Discovery in Variety

[RAMA]

They've spent a lot of money on it, but there's nothing particularly striking about any of the sets except their apparent size. "Generic" is the term that people have been throwing around, and that comes close to being true.

Simply because a design is rendered in great detail at great expense doesn't make it imaginative or convincing. Discovery's bridge is a bigger, costlier round room with lots of chairs and lights that don't really appear to do anything. It's most Star Trek bridges.

Mike Okuda was really the only artist who ever really made all those panels look like they might be designed as controls and interfaces. He's got the kind of genius that's just not showing here.

Yes, "generic" is the inaccurate term a few fans are using. But if "generic" refers to sets that can be used on any scifi show, then it's demonstrably incorrect, because these look like an updated version of the relatively circular, usual Star Trek bridge sets. Some hints of TOS colors are used throughout, even with the updated, expected look of modern scifi. This also goes for some of the hallways, which have echoes of the TOS colors used in subtle ways, and I must say are pretty clever, because personally, I wouldn't have designed them this way, but it works.

RAMA

 

[RAMA]

TNG was pegged at $1.3-$1.4 million an episode pretty early on. I'm thinking $2-$2.5 million for the average Enterprise episode.

I am doing a slow search of original, printed material that I have, over the course of days, because the internet numbers have been diluted by inaccurate information. The only "old" information from the period that I found online, states a budget of $1.2 million per episode, but that may have just been season 1, and I still think the pattern budget over 4 seasons is closer to my stated figure of $1.5 million. When I find it I'll take a picture and report it, but I'm almost positive it wasn't $2.5 million and 100% sure it wasn't $3-5 million.

 

[Mudd]

Yes, "generic" is the inaccurate term a few fans are using.

Generic is the entirely accurate term.

As I've already pointed out, the Discovery bridge resembles the command deck of the Protector II as much (or more) than it does previous Trek bridges. The "hints of TOS color" is really just stretching, given that the only colors involved are variations of grey, blue and red.

Hell, the Discovery bridge could be a cousin of the command deck aboard the Andromeda Ascendant for that matter - it shares structural resemblances to that set that it doesn't share with many previous Trek bridges.

If "relatively circular" with a big chair and some doors is one's definition of fitting in the Trek design lineage...well, okay then.

If there's any inspired set design work on Discovery they've saved it for the Klingons.

 

[CorporalClegg]

I don't get the "hints of TOS color" thing either. As I've noted several times it has nothing to do any "lineage" but because that's how it works.

Or to put it another way: there's a reason Dorthy's dress was blue, the road was yellow, and her shoes were red.

And yeah, doors and big chairs for captains in semicircular rooms isn't a thing limited to Starfleet ships. Or science fiction ships. Or even ships for that matter.

 

[Mudd]

Here's the thing about "generic:"

"We want this to look like a Star Trek set."

"Okay, then: a round room with a big chair in the middle and a big window up front?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

And there you have Galaxy Quest, The Orville or Discovery.

Now, is there anything unexpected, inventive, inspired or even novel about Discovery's bridge? No, there is not. It's big, and expensive, and not at all striking.

The Abrams movies are visually stunning variations on Star Trek. So far, Discovery is not.

 

[JD]

I don't see the TOS colors either, so far it seems to be pretty much the standard dark, muted colors that we get in pretty much every drama these days.

 

[Mudd]

I don't see the TOS colors either, so far it seems to be pretty much the standard dark, muted colors that we get in pretty much every drama these days.

Yep.

 

[Mr Awe]

The Abrams movies are visually stunning variations on Star Trek. So far, Discovery is not.

I agree with you about the Abrams movies. I LOVE the look.

As for Discovery, I'll withhold judgment until I see the show. All we've seen so far are some shots in a magazine that probably don't show it as it'll appear onscreen. We've had a few trailers with quickly cutting scenes. We just don't have enough evidence to know what the show is actually going to look like. In several weeks, we'll see it and can judge for ourselves. As always, the proof is in the pudding. So, I'll sit tight for now.

 

[BillJ]

Here's the thing about "generic:"

The Discovery bridge is uninspired, even by Trek standards. Lets hope there's more creativity in the writing.

