Star Trek Discovery premieres tonight

[Charmonium]

As has been mentioned, certain fungi are the largest living organism on Earth. I like how they are mixing that with quantum entanglement to propose instantaneous transport. If we can exchange information across light years instantaneously (rudimentary experiments on Earth have shown the beginnings of this; quantum states can be 0's and 1's just like binary), isn't that all that transporters do (which all Trek fans take as possible). So, space fungi are spread all across the galaxy providing the "link" or philote (thank you Ender's Game) that allow instantaneous info exchange and the Federation is combining that with transporter technology. The bodies on the sister research ship were all "warped" similar to early transporter accidents. Also, ancient civilizations in the ST universe had instantaneous transport (Iconian gateways in TNG and DS9), so maybe the Iconians were using something like this... Neat concept.

I'm not sure I'm getting your meaning correctly but if you're saying that there is faster than light communication between the entangled particles, that's not how it works. Think of the two particles as actually being two instances of the same particle, just different superposed aspects. When you measure one, it has to assume one of those two aspects. That forces it's twin to assume the other. There is no communication between them so no information or anything else has been "teleported." The term quantum teleportation really is a misnomer.

 

[Puffnstuff]

I think that the mutated cat in episode 3 is pretty cool.

 

[PeterScott]

I think that the mutated cat in episode 3 is pretty cool.

Cat? Do you mean the Rodent of Unusual Size.

 

[PeterScott]

Episode 4 was the best yet. Burnham was acting rationally, so it made for a much more watchable episode.

 

[Jon-T]

I actually felt like I was watching a Star Trek show this week. I don't think I had a single WTF moment.

 

[JEDI]

I actually felt like I was watching a Star Trek show this week. I don't think I had a single WTF moment.

wha?

1) shields on a mining colony can last 6hrs of bombardment from multiple Birds of Prey?!?!
2) an experienced security officer decides to go Rambo on a creature that shredded a dozen Klingons?!
WTF was she thinking!?!??!

3) Discovery sitting there, letting itself be blasted so to draw the Birds of Prey closer before dropping the grenades?
wtf stupid combat strategy is that?!


now im waiting for the explanation from the show's producers on why this spore tech never made it to the future...

 

[ViRGE]

Well, after watching the 4th episode of the series, I'm officially throwing in the towel on Discovery. Which honestly wasn't my original plan with this show, as I intended to stick with it for a larger number of episodes even if it wasn't clicking with me. But after 4 episodes it's become clear that this isn't the show for me.

I won't sit here and pontificate on what is and isn't Star Trek. Only that the show isn't working for me. It's not what I want out of Star Trek, and for that matter it's not the kind of show I'd normally watch even if it weren't Star Trek.

The big problem with this show is that it's picked up far too many bad habits from Battlestar Galactica and Stargate Universe. This thankfully isn't "The Worst Day Since Yesterday" territory levels of bleakness where it seems like you need to pop a Prozac after each episode. But it gives its heroes the same kind of anger, vitriol, and outright cruelness as those shows. These are awful people doing awful things. And while we're at it, the death of the Commander was, while not unearned, in excess of my comfort level for gore, which is another bad habit of BSG. In that respect, too often this show feels like the bastard child of BSG and Trek.

Now it certainly has its moments. This is easily the most Star Trek-y episode of the series so far, with Burnham working out how to make the Spore Drive actually work, and employing understanding and compassion over force. It could certainly stand to be a lot more Star Trek-y, however it's a start.

Overall however, I'm still coming away from each episode extremely uneasy, which is the same issue I had with BSG. So I'm done here. It's Star Trek and I want to like it, but I can't do this. I watch TV to be entertained, not to be agitated.

Finally, for the sake of everyone watching, I really hope they stop having the Klingons speak in Klingon at all times. I get why the showrunners are doing it, because it makes the Klingons more alien and for that matter is much more realistic (why would they be using English on their own ship?). However having aliens speak English all the time is a shortcut for the sake of the audience; Klingon is not a natural language, and having the actors speak it robs them of effort they could put into acting and emoting. (Not to mention forcing the viewer to be reading instead of looking at the actors and sets)

 

[Puffnstuff]

Cat? Do you mean the Rodent of Unusual Size.

At the end of the episode the captain says "here kitty kitty" referring to a cat.

