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Thread: Star Trek: Discovery

  1. #1
    Moderator Poisoned Youth's Avatar
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    Star Trek: Discovery

    So after a lot of delays, speculation, and ire regarding the CBS streaming service, Discovery premiered last night on CBS.

    I am a life-long Trek fan as I know others are, but I am a pragmatic one. I am not a fanboy nor am I one that goes out of their way to be critical of every Trek related event that has occurred since the 60s. I was an avid watcher of TNG, DS9, and Voyager. Some of that has aged well, other parts not so much.

    I struggled with Enterprise, but watched the first season and part of the second when it premiered. It was just too boring for me and re-tread of stories from other shows. But about 4 years ago and again a few months ago, I watched and re-watched the entire series of Enterprise. There are still issues, and the first season is still rather boring, but the show really started to come into it's own in the 3rd and 4th season, making it a shame it was canceled in the end.

    Now onto Discovery. Now I have only seen it once, but I must say that it disappointed me on so many levels, the storyline, the awkward juxtaposition of a prequel setting with so many anachronism, watching 3 minutes of Klingon subtitles, the use of lens flare, the clumsy attempt between typical CBS primetime production and the J.J. Abrams slick 21st century bombast, and more. I couldn't find interest in any of the characters and wasn't drawn in at any point in the program. I will not be paying $5.99 to sign up on CBS streaming. Time will tell but I don't think the show will be successful and PPV aspect of it will exponentially keep traditional Trek fans away.

    I suppose I have been spoiled of late with the plethora of TV that has solid writing and character development, along with a compelling premise and story lines. Once you add the legacy of Trek and the idea they are asking you to pay to watch, the pilot had to be special to lure one in after one show. It fell quite short imo.

    Anyone else watch? I am curious to hear some other opinions of this highly anticipated program.
    Last edited by Poisoned Youth; 09-25-2017 at 09:28 AM.
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  2. #2
    NEARfest Officer Emeritus Nearfest2's Avatar
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    Wow, Cozy, I didn't think it was that bad! I rather enjoyed the first episode. I'm signed up for the free week of CBS All Access so hopefully I can watch as many episodes of it before I cast my final judgment.

    Do you like the J.J. Abrams films? I like them a lot, though the first one is still the best IMO.
    Chad

  3. #3
    Member mnprogger's Avatar
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    I pretty much jumped ship after learning about Bryan Fuller's role being greatly reduced.

  4. #4
    Member dropforge's Avatar
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    I watched it, and for the most part I liked it, but I'm still on the fence about subscribing to an additional service to watch one show.

    I just don't get how this is supposed to take place before TOS. It's anachronistic hell. Everything looks so ridiculously high-tech, it's virtually on par with JJ's reboot. The production values are more than adequate (looked feature film quality, honestly) and I've never had an issue with the sets in any of the shows/movies, or "lens flares," etc.

    The Klingon redesign is kind of extreme, but I got used to it. Didn't mind the subtitles (better than their speaking Klinglish). But it's the timeline I've got a big problem with. (Also, the guy playing Sarek seems like a big step down from Mark Lenard and Ben Cross.)

    IMDb rating is currently a solid 7.0, though!

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    ^ I don't think the consistency and continuity of the various Star Trek sagas have ever been a strong point.

  6. #6
    Man of repute progmatist's Avatar
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    I thought it was o.k. enough, but not enough to warrant paying for a subscription to CBS All Access. I plan on waiting until the entire season is available, signing up for the free 7 day trial, binge watching the entire season, then canceling the subscription.
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    Member Zonefish's Avatar
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    I am a fan...but like Poisoned, not an obsessive Trekker. I watched the first episode and found it generally enjoyable. Sure, you can pick apart certain creative choices, but in the end I thought it was fairly well done. Like any show, it's going to take a few episodes to establish its own mythology and find its "sea legs." I know its basically apples and oranges, but I have far more issues with the new McFarland show "The Orville," than this. I figure as long as they are semi-consistent with original timeline canon, I get behind the show.
    "So it goes."
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  8. #8
    Liked it. Can't imagine paying for it. Will watch it on reruns when BBC finally buys it's rights.

