Is Discovery a war show?

[Rahul]

A few days ago the new trailer for Discovery was shown, and it focused almost exclusively on battles with the klingons. Especially the line of Cpt. Lorca to Burnham "You helped start a war. Don't you want to help me end it?" suggests that the Federation is at war with the klingons during the main timeframe of the series.

Even more revealing are the comments by the creators on the Comic Con panel:
http://trekmovie.com/2017/07/23/sdc...nberry-space-mushrooms-and-a-reimagined-mudd/

Alexander Orci describes the series the following:
"how do you preserve and protect what Starfleet is in the weight of challenge like war and the things that have to be done in war is a very interesting and dramatic problem"
and:
"They are dealing with real problems in the middle of a war"
and:
"this particular universe is a particular dark time for the Federation and for Starfleet with this war happening"

Now this sounds very worrying. War and peace was always a part of Star Trek. But never the main focus (even for the majority of DS9). Star Trek was previously built around exploration and discovery. "To boldly go where no man has gone before". Deep Space Nine focused heavily on war with it's klingon war arc and Dominion war arc. There were quite a few good episodes in it, but I wasn't overly fond of "war" being the only issue that was handeled from a certain point onward.

Now it seems they are going full space war. Game of Thrones in space.

I kind of have a problem with such "dark times", a major "war", being retroactively introduced into the universe. When Kirk and Spock travelled the universe, they travelled as explorers. Not as war veterans. And the Federation, the whole optimistic spirit, hell, even in the episodes in which they DO handle the topic of war - "Balance of Terror", "Errand of Mercy", the universe came across as a peaceful one that needed protection, not one in the aftermaths of a horrific galaxy-wide war.

What are your opinions? Do you think Discovery will be a "war show"? Would you like that? How do you feel about making TOS retroactively a "post-war" show? Do you think this clashes with the overall vision of a "peaceful" future?

 

[Vger23]

This has been a worry of mine as well (although not enough for me to not watch the show).

I can only think that the term "war" in this context is no different to those in TUC where they say we've been "at war" with the Klingons for 70 years. It may not be an active, all-out, billions of deaths kind of war...but more a cold-war scenario that we are facing.

Again, the Federation and Klingon Empire were apparently close enough to war during S1 of TOS that during the events of "Errand of Mercy" it snapped and was nearly a full-out engagement. So, despite the "peace and optimism" we perceive as being portrayed in TOS...it was only the involvement of the Organians that avoided a major, destructive war that would have seen the Enterprise on the very front line.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

DS9 balanced the Dominion War with non-war storylines pretty well, though they had 26 episodes per season to work with.

Discovery has (now) 15 episodes slated for the first season.

It's still being billed as a "cold war", so maybe there won't be as much real war happening as we might think.

 

[Rahul]

This has been a worry of mine as well (although not enough for me to not watch the show).

I can only think that the term "war" in this context is no different to those in TUC where they say we've been "at war" with the Klingons for 70 years. It may not be an active, all-out, billions of deaths kind of war...but more a cold-war scenario that we are facing.

Again, the Federation and Klingon Empire were apparently close enough to war during S1 of TOS that during the events of "Errand of Mercy" it snapped and was nearly a full-out engagement. So, despite the "peace and optimism" we perceive as being portrayed in TOS...it was only the involvement of the Organians that avoided a major, destructive war that would have seen the Enterprise on the very front line.

True, the cold war was deeply ingrained into TOS. It was an interesting time - possibility of nuclear holocaust, but also the space race, civil rights and social and scientific progress. I think TOS captured that spirit quite well, both 'realism' and 'optimism'.

The undiscovered country is one of my favourite Trek movies. But it's essentially not a "war" movie, but "diplomacy" movie, a "peace talk" movie - which is IMO much more in line with the spirit of Trek.

What I fear is that Discovery will cover a "hot war". With big battles, victories and losses. Where the goal is not to avoid war, but to defeat the badguys. I know the creators try to insert some real-world realism as well, and the current situation looks confusing. But we're not at total war in the real world right now, more in a more "tense" world. And I think in this environment a optimistic scifi-show would be totally needed and appropriate!

