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

[Tribble puncher]

Like most on here it would seem, I thought this was a pretty decent ep. and a decent Pilot, I like Lorca, Though after watching this ep. I can't help but wonder if some of the section 31 theories about the show may have some basis in fact. I'm okay with it, esp. if it's something the Captain keeps hidden from Burnham. I don't have a problem with the show being "darker" in tone really, as I kinda see it as a glimpse into the greasy engine that drives the "shiny Ferrari" that is the Federation. Liked the creepy vibe of the main plot (and some of the set pieces were probably more gory than anything I've seen since TNG's "Conspiracy". I gave it about a 7 overall. It's not as great as I hoped it would be but not nearly as bad as I feared it would be.

 

[Michael]

Rewatching the trailer for “The Butcher's Knife Cares Not for the Lamb's Cry” and seeing that it will again feature the creature from the Glenn makes me wonder if the Shroomdrive is more like the “Upside Down” from Stranger Things and actually leads to a kind of other realm where these creatures live. Might be the built-in reason why they will abandon the technology eventually.

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

Maybe it leads to many realms and the Glenn hit a particularly unlucky patch. Heck, maybe this is where those "multiple Sareks" rumors came from.

 

[Michael]

Maybe it leads to many realms and the Glenn hit a particularly unlucky patch. Heck, maybe this is where those "multiple Sareks" rumors came from.

I might regret this later, but please remind me, what was the rumor about the “multiple Sareks” again?

 

[McDuff]

Great cinematography. Watching this episode felt like watching a blockbuster summer movie. I like the mystery in this episode about the purpose and experimentation on the ship. I like the new characters and dialogues. Captain Lorca is pretty cool. This episode felt like a pilot too. You could easily have imagine this episode as the true pilot (with Michael just being a prisoner with some mystery about her "treasonous" actions) while the first 2 episodes would have been flashback episodes later in the series about what really went on. Still, it's better the way it was.

It was not the greatest sci-fi story ever (a ship, a war, some mystery about the experimentation) but it was a good episode. It seems to owe much to the movies than previous Star Trek series. The first episodes didn't have the spirit and mystery of exploring new worlds and civilizations and it felt more like a regular Hollywood movie storyline (flawed hero, some actions, redemption, heroism, etc). A pretty good space sci-fi tv show with movie quality cinematography and typical Hollywood storytelling.

I really like how they filmed the ship. It felt large, busy and industrious. Like a large army base with Area 51-like mysterious buildings and authorized personal only areas.

A few nitpicks: The breath test only protection was too easy to circumvent. It should have automatic eye, fingerprint or even DNA/body/microchip scan in the future or something better. If they can scan bodies for transport, they can scan much better for ID authentication. It's Star Trek with future high level tech. I would have preferred more gray areas about Michael supposed treason from other crew members/prisoners (for example, other prisoners joking about her being a traitor instead of considering her a traitor), since it's obvious she was doing it with a "patriotic"/loyal mindset. Hard to believe only Captain Lorca can see through the bullshit (even if it's possible depending on what was reported about her treasonous charges to the public). Also, the beast was a bit too slow in the Jefferies tube pursuit, hard to believe a human is just faster moving than this beast (the beast was presented as very dangerous). But those are small nitpicks, I always have some with even the greatest movies/TV series.

Overall, a very enjoyable episode. Hopefully, it can keep up the mysteries, suspense and provide us with original story lines week after week.

 

[DEWLine]

The word they keep using in the show is "mutineer". There's specific reasons for that.

 

[Michael]

I really like how they filmed the ship. It felt large, busy and industrious. Like a large army base with Area 51-like mysterious buildings and authorized personal only areas.

Indeed, I hadn't looked at it like this. Also helping are the constant announcements via the PA, like in a busy hospital. We didn't really get that in earlier Trek.

 

[JediMindMeld]

I haven't paid any mind to the various theories that people have come up with, but I know someone speculated that Discovery (or at least Lorca) is part of Section 31. This episode made me think there's something to it.

