Spoilers Star Trek: Strange New Worlds 1x05 - "Spock Amok"

Oops! Sorry - fixed

 

This was an 8 or so for me, which lets be clear is a good rating. I was expecting an over the top campy romp, so I was presently surprised this wasn't the case. This was amore of lighthearted look at their characters and the swap was an excellent way to see a much more grounded performance, then being broad and over the top (If you can't tell I generally don't like Broad over the top acting, and all). Probably my biggest issue with this episode is that it was to many stories in one episode, I honestly wish they would have just focused on a couple.

On clothing, Trek rarely actually buys clothes off the rack and incorporates them into the future (at least with no alterations). They will take styles of the day and make something or alter something from today. So technically (outside of most time travel episodes, or episodes where a planet has adopted an a specific earth periods look) will they simply go to a store or costume shop and put it on an actor for the show.

 

This was so much fun! I loved all the storylines, particularly Una and La'an playing good cop/ bad cop, M'Benge's funny/ dorky side, and of course the Spock/ T'Pring plot. (Btw, despite everything we know, I still can't help but ship those two crazy kids!)

My favorite scene was probably when they explained the body swap to Pike, "and that's why you were probably confused about our totally different mannerisms," and he was like, uhm, yeah, sure....

It was nice to see the more playful side of M'Benge, Chapel, and Ortegas.
Another 9 for me.

 

I like it too. Other than the leather on the shoulders and arms, looks very similar to the wool knit used on the original wraps. My only notes: loose the black undershirt... show some sexy captain's skin and give it more of a point in the front like the originals.

But the wrap is my favorite uniform and I want to add this one to my uniform collection.

Oh, and I loved this episode. I like a little light-hearted adventure.

 

Yes, I get all that. But the differences were too subtle IMO. I did not notice the differences at all. And if the audience can't tell the difference, then it is not a very effective body swap episode IMO.

 

I'm more concerned after these 2 T'Pring episodes with how they're going to handle Leila Kalomi who should meet Spock around Season 3. From what we knew in TOS, Leila had a shot with Spock but Spock didn't reciprocate because of his Vulcan lifestyle. T'Pring wasn't an issue because as far as we knew she was just someone he hadn't seen much since childhood and he could break off the betrothal at any time.

That all goes out the window now that we see T'Pring involved in an actual ongoing relationship with Spock complete with bedroom action.

 

Point of fact, we still wear the same type of blue jeans that were worn nearly 150 years ago. Also, fashion tends to recycle itself.

 

Rated 4

Weakest episode so far for me. Only the diplomatic storyline really engaged me. Apart from that one the other storylines fell flat for me. The Enterprise Bingo was an interesting idea, but the treatment was very brief and shallow. I didn't even understand wat M'benga arc was, seemed like they thought of something than scrapped it. The one where Spock hit the vulcan rebel to resolve a problem was very lame.

Overall it seemed to me they tried to pack in too many short arcs in a 50 min episodes and ran out of time to do justice to most of them.

 

The two big negatives to the modern streaming era of TV are the short seasons and the long wait between them. On the other hand, many stories have been told of how hellishly difficult it was to produce 26 episodes every year for technically complex shows like Star Trek.

I'd be pretty happy with 18 episodes per season as a compromise.

 

A flirty nurse slapped a clueless Vulcan...

Spoiler

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Was it just me or did the Enterprise look particularly TOS-ish under the bright external lights of Starbase 1?

 

It looks much better when in bright light.
(just like the original did)

 

The following isn't my saying but paraphrasing who I was watching the episode with. I'm not doing anything in this post but paraphrasing what she said while watching this episode with me.

She basically said she's tired of women acting like jerks, yelling and slapping people, and that this somehow passes for strong female characters in our fiction nowadays. I was surprised to hear her say this because to be honest I've felt the same way for some time but didn't want to say anything for fear of being accused of sexist, not supportive of strong female characters, etc. I won't deny I was kind of relieved to hear her say this while watching it (now knowing it wasn't just me feeling this way and that I wasn't having sexist thoughts or whatever since I now know a woman also feels the same way about these portrayals). She said she looked forward to the Pike, M'Benga, and April scenes because the characters acted calmer and more rationally.

For what it's worth she also didn't take well to Raffi and to some degree Seven over at Picard.

And no, she doesn't know anything about TOS (she's relatively new to Trek) and thus has no idea that Chapel existed as a character in the 1960s and thus has no preconceived ideas about Chapel or TOS that would be influencing her opinion.

 

It looked whiter. As the season goes in things might change a bit from the first ep. Even Spocjs sideburns are constantly changing. Lol

 

Heh ... Yeah, but yer missing the point of the used "Title" obsessing over what it's called.

They creators of the challenge didn't want the Senior Staff to know about it, BECAUSE That Is Part Of the Challenge.

The two Ensigns failed miserably.

 

T'Pring insisted that the differences were obvious and you could tell by Pike's expression he was like, "m'kay, if you say so." But as it progressed I saw subtle but notable differences in their behaviors. The way Spock held his/her hands in front of the body, wider-open eyes, vaguely panicked expression. Same with T'Pring as Spock, especially in the reaction to the Vulcan asshole saying, or you're the wierdo who's engaged to that half human abomination (paraphrasing:-) I thought they did an impressive job. They sure would have fooled some of us I guess.

 

My old bugaboo. I watched the original over the air. The Enterprise was WHITE dammit. Just like the rockets of the time.

(I know perfectly well she is battleship grey, I helped Smithsonian restore her). But she was white! White I tell you! Even in deep space light years from a star!

I’m still stuck on the difference between that and modern portrayals. Perhaps she has glow in the dark plating?

 

Or…

It was a playful slap in a episode that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

There are a multitude of other reasons why Chapel is a strong female character. Her professional competence, her charisma and personality, her passion and independence…

Focusing on the slap is missing everything else IMO.

 

If you read my post carefully she was complaining about much more than the slap. Just the overall portrayal in general.

I'm not going to say anymore since she's not here right now for me to ask opinions of directly. Just paraphrasing what she said last night. I'm not going to say much more of my own opinions because I don't want to be defamed as sexist or any other -ist over fictional characters on this board (no I'm not saying you're doing this but the risk of this happening from someone is there).

 

I've known several women who have acted similar to this toward folks they consider Friends during my life.
I've never thought anything less of them.
One can't deny that there are people out there that do this kind of thing.
(both men & women)

It's never really meant to be anything more than a playful reminder that one is being stupid or thick in a particular situation, especially coming from someone who one considers a Friend.
(or friendly acquittance)

While the complaint is a valid one, it's a bit over the top in this particular situation.