PLEASANTLY SURPRISED BY THE NEW STAR TREK: DISCOVERY SERIES

[Mardroid]

I wonder if Mudd would have committed those murders if he didn't know a reset was coming.

As for the Scientist guy, I don't think Mudd twigged about him until very late.

A good episode!

[Jim_Campbell]

I quite enjoyed that episode once I got over initial eye-roll of it being that kind of story. Honestly, is a contractual obligation that every SF show has to have a 'Groundhog Day' episode?

[JamesC]

I love these kinds of stories and really enjoyed this.
I put the murders down to Mudd knowing there was a reset coming combined with a bit of post-trauma and desperation regarding the Klingons.
I really liked Mudd's space helmet.

[pauljholden]

I quite enjoyed that episode once I got over initial eye-roll of it being that kind of story. Honestly, is a contractual obligation that every SF show has to have a 'Groundhog Day' episode?

Such a hoary old cliche sci-fi story I'm slightly amazed that The Orville hasn't done it yet.

(I actually enjoyed it, and enjoy orville, so I won't mind when they eventually do it...)

I'm not sure why Mudd doesn't just sell the time crystal - surely it's worth more than everything else combined and Mudd's final fate doesn't seem THAT terrible - if she were a big Jabba the hutt style slug monster, I could understand, but as it is...?
 
pj

[TordelBack]

So that was proper Trek fun, by which I mean the very hardiest of plot perennials (I make this the 5th go around in Trek alone, which may represent a meta-plot, I suppose...) combined with an entertaining guest star and some light character development.

Note that Stamets (why wasn't he a Betazoid? He looks and even acts like one, and now we know the species is around in this period),  remarks on how little 7 months of torture have affected Tyler, and also that Tyler survived on that ship largely through engaging the affections of a dangerous woman. Hmmmmmm.

Also: Stamets now knows a LOT of secrets, about Lorca's toys particularly.

While it was amusing to see Mudd prequelled into marraige, I was a bit confused as to why he was let walk off with full knowledge of all Discovery's secrets. Great performance though.

Weekly Star Trek! Not ever did I imagine this time would come again. So to speak.

[Tiplodocus]

That was nice to see them off ship and on planet for a change and some nice action sequences in opening space battle (which included some really simple exposition of more of Lorca's character). I can't help but think that every plot element in each of the different story strands needed more time to breathe though - especially the Avatarland bit.

[Smith]

All in all,it was a pretty meh episode.

[Tiplodocus]

I liked it. But somehow it managed to be less than the sum of its parts.

[von Boom]

This was the Frankenstein's monster of Star Trek episodes. The pillaged so many previous Star Trek tropes it's hard to name them all. Maybe this was a peace offering to disgruntled fans.

I liked it, though. It wasn't great or new, but more like a comfy chair. Old, worn, and well used.

[blackmocco]

That was fun. Once a hippy-ish element shows up in Trek, you know it’s going to hell. I liked it well enough overall though. Nice to see Saru having something to do. He’s probably my favorite character in here so far. Man, Doug Jones and Mary Chieffo are working wonders under that make-up. Chieffo in particular. She’s able to do all her acting through her eyes (even in the long shots…!), something none of the other Klingon actors have been able to manage so far. Great stuff, even if some of her character’s motivations seem too convoluted. No doubt we’ll get some clarity next week.

I’m assuming the admiral is still alive and that L’Rell dumped her escape plans once she discovered her clan had all been killed by Kol.

Starting to think the Voq/Tyler thing is a red herring at this point – although no doubt that’s exactly what the writers would love me to think. His physical appearance I can live with if it’s been altered but he just seems way too familiar with human customs and culture. Also, surely Saru would have been made aware of any nefarious behaviour (even of a Manchurian candidate variety) after last night’s melding? I’m actually going to be disappointed if this goes as it’s set up.

If I’ve nitpicks, they’re the same issues that have been apparent from the start, and to lesser or greater degrees in every episode so far: shorter seasons means compressed plotting and the feeling the characters are simply being pushed along – sometimes way too quickly and forcefully. In a perfect world, I’d actually have liked to have 18, maybe 20 episodes of this after all so that the show could relax and breathe a little.

Wish the space battles would lose the hyper-edits too. They need better storyboard artists.

Also, calling it now: Tilly is going to be Discovery’s captain in the Mirror Universe.

[JamesC]

Another enjoyable episode. Can't wait to see where it goes next week (I love that they're releasing it weekly).

I've been trying to think who Saru reminds me of and I think I've got it - he's basically a thin version of Babyface Finlayson.

[Robin Low]

Only up to episode five of this. While I am pleasantly surprised that it's a good show, I'm still rather underwhelmed by it. Some things impress me, but I find the tech-level really jarring.

I was arguing with a colleague (a decade younger) today about it. He thinks everything needs updating for a new audience. I say bollocks to that, even though I concede he may have a point. However, it occurred to me that if the series was set a hundred years after Voyager, and there was some guff about the Klingon Empire going bonkers, quitting the Federation fifty years earlier and buggering about with their genetics again, then you could do pretty much exactly what the series has done only without everything looking wrong.

Also, if you're going to give the crew such big quarters, wouldn't it be kinder to make the beds a bit wider? After all, if you did roll over and fall off, it's quite a drop.

Regards,

Robin

[von Boom]

You're right about it being underwhelming overall. It's the kind of show I'll watch the once and probably never give it a second look.

[Smith]

Im sensing this episode will start a familiar argument or two here...
And now,they are lost in space.Pun not intended.

[von Boom]

Im sensing this episode will start a familiar argument or two here...
And now,they are lost in space.Pun not intended.

Not lost. Lorcas knows where they are.