Manny Coto Plans TREK Pitch to Paramount
By the quickening

Do we really need anymore TREK on television? In my opinion, TREK has run it's course on TV. Waiting 2 to 3 years is not enough time to remove the bad taste of lackluster and overexposed TV and movie products we have been getting over the years. And we ABSOLUTELY don't need a TREK TV series and a TREK movie series running concurrently. TREK is just not popular enough for that--and hasn't been for many, many years. Sure, they could get away with it during TOS-TNG era--and even then it was a foolish thing to do--but it makes no logically sense to put out both in the same media arena, especially given TREKs current declining popularity and image. This is nothing short of suicide and the greatest example of desperation and greed imaginable.

In regards to desperation, PARAMOUNT needs a hit movie and/or successful movie franchise; their movie division is in shambles and for that reason, I can at least see why they are planning on TREK features; TREK and MISSION IMPOSSIBLE are currently their only potentially big money tickets. I don't agree with producing anything TREK--it needs a break to build excitement, anticipation, hunger, interest, etc., and probably needs to be re-imagined, too. However, there is NO business reason to justify a return to TV. PARAMOUNT/VIACOM/CBS are doing great! The TV division doesn't need TREK and TREK doesn't need to return to TV.

Attempt after attempt has been made to recapture lighting in the bottle and/or find a series whose rating didn't decline year after year and it hasn't worked: the creative and quality of DS9 didn't work; the over-the-top action of VOYAGER didn't work; reusing the BORG, again and again on VOYAGER didn't work; returning once again--after DS9--to the overdone, star-ship-crew-exploring-the-galaxy concept didn't work; season-long story arcs didn't work; sex didn't work; fan-boy/TOS story gimmicks didn't work; top-notch production design didn't work; top-notch CGI didn't work; new creative writing head didn't work; better writing didn't work; etc.... How many times are TPTB going to keep this up? It's time to face it: TREK has run it's course on TV and probably at the movie theater as well.

The question is, has PARAMOUNT finally got it? I sure hope so. They seem to be at least rethinking their tactics. Planning a big, epic (possibly re-imagined with big stars, no small-thinking TV connections, big bucks, etc.) movie and/or movie series is a hugh risk, but I think it's really the only thing they can do with TREK at this point. PARAMOUNT is going to continue to rape the public over with TREK anyway--the movie division is desperate--so at least they are doing something business-wise, that makes a little sense, though still not very wise. They probably feel they have to gamble. A less-is-more direction a film series gives the TREK franchise is better than back-stepping once again with another overexposing, potentially mundane TV series.

Deep down, I know they are not really going to stop making TREK TV or movies. They will destroy whatever life that is left in it. That's just the corporate climate in this country right now: making money in the bottom line--whatever the cost, so why should I expect anything less from PARAMOUNT? So, go on and make the damn movie, but at least give yourself a fighting chance to create a hit and stay off TV while doing it. (Manny, I am grateful for what you have done with ENTERPRISE this season, but it's time for you to move on as well. The TV series 24 really needs you and you need them. However, we don't need another TREK series right now or 2-3 years from now.)

Question? What is this love affair the fans have with Coto? l like some of the things he has done this season; ENTERPRISE did improve, but I have not been THAT impressed. I still don't think this final season of ENTERPRISE even comes close to matching the best of TOS--seasons 1 & 2; TNG--seasons 3-5; DS9--seasons 4-7. The show is contrived and at times seems like a fan-boy exercise. Also, the characters still don't work for me. With TREK, character is...paramount, and Coto has just failed to deliver in this area.