Television Star Trek

Dante

Average bang
Joined
Oct 22, 2010
Messages
25,280
Location
My wit's end
I've been unable to watch the latest season but my point still stands. Discovery isn't a new concept.

I want to see how the universe has moved forward. New technologies, world's, Alliances and races.
That's literally what season 3 and (even more so) season 4 of Discovery is all about.
 

Bobski

Full Member
Joined
Sep 5, 2017
Messages
9,961
That's true. I'm finishing up the final two seasons of ENTERPRISE on Netflix after bailing end of 2nd season back in the day and enjoying it more this time.
Last 2 seasons are decent even if Archer is the worst captain ever.

Not expecting much from Strange New Worlds, you can have good actors, budget for effects, top notch sets but if the writing talent is not there it will not be an improvement on Discovery and Picard.
 

Twins

"Everybody loves a golden shower"
Joined
Mar 19, 2015
Messages
5,685
That's literally what season 3 and (even more so) season 4 of Discovery is all about.
Haven't seen the fourth one yet (and probably never will), however I had massive issues with the third one in that it didn't really feel different - they still had their transporters and the same kind of ships and phasers and dilithium stuff. They could have been more imaginative considering the massive time jump.
 

Dante

Average bang
Joined
Oct 22, 2010
Messages
25,280
Location
My wit's end
Haven't seen the fourth one yet (and probably never will), however I had massive issues with the third one in that it didn't really feel different - they still had their transporters and the same kind of ships and phasers and dilithium stuff. They could have been more imaginative considering the massive time jump.
No they didn't.
 

Amir

Full Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2000
Messages
24,922
Location
Rehovot, Israel
Haven't seen the fourth one yet (and probably never will), however I had massive issues with the third one in that it didn't really feel different - they still had their transporters and the same kind of ships and phasers and dilithium stuff. They could have been more imaginative considering the massive time jump.
Season 4 won't solve any of your problems with it anyway.
 

parkthebuslads

Full Member
Joined
Apr 8, 2009
Messages
853
I found SNW to be remarkably dull and predict that the mission to boldly go searching for Pikes personality will be a total failure.
 

parkthebuslads

Full Member
Joined
Apr 8, 2009
Messages
853
Was there any need for
Will Wheaton
to deliver his lines with the fixed deranged grin of a serial killer?
 

Loon

:lol:
Joined
Aug 17, 2011
Messages
9,215
Location
No-Mark
Last 2 seasons are decent even if Archer is the worst captain ever.

Not expecting much from Strange New Worlds, you can have good actors, budget for effects, top notch sets but if the writing talent is not there it will not be an improvement on Discovery and Picard.
Agreed. Wish they’d take a cue from TOS and have some Science Fiction authors write for the show.
 

Bobski

Full Member
Joined
Sep 5, 2017
Messages
9,961
Agreed. Wish they’d take a cue from TOS and have some Science Fiction authors write for the show.
That is one of the problems of having 4-6 Star Trek projects on the go at one time, dispersed across different networks, a dilution of talent. That was a problem even when DS9 and Voyager were on together, and that with an experienced group of writers. Getting sci fi writers on board could help immensely, we saw the benefit of that with The Expanse, even if they already had a ton of material to work with. Not much in terms of original approaches from the current writers, just mediocre identikit repetition that pretends to tackle tough issues but only does it in a very safe and dull way using by the numbers standard formulas.

A lot of modern space sci-fi on TV seems to be trying to take the best parts of Firefly(snappy dialogue, fun characters and oodles of charm) Battlestar Galactica (grittier, constant narrative tension driving the plot) with little in way of new ideas or approaches. Nu Trek hasn't really found its niche yet in what it wants to be, just a mis-mash.
 

berbatrick

Renaissance Man
Scout
Joined
Oct 22, 2010
Messages
21,658
That said, I find it hilarious that people were praising the writing of Picard right up until the RedLetterMedia reviews. The scripts have always been like that. Jay and Mike just pointed it out in youtube format.
RLM have been mocking Picard right since S1E1, but reception to season 1 was much more positive here (and I think generally). This time, even r/startrek, which has banned any posting of RLM, and bans moaning about nutrek, is showing pretty open dismay.
So I don't think RLM's criticism is some turning point, probably the writing got worse or people finally started seeing through the constant vague melodramatic dialogue and loose plot threads.

