Spoilers Star Trek: Strange New Worlds 3x07 - "What Is Starfleet?"

[Fateor]

The show doesn't say that. You're making an assumption.

The show doesn't have someone directly say that, but indirectly it absolutely does.

He's a young 20 something with no experience, significant skill, backing, or support crew. That doesn't get onto a ship like the Enterprise as a documentarian unless there's some majorly hinky things going on behind the scenes.

 

[Nyotarules]

That would ruin the point.

Why? What was the point?

 

[Firebird]

The show doesn't have someone directly say that, but indirectly it absolutely does.

He's a young 20 something with no experience, significant skill, backing, or support crew. That doesn't get onto a ship like the Enterprise as a documentarian unless there's some majorly hinky things going on behind the scenes.

Then the show needs to actually show us that. If we're having to make these connections afterwards to paper over inconsistencies, that means the episode didn't successfully carry out its job.

This episode needed a tag that gives context for everything we've just seen in-universe. I think it was Sean's review for TrekCulture who pointed out it should've had a scene with members of the Admiralty (perhaps including April) having viewed the documentary and deciding whether or not it would be publicly seen. Right now, all we're doing as the audience is making assumptions.

 

[NCC-73515]

Screencaps gallery now online:

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds ScreenCaps "What is Starfleet?" (S3:E7)

Cygnus-X1.Net: A Tribute to Star Trek

www.cygnus-x1.net

Been checking the last few weeks, glad they're back

 

[FederationHistorian]

Yes? That's kind of the point.

He was a know nothing young 20 something year old who barely knew what he was doing but got onto the Enterprise because he had family in Starfleet.

But it’s not a surprise that favours are used in Starfleet. That’s seen throughout the franchise.

When reviewing the documentary, Starfleet could have decided its not polished enough and demanded a more polished cut. Including reshoots and either an extended or shortened cut. Since they would be aware at how rare an opportunity it would be for the average Federation citizen to be granted access to the Enterprise and what it’s like to serve onboard such a prestigious ship. And therefore, a useful propaganda piece if they need one. Particularly for recruitment.

Instead, they allow it to be released in a state that makes Beto looks bad, and attempts to be a hit piece on Starfleet. And does not put Pike’s Una’s and Erica’s annoyance with the cameras on the cutting room floor. Even if it’s stylistic choice, and their usage is designed to help the audience relate to the crew better, if Starfleet officers are seen as stiffs back home, there are other ways to make its critics more empathetic towards them.

That’s why I’m wondering, in-universe, who is this documentary for?

Why is it even assumed that Beto does not know what he was doing? What if he works in Starfleet Intelligence, and was assigned to check in on them?

 

[BigJake]

Yeah, I gave this one a three out of ten, ultimately. First SNW episode I've personally rated this low. It's a swing and a miss. A potentially good episode buried under amateurish docu-filming gimmicks and featuring a journalist character who is bad at his job, unethical in his approach, insincere in his supposed convictions and generally awful as a person.

(My personal theory is that the reason this mess of footage is being declassified by Starfleet is that Beto is going to get bumped off soon and never gets to fully edit it.)

 

[Bad Thoughts]

Yeah, I gave this one a three out of ten, ultimately. First SNW episode I've personally rated this low. It's a swing and a miss. A potentially good episode buried under amateurish docu-filming gimmicks and featuring a journalist character who is bad at his job, unethical in his approach, insincere in his supposed convictions and generally awful as a person.

(My personal theory is that the reason this mess of footage is being declassified by Starfleet is that Beto is going to get bumped off soon and never gets to fully edit it.)

My personal theory is this was the first episode finished after the strike, and it was a rush job.

 

[Tosk]

My personal theory is this was the first episode finished after the strike, and it was a rush job.

Why would they need to "rush" an episode that won't be seen until two years later?

 

[Bad Thoughts]

Why would they need to "rush" an episode that won't be seen until two years later?

Ask Davey Perez. He said they were rushing, having only completed six episodes on writing before the strike.

ETA: it was also a matter of when they budgeted filming. When the production came back, according to Perez, they were immediately filming. All the episodes needed to be finished for the fil ming deadline, which was in May.

So you can see, when it would show was irrelevant.

