To boldly go ... (Star Trek)

Karl Henning · July 15, 2025, 07:15:31 AM

Quote from: LKB on July 14, 2025, 09:49:41 PM"Trials and Tribble-ations" is a hoot. I remember my doubts when I heard the buzz once word got out ( having never been much of a DS9 fan ), and didn't bother to watch it until the TOS blu-rays included it as a bonus.

Once I actually saw it, I was quite willing to banish my misplaced skepticism, and happy indeed that it had come into being. ( Worf's discomfort in answering his companions' questions regarding the TOS Klingons... priceless! )

We do not discuss it with outsiders.

relm1 · July 16, 2025, 05:40:22 AM

Quote from: Karl Henning on July 15, 2025, 07:15:31 AMWe do not discuss it with outsiders.

...because back in the 1960's, they didn't have a big budget. After the motion pictures came out, our budget for production went through the roof and that included makeup. However, we do not discuss it with those outside the film industry.

SimonNZ · August 02, 2025, 04:34:30 PM

Apologies if its been discussed on this thread already, but how do people rate the "Picard" series?

hopefullytrusting · August 02, 2025, 05:03:29 PM

Quote from: SimonNZ on August 02, 2025, 04:34:30 PMApologies if its been discussed on this thread already, but how do people rate the "Picard" series?

Well, that depends - how do you like Picard, overall, as a character?

DavidW · August 02, 2025, 06:52:53 PM

Quote from: SimonNZ on August 02, 2025, 04:34:30 PMApologies if its been discussed on this thread already, but how do people rate the "Picard" series?

Season 1 was terrible, and I didn't finish it. Season 3 was good, but nostalgia bait. I think it was the weakest of the new shows.

SimonNZ · August 02, 2025, 10:47:46 PM

Quote from: DavidW on August 02, 2025, 06:52:53 PMSeason 1 was terrible, and I didn't finish it. Season 3 was good, but nostalgia bait. I think it was the weakest of the new shows.

Oh dear. Thanks for the warning.

relm1 · August 03, 2025, 05:29:39 AM

Quote from: SimonNZ on August 02, 2025, 04:34:30 PMApologies if its been discussed on this thread already, but how do people rate the "Picard" series?

I only watched S3. I thought it was a lot of fun and has a fantastic 1980's style score (very Goldsmith/Horneresque). Worth watching so don't pass it by just because S1 or S2 weren't that good (I couldn't make it through an episode or two of those seasons). There seemed to be too much new trek that was all over the place such as Discovery which I haven't seen purely based on not making it through the first episode(s) after trying three times before just giving up. JJ Abrams reboots were what trek was then, and it had very little to do with the trek we loved. Pretty much zero characters, zero moral/philosophical dilemmas, zero sacrifice for the greater good, etc. At this point, having nostalgia for what made trek good was ok with me. This was also the time that a Next Generation clone called "Orville" was coming out and that was a very good show, sort of a cousin to 1980's-1990's trek.

LKB · August 03, 2025, 08:49:17 AM

Quote from: hopefullytrusting on August 02, 2025, 05:03:29 PMWell, that depends - how do you like Picard, overall, as a character?

I found the first season of Picard to be mostly tolerable, until the season finale. The season closes out with utter ( and completely unnecessary ) idiocy, and in the space of that one episode my interest disappeared. I watched nothing of the second season.

I cherry-picked the TNG bits from the final season, and I'll admit to smiling at seeing the old ressurected -D and her crew. Predictable, mauldlin and fan-oriented as it may have been, it made this old Trekkie happy.

Karl Henning · August 03, 2025, 08:50:56 AM

Just my own take, but the franchise grew to such dimensions that supply far exceeds my own demand. There's probably some prejudice baked in, here: when I find a pint perfectly satisfactory, I may indeed consider a gallon drum as an affront to taste and decency. YMMV, bien sûr.

