Discovery in Variety

[mdtauk]

For anyone claiming DSC doesn't do enough to strive for 'the TOS look', just look at those buttons Tilly is pressing... I mean, wow... That's a nod of TOS-love there..!

I think the issue I have with some of those controls is that they look like they have been ripped from a discarded Hi-Fi system. At least with Enterprise and TOS, while they were physical buttons, they were custom formed and unique in colour, compared to items you would find on the high-street.

 

[Mudd]

I like the "ripped from real equipment" look. Grounds the thing a little bit.

nuBSG outfitted their entire CIC with discarded and surplus electronics.

 

[Nebusj]

I want it to succeed and be interesting as well. I'm hopeful based on what I've seen. But, the proof is always in the pudding. We'll all know much more in several weeks. Here's hoping for the best!

We just need this show to heal our broken lives. If it can just satisfy that then I won't quibble if it makes some possible contradictions to the continuity as we've understood it so far.

 

[ozzfloyd]

I think the issue I have with some of those controls is that they look like they have been ripped from a discarded Hi-Fi system. At least with Enterprise and TOS, while they were physical buttons, they were custom formed and unique in colour, compared to items you would find on the high-street.

Most of the prop pieces like that in TOS were exactly that, parts off the shelf.

 

[Roald]

I think the issue I have with some of those controls is that they look like they have been ripped from a discarded Hi-Fi system. At least with Enterprise and TOS, while they were physical buttons, they were custom formed and unique in colour, compared to items you would find on the high-street.

Give me a break............

Why am I reminded of this:

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It's never good enough for some..... never....

 

[CorporalClegg]

I think the console looks great. But I think it speaks to the overall approach to the art design. There's such a focus on the individual parts, that the whole never quite comes together. The bridge set is where this is most obvious.

It isn't "it's all blue" but each element has blue in it, and when you mix them all together, it's all blue bleh. It's all lacking that creative fruit for mise en scene.

Like the nuPrise bridge, for example. Make all the "Apple Store" joke you want. But the the color choice was inspired. But not because the colors/design of the bridge in and of itself, but how it looks when they people people on it. The primary colors of the classic unis just pop right out of the screen.

Similarly, you had the Voyager bridge. While the purplish grays didn't necessarily stand out on their own, it was during red alert that the real magic happened. The lights would dim and the alert Okudagrams would just hauntingly illuminate everything.

On top of that You had the black uniforms that would fall away into the background, while the colored shoulders would accentuate the actors' faces. (Especially Kate's.) But the result would be this image of faces peering out of the darkness but still segregated. This was a visual cue to the show [supposed] themes of loneliness and isolation. And, of course, this would only happen during combat.

Or take the arch on the D bridge, with all the things arches have symbolized throughout history. It's a gateway to the unknown. Or a rebirth (which TNG was). But there's also the Kafkaesque idea that represents "another way," which is Picard in a nutshell, where the arch links the tactician, firm hand who's literally on his right with the pacifist negotiator who's literally on his left.

What I'm getting at is, great and inspired set design--especially for a set as integral and significant as a Star Trek bridge--should have real thought and creative license put into it, with an understanding of all the pieces fit together. And not just be "throw some cash at it and make it look good."

 

[Refuge]

I think the console looks great. But I think it speaks to the overall approach to the art design. There's such a focus on the individual parts, that the whole never quite comes together. The bridge set is where this is most obvious.

It isn't "it's all blue" but each element has blue in it, and when you mix them all together, it's all blue bleh. It's all lacking that creative fruit for mise en scene.

Like the nuPrise bridge, for example. Make all the "Apple Store" joke you want. But the the color choice was inspired. But not because the colors/design of the bridge in and of itself, but how it looks when they people people on it. The primary colors of the classic unis just pop right out of the screen.

Similarly, you had the Voyager bridge. While the purplish grays didn't necessarily stand out on their own, it was during red alert that the real magic happened. The lights would dim and the alert Okudagrams would just hauntingly illuminate everything.

On top of that You had the black uniforms that would fall away into the background, while the colored shoulders would accentuate the actors' faces. (Especially Kate's.) But the result would be this image of faces peering out of the darkness but still segregated. This was a visual cue to the show [supposed] themes of loneliness and isolation. And, of course, this would only happen during combat.

Or take the arch on the D bridge, with all the things arches have symbolized throughout history. It's a gateway to the unknown. Or a rebirth (which TNG was). But there's also the Kafkaesque idea that represents "another way," which is Picard in a nutshell, where the arch links the tactician, firm hand who's literally on his right with the pacifist negotiator who's literally on his left.

What I'm getting at is, great and inspired set design--especially for a set as integral and significant as a Star Trek bridge--should have real thought and creative license put into it, with an understanding of all the pieces fit together. And not just be "throw some cash at it and make it look good."

(I really enjoyed reading that )

 

[CorporalCaptain]

Me, too!

 

[cultcross]

Give me a break............

Why am I reminded of this:

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It's never good enough for some..... never....

This post is entirely aimed at another poster, and not at the content of a post. Please don't do this again, or more action will be needed.

 

[Roald]

This post is entirely aimed at another poster, and not at the content of a post. Please don't do this again, or more action will be needed.

