To boldly go ... (Star Trek)

DavidW · May 05, 2023, 07:29:09 AM

A couple days ago I watched the first episode of Strange New Worlds. It definitely feels the closest out of all the shows to TOS, and has to be the spiritual successor. And I have to say already (though I've also seen him in Discovery) Captain Pike is inching towards favorite captain. I look forward to watching the rest of the season.

San Antone · May 05, 2023, 10:09:37 AM

I just finished the Season 3 Finale (Locutus) and Episode 1 of Season 4, defeat of the Borg by instigating a self-destruct series of commands. These two episodes are the best of the TNG so far, and may constitute the best ST episodes ever.

relm1 · May 06, 2023, 05:52:13 AM

Quote from: DavidW on May 05, 2023, 07:29:09 AMA couple days ago I watched the first episode of Strange New Worlds. It definitely feels the closest out of all the shows to TOS, and has to be the spiritual successor. And I have to say already (though I've also seen him in Discovery) Captain Pike is inching towards favorite captain. I look forward to watching the rest of the season.

Agreed - the cast is excellent, I love Spock and his woman too! Did you know Spock is played by Ethan Peck, the grandson of the great Gregory Peck. I like the music too. Better fit to ST than most of the current shows. Picard S3 score is fantastic! Very much in line with the 1980's cinematic scores which I consider the pinnacle of Trek music making.

LKB · May 07, 2023, 02:25:04 AM

Season two of Strange New Worlds debuts next month, and I'll be all over that like a Romulan wino on Saurian brandy.

Karl Henning · May 07, 2023, 06:15:29 PM

Cross-post:

I'm winding down my second survey of Star Trek: The Next Generation. A couple of weak episodes as we head to the close of Season 7 ("Emergence" and "Preemptive Strike") but if they were keeping their powder dry for the finale, who can fault them?

San Antone · May 08, 2023, 03:05:38 AM

Quote from: Karl Henning on May 07, 2023, 06:15:29 PMCross-post:

I'm winding down my second survey of Star Trek: The Next Generation. A couple of weak episodes as we head to the close of Season 7 ("Emergence" and "Preemptive Strike") but if they were keeping their powder dry for the finale, who can fault them?

We're about half way through Season 4, but I also started watching Season 1 of Strange New Worlds (my wife doesn't seem to care for it). Nice to see Anson Mount in something other than Hell On wheels.

DavidW · May 08, 2023, 04:21:04 AM

Quote from: Karl Henning on May 07, 2023, 06:15:29 PMCross-post:

I'm winding down my second survey of Star Trek: The Next Generation. A couple of weak episodes as we head to the close of Season 7 ("Emergence" and "Preemptive Strike") but if they were keeping their powder dry for the finale, who can fault them?

I've started a rewatch of TNG, starting with season 7. Several years ago I did rewatch but never made it through the entire series. Watching it in HD on a large flatscreen tv is surprisingly unflattering. I can see that the tricorder displays are painted on, and I don't think we were ever supposed to see in such detail Brent Spiner's makeup!

LKB · May 09, 2023, 03:39:09 PM

This is short, and good for an " Awwww... ", or two.

https://youtu.be/-EJJJh5DFkk

relm1 · May 09, 2023, 05:08:37 PM

Quote from: DavidW on April 30, 2023, 08:10:10 AMFor those of you who have just watched Star Trek 7, check out this fan made epilogue. Incredible!

So this series is way, way deeper than I first thought. Check out this very extensive analysis:
https://twitter.com/stephen_duignan/status/1654862321485791233

relm1 · May 14, 2023, 05:39:15 AM

I thought this was exciting...yesterday night, I was in the mountains in my astro club's dark sky event and to my surprise, I met Tuvok there! Tim Russ is a huge astro fan too and I spent an hour talking to him about his Star Trek experiences, being in Picard S3, potential future spin offs in the works and having a great time talking about space too in between looking at galaxies, star clusters, dozens of satellites (I counted 22 including a very bright International Space Station that flew directly above), and at least three or four shooting stars. It was very nice meeting him and finding we shared many common interests including music (he's a musician), astronomy, and all things Trek. He was also in the Orville and Star Trek Generations. The topic of music came up as we chatted about astrophotography and some parallels between mixing an audio recording and processing astrophotography.

San Antone · May 14, 2023, 06:35:50 AM

Quote from: San Antone on May 08, 2023, 03:05:38 AMWe're about half way through Season 4, but I also started watching Season 1 of Strange New Worlds (my wife doesn't seem to care for it). Nice to see Anson Mount in something other than Hell On wheels.

SNW is not doing it for me.

But I'll stick with it, alternating between it and TNG.

LKB · May 14, 2023, 06:51:20 AM

Quote from: San Antone on May 14, 2023, 06:35:50 AMSNW is not doing it for me. But I'll stick with it, alternating between it and TNG.

While l stand by my labeling SNW as the best Trek series since TNG, l would agree that thus far it hasn't shown the same consistent quality which TNG showed in its third through fifth seasons. But TNG was rocky in its first season, and only started to show its real potential towards the end of season two. So we'll hopefully start to get a better idea how good SNW can really be next month... *crosses fingers*

DavidW · June 01, 2023, 06:06:07 AM

I've been watching Strange New Worlds. I really like it. I think it captures the best of new trek and old trek.

