Discovery

[Confused_panda]

Is anyone watching the second series of Star Trek Discovery? Any thoughts on the odd turn this series has taken recently?

[PlasmaHam]

Yes, I watch it.

The series has seemed to have taken a bit of a swerve in the season's narrative. For the first half, the plot has been a sorta time-travel mystery, gradually picking up clues as to what the signals mean. In the last two episodes the series has seemed to adopted the "rouge AI" sci-fi trope out of left field. Now they could still pull it off and make it all work, but it does seem a bit odd.

With the way they are treating this AI, with its drive to protect all life by becoming all life, its increasing use of nanobots to control carbon-based life, and it's mantra that "struggle is pointless" certainly seems to hint that they are going for a Borg origin story. Which if they can pull it off well, I wouldn't mind, there's certainly room in canon for such. If they do go for the Borg origin, it could be a hint that the Borg are going to show back up in the Picard show. Given Picard's history with the Borg, and the Borg's status as a fan-favorite villain (even if Voyager nerfed them pretty bad) I would frankly be surprised if the Borg don't show up at some point.

[Confused_panda]

Yeah, I liked the last season and the start of this on. They teased these mystery signals and the 'where is Spock' thing for pretty much the entire season, but then seemed to realise they didn't have much time left and literally blew all the secrets in two episodes and changed into this rogue mastermind (but often really stupid) AI story. It's weird.

I really hope they don't go Borg origin, and the ham-fisted way they are hinting at it is a double bluff. The Borg already exist in this time according to First Contact, so I'm not sure how this would fit in...?

Also hoping they don't do a time travel timeline reset 'it was all a dream' solution. That would suck.

[AussieNicholas]

I'm about seven episodes into Season 2 but I've caught a few spoilers lately, such as the idea of a Borg origin story. I'll keep watching it because it has its moments but most of the time this show does not interest me.

[Confused_panda]

I'm about seven episodes into Season 2 but I've caught a few spoilers lately, such as the idea of a Borg origin story. I'll keep watching it because it has its moments but most of the time this show does not interest me.

Ah, sorry - should probably have put a spoiler warning at the top :)

Yeah, it has moments of being ace, but then seems to want to be too clever sometimes

[PlasmaHam]

Well the Borg origin story theory is busted. I'm fine with that, frankly the Borg don't need one.

As for the finale, I thought it was pretty nice. Lots of spectacle, the main battle scene was fun (though the odd cuts throughout the early part of it were a bit corny), definitely the biggest Star Trek battle since the Dominion War plot on DS9, and I really enjoy their increasing commitment to depict the 23rd century as close as you can get to TOS aesthetics, while looking futuristic. I would have much preferred this aesthetic to the Apple Store look of the reboot movies. Overall it seems like they are trying harder this season to stick to prior canon, and the finale definitely shows.

My biggest complaint for the season is that it oftentimes ran slow, and had too many monologues and speeches. I know Star Trek has always been a "thinking man's sci-fi" but do we really need an over 5 minute monologue and funeral for a character we barely knew? Spock in Wrath of Khan didn't get that much pandering at his death (spoiler warning I guess, but the movie is nearly 40 years old now, so don't complain). And I really started to get sick of all the praise towards Burnham, and no not because she is a black woman. No other Star Trek show has shown this level of importance towards the lead character, they've always been much more of an ensemble show, allowing the other main characters to take the lead in their own episodes. Yet as the Discovery finale shows, the whole second season storyline literally revolves around Burnham's actions, just like the first season. I'm not saying to kick Burnham off the show, but give the other characters a chance to shine without constantly singing her praises. DS9 arguably did it the best, having multiple episodes a season based around the other primary, and even secondary characters, with Sisko being treated as a support character, or not even appearing beyond a quick cameo so Avery Brooks could get his paycheck. ;)

Sorry for the rant. Frankly I do think the 2nd season was an improvement. Hopefully the 3rd season keeps heading up, SPOILER FROM HERE ON, YOU ARE WARNED... I like the premise of the ship being stuck in the far future. Trek has never explored time-travel to the future (like, their future, I know Star Trek already takes place in the future), atleast not on this scale. And the time period is far enough ahead that spoiling any post-Voyager shows like Picard won't be of concern. Hopefully they do it well.