 

[SKORPI0]

now i'm waiting for the explanation from the show's producers on why this spore tech never made it to the future...

That came across my mind while watching Episode 3, made we wonder why? Considering this is a prequel of everything in Star Trek IIRC, tech in not present in ST-TOS shouldn't be possible in ST-D.

Of course you'll need a Tardigrade to navigate. Maybe it's extinct in the future. So without it, the spores in which the Tardigrade feeds on is useless.

 

[crashtech]

Even though I find the show entertaining, to me it's not the Trek universe, but an alternate universe more akin to the recent films than anything from a previous TV series. Perhaps it's even removed from that, through a glass, darkly. This makes me sad, but so far I've just chalked it up to cultural changes. As I age, the culture threatens to leave me behind if I refuse to move with it, for better and also for worse, sometimes.

 

[Newbian]

So I guess paper sales are still around even in the future with Rainn Wilson coming into the show.

 

[dud]

This is good science fiction with a Star Trek label plastered on it. That's all ...

 

[Aharami]

kitty is into some kinky shit. all it wanted was its nipples pinched

 

[PeterScott]

This is good science fiction with a Star Trek label plastered on it. That's all ...

It's a lot more important to me that be well written/acted, than that it conform to the sanitized Utopianism of TNG.

Shows also evolve with the world, and are often a social commentary of the times they are produced in, not the world of the 1960's or 1980's.

 

[JEDI]

kitty is into some kinky shit. all it wanted was its nipples pinched

is that how they penetrated its indestructible skin?
by the nips?

 

[JEDI]

other wtf in ep4:

so the Torchbearer + crew were stranded in the battle wreckage for 6months?!
why didn't the other klingons help?!

why weren't there any other Klingon wrecked ships in the area? (thus they can harvest their warp drive)

 

[Elixer]

wha?

1) shields on a mining colony can last 6hrs of bombardment from multiple Birds of Prey?!?!
2) an experienced security officer decides to go Rambo on a creature that shredded a dozen Klingons?!
WTF was she thinking!?!??!

3) Discovery sitting there, letting itself be blasted so to draw the Birds of Prey closer before dropping the grenades?
wtf stupid combat strategy is that?!


now im waiting for the explanation from the show's producers on why this spore tech never made it to the future...

and...
We found this tech on the other ship, don't know what it really does, or how to power it, but, I have hooked it up anyway! Don't they share info with their sister ship?
Good thing I decided to keep that creature we found!
The ship's "saucer" section was spinning while it moves?
The ship turns into a spinning top while spore power is engaged?
Let's all run out and watch debris crashing into the ground!
Also, what a waste of effects for showing how her uniform was made.

So, yeah, plenty of WTH type of things are going on...

 

[Charmonium]

Yeah, you really have to let a lot of sh** slide to get into this show. But if you can accept that, and granted, that's a big ask, it's not horrible. Personally I like the teleological vibe where the ends justify the means on the part of the characters. We're primed to see that as Michael's default setting but she's coming out as being the most moral and compassionate of the group. Well, compared to Lorca certainly.

The whole mycelium/quantum teleportation thing still grates on my nerves but as long as I hold my nose and just accept that, I like how they're using the device. It's reminiscent of the blink drive on Dark Matter but with just enough possible complications to make it a bit more interesting.

It's a little disappointing that they have to load up a new batch of spores every time they want to jump but I guess that makes for an interesting limitation on the device. Once the secret is out though I'm not sure how their going to win their next battle since coming in for the kill isn't going to be the preferred strategy.

I'm definitely sticking with the show for now. There are gobs of problems with it but it's managing to hold my interest and that's pretty much all I ask for these days.

 

[Newbian]

other wtf in ep4:

so the Torchbearer + crew were stranded in the battle wreckage for 6months?!
why didn't the other klingons help?!

why weren't there any other Klingon wrecked ships in the area? (thus they can harvest their warp drive)

They did mention using other klingon ships if I recall but they could not find the one part they needed from them but yea the entire 6 months thing alone was odd.

 

[dud]

It's a lot more important to me that be well written/acted, than that it conform to the sanitized Utopianism of TNG.

Shows also evolve with the world, and are often a social commentary of the times they are produced in, not the world of the 1960's or 1980's.