I personally have been influenced by their reviews, but it was after I saw all of STD S1 for myself, hated it, and then relied on RLM to tell me if any of the others were worth it.

Even so, it wouldn't have made sense to tell a story about the future from a 1960s or 1990s POV. I don't know why they expected any different. The optimism of the post-WW2 and Post-Berlin Wall eras that led to TOS and TNG were an illusion. We're a messy species and a messy civilisation. If new Trek ignored that reality with the current series, it wouldn't really be sci fi any more.
I don't think TOS was written in an optimistic moment for the US at all, pretty far-removed from WW2 for sure.
It was 3 years after the Cuban missile crisis, the closest it's ever been to the end of the world, which also means 2 years after Kennedy's assassination, during the height of the (then very unpopular) civil rights movement and the escalating Vietnam war.* The Soviets had the first satellite and first man in space, steady economic growth, and growing influence because of third world de-colonization. It was probably the smallest global advantage the US had since 1945.

TOS also introduced the Eugenics wars and nuclear WW3, so it's not like it suggests there's a straight road from the present to this great future. This "optimism" basically suggested that humanity would destroy nature and each other many times over before finally making some progress as a species (Picard in S1 TNG refers to "growing out of infancy") - I'd hardly call it naive, and it's probably not even optimism. Just that it's set so far away in the future that dire circumstances have forced a positive change.

Finally, in the Trek tradition, there is a simple way to talk about a self-destructive species - you get the crew to visit and deal with one.

If it's got the 'Star Trek' name, it has to be fan service-y.
All of TNG combined (about 180 eps?) had about 5 cameos from TOS. It broke the formula of TOS: a central trio with strong contrasts and banter, and never really replaced it. It totally changed the character of the captain. Wouldn't call it fan-service at all.
DS9 imported 2 cast members from TNG, but refreshed/added to their characters, and had only 2 cameos in its ~180 eps. No exploration, war, non-Starfleet regulars, a lot of political stuff, a dissatisfied captain, acceptance of religion, Section 31, series-long arcs - can't think of something more different to TNG. They had one adorable fan-service episode for the 40th anniversary of TOS, and nothing else.
In terms of cameos, Voyager had 3 in a similarly long run. The premise was new and great but didn't really get used properly. Probably the laziest of these 3, but not because it was fan service-y.
All 3 are pretty well-loved by fans.

you'd might as well start a new franchise and go with something new.
Genuinely wish Kurtzman/Goldsman would do that, but i doubt they can get anyone to watch without a known brand. So they write their rubbish and slap the trek logo on it. Seems to be working well enough for them.
I've read positive things about Lower Decks and the SNW opener, might watch those, but the fact that they have the same writers as the rest of this makes me want to run away.


*which reminds me that Patrick Stewart said his driving force for Picard S1 was Brexit, and, sorry, that doesn't come close to any of the negative events that were happening when TOS was being aired.
 

RedSky

Shepherd’s Delight
Scout
Joined
Jul 27, 2006
Messages
74,278
Location
Hereford FC (Soccermanager)
Thought that was an excellent opening episode for SNW. Fun and engaging from the get go. Really crossing my fingers they can continue to deliver as it felt like it carried the charm of TOS. Good to see that all the characters had a moment in the spotlight too and I wasn't irritated by anyone, not even the doctor and man do I hate Star Trek doctors (except Bones obviously).
 

Raoul

Admin
Staff
Joined
Aug 14, 1999
Messages
130,241
Location
Hollywood CA
Very good opener I thought. You can tell this will be much better because they seem to have improved on all the problems of the other two recent shows - namely the casting, production design, and return to individual episodes. The characters in this one are already far better than those in Picard.
 

Raoul

Admin
Staff
Joined
Aug 14, 1999
Messages
130,241
Location
Hollywood CA
Less terrible than the previous 5 or so episodes, probably because Akiva wrote it.

