Spoilers Star Trek: Discovery 2x01 - "Brother"

[No Grave Dug]

What's the problem? He went from this ...

... to this ...

... to this.

And that last change took place in fifteen minutes of screentime.

And for those who think Nimoy Spock couldn't have a beard:

(Okay, it's Mirror Spock - but hey genetics MUST be similar, right? )

 

[Jackson_Roykirk]

Vulcan warp shuttles are renowned for their efficient barbers.

Barbers? Nah.
The shuttle was equipped with a Flowbee Tube, into which Spock stuck his head for a couple of minutes.

 

[CorporalClegg]

Well, Sybok had a beard.

And there was that one time they showed Tuvie shaving.

 

[No Grave Dug]

Didn't Frank Welker voice Spocks scream in Star Trek III?

He did? Jinkies!

 

[Tuskin38]

Well, Sybok had a beard.

And there was that one time they showed Tuvie shaving.

There was also a Vulcan priest(?) with a beard.

 

[Tim Thomason]

There was also a Vulcan priest(?) with a beard.

We've seen four Vulcans with beards: a Vulcan healer (2237), Spock (2257), a Vulcan master (2270s), and Sybok (2287).

Although, to repeat, bearded Spock *does not* appear in this episode.

 

[UssGlenn]

Based on real life racial, cultural politics, there is nothing non Vulcan about a Vulcan with brown skin having wavy or curly hair. Its a shame Tuvok's wife wore that ridiculous wig but it was the late 20th century TV.

How does real life politics have any bearing on what kind of hair Vulcans have? There's no genetic connection (beyond the "Chase" aliens) between the dark skinned people on Vulcan and on Earth. That makes any parallels coincidental. Considering the massive amount of people on Earth with dark skin and natural straight hair, there's no reason Vulcan can't be the same way.

 

[CorporalClegg]

Also, there was nothing 'racist' about Burnham's hair - at least not from a production standpoint. It was meant as a visual representation of her character progression.

The straight hair in the pilots was distinctly derivative of Vulcan crops. It was there to show she was still trying to cling to pretending to be Vulcan, which ultimately backfires and lands her in prison.

The whole rest of the season - which is all about her embracing her 'real' self, show her with her (or more specifically, SMG's) natural hair.

 

[Boomer359]

Thought it was wonderful. Pike and Reno are standouts and excellent casting choices.

A number of questions come to mind, though, including:

- What species is Cmdr. Nhan? Whoever ferreted out Barzan earlier upthread seems spot on, but I'd like confirmation.
- Discovery's interior spaces appear comically tremendous. The scene where the camera follows the path of the turbo lift made the ship look cavernously empty and the exit path for the spinney pod things seemed very, very long. Was this something any else noticed?
- In the explanation about where the Enterprise was during the war, did anyone else catch some dialog to the general effect that Enterprise was left out, in part, because it was too powerful? I plan on revisiting this on a re-watch, but it brought to mind the old notion that a Constitution Class had the potential to be, essentially, a weapon of mass destruction, capable of destroying a planet. Not sure if I'm pulling this directly out of my ass, but I seem to remember this sentiment being expressed in Mirror Mirror or In a Mirror, Darkly.
- Not really a question, so much as an observation, but Pike seems to know a lot more about Spock's family than Kirk did later on in the timeline. Makes a decent amount of sense, considering Spock's utter devotion to Pike in The Menagerie.

 

[Jackson_Roykirk]

We've seen four Vulcans with beards: a Vulcan healer (2237), Spock (2257), a Vulcan master (2270s), and Sybok (2287)..

And Mirror Spock.

 

[Tuskin38]

What species is Cmdr. Nhan? Whoever ferreted out Barzan earlier upthread seems spot on, but I'd like confirmation.

There has been no official confirmation

In the explanation about where the Enterprise was during the war, did anyone else catch some dialog to the general effect that Enterprise was left out, in part, because it was too powerful?

One piece of dialogue implies she was left out as a trump card, while another says she was out on her 5 year mission and couldn't get back.

There is a novel coming out that covers what she did for that year, but obviously not canon.

 

[Telltale Hearts of Qo'noS]

Also, there was nothing 'racist' about Burnham's hair - at least not from a production standpoint. It was meant as a visual representation of her character progression.

The straight hair in the pilots was distinctly derivative of Vulcan crops. It was there to show she was still trying to cling to pretending to be Vulcan, which ultimately backfires and lands her in prison.

The whole rest of the season - which is all about her embracing her 'real' self, show her with her (or more specifically, SMG's) natural hair.

I like this read. While forcing the actress to have straight hair for the part can be viewed as racist in the more abstract and philosophical sense beyond the limits of the production, you can give it a nice anti-racist reading as well within the production. Michael goes along with what everyone tells her is right (here we use her trying to be more Vulcan as a metaphor to the black experience of the pressure to 'pass' as less black) by adopting their hairstyles, and learns that not only does it not work, it fantastically doesn't work. It can be a nice little mini-allegory for the racism, which fits in nicely with Star Trek themes.

But for the record, I would have much rather her hair been a form of natural the entire time. If anything, I personally would have loved it if she had Tuvok's haircut during her more Vulcan years before her post-mutiny look.

