Is it just me, or is Star Trek going the wrong way?

[fireproof78]

You didn't watch season three of Discovery, did you? Or Picard? The former gives us many new worlds and the redeveloping of the Federation. Lots of exploring and optimism. In Picard, we see the beginning of a new group of ex-Borg finding a new way forward and a new android civilization. That's some classic Star Trek right there.

Indeed. I think there is this tendency to take a very surface level read of what is actually going on. Which is fine, but insisting that current Trek is too focused on the wrong themes really misses both old and new Trek's points. Star Trek has done war, and dark, and sad, and challenging and full on good vs. evil. There is nothing in new Trek that makes it more so than past Trek, other than you not having the goofy holodeck episodes, or the sensible chuckle at the end to tell the audience "There, there. Happily ever after."

 

[Steve Roby]

Further to the point of TOS and TNG not having the same vision, here are just a couple of scenes you wouldn't see in TNG. There are plenty more.

KIRK: No, no, Bones. This time we walked out on our own. Maybe we weren't meant for paradise. Maybe we were meant to fight our way through. Struggle, claw our way up, scratch for every inch of the way. Maybe we can't stroll to the music of the lute. We must march to the sound of drums. ("This Side of Paradise")

ANAN: There can be no peace. Don't you see? We've admitted it to ourselves. We're a killer species. It's instinctive. It's the same with you. Your General Order Twenty Four.
KIRK: All right. It's instinctive. But the instinct can be fought. We're human beings with the blood of a million savage years on our hands, but we can stop it. We can admit that we're killers, but we're not going to kill today. That's all it takes. Knowing that we won't kill today. Contact Vendikar. I think you'll find that they're just as terrified, appalled, horrified as you are, that they'll do anything to avoid the alternative I've given you. Peace or utter destruction. It's up to you. ("A Taste of Armageddon")​

I can just picture someone who started with TNG watching TOS for the first time. "It's so dark. There are bigoted bridge officers. Crew members bicker and insult each other. Kirk keeps supporting wars. Trafficking women is almost played as comedy. Where is Gene's vision? This isn't real Star Trek!"

 

[fireproof78]

I can just picture someone who started with TNG watching TOS for the first time. "It's so dark. There are bigoted bridge officers. Crew members bicker and insult each other. Kirk keeps supporting wars. Trafficking women is almost played as comedy. Where is Gene's vision? This isn't real Star Trek!"

I can as well which goes to show just how pervasive this attitude of boxing Star Trek in to one specific thing goes. It many ways it is kind of like how Trek approaches aliens. There is no room for variation. A Klingon must look a certain way and be all about honor and combat, a Ferengi about profit, etc. It continues to astound me that franchise lauded for celebrating diversity can become so narrowly focused as to not even allow past episodes within the box of the vision.

 

[cooleddie74]

Gene was a money-hungry opportunist but even he realized that even in the future humans would still behave like humans. TOS is a great example of mankind evolving yet still remaining recognizably human and it works so much better than early TNG.

 

[Steve Roby]

Gene was a money-hungry opportunist but even he realized that even in the future humans would still behave like humans. TOS is a great example of mankind evolving yet still remaining recognizably human and it works so much better than early TNG.

Yep. Think of "Balance of Terror."

UHURA: Cryptography is working on it, sir.
STILES: Give it to Spock.
KIRK: I didn't quite get that, Mister Stiles.
STILES: Nothing, sir.
KIRK: Repeat it.
STILES: I was suggesting that Mister Spock could probably translate it for you, sir.
KIRK: I assume you're complimenting Mister Spock on his ability to decode.
STILES: I'm not sure, sir.
KIRK: Well, here's one thing you can be sure of, Mister. Leave any bigotry in your quarters. There's no room for it on the Bridge. Do I make myself clear?
STILES: You do, sir.​

That scene wouldn't happen on TNG, because its crew is too evolved and perfect. You might argue that a scene like that should be unnecessary, because we should be free of bigotry. But in the real world right now bigotry still exists.

 

[fireproof78]

Yep. Think of "Balance of Terror."