The "top top secret" stuff, the vagueness of Lorca and the others when it comes to the technology they're researching, and maybe above all his speech about how "Universal law is for lackeys; context is for kings" seemed to fit into a story about a black ops unit that isn't accountable to normal Starfleet rules and regulations. It makes sense that he'd recruit a disgraced Burnham too. She's exactly the kind of person they would be interested in.

It would also possibly explain why these characters aren't more widely known to the people in TOS and beyond.

 

[Spider]

I'm more perplexed by why they blew up a perfectly salvageable ship. I mean it is the Klingons' job to blow up Starfleet ships.

Destroying the evidence of their illegal activities.

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

I might regret this later, but please remind me, what was the rumor about the “multiple Sareks” again?

Haha, I know what you mean.

The rumor hails from that silly Midnight's Edge channel, which I followed mostly just from the sidelines because the negativity cloud in their alleged scoops was intoxicating. As such, I can't say how much of their stuff has been disproven thus far, but I do find it rather hard to believe sources were telling them the show's a mess. I really like Discovery, wrinkles and all. Subjectively speaking here, of course, but if this is a mess, goodness gracious, never show me a clean room. My heart couldn't take it.

Anyway, they alleged that someone gave them the heads-up there'd be a multiverse involved, with multiple Sareks, yadda-yadda. That said, our very own paid CBS plant (:P) King Daniel has reminded me on numerous occasions the channel's "source" was some wacky dude with no real credentials, and he's followed this a heck of a lot more closely than I have. I'm sure he's probably right.

 

[Michael]

Haha, I know what you mean.

The rumor hails from that silly Midnight's Edge channel, which I followed mostly just from the sidelines because the negativity cloud in their alleged scoops was intoxicating. As such, I can't say how much of their stuff has been disproven thus far, but I do find it rather hard to believe sources were telling them the show's a mess. I really like Discovery, wrinkles and all. Subjectively speaking here, of course, but if this is a mess, goodness gracious, never show me a clean room. My heart couldn't take it.

Anyway, they alleged that someone gave them the heads-up there'd be a multiverse involved, with multiple Sareks, yadda-yadda. That said, our very own paid CBS plant (:P) King Daniel has reminded me on numerous occasions the channel's "source" was some wacky dude with no real credentials, and he's followed this a heck of a lot more closely than I have. I'm sure he's probably right.

Ah, thanks. I just love that “Multiple Sareks” sounds like some kind of band.

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

Ah, thanks. I just love that “Multiple Sareks” sounds like some kind of band.

"I trust you did not preorder front-row tickets for emotional support."

 

[Psion]

Is it just me, or do the photon torpedoes seem to go slower than actual modern submarine-based torpedoes?

These days, we know that photon torpedoes aren't just energy weapons. They have a substantial drive mechanism. It makes sense to me that in general combat, you want to fire the things as fast as you can so they can reach the enemy before the enemy has a chance to hit back. But ... in certain situations, like when you want to achieve an explosive hit on a precise location on a non-moving ship, it might be best to slow the torpedo down for accuracy. That's my speculation, at least.

Indeed, I hadn't looked at it like this. Also helping are the constant announcements via the PA, like in a busy hospital. We didn't really get that in earlier Trek.

Except in TNG's episode "Yesterday's Enterprise." It makes sense for there to be shipwide announcements. But ... once you go down this path, be prepared for announcements for the ship's shuffleboard championships, too.

 

[Psion]

Great cinematography. Watching this episode felt like watching a blockbuster summer movie. I like the mystery in this episode about the purpose and experimentation on the ship. I like the new characters and dialogues. Captain Lorca is pretty cool. This episode felt like a pilot too. You could easily have imagine this episode as the true pilot (with Michael just being a prisoner with some mystery about her "treasonous" actions) while the first 2 episodes would have been flashback episodes later in the series about what really went on. Still, it's better the way it was.

It was not the greatest sci-fi story ever (a ship, a war, some mystery about the experimentation) but it was a good episode. It seems to owe much to the movies than previous Star Trek series. The first episodes didn't have the spirit and mystery of exploring new worlds and civilizations and it felt more like a regular Hollywood movie storyline (flawed hero, some actions, redemption, heroism, etc). A pretty good space sci-fi tv show with movie quality cinematography and typical Hollywood storytelling.

