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

[Crazy Eddie]

Probably because Lorca doesn't care and Stamats is high. Saru gets to the point. This leaves Burnham and Tilly for technobabble. Tilly's a cadet, so she probably would be asking questions rather than answering them, and Burnham is the point of view character who should usually be asking the questions as well, and thus get less technobabble from her, plus she goes Vulcan which gets us Spock-ish more than technobabble.

Not at all. Stamets' speech in the shuttle about the basis for the spore drive was pretty technobabblish. But there were two things that were immediately clear from that scene:
1) Choice of words. If you google some of the terms he uses, you will get links to wikipedia pages or Popular Science magazine. On Voyager and TNG, many times googling a technobabble phrase doesn't link to anything except Memory Alpha.

2) Brevity. It's clear from the editing that this was actually cut down from a much longer speech and the editors probably shortened it to "cut to the chase" so to speak.

Seems like somebody on the writing staff finally got the memo:

 

[Longinus]

1) Choice of words. If you google some of the terms he uses, you will get links to wikipedia pages or Popular Science magazine. On Voyager and TNG, many times googling a technobabble phrase doesn't link to anything except Memory Alpha.

Yes, and that is a huge problem with Discovery technobabble: it uses actual terms for actual known things and then gives them completely absurd, counterfactual properties. If you're gonna have 'magic tech', then better just leave it to be an unexplained black box or explain it using things with unknown properties, rather than try to use real things that we know for a fact do not work even remotely like that.

 

[137th Gebirg]

I've been happy with the level of technobabble so far. Enough to understand what's going on or establish a story, but it isn't there in place of drama or used as a get out of jail free card like in Voyager. This level is fine for me. When reversing the polarity of the gravimetric tachyon matrix starts being a major plot point, I zone out.

Agreed. There was always a discernible verbal pattern to the technobabble, going all the way back to Geordi in early TNG. It usually goes thusly:

"If I can figure out a way to <enter action to be taken here>, I might be able to <enter result here> so that we can <enter original problem to solve here>".

It's a tired old chestnut. I don't believe the DISCO writers have gone to that particular well yet. In that regard, at least, DISCO is quite superior to much of what's come before.

 

[XCV330]

My memory is

Yes, and that is a huge problem with Discovery technobabble: it uses actual terms for actual known things and then gives them completely absurd, counterfactual properties. If you're gonna have 'magic tech', then better just leave it to be an unexplained black box or explain it using things with unknown properties, rather than try to use real things that we know for a fact do not work even remotely like that.

How do we know for a fact how a theoretical multidimensional fungus would work?

300 years ago scientific thought still leaned towards Aristotle's rejection of atomism. I'm willing to admit we don't know much compared to whatever the human race does know by then, so ill be entertained by the show. So far, wierdly enough, they've been oddly correct in some assumptions. I don't care if Trek makes stuff up for a plot, I just want a good story, and keep it science fiction enough that it's not science fantasy. I thinkfor the most part they have and continue to do that. When I (rarely) want to read hard-sf, ill find a good book of it. I find the subgenre limiting. Even Clarke didn't always write hard SF.

 

[Ronald Held]

How does multidimensional fungi allow starship sized objects rapid transition between twon points in our universe? What does the fungi use for energy? Where do ther waste products go? Kill the entire network and the transport conducts are gone?

 

[BillJ]

Should have worked "Mudd" into the title...

"Mudd to Make the Sanest Man Go Mad"

"Magic to Make the Sanest Man Go Mudd"

"Magic to Make the Sanest Mudd Go Mad"

 

[Mechanoid1]

It's a tired old chestnut. I don't believe the DISCO writers have gone to that particular well yet.

There has to be a degree of technobable in any futuristic sci-fi show. I think that the premise of the story is what makes or breaks the enjoyability of it. The sci-fi of the Disco's story is so far into fantasy, that there is no explanation for it. Any possible plausibility is out the window.
If the writers are willing to go this far, just to be different. Why not create a new title and leave the words star trek out of it. Then you can go full fantasy mode with no expectations whatsoever.

 

[Noname Given]

Yes, and that is a huge problem with Discovery technobabble: it uses actual terms for actual known things and then gives them completely absurd, counterfactual properties. If you're gonna have 'magic tech', then better just leave it to be an unexplained black box or explain it using things with unknown properties, rather than try to use real things that we know for a fact do not work even remotely like that.

^^^
You mean like say a Time and Space Warp Drive that IGNORES all other aspects of Einstiens theory (IE to time dilation effects or any other relativistic effects. Or 'Energy Beams' (aka Phasers) that LOOK like actual Lasers but have all these other properties (as the story needs/dictates); or Matter Energy Transporters that transfer an actual person atopm by atom and can still disassemble and reassemble them in a few seconds (whose existence BTW violates the Heisenberg uncertainty principle...)

Yeah, who'd watch a science fiction themed series based on stuff like that - it's so ridiculous and more fantasy then hard Science Fiction...oh, wait...

Should have worked "Mudd" into the title...

"Mudd to Make the Sanest Man Go Mad"

"Magic to Make the Sanest Man Go Mudd"

"Magic to Make the Sanest Mudd Go Mad"

I would preferred: "Mudd's Time" myself; but that said, they probably didn't want to tip the audience off that he'd be in the episode (not everyone watches or likes promos/spoilers.)

 

[Longinus]

^^^
You mean like say a Time and Space Warp Drive that IGNORES all other aspects of Einstiens theory (IE to time dilation effects or any other relativistic effects. Or 'Energy Beams' (aka Phasers) that LOOK like actual Lasers but have all these other properties (as the story needs/dictates); or Matter Energy Transporters that transfer an actual person atopm by atom and can still disassemble and reassemble them in a few seconds (whose existence BTW violates the Heisenberg uncertainty principle...)

