Spoilers Star Trek: Strange New Worlds 1x06 - "Lift Us Where Suffering Cannot Reach"

[Noname Given]

An 8.

Like others, for me, this was the episode so far that I enjoyed the least; but no, it wasn't at all bad; and I gave it an 8 because overall I LOVE that at the end there's no 'miracle solution' for the issue - and it's really not entirely a black or white thing. Yes, he is suffering and will die young; but is that any worse then letting a child suffer and die in poverty when society can do a lot to mitigate and prevent it; but chooses not to by prioritizing other things? The child's willing sacrifice allows everyone else in his society to prosper.

Yes there is a question of whether one so young can understand enough to consent, but also show he's highly intelligent to the point he understands a lot and they don't pull any punches in that the child is absolutely frightened when the time comes; but in the end still does consent. The other frightening aspect is that they show (by Alora mentioning the next First Servant's sex) that they are already grooming and preparing his replacement.

But again, loved the matter of fact stance where is shows that Yes, Pike is aghast, and outraged, and will report what he knows to the Federation; but as the planet is not, and isn't interested in becoming part of the Federation, its honestly just a futile gesture on his part.

But yeah, I love that while the episode here presents an issue, it lets the viewer weigh the pros, cons, and consequences for themselves. It shows Pike's personal and 100% understandable reaction, (and probably the one question Pike might have internally is: Did the child REALLY have the honest option of choosing his fate - like Pike did one year earlier, or is the child just groomed to believe he ever had an actual choice?); but it really doesn't 'preach' to the audience that there's one right/available solution given the totality of the circumstances and situation.

So yeah, an 8. The least enjoyable episode to date for me - but still a very good episode in a group of absolute gems so far.

This show BETTER get renewed for a Season 3 SOON!

 

[Lord Garth]

It's also hard to believe given how many unused TOS/Phase 2 scripts were used in TNG's first two seasons out of desperation for anything and then even later on when stories were needed. This story had been sitting around for over 50 years and never got used in all the times they were desperate for a story to make an episode?

I've seen some of the story concepts Gene Roddenberry thought up in 1964 in his pitch for Star Trek. Not all of them ended up being used.

There were also only three episodes from Phase II that were ever turned into episodes or a movie. "In Thy Image", "The Child", and "Devil's Due". Some story elements from the other 10 episodes of Phase II made their way into TNG eventually, but not whole episodes.

It seems to me like after TNG reintroduced the concepts from TOS they wanted to reintroduce, they were constantly trying to brainstorm new stuff during the first three seasons, and then building off of what they already had during the last four. By the time you get to DS9, VOY, and ENT, those early TOS Pitches and Phase II story outlines were forgotten about.

So, yes, I can believe there are unused ideas for episodes or concepts that SNW can use. How good they are is a different story. I don't remember the unused ideas offhand, but there has to be a diamond in the rough. Memory Alpha has a list of ideas there were unused.

 

[shapeshifter]

This actually brings to mind a very good question. How DOES Alora know that the kid suffers? It doesn't seem like there's an opportunity to unplug one and ask them. For all they know the machine floods the kid with dopamine and other feel-good drugs.

The look on his face wasn't one of Peace and Contentment. ()

t's also a very direct comparison to today, when we have a variety of problems with society that hurt children more (gun control, foster care, SNAP, etc) that society is unwilling to fix.

Gop hardlines on gun control are comparable to ancient acts of sacrificing children to Molech.

 

[valkyrie013]

Knew Alora wasn't all good from moment 1. But that was the writings fault, well tread trope.

You grow up in a society, saying it's a great gift to be chisen, but they also do know it's pretty much sacrificing them. Old adage, sacrifice 1 to save a 1000? ..

Or in trek lingo.. Needs of they many outweigh the needs of the few.. Or the one.

Would have been .. Well.. Heart wrenching for a major B plot was if MBenga had to make a choice.. Beam his daughter down and them cure her, but never see her again. Or continue what he's doing with maybe no hope at the end.
He'd know shed be alive and well but gone.. Hard choices

 

[Belz...]

It can be.

I'm sure it can. I just don't think there's much reason to speculate as to their reasons. There are several possibilities.

So? I wasn't counting. Sorry, Captain Contrary.

More like Captain Pedantic. My kind of captain!

