How would you retcon Strange New Worlds?

Congratulations. I'm happy for you.

 

I can think of two:

TNG S2 Pen Pals - although Picard did relent on that one because it was an eight-year-old child contacting Data for help.

TNG S7 Homeward - Hell, early in the episode they watched the entire planet biosphere die; and then the card gives some self-serving speech about the correctness of the Prime Directive. Then of course they find out that worst brother has transported a village of the planets inhabitants on to the Holodeck, and they decide to find another planet to relocate them on. Of course Worf's brother will be brought up on charges afterwards, and one of the inhabitants manages to discover they're on a Holodeck, and in the end kills himself because he can't live with the knowledge; and also feels that it's not worth living because somehow the history of his Society has been destroyed. In the end of the card even laments what they did because of the one suicide; and it's very much implied that he agrees with the inhabitant,, in that by doing what they did they somehow destroyed the basis for their society.

There's also TNG S5 The Masterpiece Society, where they save an earth colony that had cut off all contact with Earth many centuries earlier because they thought that Earth would destroy itself. But again at the end of this episode both Picard and Troi lament the actions they took because some of the colonists decide they want to leave the colony and return to Earth; but the colony is somehow perfectly balanced in the loss of any individuals could affect their ability to survive going forward. So of course Picard thinks he did more damage by saving them the way they did; and the audience is left believing that maybe he felt they should have left them to their original fate.

And actually The Masterpiece Society highlights the big difference between TOS and TNG. As the colony was an Earth colony, in the TOS error there wouldn't even be a question of prime directive interference as the prime directive of that era would never apply because it was an Earth colony.

 

Either do a lot more than they did with M'Benga's sick kid, or don't do anything at all. The resolution we got felt like "this was a mistake and we're erasing it".

 

I mean I don't remember them celebrating it.

 

In Pen Pals, Picard only relented because Data guilted him into it. He was ready to leave until Data opened the communications channel in Picards quarters and let Picard hear her voice.

Probably unintentional but a nice move by Data.

 

Makes you wonder if he's really emotionless, doesn't it?

 

Wondered that since rewatching early TNG.

 

And where did I say they were celebrating it?

 

They took my "patting themselves on the back" snark too literally. But, yes, I was thinking of the episodes you listed, and Janeway ordering Paris not to warn a planet of their destruction in two days.

 

It does occur to me that now that we know that T'Pring and Spock were courting and were intimate, and eventually married, probably at HER first Pon Farr, not his, that T'Pring very likely has Spock's child. Let's call her daughter of Spock because everybody on Star Trek has a SON, ya know. This child would be born sometime between 2259 and whenever they break up or become estranged. Spock didn't tell Kirk about his wife, why would he tell him about his child? After Spock returns to Vulcan and gets a DNA test he acknowledges the child. Don't know what Vulcan custody battles are like but it could be epic!
Which characters would you retcon and how would you do it?[/QUOTE]

 

Honestly, Jess Bush and Ethan Peck have so much chemistry together that I'm strongly tempted to jettison the entire idea from TOS that Spock was single and Christine engaged to Roger Korby, and instead have him and Christine get together and stay together for as long as SNW lasts.

 

I would end the love triangle with Spock. Not into it. Also before this I also head cannoned that Spock didn't have a good relationship with T'pring or just never saw her after they were bonded as kids. I would go with that. Now it's really weird that he was looking at her picture was a child. I'd also re cast Kirk. I'm sure he's a good dude but I'm not feeling it. Everything else is *chefs kiss*

 

Peck has great chemistry with Sandhu as well. Bush and Sandhu do too. Just retwatched “Spock Amok”.

 

Spock/Chapel/T'Pring is one of the best things about this series. He has interesting interactions with Angel as well.

Before the show premiered, the notion that Chapel would be one of my favorites never occurred to me - nor did the possibility that writers could make Spock interesting again.

 

Cue the writers on AO3 frantically typing out Spock/T'Pring/Christine throuple fics.

 

Spock and Chapel or Kirk and Carol Marcus or MCoy and his ex are interesting. Here is why. I just finished watching a movie on FreeVee about the Matador Manolete. Penelope Cruz plays his girlfriend/mistress. When he is first becoming famous his impresario says to him, "NO women." Manolete is confused. Why? "Because women make men love life." These Starfleet men, what is it with them? They love those Starships more than anything. Kirk doesn't say he loves the Federation he cries out the Enterprise "Is a beautiful lady and we love her!"
Lupe, his mistress wants him to retire, marry her, and raise some kids. After all, he's rich now. He won't do it. "Who would I be then?" She's as furious with him as Carol Marcus is with Kirk. She runs off and cheats on him because she has to break this bond with him before he dies and destroys her too. Women bond very strongly and very quickly. It's part of their female nature. Starship duty is cruel. There they are in their best years around the most intelligent capable men their societies can produce and it's "No way baby!"
This is why these relationship stories are a bit important. I like seeing what makes people tick rather than see how the warp engines work.
As for my preference. I would get rid of Erica Ortegas in a heartbeat. She's boring. L'aan with her gothic makeup and constant scowl can go too.

 

Goth Make up?????

 

That's a seriously messed-up thing to say.

 

I ... don't know know where to start with this. Aside from the obvious sexism I wonder if Ortegas wasn't as queer coded people wouldn't have as much of a problem with her. La'an is my favorite non legacy character. I love seeing a woman who isn't all smiles and supporting mens emotions. I find it refreshing and relatable.

 

Your takes on the franchise are right in keeping with its swinging sixties origins.