Yeah, who'd watch a science fiction themed series based on stuff like that - it's so ridiculous and more fantasy then hard Science Fiction...oh, wait...

It is not the same and not the thing being discussed, but I'm glad you brought up the Heisenberg uncertainty principle. That is indeed well handled in TNG. Transporters have Heisenberg Compensators; that is black box solution to the issue, it is an indication that the writers understand the problem and realise it should be somehow resolved in order the technology to work, and they indicate that there is a solution, but do not try to explain is further, as any explanation would probably seem like rubbish.

 

[caper_guy]

While I was a bit surprised to see a stand-alone episode given the original concept that it was going to be an overall arc to the season, I thoroughly enjoyed this. I just like this type of episode, and with the new twist of Mudd purposely creating a loop, it just added to the fun and suspense. I agree that perhaps they could have also showed how the brought the captain on board....I would have thought he would be the most skeptical and would have been amusing to see his reaction, etc. But they only have an hour. Some further character development, which should add to that arc and into the future.

As this is my first post on these boards, I have to give props to Rainn Wilson....he absolutely nails Mudd. Whether it's compared to the original or not, he is bang on with the personality required to pull off that character.

 

[Four Lights]

Nice to see the characters appearing likable and bonding. Much more of this please!

 

[GeekUSACarl]

Should have worked "Mudd" into the title...

"Mudd to Make the Sanest Man Go Mad"

"Magic to Make the Sanest Man Go Mudd"

"Magic to Make the Sanest Mudd Go Mad"

I like your first suggestion.

 

[Vger23]

And the question is, did you enjoy the original Trek? Yes? One would think so, that you're not punishing yourself by watching something you hate. Then sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.

Suspension of disbelief, people. Or we would never like any movie.

Stop. You know damn well that for some people, it's not the enjoyment of the show...it's the enjoyment of bitching about the show.

 

[Longinus]

Stop. You know damn well that for some people, it's not the enjoyment of the show...it's the enjoyment of bitching about the show.

And to some people it is the enjoyment of bitching about the people who bitch about the show!

 

[Vger23]

And to some people it is the enjoyment of bitching about the people who bitch about the show!

I wouldn't miss it for the world. Picking at despondent people grasping at straws for validation and respect on the interwebs can be fun.

 

[XCV330]

It is not the same and not the thing being discussed, but I'm glad you brought up the Heisenberg uncertainty principle. That is indeed well handled in TNG. Transporters have Heisenberg Compensators; that is black box solution to the issue, it is an indication that the writers understand the problem and realise it should be somehow resolved in order the technology to work, and they indicate that there is a solution, but do not try to explain is further, as any explanation would probably seem like rubbish.

I always thought the Heisenberg Compenstator sounded dumb, but that's just me, as does inertial dampeners. Maybe they also have a Maxwell's Demon Killer and a Entropy Overrider somewhere on board as well. Don't care. Still don't care.

They are just avoiding technobabble, as far as I can tell, which is good. They could have have had the Architect from Matrix 2 pop in and start talking for 20 minutes about how the mycellium network evolved from a very ancient form of the fungi which developed a peculiar property of it's kinesin proteins being able to ride through quantum vaccuum using some heretofore unknown property of the Casimir effect, and from that they are able to grow vastly by intertellar panspermia to all worlds that have suitable growing area for the prototaxes, the the avantage of which is that with suitable methodogoly, a vechicle can ride along the mycellium hugging cosmic strings that leverage dark energy to form Einstein-Rosen bridges accessing any point in 4 dimensions provided that one has the ability to communicate coordinates with it in a way that the mycellium will understand and allow. But why bother. One can use one's imagination or just throw their cup and the screen and yell "No fungus!"

 

[Vger23]

I always thought the Heisenberg Compenstator sounded dumb, but that's just me, as does inertial dampeners. Maybe they also have a Maxwell's Demon Killer and a Entropy Overrider somewhere on board as well. Don't care. Still don't care.

They are just avoiding technobabble, as far as I can tell, which is good. They could have have had the Architect from Matrix 2 pop in and start talking for 20 minutes about how the mycellium network evolved from a very ancient form of the fungi which developed a peculiar property of it's kinesin proteins being able to ride through quantum vaccuum using some heretofore unknown property of the Casimir effect, and from that they are able to grow vastly by intertellar panspermia to all worlds that have suitable growing area for the prototaxes, the the avantage of which is that with suitable methodogoly, a vechicle can ride along the mycellium hugging cosmic strings that leverage dark energy to form Einstein-Rosen bridges accessing any point in 4 dimensions provided that one has the ability to communicate coordinates with it in a way that the mycellium will understand and allow. But why bother. One can use one's imagination or just throw their cup and the screen and yell "No fungus!"

Hahaha! Well played.

"No FUNGUS!"

"No GRIMDARK!"

No NONCANON!!"

 

[XCV330]

Hahaha! Well played.

"No FUNGUS!"

"No GRIMDARK!"

No NONCANON!!"

"Well.. 8:30, time to put on mah MAGA hat and hate me some Discovery. Got my youtube commentin keyboard all ready"

 

[Vger23]

"Well.. 8:30, time to put on mah MAGA hat and hate me some Discovery. Got my youtube commentin keyboard all ready"

Stop it!! I have a RIGHT to complain about grimdark notmytrek shows. You're trying to deny me basic human rights by using logic and reason to counterpoint my heavily biased, predetermined and unwavering dislike!!

HOW DARE YOU!!

 

[BillJ]

I wouldn't miss it for the world. Picking at despondent people grasping at straws for validation and respect on the interwebs can be fun.

You seem awfully needy of someone to make fun of.