Some Longterm Fans Of Star Trek Are Nervous About Alex Kurtzman - Why, And Is It Fair?
Ever since Kurtzman took over the reins, some longtime fans of Star Trek have been concerned.
Alex Kurtzman is now the head of Star Trek on CBS, after having signed a five-year deal (shout out to the five year mission!) to oversee Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Short Treks, Star Trek: Picard and Star Trek: Lower Decks.
There seems to be a large, vocal element of the Star Trek community that is vehemently against Kurtzman's appointment and his continued development of the Trek universe. They cite many reasons for this, ranging from his early career and connection to Michael Bay, to the perceived failure (in terms of canon) of the Kelvin films.
In an attempt to get a better understanding of the opinions out there, a survey was conducted to ascertain the different criticisms and compliments toward Kurtzman, CBS and the new era of Star Trek that we are currently a part of in the world.
While there were many, many replies to the survey, we have whittled the list down here in an attempt to showcase some of the biggest points raised by the fans. Starting with number 10 -
10. Who Is Trying To Ruin The Franchise?
One responder said this:
Every creator is trying to do the best they can, so fans being disingenuous about that as if creatives are purposefully trying to “ruin” fandom actually is the thing that ruins fandom. Creatives can succeed or fail, but no one is purposely doing it
This speaks to the vitriolic nature that can sometimes go hand in hand with fandom. There is a fierce protectorate out there who wants to hold on to what they know and care about - this in itself is no crime - but it can become a part of a larger problem.
New creatives coming aboard must now deal with the furore from fans who disagree with the new ideas being inserted into the existing canon. This can cause upset, but the limitations placed on creatives by sticking rigidly to what has come before can seriously hamper new ideas.
These very rules can cause the perceived failures by the creatives, where had they just been given a blank slate, then new and exciting ideas could be with us.