I guess I'm always amazed when *other people* are amazed when Trek is
called a franchise by those who make it. They've never made any bones about
it; ST is their license to print money, a franchise, pure and simple. When
asked to do more unusual or challenging or different stories, Piller/Berman
have said, repeatedly and quite openly, "If it ain't broke, why fix it?"
Don't endanger the franchise.

jms