Recently Finished Season 1 For the First Time - Here are my Questions

[ToddKent]

It took me a while to be able to see this show. (I got the DVD) I still haven't seen season 2 so please don't post spoilers in this thread.

I don't know what the overall consensus of this show is with the fans but I thought it was ok. I had to turn off my internal "continuity alarms" to actually enjoy it (especially with regard to some of the technology stuff).

Here are my questions/comments:

-There were no subtitles during the Klingon scenes so I had to turn on the DVD's subtitle function. I thought that was weird. Surely there were subtitles for the Klingon stuff on the CBS streaming service, right?
-When Voq is introduced it's mentioned that his skin color was rare and looked down upon. But for me, I couldn't see a difference between his skin tone and that of L'Rell and several other Klingon characters (like the guy with the red face paint that took over for a while). Was there something I missed?
-So was Stamets the Chief Engineer? If that was ever said outright then I missed it. I probably only ask because the doctor character wasn't the CMO so this show didn't feel the need to have department heads be main characters like the other shows. And did we ever see the CMO?
-Also did we ever see Main Engineering? I'm assuming the "Spore Drive Room" wasn't it.
-There was a scene at the end of an episode where Stamets and Culber were brushing their teeth. After Stamets leaves the bathroom there's another Stamets still standing there. I assume this had something to do with the Spore Drive and other universe but I wasn't clear at all what it was. Was there a specific explanation for that?

I'm going to need to do a re-watch to really get my head around it. I plan to check out season 2 whenver that comes out on DVD.

 

[pst]

good thinking with that whole continuity alarm thing. in fact break the button, smash that thing, don't look back.

- there were subtitles on CBS AA, might be your DVD player
- voq is pretty clearly albino, l'rell and kol have a purplish hue to them, again, might be your DVD player
- stamets is not the chief engineer, the chief engineer is mentioned in season 2 (not a spoiler) but never seen, we don't meet the CMO but this person is referenced in season 1
- the room we see aboard discovery is apparently "engineering test bay alpha", which indicates there's a main engineering somewhere else, but sometimes it feels like the show forgets this
- the stamets in the mirror was in fact mirror stamets, attempting to come in contact with prime stamets via the mycelial plane

 

[BillJ]

- voq is pretty clearly albino, l'rell and kol have a purplish hue to them, again, might be your DVD player

Could be the more limited DVD color range.

 

[F. King Daniel]

It took me a while to be able to see this show. (I got the DVD) I still haven't seen season 2 so please don't post spoilers in this thread.

I don't know what the overall consensus of this show is with the fans but I thought it was ok. I had to turn off my internal "continuity alarms" to actually enjoy it (especially with regard to some of the technology stuff).

Here are my questions/comments:

-There were no subtitles during the Klingon scenes so I had to turn on the DVD's subtitle function. I thought that was weird. Surely there were subtitles for the Klingon stuff on the CBS streaming service, right?

There were on Netflix and CBS-AA. Perhaps a weird DVD player glitch, or something? I've had movies that start with subtitles for no reason and foreign-language ones where the subs aren't on by default..

-When Voq is introduced it's mentioned that his skin color was rare and looked down upon. But for me, I couldn't see a difference between his skin tone and that of L'Rell and several other Klingon characters (like the guy with the red face paint that took over for a while). Was there something I missed?

The lighting doesn't make it entirely clear, but L'Rell and Kol are purple and Voq is white.

-So was Stamets the Chief Engineer? If that was ever said outright then I missed it. I probably only ask because the doctor character wasn't the CMO so this show didn't feel the need to have department heads be main characters like the other shows. And did we ever see the CMO?

No he isn't. In fact, he's not even an engineer but a scientist. We've never met the chief engineer or chief medical officer either.

Spoiler: season 2 end

And now we won't.

-Also did we ever see Main Engineering? I'm assuming the "Spore Drive Room" wasn't it.

Nope, we don't see main engineering. The room we see is "starboard engineering test bay 2" or something like that, according to a tiny plaque on the wall.

-There was a scene at the end of an episode where Stamets and Culber were brushing their teeth. After Stamets leaves the bathroom there's another Stamets still standing there. I assume this had something to do with the Spore Drive and other universe but I wasn't clear at all what it was. Was there a specific explanation for that?

It was Mirror Staments watching him through the spore network. He explains it in the enchanted forest when they meet

I'm going to need to do a re-watch to really get my head around it. I plan to check out season 2 whenever that comes out on DVD.

If anything, season 2 has more head-scratchers, but IMO is 10x more awesome.

 

[thribs]

What you can’t understand Klingon? Rookie.

 

[Csalem]

I had a similar issue with the bluray program on my Mac recently whille watching Thor: The Dark World. I had to turn on subtitles for the elves language to translate.

 

[ToddKent]

I just started a re-watch of the series on my computer and the subtitles pop up automatically so, yeah I guess it was an issue with my DVD player. Weird.

