Early Criticism: What’s Unfounded and What Isn’t

[tenmei]

then you seem to have huge leaps in other technology (holograms that breathe and need to shower, for example)..so a little inconsistency there.

Need to? We saw she can clearly simulate breathing and expels air in the pond, and she even says its the first time she's been wet (iirc), so it does seem to be seeking to emulate the average teenage experience.

Weve also not been told if Darems appearance in Episode 1 is his real Khionian appearance (to me, it suggested it is), and why hes choosing to appear as Human (other than the shoulder barnacles).

 

[Nerys Myk]

the original vision of ST...a portrayal of optimism for the future, not a bleak dystopia , which sadly, elements of which we see now, in real life!

It's not a dystopia. There were setbacks due to the Burn, but hardly a dystopia. Optimism is clearly part of this show.

Deanna Troi from First Contact: "Poverty, War, Disease have all been eliminated" ..in that context, seems like we've gone backwards, now I get the idea that history can repeat itself, (in some ways we are seeing that now globally)

Were they? IIRC, all three were plot elements for TNG and the other 24th Century shows. Occasionally on Federation worlds!!!!! History and advancement are never in a straight line. As you say, sometimes there are steps backwards.

Keep in mind also that Gene had physicists and Engineers that he regularly consulted with for scientific accuracy, when writing episodes, which is where the term 'phaser' came from. He originally called them 'Lasers;, but physicists told him that lasers can't vaporize people, so he created the phaser. Also the whole concept of Warp drive as I recall....

Advice that was ignored as often as not if it interfered with the plot. This is after all the show with human-alien hybrids as main characters. Any scientist worth their salt would squashed that idea. Not sure if it was a scientist, De Forrest Research or Roddenberry himself that made the laser to phaser suggestion. And I don't think Warp Drive was conceived as anything more than a way to get from point A to point B so the plot could happen. SF has been using "warp" and similar terms for years in prose and on film prior to Star Trek. Real world theories were later retrofitted into Trek's Warp Drive.

 

[flyerdog]

It's not a dystopia.

generally speaking of course, in reference to Gene's original vision, was what I was referring to. He has said in interviews that most of the Sci-Fi he had experienced was pessimistic, whereas he wanted something optimistic,

 

[flyerdog]

Need to? We saw she can clearly simulate breathing and expels air in the pond, and she even says its the first time she's been wet (iirc), so it does seem to be seeking to emulate the average teenage experience.

how do water molecules cling to energy? (Now I'm being obtuse, I know! )

 

[Starflight]

Sam being affected by water and being able to simulate breathing seems fine to me; holographic programs are easily able to expel holographic matter away from their main body if they're in a suitable hologrid (the EMH could sneeze when Kes gave him flu). Sam's purpose is to have the experience of being a Starfleet cadet, so she's presumably been created to emulate humanoid life as closely as possible.

I was gonna suggest her clothes are real clothes worn on her holographic body too, but then I just remembered that when she's shot at in the wargame, the shots pass through her clothes and body, as if both are holographic. That's my theory rubbished, then.

 

[fireproof78]

generally speaking of course, in reference to Gene's original vision, was what I was referring to. He has said in interviews that most of the Sci-Fi he had experienced was pessimistic, whereas he wanted something optimistic,

Optimistic does not mean utopian

 

[Agony_Boothb]

Need to? We saw she can clearly simulate breathing and expels air in the pond, and she even says its the first time she's been wet (iirc), so it does seem to be seeking to emulate the average teenage experience.

Weve also not been told if Darems appearance in Episode 1 is his real Khionian appearance (to me, it suggested it is), and why hes choosing to appear as Human (other than the shoulder barnacles).

I think there is some implication that Khionian's are doing some type of body modifications. In episode two Darem mentions having to fight another khionian with 3 legs, so I wonder if they practice some type of body modding.

Also pretty sure those were cheerios and not barnacles.

 

[Squiggy]

As of today, SFA is currently the second lowest rated official Star Trek animated series/film/TV show on IMDb (4.2 on IMDb based on 15k reviews), ranking only above Section 31 (3.8 on IMDb based on 18k reviews). Most opinions in online forums attribute this situation to attacks from conservative groups, citing reasons such as “a Black protagonist,” “body shaming,” “woke elements,” “not meeting the expectations of long-time fans,” and “the portrayal of the main characters not aligning with the image of Starfleet officers.”

Open sourced criticism is the worst piece of useless data when you just have a bunch of chuds rage posting about sitting in chairs and the shocking existences of minorities.

generally speaking of course, in reference to Gene's original vision, was what I was referring to. He has said in interviews that most of the Sci-Fi he had experienced was pessimistic, whereas he wanted something optimistic,

Gene got a lot of things wrong. He wanted everything so optimistic that no one had any flaws.

That's why TNG didn't get good until after he stepped away.

 

[tenmei]

Its #1 on Paramount Plus in the UKm

 

[bdub76]

I like both Star Trek and Sheridan's shows, so I don't see any problem, there.

