Spoilers Star Trek: Discovery 1x03 - "Context is for Kings"

[CorporalClegg]

There wasn't anything even close to this quality by episode 3 in any of the "modern" Trek series.

That's not a high bar.

And I don't get the deal with comparing the show with the old series. Yeah fine and great.

But the TV bar is so much higher now when any of the other series were on.

And Discovery isn't selling itself as one of the old Trek shows put in 2017. Orville is doing that.

Discovery is selling itself as a modern serious high-concept, high-drama, serialized TV show. And compared to any of the third episodes of shows in that market I could name off the top of my head, this is a joke.

 

[Mudd]

You must not have watched Star Trek Deep Space Nine, because DSC is the 23rd Century version of that show, albeit if that show had been set on a ship instead of a space station.

"This is the same as that other show, if that other show had been just like this one. Instead of being that other show."

Discovery is selling itself as a modern serious high-concept, high-drama, serialized TV show. And compared to any of the third episodes of shows in that market I could name off the top of my head, this is a joke.

But you can tell this is serious real drama, because everyone has bad skin!

 

[bookworm8571]

I like the dark, suspenseful tone, though I don’t think Burnham’s offense merited life or that she was responsible for the war. This isn’t the shiny, optimistic Federation of propaganda, though maybe it’s the sort of governmental body that had a Kodos the Executioner (how many years before this show, maybe 10?)

The spores are a bit confusing, but interesting. The lighting is so dark that I couldn’t tell what was happening in half the scenes.

I think this is definitely a Section 31/Black Ops ship, which I am fine with. I prefer characters with shades of gray. Lorca is a fascinating captain. I hope they let him live and this isn’t the story of how Burnham became captain of the Discovery after exposing her evil captain. I like the Alice in Wonderland reference and mention of Amanda, though it makes me wonder why Sarek and Amanda haven’t Intervened somehow. Then Amanda put up with Sarek not talking to their son for years. Parents of the year, they were not.

Tilly appears to be autistic. Interesting. Saru is so ugly that I find him distracting.

 

[Nerys Myk]

I don't even remember "Past Prologue". Now, "Charlie X" that was a good third episode.

 

[BorgKes]

No thanks. Good luck with your "steering campaign." I have found over the last 40 years as a fan that fans are best when watching. They are generally shit at knowing what they want and almost 100% of the time, I'm not anywhere near alignment on where they think the franchise needs to go. And nothing makes me sicker when some sub-segmentbof fans decides they can/should exert influence over the direction of the franchise.

I for one think the healthiest thing is always to change and challenge in this franchise. Take the risks. Don't listen to the fans. Make a great show and let audiences make their decisions.

Turning the franchise into a violent BSG clone isn't really "change" or "challenge." It would be a challenge for them to write interesting sci-fi episodes. Falling back on easy war drama isn't very creative, and has been done much better by DS9.

 

[Vger23]

That's not a high bar.

And I don't get the deal with comparing the show with the old series. Yeah fine and great.

But the TV bar is so much higher now when any of the other series were on.

And Discovery isn't selling itself as one of the old Trek shows put in 2017. Orville is doing that.

Discovery is selling itself as a modern serious high-concept, high-drama, serialized TV show. And compared to any of the third episodes of shows in that market I could name off the top of my head, this is a joke.

Thank God I don't agree.

 

[Nerys Myk]

It would be a challenge for them to write interesting sci-fi episodes.

Star Trek doesn't do "interesting sci-fi " all that well.

 

[Ometiklan]

You know, I sort of wonder if that was the original intention, and then they were given those 2 new episodes, expanding to 15 for the season, they made them a separate 2-parter.

Yeah, I also wondered about the connection. It seems like it could fit.