 

[KirkusOveractus]

My thinking is that while it will be the beginning of what we would later see as the "Cold War" with the Klingons, I think we will also be seeing the Strange, New Worlds and New Life and New Civilizations.

There will probably be some form of exploration thrown in when Discovery isn't otherwise engaged with the Klingons.

 

[Spider]

War stories are good if they are done right. Whether it's a war show or and exploration show or an alien sex festival on Risa, as long as it's a well written show, I don't care. GOT is all about war, yet there are tons of scenes of simple character building and discovery/exploration.

I'll take GOT in outer space Trek style, if it's done right. If it's nothing but war all season long, yeah, that will be incredibly boring. I don't think that's what we'll see. Hopefully.

 

[KirkusOveractus]

@Spider: Let's continue about this alien sex festival on Risa? Maybe that's the second season!

 

[Spider]

@Spider: Let's continue about this alien sex festival on Risa? Maybe that's the second season!

Yeah, that's about when my subscription to CBS All Access would be a sure thing. LOL

 

[fireproof78]

True, the cold war was deeply ingrained into TOS. It was an interesting time - possibility of nuclear holocaust, but also the space race, civil rights and social and scientific progress. I think TOS captured that spirit quite well, both 'realism' and 'optimism'.

The undiscovered country is one of my favourite Trek movies. But it's essentially not a "war" movie, but "diplomacy" movie, a "peace talk" movie - which is IMO much more in line with the spirit of Trek.

What I fear is that Discovery will cover a "hot war". With big battles, victories and losses. Where the goal is not to avoid war, but to defeat the badguys. I know the creators try to insert some real-world realism as well, and the current situation looks confusing. But we're not at total war in the real world right now, more in a more "tense" world. And I think in this environment a optimistic scifi-show would be totally needed and appropriate!

And I think DSC will be that optimism, even amid tension.

 

[Jadeb]

What most worries me is Rainn Wilson's comment:

"Let’s remember this particular universe is a particular dark time for the Federation and for Starfleet with this war happening, so I don’t think it would be appropriate in the universe to have as many jolly wackadoo episodes that were often in the original series and the Next Generation."

I really like the jolly wackadoo episodes, and TNG wasn't exactly loaded with them.

(From Trekmovie.com.)

 

[fireproof78]

Given how highly rated "Balance of Terror" is as an episode, I don't see that as concerning.

 

[Jadeb]

Given how highly rated "Balance of Terror" is as an episode, I don't see that as concerning.

Sure, but "The Trouble With Tribbles" is up there too. As good as "Balance of Terror" is, I like variety.

 

[BillJ]

Given how highly rated "Balance of Terror" is as an episode, I don't see that as concerning.

But I don't want every episode having the same dark elements as "Balance of Terror".

Variety is the spice of life.

 

[fireproof78]

But I don't want every episode having the same dark elements as "Balance of Terror".

Variety is the spice of life.

I think it will be a mix of the two.

 

[{ Emilia }]

What most worries me is Rainn Wilson's comment:

"Let’s remember this particular universe is a particular dark time for the Federation and for Starfleet with this war happening, so I don’t think it would be appropriate in the universe to have as many jolly wackadoo episodes that were often in the original series and the Next Generation."

I really like the jolly wackadoo episodes, and TNG wasn't exactly loaded with them.

(From Trekmovie.com.)

Ugh, that quote really blows.
Bummer.

 

[Spider]

Epic space battles every episode will probably be to much for their budget. Even GOT doesn't do that. It seems we'll get more war than the average Star Trek series, but I wouldn't count on expensive ass starships blowing up every episode.

 

[BillJ]

Epic space battles every episode will probably be to much for their budget.

I bet they have more than enough money to do it with CGI.

 

[{ Emilia }]

Thing is I'd like Trek to be FUN, too. It has always been.

 

[Jadeb]

But I don't want every episode having the same dark elements as "Balance of Terror".

Variety is the spice of life.

To me, the genius of the original show is that it could do anything. No tone was off limits.

 

[BillJ]

Thing is I'd like Trek to be FUN, too. It has always been.

You're preaching to the converted on that one.