Star Trek Strange New Worlds, what did you think?

[Ondath]

Back in Roddenberry's day, Cisco's story would have never been permitted. While I mostly like the playbook that he wrote, it shouldn't have been an absolute straight jacket.

Absolutely. I remember reading about the writers of TNG having difficulty in earlier seasons because Roddenberry's vision simply disallowed any kind of tension in the crew, and that they were much more comfortable when that requirement was loosened. I kind of agree with the larger idea there (supposedly professional people holding the idiot ball and getting into conflicts with teammates just to move the plot is excruciatingly dumb), but if you say "The Enterprise's crew must be in perfect harmony all the time", that's a straightjacket. Luckily SNW seems to be doing a healthy mix of this as well, with some tension appearing every now and then like Hemmer being an a-hole in the earlier episodes, M'Benga and Una having secrets etc., but that once the problems become apparent people actually resolve them in a cool-headed manner. Just in the last episode, it was really refreshing when M'Benga immediately checked for the obvious thing ("Am I hallucinating due to the gas?") instead of going on a wild goose chase for half of the episode.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

To me the problem with Section 31, as a plot element, is that espionage plots in imagined universes are just intrinsically both a little lame and a minor violation of trust between author and audience.

A lot of what makes espionage plots set in the real world compelling is that they play a game of recontextualizing our understanding of the world, and revealing a secret reality behind our actual reality and our assumptions about it. Espionage in an imagined universe is revealing the truth behind the lies the author told us and the assumptions they put in our head, which makes the reveals feel a lot cheaper and unearned.

Heck, that is a very good description of what I feel, said much better than I ever managed to express it myself.
I like to discuss on r/DaystromInstitute, and there are always people that try to spin some Section 31 or other clandestine stuff that basically says: "Hey, what you did see on screen was not true, it meant something else".
Like "Oh no, but in truth the Tal'Shiar figured out that Obsidian Stick made by Garak was a fake, they just went along with it because they wanted a war, too". No, frack it, that entirely violates the spirit of the entire episode! Suddenly Sisko is off the hook, the Romulans wanted a war anyway. Frack that. If Section 31 needed a fake proof that the Dominion was attacking htem, they wouldn't have to wait for Sisko and Garak!

---

Other than that, i really enjoyed that episode. Though I didn't expect the story of the daughter to end so quickly. On the other hand, it also seemed tricky to keep it going for so long, and it seems like something too easy to string us along with potential cures that turn out to be nothing, while damaging M'Benga's integrity as a character - because he is lying to his crew and Captain about it. ANd maybe the ending really has to be bittersweat, so that M'Benga can make penance for his lies, while also getting the victory he deserves, because he loves his child so much that he would go that far.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

SNARFZODIACKILLER EPISODE 7 REVIEW

LIKE A GOOD STAR TREK EPISODE, SZK IS GOING BACK IN TIME WITH THE REVIEWS. BUT MORE BECAUSE THE REVIEWER WAS TRAPPED ON AN ALL-METAL CRUISE WITH A DRINK PLAN, AND NOT CHOOSING TO LET THE HOTTIES DIE BECAUSE OF HITLER. PINA COLADAS AND SLAYER MAKES SZK FORGET HARLAN ELLISON FRIDGED JOAN COLLINS.

AND THIS SHOW JUST KEEPS ON WITH THE SIZZLE AND THE STEAK. HENRY MILLER? HES LIKE THE OG OF METAL WRITERS. UNPACK ALL OF THAT ORNATE LANGUAGE AND MILLER IS STRAIGHT UP DISHING WARRANTS CHERRY PIE VIDEO BUT WITH LESS NUANCE. AND THAT IS THIS EPISODE IN A NUTSHELL.

BORDERS OF FEDERATION SPACE? YES!

SPACE PIRATES? YOU BET!

PIKE GOING ALL AWESOME AS HE IS ABSOLUTELY REQUIRED TO DO? HE GOES 100 LIKE HIS GRAVITY-DEFYING HAIR DEMANDS.

THE CAPTAIN AS THE LAST BOY SCOUT? POUR ONE OUT FOR BRUCE WILLIS ACTING CAREER.

FLAGSHIP OF FEDERATION CAPTURED BY A BUNCH OF YAHOOS FOR REASONS THAT BARELY ESCAPE THE GRAVITY WELL OF THE BLACK HOLE IMPLAUSIBILITY? HONESTLY DIDNT NOTICE.

ABSENCE OF MOST ROCKING BLIND-WARRIOR MONK ENGINEER EVER? #FREEHEMMER.

TELEPORTER ACTION WITHOUT CHIEF KYLE GETTING EVEN A LIMITED AMOUT OF SCREEN TIME? HOW CAN THEY OPERATE THAT WITHOUT HIS SKILLFUL PUSHING UP OF TELEPORTER LEVERS????? KYLE IS THE FLEA OF THE TELEPORTER AND TOTALLY OWNZ THE SLAP TECHNIQUE.

INTRODUCTION OF ANOTHER #SPOCKSIBLING? U BET! WHERE IS YOUR GOD NOW, CANONLOVERS AND HATERZ OF ODD FILMS?

CREATION OF AN AWESOME RECURRING VILLAIN WHO IS SO METAL I SALUTE HER? SEVALAN IS BACK IN BLACK AND HAS CROSSED UNIVERSES!!!!!! #SYBOKISACTUALLYAVON?

ALSO MAYBE NOT HAVE EVERY INTRODUCED LADY FRIEND TURN OUT TO BE EVIL? TWO EPISODES IS A TREND, THREE EPISODES WOULD BE A REAL HOMAGE TO TOS.