  9. #9
    cunning linguist 3LockBox's Avatar
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    I think I was done with Star Trek in the '90s. DS9 did nothing for me, nor Voyager. Enterprise was a completely botched, missed opportunity, IMO. I haven't seen the reboot movies and have no desire to see the CBS offering. (Does anybody see the irony here of CBS doing a Star Trek reboot?)

  10. #10
    Parrots Ripped My Flesh Dave (in MA)'s Avatar
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    I found TOS enjoyable, watched it on its first run when I was a kid -- it was the first time I was allowed to stay up that late (1st 2 years... they moved it to 10 for season 3). I started watching TNG, but lost interest fairly quickly, and never got into DS9 or Star Trek The Adventures of Captain Mrs. Lt. Columbo much. I got back into it with Enterprise.

    Last night? Not sure. I'll watch the 2nd episode, and then will probably just wait until maybe it comes out in syndication because I really doubt I want to add another $6 to my cable bill for one show.

  11. #11
    Parrots Ripped My Flesh Dave (in MA)'s Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by dropforge View Post
    The Klingon redesign is kind of extreme, but I got used to it.

    <SPOILER>An Albino Klingon!</SPOILER>

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    I didn't watch it, but will someday.

    There are site which you can stream it for free (or even download) and I have to assume they are illegal, but they exist. Eventually the series will be released on DVD and your local library might have it. If you live outside the US, will will be on Netflix (I guess you could VPN to another country and log in to see it).

    Personally, I do not think it is worth getting the CBS streaming service for 2 new shows and the current CBS lineup, but to each his own.

  13. #13
    Recently Resurrected zombywoof's Avatar
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    Why go to the trouble to completely redesign the Klingons when they could just create a new race? Why have a ship set before the time of the Enterprise that's more technologically advanced than Voyager when they could just set it *after* Voyager? Why have two crewman at each other's throat when they've served together for 7 years?

    Wasn't impressed.

  14. #14
    Moderator Poisoned Youth's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nearfest2 View Post
    Do you like the J.J. Abrams films? I like them a lot, though the first one is still the best IMO.
    Mostly. I like the first film and Beyond. Into Darkness was a mess. I thought I was watching The Avengers.
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    Member Vic2012's Avatar
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    I caught it. I don't even have cable so "subscribing" to see this show is not even an option. Uh, I guess it was good, but like some commentors here I don't see why this has to be a prequel series. Ridiculous.

  16. #16
    Parrots Ripped My Flesh Dave (in MA)'s Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by zombywoof View Post
    Why have a ship set before the time of the Enterprise that's more technologically advanced than Voyager when they could just set it *after* Voyager?
    You must have hated the Enterprise mirror universe episode when they got their hands on a 23rd century ship that had gone back to their time and they were wowed by the futuristic capabilities even though it was the same as the Enterprise from the 60s series.

  17. #17
    Moderator Poisoned Youth's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by zombywoof View Post
    Why go to the trouble to completely redesign the Klingons when they could just create a new race? Why have a ship set before the time of the Enterprise that's more technologically advanced than Voyager when they could just set it *after* Voyager? Why have two crewman at each other's throat when they've served together for 7 years?

    Wasn't impressed.
    I would think after Enterprise explored the prequel space that there would be less need to go back to that time. It made more sense to me to go into the future, where legends are long since gone and a whole new chapter could be written. And I don't believe the Klingon war is story that needs to be told or has much interest. And arguably, that interest wanes when you change (radically or tweak) the look and culture of the antagonists. And why tinker with everything, but leave small tidbits of continuity like the red alert signal, referring to the first officer as "Number One", and the sound fx for the bridge doors opening/closing? I honestly can't think of much nice to say about it. I did enjoy the credits sequence.
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    Member dropforge's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dave (in MA) View Post
    <SPOILER>An Albino Klingon!</SPOILER>
    Which actually became a (very minor) plot point!

