What would you change about this series?
- Thread starter The Overlord
- Start date
When you read a novel which takes place in multiple countries, do you expect the parts in foreign nations to be written in their native language?
We need to be able to understand the Klingons to grok their ark. If we're spending so much time reading we're not actually looking at the sets or their facial expressions, we're only scratching the surface.
If Klingons were truly alien, they wouldn't look like humans with good makeup on. We get it. They're aliens. We know they wouldn't really speak English.
True alien words probably couldn't be so easily translated into English, either. It should be meaningless gobbledygook to enhance that authentic feeling.
True alien words probably couldn't be so easily translated into English, either. It should be meaningless gobbledygook to enhance that authentic feeling.
I'm not reading a novel. I'm watching a tv show. Different medium. I watch foreign films with subtitles all the time. It adds to the experience. I've had zero problem reading facial expressions or looking at sets.
When you read a novel are the foreign nations speaking English? Of course not. The English is provided for you to understand. Just like the subtitles in the show!
They're the most alien Klingons we've ever had. No need to take away from that with English.
Foreign films are subtitled because they were made for a foreign audience. In contrast, films set during the Roman era are not filmed in Latin and then subtitled. The viewer gains absolutely nothing from doing that.
I'd also say that in a "normal" movie subtitles aren't as distracting because the set work isn't that important as in science fiction.
Wrong. Foreign films are not made for foreign audiences.
Uhh...
Are you telling me that a film which is made in France, in the French language, isn't mainly made for the French audience. Or a film made in Japan, in Japanese, isn't mainly meant for the Japanese audience?
They're aliens who stand in for humans.
The point should be they are LESS alien than we think they are.
I get where you are coming from. I just think the Klingon scenes kill the momentum of the episodes we've seen. Sometimes brevity is the soul of alienness.
Yeah, if the point is to make them complex and not "other" them, then we should see their scenes from their POV as much as possible. Which "universal translation" would provide.
Foreign films are made for their native audience. The film is foreign to us: native to them.
The problem is, they're this supposedly super-alien race that acts in a completely human manner. The language is just icing on a cake of lies.
KLINGONES EUNT DOMUS
A bunch of random thoughts by C.T. Phipps, Science Fiction Author
* The Klingons should include extras in TNG and TOS makeup as well as maybe a Gorn or too.
* The first episode of the series should have been, "Context is for Kings."
* Have the Klingons speak Klingon at the start of conversations and then speak English.
* Less Michael, more ensemble.
* Don't kill the Security Chief and just have her play the Seska Role of being a scumbag.
* "The Vulcan Hello" and "Battle at the Binary Stars" should have been a mid-season 2 parter.
* Make the Shenzhou as the Discovery with its crew having been repurposed for war.
* Tidy up her mutiny to having Michael realize the ship is going to be attacked by a new Klingon weapon and only by attacking first can they avoid annihilation. Have it actually save the ship but not something that can be verified without the Captain.
Still have her kill T'Kuvma but maybe have her flashback to her family then do it, dropping the gun or similarly a "My God, what have I done?"
I don't DISLIKE Michael's character arc but I think it may be too much and too harsh while still working with a softer character. Having her gun down a man is a bit much even if it's justifiable.
* Have the phasers disintegrate people because this is Star Trek not shooting show!
* Reframe the story so Voq is the Klingon Warmaster and the one attacking the Federation. Add more mystery to the story about who he is and what he's doing.
* Have it revealed early on the Federation ISN'T at war with the Klingon Empire but ONLY House T'Kuvma which isn't an actual real house but a religious sect of extremists since Voq died. Is it on the nose? Yes, but it makes it interesting.
* Get some heroic Klingons and portray the ancient but blasted and dying culture of the Klingons.
* Have Voq up against a fascist and totalitarian Klingon government which wants to ally against the Federation. We find out the Federation has been supporting this rising group of political extremists because they keep the peace in the region and weaken the houses.
* Ditch the entire plotline about Fungus Drive and make it a general ship for researching weapons. Make it more episodic about seeking out new life, new civilizations, and perverting them for use against the Klingons.
* Give House T'Kuvma some genuine reasons for why they were against the Federation but it turns out they're mostly not at fault with something like, "the Federation colonized worlds the Klingons had abandoned because of their civil wars."
Also, the aforementioned, "supporting jackass Klingons" ala the Marquis and Dominion.
