PLEASANTLY SURPRISED BY THE NEW STAR TREK: DISCOVERY SERIES

[I, Cosh]

Sorry, the bold text in my last post was supposed to be spoilered. Just in case.

[Tiplodocus]

I assume he is Kirking up his Pike performance as a way of letting us know how much of an influence Pike was  on Kirk. "Where's the big, red thing? I was expecting a big, red thing!" had me lolling.

[Theblazeuk]

I thought this episode was alreet, the Pike thing was a bit of a pointless diversion but I'm glad it's back. Think I missed something, what's the big deal with Spock's solo mission?

[Mardroid]

They didn't go into that theblazeuk. Just that he is bothers by the fact The Enterprise missed the war while on its 5 year mission in deep space, so his actions might relate to that.

[Pyroxian]

I thought this episode was alreet, the Pike thing was a bit of a pointless diversion but I'm glad it's back. Think I missed something, what's the big deal with Spock's solo mission?

The star chart he left for Michael showed 7 red signals, which were the thing Pike was looking for. His voice log mentioned that he had been having nightmares about them.

[Krakajac]

I’m not the biggest of trek fans - but I did enjoy that episode.  Also glad to see they’re maintaining the ‘red shirt’ tradition.  You could see it coming...

[JamesC]

That Science Officer who got killed clearly disobeyed a direct order. There seems to be quite a bit of talking back to the Captain. I think Pike needs to go on an assertiveness course.

[Theblazeuk]

Also: Spock must be on a 10-year+ mission into Deep Space by the time of TOS, right?

[The Legendary Shark]

After watching this I can only hope and pray that the upcoming Picard series gets things back on track.

I hate that I don't like Discovery. It's a pretty decent sci-fi series but it just isn't Star Trek for me. The ship is ugly, the "science" looks more like something Gandalf would come up with, the characters feel superficial and uninteresting and the frenetic action sequences are boring - do we really need to see every single asteroid tearing about and watch great big things falling apart all over the place?

It has no heart.

[wedgeski]

After watching this I can only hope and pray that the upcoming Picard series gets things back on track.

I hate that I don't like Discovery. It's a pretty decent sci-fi series but it just isn't Star Trek for me. The ship is ugly, the "science" looks more like something Gandalf would come up with, the characters feel superficial and uninteresting and the frenetic action sequences are boring - do we really need to see every single asteroid tearing about and watch great big things falling apart all over the place?

It has no heart.

I really don't see how you could have watched it if you think it has 'no heart'. Yes, it has glitz that only the movies could match before now, but these are some of the most complex characters Trek has ever tangled with. Flawed beings, making mistakes, but mostly trying their best to do actual good in the world.

[Professor Bear]

Have to agree with Sharky on this one, for reasons set out at tedious length in this very thread around the end of the last series when the Discovery crew listened to one "let's not do any more genocides" speech and suddenly everyone forgets they are a band of literal war criminals.  I know I murdered your doctor in cold blood but will you be my fwiend?  UWU

I've given up on many shows - disproportionately those in the fantasy/sci-fi genre - because writers don't know the difference between "complicated character" and "arsehole", and Discovery is one of those shows.  They had Harry Mudd appear three times before the second season even started, ffs.

[Theblazeuk]

The "science" only looks like something Gandalf would do in comparison to the previous series because hey, a special effects budget. Rather than lots of technobabble* and the same few FX shots recycled over and over again.

*I believe the scriptwriters used to put 'TECH' placeholders in the script for someone else to fill in the gobbledygook in a consistent-ish manner.

Personally, I really like Discovery. I don't think Discovery's crew is a band of literal war criminals, unless I missed something? And having empathy for a former enemy doesn't seem too bad a character flaw.

Also - I'm happy to see Mudd three times. They were good episodes.

[The Legendary Shark]

I'm glad people like it, I really am, because a flop might kill the whole franchise. I'll keep watching it because I'm an optimist but I'm doing so more out of loyalty than enjoyment.

[Professor Bear]

I don't think Discovery's crew is a band of literal war criminals, unless I missed something?

They kidnapped and executed Federation citizens, looted enemy vessels, held sentient species as slaves to their magic mushroom space engine, performed illegal genetic experiments, ran covert weapons programmes that contradicted Federation law, and I guess if you want to be super-picky, they also tried to do that genocide thing.
Throughout the series we see characters discuss what they're doing and how it's illegal, immoral, and/or unethical, so their guilt cannot be transferred to an outside agency like the captain because they repeatedly establish that they know what they are doing is wrong and then they go and do it anyway - not that "I was only obeying orders" is a particularly robust defence for war crimes anyway.

And having empathy for a former enemy doesn't seem too bad a character flaw.

Empathy is great, but as I said at the time, it doesn't seem to be too readily available if you're a black woman.

Also - I'm happy to see Mudd three times. They were good episodes.

Agree to disagree.

[Theblazeuk]

I don't think Discovery's crew is a band of literal war criminals, unless I missed something?

They kidnapped and executed Federation citizens, looted enemy vessels, held sentient species as slaves to their magic mushroom space engine, performed illegal genetic experiments, ran covert weapons programmes that contradicted Federation law, and I guess if you want to be super-picky, they also tried to do that genocide thing.

They freed the sentient species when they realised it was sentient, didn't they? And the genetic experiments, I present exhibit Julian Bashir. I forget which Federation citizens they kidnapped and executed... and the covert weapons programmes, well. Beyond the Spore Drive I forget about that too, other than the blowing up the Klingon homeworld thing which I thought was an idea from Mirror Lady.

Your honour, I ask for all charges to be dropped against the crew of the Discovery. They're good people (and I even like Tilley, first for the comic relief characters in Star Trek beyond Data.