Even if the Star Trek: Discovery info drought ends at the Upfronts… just chill

Well—will this period of Trek history be remembered five years from now, much less 10 or 15?

I’m talking about the relentless Discovery drumbeat of doom and even anger at the lack of info (aside from casting and some early-early trailers, of course… aside from that) that has permeated the interwaves for some time. I mean, I know delays and all; frustrated uberfans, I get it. I get it that it comes from those not around in 1975-79… or 1986-87 … or even 2007-09.

But come on.

Yes, I know that’s all just a gift of our online world. I know that the great silent masses of armchair fans are not jumping off ledges or setting starbases on fire—they’re just happy to have a series again, as the ones I’ve talked with at cons all over the past year. After a long layoff, with all-new players behind the camera, it’s imperative that new handlers get the next Star Trek right—and kudos, yes, to Les Moonves (of all the bashed-upon folks since 2005)  for letting them get this right.

But, guys: The stockholders and bean counters behind CBS All Access are probably even MORE frustrated— and job-nervous—than even our little faniverse out here. So if they can wait out the final product without a cut-and-run, I think we can to.

And last I heard … there’s a show being shot in Toronto, and written in Hollywood—and post-produced there, too. People are taking home paychecks.

But people want proof. Now, I’ve been talking about this in interviews and podcasts recently, and it was a closing topic I tossed out just last week for my Portal 47 gang at this month’s Ask Dr. Trek Roundtable telebriefing:

We may finally have an end to the “info drought” … as well as the drought-bashing.

It’s the Upfronts!  That’s TVadspeak for the week of previews each network in turn reveals of their new series “up front” of potential advertisers so they can justify and jockey over the ad rates they will charge—at least at the get-go. And just as much as the Television Critic Association tours closer in, they provide early buzz and previews of said shows.

Of course, our focus in Trekland  is on Discovery, especially since —aha!— there will be a need to set commercial rates for sponsors since it will carry them on the basic level of CBS All Access, despite streaming. (Though apparently this guy does not share our excitement at the potential CBS revelations—more room for the genre press?)

And now trekmovie has reminded us that the Upfronts are … this week! With CBS’s day on stage coming… tomorrow! Wednesday, that is.  And here’s some just-breaking excitement on Upfront Eve!  But with at least 3 or 4 Discovery episodes in the can,   will we finally get some on-the-record VISUALS?

I’m hopeful to see some actual footage — but I am not surprised that CBS suits and handlers have waited to drop it now, to make the biggest impact with the folks that count: the ones who pay the bills (or at east half of it). Trekfans have got to remember this is 2017, and be flattered that Discovery is being treated in such a by-the-book, big-boy way—apparently—even if by an old-school network dipping several toes into the young kids’ new-fangled world of streaming.

Just thank Kahless there was no WGA strike. And thank the Prophets CBS didn’t demand a rushed, deadline-or-nothing original delivery drop-dead last January, or even now in May.

Of course, I’m ever optimistic, knowing who and what have been involved. But none of this precludes my right (or yours) to critique the episodes when they actually start to beam in next…. fall. Sometime.

But for now—brace yourself for some goodies tomorrow, hopefully, from CBS—starting at 4 pm EDT. (At Carnegie Hall!)  Deadline.com, for one, promises live blogging as it has all week—though you know the logs will be everywhere, nearly instantly. If you want to try Twitter, try hashtag #CBSUpfronts  as well as the usual Starfleet code words.
And after that….I’m sure I’ll still be amazed that anxious fans can’t reflect the same patience as anxious suits.

Silly me.