BUT PUT ALL THAT NONSENSE ASIDE. BECAUSE THAT IS NOT EVEN A B PLOT. NOT EVEN A C PLOT. NOT EVEN A D PLOT.

ALL UR PLOTZ ARE BELONG TO SPOCK-LOVIN. WHEN IT COMES TO HOT SPOCK ROMANCE, WE KNOW HOW IT ENDS UP (KIRK/SPOCK 4 LYFE) BUT THIS IS ABOUT YOUNG FRISKY TROPIC OF CANCER SPOCK. SPOCK IS LL COOL S - LADIES LOVE COOL SPOCK.

SPOCK IS THE COOL CAT. I MEAN ... REALLY SPOCK IS A CAT. EVERYONE HAS THE HOTZ FOR SPOCK BECAUSE HE IS EMOTIONALLY UNAVAILABLE LIKE UR CAT. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THAT SPOCK IS NOT WAITING FOR YOU TO DIE SO THAT HE CAN EAT YOU. PROBABLY. I DONT KNOW ALL THE FREAKY DEAKY VULCAN LOVING RITUALS. MAYBE THEY DO EAT THEIR LOVERS AFTER SEXY TIME. #PON-NOMNOMNOM

WHO GETS THE SPOCK? THATS THE QUESTION. COUNSELOR SERVALAN? PIKE? T'HOTTIE? #FREEHEMMER? NURSE THIRD WHEEL ATE MY DINGO? EVIL SPOCK WITH GOATEE?

THIS EPISODE WAS ALL ABOUT THE FEELZ. JUST DEVASTATING AT THE END. IT WAS LIKE JOHN MALKOVICH IN DANGEROUS LIAISONS. OR CINERALLA IN NOBODYS FOOL. IT HURT SO MUCH TO SEE. TO SEE THAT ATTEMPT TO REACH OUT SHUT DOWN. THE CHARACTER WORK AND THE ACTING ....

...I STILL CANT BELIEVE NUMBER ONE WOULNT LET THE CAPTAIN MAKE PIRATE JOKES. THAT IS A PAIN THAT WILL LINGER.

 

[Rabulias]

Spoiler: Episode 9

Dangit! Really? Hemmer gets killed off? I really liked his character. Grumble grumble.

 

[Stalker0]

Spoiler: Episode 9

Dangit! Really? Hemmer gets killed off? I really liked his character. Grumble grumble.

Spoiler

It is possible that he's still alive, some crazy thing at the bottom that pads his fall, the cold preventing the gorn from hatching. But the interview with the actor suggests its true (though hell they could take a page out of the marvel playbook and be BSing it just for the shock).

I'm more interested in Uhuru and where she is going. I guess they could always bring her back for season 2.

One aspect I love is the casual meetings in the captain's mess. Eating food while talking about missions, now that's a real actual crew conversation.

 

[Rabulias]

One aspect I love is the casual meetings in the captain's mess. Eating food while talking about missions, now that's a real actual crew conversation.

I know! Spock on dishwasher duty! Loved it!

 

[Mort]

Spoiler

It is possible that he's still alive, some crazy thing at the bottom that pads his fall, the cold preventing the gorn from hatching. But the interview with the actor suggests its true (though hell they could take a page out of the marvel playbook and be BSing it just for the shock).

I'm more interested in Uhuru and where she is going. I guess they could always bring her back for season 2.

One aspect I love is the casual meetings in the captain's mess. Eating food while talking about missions, now that's a real actual crew conversation.

Spoiler

Yeah, the "other" cadet - 100% she was getting offed as soon as she was introduced, the newly promoted lieutenant - suspected he wasn't long for this world. But Hemmer was a shock (though I started to wonder when he got spit on). Really liked the character, it's too bad!

This episode has me wondering if the writers/producers just decided not to worry about cannon/continuity at this point?

Spoiler

Because 3 of the people who participated on this mission AND were on the ship during Arena (ST: TOS) are now VERY familiar with the Gorn, what they are, what they can do AND their particular weaknesses (eg. cold, aggression etc.).

Not that that's a bad thing, but it's something to know.

 

[Thomas Shey]

This has been my argument against Section 31 since the beginning. No matter how "realistic" some may think it is for the organization to exist it really does fly in the face of everything we are supposed to believe about the Federation.

Well, that's often coming from people who believe the presentation of the Federation is to one degree or another, propaganda, so that doesn't bother them.

 

[Hex08]

Just watched episode nine....DAMN!

I was just starting to warm up to Hemmer, he was one of the three characters I didn't really care for but mostly because he wasn't around much. As we got to see more of him I started liking him and episode nine really solidified him for me. I was so shocked by his sacrifice; I didn't see his death coming at all.

I don't have many complaints about this show but this episode reinforced my dislike of M'Benga. His remark about being "jumpy" seemed out of place. The worst thing about him is that I frequently can't understand him, the constant whisper acting is driving me nuts. Speak up!

 

[Mort]

Just watched episode nine....DAMN!

I was just starting to warm up to Hemmer, he was one of the three characters I didn't really care for but mostly because he wasn't around much. As we got to see more of him I started liking him and episode nine really solidified him for me. I was so shocked by his sacrifice; I didn't see his death coming at all.

I don't have many complaints about this show but this episode reinforced my dislike of M'Benga. His remark about being "jumpy" seemed out of place. The worst thing about him is that I frequently can't understand him, the constant whisper acting is driving me nuts. Speak up!

Yeah, it's interesting. Most of the characters have issues and baggage. But the others are working past the issues, dealing with them. M'Benga's character seems completely consumed by them, even AFTER their resolution. It's distracting and I'm not really clicking with the character positively.