Spoilers Star Trek: Discovery 2x07 - "Light and Shadows"

[Rahul]

Agreed. A number of us had discussed this up thread. There are some possible scenarios where it's not as cringeworthy as it first sounds. Perhaps Leland ran an operation that went south and a byproduct was that some people, including her parents, were killed rather than them being the direct targets. Even that is still very small universe.

I didn't have problems with her other connections, but this was one too far I thought!

To be honest - I don't think it's each individual case. It's the sum of them.
Like, if we had another character that has a tragic, unexplained past, and then we have an evil superspy on the show - I really wouldn't mind if they were connected. I think the original sin is connecting her this close to the franchises most popular character - Spock's adopted sister - in such a forced way. And once you put a spotlight on this trope - every single instance is going to be looked at critical, and if they continue to pile up at this rate, it's going to be laughable soon.

I really wish Leeland would have had this connection to another character - say, Stamets or Pike's past (in fact - him being responsible for something bad in Pike's past would actually make perfectly sense, them already having a backstory together).

I really think "Burnham as the main character of the show" should be more executed as "her doing the most important stuff every episode". Like early TNG-Riker was always the one doing the action, beaming down and stuff. And NOT "Burnham habving a personal backstory with every character and event in the show". That's okay for a few, limited instances. But every single one multiplies the weight on suspension of disbelief - it becomes harder and harder to take her backstory serious - and that's really not a burden you should put on your friggin' main character.

 

[CommanderRaytas]

She really doesn't, though.

 

[Manchester]

Check out Big Bang Theory on CBS AA and you'll see they are between 19 and 20 minutes. Makes me raise a clenched fist to the heavens and scream, "KHHAAANNNN!"

The less The Big Bang Theory the better.

 

[SJGardner]

Precisely. We're following these people, so the things that happen to them are related to them a lot of the times. It would be like watching Sisko go through his day not having anything to do with events unfolding around him. He actually became part Prophet, destined to save the universe or some shit. And then people complain that stuff is actually sort of connected to one of the focus characters in the new show? Give me a break.

In the next Trek series, we should follow the adventures of Captain John Everyman, captain of the Excelsior-class USS Nondescript that always either ferries dignitaries of the week or gets dispatched to reinforce the Neutral Zone, the Cardassian DMZ, Deep Space Nine, etc. Every episode would conclude with the ship arriving at the scene, only to find that the Enterprise-D or DS9 has already resolved the episode's conflict all by themselves.

 

[CommanderRaytas]

In the next Trek series, we should follow the adventures of Captain John Everyman, captain of the Excelsior-class USS Nondescript that always either ferries dignitaries of the week or gets dispatched to reinforce the Neutral Zone, the Cardassian DMZ, Deep Space Nine, etc. Every episode would conclude with the ship arriving at the scene, only to find that the Enterprise-D or DS9 has already resolved the episode's conflict all by themselves.

LOL

They'd find something else to complain about. "Why does nothing ever happen on this show? I don't want to watch some irrelevant morons just cruising through space for no discernible reason! That's boring!"

 

[eschaton]

Precisely. We're following these people, so the things that happen to them are related to them a lot of the times. It would be like watching Sisko go through his day not having anything to do with events unfolding around him. He actually became part Prophet, destined to save the universe or some shit. And then people complain that stuff is actually sort of connected to one of the focus characters in the new show? Give me a break.

I think DS9 built up Sisko a little bit too damn much in the final seasons. At the same time, even though he was by far the most ridiculously jumped up/epic of the Trek leads, there were tons of episodes where he barely even mattered, and you just had a three-minute scene with him in his office before cutting to a Ferengi comedy or something of the sort.

Actually DS9 is a great example of how you can make your lead integral to the arc of the show without making sure they have the most lines in every single episode.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

In the next Trek series, we should follow the adventures of Captain John Everyman, captain of the Excelsior-class USS Nondescript that always either ferries dignitaries of the week or gets dispatched to reinforce the Neutral Zone, the Cardassian DMZ, Deep Space Nine, etc. Every episode would conclude with the ship arriving at the scene, only to find that the Enterprise-D or DS9 has already resolved the episode's conflict all by themselves.

LOL

They'd find something else to complain about. "Why does nothing ever happen on this show? I don't want to watch some irrelevant morons just cruising through space for no discernible reason! That's boring!"

A Trek "show about nothing".

 

[SJGardner]

A Trek "show about nothing".

It could be like the 'everybody looks at the cloud' sequence from TMP, only for seven seasons, and they'd only watch the star streaks as they're waiting to arrive at their destination.

 

[Hythlodeus]

In the next Trek series, we should follow the adventures of Captain John Everyman, captain of the Excelsior-class USS Nondescript that always either ferries dignitaries of the week or gets dispatched to reinforce the Neutral Zone, the Cardassian DMZ, Deep Space Nine, etc. Every episode would conclude with the ship arriving at the scene, only to find that the Enterprise-D or DS9 has already resolved the episode's conflict all by themselves.