 

[ichab]

I LOVED this episode! The idea of what Starfleet is has been one of those fandom questions for years. To me there should have been no doubt that its a military type organization. The entire show is about a naval type ship in space with people that have officer rankings working in a military type structure. The difference is this military is about exploring space as well as their understanding of the universe. Their weapons and shields is for self defense, nothing more. Why this hasn't been more easily understood with certain sections of the fandom is beyond me, but glad we now have this episode in the official canon to hammer the point home.

Beyond the main point of the story, this was also a good character episode. We got to learn more about these people. What this all means to them and why they put up with the long grind day after day for a job that is so dangerous that one wrong decision could lead to their death. We also get the typical journalist who has an ax to grind, but by the end is put in check. This was good on so many levels that I'll be watching it again soon. Bravo to everyone involved who put this episode together!

 

[DaveyNY]

Then the show needs to actually show us that. If we're having to make these connections afterwards to paper over inconsistencies, that means the episode didn't successfully carry out its job.

I don't know about you, but that is something I've been doing for all 59 years of watching the episodes.

It's one of the fun aspects of being a Trek Fan.., making things fit.
I don't want Trek to be perfect, that leaves nothing for one's own imagination to fill in.

 

[Tuskin38]

but indirectly it absolutely does.

No, it doesn't.

 

[Donald G]

The show doesn't have someone directly say that, but indirectly it absolutely does.

He's a young 20 something with no experience, significant skill, backing, or support crew. That doesn't get onto a ship like the Enterprise as a documentarian unless there's some majorly hinky things going on behind the scenes.

Uhura probably put a good word in for him with the Chancellor of Starfleet's Public Relations Bureau, who had an interesting conversation with Beto about commissioning a feature length documentary of Starfleet, as Uhura said she would dosince the Chancellor likes her and because it would annoy Erica, per dialogue in "Wedding Bell Blues" at around 45 and a half minutes into that episode.

That's apparently how Beto got the job, through schmoozing at a party with a high muckety-muck whom Uhura apparently also has a connection to.

Politics. Simple interpersonal politics.

 

[Yoda]

Boring. Cringy stuff like Uhura making whale noises and Beta Ortegas crying about 'colonizers'. Uninteresting attempts to develop uninteresting characters. 4.

 

[firehawk12]

Then the show needs to actually show us that. If we're having to make these connections afterwards to paper over inconsistencies, that means the episode didn't successfully carry out its job.

This episode needed a tag that gives context for everything we've just seen in-universe. I think it was Sean's review for TrekCulture who pointed out it should've had a scene with members of the Admiralty (perhaps including April) having viewed the documentary and deciding whether or not it would be publicly seen. Right now, all we're doing as the audience is making assumptions.

We don't even know who made the FOI request as far as I can remember. How did they find out about this classified mission?

 

[PatB1974]

I'm amazed that he was given that level of access for his "documentary". It wasn't a great episode in my opinion.

 

[Pauln6]

I'm amazed that he was given that level of access for his "documentary". It wasn't a great episode in my opinion.

This was why Pike and his crew were transferred off the Enterprise. The President of the Federation preferred that the public get a more positive view of Starfleet and banned all content that mentioned colonialism that might give a poor view. He also viewed Una and Spock's appointments as DEI and told Pike to get rid of the woman and the guy with the ears.

Pike knew he could only save one of them. The rest is history.

 

[Steve Roby]

But it’s not a surprise that favours are used in Starfleet. That’s seen throughout the franchise.

For everyone who thinks it's crazy that Beto was allowed on the ship and allowed to make his little documentary, let me tell you about this one Starfleet captain who let an unqualified kid serve as a bridge officer because the kid was smart and the captain had a guilt/crush thing for the kid's mom.

Speaking of journalists, decades later, a station commander's kid decides to be a reporter for the Federation News Service and is even allowed to stay in that role on the station by an occupying enemy force.

Star Trek isn't actually very realistic about a whole lot of things. Heck, even the freedom of information screen at the beginning of the episode doesn't feel quite right, based on my very limited knowledge of Canadian access to information and privacy law.

 

[Mudd]

Yep. Avoiding a gaffe like "Flatlined" should be a no-brainer.

 

[Nerys Myk]

We don't even know who made the FOI request as far as I can remember. How did they find out about this classified mission?

Was it classified?