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

[Lakenheath 72]

The clip for next week's show shown in After Trek raises some questions about the biological nature of Saru. It could lead to a re-thinking on the nature of Saru's species.

 

[Turbo]

We don’t always get what we want. I moved to a new town a year ago for my wife’s new job. Worked for my old job remotely for six months and have been unemployed the other six. I don’t have what I really want in life at the moment but you don’t see me whining about it at every turn. I continue to try I make the best of it.

Just putting things into context. (No pun intended.)

Unfortunately, some people love to complain, and love to watch shows just to complain about them. (We've had this problem with a few posters in the Doctor Who forum over the years and I know the Enterprise forum also had this problem.) Not much you can do about it but ignore the haters.

Side note: I hope you find a job soon!

 

[Lakenheath 72]

It was Lorca who described the mass of Species GS54 as a "storm". That whole cloud-like thing was a great many tiny "lightning bugs" clumped together and the shuttle ran smack into it.

 

[unigolyn]

I have the feeling Battlestar Galactica changed sci-fi more than we thought it would.

Hell, back in the day, they basically axed Stargate:Atlantis to make room for Stargate:Universe (aka "Stargate: BSG-rip-off). "The Expansion" looks like it took a lot of cues as well. The difference is: BSG was first, and fully went through with it. It worked, because it was great in it's own right. But I don't think it's that good as an influence on other sci-fi.

Well, I love The Expanse. It's not in any way utopian but it's also not cynical. Even though BSG was good in the first few seasons, the ending was so bad, handwavy, and morally offensive I still haven't rewatched it and doubt I ever will.

I have nothing against BSG-style science fiction. But Discovery isn't even particularly good at what it's doing and I find it impossible to ignore 50 years of establishing what Starfleet and the Federation are. The difference is grating.

It's like the Zach Snyder Superman movies.

Yes, it's interesting to ask what kind of damage truly superhuman beings could cause just by fighting one another next to humanity. It's interesting to test the "no killing" rules of superheroes. But you shouldn't do that with Superman, who is supposed to be an idealized example of goodness. Especially not when your grimdark Superman movie isn't even all that good. Especially when Alan Moore already did it far better in Watchmen.

 

[Seven of Five]

I gave this an 8, and I think it came across better than the first two episodes. It's weird because I averaged those out to an 8.5, but I think I was so excited for the new series I just soaked it all up. I think I'll either rewatch the first half of the season before the second half begins, or I'll rewatch it entirely before the potential season two. It'll be interesting to see my reaction to those episodes again.

Anyway, the weird science made me think of ENT when they were going through The Expanse. Zombie Vulcans anyone?

 

[Mr. Adventure]

So why Discovery is not Star Trek? The Series Title is Star Trek, the one who make it is the owner of the franchise called Star Trek. Even Roddenberry son is involve in it. So why Discovery is not Star Trek? The people who have the right of the title of Star Trek call it Star Trek, so why is it not Star Trek?

Sigh, people who say this isn't Star Trek. Well you are entitled to your opinion but at the same time, are you the series writer? Have you ever had anything to do with the decision making?! We are the fans not series staff? I never thought I'd hear the same bullcrap I hear on the Star Wars forums!

I think you're taking this way too literally.

I have the feeling Battlestar Galactica changed sci-fi more than we thought it would.

Hell, back in the day, they basically axed Stargate:Atlantis to make room for Stargate:Universe (aka "Stargate: BSG-rip-off). "The Expansion" looks like it took a lot of cues as well. The difference is: BSG was first, and fully went through with it. It worked, because it was great in it's own right. But I don't think it's that good as an influence on other sci-fi.

This Star Trek series clearly tries to be "somewhat-BSG-ish" as well, in being darker and more serious. Luckily, they didn't went the whole way through, I think it's still undeniably recognizable as Trek.

But it's a little sad to see Star Trek imitating other stuff, instead of doing it's own thing and being an influencer in it's own right.

I think the market for a purely optimistic, still serious-but-lighthearted, colorful version of Star Trek, primarily focused on "boring" stuff (exploration, science, discovery) is still there. If nothing else, 'The Orville' pretty much proves that.

I assume you mean "The Expanse". Discovery reminds me a lot of The Expanse, the characters, the derelict ship and the results of the spore drive, even the creature left behind plays a lot like the protomolecule story. I'm not saying it was intentional but it has parallels.

 

[JRS]

Woah..this third episode was certainly different in tone than the first two
but I liked it..left me wanting more. Seems we are indeed discovering new things with this show, in more ways than one.
This new Star Trek is good and so far very interesting :-)

Here are some random comments from me:
- The USS Discovery is a fine looking ship, looks better in motion than I expected.
- Those are some fine looking shuttles they have there.
- Black Starfleet badges..hmmm..oh yeah..who might they be!
- Tribble!
- I personally like Tilly..and I think she is a fine looking woman.
- Shhhh! Haha..that was unexpected but fun scene indeed.
- I would like to have one of those USS Discovery pillow cases, thank you.
- Not sure what to think of Lorca yet..but they did well with the casting, that is for sure.
- The characters are already very relatable I must say.

 

[Rahul]

Well, I love The Expanse. It's not in any way utopian but it's also not cynical. Even though BSG was good in the first few seasons, the ending was so bad, handwavy, and morally offensive I still haven't rewatched it and doubt I ever will.

I have nothing against BSG-style science fiction. But Discovery isn't even particularly good at what it's doing and I find it impossible to ignore 50 years of establishing what Starfleet and the Federation are. The difference is grating.

