Star Trek, Paramount+, and a Defense of the Greatest Star Trek Captain

[payn]

Btw, as someone who hasn't watched much Star Trek, would Picard be worth a watch? Or is it very much "You need to love Star Trek to like this show"?

Its so filled with blasts from the past its a nostalgia trip. I mean, its ok on its own, but its really something for old fans. Kind of like when they finally made a good wolverine movie. It's great on its own, but the history of Grant and Stewart and the characters make it more impactful.

 

[Urriak Uruk]

Its so filled with blasts from the past its a nostalgia trip. I mean, its ok on its own, but its really something for old fans. Kind of like when they finally made a good wolverine movie. It's great on its own, but the history of Grant and Stewart and the characters make it more impactful.

That's helpful! May be worth a watch then, but I've still got to get through the rest of the Witcher, Foundation, Arcane, and now Boba Fett... aye there's too much tv and far too little spare time in my life.

 

[S'mon]

I feel very similarly to you. Disco was interesting but seemed to misunderstand what makes Star Trek, Star Trek - for the first two seasons. Then they seemed to say, "Oh, you want HOPE and People Backing Each Other Up? YOU GOT IT!"

Now, while perhaps overly sentimental, it's Star Trek dialed at 11. I quite like it.

I actually liked 1st season STD, somewhat to my surprise - but it didn't feel like Trek at all. Kinda the 4e of Star Trek series.

 

[MarkB]

The lack of discussion of LOW is ... disappointing.

Well, you did make Captains the subject, and then rule it out in your criteria.

But is there really anything to say other than, "Yes, it is awesome and funny."

Yes. Of all the modern shows, this is the only one that captures the visuals of Star Trek really well. Discovery is notoriously shy of giving its ships decent beauty shots (or even significant lighting), and Picard repeatedly does the thing of filling out its massive fleets with scores of identical vessels.

But Lower Decks loves its ships - even the ones that really shouldn't be loveable, like the Cerritos. It gives them screen time and screen presence the way that the TNG-era shows did, and it serves up some excellent action sequences when it wants to.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Yeah- don't get me wrong, I enjoyed DIS for the first two seasons, despite agreeing with what @payn wrote before- it was the Burhnam show far too often.

But whatever misgivings I had have been swept away.

So far, in what is quite a rarity (I mean .... Buffy would be an exception for the first three seasons), every single season of DIS has been better.

3 >> 2 > 1. I think 4 might be the best yet, but we'll have to see how it's resolved ....

Discovery 3 and 4 are definitely better but imo there has been precious little improvement regarding the Burnham Show problem. They still persist in having her personally solve nearly every problem.

 

[Maxperson]

It was a simpler time.

I give that kiss 82 quatloos.

 

[Maxperson]

I rank the Captains

1. Kirk
2. Picard(none of this 1b nonsense!)
3. Sisko
4. Janeway
5. That guy you wanted to shoot with a bow.

 

[Maxperson]

He has a dog and plays waterpolo -- a much deeper character than you suggest, I tellz ya, and a detail we never saw in action, though it was said so many times, proving the screenwriting maxim of "Tell, don't Show".

And what else do you play in water? Marco Polo. Who was Marco Polo? An explorer! Which is why Archer was made Captain.

 

[Jack Daniel]

You are absolutely wrong. The definite ranking of Starfleet Captains is as follows:
1. Archer
2. All the rest.

That is it.

One amendment.

1. Jonathan Archer, captain of the NX-01 Enterprise
2. Ed Mercer, captain of the USS Orville
3. All the rest

 

[Mallus]

And I will admit, it definitely does hit the tone of some of the older Star Trek shows.

The Orville is TNG if the crew went to a state university instead of an Ivy League school. A bit less accomplished, a bit more relatable, considerably more likely to have sustained injuries in a fraternity/sorority hazing incident.