Why I Support Picard's Showrunner's Approach to Star Trek Storytelling

Star Trek: Picard season 3 showrunner Terry Matalas understands the most effective way for Star Trek to tell stories. Matalas led Picard seasons 2 and 3, with season 3 resonating most with fans. Throughout the ten episodes of Picard season 3, Admiral Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) joined forces with his former crew members from the USS Enterprise-D to save the galaxy once again. With a captivating narrative and a healthy dose of nostalgia, Star Trek: Picard season 3 became the most successful season of the show, leading fans to eagerly anticipate a spin-off.

Star Trek: Picard season 3 featured a clear season-long story arc, while each episode also presented its own mission or conflict. Since its inception, Star Trek has experimented with various storytelling methods, ranging from episodic and serialized television to feature films. When Star Trek: The Original Series premiered in 1966, the television landscape differed significantly from today. Serialized shows were rare outside of soap operas, and TOS adopted a "mission of the week" approach. In modern television, heavy serialization is common, but Star Trek shines when it strikes a balance between episodic and serialized storytelling.

Star Trek Works Best With A Combination of Serialized & Episodic Storytelling

Star Trek can have both season-long arcs and "mission of the week" episodes.

Star Trek Picard season 3 Picard Enterprise-D - Star Trek can have both season-long arcs and "mission of the week" episodes. - Star Trek Works Best With A Combination of Serialized & Episodic Storytelling

Terry Matalas recently chatted with members of the Master Replicas Collector’s Club on Zoom. The conversation shifted towards Star Trek: Legacy, a proposed spin-off of Star Trek: Picard. Matalas clarified that there are no current plans for Legacy, but he expressed his willingness to be involved if it does happen. While he didn't go into much detail about his ideas for the spin-off, he did share a bit about his approach to storytelling. Check out his full quote below:

There’s a larger richer story you can tell over ten hours than just one. If I were to do another series, I would do a hybrid. I think you do a version of both longer arcs and 'of the week' Star Trek stories is a great way to do it—in a way that Strange New Worlds is doing it, but maybe a hair more serialized.… As far as serialized and 'of the week,' I think they can live together.

Terry Matalas mentions Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (and 12 Monkeys, which Matalas co-created) as a potential blueprint for combining serialized and episodic storytelling. Strange New Worlds works as well as it does because it combines the classic Star Trek "mission of the week" format with the more modern trend of serialization. Back in 1986, Star Trek: The Next Generation began to incorporate small elements of serialization into its stories, and this became even more pronounced in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. By the end of DS9, the show leaned into serialized storytelling for a multi-part Dominion War arc.

Later shows, like Star Trek: Enterprise, leaned even more into serialization, and Star Trek: Discovery leaned further still.

Star Trek Movies Never Capture What Makes The TV Series Great

The Star Trek films are missing a certain magic unique to the television series.

William Shatner, Patrick Stewart and Chris Pine in Star Trek - The Star Trek films are missing a certain magic unique to the television series. - Star Trek Movies Never Capture What Makes The TV Series Great

Custom image by Mark Donaldson

While Star Trek has created some fantastic movies, some of the charm of the series is lost when it moves to the big screen. The heart of Star Trek lies in its characters, and the longer format of a TV show allows for more in-depth character development compared to a short movie. Key films like Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and Star Trek: First Contact heavily rely on the character growth and storylines from the original series and The Next Generation.

Star Trek benefits from the storytelling format of television, whether in episodic or serialized form. This structure allows the show to delve deeper into the universe's complex and philosophical questions in a more impactful manner.

The series shines in its quieter moments, such as Captain James T. Kirk's tragic love story in "The City on the Edge of Forever" or Lt. Commander Data's trial in "The Measure of a Man." These episodes may lack space battles or typical villains, but they resonate deeply with the characters and have lasting repercussions.

Ultimately, Star Trek is a franchise centered around exploration, not just of the cosmos but also of the human experience. The extended format of television storytelling provides the show with the time and creative freedom to tackle these profound and unanswerable questions in a way that truly resonates with viewers.

Star Trek: The Original Series , Star Trek: The Next Generation , & Star Trek: Picard are available to stream on Paramount+.

Source: TrekMovie.com

Editor's P/S:

The article provides insightful perspectives on the storytelling methods employed in the Star Trek franchise. The showrunner's emphasis on balancing serialized and episodic storytelling aligns with my own view that Star Trek thrives when it combines both approaches. The "mission of the week" format allows for standalone adventures while the season-long arcs develop overarching narratives. This balance keeps the series fresh and engaging.

The article also highlights the strengths of Star Trek's TV format over its movie counterparts. The extended format allows for deeper character development and exploration of complex philosophical questions. Star Trek shines in its ability to delve into human experiences and explore the unknown in a thought-provoking and impactful manner. The series' focus on exploration, both of space and humanity, resonates powerfully with viewers, making it a timeless and beloved franchise.