Star Trek Strange New Worlds, what did you think?

[J.Quondam]

"We're not a military organization" is exactly the sort of propaganda a domineering but more or less benevolent military organization would use to cloak its true role in society.

 

[Hex08]

I really enjoyed episode 8. Anson Mount was hysterical, I was literally in tears from laughter because of him a few times. Christina Chong was almost as good. I didn't see the ending coming, I really thought M'Benga's daughters' story would culminate in him finding a cure after a long search or, less likely, him failing and her dying. I wasn't a fan of the idea off her being kept in the transporter so an end to her story was welcome. Also, it was nice to see Hemmer again, he is slowly starting to grow on me.

I've been kind of ambivalent about M'Benga and this episode doesn't help. I sometimes find it difficult to understand him when he talks. He sometimes does the same "whisper voice" that Burnam did a lot in Discovery and it makes it difficult for me to catch everything he is saying. That "whisper voice" is an acting affectation that has always driven me nuts, you don't have to project like you are in a stage play but at least speak clearly when acting.

 

[embee]

The police have ranks and uniforms but are not military (their armament aside). They are a civilian force. The purpose of the military is to make war, not to explore.

If Starfleet was military, then the open would have far more Terran tone to it.

Space, the final conquest. These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise. Its continuing mission: to discover and subjugate strange new worlds; to advance our dominion and vanquish all who stand against us; to conquer the Galaxy for the glory of the Empire.

- From Star Trek Continues (which I freely admit is not canon)

 

[Morrus]

The police have ranks and uniforms but are not military (their armament aside). They are a civilian force. The purpose of the military is to make war, not to explore.

No matter how many times you (or characters on the show) repeat it, I ain't gonna believe it. Ducks, etc.

 

[Hex08]

The police have ranks and uniforms but are not military (their armament aside). They are a civilian force. The purpose of the military is to make war, not to explore.

If Starfleet was military, then the open would have far more Terran tone to it.



- From Star Trek Continues (which I freely admit is not canon)

Ok, then if Starfleet isn't the military then what is? So far all conflicts that we have seen have been with Starfleet acting as the Federation's military and not some other force. Starfleet may well be primarily an exploratory force but it also obviously fulfils the role of the military as well.

There is nothing that prevents Starfleet from fulfilling multiple functions. We have seen it function as an exploratory force, a diplomatic corps and a military force.

 

[Ryujin]

The police have ranks and uniforms but are not military (their armament aside). They are a civilian force. The purpose of the military is to make war, not to explore.

If Starfleet was military, then the open would have far more Terran tone to it.



- From Star Trek Continues (which I freely admit is not canon)

That's why I used the term PARAmilitary organization. Police, for example, are a paramilitary organization. They use the ranks, symbolism, etc. of a military organization, but have a civilian function.

 

[Thomas Shey]

There is plenty of in-universe and behind-the-scenes evidence that Starfleet is NOT military.

Except, as I reference, in TOS they pretty much act like military with extra diplomatic and exploratory purposes pretty regularly.

Like I said, I might be able to buy that's not how the see themselves by the TNG era, but not during TOS. Among other things, they spend a bit too much time on wargames and the like (the whole plotline in The Ultimate Computer was testing the M5's ability to handle that at need).

 

[Thomas Shey]

That's why I used the term PARAmilitary organization. Police, for example, are a paramilitary organization. They use the ranks, symbolism, etc. of a military organization, but have a civilian function.

I'll also note that police don't do court martials, we we absolutely know Starfleet does. Most of the plot of "The Menagerie" is framed around Spock being up for just that.

 

[Ryujin]

I'll also note that police don't do court martials, we we absolutely know Starfleet does. Most of the plot of "The Menagerie" is framed around Spock being up for just that.

No, they don't. They do things like internal trials for breaches of the Police Services Act (name specific to Canada). A rose by any other name smells like compost.

 

[Benjamin Olson]

It seems a bit early for a "whole cast plays different characters in silly costumes" episode. But I suppose in this age of short seasons things move a little faster in some ways. I'd hardly call it a good episode, but it was a lot of fun, a classic Trek scenario, and gave actors opportunites to play radically different roles.

Spoiler

I did not expect the silly-costume comedy episode to be the resolution of the daughter in the transporter plot. I might feel shortchanged if I liked the daughter in the transporter plot, but I'm glad to see the show free of it.