I really like how they filmed the ship. It felt large, busy and industrious. Like a large army base with Area 51-like mysterious buildings and authorized personal only areas.

A few nitpicks: The breath test only protection was too easy to circumvent. It should have automatic eye, fingerprint or even DNA/body/microchip scan in the future or something better. If they can scan bodies for transport, they can scan much better for ID authentication. It's Star Trek with future high level tech. I would have preferred more gray areas about Michael supposed treason from other crew members/prisoners (for example, other prisoners joking about her being a traitor instead of considering her a traitor), since it's obvious she was doing it with a "patriotic"/loyal mindset. Hard to believe only Captain Lorca can see through the bullshit (even if it's possible depending on what was reported about her treasonous charges to the public). Also, the beast was a bit too slow in the Jefferies tube pursuit, hard to believe a human is just faster moving than this beast (the beast was presented as very dangerous). But those are small nitpicks, I always have some with even the greatest movies/TV series.

Overall, a very enjoyable episode. Hopefully, it can keep up the mysteries, suspense and provide us with original story lines week after week.

I'm hooked on this show now. It's so nice to have a Star Trek series back, even if it's only a handful of episodes now ... and ... then ...

Hold a second. Who the Hell are you and where did you come from, Mcduff?! Does anyone else know this guy?!

 

[Fandango831]

Is it just me, or do the photon torpedoes seem to go slower than actual modern submarine-based torpedoes?

Torpedoes in the water look fairly slow for moving at 40 plus knots so I'd guess the reason it seems slow is the Discovery fires them from a safe distance towards the Glenn. Merely visual trickery over anything else. Plus from a cinema point of view it's meant to be dramatic/satisfying to see the Glenn get railed like that.

 

[Fateor]

Lorca wasn't listing off what she was seeing. He was giving possible places.
That could have been any planet.

It was the same architecture as seen in the TNG and ENT episodes we visited Romulas.

 

[Zod]

Just watched. Liked this better than last week. I like that Michael starts out as a traitor and thought of as a criminal. I love the ship and have been absorbed with it. The supporting cast is much better this week also.

The captain, I like best of all. Any doubts I had from last week have evaporated this time around. This is a fitting pilot.

 

[rhllot]

Which means their primary loyalty is to Earth and Starfleet, not necessarily the Federation. They’re only still around by the Federation’s time by being underground. Sloan said they have no facilities, so they’re like an unofficial Secret Society at a college...or the KKK...they keep their beliefs to themselves, and act out whenever they can get away with it, and not be caught by Starfleet proper.

or Sloan could be lying to distract julian and let it die with him.
in star trek into the darkness we could see that section 31 had ships, space stations and secret installations

 

[Campe]

Haha, I know what you mean.

The rumor hails from that silly Midnight's Edge channel, which I followed mostly just from the sidelines because the negativity cloud in their alleged scoops was intoxicating. As such, I can't say how much of their stuff has been disproven thus far, but I do find it rather hard to believe sources were telling them the show's a mess. I really like Discovery, wrinkles and all. Subjectively speaking here, of course, but if this is a mess, goodness gracious, never show me a clean room. My heart couldn't take it.

Anyway, they alleged that someone gave them the heads-up there'd be a multiverse involved, with multiple Sareks, yadda-yadda. That said, our very own paid CBS plant (:P) King Daniel has reminded me on numerous occasions the channel's "source" was some wacky dude with no real credentials, and he's followed this a heck of a lot more closely than I have. I'm sure he's probably right.

Actually, the idea is that because Mark Lenard played the Romulan Commander in ”Balance of Terror,” Sarek in “Journey to Babel” (amongst other episodes and films) and the Klingon Commander in The Motion Picture, the only logical solution (according to these True Believers™ anyway) is that there must be some event that split Sarek apart into three different races and therefore he exists in three places at the same time.

I mean, it logically makes no sense at all that MAYBE they’re different characters and MAYBE the producers really liked Lenard and have him involved in different points throughout the various productions.

I mean, crazy talk, right?!?

 

[Longinus]

in star trek into the darkness we could see that section 31 had ships, space stations and secret installations

Yes, but that was in Kelvinverse so it doesn't apply.