Discovery's Final Season: What Do You Hope to See?

[Farscape One]

There are only two things I want from the final season.

1. Have the 10 episode season arc actually not meander and drag for the middle half of the season. I want the story to flow well from start to finish.

2. Have the ending of the season be a good payoff to the story of the season.


It would be nice to have DISCO have a season where they accomplish both things, because it has yet to do so. (Season 3 flowed pretty well, though did meander a bit in a couple places... but it's ending was, at best, meh. Season 4 could have been told in 5 episodes, maybe 6... it didn't flow well at all. But the ending was really good.)

I would like to see DISCO actually end on a high note, and if they accomplish these two things, I think it would go a long way toward more people thinking better of the series. (For me, at least.)

 

[TimeIsAPredator]

I’ll be shocked if Will Riker doesn’t make an appearance of some sort.

"Computer end program"

 

[Quantum21]

There are only two things I want from the final season.

1. Have the 10 episode season arc actually not meander and drag for the middle half of the season. I want the story to flow well from start to finish.

2. Have the ending of the season be a good payoff to the story of the season.


It would be nice to have DISCO have a season where they accomplish both things, because it has yet to do so. (Season 3 flowed pretty well, though did meander a bit in a couple places... but it's ending was, at best, meh. Season 4 could have been told in 5 episodes, maybe 6... it didn't flow well at all. But the ending was really good.)

I would like to see DISCO actually end on a high note, and if they accomplish these two things, I think it would go a long way toward more people thinking better of the series. (For me, at least.)

I have yet to see a serialized show without a lag in the middle. Not a single one. I think the key is how they connect on future watches, and I think all of Discovery is extremely rewatchable.

I've seen people say if Season 4 had ended on the note that it did, with excellent epilogues and a sense of finality everyone would have been happy. I tend to agree. It would have worked.

But I'm happy they get to do something specific for season 5, which is said to be sentimental.

 

[Farscape One]

I have yet to see a serialized show without a lag in the middle. Not a single one. I think the key is how they connect on future watches, and I think all of Discovery is extremely rewatchable.

I've seen people say if Season 4 had ended on the note that it did, with excellent epilogues and a sense of finality everyone would have been happy. I tend to agree. It would have worked.

But I'm happy they get to do something specific for season 5, which is said to be sentimental.

Maybe that's true, because I haven't rewatched DISCO. I've never felt the urge to. (I've rewatched a couple episodes here and there, but a season? Even season 3, which I consider the best overall, I haven't felt the urge to rewatch.)

As a possible counter to your point about it being rewatchable... I was so turned off by season 1 that I didn't start watching season 2 until about half of the episodes came out. I watched them all in a row. Not only was it still a terrible flow, but it was far worse than season 1. I ended up waiting until almost the whole season was done, then watched the rest in one shot, hoping it would improve. It was actually far worse. Enough for me to call it the worst season in the franchise... even worse than both TAS seasons. And it stayed at that rank... until PICARD season 2.

So when season 3 arrived, I waited for more than half the season, then watched. While it was far better, there was a couple spots where the flow just stopped, but it got back on track again and was a good season overall. (Just not a very good ending... and don't get me started on the stupidity of what caused The Burn.)

This gave me hope for season 4, so I didn't start until they had about half the season done... and wow, was that a slog. That season was a true slog to get through, but the ending was fantastic. (I guess they really had to stick the landing if we were forced to be dragged through that kind of slog.)

My point? If watching these seasons in 2 parts still makes it difficult to go through, it doesn't bode well for a rewatch. (I will do one eventually... I just don't have the urge to do so at this time.) My opinion may very well change... my opinion of some episodes of the past have certainly changed for the better on rewatches as I have gotten older. But some opinions have actually gotten worse over the years and rewatches. (Looking squarely at you, DS9's "THE RECKONING"... so bad it used to be the 5th worst episode, now it's THE worst. Yes, it ousted "PROFIT AND LACE" for that title.)


And also, I do think it's possible for a serialized season to fully work... look at GAME OF THRONES. (Except the last one, of course.) I know that the lion's share of it is based on the books, but it obviously is not going to be a fully true retelling because the nature of the different mediums prevent such a thing from ever happening.