* Have Voq's faction defeated fairly early, leaving him as a prisoner on the ship and maybe an "Enemy Mine" episode with Michael because Enemy Mine is awesome. Also, make it so the continued war with the Klingons is all the more ridiculous.
* Season One ends with the good crew fighting against the bad crew in a "Good" Mutiny that saves Kronos from being destroyed with Thalaron weapons or something Star Trekky enough to be terrifying.
* End the first season with Lorca and his conspirators locked up and reveal Admiral Marcus as recruiting them for his "Keep The Federation Safe" plan with a young Captain Cartwright.
Have the fascist Klingons take over and abolish the houses before becoming the TOS Klingons we know and loathe--essentially the Federation having backed the wrong horse.
CONTINUITY PORN!
* The Klingons should include extras in TNG and TOS makeup as well as maybe a Gorn or too.
* The first episode of the series should have been, "Context is for Kings."
* Have the Klingons speak Klingon at the start of conversations and then speak English.
* Less Michael, more ensemble.
* Don't kill the Security Chief and just have her play the Seska Role of being a scumbag.
* "The Vulcan Hello" and "Battle at the Binary Stars" should have been a mid-season 2 parter.
* Make the Shenzhou as the Discovery with its crew having been repurposed for war.
* Tidy up her mutiny to having Michael realize the ship is going to be attacked by a new Klingon weapon and only by attacking first can they avoid annihilation. Have it actually save the ship but not something that can be verified without the Captain.
Still have her kill T'Kuvma but maybe have her flashback to her family then do it, dropping the gun or similarly a "My God, what have I done?"
I don't DISLIKE Michael's character arc but I think it may be too much and too harsh while still working with a softer character. Having her gun down a man is a bit much even if it's justifiable.
* Have the phasers disintegrate people because this is Star Trek not shooting show!
* Reframe the story so Voq is the Klingon Warmaster and the one attacking the Federation. Add more mystery to the story about who he is and what he's doing.
* Have it revealed early on the Federation ISN'T at war with the Klingon Empire but ONLY House T'Kuvma which isn't an actual real house but a religious sect of extremists since Voq died. Is it on the nose? Yes, but it makes it interesting.
* Get some heroic Klingons and portray the ancient but blasted and dying culture of the Klingons.
* Have Voq up against a fascist and totalitarian Klingon government which wants to ally against the Federation. We find out the Federation has been supporting this rising group of political extremists because they keep the peace in the region and weaken the houses.
* Ditch the entire plotline about Fungus Drive and make it a general ship for researching weapons. Make it more episodic about seeking out new life, new civilizations, and perverting them for use against the Klingons.
* Give House T'Kuvma some genuine reasons for why they were against the Federation but it turns out they're mostly not at fault with something like, "the Federation colonized worlds the Klingons had abandoned because of their civil wars."
Also, the aforementioned, "supporting jackass Klingons" ala the Marquis and Dominion.
* Have Voq's faction defeated fairly early, leaving him as a prisoner on the ship and maybe an "Enemy Mine" episode with Michael because Enemy Mine is awesome. Also, make it so the continued war with the Klingons is all the more ridiculous.
* Season One ends with the good crew fighting against the bad crew in a "Good" Mutiny that saves Kronos from being destroyed with Thalaron weapons or something Star Trekky enough to be terrifying.
* End the first season with Lorca and his conspirators locked up and reveal Admiral Marcus as recruiting them for his "Keep The Federation Safe" plan with a young Captain Cartwright.
Have the fascist Klingons take over and abolish the houses before becoming the TOS Klingons we know and loathe--essentially the Federation having backed the wrong horse.
CONTINUITY PORN!
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Facial expressions? They have but one.
Well, sometimes they are, like "The Passion."
Klingons speaking English without marbles in their mouths.
Get those ugly ass new aliens off the ship. If you must have aliens, get a few Andorians or something. These new aliens look like medical accidents.
Don't force the Burnham / Tilly friendship, they couldn't be less alike if they tried.
As to the giant microscopic mushroom eating universe spanning friendly but sad creatures, they need a hat and better writers.
As to the looks of the show, the ship, the interiors, uniforms and all that kind of stuff is fine.
Get those ugly ass new aliens off the ship. If you must have aliens, get a few Andorians or something. These new aliens look like medical accidents.
Don't force the Burnham / Tilly friendship, they couldn't be less alike if they tried.
As to the giant microscopic mushroom eating universe spanning friendly but sad creatures, they need a hat and better writers.
As to the looks of the show, the ship, the interiors, uniforms and all that kind of stuff is fine.
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