 

[Jayson1]

The Bridge looks nice but I would think you would want to create one new feature that makes it feel more unique. Say what you will about the TNG bridge but the big wood railing does make that bridge feel like something you never seen on a Trek bridge, before or after. Not that it will matter because from the previews I think we will be watching a ship were nobody ever turns on the lights.

Jason

 

[RAMA]

I am doing a slow search of original, printed material that I have, over the course of days, because the internet numbers have been diluted by inaccurate information. The only "old" information from the period that I found online, states a budget of $1.2 million per episode, but that may have just been season 1, and I still think the pattern budget over 4 seasons is closer to my stated figure of $1.5 million. When I find it I'll take a picture and report it, but I'm almost positive it wasn't $2.5 million and 100% sure it wasn't $3-5 million.

Still haven't gotten back to looking for the info, but in the interim I consulted with Larry Nemecek and he agrees with me completely.

RAMA

 

[BillJ]

Still haven't gotten back to looking for the info, but in the interim I consulted with Larry Nemecek and he agrees with me completely.

That and fifty cents will buy you a phone call. If you can find a phone booth.

 

[Kevin Wolff]

That's the bridge? I thought it was the cargo bay. This show's design makes ENT's design look inspired.

 

[RAMA]

It's funny, I just read this after someone on social media remarked about how similar the colors on Discovery are to The Cage(and also after a demonstrated comparison photos). Posters here on the BBS have also noticed the color and the careful addition of retro elements to the otherwise high tech look of the show. So yeah, lots of people are noticing it.

You guys just supported my position completely. In fact, most shows go out of their way to stay away from either the circular bridge or the perimeter stations surrounding a central chair because they are so identifiable with Star Trek(some examples of large scale scifi on tv to go out of their way to this are Babylon 5--which even stated the differences in a tv movie!--The Expanse--a good comparison because this is the largest budget space show ever before DSC), and that's exactly what they use on DSC. Another thing that supports my position? Some of you mention parodies of Trek that use it..they're the only ones.

RAMA

I don't get the "hints of TOS color" thing either. As I've noted several times it has nothing to do any "lineage" but because that's how it works.

Or to put it another way: there's a reason Dorthy's dress was blue, the road was yellow, and her shoes were red.

And yeah, doors and big chairs for captains in semicircular rooms isn't a thing limited to Starfleet ships. Or science fiction ships. Or even ships for that matter.

 

[CorporalClegg]

Enough with the fallacy. You're overreaching.

Certain colors look better on film. It was that way in the 1960s. It's that way now. Those colors aren't exclusive to Star Trek.

The design elements you attribute to Star Trek existed in bridges long before Star Trek was every a thing.

Seriously. Stop trying.

 

[BillJ]

The design elements you attribute to Star Trek existed in bridges long before Star Trek was every a thing.

You mean circular rooms existed before Star Trek?!? I call bullshit!!!

 

[Nate]

Has anyone been able to find a printed copy of this magazine? I've looked in Barnes&Noble, Books-a-Million and even some grocery/drug stores & haven't seen it.

 

[RAMA]

That's the bridge? I thought it was the cargo bay. This show's design makes ENT's design look inspired.

The show will get nominated for awards for production design, guaranteed. BTW, someone should've told youthe way sets are lit tend to be differnet from when they are shot for the screen and for a photo session. Remind me not to ask you about production design opinions.

Um yeah, looks terrible.

BTW I posted an audio link to the production design team at the FanExpo, worth a look just for the gasps from the audience alone. One of the major influences of design and scale...Ken Adams of James Bond fame.

RAMA

 

[RAMA]

Enough with the fallacy. You're overreaching.

Certain colors look better on film. It was that way in the 1960s. It's that way now. Those colors aren't exclusive to Star Trek.

The design elements you attribute to Star Trek existed in bridges long before Star Trek was every a thing.

Seriously. Stop trying.

Absolutely, there were similar design patterns but as has been argued with lots of things TOS popularized were done before, but they are now very identifiable with Trek and yes, not generic for that reason.

I don't really think you have any ground to stand on on these points.

RAMA

 

[BillJ]

Um yeah, looks terrible.

Honestly? It looks like a set from the plethora of game shows recently.