First Impressions

[hbquikcomjamesl]

See my post in the "last episode watched" thread.

I will also note that of all the cop shows on television, past and present, which one do most real cops regard as the most realistic? Barney Miller. A squadroom full of misfits, dealing with criminals and victims (and the occasional superannuated exterminator), and other civilians, who make them look comparatively normal.

Real life is a situation comedy. And as Steve Martin so eloquently put it,

You've got to laugh once a day. Because a day without sunshine is like . . . night.

 

[The Wormhole]

See my post in the "last episode watched" thread.

I will also note that of all the cop shows on television, past and present, which one do most real cops regard as the most realistic? Barney Miller. A squadroom full of misfits, dealing with criminals and victims (and the occasional superannuated exterminator), and other civilians, who make them look comparatively normal.

Real life is a situation comedy. And as Steve Martin so eloquently put it,

Likewise, Night Court often gets cited as one of the more realistic courtroom TV shows, given its focus on mundane and seemingly ridiculous court cases.

 

[dupersuper]

See my post in the "last episode watched" thread.

I will also note that of all the cop shows on television, past and present, which one do most real cops regard as the most realistic? Barney Miller. A squadroom full of misfits, dealing with criminals and victims (and the occasional superannuated exterminator), and other civilians, who make them look comparatively normal.

Real life is a situation comedy. And as Steve Martin so eloquently put it,

Yup: only one cop shot some one in the entire series, and that episode ends with that cop crying alone in his apartment.

 

[KlingonCereal]

And I'll try to take the show in the spirit as it's presented, that is, not take it too seriously. I get the impression it's not really meant to add deep, significant stories to Star Trek continuity, but just more or less to have a little fun (that's not to say there won't be those moments, but I don't expect it to get deep into things like Discovery and Picard do).

This is honestly the best way to go about watching the show. Though it would be more difficult, I think it is still plausible that we may get more serious topics explored down the road. It would be different from what we are used to, but it is still doable with skilled writers (which I think this show has).

 

[hbquikcomjamesl]

Comedy, done right, is a serious business.

Another observation: the rather selective bleeping (especially after Admiral Clancy in PIC demonstrated such fluency in Army Creole) kind of reminds me of a certain limerick, one that Isaac Asimov included in his Treasury of Humor. But most of the words are too filthy even for TrekBBS, so I'll replace them with "dash."

Dash-dash dash-dash-dash dash-dash-dash
Dash-dash-dash dash-dash-dash dash-dash-dash

Dash dash-dash dash dash
Dash dash-dash dash dash​

Dash dash-dash dash-dash-dash dash-dash fuck.

 

[fireproof78]

 

[Xhiandra]

I've found most of the humour quite forced. Some of it isn't even really humour, just references to other Trek.
To me, there are 3 actually funny instances over the season (which I will describe vaguely to avoid spoilers):
1) The climax of the Ransom vs Mariner argument in jail,
2) What the furrydoc answers to Mariner when Mariner says she likes her scars (same episode),
3) And "The most important person in history".

That being said, though it's not really that funny, it's entertaining enough. You keep watching to see what happens next.
I'm not fond of Mariner as a character (way too hectic, and could try to utter a few sentences without the word "badass"), but I do like Tendi and Rutherford. Boimler's ok.
Overall, all the characters could be toned down a bit.

 

[fireproof78]

Mariner is the reason I keep coming back.

 

[hbquikcomjamesl]

There is a panel cartoon, originally created by Jeff ("Shoe") MacNelly, called Pluggers. Anthropomorphic animals who keep on plugging away at jobs that are anything but glamorous.

The Cerritos is a whole shipload of pluggers.

 

[Damian]

I've watched 2 more episodes. Definitely a TNG aesthetic to the show, which makes sense.

For various reasons I haven't had a chance to watch it as much as I planned and just watched the 3rd and 4th episodes recently. I just got through the episode where they were towing a generation ship and all hell breaks loose when the Tellarite captain decides to move things along. I have to admit I didn't particularly care for that episode. Overall, so far, I'm having a hard time really getting into this series. I expected it to be more comical, less serious and even less significant in scope since the ship isn't one of their top of the line ships. But I'm not finding it even as funny as I expected. Some of it is, and some things just seem to fall flat for me. I'll keep at it, however. It's not so bad that I want to give up on it. It's just, so far, it's kind of a disappointment I guess.

