Some Longterm Fans Of Star Trek Are Nervous About Alex Kurtzman - Why, And Is It Fair?

2. New Trek Will Always Challenge The Perception Of Old Trek

Star Trek The Next Generation Season 1
Paramount

One responder made this point:

It's the same as hating on TNG when it first came out and comparing it to TOS, or DS9 to TNG, VOY to DS9, ENT to VOY. You always compare new to previous iteration because that's the comfort you knew previously. Be willing to embrace the new, otherwise you're limiting yourself!

Kurtzman has of course radically altered the aesthetic of Star Trek, while also bringing about changes in tone. Star Trek: Picard, which of course has featured legacy actors reprising their roles, is potentially one of the best examples of this, as we see these characters stepping into these new situations, juxtaposing old against new.

To add to the point made above, when The Next Generation was announced in the late '80s, it was not just fans of the Original Series that were against the idea. Many of the core actors from Star Trek were upset at the idea of being replaced with something shiny and new. Each of them came around to the idea, however slowly.

Treating a franchise like property seriously limits the growth that can be expected. Had the producers listened to the initial outcries, then The Next Generation may have been a simple rehash of the Original Series. That in itself would not have given the feet for the franchise to start running.

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Seán is the host and head writer/presenter for TrekCulture, as well as a writer/presenter on WhoCulture and WhatCulture Horror. He has authored two novels, dozens of short stories, and hundreds of articles for WhatCulture. He holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from University College Dublin. As part of his work with TrekCulture, Seán has been invited to participate in collaborations with Roddenberry Entertainment, as well as contributing to several Star Trek community projects. An avid fan of Star Trek, Doctor Who, and the horror genre at large, Seán's expertise has helped develop these channels to the successes they are today. As host of the Ups & Downs series on TrekCulture, Seán has become internationally recognised for his positive yet critically informed approach to reviewing every episode of modern Star Trek, ensuring he is one of the go-to voices in the Trek community. Favourite Quote to describe himself: "I'm serious about what I do, just not always about the way that I do it"