 

[Quantum21]

Maybe that's true, because I haven't rewatched DISCO. I've never felt the urge to. (I've rewatched a couple episodes here and there, but a season? Even season 3, which I consider the best overall, I haven't felt the urge to rewatch.)

As a possible counter to your point about it being rewatchable... I was so turned off by season 1 that I didn't start watching season 2 until about half of the episodes came out. I watched them all in a row. Not only was it still a terrible flow, but it was far worse than season 1. I ended up waiting until almost the whole season was done, then watched the rest in one shot, hoping it would improve. It was actually far worse. Enough for me to call it the worst season in the franchise... even worse than both TAS seasons. And it stayed at that rank... until PICARD season 2.

So when season 3 arrived, I waited for more than half the season, then watched. While it was far better, there was a couple spots where the flow just stopped, but it got back on track again and was a good season overall. (Just not a very good ending... and don't get me started on the stupidity of what caused The Burn.)

This gave me hope for season 4, so I didn't start until they had about half the season done... and wow, was that a slog. That season was a true slog to get through, but the ending was fantastic. (I guess they really had to stick the landing if we were forced to be dragged through that kind of slog.)

My point? If watching these seasons in 2 parts still makes it difficult to go through, it doesn't bode well for a rewatch. (I will do one eventually... I just don't have the urge to do so at this time.) My opinion may very well change... my opinion of some episodes of the past have certainly changed for the better on rewatches as I have gotten older. But some opinions have actually gotten worse over the years and rewatches. (Looking squarely at you, DS9's "THE RECKONING"... so bad it used to be the 5th worst episode, now it's THE worst. Yes, it ousted "PROFIT AND LACE" for that title.)


And also, I do think it's possible for a serialized season to fully work... look at GAME OF THRONES. (Except the last one, of course.) I know that the lion's share of it is based on the books, but it obviously is not going to be a fully true retelling because the nature of the different mediums prevent such a thing from ever happening.

My experience is the middle season episodes were slow, in the sense they set up a good mystery and I was impatient.

Such things disappear in hindsight, and all episodes just feel like chapters in one book in rewatches.

I'm doing a season 4 rewatch now and the first 2 episodes zipped by. I feel the middle season will do the same.

 

[Richard S. Ta]

Excitement, adventure and really wild things.

 

[Firebird]

I'd like the final season to give us more strange new worlds and exploration like season four did. On the writing end, I hope for less scenes of stopping the plot cold for a discussion of how everyone is feeling or reacting. The previous season at times felt like it was being written by a therapist for how often it would pause for self-reflection.

Also, I'd like for the antagonists of season five to be given their relevant backstory that's supposed to humanize them a bit sooner. Once they got around to that for Tarka, he'd already been such a grating prick to everyone for so long that I didn't care any longer.

 

[BillJ]

Just give me something interesting.

 

[Quantum21]

I liken the Discovery crew to immigrants. Except instead of immigrating to another country in another continent, they've immigrated to another time. And they can't go back because of the situation. Not an uncommon issue with immigrants, depending on where it is they've immigrated from. Including within my own family. It's complicated. As is the case more often than people who don't have to deal with this might realize.

The crew have made their lives in the 32nd Century. So, I think they've accepted this is where they are now. Also, if you're going into space and leaving your home life behind, you're someone who wanted to get out and get away to begin with. Or maybe they don't have much to go back to.

To quote Star Trek V (yeah, yeah, yeah, I know, it doesn't matter what you think of the movie, that isn't the point), anyway, to quote Star Trek V: "All that time in space, getting on each other's nerves, and what do we do when Shore Leave comes along? We spend it together. Other people have families." "Other people, Bones, not us." Then cut to the end of the film. "I lost a brother once. I was lucky to get him back." "I thought you said men like us don't have families." "I was wrong."

I think this would've been an interesting thing to explore in third season. But, in the fifth season, it's too far after the fact. I think the Discovery crew views each other as their family. Being the only people they know who came from where they did and making the leap together.