It's like the Zach Snyder Superman movies.

Yes, it's interesting to ask what kind of damage truly superhuman beings could cause just by fighting one another next to humanity. It's interesting to test the "no killing" rules of superheroes. But you shouldn't do that with Superman, who is supposed to be an idealized example of goodness. Especially not when your grimdark Superman movie isn't even all that good. Especially when Alan Moore already did it far better in Watchmen.

I think you're taking this way too literally.


I assume you mean "The Expanse". Discovery reminds me a lot of The Expanse, the characters, the derelict ship and the results of the spore drive, even the creature left behind plays a lot like the protomolecule story. I'm not saying it was intentional but it has parallels.

Ah, yes! I meant "The Expanse". Sadly I haven't yet found the time to watch it, but it looks quite good actually. The few snippets I have seen definitely felt a lot inspired by BSG - but with it's own unique twist on things. It certainly looks like a property where the BSG-influence makes much more sense than on Trek.

I don't know. I think DIS is reasonably well done. But I kinda' miss the goofiness and lighthearted optimism

 

[tomalak301]

That was my take at first about them being douchebags and I started about being a bit worried. However, the cool thing was as they got to know each other during the episode, the facades were dropped and the real feelings and motivations were known and they were not douchebags. Just people with real grievances, concerns, etc during tough times. I like that characterization.

I noticed that on the second watch which is why I seemed to like the episode a lot better. I still think Stamitts is a bit of a douche though.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

I would like to have one of those USS Discovery pillow cases, thank you.

Ah yes, another canon violation! Where are all those flat beds with thin red and gold sheets?

 

[BillJ]

I still haven't seen any discussion of how the Shenzhou's crew violated any Starfleet rules or laws of war in their fight. If you have something to actually back it up, I would like to see it.

When they placed a bomb on a dead body T'Whothehellcares was vacuuming up into his ship.

 

[KirkusOveractus]

When they placed a bomb on a dead body T'Whothehellcares was vacuuming up into his ship.

And wasn't Burnham lecturing Lorca on violating the Geneva Conventions? Um, Michael, I have the second episode queued up for you to watch...

 

[Markonian]

Sorry to bother. What’s the registry number of the Glenn? Seeing both NCC-1030 and NCC-1040 on the interwebs.

 

[Mr Awe]

We don’t always get what we want. I moved to a new town a year ago for my wife’s new job. Worked for my old job remotely for six months and have been unemployed the other six. I don’t have what I really want in life at the moment but you don’t see me whining about it at every turn. I continue to try I make the best of it.

Just putting things into context. (No pun intended.)

Agreed. Whining about a TV show of all things, especially one that you have to pay to watch, is pretty lame. Particularly after urging everyone to write off the season after 2 episodes.

Besides, sometimes it's nice to be surprised and not get what you're expecting (although maybe not in your case). I think some people were expecting the same old ST as before.

Best wishes for you and your family.

 

[Mage]

Quite an interesting episode. I am still curious for more, but this doesn't give me a Star Trek vibe just yet. The amount of gore was quite something. Also, visually, everything is very dark. I actually need to up the backlight on my tv to properly see it.

All in all, some good stuff. Curious where this will go.

 

[Owain Taggart]

Yeah some of the Discovery crew do come off a little dickish for Starfleet officers, and it was a more sinister kind of environment than I was expecting for this show, but it did make for a compelling hour as we watch Burnham try to make sense of all the strange stuff going on.

I have a feeling that was done to play off on the fact that suddenly she's out of her league on an unfamiliar ship. I'm hoping that they'll ease off on that in the future when they come to trust her more.

 

[Sakonna]

Watching this episode, I was struck by how the things that worry me about Discovery so far are the exact same things that worry me about almost any serialized drama I watch these days, the majority of which are afflicted with the same problem -- that it is too dependent on the season arc, at the expense of satisfying episodic structure.

"Context Is For Kings" -- a solid chapter in the story. I'm still interested in where it's going. But it does not really stand alone as an episode, in that I can't render a judgment on if I thought it was good or bad, because so much of it depends on what the ultimate reveals are. This moved the ball along nicely, I liked the character intro's, but I know it's a lot easier to satisfyingly set up mysteries than it is to resolve them.

 

[Long Syntax]

Didn't that episode with a big "...or WAS it? dun dun duuun" And the characters just decided to move on for the greater good of the mission? Not so sure anymore about it...

http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/Hatchery_(episode)

Back on Enterprise, Archer is put through the main scanning chamber in sickbay, and Phlox discovers that the captain had been "reverse-imprinted" with the Xindi eggs by the substance that was squirted onto him. Subconsciously, he had been caring for the Xindi babies to the exclusion of everything else. Phlox is able to reverse the effect, and, after retrieving the antimatter, the Enterprise continues on its course to Azati Prime.

 

[Tuskin38]

And wasn't Burnham lecturing Lorca on violating the Geneva Conventions? Um, Michael, I have the second episode queued up for you to watch...

I chalk it up to the writers not reading every single article of the Geneva convention.

 

[Mr Awe]

I wouldn't be surprised if he were conceived as a one-season character, and I wouldn't be surprised if CBS told the producers that this is unacceptable.

I can match your lack of being surprised.

I wouldn't be surprised if it were not only acceptable and I also wouldn't be surprised if Jason Isaacs already agreed to a one year contract.

I guess one of us will be surprised!