Sorry... was not aimed at one poster, but I see that it comes across as a nasty post... sorry... my point was: of course TOS used existing parts of electronics, not everything was custom made... so to me, it felt some are really going out of their way to knock down DSC, whatever they do... I don't have a history of frequently attacking posters so I hope you'll forgive me...

 

[KirkusOveractus]

I think the issue I have with some of those controls is that they look like they have been ripped from a discarded Hi-Fi system. At least with Enterprise and TOS, while they were physical buttons, they were custom formed and unique in colour, compared to items you would find on the high-street.

Actually, ENT used pieces from stereo systems and old electronics for the consoles. They admitted to it in interviews of the time.

And when you see under the consoles in TOS, those are solid state electronic parts from hi-fi systems and so on.

 

[BillJ]

Actually, ENT used pieces from stereo systems and old electronics for the consoles. They admitted to it in interviews of the time.

And when you see under the consoles in TOS, those are solid state electronic parts from hi-fi systems and so on.

Lets not forget Riker's video game joystick from Insurrection!

On second thought, maybe we should forget it.

 

[KirkusOveractus]

Lets not forget Riker's video game joystick from Insurrection!

On second thought, maybe we should forget it.

No, we can not forget it, dag nabbit! He got the ship through the briar patch with that thing!

 

[CorporalClegg]

(I really enjoyed reading that )

Me, too!

Thanks.

 

[tomalak301]

I think the console looks great. But I think it speaks to the overall approach to the art design. There's such a focus on the individual parts, that the whole never quite comes together. The bridge set is where this is most obvious.

It isn't "it's all blue" but each element has blue in it, and when you mix them all together, it's all blue bleh. It's all lacking that creative fruit for mise en scene.

Like the nuPrise bridge, for example. Make all the "Apple Store" joke you want. But the the color choice was inspired. But not because the colors/design of the bridge in and of itself, but how it looks when they people people on it. The primary colors of the classic unis just pop right out of the screen.

Similarly, you had the Voyager bridge. While the purplish grays didn't necessarily stand out on their own, it was during red alert that the real magic happened. The lights would dim and the alert Okudagrams would just hauntingly illuminate everything.

On top of that You had the black uniforms that would fall away into the background, while the colored shoulders would accentuate the actors' faces. (Especially Kate's.) But the result would be this image of faces peering out of the darkness but still segregated. This was a visual cue to the show [supposed] themes of loneliness and isolation. And, of course, this would only happen during combat.

Or take the arch on the D bridge, with all the things arches have symbolized throughout history. It's a gateway to the unknown. Or a rebirth (which TNG was). But there's also the Kafkaesque idea that represents "another way," which is Picard in a nutshell, where the arch links the tactician, firm hand who's literally on his right with the pacifist negotiator who's literally on his left.

What I'm getting at is, great and inspired set design--especially for a set as integral and significant as a Star Trek bridge--should have real thought and creative license put into it, with an understanding of all the pieces fit together. And not just be "throw some cash at it and make it look good."

I never thought that way about the arch set on the Enterprise D Bridge before. Interesting post.

 

[mos6507]

I have an art background

So do I. If you were to stop short of proclaiming yourself an authority on judging quality production design and merely profess your opinion then this thread would not be teetering on the verge of a flamewar. But if you really want to go there you're gonna get pushback because the art is, objectively speaking, not that good. And it doesn't take an art education to know it. People have been scratching their heads over Discovery's look and feel ever since the USS Discovery teaser and that WTF sensation has continued as more and more of this stuff has been revealed. Glitzy, yes. High-budget, yes. High quality art? No. And it's not just wrapped up in canon purity. Taken out of context of Trek it's just not that good. Mediocre at best.

If you want to prove the error of our ways, explain what it is we're not seeing, but responding with insults won't move the needle, which is why you're effectively commandeering and spamming this thread.

 

[mos6507]

I think the issue I have with some of those controls is that they look like they have been ripped from a discarded Hi-Fi system. At least with Enterprise and TOS, while they were physical buttons, they were custom formed and unique in colour, compared to items you would find on the high-street.

The problem I have with it is it feels like an incongruous fanservice easter-egg.

It's like they wanted the control surfaces to appear mostly to be TNG+ touch-screens but here and there they would throw old-timers a bone by shoving some legacy buttons in there (carefully obscured by the cowls so that only obsessive fans notice them).

That kitchen-sink aspect is a problem with Discovery across the board. By trying to tick every box it comes across as disjointed and lacking any identity or context.

 

[Tuskin38]

there could be a technical reason why that specific console has buttons.

 

[Mr Awe]

because the art is, objectively speaking, not that good. And it doesn't take an art education to know it.

Sorry, but the appreciation of art is entirely a subjective matter based on personal preferences. There is no objective standard of quality for art. Consequently, you can't state "objectively speaking" about it.

If someone likes it, it is, by definition, good for that person.

An art education can help inform about the process of making it, influences, thought process, etc, but it doesn't allow you to state objectively the quality of art. All you can say is that *you* don't like it. Rama can say that he really likes it. Both of you are correct.

Just like how some people will pay millions for a Jackson Pollock, but for me it looks like vomit!

 

[Noname Given]

Lets not forget Riker's video game joystick from Insurrection!

On second thought, maybe we should forget it.

It wasn't a Joystick - it was a 24th Century Manual Steering Column



(Yeah, I didn't buy that line either... )