  19. #19
    Member dropforge's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Poisoned Youth View Post
    Mostly. I like the first film and Beyond. Into Darkness was a mess. I thought I was watching The Avengers.
    Dude, The Avengers was better than Into Darkness.

  20. #20
    Member Jerjo's Avatar
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    Into Darkness was an abomination and I'll leave it at that. I can see where The Avengers might not work for everyone but I thought it was very entertaining. I mean c'mon, the "puny god" scene alone was classic.

    Regarding STD, I'll just repost what I did on a nerdier site. At some point tomorrow I'll flesh out a post on my blog because damn, I found a lot not to like here.

    I have to say I'm rather under-whelmed to the point where I'm not going to cross a paywall to follow it up. Maybe it gets better but I just don't need another streaming service. And I'm aghast at the amount of time CBS milked for ads. I kept switching channels to the football game and you could watch a few plays, come back, and it was still a parade of ads for Young Sheldon. The credits looked great but when you spend fifteen minutes just running through all the exec producers you know a show has passed through far too many hands.

    SPOILERS

    Among other issues I was bothered by: retcon of Spock having an adopted sister, adopted sister behaving in a manner quite illogical, speaking of logic there was a lack of it in the plot, two steps forward by having two female leads and one step backward for having one of them run through the ship in her white underoos, two steps forward by having two leads who are PoC and one step backward for having the Big Bad of the season be Black Klingons, the way the show treated Klingons in general ignored the established canon plus the ornate beacon was ridiculous and so was the fancy bat'leth, and just everything about Death Guy was irritating. Michael is just a hot mess. Her acting is fine but time and time again we were told what a great exec she was and then she'd do something rash, emotional, and stupid. Bad writers, bad!

    Oh, and another few things that bugged the living hell out of me. The carving of the Federation symbol into the sand was just ridiculous. A.) the Captain should have said what she was doing; B.) a simpler symbol would have been less time-consuming considering their dire circumstances, and C.) good jebus, did they actually show a space ship INSIDE the planet's atmosphere. Didn't our relentless mockery of this on Star Trek: Into Dumbness cure these writers of that trope?!
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  21. #21
    Member moecurlythanu's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by dropforge View Post
    Dude, The Avengers was better than Into Darkness.
    Yeah, I was gonna take it as a recommendation.

  22. #22
    Subterranean Tapir Hobo Chang Ba's Avatar
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    Won't subscribe so didn't even watch it. I shouldn't judge it on the previews/commercials but it feels like it wasn't for me from the beginning .
    Please don't ask questions, just use google.

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  23. #23
    I'm a pretty big Trek fan (I've seen everything except some episodes of Enterprise...Just couldn't see it through.) and I have mixed feelings so far. I've only seen the pilot, and I'll watch more before I make up my mind. I thought the look was excellent in every way, and it's to be expected that it should look better than previous shows, but I thought it looked better than expected. However, as for the story, and as others have mentioned, the dialogue and delivery, I didn't feel like it was quite up to par. And again, as others have said, I think it would have made more sense to go farther into the future, rather than another "prequel" series...But I guess prequel Trek is better than no Trek.
    Interesting thread, I've enjoyed reading others' opinions!
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  24. #24
    cunning linguist 3LockBox's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by zombywoof View Post
    Why go to the trouble to completely redesign the Klingons when they could just create a new race? Why have a ship set before the time of the Enterprise that's more technologically advanced than Voyager when they could just set it *after* Voyager? Why have two crewman at each other's throat when they've served together for 7 years?
    Its called lazy-assed writing. It's what hamstrung Enterprise, what with its canibalization and cherry.picking of plot devices that went on there. If continuity and adherence to canon is unnecessary then yes, create a whole new time line in the future or better yet, create something original.

  25. #25
    Moderator Poisoned Youth's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by dropforge View Post
    Dude, The Avengers was better than Into Darkness.
    Heh. To be clear, I enjoyed the Avengers. Into Darkness was out of context over the top, and that scene with Spock and Khan was just too much for me lol.
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