UHURA: Cryptography is working on it, sir.
STILES: Give it to Spock.
KIRK: I didn't quite get that, Mister Stiles.
STILES: Nothing, sir.
KIRK: Repeat it.
STILES: I was suggesting that Mister Spock could probably translate it for you, sir.
KIRK: I assume you're complimenting Mister Spock on his ability to decode.
STILES: I'm not sure, sir.
KIRK: Well, here's one thing you can be sure of, Mister. Leave any bigotry in your quarters. There's no room for it on the Bridge. Do I make myself clear?
STILES: You do, sir.​

That scene wouldn't happen on TNG, because its crew is too evolved and perfect. You might argue that a scene like that should be unnecessary, because we should be free of bigotry. But in the real world right now bigotry still exists.

Eh, yes and no. We still had a semi-scene with Data in command and being argued with by another officer. I mean, I barely remember the episode so I could be wrong.

 

[BillJ]

I don't know if it is COVID, Climate Change or some other mixture of world problems, but I watched the fourth episode of Discovery season three last night and didn't seem to mind it as much as I used to. It wasn't incredible or the best Trek ever, but it was watchable.

Must be getting soft in my old age.

 

[flandry84]

Burnam just comes across as blatantly narcissistic, I'm not sure how you can take it for granted a character with a strong set of narcissistic traits is suppose to be likable.

FYI I thought the STD cast was great at the start of season 1, and it was a downward decent from then on out.

In your opinion.
I could echo many of the responses to your post but what would be the point?
Trek is in the eye of the beholder and your opinions on it can be viewed as an insight to your own way of being in the world.
Personally I choose optimism and decency.

 

[CorporalClegg]

I don't know if it is COVID, Climate Change or some other mixture of world problems, but I watched the fourth episode of Discovery season three last night and didn't seem to mind it as much as I used to. It wasn't incredible or the best Trek ever, but it was watchable.

Must be getting soft in my old age.

Which one is that again?

 

[BillJ]

Which one is that again?

Trill episode. Currently watching episode five.

 

[CorporalClegg]

Oh "Forget Me Not." Obviously I have because I didn't realize which one it was.

Because I actually think it's probably the show's best episode -- at least for he scenes between Alexander and BdB. The stuff on Trill is kinda meh.

 

[dupersuper]

Oh "Forget Me Not." Obviously I have because I didn't realize which one it was.

Because I actually think it's probably the show's best episode -- at least for he scenes between Alexander and BdB. The stuff on Trill is kinda meh.

I did quite like that one (not as much as the Earth episode right before it), but shoehorning Michael into the story of the Trill she doesn't know felt very odd.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

I did quite like that one (not as much as the Earth episode right before it), but shoehorning Michael into the story of the Trill she doesn't know felt very odd.

Michael is the main character. Main characters tend to get shoehorned into everything. Like, Kirk got shoehorned into Miramanee's story, and Picard just happened to be visiting Risa when the fate of the future was decided there.

 

[fireproof78]

Picard on a covert op.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

One he didn't even know he was on until later!

 

[Captain_Nick]

snip snip

Absolutely not just you mate.

What I really hate about new trek is how it's divided the fanbase and normalised hatred and extremism.

I thought the Enterprise wars were wild back in the day, they're nothing compared to this

 

[Steve Roby]

Absolutely not just you mate.

What I really hate about new trek is how it's divided the fanbase and normalised hatred and extremism.

New Star Trek has done absolutely nothing to divide the fanbase and it certainly hasn't done anything to normalize hatred or extremism. Nor have those of us who enjoy it. We like old Star Trek, we like new Star Trek, we're happy fans. The division and hate are coming from somewhere else.

 

[dupersuper]

Michael is the main character. Main characters tend to get shoehorned into everything. Like, Kirk got shoehorned into Miramanee's story, and Picard just happened to be visiting Risa when the fate of the future was decided there.

The captain going on an away mission, or even shore leave, is different than randomly sending your science officer (was she first officer yet at that point?) along with a crewmember requesting medical help. A doctor, sure...

 

[fireproof78]

New Star Trek has done absolutely nothing to divide the fanbase and it certainly hasn't done anything to normalize hatred or extremism. Nor have those of us who enjoy it. We like old Star Trek, we like new Star Trek, we're happy fans. The division and hate are coming from somewhere else.

Yup.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

The captain going on an away mission, or even shore leave, is different than randomly sending your science officer (was she first officer yet at that point?) along with a crewmember requesting medical help. A doctor, sure...

People don't seem to understand that DISCO is the Michael Burnham show.