Disappointing News for Star Trek Fans
CBS announced today that they will be delaying the new Star Trek Discovery tv series and the Internet has erupted in a fit of disappointment understanding. Originally slated for January 2017, the new premier air date will be in May 2017.
This is of course disappointing to many Star Trek fans who have been chomping at the bit for a new series to hit the air. Take these tweets for example…
When I heard that #StarTrekDiscovery is going to be delayed… pic.twitter.com/JknVWbLpUS
— Marissa Rousseau (@risrousseau) September 14, 2016
when you learn the new #StarTrekDiscovery is pushed back to May '17 pic.twitter.com/IsnLhCQ34D
— manu saadia ? (@trekonomics) September 14, 2016
There is, of course, plenty more where that came from.
The announcement comes just a few days after io9 wrote a scathing review of the Star Trek 50th anniversary “festivities”. If you’re a huge Star Trek fan like we are, we recommend that you read this article. It really summed up our feelings well.
On the other hand, in typical Star Trek fandom style, it seems that most fans are more than understanding.
Take all the time you need, @startrekcbs. We know you'll do @StarTrek proud. @BryanFuller #StarTrekDiscovery pic.twitter.com/a1QRFUA2jI
— Claire Little (@isolinearchick) September 14, 2016
Basically: give @BryanFuller more time to get things right, or rush #StarTrekDiscovery into production? pic.twitter.com/JhVIwJ3M1o
— TrekCore (@TrekCore) September 14, 2016
Producers Feel it Deserves the Best
Discovery’s show producers feel that they’d be too short on time to create a production of the quality they feel Star Trek Discovery deserves. In a joint statement released today by producers Bryan Fuller and Alex Kurtzman, they stated that “bringing Star Trek back to television carries a responsibility and mission: to connect fans and newcomers alike to the series that has fed our imaginations since childhood.”
Initial response is that most Star Trek fans agree. Indeed creating a new series (Star Trek is always at its best on television) bears a big responsibility. One that nobody wants to get wrong. After more than 10 years without new episodes, getting Star Trek Discovery wrong could potentially kill the television franchise. It’s important that CBS and Star Trek: Discovery producers and writers be able to draw in audiences and create fans as a generation has grown up without new episodes being on air.
The new comes after a very cool reception of test footage of the USS Discovery. The video was never meant to be final, either in ship design or in quality of visuals. That didn’t stop the Internet from nearly splitting in two over whether the USS Discovery was beautiful or the most ugly star ship in Starfleet.
All that said, CBS announced Star Trek: Discovery nearly a year ago now, giving them plenty of time to get their act together. With just three months away from the original air date, it feels this delay has come at the last hour. Filming was originally slated to begin in Toronto later in September. According to Variety, filming is now slated to begin in November – still in Toronto.
More Time for Better Visual Effects
Also hinted at were the visual effects for the series and getting the best of what’s available. “We aim to dream big and deliver, and that means making sure the demands of physical and post-production for a show that takes place entirely in space, and the need to meet an air date, don’t result in compromised quality. Before heading into production, we evaluated these realities with our partners at CBS and they agreed: Star Trek deserves the very best, and these extra few months will help us achieve a vision we can all be proud of.”
This comes after a very cool reception of test footage of the USS Discovery. The video was never meant to be final, either in ship design or in quality of visuals. That didn’t stop the Internet from nearly splitting in two over whether the USS Discovery was beautiful or ugly.
This website also produced its own video of the USS Discovery, based on the test footage above.
Impact on Novel and Comic Books
There is no word yet on whether or not this will also delay the upcoming Star Trek: Discovery novel or comic books. But it’s likely the launch of both will also be pushed back at least until May so as not to reveal too many details in advance of the television premier.
We will bring you more as we get new updates.
