What are your controversial Star Trek opinions?

[Orphalesion]

To be clear, the race angle is not why I think it's the best DS9 episode. That said, doing an episode about racism that's superior to TOS's effort of "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield" in virtually every way imaginable helps make it the best, and helps a lot.

I didn't necessarily say you did, I just wanted to make clear that my dislike of the episode has nothing to do with the race angle. In fact I give it some points for that in that I hate it somewhat less than the Big Goodbye, Fistful of Datas, or 11:59 because it least has some content because of that. I dislike the episode solely because the bulk of it takes place in the 1950s and is about some people who are unrelated to the series I actually want to watch.

OK. That's not what it is. Actually, it's about a vision that Sisko has delivered to him by the Prophets, an experience that begins and ends in the 24th century, but, OK, this is the controversial opinion thread.

Yeah a little framing device. The bulk of the episode is about Benny Russel and his colleagues in the 1950s and is about his struggle.
I'd totally watch a show about the real life events that inspired the episode, but I do not like an episode of DS9 that doesn't think it needs to be DS9 for most of it.

 

[Lord Garth]

The men's fashions and desktop CRT computers with bulky monitor shells are already chuckleworthy but those episodes were spot-on about the Internet, it's global reach and how online sites constantly offer products and discounts in addition to information.

11 months isn't going to make a difference, but it's more fun to do it on the day of.

 

[Tallguy]

Moral of the Story: If you can be replaced as an audience, you have no power. If you can't be replaced, you do.

 

[Turtletrekker]

Controversial Opinion:

I care pretty much 0% that PRO was cancelled and don’t care if no more is made or if the second season never sees the light of day.

Well, I thought Prodigy was consistently amongst the best Star Trek of the modern era, but I have no problem with leaving Chakotay stranded in the future.

 

[JoseNoodles]

Controversial Opinion:

I care pretty much 0% that PRO was cancelled and don’t care if no more is made or if the second season never sees the light of day.

 

[herofhyrule]

I didn't necessarily say you did, I just wanted to make clear that my dislike of the episode has nothing to do with the race angle. In fact I give it some points for that in that I hate it somewhat less than the Big Goodbye, Fistful of Datas, or 11:59 because it least has some content because of that. I dislike the episode solely because the bulk of it takes place in the 1950s and is about some people who are unrelated to the series I actually want to watch.


Yeah a little framing device. The bulk of the episode is about Benny Russel and his colleagues in the 1950s and is about his struggle.
I'd totally watch a show about the real life events that inspired the episode, but I do not like an episode of DS9 that doesn't think it needs to be DS9 for most of it.

Interestingly, I once saw J. Michael Straczynski say much the same thing, with a focus on the various historical holodeck episodes.

I do understand your point. I can see why you dislike them. Personally, I find them to be interesting takes on the characters. They can really give the actors/actresses some room to stretch.

 

[Tallguy]

I actually don't mind the idea of Our Heroes going off and playing dress up nor us getting to watch them, It's Only a Paper Moon is one of the best episodes. Take Me Out to the Holosuite is life affirming.

But I HATE HATE HATE HATE HAAAAAAAAATE when holodeck adventures become potentially lethal or even worse threaten THE WHOLE DAMN SHIP.

 

[Turtletrekker]

I actually don't mind the idea of Our Heroes going off and playing dress up nor us getting to watch them, It's Only a Paper Moon is one of the best episodes. Take Me Out to the Holosuite is life affirming.

But I HATE HATE HATE HATE HAAAAAAAAATE when holodeck adventures become potentially lethal or even worse threaten THE WHOLE DAMN SHIP.

One can give the first time a pass as sometimes technology glitches. But, it gets ridiculous when it happens over and over again. Shut the damn thing down it's obviously dangerous. There are children on the ship.

Honestly, the only time it worked after The Big Goodbye were the Moriarty episodes, and only because it was the unique twist (at least until season 7) of the computer creating a new life form.

 

[Orphalesion]

Interestingly, I once saw J. Michael Straczynski say much the same thing, with a focus on the various historical holodeck episodes.

I do understand your point. I can see why you dislike them. Personally, I find them to be interesting takes on the characters. They can really give the actors/actresses some room to stretch.

I respect that you like them. But...giving the actors/actresses room to stretch...why does that have to be in a Star Trek? I mean shows like...idk...the various CSI shows also didn't include episodes where the characters suddenly were on Space ship or in Medieval Times, so I don't really see the need for it in Star Trek. It comes across as if ScFi needs to be brought down to a "real" show, which I strongly disagree with.

But if you like them, that's great :-) Means you have some episodes to enjoy, that I never will.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

There shouldn't be any limits on art. Star Trek is art, so that goes for Star Trek.

The format of Star Trek was always intended to be open-ended. Go down to into a lab inside the ship, and you never know what you'll find in there. It could be anything from a spatial anomaly that makes everybody sing to a murder mystery, a romance, family drama, space opera, playing cowboys and stagecoach robbers, experiencing a past time stream or alternate reality, genetically engineering fluffy cuddly moopsies, finding a way to combat a planet killer, interacting with a self-proclaimed god. Whatever.

 

[herofhyrule]

I respect that you like them. But...giving the actors/actresses room to stretch...why does that have to be in a Star Trek? I mean shows like...idk...the various CSI shows also didn't include episodes where the characters suddenly were on Space ship or in Medieval Times, so I don't really see the need for it in Star Trek. It comes across as if ScFi needs to be brought down to a "real" show, which I strongly disagree with.

