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[Euld]

Must... have... the last... word...

Time travel is fine, when done right.  The use of time travel isn't the problem, it's because it was used as a horrible excuse to ignore canon.  Even the reason why time travel became involved is total crap--the writers totally ignored generally accepted modern theories of black holes for no concievable reason.  Imagine if Dr. Who suddenly started contradicting almost every rule, every physical or temporal law that's necessary for that show to exist.  And it's all blatantly contradicted for cheap thrills in the name of reviving the franchise.  I don't watch Dr. Who so I can't think of good examples.  But it would be suddenly like Dr. Who was no longer Dr. Who, it would be a crappy show with the same name, trying to cash in on the fame.

[Grakelin]

Dr. Who never goes back in time to erase himself from history so the series can reboot.

Seriously, it's a good thing we shot Gene Roddenberry's remains into space, or Abrams would have pissed on them.

[Vector]

Now that this series is over, I've decided to start watching it.  Whoo-hoo.  I'm 5 episodes into the first season.  Just had to find out if it was as horrific as everyone seems to think it is, though I'll note that the construction of its symbolism is top-notch and might help carry through the theoretically bad bits.  Shaking cameras, not so much.

I'll also admit that it's given me some of the worst nightmares I've had in my life.

[LeoLeonardoIII]

I just meant that when people say what Star Trek is about, they need to say it's about space ships and time travel and little morality lessons. It's not just a space opera.

[Grakelin]

Sometimes they actually use famed pieces of drama from the past couple centuries as inspiration. Any show that does that is great.

Three's Company went back to a 500 year old plotline from Italy in one episode, which impressed me.

[Ephemeriis]

I just meant that when people say what Star Trek is about, they need to say it's about space ships and time travel and little morality lessons. It's not just a space opera.

I disagree.

If I had to sum up what Star Trek was about, I certainly wouldn't mention time travel or morality lessons.  Sure, they're in there...  But it isn't a key feature of every episode.  Even taken on average, it isn't a key feature.

The morality lessons aren't any more or less common than any other program on TV.  It isn't like Star Trek is some sci-fi retelling of Aesop's Fables.

And the time travel is really just used as a plot device.  It doesn't have to be in there.  They could tell most of the stories without time travel.

"Space Opera" is generally understood to be "random adventures in space" - which I think describes Star Trek quite well.  It really isn't much different from Buck Rogers or Space 1999 or any of the other space operas.  Sure, maybe the average plotline in Star Trek is a little more substantial...  But it is still space opera.

And, honestly, I'm not even sure that I'd say Dr. Who is about time travel.  It certainly features heavily into the character's background...  And it is a feature of most of the episodes...  But it isn't really the driving force behind the series.  Dr. Who is, once again, largely about random adventures.

If you wanted a show that was genuinely about time travel...  Where every episode revolved around traveling to a new time and affecting history as we know it...  I'd suggest Quantum Leap as a good choice.