THREE things they DID get right aesthically...

[Dar70]

....ok I and many others have been vocal about the aesthetics of the show. I have always felt that written continuity is more important than visual. But I always believed that visual should be adhered to somewhat. In other words, update it but keep within the visual integrity of what came before/after. Make it believable.
So I think they dropped the ball on the uniforms and much of the interior, BUT three things I really think they did very very well on .....

1. The hand phasers: Nice subtle updates on the original and very believable that it came before or even after. It fits in very organically with the original.
2. The communicators: Same comments as phasers. I also love that they keep a round screen and the buttons on the bottom. The digital screen looks great.
3. The Discovery: Love the exterior design. It really fits into the lineage of ships we have seen before. Despite not being crazy about the interior. They really got the exterior imo.

Now if they would have done the same type of work on the uniforms and interior like they did these three things I feel it would have felt a bit more fluid with the look of the rest of the shows.

 

[Tenacity]

The phaser pistol design is great, combines the muzzles of The Cage with the TOS body, but makes it better.

 

[Tuskin38]

Plus Discovery is set between 'The Cage' and Season 1 of TOS, so having some sort of progression between the two designs makes sense.

 

[F. King Daniel]

I'm not worried about visual continuity, or any continuity with previous Trek. I never thought there was a Klingon/Federation war prior to TOS. The level of technology beyond what's visual (forcefields, holograms etc) is far beyond TOS, so classic Trek stories are broken by the whole "Why didn't they just use x or y which they've had 10+ years" thing. I'm going to enjoy it based on it's own internal continuity leading to something vaguely like TOS - like we all knew Smallville would lead to something like the Superman from the movies.

I'm treating it like a reboot. And by that criteria, I'm not too fond of the phaser or communicator designs, which are far too slavish to TOS.

 

[The Librarian]

You keep harping on the forcefields, but I still can't think of a single TOS episode that would effect. The most you've pointed out is a single pressure display in the background of the shuttlebay hall.

 

[Michael]

There are many subtle visual callbacks to the fictional period the show is set it. The uniforms look sort of like a progression from the Enterprise jumpsuits, with added delta patterns from the 2009 movie and metallic versions of the department colors from “The Cage”/“Where No Man Has Gone Before”. And then there's the insignia, which use the same iconography as the ones from TOS. The use of physical buttons on the consoles also recalls TOS user interfaces, the transporter control console even features a stylized version of the hood seen on the original console. The overall layout of the bridge is also retained, with all the stations facing away from a central captain's chair. The departments are almost in the same locations even. And there's also the tricorder …

You see, I understand that some wished for even more visual continuity with TOS, some even to the point where the show would have to replicate 1960s sets to be satisfying to them, but I think what they have done looks very cool and features just the right amount of homage I would have expected.

 

[F. King Daniel]

You keep harping on the forcefields, but I still can't think of a single TOS episode that would effect. The most you've pointed out is a single pressure display in the background of the shuttlebay hall.

Bale and Lokai chasing each other through the ship? Erect a forcefield. Klingons on board? Erect a forcefield. Phaser on overload? Erect a forcefield. Kirk, Spock and McCoy broke out of the brig and are loose on the Enterprise-A? Erect a forcefield.

Then there's the Sarek hologram, when 3D holograms for communication were explictly a new thing in DS9's "For the Uniform" in the 24th century.

 

[Dar70]

There are many subtle visual callbacks to the fictional period the show is set it. The uniforms look sort of like a progression from the Enterprise jumpsuits, with added delta patterns from the 2009 movie and metallic versions of the department colors from “The Cage”/“Where No Man Has Gone Before”. And then there's the insignia, which use the same iconography as the ones from TOS. The use of physical buttons on the consoles also recalls TOS user interfaces, the transporter control console even features a stylized version of the hood seen on the original console. The overall layout of the bridge is also retained, with all the stations facing away from a central captain's chair. The departments are almost in the same locations even. And there's also the tricorder …

You see, I understand that some wished for even more visual continuity with TOS, some even to the point where the show would have to replicate 1960s sets to be satisfying to them, but I think what they have done looks very cool and features just the right amount of homage I would have expected.

Well I wouldn't have wanted a replication. As nice as say Star Trek Continues recreated the sets. ( The nicest I have seen) I wouldn't have wanted that. But maybe less busy looking hallways and bridge would have been more in line. Maybe more squared off hallways and a muted white color. But rather than say put office door style tags on the walls like TOS maybe nice spray stenciled lettering to denote rooms...

 

[Roald]

Bale and Lokai chasing each other through the ship? Erect a forcefield. Klingons on board? Erect a forcefield. Phaser on overload? Erect a forcefield. Kirk, Spock and McCoy broke out of the brig and are loose on the Enterprise-A? Erect a forcefield.
.

But couldn't you just as easily pick numberous episodes from TNG, Ds9 and VOY where they could have used a forcefield but didn't....?

 

[UssGlenn]

The level of technology beyond what's visual (forcefields, holograms etc) is far beyond TOS

What's the problem with the forcefields? TOS has forcefields, WNMHGB, Charlie X, and Mirror Mirror all come to mind.

 

[F. King Daniel]

What's the problem with the forcefields? TOS has forcefields, WNMHGB, Charlie X, and Mirror Mirror all come to mind.

Not Next Gen-style forcefields which could be summoned anywhere, as we see sealing hull breaches and containing atmosphere in the Discovery trailers.

But couldn't you just as easily pick numberous episodes from TNG, Ds9 and VOY where they could have used a forcefield but didn't....?

It's different pretending a technology the writers never concieved of was there all along compared to writers deliberately ignoring an established tech. Not that they did that much?

