Spoilers First impressions

[Vger23]

This really rewrites "Journey to Babel". It wasn't so much about Starfleet, but Spock's refusal to follow in Sarek's footsteps. It really doesn't make any sense within the context of "Journey...". Designed to show that Spock and Sarek were different people with different views of the world (like many fathers and sons). Something that carried all the way through to "Unification", where we learn that Spock openly opposed Sarek on how to deal with the Cardassians.

It is problematic when trying to rewrite a fifty-plus year old story to try and cram in a character that was never there to begin with. "But Sybok!!!", they didn't try to rewrite Spock to fit him in, we already knew Spock felt himself as an outcast from episodes like "Journey..." and "Yesteryear".

In practice, the whole connection was designed to give Michael Burnham instant credibility with fandom. For me it failed, though it all is a "mileage may vary" type of situation.

With season three, the cord is being cut and hopefully Michael Burnham can stand on her own as a character.

Hmmm...I guess I never really thought of it that way. I sort of accepted it as the "behind the story / additional info you never knew" take on what happened, and I thought it worked well in that context. It made me feel like it was less Sarek just being stubborn and more like that there were some deep regrets that led to the fall-out. It didn't really change my perception of Michael...but it did change my perception of Sarek, and I thought in a way that enriched the character.

Like you said, YMMV certainly. It was, without a doubt, a risky thing to play around with and therefore can be polarizing. I actually think "Lethe" is one of my favorite S1 episodes because it was a moderate departure from the war / MU stuff, so it felt unique.

EDIT: I'm also one of those contrarians who likes Sybok too, though....so there is that.

 

[fireproof78]

The truth is Bryan Fuller wanted them bald and to look more alien and vicious.

Which is the best part of his designs, in my opinion. Klingons were too human like for my tastes in Berman era.

 

[BillJ]

Which is the best part of his designs, in my opinion. Klingons were too human like for my tastes in Berman era.

I really like the Abrams version from Into Darkness.

 

[fireproof78]

I really like the Abrams version from Into Darkness.

Same here. I also liked the jacketed ones from the deleted scenes in ST 09.

 

[NCC-73515]

I like the helmets (as you can see XD)

 

[fireproof78]

I like the helmets (as you can see XD)

The visibility is not great...but I love them any way

 

[XCV330]

This really rewrites "Journey to Babel". It wasn't so much about Starfleet, but Spock's refusal to follow in Sarek's footsteps. It really doesn't make any sense within the context of "Journey...". Designed to show that Spock and Sarek were different people with different views of the world (like many fathers and sons). Something that carried all the way through to "Unification", where we learn that Spock openly opposed Sarek on how to deal with the Cardassians.

It is problematic when trying to rewrite a fifty-plus year old story to try and cram in a character that was never there to begin with. "But Sybok!!!", they didn't try to rewrite Spock to fit him in, we already knew Spock felt himself as an outcast from episodes like "Journey..." and "Yesteryear".

In practice, the whole connection was designed to give Michael Burnham instant credibility with fandom. For me it failed, though it all is a "mileage may vary" type of situation.

With season three, the cord is being cut and hopefully Michael Burnham can stand on her own as a character.

Spoiler

My reasoning is that Sarek become somewhat penitent after what he was willing to do (in some opinions, unethically) against the Klingons in season 1. After losing Burnham, yet another wedge between him and his son, and probably not all that helpful for his relationship with Amanda, Sarek may have doubled down on a more pacifist standpoint, as a diplomat.