But if you like them, that's great :-) Means you have some episodes to enjoy, that I never will.

To be fair, I think MacGyver once did a medieval episode.

Also, I would argue that part of the appeal of sci-fi is its broad range of ideas. Each episode of Star Trek is certainly, on average, more unique than each episode of a series like CSI.

 

[Richard S. Ta]

I'm sorry you feel that way. I love PRO and think it's fresh and fun. My fondest hope right now is that it gets picked up by Netflix (or someone else with a bigger audience then P+) and ends up running for at least a 3rd season and brings in new, young fans.

Nothing to be sorry about. It’s just how I feel about the majority of TV shows. The only TV show I really wish could go on and on is Doctor Who and I’d be gutted if it was cancelled (again).

Maybe I’m just numb to shows I like getting the axe?

In the case of PRO, I watched the first episode and just never came back. I didn’t hate it by any means, in fact there was a lot to like about it, but I just didn’t feel like I needed more of it.

Only so many hours in a lifetime and all that.

The only other show I might feel miffed about if it was cancelled is For All Mankind. That show deserves a proper conclusion.

I mean shows like...idk...the various CSI shows also didn't include episodes where the characters suddenly were on Space ship or in Medieval Times, so I don't really see the need for it in Star Trek.

It doesn’t hold up as a comparison. CSI doesn’t behave as you describe because the limitations of its genre don’t allow it. In the same way that someone can’t pull out a laser gun in a 15th Century drama.

The range of what can and can’t be done within the genre of science fiction is much wider. CSI doesn’t genre hop, because it can’t. Star Trek does, because it can do so without fundamentally breaking what it is.

Whether or not Star Trek should do all the things it can or could do is another argument altogether, but the ability to genre-hop is a staple feature of science fiction. It’s basically fuel for shows like The Twilight Zone, Doctor Who or indeed, Star Trek.

Obviously YMMV on when a genre hop hops a bit too far.

As to Far Beyond the Stars, I like it but then I quite like episodes like that because they are done so sparsely. Love it or loathe it, but there’s no other episode like it and I think it’s to be applauded that they took risks and tried to do something different.

I wouldn’t like a Far Beyond The Stars in every season, or even in every iteration of the show, but I’m glad we have it. It’s powerful television with an equally powerful (and still very relevant) message.

 

[Farscape One]

I love FOR ALL MANKIND. We got Apple TV free for this month, and I watched all of that and FOUNDATION.

Excellent shows, both of them.

 

[Richard S. Ta]

I love FOR ALL MANKIND. We got Apple TV free for this month, and I watched all of that and FOUNDATION.

Excellent shows, both of them.

I wish I loved Foundation. I like it, but I don’t love it. The second season was a bit aimless in places and incredibly convoluted at times. But then I thought that of the first season but found I enjoyed it more on a rewatch so who knows?

There’s loads of good stuff on Apple TV. Really underrated streamer.

 

[Farscape One]

I wish I loved Foundation. I like it, but I don’t love it. The second season was a bit aimless in places and incredibly convoluted at times. But then I thought that of the first season but found I enjoyed it more on a rewatch so who knows?

There’s loads of good stuff on Apple TV. Really underrated streamer.

I'm not going to add Apple TV once the free month is done. (Mainly because of money, but also because I hate Apple products in general. A pain in the ass and too complicated.)

But I will give them credit for understanding... I mean, really understanding... that streaming shows are NOT constrained to a broadcast timing format. Meaning, an hour long episode really IS an hour long. FOR ALL MANKIND, in particular. I respect that greatly. It was one of my main issues with DISCO season 1... some episodes were even shorter than the usual broadcast amount of time.

 

[Richard S. Ta]

I'm not going to add Apple TV once the free month is done. (Mainly because of money, but also because I hate Apple products in general. A pain in the ass and too complicated.)


But I will give them credit for understanding... I mean, really understanding... that streaming shows are NOT constrained to a broadcast timing format. Meaning, an hour long episode really IS an hour long. FOR ALL MANKIND, in particular. I respect that greatly. It was one of my main issues with DISCO season 1... some episodes were even shorter than the usual broadcast amount of time.

Please, please watch Severance before your subscription runs out. If you watch nothing else, make sure you watch that. It’s one of the best things I’ve seen in years.

 

[HIjol]

Something about Dichen Lachmen as an actor just plain appeals...
Christopher Walken...done!
John Turturro...love him! ("Do not seek the Treasure...")

 

[Citiprime]

Please, please watch Severence before your subscription runs out. If you watch nothing else, make sure you watch that. It’s one of the best things I’ve seen in years.

"Our job is to taste free air. Your so-called boss may own the clock that taunts you from the wall, but, my friends, the hour is yours."

 

[Farscape One]

Please, please watch Severence before your subscription runs out. If you watch nothing else, make sure you watch that. It’s one of the best things I’ve seen in years.

My wife and I are watching TED LASSO now. Just started last night. I won't have enough time to get to SEVERANCE, though.

 

[Coops]

I rewatched and loved SNWs The Serene Squall last night, great episode but....

...I'd forgotten the 'pirate' costumes were bloody awful, really took me out of the story It was as if they'd been discovered in a box labelled 'Generic Baddie Outfits From The 90s That Berman Thinks Are Great'.

Ditto for the crap haircuts too. I'm sure not every future space pirate will want to have long punky hair everywhere, will they?

Captain Angel did redeem the episode though, I must say.