David Mack is GUSHING about it...this should settle it

Guys, David Mack is praising Discovery to the Celestial Temple and back. He's seen more than any of us have. He isn't judging it by trailers and interviews. He knows what he's talking about and he's thrilled.

This should end any debate among Trek fans as to whether the show is going to be any good and/or honor the canon and spirit of the original. David Mack isn't just some writer; he's a fan, and a fan who knows his Trek.

Now, this is where some nay-sayers will say that Mack is "just trying to keep his job" to which I answer, "What job?" He doesn't work on the show. And while he's the man who wrote the first DSC tie-in novel, he's not the only one who ever will write one (Dayton Ward is writing the second) nor is he obligated to praise the show like this just because he writes Trek novels. He had no prompting to say what he said other than the oppressing negativity he was seeing on social media. And if he agreed with it but still wanted to be able to write for it, he simply would have kept his mouth shut.

Sure, there have been times writers and producers praised something they knew wasn't deserving because they were trying to hold on to the work. But several factors would be in play there that aren't in play here. First, such people worked on those shows and if the show failed, they'd be out of a job. This isn't the case for Mack. Whatever happens to DSC, Mack has plenty else to write about, both within and without the Trek franchise. Second, you can generally tell when a person who works on the show is praising it just because they have to. There seems to be no real excitement or joy in what they're saying; it seems like hollow words, even if you only see them written. For example, I never believed Brannon Braga was genuinely excited to be working on ENT.

David Mack knows more than any of us, and he loves what he knows. Star Trek: Discovery is going to rock. Case closed.

 

The only thing that will "settle it" is when we all get to see it. You can't know if you'll like something based on what someone else likes. Not really.

That said, I can't wait and also really like Mack's work.

 

People are different and look for different things in TV shows. I think The Handmaid's Tale is brilliant, you can find just as many people who dislike it as like it.

David Mack seems like a nice guy and a talented writer, it doesn't mean what floats his boat is going to float mine.

 

Ah, youth. So adorable.

 

True, but I think the OP is addressing the "poo poo"-ing that some people are doing based on the fact that the critics who see the advanced showings are being told that they can't publish their stories until after the wide premiere on the 24th.

It's true that we can't say "David Mack says it's good; therefore it is good", but it's also true that we shouldn't say "the critics aren't allowed to print their reviews until after it premieres; therefore, it must be bad".

 

I had to google David Mack to find out who he is. Now that I know, I still don't care. I'll form my own opinions, thanks much.

 

I see. I couldn't care less about that personally. Nor what the critics actually have to say when the time comes.

 

But there are two different optics at work. We should expect the people involved to gush about their own work, they are trying to sell us a TV show. Holding reviews for anything until after it premieres never looks good.

CBS is trying to sell us a TV show. Why allow Mack to gush about it but not reviewers who have seen it?

 

Even Abrams despite his anal-level secrecy still allows advance reviews of his movies, which do spoil the plot twists making his secrecy seem all the more idiotic. To do otherwise is career suicide in this business.

 

The reviews were held back for the premiere of the most recent season of GoT until after it aired, ostensibly to prevent spoilers. I'm thinking that spoilers are also something the Discovery people might worry about.

I wonder if this is the start of a new trend.

 

Ask my teenage son if I'm a "youth".

Listen, I was kinda being tongue-in-cheek there, because I know if you get 10 Trek fans in a room and ask them all for their opinion on one thing, you'll get 15 different answers.

Still, a guy like Mack, I trust his word. And as I said, I don't think this is just Mack trying to protect his job, or defend his work, because he doesn't work for the show or CBS. There are plenty of accusations like this over on the "are you feeling positive" poll thread, and it's ridiculous. Argue that you won't agree all you want, but to suggest that he's saying this to protect his job is just plain wrong.

 

Like @Serveaux said earlier, they could've embargoed spoilers. While still allowing reviewers to talk about things like does the story work, how's the acting, the sets and effects.

 

I should also mention that this is not a "review embargo" in the sense that no critics are being shown anything. This is simply critics being asked not to publish their reviews until after the premiere to avoid even minor spoilers.

 

Oh, of course a third party gushing over Discovery settles any debate - said (almost) nobody on this forum ever.

I'll watch and form my own opinions thank you.

 

He does work for CBS when he writes Star Trek novels.

 

Ignoring the hyperbole (and appeal to authority), Mack really didn't state anything of significance. All he said was the best first season of Trek. Well, being better than 80% of them isn't much of an achievement, and something one would expect. As far as the other show, its first season is regarded one of the best in TV history. Even if you adjust for the fact it's twice as long, it would be hard to match. Just picking 13 episodes at random would make it hard to beat, but take its 13 best episodes, and there are few shows in existence that could top it. So the whole statement seems like exaggeration for effect.

But here's the thing: even if it's mostly true, Discovery isn't competing with past Star Trek. It's competing with the Gold Age of television, where the quality of the medium is at least ten fold better than it was when the last Star Trek show was on.

 

And David Mack isn't even a third party.

 

He works for Pocket, and even there it's on a contract. He is not by any stretch of the imagination in a position where he has to talk like this or lose work.

 

You think CBS would approve future proposals of his (which as license owner they do), if he came out and trashed their $100+ million dollar show?

Not saying that is what is at play here, but David Mack is far from an unbiased third party. So I'll wait until I see the show and make my own determination.