 

[Manticore]

- Discovery's interior spaces appear comically tremendous. The scene where the camera follows the path of the turbo lift made the ship look cavernously empty and the exit path for the spinney pod things seemed very, very long. Was this something any else noticed?

Absolutely. The turbolift seemed like some weird alien thing until I realized what it was, and I don't think that there are any spaces in that ship large enough for that interior depicted. Ditto the pods; it looked like they launched from the hangar bay, and there isn't enough room back there. Also, you'd think that there'd be an easier way to get to them than taking a shuttle elevator from the hangar to the specific storage bays below the hangar deck.

How does real life politics have any bearing on what kind of hair Vulcans have? There's no genetic connection (beyond the "Chase" aliens) between the dark skinned people on Vulcan and on Earth. That makes any parallels coincidental. Considering the massive amount of people on Earth with dark skin and natural straight hair, there's no reason Vulcan can't be the same way.

The show is made on 21st century Earth, so the biases of the writers and our culture still come into play and have to be considered. I'd assumed that the poster who raised the point originally was talking about the racism of the production, not Sarek's family.

 

[Telltale Hearts of Qo'noS]

- In the explanation about where the Enterprise was during the war, did anyone else catch some dialog to the general effect that Enterprise was left out, in part, because it was too powerful? I plan on revisiting this on a re-watch, but it brought to mind the old notion that a Constitution Class had the potential to be, essentially, a weapon of mass destruction, capable of destroying a planet. Not sure if I'm pulling this directly out of my ass, but I seem to remember this sentiment being expressed in Mirror Mirror or In a Mirror, Darkly.

I think the meaning was that they wanted to keep the Enterprise out of the conflict partly because it was so far away but also because it was powerful in name; that the Enterprise should sit out the war because it would be devastating to morale for them to lose it. I don't think the Enterprise itself is any super powered ship by any means. All big Starfleet ships can destroy planets, really. I mean, those photon torpedos do huge amounts of damage to terrestrial targets.

 

[Attentiveluke]

wait, I'm confused. So, you're already bored with a storyline that used up 5 minutes of this episode, which is actualöy not that much and less than the usual B-Plot of 90s Trek, BUT you want more substance over style? Are you sure you can handle more substance, because I'm afraid you might get bored with that even faster.

I’m bored because I prefer episodic trek that gets to the point then conclusion within 45 minutes instead if dragging what may be a poor storyline out over a whole season. That’s part of what made season one so bad. I’m not keen on the walking dead style on storytelling ie long and drawn out. I want substance in the story not retconned rubbish with Burnham.

I don't take anything you say seriously.

Thanks

 

[Tallguy]

Wouldn't Burnham wearing Vulcan styles be cultural appropriation?

 

[Tim Thomason]

And Mirror Spock.

And mirror Sarek and mirror Soval, but I was disregarding the mirror universe.

 

[Manchester]

Not a fan of this serialised approach on Star Trek. I’m already getting bored of the red angels storyline and there is as many as 14 episodes about it to go. I found myself cringing at everything that came out of Tilly’s mouth. I didn’t need to see what seemed like 20 minutes of flashbacks about Spock and Burnham. The only plus is the visuals; style over substance.

2/10

I do find myself missing the episode of the week format with occasional two and three parters. I kinda feel the same way about the Red Angel thing. I’ll still watch but I just hope it turns out to be a good payoff. I agree with your opinion of Tilly. I liked her in the first season but this was too much for me.

 

[DaveyNY]

Loved it.
Gave it an 8.
So many things to take in with just one viewing, that I'm going to have to save any further comment till I've digested it better with a couple more.

I will say this though...
I have a feeling that folks speculating about Spock and Michael having a 'sexual fling' are aiming in the right direction, but missing the mark.

I think this is going to hinge on the fact that Spock ends up seeing Burnham in that kind of light, due to hitting Vulcan Puberty and attempting to calm his first experience with the "Seven Year Itch" so to speak.

The attempt completely backfires as Michael will undoubtedly end up rejecting Spock's advances (due more to ignorance than displeasure) and the ensuing confusion between the two of them about the incident will create the acrimony we see being played out now.

This would also explain why she is VERY reluctant to discuss it with Sarek.

(I course I've been completely wrong in several of my guesses in the past, so what's one more shot in the dark)

 

[Jadeb]

Some costuming thoughts:

The updated Tholian Web-style spacesuits were AMAZING. The show nailed those and Spock's quarters. Made me more hopeful they can modernize the Enterprise bridge in an appealing and respectful way.

They really gave poor Anson no breathing room at all in that Enterprise tunic, did they? The spacesuits weren't much more forgiving. No seconds in the commissary for this cast.

I still thought the Enterprise tunics had too many lines and conspicuous seams. Didn't really add anything, IMO. Especially the detailing on the back. I actually found myself distracted by it at one point. I get that they're bridging the Discovery and Enterprise uniforms, but I don't think the transition has to be quite that literal.

If it were up to me, I'd get rid of the weird black scarf collar on the Enterprise uniforms, too. It just looked strange on Pike at points, like it was gapping open. A black undershirt is simpler and better.