 

[UssGlenn]

Not Next Gen-style forcefields which could be summoned anywhere, as we see sealing hull breaches and containing atmosphere

Ah, I see. You know all this could have been avoided if they had Discovery built after the Enterprise. Then the TOS look would be the 2245 style and Discovery could be between TOS and TMP design even if it's set before TOS. Of course if Discovery was refit after 2245 that could still work.

 

[{ Emilia }]

The uniforms look sort of like a progression from the Enterprise jumpsuits, with added delta patterns from the 2009 movie and metallic versions of the department colors from “The Cage”/“Where No Man Has Gone Before”.

I still think the uniforms are something they picked up in a time travel episode that featured the epic Saturday Night Fever crossover with John Travolta. Needs a little more glitter still, maybe.

 

[NOVE9]

Bale and Lokai chasing each other through the ship? Erect a forcefield. Klingons on board? Erect a forcefield. Phaser on overload? Erect a forcefield. Kirk, Spock and McCoy broke out of the brig and are loose on the Enterprise-A? Erect a forcefield.

Then there's the Sarek hologram, when 3D holograms for communication were explictly a new thing in DS9's "For the Uniform" in the 24th century.

There are so many star trek episodes from TOS to VOY that this could be applied to it's not even funny.

 

[uniderth]

....ok I and many others have been vocal about the aesthetics of the show. I have always felt that written continuity is more important than visual. But I always believed that visual should be adhered to somewhat. In other words, update it but keep within the visual integrity of what came before/after. Make it believable.
So I think they dropped the ball on the uniforms and much of the interior, BUT three things I really think they did very very well on .....

1. The hand phasers: Nice subtle updates on the original and very believable that it came before or even after. It fits in very organically with the original.
2. The communicators: Same comments as phasers. I also love that they keep a round screen and the buttons on the bottom. The digital screen looks great.
3. The Discovery: Love the exterior design. It really fits into the lineage of ships we have seen before. Despite not being crazy about the interior. They really got the exterior imo.

Now if they would have done the same type of work on the uniforms and interior like they did these three things I feel it would have felt a bit more fluid with the look of the rest of the shows.

Wow those are three things I have complaints with. The Phaser design is horrible for this era, because Discovery is between "the Cage" and "Where no Man Has Gone Before." Both of these series use hand lasers which are pretty much identical. So I wouldn't be happy unless it as some slight variation of that design. I could give the current design a pass IF Discovery was set between WNMHGB and Season 1 proper.

Same thing with the communicators. They should look like the ones in "The Cage and WNMHGB.

As for the exterior of the Discovery, I mainly have an issue with the color scheme and the warp nacelles. I could give a pass on everything else I think.

The only visual aspects of Discovery that I like are the aliens, those big white push buttons on the bridge, the blinky light panel on the bridge, and the Discovery Captain's chair. Everything else is either meh or horrible.

 

[Jackson_Roykirk]

Wow those are three things I have complaints with. The Phaser design is horrible for this era, because Discovery is between "the Cage" and "Where no Man Has Gone Before." Both of these series use hand lasers which are pretty much identical. So I wouldn't be happy unless it as some slight variation of that design. I could give the current design a pass IF Discovery was set between WNMHGB and Season 1 proper.

Same thing with the communicators. They should look like the ones in "The Cage and WNMHGB.

As for the exterior of the Discovery, I mainly have an issue with the color scheme and the warp nacelles. I could give a pass on everything else I think.

The only visual aspects of Discovery that I like are the aliens, those big white push buttons on the bridge, the blinky light panel on the bridge, and the Discovery Captain's chair. Everything else is either meh or horrible.

Kirk's crew had not yet received the new tech when WNMHGB happened. They were busy hanging out by the edge of the galaxy.

 

[uniderth]

Kirk's crew had not yet received the new tech when WNMHGB happened. They were busy hanging out by the edge of the galaxy.

Oh, yeah. That "new tech" that had been around for over ten years.

 

[Tuskin38]

Oh, yeah. That "new tech" that had been around for over ten years.

9 years. Discovery takes place in 2256

 

[Jackson_Roykirk]

Oh, yeah. That "new tech" that had been around for over ten years.

Well, they were still wearing velour turtlenecks as well, even though they might have been old uniforms, so I don't know what to say .

Honestly, I don't think there is any 100% sure way way in-universe to reconcile "The Cage" & WNMHGB" with rest of the production run without simply saying "it's because the art direction changed in the real world from the Pilot & 2nd pilot -versus- the production run."

Well, there are in-universe ways, but it will drive you crazy trying to button up every inconsistency, which can never be done. So I'm OK with the inconsistencies simply being due to real-world changes in the art design and direction between the Cage/WNMHGB and the production run -- which means I should be OK with the differences between those pilots and DSC as being "it's because the art direction changed in the real world."

 

[Tuskin38]

Well, they were still wearing velour turtlenecks as well, even though they might have been old uniforms, so I don't know what to say .

Honestly, I don't think there is any 100% sure way way in-universe to reconcile "The Cage" & WNMHGB" with rest of the production run without simply saying "it's because the art direction changed in the real world from the Pilot & 2nd pilot -versus- the production run."

Well, there are in-universe ways, but it will drive you crazy trying to button up every inconsistency, which can never be done. So I'm OK with the inconsistencies simply being due to real-world changes in the art design and direction between the Cage/WNMHGB and the production run -- which means I should be OK with the differences between those pilots and DSC as being "it's because the art direction changed in the real world."

Well WNMHGB is one year before the second episode, so yo could say it all phasesed in the next year