I've also been watching season 3 of Discovery. I like it quite a bit more than the previous seasons. It seems to really develop the ensemble cast, having episodes tell smaller stories, while still maintaining an overall narrative (that so far has not contradicted itself). My one complaint is that it is melodramatic. I just watched an episode where in order to convince Vulcans on the basis of logic, Burnam had to provide an emotional narrative of her personal journey. Having characters give on the nose monologues about their feelings is unnatural and just bad writing. And it happens all the time!

I've also been rewatching season 7 of TNG. I can tell that the writers were definitely running on fumes at that point. They would have a type of story, and then followup it up with a very similar premise! But it is still good, even if not at the apex that was seasons 3-6.

Karl Henning · June 01, 2023, 06:08:24 AM

Quote from: DavidW on June 01, 2023, 06:06:07 AMI've also been rewatching season 7 of TNG. I can tell that the writers were definitely running on fumes at that point. They would have a type of story, and then followup it up with a very similar premise! But it is still good, even if not at the apex that was seasons 3-6.

That's fair.

San Antone · June 01, 2023, 03:13:45 PM

Quote from: DavidW on June 01, 2023, 06:06:07 AMI've been watching Strange New Worlds. I really like it. I think it captures the best of new trek and old trek.

I've also been watching season 3 of Discovery. I like it quite a bit more than the previous seasons. It seems to really develop the ensemble cast, having episodes tell smaller stories, while still maintaining an overall narrative (that so far has not contradicted itself). My one complaint is that it is melodramatic. I just watched an episode where in order to convince Vulcans on the basis of logic, Burnam had to provide an emotional narrative of her personal journey. Having characters give on the nose monologues about their feelings is unnatural and just bad writing. And it happens all the time!

I've also been rewatching season 7 of TNG. I can tell that the writers were definitely running on fumes at that point. They would have a type of story, and then followup it up with a very similar premise! But it is still good, even if not at the apex that was seasons 3-6.

So far, I've not been hooked on SNW, we're about half way through Season 1. We finished TNG, and began Voyager - which begins slowly, and I almost gave up on it. I am not a big fan of Janeway, but really like Neelix, and the Makai (sic?) characters.

DavidW · June 02, 2023, 05:28:11 AM

Quote from: San Antone on June 01, 2023, 03:13:45 PMSo far, I've not been hooked on SNW, we're about half way through Season 1. We finished TNG, and began Voyager - which begins slowly, and I almost gave up on it. I am not a big fan of Janeway, but really like Neelix, and the Makai (sic?) characters.

I haven't watched Voyager since it aired. Star Trek fatigue was definitely setting in, and the writers were recycling a lot from TNG. Ultimately I think the problem though was that the characters are too bland and underwritten. The only ones I liked were the EMH and 7 of 9. And I think Harry Kim has to win the award for most bland ST character ever!

If you get tired of it, please check out my fav episode before leaving. It is a two parter called Year of Hell.

San Antone · June 02, 2023, 10:42:55 AM

Quote from: DavidW on June 02, 2023, 05:28:11 AMI haven't watched Voyager since it aired. Star Trek fatigue was definitely setting in, and the writers were recycling a lot from TNG. Ultimately I think the problem though was that the characters are too bland and underwritten. The only ones I liked were the EMH and 7 of 9. And I think Harry Kim has to win the award for most bland ST character ever!

If you get tired of it, please check out my fav episode before leaving. It is a two parter called Year of Hell.

As I remember it, the introduction of 7 of 9 literally saved the series; at least from my point of view, she is one of the best characters from among all the ST iterations. I will also go back to SNW, since it was not terrible, I was just more interested in completing TNG.

relm1 · June 03, 2023, 05:24:00 AM

Quote from: San Antone on June 02, 2023, 10:42:55 AMAs I remember it, the introduction of 7 of 9 literally saved the series; at least from my point of view, she is one of the best characters from among all the ST iterations. I will also go back to SNW, since it was not terrible, I was just more interested in completing TNG.

I didn't really like Captain Janeway for some reason. Just found her personality rough and slightly vulgar. I get she was lost in space but there was little sense of awe and wonder that Kirk and Picard had or the nobility and passion of Sisko. It was probably the result of casting and writing issues.

LKB · June 03, 2023, 06:38:02 AM

Yesterday l watched that Voyager Year of Hell two-parter, and it's most assuredly the best episode of the series, imho.

Thanks to DavidW for the referral.

DavidW · June 07, 2023, 05:34:05 AM

I finished season 3 of Discovery. The reveal to the season's puzzle box was silly and underwhelming. But on an episode level, it was a big step up from the first two seasons. The villain was good and I really liked how each crew member had something important to do in the climax. It has really moved away from being the Michael Burnham show and Discovery finally feels tonally like a Star Trek show to me.

I will try to catch up with Strange New Worlds now and also my rewatch of season 7 of TNG.