I'm not disagreeing with you for the most part. The weakness in your argument is that we are meant to be entertained, social commentary be damned. You can argue any social issue you wish, even within the confines of a TV show but if the show is not entertaining or people wish to watch it ... it will fail. As I stated before it is my opinion that this is good sci fi. Unfortunately, and as other posters have noted, it is NOT "Star Trek" enough. The Orville is more Star Trek than STD ...

 

[PeterScott]

I'm not disagreeing with you for the most part. The weakness in your argument is that we are meant to be entertained, social commentary be damned. You can argue any social issue you wish, even within the confines of a TV show but if the show is not entertaining or people wish to watch it ... it will fail. As I stated before it is my opinion that this is good sci fi. Unfortunately, and as other posters have noted, it is NOT "Star Trek" enough. The Orville is more Star Trek than STD ...

When I read: "NOT Star Trek" enough, I interpret: "not copying TNG from the 1980's". We don't live in the 1980's anymore.

I really don't think they should attempt to redo TNG because some people are stuck in the past. I would rather see something new. I can re-watch TNG if I want TNG.

IMO, The Orville is not more entertaining. It's not entertaining at all. It's a TNG spoof with lame toilet humor on top. The jokes are a lame distraction, the lead can't act, and there is no real story, it's essentially just a lame sitcom, riding on TNG nostalgia.

It has superficial veneer of TNG nostalgia. They sort of have that sanitized, smooth TNG look, and play some TNG music cues, and apparently that is enough for some people, despite it really having nothing else going for it.

If one of these shows makes it to Season 2, I certainly hope it's Discovery which is attempting to do something new, and not Orville, the weak 80's nostalgia spoof sitcom.

This reminds me of last season of South Park. Too many people eating member berries.

 

[cbrunny]

My reactions are as follows:

1) Spore drive is effing stupid. Holy hell is this friggin Star Wars? So much no.
2) Klingons are now, as they have always been, the worst part of Star Trek. Boring. Boring. Hella Boring. Not interesting in any way whatsoever. Thank god they're not getting much screen time - but what they are getting is too much
3) The rest is pretty good. Enjoying it. I like the captain, and the crew, and the relationships. Well done, folks.

 

[crashtech]

My reactions are as follows:

1) Spore drive is effing stupid. Holy hell is this friggin Star Wars? So much no.
2) Klingons are now, as they have always been, the worst part of Star Trek. Boring. Boring. Hella Boring. Not interesting in any way whatsoever. Thank god they're not getting much screen time - but what they are getting is too much
3) The rest is pretty good. Enjoying it. I like the captain, and the crew, and the relationships. Well done, folks.

Mostly agree. I hope they get the spore thing over with as quickly as possible. And the Klingons, they've made them even worse. And subtitles throughout, while the actors playing the Klingons sound like they have a mouthful of marbles is almost cringe-inducing at times. The unspoken rule used to be that viewers had access to a universal translator, and the Klingon language was used for dramatic effect. I wish to hell they'd go back to that.

 

[PeterScott]

I actually like Klingon Homeworld stories in TNG/DS9, but I agree, the way Klingon speech was handled then was much better. Used occasionally for emphasis, and the sound of Klingon was better. It emphasized consonants more. It sounded sharper and cleaner. I actually liked listening to the old Klingon speech.

Discovery Klingon sounds like someone trying to talk without a tongue. It's mushy and irritating, and overused.

Unfortuantely I think the course of this season is set. Mushy long winded Klingons and cringey Spore drive (I expect it's a season arc).

 

[preslove]

wha?

1) shields on a mining colony can last 6hrs of bombardment from multiple Birds of Prey?!?!
2) an experienced security officer decides to go Rambo on a creature that shredded a dozen Klingons?!
WTF was she thinking!?!??!

3) Discovery sitting there, letting itself be blasted so to draw the Birds of Prey closer before dropping the grenades?
wtf stupid combat strategy is that?!


now im waiting for the explanation from the show's producers on why this spore tech never made it to the future...

Also, the entire plot device of having a mining colony responsible for 40% of your dilithium be so lightly defended that a small group of birds of prey can win orbit superiority was IDIOTIC! A planet of that strategic importance would have had a major starbase in orbit with an entire fleet of the best federation ships defending it, plus major point defenses. Episode 4 lost me. I'm probs going to just stop pirating this show altogether. I actively hope it fails and takes CBS's stupid streaming service with it.