Spoilers Star Trek: Discovery 1x07 - "Magic to Make the Sanest Man Go Mad"

[cultcross]

Hearing 20th century style club music in the 23rd century Trek world made me cringe. I may sound like an old fogie saying that but whatever.

Thing is though, what else should they do? Use the bizarre Trek convention of not listening to anything past the Jazz era? Or do that always regretted thing where they try to write fake 'future' music?

 

[Ovation]

Al Green should NEVER make one cringe.

 

[Psion]

Hearing 20th century style club music in the 23rd century Trek world made me cringe. I may sound like an old fogie saying that but whatever.

I've been doing "Staying Alive" jokes at home, at work, and on SL for two weeks now. To hear it in the party scenes last night after all that had me punching the air and laughing out loud.

Somebody help me, yeah.

 

[O_Kav]

I remember hating Mudd when I first saw him in TOS and not understanding why they would reuse such a boring character when he returned in "I, Mudd". DISCO makes me want to see more Harry Mudd. It's so weird. They did not only fixed the character, they made him interesting. Dude used a time loop device to explore ways he could take over one of the flagships of the Federation only by himself. That's hardcore as hell. In my opinion that makes him one of the most memorable Space Scoundrels in Sci-fi.

Gotta say I'm loving everything so far in Discovery. I was happy for having weekly Star Trek to watch, how amazing it is to have good Star Trek to watch every week! What a time to be alive.

 

[eschaton]

I can't help but wonder if this is one of the two episodes added to the season at the end of production. It would make sense in that case why it doesn't fit into the arc continuity. It was just inserted mid arc after the fact.

 

[kerchan]

So my thoughts...

This was a risky choice as a first standalone. Timeloop episodes in sci-fi shows are a slightly dubious proposition at the best of times and we are dealing with the franchise that produced what I consider the pinnacle of the art - Cause and Effect.

Discovery chose to do an action/comedy version of the plot which was probably wise - it avoids comparison with TNG and takes a different spin. Of course, it does attract comparison with the other giant of the genre, SG-1's Window of Opportunity.

So. Did what we get work? Mostly, yes. It was fast paced, punchy, and with an irreverent sense of dark humour which I enjoyed. There were some true laugh out loud moments, and once again Lorca shone through and stole the show. "I don't care", "still don't care".

@matthunter said that Burnham was Seven of Nine this week and this is bang on. The writers can't quite seem to nail down where along the Vulcan<-->Human spectrum Burnham actually is, and it seems to change subtly each week. This wasn't her strongest episode, and while I was sold on her arc, I'm conscious that without the voiceover bookends I may not have been.

Stamets did a good job of holding the story this week, and I enjoyed Rapp's take on someone going steadily mad with frustration. I would have liked a little more of Hugh in the episode, but it was pretty jam packed as it was.

Mudd was very good. I still think he's a bit of fanwank and the you're mad/no I'm Mudd thing got all the eyerolls. But I liked how they made him unapologetically nasty, without seeming overly comic booky. He's a real twat, and it was played well. I'm not entirely sold on the resolution (they had every opportunity to arrest him), but it was mandated by the need to set up the TOS character. Which only plays into the fanwank thing - this could have been an original character.

I loved the tone this week, and demonstrated that Discovery isn't the dour and joyless war series people claim it is. It did a good job with the premise overall. Enjoyed it. Just keep an eye on the fanwank.

Overall, 6/10

Simple Solution.

All stamets had to do was to stop the whale being beamed aboard by going to the bridge and doing the same this secret only you know bit with Lorca or saru.....


so simple.

 

[TheArsenal]

Oh wow... I've just been reading through this thread and seeing everybody mad about this party. Have you guys not ever been to a party??? People drink and make out if there's enough alcohol.

Not just a party. A party in the middle of wartime. Alcohol will be consumed, dancing will occur, makes out will happen, stress will be relieved, regrets will be had.

 

[Mel Tenorio]

It was a fun, classic and predictable Star Trek episode - I liked it. I was hoping there would be a lighter DSC episode like this one and voilà.

For all the complainers that wanted a more classic episode, well here's one, and they will still complaint. But just like in this episode people tend to be stuck in a negativity time-loop, no matter how good or bad the series is.

 

[oberth]

Oh wow... I've just been reading through this thread and seeing everybody mad about this party. Have you guys not ever been to a party??? People drink and make out if there's enough alcohol.

i have - but i never understood that american fondness for plastic/styrofoam cups

 

[Refuge]

The party was kind of wrong era feel about it. Honestly this whole timeline ten years before TOS is being terribly messed up in its depiction. It's way too advanced at times that throwing the odd word like 'groovy' in is not cutting it.

 

[Refuge]

Not just a party. A party in the middle of wartime. Alcohol will be consumed, dancing will occur, makes out will happen, stress will be relieved, regrets will be had.

If you looked real hard there was a dart board in the background with Admiral Cornwall's face as a backdrop on it.. All part of the laughs

 

[cultcross]

Simple Solution.

All stamets had to do was to stop the whale being beamed aboard by going to the bridge and doing the same this secret only you know bit with Lorca or saru.....


so simple.

Not really a solution to the entire problem, just another hurdle to overcome for Mudd. Mudd would just reset until he could pull off another method of getting on board. They needed Mudd to feel he had won to get him to let the 30 minutes run out.

 

[_Roger_]

..."Pizzas is better cold served at nights"...

"Revenge, like pizza, is a dish best served cold." - Khan Noonien Singh, hungry, in some alternative universe.

 

[Pindar]

Another strong 8 for me. For all the negative comments the polls have scored every episode highly so far.

