"Aligning the Franchise"
"ALIGNING THE FRANCHISE"
I had learned from a Star Trek forum that the show runners of "STAR TREK DISCOVERY" had promised to "align" the series with "STAR TREK" (the Original Series) by the end of Season Two. And honestly, I believe making such a promise was a big mistake.
The timeline for “STAR TREK DISCOVERY” began in 2256. That is ten years before “THE ORIGINAL SERIES” began (in 2266) and nine years before James T. Kirk had assumed command of the U.S.S. Enterprise In other words, the series, as of Season Two, has nine-year gap between its current position in the Trek timeline and the beginning of Season One of “THE ORIGINAL SERIES”.
I have no idea how long “DISCOVERY” will be on the air, but why do the show runners think it is necessary to align the series with “THE ORIGINAL SERIES” by the end of its second season? Why? The worst thing about all of this is that many from the Trek fandom is taking this promise seriously. I am not surprised. I have the deepest suspicion that many want this series to fail so badly … and for a very shallow reason.
Personally, I refuse to take this promise rather seriously. I think it is a stupid promise. Nor do I believe it is a good idea to pay attention to what a show runner or producer promises. And I do not think it is a good idea for viewers to demand such promises or for a show runner to make such promises. I believe it is best to allow these show runners/writers/producers to tell the story that they want to tell and leave it up to the audiences to decide whether they like it or not. When the public succeeds in forcing writers, show runners, producers, etc. to tell the story how THEY want it told, then the series/movie/story, etc. usually ends up being either a mess or simply a piece of mediocrity. I have noticed that more and more writers/producers, etc. in the entertainment business are allowing themselves to be dictated by the public. And this is why I feel that pop culture or the arts today is basically in a state of mediocrity and slowly declining.
And if certain members of the public find themselves in a snit that the television series or movie was not written the way they wanted it to be, I suggest they consider writing fan fiction or ignoring that movie or television show. For an artist/producer/show runner to allow the public to dictate someone’s story for the sake of dollars is just abominable to me. It is abominable. And we might as well toss away the concept of arts and entertainment. What is the damn point in being an artist if a person allows someone else to dictate his or her creation? If the majority of the public see nothing wrong with that … then this whole situation is just disturbing on so many levels. If “DISCOVERY” ever aligns with “THE ORIGINAL SERIES”, then fine. But there is no need for the show runners to engage in a rush job and achieve this by the end of this season. And it is sad that so many cannot or will not understand this.
Many have claimed that “DISCOVERY” desperately needs this alignment. They have also complained that the series is riddled with plot holes. One of the biggest plot holes, they have claimed, was the revelation that the series’ leading character, Michael Burnham, was Spock’s adopted sister and the adopted daughter of Ambassador Sarek and his wife, Amanda Grayson. This is a plot hole? Then those critics really need to check the franchise’s canon. Since when has Spock ever volunteered any information about any member of his family? Since when? He never said a word about his older half brother Sybok until Kirk and the Enterprise’s other senior officers met him in “STAR TREK V: THE FINAL FRONTIERS”, which is set some twenty years after "THE ORIGINAL SERIES”. When Kirk and McCoy were first introduced to Sarek and Amanda in Season Two of “THE ORIGINAL SERIES”, Kirk had suggested to Spock that he beam down to Vulcan to visit his parents. Only then did Spock inform the good captain that Sarek and Amanda were his parents. Spock not mentioning Michael is not plot hole. It was just Spock being in character. I am still amazed that so many fans have forgotten this.
Speaking of plot holes, the Star Trek franchise has been messing around with its canon since the films from the 1980s. And yet, certain fans have NOW started demanding that this one particular series - especially one led by a woman of color - refrain completely from plot holes? It sounds like these fans simply want an excuse to dislike and complain about this show. If so, they should stop watching it.
The question of Michael Burnham’s connection to the House of Sarek or the spore drive arc (another complaint by detractors) does not strike me as a good reason for the show runners to align the series with “THE ORIGINAL SERIES” so soon. According to the Trek timeline, “DISCOVERY” is about nine years away from the beginning of “THE ORIGINAL SERIES”. Nine years. I believe I may know why the show’s producers have made this ludicrous promise to align the two shows by the end of Season Two. They want to maintain viewers for the show and stop the constant complaining about the series. The problems with this goal are that “DISCOVERY” is a hit series, it has been renewed for a third season and there is no need for this “rush job” to align the two shows by the end of this season. There is no need. I keep saying this, but many are ignoring my words, because they want the producers to keep what I believe is a ludicrous promise to begin with.
Or perhaps these negative fans believe that this quickie alignment will never materialize and they will have another reason to complain about this show. I have no idea. But from what I can see, the producers are making the same mistake that show runners and producers of other television shows have made. They seem so busy paying attention to those fans who are constantly bitching and moaning about a particular series or franchise, that they are ignoring the signs that their series, movie or franchise is successful and has acquired a good number of fans. And that is just sad to me.