1. A Fantastic Cast
If theres one lesson that can be learned just by skimming the first few seasons of any Star Trek series, its that a show lives and dies by its cast. One filled with strong performers that have good chemistry with each other can make the dullest script tolerable and elevate good scripts into greatness. On the other hand, a cast with little chemistry, bad direction, and uneven performances can often put out insomnia cures and fumble great material. For todays TV market, a great cast is an absolute must have. Great actors can soften some of the rough edges characters can have in a first season or even add depth to paper-thin characters. Plenty of sci-fi series, like Stargate Universe, have suffered when the actors couldnt make up for the poor scripts they got. Star Treks reputation and the long term career benefits make getting actors pretty easy, but the hardest part is finding quality actors that can act off each other. While not an easy task for casting directors, there is one bright spot Trek has had 4 great casts out of 6 in its 47 year long history.
Agree with this list? Think theres something missing? Just want to talk about what a new Trek show could be about? Feel free to drop a comment below.