You talk a lot about trust, and I think that's an important factor. Sure, you can argue that the shows' utopianism changed entirely because the powers-that-be warped the messaging. That's probably true too, certainly now with the Ellisons at the top. But that's pretty recent.

I think there's also an aspect of how much viewers would be able to suspend their disbelief if they were served '60s or even '90s era scripts today. Especially TNG was very diplomacy focused and based in mutual respect. My guess is there has been an erosion of trust in Western society in the meantime. Again, ultimately because Capitalism, I'm sure — but in a broader sense than I interpret from your comment?

I dunno, I don't have a neatly wrapped theory about this. Sorry if I go completely off on a tangent based on your comment.

I think the first season of Discovery tried to earnestly grapple with real world politics through the whole Klingon war/Mirror Universe arcs. All of Picard seemed to be about conspiracies and shadow governments, which certainly also speaks to its time of production... while dulling the shine on the utopian vision for the future.

And it's not just badmirals and Section 31 that have been at issue. We've seen plenty of disgruntled pirates (read: regular-Joe capitalists) turned terrorists in the eyes of the Federation. Our main casts have visited enough dystopian "slum" planets in the past ten years, where criminals organise and prosper, that the idealism of Star Trek is depicted as precarious.

Way out in the 32nd century, as Osyraa bites into a Federation-produced apple, admiral Vance comments that "it's made from our shit, you know". Way to sell post-scarcity, buddy. Nobody wants to know how the sausage is made. I think the past decade of Trek has done a good job of postulating soft values, standing up for minorities and diversity. It's been pretty shit (to stay in the vocabulary) at representing the very foundation of that sort of tolerance, though.

Trek should be a means to imagining the end of Capitalism, even if only as a background note for all kinds of weekly weird encounters and philosophical twists. But that is not just hard to depict in the 21st century — it's actively being played as downright unsexy in the shows.

Can I just say,

a void ship [is] a bit out of nowhere

is the best phrased meta-criticism I've seen in a good while 👏👏👏

Had to recheck when I was less tired. You're right, good to see punctuality is a priority 😄

Doesn't sound impossible from the way it's written in the ITT 🙂

Yeah, the BBC don't mess around once they get going.

They expect a longlist of tenders by October 9, the shortlist by Nov 6, final tenders hand-in early December, and then interviews by end January.

Took me a while to open the actual document available on the Invitation to Tender page. Here is the part that I assume to be of most interest (forgive odd formatting, I'm on my phone):

Doctor Who is one of the most enduring and distinctive brands in global television. For over sixty years, it has captivated audiences through imaginative storytelling, compelling characters, and ambitious adventures that span all of time and space. The series occupies a unique position in popular culture, combining entertainment for a broad audience with sophisticated science fiction concepts, emotional depth, humour, and spectacle.

We are commissioning a new flagship series of Doctor Who. The series should feel contemporary, and creatively ambitious, whilst remaining true to the values and characteristics that have made Doctor Who a beloved series across generations.

We invite longlisted eligible producers to first pitch, in no more than three (3) pages, a brief editorial outline for a new multi-episode series, including ideas for specials. Shortlisted producers will then be invited to put together a comprehensive editorial pitch as part of their ITT submission.

Aside from the central character of the Doctor, you will need to develop at least one companion for the series. Companions should be distinctive, authentic characters in their own right, whose lives, relationships, ambitions, and personal journeys enrich the series. They should serve as an access point for audiences whilst also challenging, supporting, and influencing the Doctor.

We see this pitch as an exciting opportunity to innovate and surprise us. Stories should balance high concept science fiction with strong emotional narratives, ensuring that spectacle is always grounded in character and human experience. Episodes should transport audiences to extraordinary times and places, ranging from historical settings to distant futures, alien worlds, and contemporary Earth. Successful pitches will deliver ‘back of the sofa’ scares, jeopardy and tension, whilst remaining suitable for a broad family audience. Doctor Who embraces themes that celebrate curiosity, courage, intelligence, and compassion, themes that interrogate the human condition and most of all, it should and will always be distinctively British storytelling. We are flexible in the way the series is structured i.e. serialised or ‘story-of-the-week’ and the number of episodes which make up the series.

Iconic, established villains are a mainstay of the series over 60 years and we invite you to use them, but we will want to begin to get an understanding of the original characters, aliens and themes that producers wish to bring to the show and are keen not to be overly reliant on existing Doctor Who lore. We are looking for a new perspective that ensures Doctor Who remains relevant, surprising, brave and inspiring for both long-standing fans and new audiences.

At this stage of the process, it is not a requirement to formally attach a writer. You may want to pitch with writer suggestions, or if you are already working with a writer, please do include them and their ideas/vision in your submission. We are not necessarily looking to work to a strict showrunner model and would expect once in production that the series will also use episodic writers.

Visually, the series should feel cinematic, distinctive, and ambitious, capable of competing for audience attention in a highly competitive global market. We encourage innovative approaches to production, world-building, visual effects, and storytelling that maximise the scale and emotional impact of the Doctor Who universe.

We are seeking a creative vision that embraces the breadth of what Doctor Who can be and could be. Doctor Who is a show that has sparked conversation, taken risks and inspired audiences for decades and we are looking for this series to continue that tradition. Be brave, have fun and we look forward to hearing from you.

It's just a formality. I need to keep up the public appearance that I'm not a BBC exec.

"I submitted my tender on a fan forum but the buggers never responded!" 😄

for transmission in 2028/29

We have a preliminary guesstimate, folks. Mark your calendars!

And they're still on a trek through the stars? Seems to do what it says on the tin.

Okay, that was rude and nitpicky. But I'll bite:

Read the article. Her voice was heard on every episode, but recorded separately. So, for example, the cast of TNG never met her until she showed up for her first guest spot as Lwaxana. Sirtis relates their (or her) initial reservations:

I didn’t meet Majel until she was a guest star on our show in the episode ‘Haven,’ and we didn’t bond immediately because she was the boss’s wife, and we were all a bit nervous because as a cast; we were a little rowdy

Note the distinction I put in italics.

That was a good read, it's nice to have both her acting peers' as well as Rod Roddenberry's perspectives on her. I'm not sure I've read more than the equivalent of her Wikipedia entry before. Polite secondhand info, that is.

I've always enjoyed watching Majel whenever she's on Trek. The first Number One, Nurse Chapel, Lwaxanna... and all the while, also the voice of the Enterprise. Geez, Gene may have been the mind behind the show, but she probably embodied it more than anybody outside of the main cast(s) 🤩