I also liked Tily (maybe we need a slogan like "I Like Ike")

Pros:
- Pretty much everything. Lorca, Tily, Saru, the Discovery (which looks beautiful especially under neat lighting conditions)
- good humor to contrast with the seriousness of everything else
- man, i hope the discovery rescued that prison transport ship pilot too.
- Burnham easily defeated the security protocols, but Lorca knew all along
- Lorca pulling strings to get Burnham onboard

Cons:
- Maybe: it went by too fast?
- Actually, why didn't the boarding party call for a emergency transport when the beast showed up? Maybe they weren't sure how the transporter would work after the Glenn's accident? Testing it on the beast seems to have worked eventually. [EDIT: posters have pointed out that the shuttle traveled at warp to get to the Glenn, so nix this con.]

I need to rewatch to catch all the little details in acting and stuff. Again, I was too focused on the visuals and following the plot to really dig into the little character details.

I am digging this show.

 

[DigificWriter]

Turning the franchise into a violent BSG clone

Discovery has as much in common with BSG as Game of Thrones does with The Big Bang Theory.

 

[Kevin Wolff]

Captain, look out. They've got flashlights! If his eyes are that bad, he needs some Foster Grants.
But seriously, I was glad to finally see the ship, regardless of the sketchy tech plot device. Another cloak, phase cloak, Iconian transporter thing that we know can't work or work for long even if the show was a complete reboot.

So Starfleet basically mailed her to Lorca via pony express so that they are not culpable and can disavow. It's weird that they keep using unlikely scenarios instead of grounding their behavior and motivations more. The show already has a fantastical backdrop. The logical move is to write strong drama in contrast, but I guess the problem is they are not up it.

Nitpicking aside, I liked this much better than the premiere.

 

[jla1987]

I only think that certain elemnets of the look remind me of BSG, not really the content.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Discovery has as much in common with BSG as Game of Thrones does with The Big Bang Theory.

That's a bit hyperbolic. Though I could see Bernie on the Iron Throne

 

[Amaris]

...
- Actually, why didn't the boarding party call for a emergency transport when the beast showed up? Maybe they weren't sure how the transporter would work after the Glenn's accident? Testing it on the beast seems to have worked eventually.

I need to rewatch to catch all the little details in acting and stuff. Again, I was too focused on the visuals and following the plot to really dig into the little character details.

I am digging this show.

If I recall correctly, the area they were in was heavily shielded, preventing transport.

 

[Mudd]

Well you're in the minority.

Well yes, 42% would be the minority. Real sharp catch, there!

 

[Beyerstein]

I think the captain is going to turn out to be a villain and Saru will be put in a position where he can protect his captain or become a mutineer like Michael.

 

[Vger23]

That's not a high bar.

And I don't get the deal with comparing the show with the old series. Yeah fine and great.

But the TV bar is so much higher now when any of the other series were on.

And Discovery isn't selling itself as one of the old Trek shows put in 2017. Orville is doing that.

Discovery is selling itself as a modern serious high-concept, high-drama, serialized TV show. And compared to any of the third episodes of shows in that market I could name off the top of my head, this is a joke.

Are you done watching then?

 

[mattman8907]

i think my favorite part of this episode was the klingon telling the away team to be quiet by shushing them. LOL. I thought that was awesome.

 

[David cgc]

Turning the franchise into a violent BSG clone isn't really "change" or "challenge." It would be a challenge for them to write interesting sci-fi episodes. Falling back on easy war drama isn't very creative, and has been done much better by DS9.

I'm old enough to remember when people said the same thing about turning BSG into a violent DS9 clone. Ron Moore's vanity project, destroying a beloved cult Sci-Fi epic because he was in a snit about no one listening to his ideas on Voyager.

 

[cooleddie74]

I like the new show but I won't blindly defend it and label all critics both professional and in the fanbase as having a sinister agenda to bring the series crashing down. I gave tonight's episode a 9 rating because I genuinely liked it, but I won't even remotely pretend the series doesn't have aesthetic and storytelling problems that need to be resolved if it wants to become great and not just good.

 

[DigificWriter]

That's a bit hyperbolic.

It's not hyperbolic; it's using two completely tonally disparate series to refute the idea that there's any similarity whatsoever between DSC and BSG.