DavidW · August 03, 2025, 09:08:39 AM

Quote from: relm1 on August 03, 2025, 05:29:39 AMI only watched S3. I thought it was a lot of fun and has a fantastic 1980's style score (very Goldsmith/Horneresque). Worth watching so don't pass it by just because S1 or S2 weren't that good (I couldn't make it through an episode or two of those seasons). There seemed to be too much new trek that was all over the place such as Discovery which I haven't seen purely based on not making it through the first episode(s) after trying three times before just giving up. JJ Abrams reboots were what trek was then, and it had very little to do with the trek we loved. Pretty much zero characters, zero moral/philosophical dilemmas, zero sacrifice for the greater good, etc. At this point, having nostalgia for what made trek good was ok with me. This was also the time that a Next Generation clone called "Orville" was coming out and that was a very good show, sort of a cousin to 1980's-1990's trek.

I think Alex Kurtzman made a critical error that the modern audience needs spectacle over cerebral substance. One of my favorite modern SF shows, Dark, is dialogue-driven instead of explosion-driven. It was a big hit on Netflix. Apple Plus has prioritized several SF shows, all of which are smartly written. Even though a modern Trek show couldn't be a carbon copy of what came before, it could have been much closer than what we had.

hopefullytrusting · August 03, 2025, 09:42:37 AM

Quote from: LKB on August 03, 2025, 08:49:17 AMI found the first season of Picard to be mostly tolerable, until the season finale. The season closes out with utter ( and completely unnecessary ) idiocy, and in the space of that one episode my interest disappeared. I watched nothing of the second season.

I cherry-picked the TNG bits from the final season, and I'll admit to smiling at seeing the old ressurected -D and her crew. Predictable, mauldlin and fan-oriented as it may have been, it made this old Trekkie happy.

This is pretty much my exact take.

relm1 · August 04, 2025, 05:45:49 AM

Quote from: DavidW on August 03, 2025, 09:08:39 AMI think Alex Kurtzman made a critical error that the modern audience needs spectacle over cerebral substance. One of my favorite modern SF shows, Dark, is dialogue-driven instead of explosion-driven. It was a big hit on Netflix. Apple Plus has prioritized several SF shows, all of which are smartly written. Even though a modern Trek show couldn't be a carbon copy of what came before, it could have been much closer than what we had.

Did you by any chance see Andor Season 2? That was some of the finest sf tv I've ever seen. Very mature for star wars and definitely the best SW in decades. It seems that rarely, every now and then we get mature, adult themed sf that we crave but otherwise it's mostly junk or kid oriented sf that expects you to fast forward to get to the explosions.

I think JJ Abrams got a huge hit by going just for those explosions and spectacle, but sort of alienated those of us who were fans of what made the show great in the first place.

Karl Henning · August 04, 2025, 06:02:13 AM

Quote from: relm1 on August 04, 2025, 05:45:49 AMDid you by any chance see Andor Season 2? That was some of the finest sf tv I've ever seen. Very mature for star wars and definitely the best SW in decades. It seems that rarely, every now and then we get mature, adult themed sf that we crave but otherwise it's mostly junk or kid oriented sf that expects you to fast forward to get to the explosions.

I think JJ Abrams got a huge hit by going just for those explosions and spectacle, but sort of alienated those of us who were fans of what made the show great in the first place.

If Star Trek were in Marvel Comics Land

DavidW · August 04, 2025, 06:07:26 AM

Quote from: relm1 on August 04, 2025, 05:45:49 AMDid you by any chance see Andor Season 2? That was some of the finest sf tv I've ever seen. Very mature for star wars and definitely the best SW in decades. It seems that rarely, every now and then we get mature, adult themed sf that we crave but otherwise it's mostly junk or kid oriented sf that expects you to fast forward to get to the explosions.

I think JJ Abrams got a huge hit by going just for those explosions and spectacle, but sort of alienated those of us who were fans of what made the show great in the first place.

I'm in the middle of S2. Slowly going through it because I've been watching S3 of Foundation. I spoiled myself. I still remember one of the two big plot reveals from Foundation and Empire, even though I read it in middle school. It helped me catch some subtle dialogue that I don't think the viewer was supposed to notice until a rewatch.

relm1 · August 05, 2025, 06:16:06 AM

Quote from: DavidW on August 04, 2025, 06:07:26 AMI'm in the middle of S2. Slowly going through it because I've been watching S3 of Foundation. I spoiled myself. I still remember one of the two big plot reveals from Foundation and Empire, even though I read it in middle school. It helped me catch some subtle dialogue that I don't think the viewer was supposed to notice until a rewatch.

There is a major tonal shift near where you are, so I'll not say more.