I don't need fart jokes for any reason.
I want officers with flaws. Captains who immediately become schlubs when taken captive. I want a security chief who needs hard liquor to command. And I want to surprise Cmdr Kelly in bed with more aliens!
Serious competent Seth MacFarlane can't compete with Picard or even Janeway, so why even try?
New security chief is also serious and competent.
And Kelly has been only serious and competent this season.
All three are a downgrade compared to S1 in my view. Boooring!
Fart jokes or no fart jokes. (Or even whatever "fart jokes" is shorthand for).
This season is far from bust. Heck, I'm still watching! All I'm saying is, if I squint I see a course correction in exactly the direction I imagine Seth would take if he listened to the premiere critics.
Which is the bummer. I'd much rather he listened to the (much better) audience ratings that coalesced in the weeks and months thereafter!