It's a matter of math. How many people watch both? And what percentage of total subs watch SFA?

 

[flyerdog]

Gene got a lot of things wrong. He wanted everything so optimistic that no one had any flaws.

That's why TNG didn't get good until after he stepped away.

I suspect that had more to do with the format of the show than being too optimistic, most of the TNG cast confirmed your comment that the show took off after he was not directly involved. (after his passing?)
But they also intimated that it was because Gene was not really interested in character driven stories so much as solving the "problem of the week."
Some of the cast expressed frustration that Gene was not very receptive to their requests for character centric plots. And sure enough the character driven episodes are perhaps some of the most beloved episodes that people remember.

 

[Squiggy]

I suspect that had more to do with the format of the show than being too optimistic, most of the TNG cast confirmed your comment that the show took off after he was not directly involved. (after his passing?)

He passed half-way through the production of Hero Worship during season 5, but it's generally considered that there was a massive leap in quality (and popularity) of TNG beginning with season 3. His health was declining and turning the writing room over to Berman and Pillar but Roddenberry kept some level of high level creative control.

But they also intimated that it was because Gene was not really interested in character driven stories so much as solving the "problem of the week."

Which is part of why everything (to me) always felt so flat when he ran the show. It's hard to do character driven stuff when the characters are flawless. The only thing left to fix are external problems on Wayward Ethnoplanet V.

Drama needs some risk to people you care about. People aren't falling in love with the show because they care about Wayward Ethnoplanet V - people care about the characters and it's hard to care about them if they're paragons of perfection. That worked in the 60s when you only had two other things to watch (to a point) and every show beat you over the head with exceptionalism, but that's not what viewers in the late 80s wanted.

Some of the cast expressed frustration that Gene was not very receptive to their requests for character centric plots. And sure enough the character driven episodes are perhaps some of the most beloved episodes that people remember.

Actors want to act! Without any growth they're just doing the same thing day after day

 

[CT_Phipps]

I suspect that had more to do with the format of the show than being too optimistic, most of the TNG cast confirmed your comment that the show took off after he was not directly involved. (after his passing?)
But they also intimated that it was because Gene was not really interested in character driven stories so much as solving the "problem of the week."
Some of the cast expressed frustration that Gene was not very receptive to their requests for character centric plots. And sure enough the character driven episodes are perhaps some of the most beloved episodes that people remember.

Nana Visitor's Women of Trek book talk about how grateful she was in retrospect to be playing an alien. Since that meant she could have a personality.

 

[Dar70]

I personally just don't find it that engaging. I tried to get into but it was just meh to me. There are I few things I do like that I mention in other threads. But not enough to make me want to watch it further. Does that mean I'm not ever going to watch it again??? No. But I'm not chomping at the bit to see anymore right now. Maybe in a couple weeks.

 

[fireproof78]

Actors want to act! Without any growth they're just doing the same thing day after day

Yes, but in space future that is all we will be doing is the same thing day after day. OPTIMISM!

 

[Lord Garth]

=

I personally just don't find it that engaging. I tried to get into but it was just meh to me. There are I few things I do like that I mention in other threads. But not enough to make me want to watch it further. Does that mean I'm not ever going to watch it again??? No. But I'm not chomping at the bit to see anymore right now. Maybe in a couple weeks.

Kind of where I am. I've liked three out of four episodes but, shortly afterwards, I think to myself, "Better than I thought, but the moment's past." After the fifth episode, I'll probably binge the rest of the season at the end.

 

[Detached Nacelle]

I personally just don't find it that engaging. I tried to get into but it was just meh to me. There are I few things I do like that I mention in other threads. But not enough to make me want to watch it further. Does that mean I'm not ever going to watch it again??? No. But I'm not chomping at the bit to see anymore right now. Maybe in a couple weeks.

=

Kind of where I am. I've liked three out of four episodes but, shortly afterwards, I think to myself, "Better than I thought, but the moment's past." After the fifth episode, I'll probably binge the rest of the season at the end.

It's a shame it never stuck the landing for either of you. I would be interested to know if it feels different absorbing it all in one go later down the line or if it is just not a series that clicks for you. Time sometimes has a funny way of altering perceptions but sometimes you do just know if something is for you or not.

 

[Lord Garth]

It's a shame it never stuck the landing for either of you.

Liking three out of four episodes of an episodic show isn't a bad ratio.

The kiddier stuff, I'm only ever going to like it so much. I'm not the audience for it. But, if I'm in the mood for it, I won't mind it. So, the thought process I have is that I'll have a better experience watching the show when I'm in the mood for it, rather than automatically watching it whenever it drops. I took a similar approach with Prodigy.

 

[Mudd]

It's a matter of math. How many people watch both? And what percentage of total subs watch SFA?

And the first of those is an entirely open question. You have opinions, not numbers. Nor do I. Makes it hard to do "math."

 

[SatrianiRules]

Lost me right there.

did you watch it? or are you basing this solely on the image?