[Drewwho]

No other Star Trek show has shown this level of importance towards the lead character, they've always been much more of an ensemble show, allowing the other main characters to take the lead in their own episodes. Yet as the Discovery finale shows, the whole second season storyline literally revolves around Burnham's actions, just like the first season.

I wasn't too impressed with the first season, but I really liked the second. However, I have no clue who most of the bridge characters are, what their names are and what they do. I'm hoping that the next season will sort this out.

The thing I am confused about...

((SPOILERS ETC...))

Why did Disco have to be taking 950 years into the future? They couldn't erase the data or blow up the ship as the data was protecting itself. Then when Control attacks Disco and the Enterprise, both ships could have been destroyed. Couldn't they have gone ahead with the plan as a ruse and let Control destroy the ship with a self sacrificing Burnham on board?

It seemed a bit of a pointless (or lazy) way to move Discovery on to a 3rd season, one where Treckies won't be nashing their teeth about issues with the known timeline and cannon.

[AussieNicholas]

I really enjoy their increasing commitment to depict the 23rd century as close as you can get to TOS aesthetics, while looking futuristic

Really like what they did with the Enterprise in this. It's the right balance between the TOS style and the necessary modernisation (seriously, TOS looked dated back when DS9 did the Tribbles episode).

I know Star Trek has always been a "thinking man's sci-fi" but do we really need an over 5 minute monologue and funeral for a character we barely knew?

Whenever DISCO tries to be "thinking man's sci-fi", it just feels forced. And that character needed far more screen time beyond being a background character to have warranted a funeral.

Yet as the Discovery finale shows, the whole second season storyline literally revolves around Burnham's actions, just like the first season.

There needs to be far more interaction with minor characters and much less focus on Burnham, I agree. Maybe it's just my personal preference but I simply do not like her as a character. I watched a few episodes of Voyager and TNG the other day and one thing they did right was have the same minor characters pop up occasionally (e.g. Barclay). I hope at least that the DIS writers flesh out some of the bridge characters at least, because I can't even remember some of their names.

DS9 arguably did it the best

I would say DS9 did a lot of things best. Still my favourite Star Trek show of all time.

Hopefully the 3rd season keeps heading up

SPOILERS BELOW

I started hating Discovery when I first started watching and even I'm looking forward to Season 3. I'm not a fan of prequels to begin with and it's going to be interesting to see if the Federation even makes an appearance in Season 3. Plus this is a chance to do the concept of Voyager justice by having them be cut off from supplies in a ship that's 100-years less advanced than Voyager.

[Confused_panda]

Plus this is a chance to do the concept of Voyager justice by having them be cut off from supplies in a ship that's 100-years less advanced than Voyager.

Yes - this is going to be interesting! Is Discovery going to change and get updated? In the Short Trek episode Calypso it seems to look pretty much the same.

I kind of felt sorry for Discovery with the latest announcements. Picard is (rightly) causing all the hype and Disco Season 3 felt a little unloved!

[AussieNicholas]

Yes - this is going to be interesting! Is Discovery going to change and get updated? In the Short Trek episode Calypso it seems to look pretty much the same.

I kind of felt sorry for Discovery with the latest announcements. Picard is (rightly) causing all the hype and Disco Season 3 felt a little unloved!

As curious as I am about Disco Season 3, I can understand why Picard's getting more hype. Putting aside how awesome it is to see Picard again, I'm excited to see what this new show's going to do with the Romulans and if it's going to fit into continuity with Star Trek Online (which is set in 2409).

[Confused_panda]

Never really played STO. Played it for a bit early on, but I'm not a huge MMO fan and the grind got a bit boring...