise has been behind the curve for a very long time. Star Trek is a TV franchise and Star Wars (as a direct comparison) is a movie series.
CBS doesn't seem to understand this, and they've allowed for a trilogy of big budget films to be developed, at the complete wrong time. They're now going up against the juggernaut that is Star Wars VII. They will absolutely not have the star power, the buzz or the appeal to even come close to competing, regardless of any big bomb dropped in this final act of this reboot trilogy. I don't care if Q himself shows up, and undoes the divergent timeline started in the 2009 reboot, and brings everything back into the prime universe - it won't be able to compete or make a splash, especially competing with other legacy franchises like Star Wars, Jurassic Park/World, and now the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
CBS needs to wake the fuck up and get the big picture that on-demand, streaming, episodic content is the future of television. They can absolutely dominate this area with a 'Star Trek Cinematic Universe' on Netflix, Amazon, or whatever. Preferably Netflix, considering they have the following and just updated their catalogue to the Blu-Ray versions. CBS either needs to hand over the rights to talent that owns the television scene, or start leading in that scene.
The fact that there is so much demand for new series that fans AND ACTUAL STAR TREK ACTORS have taken it upon themselves to develop pilots, only to be turned down by CBS is a clear indication that they have zero interest in developing the brand, beyond a movie with a big ROI from a well-known director. It's a short-sighted approach, and they've already alienated so much of their consumer base.
Another full-disclosure: I'm in marketing and advertising. I know this area of discussion. They're trying to sell something in the wrong way to compete with brands that aren't even their competition. On top of that, they refuse to innovate their product, and simply are sitting back, letting their residuals line their pockets since they have a diverse portfolio of products. They are missing a HUGE opportunity to own television, and if they don't act fast, Marvel/Disney will be their demise in their own backyard, now that we have Agents of SHIELD, and Daredevel a Netflix Original Series, and more to come very, very soon. The average 'consumer' doesn't give a shit about CBS. They do about Disney, and in turn, give a shit about Marvel. Billions of dollars worth of them. If CBS doesn't start encouraging new pilots and series in a prime/reboot universe TV series for the modern audience, then quite honestly we will see Star Trek die into irrelevance.
There are so many more amazing, socially and culturally relevant stories to be told to a modern audience. So many analogies, metaphors and lessons to be learned that an entire generation is missing out on because CBS is more interested in lens flare, explosions and action. Think 'Black Lives Matter'. Think the growing militaristic police state. Think privacy concerns in the realm of technology. There is so much backstory that can be developed and explored within the context of of our current events - reflected in the mirror of Star Trek, a source of life-lessons for millions of people for decades. Yet, CBS is wasting opportunity after opportunity not talking about these concepts. They are playing it safe in avoiding talking about anything substantial. In the 60's we had the first interracial on-air kiss, something completely unheard of on television at the time...and today we have nothing but eye candy.
CBS is risking allowing a globally influential 50 year old brand (one OLDER than Star Wars) to fall into cultural irrelevance because they've unwisely put all their bets on a shiny, glitzy and lens flary movie franchise that will compete against brands/products in a completely different vertical that will absolutely bury them.
I've loved Star Trek for well over a decade (in my 30's) and I just can't accept that CBS is just going to fly this ship right into the Nexus; a place they can imagine that their decisions the best they could make.
I'm not saying that I know better than some team of strategists or corporate executives, but Holy Fuck get with the program CBS or at least hire a new PR / Advertising team and start absorbing the demand for new stories and series from fan-made pilots to whatever else is out there going on right now. The buzz campaign behind the next movie is abysmal if not non-existent and there's zero indication to fans (old and new) that they are even considering extending the franchise beyond this third 'bet' which is about all they seem to be doing with this beloved franchise - betting on something with a high short-term ROI with no long-term (at least publicly) consideration for the franchise/brand.
Fuck CBS. I hope the rights get bought out by Disney/Marvel or something. Sorry for the rant. I just have low hopes for the future of Trek.
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