News Frakes: I Forgot How To Act

[Lord Garth]

Well it could be that they legitimately think Discovery could be more optimistic and upbeat. I certainly think we could see them coming to that conclusion regardless of what the internet had to say. The story arcs so far have been existential fights for survival, while shady elements of the Federation plan genocides and commit torture. Without any internet scouring, I could see how you might think lightening up is the way to go. I'd certainly like to see a season focused on exploration, so I'm happy with it, although I mostly suspect it's just one of those marketing catchphrases without a lot of real meaning.

Kind of like how every Star Trek series (excluding Picard) is "closer to the original".

DS9 --> Character conflict. A whole new Quadrant opened up! "More like the original!"
VOY --> A ship far away from home and all alone in unexplored space. "More like the original!"
ENT --> A ship all alone in unexplored space, everything is new, and no technobabble. "More like the original!"
DSC --> Characters who don't get along and act grittier. Not as pristine. "More like the original!"

Or like how every Star Trek movie during the Berman Era was "the best since The Wrath of Khan!" I even heard this for Generations.

So I don't put a whole lot of stock in "closer to Gene's Vision!", "more like TOS!", or "the best since TWOK!"

But I do hope this new setting allows for DSC to explore some ideas Gene Roddenberry had that were never fully developed or fully realized. I think it still puts the show firmly in Gene Roddenberry territory, even if it's not Traditional Star Trek.

 

[Bad Thoughts]

DS9 --> Character conflict. A whole new Quadrant opened up! "More like the original!"

When Paramount was first doing publicity for DS9, there was no real attempt to make it seem more like TOS. What Piller was promising in interviews was more diversity, and more exploration of how people work through diversity, that was an expansion on the politics that seemed present in TNG. Being more like DS9 is an argument that came afterward, when the show came more under the leadership of Behr and influence of Moore.

 

[Lord Garth]

When Paramount was first doing publicity for DS9, there was no real attempt to make it seem more like TOS. What Piller was promising in interviews was more diversity, and more exploration of how people work through diversity, that was an expansion on the politics that seemed present in TNG. Being more like DS9 is an argument that came afterward, when the show came more under the leadership of Behr and influence of Moore.

"Moore like TOS!"

 

[Agony_Boothb]

You know I can see Frakes forgetting how to act, considering during the seven seasons of TNG he seemed to have forgotten how to sit down in a chair correctly.

 

[skip bittman]

In an era of ridiculous headlines, this one has to be one of my favorites.

 

[Q2UnME]

In an era of ridiculous headlines, this one has to be one of my favorites.

Oh I agree. Every time I read it, my immediate thought is" well, that implies he knew how to act in the first place!"

 

[Noname Given]

Well it could be that they legitimately think Discovery could be more optimistic and upbeat. I certainly think we could see them coming to that conclusion regardless of what the internet had to say. The story arcs so far have been existential fights for survival, while shady elements of the Federation plan genocides and commit torture. Without any internet scouring, I could see how you might think lightening up is the way to go. I'd certainly like to see a season focused on exploration, so I'm happy with it, although I mostly suspect it's just one of those marketing catchphrases without a lot of real meaning.

Who knows - in the run up to Season 2 they stated the story would have a MAJOR religious undertone; but in executing it in that regard, they felt it wasn't working (for whatever reason) and did rewrites and reshoots (pretty much tacitly confirmed by Anson Mount at his STLV 2019 panel - although not directly...)

My point? They won't know until everything's shot and "in the can".

 

[CorporalClegg]

Is it possible for one to forget that which he never learned?

 

[PixelMagic]

I love Frakes. As a director. His character of Riker was never compelling for me. That's more the writer's fault I guess. But his acting never really stood out to me either.

 

[Longinus]

I love Frakes. As a director. His character of Riker was never compelling for me. That's more the writer's fault I guess. But his acting never really stood out to me either.

I used to think this, but then I saw Voyager, and understood how good even the weakest characters on TNG were in comparison.

 

[fireproof78]

Or like how every Star Trek movie during the Berman Era was "the best since The Wrath of Khan!" I even heard this for Generations.

So I don't put a whole lot of stock in "closer to Gene's Vision!", "more like TOS!", or "the best since TWOK!"