Outside of that: Tilly hated her family. I think she's made a life for herself teaching at the Academy (I'm betting S5 takes place between semesters), Saru's got his career and he's with T'Rina, and Burnham has her career and she's with Book. So, they left their old lives behind (Saru's done it twice), but they have new lives now.

If SFA takes place in the 32nd Century, and the 32nd Century doesn't stop with DSC, then there might be other Star Trek series that take place there. So, I'd like for the opportunity for these characters to still show up. That's another reason why I want closure but not total finality.

Yes!! They are immigrants!

I think it is under appreciated what a sacrifice the whole crew has made. Are they emotional for any one of a dozen reasons following the temultous events of the last few seasons? Hell yes!!

Just give me something interesting.

Like last season. An excellent first contact story.

 

[ToddCam]

I would like Gray to get a different haircut.

 

[NCC-73515]

The first one he had when he was a ghost was so much better

 

[Quantum21]

A lot of online commentaries are noticing the Indiana Jones feel of the season. I'm OK with turning scientists into action heroes. Give me more of that.

 

[evilchumlee]

Yes!! They are immigrants!

There is a general idea that when sometimes when people pine for the past, they should be reminded "the past is a foreign country", the same applies to the future.

While I like S3 and 4 of DSC waaaay more than I ever did 1 and 2, and I think it's overall "ok", I do think they missed the boat with this aspect a bit. The issues they have seem almost exclusively "I miss people I left behind", while they seem to seamlessly integrate into 32nd century society. I would have liked to see a bit more difficulty there, with the Federation having a bit of a different culture than they had been used to.

They pop in 1,000 years into the future and... they just instantly fit in. Even something small, like having a Klingon show up and the crew being put off by it, and people are downright offended by how they could be so bigoted or something.

 

[Quantum21]

There is a general idea that when sometimes when people pine for the past, they should be reminded "the past is a foreign country", the same applies to the future.

While I like S3 and 4 of DSC waaaay more than I ever did 1 and 2, and I think it's overall "ok", I do think they missed the boat with this aspect a bit. The issues they have seem almost exclusively "I miss people I left behind", while they seem to seamlessly integrate into 32nd century society. I would have liked to see a bit more difficulty there, with the Federation having a bit of a different culture than they had been used to.

They pop in 1,000 years into the future and... they just instantly fit in. Even something small, like having a Klingon show up and the crew being put off by it, and people are downright offended by how they could be so bigoted or something.

A lot of complaints I see are because the crew weren't perfect little unemotional soldiers after leaving everything behind which baffles me. I thought they did a good job with turning Culber into more of a counselor to ease the transition of the crew after some suffered PTSD.

 

[ToddCam]

A lot of complaints I see are because the crew weren't perfect little unemotional soldiers after leaving everything behind which baffles me. I thought they did a good job with turning Culber into more of a counselor to ease the transition of the crew after some suffered PTSD.

I think that some people just don't like the idea of having to think of the characters as anything other than vehicles for episodic adventures. That maybe they'd prefer a set of static characters who return to status quo ante by the next episode. Lots of pre-modern Trek was like that, where changes were superficial. I remember watching "Power Play" with some friends and we talked about the trauma that would come from it. How could Keiko just move on from Miles's face terrifying her and threatening their child? Miles being forced to watch himself nearly rape her? And yet, never mentioned again even though years later the situation was reversed with Keiko possessed!

 

[evilchumlee]

A lot of complaints I see are because the crew weren't perfect little unemotional soldiers after leaving everything behind which baffles me. I thought they did a good job with turning Culber into more of a counselor to ease the transition of the crew after some suffered PTSD.

It's two separate issues.

Yeah they have some issues... that all directly relate to what they left behind.

They seem to have ZERO issues with where they ARE. There is basically zero culture shock. They just fit immediately into 1,000 year later society. Even the technology is mostly "Oh that's neat" and requires precisely zero new training to use and they just retrofit the ship and they are off on their way as if there problem at all.

Contrast that say, Scotty having almost no idea how anything in engineering works on the Enterprise-D because it's so much more advanced, or Mirror Tucker needing awhile to figure out how Defiant's system's work, or Kirk not fully understanding the Refit Enterprise.