I'd pay real money to see that show happening.

 

[CommanderRaytas]

I think DS9 built up Sisko a little bit too damn much in the final seasons. At the same time, even though he was by far the most ridiculously jumped up/epic of the Trek leads, there were tons of episodes where he barely even mattered, and you just had a three-minute scene with him in his office before cutting to a Ferengi comedy or something of the sort.

Actually DS9 is a great example of how you can make your lead integral to the arc of the show without making sure they have the most lines in every single episode.

You seem to forget that back then, TV shows had a lot of filler episodes, which is no longer the case with DSC. Also, come on, that's cutting one show slack and not the other. In no way, shape or form is Michael the sole focus of anything, nor does she do the most. If anything, the most special character who saves the day by being extra super special is Stamets (who is my darling), and I have yet to see people complain about how important he is to the plot.

 

[oberth]

In the next Trek series, we should follow the adventures of Captain John Everyman, captain of the Excelsior-class USS Nondescript that always either ferries dignitaries of the week or gets dispatched to reinforce the Neutral Zone, the Cardassian DMZ, Deep Space Nine, etc. Every episode would conclude with the ship arriving at the scene, only to find that the Enterprise-D or DS9 has already resolved the episode's conflict all by themselves.

a two parter how some anamoly prevents them from replicating toilet paper and their heroic attempts to solve the problem while still heroicly delivering crucial laxatives to omega diarreah VII

 

[eschaton]

You seem to forget that back then, TV shows had a lot of filler episodes, which is no longer the case with DSC.

The Ferengi episodes were not filler! They were often great.

Also, come on, that's cutting one show slack and not the other. In no way, shape or form is Michael the sole focus of anything, nor does she do the most. If anything, the most special character who saves the day by being extra super special is Stamets (who is my darling), and I have yet to see people complain about how important he is to the plot.

I mean yeah, you're right. Michael is really taking a backseat this season compared to the last. Since the first episode, she really hasn't been doing the "hero" thing much, and been more of a supporting character except for the whole "Spock arc." I mean Saru has gotten two episodes which were unquestionably "his" to date. Basically a lot of the season is Burnham-adjacent, but she's no longer the plot fulcrum.

 

[CommanderRaytas]

a two parter how some anamoly prevents them from replicating toilet paper and their heroic attempts to solve the problem while still heroicly delivering crucial laxatives to omega diarreah VII

And then they get there and the crisis solved itself, and nobody was connected to anything. Ever. At all. In no shape or form. They don't say anything, either.

(The Ferengi episodes are great IMHO, but they're still mostly filler. )

 

[Kirk Prime]

So one minor point. I'm personally not a fan of Tilly. She doesn't seem to have the makeup of a Starfleet officer. I think she is more like a funny co-worker at best, but her character belongs on a sitcom, not Starfleet.

However, she made one observation that I had never noticed, and it's 100 percent right.

Everything does sound cooler when you stick the word "time" in front of it.

It's almost like the "in bed" joke with fortune cookies.

 

[Alan Roi]

a two parter how some anamoly prevents them from replicating toilet paper and their heroic attempts to solve the problem while still heroicly delivering crucial laxatives to omega diarreah VII

Isn't thsk kind of what Lower Decks is going to be?

 

[SJGardner]

a two parter how some anamoly prevents them from replicating toilet paper and their heroic attempts to solve the problem while still heroicly delivering crucial laxatives to omega diarreah VII

In the season finale, we'd follow the crew as they're anxiously waiting for Starfleet to decide who gets assigned to conduct the planetary survey of Sector 47... will Captain Everyman and the mediocre crew of the USS Nondescript succeed or will the USS Nemesis, commanded by Everyman's old Academy bully Captain Obnoxious Rivalman deny them yet another chance to prove themselves?

 

[Vger23]

In the next Trek series, we should follow the adventures of Captain John Everyman, captain of the Excelsior-class USS Nondescript that always either ferries dignitaries of the week or gets dispatched to reinforce the Neutral Zone, the Cardassian DMZ, Deep Space Nine, etc. Every episode would conclude with the ship arriving at the scene, only to find that the Enterprise-D or DS9 has already resolved the episode's conflict all by themselves.

I'd pay real money to see that show happening.

I honestly think there are fans who would eat it up. People seem more interested in Star Trek being "real" than it being "entertaining"

 

[Timelord79 (he/him)]

Everything does sound cooler when you stick the word "time" in front of it.
.

I am pretty sure that's a joke about "The Cage" where they put time in front of everything (Time warp, Time barrier,...) and Pike pretends like he doesn't know what she is talking about when she says it.

 

[Tuskin38]

Apparently most, if not all of the extras playing background technicians were women in this episode.

Interesting

 

[fireproof78]

The Ferengi episodes were not filler! They were often great.

The two are not mutually exclusive.