Largely because that's a ridiculous standard. Things trying to be like TWOK is how we got First Contact, Nemesis and yes even the Kelvin films. The mixed levels of success just goes to show that we don't need things to be trying to ape the best thing.

 

[Delta Vega]

Wooden actor declares he's forgotten how to act

Who'd have thought it ?

 

[Lord Garth]

Wooden actor declares he's forgotten how to act

Who'd have thought it ?

Riker (standing at an angle): Shields up! Red Alert! Captain PIcard to the bridge!!

Picard: Report, Number One.

Riker: They caught us unexpected.

Geordi: Technobabble, technobabble, technobabble.

Worf: Shields down to 59%.

Data: Captain, I recommend technobabble, techobabble, technobabble.

Riker: That ought to do it.

Picard: Make it so!

Data: Technobabble, technobabble, technobabble!

Worf: Captain, we are being hailed.

Riker: That did the trick.

Picard: Open a channel.

Alien of the Week: Roar! Blah! Blah! Blah!

Picard: Mute audio, Lieutenant.

Worf: Aye, sir.

Picard: Counselor?

Troi: He's hiding something.

This practically writes itself! Riker basically does nothing but act like a fifth wheel.

 

[CorporalClegg]

Largely because that's a ridiculous standard. Things trying to be like TWOK is how we got First Contact, Nemesis and yes even the Kelvin films. The mixed levels of success just goes to show that we don't need things to be trying to ape the best thing.

Well WOK is pretty generic and cookie-cutter in and of itself, even for 1982.

 

[Bad Thoughts]

Wooden actor declares he's forgotten how to act

Who'd have thought it ?

Does that mean the shit-face grin is natural?

 

[fireproof78]

Well WOK is pretty generic and cookie-cutter in and of itself, even for 1982.

It is but it also was the m ok...i st successful making producers fearful to do too much new.

 

[Prax]

Riker isn't wooden... Dull, maybe... Once he got fat. Before that, he's over the top, flamboyant, even. Not wooden

Also, I've conducted research on the similarities between First Contact, and The Wrath of Khan. Here are my findings:

They both are Star Trek
They both have space(and ships!)
They both have a villain or villains
They were both very successful
They are both movies

 

[Longinus]

Riker isn't wooden... Dull, maybe... Once he got fat. Before that, he's over the top, flamboyant, even. Not wooden

Also, I've conducted research on the similarities between First Contact, and The Wrath of Khan. Here are my findings:

They both are Star Trek
They both have space(and ships!)
They both have a villain or villains
They were both very successful
They are both movies

I don't think they are particularly similar films, however, there is an interesting connection: Moby Dick. They both riff on it; on First Contact it is even explicitly mentioned. They're both stories about people obsessed with vengeance, but because in one the villain is 'Captain Ahab' and in the another it is the hero the end result is quite different. Both however have the message that such an obsession is destructive. Picard manages finally to let it go, Khan won't.

Bonus fact: Patrick Stewart also played the actual Captain Ahab on the miniseries version of Moby Dick.

 

[Prax]

True. Another difference is that Picard isn't hunting the Borg and hasn't gone out seeking revenge, but adamantly refuses to abandon his ship to them, and the opportunity for revenge has come to him.

 

[Agony_Boothb]

Riker (standing at an angle): Shields up! Red Alert! Captain PIcard to the bridge!!

Picard: Report, Number One.

Riker: They caught us unexpected.

Geordi: Technobabble, technobabble, technobabble.

Worf: Shields down to 59%.

Data: Captain, I recommend technobabble, techobabble, technobabble.

Riker: That ought to do it.

Picard: Make it so!

Data: Technobabble, technobabble, technobabble!

Worf: Captain, we are being hailed.

Riker: That did the trick.

Picard: Open a channel.

Alien of the Week: Roar! Blah! Blah! Blah!

Picard: Mute audio, Lieutenant.

Worf: Aye, sir.

Picard: Counselor?

Troi: He's hiding something.

This practically writes itself! Riker basically does nothing but act like a fifth wheel.

You forgot the part where Riker hitches his leg up on data's console as an act of dominance and ball-airing