Unveiling the Untold Secrets: Jonathan Frakes Reveals the Epic Behind-the-Scenes Contrast between TNG & the New Star Trek Eras
Jonathan Frakes reveals the key behind-the-scenes distinction between the iconic Star Trek: The Next Generation era and the new Star Trek eras, shedding light on how Paramount Plus revolutionized the production of Trek shows Discover the transformative changes that have shaped the way Trek is made
Summary
The newer Paramount+ Star Trek shows have a more "cinematic" feel compared to the Rick Berman era, with explosive set-pieces and shocking reveals.
The current shows have a different approach, emphasizing character development and season-long storylines instead of the older Trek shows' episodic format. However, the love for the Star Trek franchise is still evident in the newer shows as they incorporate elements that pay tribute to the original series.
Star Trek icon Jonathan Frakes contends that the recent Paramount+ Star Trek series possess a more "cinematic" vibe in comparison to the shows of the Rick Berman era. Berman, who played a crucial role as co-creator and executive producer of Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, and Star Trek: Enterprise, implemented stringent guidelines for filming and directing those shows. As an esteemed director within the Star Trek franchise, Jonathan Frakes has overseen episodes from multiple Trek series and has noticed a shift in the approach of the current shows, which diverge from the practices of the 1990s and early 2000s.
In a Variety interview conducted prior to the SAG-AFTRA strikes, Frakes draws a comparison between his experiences directing shows such as Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Voyager and directing the more recent Paramount+ Star Trek shows. Read his complete statement below:
Star Trek On Paramount Plus Changed How Trek Shows Are Made
The influential voices of the writing team undeniably shaped the entire 'Star Trek' era known as the Berman era. The shows had a similar tone and production style, all thanks to Rick. Just like the current 'Trek,' there is a comparable tone with a newfound emphasis on excitement and action. The new 'Trek' has a more cinematic quality that distinguishes it from our previous shows.
The landscape of television has undergone significant changes in recent years, and the newer Star Trek shows reflect many of these transformations. While the Paramount+ Trek releases new episodes on a weekly basis, they also strive to be binge-able in order to align with the current streaming era of television. Notably, the new Star Trek shows possess a distinct feel compared to their predecessors. Star Trek: Discovery, in particular, exudes a more cinematic vibe, featuring explosive set-pieces and surprising revelations. Discovery fearlessly embraces grandeur by subjecting its characters to multiple nail-biting situations that could potentially bring about the end of the universe. Similarly, Star Trek: Picard weaves intricate, season-long narratives, prompting Todd Stashwick, the actor who portrays Captain Shaw, to describe the third season of Picard as essentially "a 10-hour movie."
During the late 1980s and early 1990s, when TNG was aired, most television shows followed an episodic storytelling approach, where each episode had a self-contained story. Consequently, the characters would mostly be in the same situation at the end of each episode, allowing limited opportunity for significant character development. However, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, while adopting the episodic approach, incorporates more elements and character development throughout the entire season compared to many older Star Trek shows. Although the storytelling approach of Star Trek has evolved, the passion of the individuals behind the franchise is still evident.
