Does this series seem more mature and grittier than the other series?
- Thread starter SailorLadyGaga
- Start date
Grittier? Meh.
More mature? Nah.
I dunno...I think there is some additional maturity in the storytelling on DSC so far over the usual Trek..
TNG and VOY were relatively simplistic in their storytelling. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed those simplistic stories, but I think DSC so far has engaged in stories -- and presented us characters -- with a few more shades of grey than the usual Star Trek from 20+ years ago.
As I said earlier, I think that is just a product of the time we are now in. Today's TV show storylines and today's TV protagonists are usually a bit more morally ambiguous than they were 20 to 25 years ago when Berman-Trek was on TV.
DSC is a modern-style TV drama that happens to be taking place in the Star Trek universe.
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On the contrary, they seem to be banking on the idea that a Star Trek series can draw a general audience to their platform. As for whether a non family friendly show is 'niche', I would point to Game of Thrones which can hardly be described as family viewing or as having niche appeal. This is true of a lot of streaming content, in fact, which is generally not marketed at a family audience.
Over the last couple of decades there seems to have been a general shift away from 'family viewing' toward clear distinctions between 'kids', 'teen' and 'adult' shows.
Except for Discovery, (and The Orville and Season 11 of The X-Files coming up) I either watch AMC or Netflix Originals. I don't do the family viewing thing because I don't have a family of my own... so I can't really say what's out there since I haven't actively sought it out...
BUT
I think there can still be shows that are geared towards an adult audience that children and teenagers can watch. That isn't Discovery nor should it have to be (though I don't see anything wrong with showing it to teenagers) but there should be new shows out there that children can watch and get into even if they're not the main audience.
Even though it has nothing to do with me, it's too bad there aren't more options for family viewing.
The Orville is one alternative to Discovery. Some of the humor would only be a problem if the kids were really young and I guess it would depend on the kids themselves.
BUT
I think there can still be shows that are geared towards an adult audience that children and teenagers can watch. That isn't Discovery nor should it have to be (though I don't see anything wrong with showing it to teenagers) but there should be new shows out there that children can watch and get into even if they're not the main audience.
Even though it has nothing to do with me, it's too bad there aren't more options for family viewing.
The Orville is one alternative to Discovery. Some of the humor would only be a problem if the kids were really young and I guess it would depend on the kids themselves.
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I was looking at the Netflix originals and how many of them are targeted towards Mature Audiences. I get that might be Netflix's audience, but I would like to see more variety. Having shows that are rated less than mature audiences could be a good thing.
The tone of the show is basically that of the war-universe Enterprise in "Yesterday's Enterprise". Right down to the lighting and the war map in the Captain's ready room.
In a weird way, TV has gravitated more away from family viewing while movies seem to have gravitated more toward it. It's opposite what it might have been 20 years ago.
Which, perhaps not coincidentally, is considered one of Trek's finest hours.
I think we got to consider what was seen as a kid show or movie has changed or maybe it simply has adapted to what it always was but because of conservatives it was never really acknowledged. When I was a kid I watched stuff like Robocop,Terminator,Aliens,Ghostbusters. The whole idea of kids sneaking into a R rated movie didn't come out of thin air. Kids watch more mature things than maybe their parents think they do so I guess now many older parents are more comfortable with that notion. I think the reins are more loose on a genre show. I think it's one thing to see more nudity and violence in a genre show or movie but at the same time I doubt those same parents are comfortable with their kids watching something like "Happiness" or "Taxi Driver" just to name two movies off the top of my head.
Jason
Jason
Those are all excellent points. As I recall, almost every action flick (at least the ones I wanted to see) back in the 80s and 90s were rated R. The few PG exceptions were movies like Star Wars and Indiana Jones (though IIRC, the Temple of Doom started the whole PG-13 rating). As an aside, I wouldn't let my daughter watch any R rated movies until just recently (she's 15 now). I think I was probably 7 or 8 when I watched my first rated R film (Friday the 13th), so yeah, I'm a hypocrite.
A
Amaris
Guest
Definitely grittier, but maturity isn't quite as easily quantifiable. What makes it more mature? Dour faces? Lack of jokes? Somewhat more explicit sexuality? I'm not sure how one would approach it. There were times when TOS was mature, same for TNG, DS9, VOY, and ENT. If we're going for an overall theme of maturity, the show has definitely started out from a more staid, serious stance, but I'm not sure if mature can be used to wholly describe it, especially since we've only watched the first half of the first season, and even that being just 9 episodes so far.
I think it might happen in coming years. Netflix Originals haven't been around too long (relatively speaking) and they're testing out the waters with things like Fuller House. I figure it'll only branch further out from there.
I wonder if they'll ever bring back Small Wonder? (Age Test for anyone out there. Like this post if you know what I'm talking about.
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I think it would be fun if they remade "Small Wonder" but I don't think anyone even remembers any of the characters other than the girl robot so a remake seems the best choice. I would expand the idea and what if lots of families have robot kids and the robot kids interacted with them as well as humans.
Jason
Jason
I'm the same. I haven't even seen it in 30 years.
Soooo, I have no idea what I'd even be in for if I re-watched it now...
Gritty also means course and rough. That's the meaning here.
Yes. Coarse.
Depends on what you think about IRL and IRL social relations, bureucracy, politics etc...
