Star Trek: Discovery

[cheetah]

The next season of Star Trek: Discovery is set to premier next month. I know that a lot of people weren't that enthusiastic about it, but despite it's flaws (I don't think tying the characters in with characters we already knew about is necessary, so I'm kind of skeptical about how Spock looks like he'll play a major role in Season 2), I enjoyed it.

I'm interested to hear what other people thought about Season 1, and what they think about what we've seen of Season 2 so far.

[hotdogwolf]

I never seen it because I don't get it on my TV or cable, I don't even think its on netfilx. But I did see it out on DVD and a fellow Wolf therian said it was good and that I should still get it on DVD. Do you think I should because it costs around 39 dollars at Walmart. Can you tell me anything about it.? Short story on the good and bad about the show.?

[cheetah]

It's not on Netflix if you're in the USA. If you are, it's on CBS Online, and only CBS Online. While it's good, it's not $40 good--I can't think of a single season of any show that is worth dropping $40 on.

Nevertheless, the good: It does a decent job of exploring what it means to make moral compromises. I think in this it is strengthened, not weakened, by the fact that the person driving other characters to make the moral compromises is from the Mirror Universe, and actually evil. In this it can be viewed as a sort of anti-24. 24, which in many ways exemplifies contemporary American attitudes, promotes attitudes of "I did what I had to do," and that morals are (rightfully!) the first thing to be discarded.

In Star Trek: Discovery, though, the moral compromises are repeatedly shown to not have been worth it. The main character tries to fire first on the Klingons as a show of strength, but it turns out that it wouldn't have made any difference if her mutiny had succeeded. They use a Space Tartigrade to help navigate the spore drive, but this act--by far the most sympathetically treated moral compromise--is not glorified, and it's shown to take a toll on everyone but Lorca; there turns out to have been another solution, too. When they go to the Mirror Universe, and Burnham eats Kelpian to keep up her disguise, it's for naught; she's found out moments later.

I like that a lot, and think we need more media that takes that perspective.

The bad: The main character is a xenopsychologist. TV is a poor medium for exploring xenofiction, and Star Trek is an especially poor place to do it, because most of the established alien cultures are just pastiches of human cultures, but made partially biological. So Klingons are naturally more violent, which makes them act like biker gangs Space Vikings. It doesn't come across as well done; there's no consideration of why they ended up that way. They just have a normal human trait, but more of it.

There's very much a main character, and I liked the ensemble cast of other Star Trek shows.

Also, the main characters are way too forgiving. No one was punished for the plot to devastate Qo'noS, and Mirror Georgiou, a cannibalistic mass murderer, was let go. Also, there's too much of Section 31.

[hotdogwolf]

Yeah, I live in the U.S, But I can't get CBS online. Because I can't pay for it. Well then if its not worth wasting my 40 dollars over then I'm not going to get. Especially when all the older Star Trek shows are on Netflix. If what you say is true in that the alien cultures are just pastiches of human culture. Then I could just get all that from all the old Star trek shows. Even if they are all old. HA, Here I am talking about a show I have not seen. Anyway, I think that discovery is just an updated Star Trek for the newer generation who really haven't seen my generation Star trek. Hollywood always does that.

[cheetah]

I think you might be able to get a week free, still. You would want to be very careful, though; they probably have it set up so that, by default, you start subscribing once the week is up. Which, if you're charged once or twice, isn't horrible (it's $6 a month), but it's not ideal. There are 15 episodes, so watching them in a week is possible.

And it's definitely not just "updated Star Trek." Not just because it lacks an ensemble cast; it's very arc-focused, even more so than Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's Dominion War arc. Yes, even the last season.

[hotdogwolf]

I think you might be able to get a week free, still. You would want to be very careful, though; they probably have it set up so that, by default, you start subscribing once the week is up. Which, if you're charged once or twice, isn't horrible (it's $6 a month), but it's not ideal. There are 15 episodes, so watching them in a week is possible.

And it's definitely not just "updated Star Trek." Not just because it lacks an ensemble cast; it's very arc-focused, even more so than Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's Dominion War arc. Yes, even the last season.

Na, I'm not going to do that. I don't know if Netflix is going to put it up but if it does, I will wait too watch it on there. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HLNn9AZrZg But I am watching a few scenes on youtube here. I been seeing a lot of negative reviews of the show on youtube but I guess that from all the old Star trek fans who think it sucks. But for me, I will give it a chance.

[cheetah]

Prediction: It is never going to be on Netflix.

[hotdogwolf]

Hmm You know what.? I think I will stick with the TV show The Orville. If you never seen it here is the information on the show. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Orville