Horak not being part of the main cast is something I'm 100% fine with. In a perfect world, actors would only appear in a given episode if there was a story reason for them. That's why I think a lot of the frequent recurring characters from DS9 (Garak, Nog, Martok, etc.) are so highly regarded - they only appeared when there was a story reason for them to be there, and the writers never had to construct "filler scenes" for contractual reasons.

I've said it before but although I've so far enjoyed all the characters, I think SNW's a bit hampered by a cast of characters too large for its format. It feels like there should be 2 fewer main characters.

It's also hard to believe given how many unused TOS/Phase 2 scripts were used in TNG's first two seasons out of desperation for anything and then even later on when stories were needed.

Didn't they end up only using two?

 

[Kelso]

Just saw this on IMDB:
"This is a new script based upon an unused TOS script by Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry."

If that were true they'd be promoting the shit out of the Roddenberry connection.

 

[Lord Garth]

Didn't they end up only using two?

Three. Two were used for TNG, but the pilot episode became TMP.

 

[valkyrie013]

So.. The phasers cost $8000 Canadian to make? So that's.. What $5 American?

Prop guy saying.. We needed to stick close to Tos props... ... Wish the ship designers \producers thought that way..

 

[TRON JA307020]

I gave this a 7. It was not bad but I wish we got more on why they need to use a kid. Will their society really crumble? Is I a sacrificial thing? I suspect their machines won't work but that also makes little sense because it can't be plugged into everything. Other than that good ep but not great.

 

[TRON JA307020]

Admiral Dougherty has entered the chat.

What does that even mean?

 

[Yistaan]

What does that even mean?

Dougherty from Star Trek Insurrection was willing to use all kinds of illegal methods to gain the healing powers of the Ba'ku. Presumably he'd be fine with the tortured kid thing that Alora's planet has going as long as the Fed has access to their healing powers.

 

[valkyrie013]

Would have been a good episode to re introduce the cloud minders with the floating cities.

 

[IMC Headquarters]

This one also reminds me of the 80's Twilight Zone story "Examination Day" about a kid being tested and culled if they were too bright. That was believed to have protected the status quo.

Also reminded of the repair station which fixed the NX-01, but secretly took Travis Mayweather to help power it.

The First Servant had second thoughts near the end, but he was conditioned too well to give in to those. How quickly does the machinery go through children? One every month? Six months? One year? Are some children like carbon batteries and others alkaline?

This is densely horrific stuff.

 

[TRON JA307020]

Dougherty from Star Trek Insurrection was willing to use all kinds of illegal methods to gain the healing powers of the Ba'ku. Presumably he'd be fine with the tortured kid thing that Alora's planet has going as long as the Fed has access to their healing powers.

Ah ok. I thought you were referencing me in some way. Lol. I cleared up my last sentence in my earlier post to make it clearer. Lol.

 

[Charles Phipps]

Even the Jedi over at that other star franchise had no problems using clones as slaves.

Which is relevant here: can someone voluntarily be a slave? The clones being willing and eager participants in the Clone Wars.

(answer: Yes. However, it provides the illusion of consent)

 

[fireproof78]

They had different issues. I was happy to see another cloud city exist.

Yup. Nice to see more than one type exists.

 

[Yistaan]

Which is relevant here: can someone voluntarily be a slave? The clones being willing and eager participants in the Clone Wars.

(answer: Yes. However, it provides the illusion of consent)

The clones were conditioned that fighting for the Republic was honorable, selfless, heroic, etc. Also chronologically due to age acceleration they were actually the same age as the kid here on Trek. Who also was conditioned that being tortured was honorable, selfless, heroic, etc. The parallels are almost exact.

 

[IMC Headquarters]

If Naboo and Dinotopia had a child...

 

[Yistaan]

If Naboo and Dinotopia had a child...

On the topic of Naboo--Before the prequels we were under the impression that Jedi were trained after they reached 18 or something. The prequels showing that it started much younger brought child endangerment into the mix and it made the Jedi look not very good at all.

 

[fireproof78]

On the topic of Naboo--Before the prequels we were under the impression that Jedi were trained after they reached 18 or something. The prequels showing that it started much younger brought child endangerment into the mix and it made the Jedi look not very good at all.

Yup. The Jedi are not good in the PT.