Star Trek: Discovery. Season 1. Thoughts and spoilers.
I'll put the spoilers further down and start with general thoughts. I loved this season. I loved it more than any season of Star Trek ever. I probably loved the fourth season of Babylon 5 more, but that took a journey of several seasons. There is only so much a first season can do. But dang, it sure did a lot.
I love every single member of the Discovery's crew that we really got to know. We've gone on a journey with these characters, and they have all grown in a variety of ways. I especially love Tilly, who was adorable from the start, but turned out to be so much more.
Image source: cbs.com
Was this a perfect season of science fiction television? No. But it was a season that in many ways seemed crafted for me.
And now (end of spoilers will also be marked clearly):
During the first few episodes of Discovery, many talked about how it didn't feel like Star Trek. And they were right. It didn't feel like Star Trek because that's what this season was about. This was a season about the principles and ideals of Starfleet and the federation, and one of the best possible ways to tell that story is by contrast. Trek has done this before, of course, but never like this. Never without first establishing those principles and our protagonists' adherence to them in the show.
At the start of the season, Michael Burnham betrays the ideals of Starfleet in an attempt to save her ship, her crew, her captain. Strategically, her choice was absolutely correct. Morally, it was not. It was a decision that works for the Vulcan she was raised to be, as it is the most logical choice, but not for the Starfleet officer she was.
Image source: CBS.com
Her redemption coming thanks to a man who stands against everything the Federation stands for, Terran Captain Gabriel Lorca, was incredibly effective. From the jump, Lorca is unabashed about throwing ideals aside for expedience. We and Burnham think that's why he recruited her. The real reason is, of course, WAY more creepy.
It also comes thanks to a woman who is the twin of the woman she betrays, who stands against everything that woman stands for.
Lorca and Emperor Georgiou being The Worst (and Jason Isaacs and Michelle Yeoh being The Best) is what allows Burnham a do over, a chance for real redemption.
I have a very high bar for redemption narratives, but the thing is, I was never sure she needed one. Because she was RIGHT all along. The end of the season both rebukes that notion and gives Burnham a redemption story I can love.
I've said this before: Michael Burnham is a version of one of my favorite characters in any medium, the Paragon variant of Commander Shepard. It is so fitting that at the start and the end of the season, she shares a rank with the woman who saved the citadel, and then the galaxy.
So, obviously, I loved this season. What did you think?
As a trekkie of many years, I hate STD (Star Trek Discovery). It's a bastardized version of what Gene Roddenberry envisioned as a futuristic technological utopia. But that's hardly the main problem with the show.
The Klingons are a parody of themselves, the casting could be better and some of the themes were dealt with badly. Not to mention the gaping fucking plot holes that made me give up around the holiday break in its release schedule. I disagree with you wholeheartedly. Discovery could have been a lot more than it is.
That said, I am glad the Trek franchise is holding its own in the crowded category of televised scifi today. Something is better than nothing.
P.S. Tilly is indeed adorable.
But... it ISN'T. That's the point. As a season, it's exactly ABOUT that. Also with regards to the Klingons .Also the casting is perfect and everyone on the show is perfect. PERFECT, I TELL YOU. I HAVE FEELS.
Burnham should have been played by Samira Wiley. Anyone else is just... doing it wrong. In my head it's Samira or I wouldn't be able to watch it at all.
Sonequa Martin-Green is PERFECT.
Exactly. Much like these two actors were perfectly cast in their roles in the MCU, so was Sonequa.
You - are wrong. I - am right. We - need those microphones so we can have this argument on our podcast.
Yes, yes. We'll make it happen. I'll make it happen on my end soonish. I'm feeling some economic anxiety, as we just signed the rent agreement for our next place and it is significantly more expensive.
I know what you're gonna say. "The podcast will MAKE money," and you're right. But anxiety gonna anxiety.
I love the kilngons talking like they have a lisp, cause their costume includes some bullshit dental fixtures that are impossible to talk with.
I fucking hate it because that's not how Klingon is meant to sound. It's a BATTLE language. It's meant to be short and fast commands. Not slow attempts to be heard over dental thingies.
Ars Yous Shure? I kinda likes its.
Okay, even I, one of the biggest Discovery stans out there, hated how the Klingons sounded. And also how much we got to hear them sound that way.
yup, its sci-fi, its "star trek", its decently made - it's something.
It's not like we got an abundance of good quality sci-fi shows today, beggars can't be choosers, i'll take all the sci-fi i can get.
There are other sci fi shows out there. If you havn't seen Incorporated I can highly recommend it. Also Humans, West World and most recently Altered Carbon.
Yes, i should have added "space themed" to my comment regarding sci-fi, that's the genre i am personally like most, and except "the expanse" which is think is probably one of the best shows outside the big franchises in that theme , there haven't really been any shows of that level recently. Although discovery is not on the same level, it is decent.
From your list there west world was the only one that caught me and i am patiently waiting for season 2 :D
I absolutely loved this season, it was SO AMAZING, and I have to agree the best Star Trek I've seen.
Babylon 5, that was an epic show, and you don't have to get through quite a lot, before it became brillant in the 4th season.
fab review.
That title makes it seem like you put in spoilers out of spite.
Anyway, I was really meh about the first episode and just abandoned it, so I don't have any input on the subject. I'm not even a trekkie, so I hardly cared it wasn't star trek.
The first two episodes, while necessary for the season's plot, are not really a representative sample of the show. Episode 3 is a second pilot, of sorts, because that's when we actually get to Discovery.
I'll give it another go, but I'm skeptical :P
I grapple with wanting to be assimilated into the Borg.....
even if that is a totally diff season, time is irrelevant because....CERN
;)