 

[Damian]

I'm about 3/4 of the way through the first season now and so far I'm a little disappointed. It has it's funny moments but it's a lot less funny than I thought it would be. And it doesn't even do serious all that well so I've been sort of meh about it. I don't hate it, but I'm just having a hard time getting into it.

I mean, I'd like to think I have a good sense of humor. I love comedies. South Park, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia....then classic sitcoms. But it just seems like when Lower Decks tries to be funny I'm not really laughing. I get what the funnies they are trying to make.

But I'll keep chugging along. I have 3 more episodes to watch from the 1st season. But thus far of all the Star Trek series, at this point I'd have to put Lower Decks in last place. We'll see if things get better.

 

[fireproof78]

I wouldn't force myself to find it funny. It's not a matter of sense of humor because everyone has humor that resonates with them. And comedy in Star Trek seems more difficult to get it to land.

 

[Damian]

I wouldn't force myself to find it funny. It's not a matter of sense of humor because everyone has humor that resonates with them. And comedy in Star Trek seems more difficult to get it to land.

Yeah, maybe that's it. Star Trek certainly has it's genuinely funny moments that make me laugh. And Lower Decks does have some of that. But maybe I'm just having a hard time seeing Star Trek in a comical, South Park-Family Guy-Simpsons sort of way.

But yeah, you can't force yourself to laugh at something if you don't find it funny. It either is or isn't. Kind of like you either love someone or you don't.

It's just a bit disappointing. I was really looking forward to Lower Decks. I expected it to be funny and it's just not happening for me. Perhaps it will get better. I'm keeping an open mind and maybe they'll be some good individual episode. Lower Decks is certainly more episodic so in this case it's possible some episodes will be funnier and better than others.

And because it's Star Trek I really want to like it. Not to say I hate it...it's not terrible. But I've liked every Star Trek show so far, even ones I've had some complaints about (like spore drive on Discovery or the seemingly pessimistic future of Picard). I've found more that I liked than I didn't like.

 

[fireproof78]

One of the bigger lessons I have taken away from watching Trek, among other franchises, is that it is both understandable to be disappointed, and also ok to not like an installment. TNG never landed for me, aside from small doses. Experience has taught me that I can't like everything.

I hope it works for you but it is ok if it doesn't.

 

[ichab]

IMO Episode 1 is the worst episode of the season, I'd honestly give the other episodes a shot.

If we all stopped after the first couple episodes or season because it wasn't great, TNG would never have been successful.

I see this type of comment pop up every now and then and it doesn't make any sense.

1.) If a show is good, I shouldn't have to force myself to watch it. TNG and DS9 hooked me from the very beginning. Same happened with non-Trek shows like The West Wing and Mandalorian. If a show is good (IMO) I usually know pretty quickly. If a show doesn't grab me by the second or third episode, I'm done wasting my time.

2.) TNG was successful from the very beginning. It's ratings were in the double digits and six episodes that year were nominated for Emmys. Sure, looking back years later season 1 isn't as good as the later seasons, but people were loving it at the time.

3.) This is nothing against those that love Lower Decks. If you enjoy it, by all means, enjoy it. It just isn't for me.

 

[Tuskin38]

Yeah, but what if there are episodes you would really like after the point you stopped?

 

[ichab]

Yeah, but what if there are episodes you would really like after the point you stopped?

If I don't care for the characters nor the humor, it's highly doubtful that will happen. I'm certainly not wasting 4 or so hours in the mere hope that I'll enjoy at least 25 minutes. I'd rather spend that time on entertainment I enjoy.

 

[Charles Phipps]

Shame it didn't work out for you.

 

[fireproof78]

If a show is good, I shouldn't have to force myself to watch it. TNG and DS9 hooked me from the very beginning. Same happened with non-Trek shows like The West Wing and Mandalorian

I generally agree. But, I never would have given DS9 a chance if I hadn't kept dipping back in. So, it varies as to the hook. Mandalorian and TNG haven't yet. There's always hope.

 

[Damian]

Yeah, but what if there are episodes you would really like after the point you stopped?

I generally agree. But, I never would have given DS9 a chance if I hadn't kept dipping back in. So, it varies as to the hook. Mandalorian and TNG haven't yet. There's always hope.

Yeah in general for a franchise like Star Trek that I've always liked before especially, I'd probably watch a couple episodes.

Maybe if it were something totally new and not a franchise I usually liked if the premiere and premise didn't impress me then I might not go back. But having Star Trek in the name will likely make me try a few episodes at least before giving up.