Now on to season three where the TNG olds return to save the day.
 

pauldyson1uk

Full Member
Joined
May 20, 2008
Messages
55,359
Location
Wythenshawe watching Crappy Fims
Thought that was an excellent opening episode for SNW. Fun and engaging from the get go. Really crossing my fingers they can continue to deliver as it felt like it carried the charm of TOS. Good to see that all the characters had a moment in the spotlight too and I wasn't irritated by anyone, not even the doctor and man do I hate Star Trek doctors (except Bones obviously).
Bones is brilliant and I have to admit if Beverley was my doctor I would be sick every day, twice a day.
 

Van Piorsing

Lost his light sabre
Joined
Feb 10, 2006
Messages
22,541
Location
Polska
Elnor drinking shot at the end had more suspense than the whole Europa mission. Ffs Europa League is more interesting.

Could Riker stop baking pizza and end the overly present drama to bring some old fashion chain of command in season 3 ? Or is it too obvious to do...
 

Raoul

Admin
Staff
Joined
Aug 14, 1999
Messages
130,241
Location
Hollywood CA
Elnor drinking shot at the end had more suspense than the whole Europa mission. Ffs Europa League is more interesting.

Could Riker stop baking pizza and end the overly present drama to bring some old fashion chain of command in season 3 ? Or is it too obvious to do...
The entire season was completely disjointed from a writing perspective. I'm willing to give them a mulligan on it since everything happened during peak covid and they seemed to hire inexperienced writers with no Trek qualifications to actually write episodes for Star Trek. Season 1 was far more fluid and watchable imo. I suspect Kurtzman and Akiva have learned some lessons from 2 and will adjust for 3.
 

Van Piorsing

Lost his light sabre
Joined
Feb 10, 2006
Messages
22,541
Location
Polska
The entire season was completely disjointed from a writing perspective. I'm willing to give them a mulligan on it since everything happened during peak covid and they seemed to hire inexperienced writers with no Trek qualifications to actually write episodes for Star Trek. Season 1 was far more fluid and watchable imo. I suspect Kurtzman and Akiva have learned some lessons from 2 and will adjust for 3.
If Strange New Worlds receive somewhat positive feedback while it stays on course of space travel show, both Kurtzman & Akiva could gain motivation to finally make Picard an actual Star Trek or finally something closer to it.

Rios saying goodbye, the only natural space pilot in the crew could mean, there's a full time federation crew on actual federation ship for season 3 ? Bit wishful thinking but still...

You just know they'll start tampering with season 3 too much after first 2 promising episodes. :lol:
 

Raoul

Admin
Staff
Joined
Aug 14, 1999
Messages
130,241
Location
Hollywood CA
If Strange New Worlds receive somewhat positive feedback while it stays on course of space travel show, both Kurtzman & Akiva could gain motivation to finally make Picard an actual Star Trek or finally something closer to it.

Rios saying goodbye, the only natural space pilot in the crew could mean, there's a full time federation crew on actual federation ship for season 3 ? Bit wishful thinking but still...

You just know they'll start tampering with season 3 too much after first 2 promising episodes. :lol:
Yeah and Jurati also said her character won't be back for 3. Although they appear to have kept the hideously pointless Rafi for another year.
 

Van Piorsing

Lost his light sabre
Joined
Feb 10, 2006
Messages
22,541
Location
Polska
Yeah and Jurati also said her character won't be back for 3. Although they appear to have kept the hideously pointless Rafi for another year.
Shocking how they dump entire characters, Borg's synergy with human part was definitely biggest thing for this season that could actually matter for future events. Why not evolve this storyline further ? Borg Jurati is miles better than drunk Jurati in a bar anyway.

First season's Commodore Oh was dumped with her entire fleet, when Riker told her to go away and that was it. They just make this show on the fly and think about consequences later...

Of course this could be a popularity stunt when they'll announce return of Borg just before new season kicks in... While they still have time to make corrections they should do it before NG crew returns.
 

The Cat

Will drink milk from your hands
Joined
May 18, 2017
Messages
12,341
Location
Feet up at home.
About to watch it. Really enjoyed the early episodes then it got bogged down. Hope it's a decent finish.
 

Amir

Full Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2000
Messages
24,922
Location
Rehovot, Israel
At least I think the finale of season 2 was enjoyable.

As for season 3, I don't have high expectations. The main enjoyment of the first two seasons was seeing the old characters, starting with Riker, Troi and Data. So knowing they'll have some of the old gang back is at least something to look forward to.
 