Just finished the third episode and came up with a few more questions:

-I have to assume Michael graduated from Starfleet Academy but the flashback with Sarek dropping her off on the Shinzou seemed like an unusual way to get an assignment. My head canon is that early in her career she took some time off to go back to Vulcan and when her vacation time was up and she got her assignment she just hitched a ride on a Vulcan ship (and still wore civilian clothes for some reason).

Surely that scene wasn't meant to imply that a civilian was just given a field commission on a starship because Sarek asked Georgiou to do it, right? Right?

-There's also a scene early on when one of the prisoners points out the uniqueness of a black badge being worn by one of the Discovery officers but I can't remember that being followed up on from my first watch. Is the badge just a Black Alert/Spore thing or was there some other significance that came up later?

 

[HaventGotALife]

The first episode is one of my favorites. My roommate, at the time said "Wow!" As the credits started to run. I yelled "Star Trek is back, baby!" When I saw it for the first time.

It draws on science, in episode 1. The pods, and how this civilization is different, yet respected. They risk their lives to bring them water, avoid their death, reference general order one, and use measurements for their phasers, and the 23rd century interpretation of the Prime Directive--they can affect a civilization, as long as they don't reveal themselves, or space travel, in doing so.

The conversation between Georgiou and Burnham is classic Trek. The exposition of seven years of service aboard the Shenzhou. The offer of a Command. Discussing how they would handle being stranded on the planet.

"I would reveal myself to the natives."
"I would escape."

The three-pointed star that sends up a red flare to their ship, and Burnham is playing catch-up.

The unidentified object they cannot scan. And, the debate over what to do with it, after going low-tech, a view through the telescope to try and see it.

Speculation:
"Maybe it wishes to be found."
"Maybe it's hiding."
"You realize that if you fear everything then there's no room for exploration, for Discovery."
"Just a fly-by."

Burnham's expressions in the suit. Her wide eyes, smile, and laugh. Burnham's eyes glaze over as she becomes fearful. Danger and exploration. The light of the binary stars reflected in her eyes.

Then, she reaches the object. "Is it carved or constructed. Wow."

Then, she fights for her life, contacts Sarek to find how to respond to Klingons, after they bury one of their own, their art on full display.

Sarek tells her about the Vulcan Hello, and then a decision--this soon-to-be Captain demands command in the form of mutiny to save her Captain's life, her shipmates. Safety, danger, exploration. She fails, is too late. Fade to Black from a host of Klingon Ships.

Beautiful writing and direction.

 

[BillJ]

-I have to assume Michael graduated from Starfleet Academy but the flashback with Sarek dropping her off on the Shinzou seemed like an unusual way to get an assignment. My head canon is that early in her career she took some time off to go back to Vulcan and when her vacation time was up and she got her assignment she just hitched a ride on a Vulcan ship (and still wore civilian clothes for some reason).

Surely that scene wasn't meant to imply that a civilian was just given a field commission on a starship because Sarek asked Georgiou to do it, right? Right?

She graduated from the Vulcan Science Academy and was given a Starfleet commission.

 

[BillJ]

She graduated from the Vulcan Science Academy and was given a Starfleet commission.

Am I missing something? I thought in "Lethe", Sarek allowed Burnham to be rejected by the Vulcan Science Academy so Spock could go?

How did she end up getting in? Guess I'll have to rewatch it at some point...

 

[donners22]

Am I missing something? I thought in "Lethe", Sarek allowed Burnham to be rejected by the Vulcan Science Academy so Spock could go?

How did she end up getting in? Guess I'll have to rewatch it at some point...

No, Sarek allowed her to be rejected from joining the Vulcan Expeditionary Group after graduation from the Science Academy, so that Spock could join after he graduated.

The irony was that Spock then chose to go to Starfleet Academy, meaning Sarek sacrificed Michael for nothing.

 

[F. King Daniel]

I just started a re-watch of the series on my computer and the subtitles pop up automatically so, yeah I guess it was an issue with my DVD player. Weird.

Just finished the third episode and came up with a few more questions:

-I have to assume Michael graduated from Starfleet Academy but the flashback with Sarek dropping her off on the Shinzou seemed like an unusual way to get an assignment. My head canon is that early in her career she took some time off to go back to Vulcan and when her vacation time was up and she got her assignment she just hitched a ride on a Vulcan ship (and still wore civilian clothes for some reason).

Surely that scene wasn't meant to imply that a civilian was just given a field commission on a starship because Sarek asked Georgiou to do it, right? Right?

She went to the Vulcan Science Academy but was denied the Vulcan Expeditionary Group, so joined Starfleet. It implies the VSA is roughly equal to Starfleet Academy and the VEG equal to Starfleet.

-There's also a scene early on when one of the prisoners points out the uniqueness of a black badge being worn by one of the Discovery officers but I can't remember that being followed up on from my first watch. Is the badge just a Black Alert/Spore thing or was there some other significance that came up later?

The black badges arent seen again in season one, but they become a big deal in season 2.

Spoiler: minor spoiler

Black badge = Section 31.

 

[thribs]

You’re better off just reading the synopsis for season 2. It’ll save you 14 hours.