Second episode. An alien crewmember’s conflicting loyalties endanger the mission. He/she/it is abandoned on a suitable M-class planet with a few provisions and the Star Fleet Survival Guide[sup]TM[/sup].
Third ep. The Captain discovers a crewmwmber has a “reset button” destroys it with a compression phaser rifle.
Fourth: The Captain explains to his entire crew why it’s neither his nor the XO’s place to boldly go onto a planet no Federation member has ever been on.
I’d have it set about 150 years after Voyager. Janeway’s Batman armor and stuff never happened, and the Federation’s overextension, as well as depletion of antimatter reserves (where did they ever get an apparantly unlimited supply, anyway?), led to factional fighting, so that the Federation really only controls about a half-dozen worlds (Vulcan, Andoria, Denobula, Kronos, Earth, Tellar) remain in the Fed.
Transporters are no longer viable because of their huge energy requirements, thus removing a major writer’s crutch. Replicators, too, are no longer used for the same reason, leading to the return of crime’n’stuff and the demise of the Trekkian utopia. In the midst of all this, the USS Excalibur, the first of a new fleet of fusion-powerd ships, is launched.
Tech changes will include fusion-based warp jumps taking about a minute (a serious problem in battle), the replacement of most phasers with plasma-shooting thingies (more efficient, and more plausible to be viewable from the side) and the extensive use of fighters and a stealth ship.
Major events in the first season include the appearance of the New Collective (a more individualized faction of the Borg like that in Voyager’s “Unity”), an attempt to finagle singularity-based warp drive from the Romulans, and the secession of the Centaurus colonies from the Federation.
Hell, make it one main character, and follow him from his midshipman cruise (I’m assuming that SF Academy has midshipman cruises like USNA does), through however far the series goes.
None of this business where he goes from a lowly reefer to Captain in the span of 3 seasons either.
In other words, really make it “Horatio Hornblower in Space”. Have him doing the equivalent of eating rats (like old RN mids did in the wooden navy days), have him on away teams, show him on liberty with his pals, etc…
But don’t have him being the guy who always saves the day. Have the Captain be some sort of god-like creature that he reveres. Have him on several ships through the series, and have the cast change accordingly.
I like this idea- it would be character driven, yet would be Trek, and would also be novel and interesting, all at the same time.
I think bump has the best idea, so far. In fact I’m almost ready to declare him the winner. (I can do that, right?)
One thing about revering the captain. This would be a great set-up for an episode where his hero turns out to be a fallible human after all, which can significantly affect the main character’s development.
Now he needs a name. Horatio? Nah.
I second the motion.
Is there any name more appropriate than Gene? 
Earth is roughly at the center of the Federation. Cardassia and Bajor are in the Beta Quadrant (at least according to this book).
Oops! Should have checked the book before replying.
Cardassia and Bajor are in the Alpha Quadrant, the Klingon and Romulan Empires are in the Beta Quadrant.
Planet Trek: Set, say, 50 to 100 years from now. The saga of humanity’s exploration of the Solar System with chemical-powered rockets and Orion craft. No ET species of any kind, but they never stop looking. Since there are no ET civilizations to encounter, the drama depends on competition between Earthside nations, regional alliances (like the European Union), and corporations.
What are you talking about? There are no corporations in Star Trek. Money is EVIL and barbaric and we don’t use it anymore! Gah, I’m sick of talking to this primitive 21st century barbarian. Mr. Data, Spend the next hour berating the primitive screwhead.
The Files of Section 31
'Nuff said. 