Big Andy

Bloke
Joined
Oct 23, 2003
Messages
34,654
About to watch it. Really enjoyed the early episodes then it got bogged down. Hope it's a decent finish.
Was actually a decent finish to the series tbh. No young Jean-Luc being a little fecktard for a start, so already onto a winner.

not sure why they shoehorned Wesley Crusher into it though for literally no reason (also, he’s creepy as feck)
 

berbatrick

Renaissance Man
Scout
Joined
Oct 22, 2010
Messages
21,658
Thought that was an excellent opening episode for SNW. Fun and engaging from the get go. Really crossing my fingers they can continue to deliver as it felt like it carried the charm of TOS. Good to see that all the characters had a moment in the spotlight too and I wasn't irritated by anyone, not even the doctor and man do I hate Star Trek doctors (except Bones obviously).
later season bashir is pretty great!
 

dinostar77

Full Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2014
Messages
7,262
That was crap. New trek is a shadow of classic trek.

the borg have been neutered. Overused in Voyager. Now ruined in picard. The most interesting part of the entire season was the (we didnt steal it from stargate sg1 and expanse) giant transwarp tunnel which no doubt leads to another galaxy. Star Trek Andromeda ?!?
 

Klopper76

"Did you see Fabinho against Red Star & Cardiff?"
Joined
Dec 15, 2015
Messages
19,898
Location
Victoria, BC
Supports
Liverpool
Really enjoyed the SNW opener. Felt very trek, more so than season 2 of Picard. Interested to see where they go with it.
 

The Cat

Will drink milk from your hands
Joined
May 18, 2017
Messages
12,341
Location
Feet up at home.
That was crap. New trek is a shadow of classic trek.

the borg have been neutered. Overused in Voyager. Now ruined in picard. The most interesting part of the entire season was the (we didnt steal it from stargate sg1 and expanse) giant transwarp tunnel which no doubt leads to another galaxy. Star Trek Andromeda ?!?
I quite enjoyed the end wonder if that really is the last time we see Q - I suspect not. They have ruined the Borg I agree even though it's a novel approach. Can only hope now that Species 8472 make an appearance sometime they were epic.
 

That'sHernandez

Ominously close to getting banned
Joined
Oct 30, 2010
Messages
24,571
That was crap. New trek is a shadow of classic trek.

the borg have been neutered. Overused in Voyager. Now ruined in picard. The most interesting part of the entire season was the (we didnt steal it from stargate sg1 and expanse) giant transwarp tunnel which no doubt leads to another galaxy. Star Trek Andromeda ?!?

Transwarp conduits were a staple of Voyager...
 

That'sHernandez

Ominously close to getting banned
Joined
Oct 30, 2010
Messages
24,571
I quite enjoyed the end wonder if that really is the last time we see Q - I suspect not. They have ruined the Borg I agree even though it's a novel approach. Can only hope now that Species 8472 make an appearance sometime they were epic.
One of the producers has said Q is gone for now but that they can't say what future writers will do.
 

choccy77

New Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2008
Messages
6,059
Thought that was an excellent opening episode for SNW. Fun and engaging from the get go. Really crossing my fingers they can continue to deliver as it felt like it carried the charm of TOS. Good to see that all the characters had a moment in the spotlight too and I wasn't irritated by anyone, not even the doctor and man do I hate Star Trek doctors (except Bones obviously).
Does anyone else think that Pike looks like William Shatner from the original show. Even some of the facial expressions are like a mirror.

Good first episode, nice twist on The Khan Lineage and also Lieutenant Kirk.

Looking forward to the season.
 

choccy77

New Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2008
Messages
6,059
Was there any need for
Will Wheaton
to deliver his lines with the fixed deranged grin of a serial killer?
There were a load of articles about him last week, so I did wonder if he would be in it.

These things are never a random coincidence.

Most likely he will pop in to see his mum in season 3
 

choccy77

New Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2008
Messages
6,059
One of the producers has said Q is gone for now but that they can't say what future writers will do.
He can easily not die, he could just become something new which was also hinted at.

Probably the better episode of the season, I actually had forgotten they were under attack in the first place, given the merry go round the writing went throughout.