I was deeply saddened to hear Mudd and Stuart have parted ways.

The music was much better than the endless jazz and classical music from the other shows. Can't say I follow the argument that says the music in this episode is anachronistic compared to the other series.

Rain Wilson is great fun I enjoyed him beaming Lorca into space.

Also this weeks after Trek was the best one so far.

 

[Guy Gardener]

Stamets is sick enough to appear drunk and unstable.

Why is Doctor boyfriend permitting this?

If Stamets is forever changed, that's a reason to dump him.

"You're not the man I fell in love with."

 

[Smoked Salmon]

Stamets is sick enough to appear drunk and unstable.

Why is Doctor boyfriend permitting this?

If Stamets is forever changed, that's a reason to dump him.

"You're not the man I fell in love with."

Culber is giving him lots of spacey.







Too soon?

 

[Nerys Myk]

I think it's more the fact she's uncomfortable with switching beds in the pilot and now apparently just leaps into social situations.

Wh would one preclude the other?

She identified as having "special needs" that require her to avoid the rest of the crew and can't sleep in a bed that's not her own. That's not really so much as me misreading the situation as them stating it.

But I could be wrong

Allergies. Why do people keep bringing this up? The scene with the special needs line also has the allergies line in it. It's been mentioned time and time again on this board in every DISCO episode thread.

So watching the same mass murder over and over again isn't dark?

K.

I didn't find it so. It's a time loop episode. The ultimate reset button. I can't get too worked up

Again: My problem was that it didn't felt like "leaving off steam". It felt like "college kids experimenting with stuff". Which would be fine in any other Trek setting. But there was a disconnect to how people would behave that have witnessed war first-hand.

Do you have any experience with how people who witness war behave when letting off steam? Is it significantly different than how college students do?

I had the same problem with Mudd still being the "humorous rogue", who is foiled by being returned to his wife. While also being a mass murderer, killing every Starfleet officer in it's way, not just Lorca, but also leaving young science officers laying in her own pool of blood. They could be happy he (apparently) didn't kill anyone in his last round. That'd been awkward.

From the standpoint of the crew who did he kill in the final loop? No one is dead, IIRC so how could he be charged? There is of course the matter of espionage. That's pretty clear cut.

Mudd as a cold-blooded murderer flies right in the face of the character that we knew

This guy?

SPOCK: Even burned and cracked, they're beautiful. Destroying them was a shame.
KIRK: Not at all, Mister Spock. The choice was burning this lithium crystal or the destruction of another man's ship. Come.
SECURITY: Sir. Mining Chief Childress and Mister Gossett.
KIRK: Good. Show them in. I'm James Kirk, captain of the Enterprise. This is my science officer Mister Spock.
CHILDRESS: Let's get right to business. You want lithium crystals and we've got them.
KIRK: Fine. I'm authorised to pay an equitable price.
CHILDRESS: We're not sure they're for sale, Captain. We might prefer a swap.
KIRK: What did you have in mind?
CHILDRESS: Mudd's women.
GOSSETT: If we like them. We'd like to have a look at them first of course.
CHILDRESS: Right. Trot them out, Captain. Oh, and Harry Mudd. Either way, I've agreed to have him released. Charges dropped.
KIRK: (laughs) Is there anything else?
CHILDRESS: You've got no choice, Kirk. You beam a landing party down, and you won't find one blessed crystal.
KIRK: No deal. You're a long way out in space, gentlemen. You'll need medical help, cargo runs, starship protection. You want to consider those facts too?
MUDD: Come along, ladies, come along. You must be Ben Childress. Come on now, girls, come on.
RUTH: And you must be Herm Gossett.
GOSSETT: Yes, I reckon I am.
CHILDRESS: One thing I'll say for you, Mudd, you're not a liar. Ladies, you are welcome.
KIRK: It's still no deal.
SPOCK: Conserving batteries, sir. Half power.
MUDD: I'm told they have only three days of orbit left before they start spiraling in. I do hate to see you suffering such a situation, Captain, but truth is truth, and the sad fact is you will deal. Sooner or later, you'll have to.

He's a real sweet heart

Science is getting to the point of being annoying to people who want it limited. We're to the point where materialism vs. not is an actual argument.

And some of those people are fans of Star Trek!

I think the writers confused Betazed with Bolia this episode...

A clever thief will always find a way.

When I think f the way music has changed over the last years, it is hard to reconcile the choice of music.

It's like the pop culture references on Orville. There for the audience

I actually like the idea it's a 20th century party.

Like it's 1999?

Major irk: Burnham says that as first officer her position made partying inappropriate. I find it hard to image in what crazy parallel universe Riker would not party. I'm gonna go with that being a horrible excuse on Burnham's part.

Different strokes. Burnham's Vulcan background would result in a different attitude than Riker's human one.

It seems rather bulky for Star Trek future tech. So much so that I wonder if the actor was disabled and what we're seeing is his own chair.

I think After Trek mentioned the actor was disabled.

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Great find!

 

[davejames]

Gotta say I'm loving everything so far in Discovery. I was happy for having weekly Star Trek to watch, how amazing it is to have good Star Trek to watch every week! What a time to be alive.

Totally agreed. The show may not have been what I expected early on, but with every new episode I find myself loving both it and the characters more and more.

And Saru and Lorca are already up there amongst the best Trek characters ever in my book.

 

[Pindar]

If Stamets is forever changed, that's a reason to dump him.

"You're not the man I fell in love with."

He might like new Stamets more.

 

[cultcross]

Culber is giving him lots of spacey.







Too soon?

It's always too soon for child molesting jokes.