My complaint is the exact opposite of those complaints... they pulled what seems to be standard "Burnham is Awesome At Everything" and applied to the whole crew. So like, yeah they were sad because they can't go home, but the completely alien foreign world they are now in is causes precisely ZERO issues for any of them.

EDIT -

I will toss a bone to the technology bit, as it seems to be somewhat implied that the way the tech works is now incredibly intuitive and will basically adapt to the user, coupled with the fact that the spore drive would have still been the spore drive... and conventional warp has been largely useless. So realistically, the tech upgrades to the ship probably aren't THAT big of a deal.

 

[Quantum21]

It's two separate issues.

Yeah they have some issues... that all directly relate to what they left behind.

They seem to have ZERO issues with where they ARE. There is basically zero culture shock. They just fit immediately into 1,000 year later society. Even the technology is mostly "Oh that's neat" and requires precisely zero new training to use and they just retrofit the ship and they are off on their way as if there problem at all.

Contrast that say, Scotty having almost no idea how anything in engineering works on the Enterprise-D because it's so much more advanced, or Mirror Tucker needing awhile to figure out how Defiant's system's work, or Kirk not fully understanding the Refit Enterprise.

My complaint is the exact opposite of those complaints... they pulled what seems to be standard "Burnham is Awesome At Everything" and applied to the whole crew. So like, yeah they were sad because they can't go home, but the completely alien foreign world they are now in is causes precisely ZERO issues for any of them.

EDIT -

I will toss a bone to the technology bit, as it seems to be somewhat implied that the way the tech works is now incredibly intuitive and will basically adapt to the user, coupled with the fact that the spore drive would have still been the spore drive... and conventional warp has been largely useless. So realistically, the tech upgrades to the ship probably aren't THAT big of a deal.

Ah you answered your own question. My common answer to this was exactly what you said. Programmable matter is so seamlessly integrated it's idiot proof. The activation is not only intuitive, it's almost easier than what the old technology used to do.

Also we did get some dialgue early on about the wonders of it all. While the emotional question I brought up earlier would take longer to fix, I feel we had sufficient oogling of doodads and gizmos and that would soon pass with engineers, scientists and operators of a former research starship who actually have a drive technology no one else has.

 

[evilchumlee]

Ah you answered your own question. My common answer to this was exactly what you said. Programmable matter is so seamlessly integrated it's idiot proof. The activation is not only intuitive, it's almost easier than what the old technology used to do.

Yeah I be comfortable with that at least in some applications. I think it's easy enough for the crew to USE the technology... it would stretch credulity for them to understand it. In the direct context of Discovery, this is fine... Reno and Stamets are largely still taking care of the more familiar technology on the ship. The more exotic, 32nd century stuff should be an absolutely baffling mystery to them, but they don't really NEED to be involved with it much. It'll largely take care of itself. Stamets still runs with the spore drive, which is 23rd century tech, and Reno deals with the nuts and bolts of the 23rd century core of the ship. I can also be generally comfortable thinking things like phasers haven't really changed all that much. They may be more powerful or whatever, but the underlying mechanics are essentially the same.

The comm badges probably help quite a bit too, seemingly having like the entire Federation database contained within. If they don't know how to fix something, there will almost certainly be an instructional walkthrough.

Also we did get some dialgue early on about the wonders of it all. While the emotional question I brought up earlier would take longer to fix, I feel we had sufficient oogling of doodads and gizmos and that would soon pass with engineers, scientists and operators of a former research starship who actually have a drive technology no one else has.

For sure. That's certainly much less my issue. My real issue is the fact that the 32nd century Federation is apparently culturally exactly the same as the 23rd century Federation. It's probably more of an issue of being incredibly difficult for writers to portray that, but we get very little sense of these people actually being from a different time, other than the occasional "oh that's neat technology".

 

[fireproof78]

Watch Voyager's Relativity and you'll realize this is established early on when Janeway can step in to a 26th century ship and not feel disoriented.

 

[Farscape One]

Watch Voyager's Relativity and you'll realize this is established early on when Janeway can step in to a 26th century ship and not feel disoriented.

I felt disoriented through that entire episode the first couple times I saw it. It still hurts my brain when watching it.