Spoilers Star Trek: Discovery 2x02 - "New Eden"

[eschaton]

Seriously though, was I the only one who thought that Frakes direction was totally awful?

I mean, the episode quality overall - the story ideas, the scripting, the acting - was all above average. But things like the choice of lighting, sound mix, and editing were among the worst I've ever seen in a Trek episode. Just atrocious.

 

[Vger23]

Odd, I had audio for it.......and did not have an issue with captioning. But I watched about an hour after it went live.

It's weird for me to read about streaming issues since this show premiered last year, I've never really had a bad experience. In fact, this year the picture and sound quality are very good.

I run it off an XBox One S. Always works great.

 

[CorporalClegg]

Especially when you consider Janeway had no problem doing that when she and crew discovered Amelia Earhart in the Delta Quadrant.

Well...

 

[Jackson_Roykirk]

Especially when you consider Janeway had no problem doing that when she and crew discovered Amelia Earhart in the Delta Quadrant.

As was mentioned above, maybe "General Order 1/The Prime Directive" had been revised a bit between the 23rd century and the 24th century.

 

[Turtletrekker]

The subtitle issue seems top have cleared up.

 

[Noname Given]

I've engaged in discussion on this thread, but not posted my rating yet, so here goes:

Overall: 8 (Sorry, I LIKED the action in the first episode of the season - gave it a 9 - and this one was a bit less 'actiony' but still good.)

Liked:
- Pike's thoughtful decision RE: The PD applies here.

- Burnham showing she HAD learned her lesson RE: The CAPTAIN gives the order and you obey; (and that she articulated exactly that to Pike when he commended her for following his orders.) That IS character development for her, definitely.

- I liked Tilly, period.

I honestly DON'T get how people compare her to Wesley Crusher as:
i. She's not a snot nosed 14 year old super genius prodigy.
ii. She went through 4 years at Starfleet Academy and graduated BEFORE being admitted to the Command training program.
iii, She does come across strong, but UNLIKE Wesley, she will back off and apologize - and then tone it down.
Iv. YES, she's a bit socially awkward and needs to work on her interpersonal skills a bit, but NO she doesn't come across as Autistic or "On the spectrum"
v. OMG! She's good at science and highly intelligent (Something Starfleet would WANT I imagine), and that's why she was posted to Discovery

Bottom line, she AIN'T as annoying (or as whiny) as Wesley was up until say TNG in the later part of S3, and again, UNLIKE Wesley, she earned her place on the ship (IE went through Starfleet Academy) - and wasn't just a 'tag along with mom'; so no, she ain't Wesley.

I also liked that this episode moved the overarching plot along while still telling another fully contained story within it that had its own satisfying resolution.

I also liked the unexpected reveal that Pike DOES know where Spock is, etc. and in deference to Spock's wishes KEPT that knowledge secret (until he believed the Mission over-rode that confidentiality) in a way that didn't raise suspicion. Overall I LIKED these writers didn't openly telegraph it in these two episodes because in Berman /Braga era 24th century TNG Trek, we'd probably have had a cutaway to a 'locked away Spock' in the first episode. (Can't leave the audience out of a major story point.)

Disliked:
Nothing really stands out to me in the 'dislike' category on this one.

Overall, they did a nice job with the Trek elements and kept those elements nicely in the 23rd century (and didn't pull in any 24th century like character attitudes).

 

[CorporalClegg]

Seriously though, was I the only one who thought that Frakes direction was totally awful.

I mean, the episode quality overall - the story ideas, the scripting, the acting - was all above average. But things like the choice of lighting, sound mix, and editing were among the worst I've ever seen in a Trek episode. Just atrocious.

I thought the direction was great. I liked the lighting and the editing was great.
The sound problems are a persistent problem and most like an issue with CBS.

 

[Jackson_Roykirk]

Seriously though, was I the only one who thought that Frakes direction was totally awful.

I mean, the episode quality overall - the story ideas, the scripting, the acting - was all above average. But things like the choice of lighting, sound mix, and editing were among the worst I've ever seen in a Trek episode. Just atrocious.

I mentioned the editing issue as well. It got better by the end of the episode, but the first 2/3 or so had some really fast cuts and scene changes.

I'm not sure if that's a director's issue or the film editor's issue (although I'd expect the director to be working with the editor).

 

[Avro Arrow]

So this new foe impersonates dead people.

Plus, I'm not sure if Tilly's imaginary friend was a product of the Red Angels or the spores.

We know that Tilly absorbed a spore last season, and the writers went out of their way to have Stamets recap how he saw Culber in the mycelial network... so I'm assuming this actually *is* Tilly's deceased friend Mae.

 

[Uhura's Song]

The 24th century Prime Directive may have been revised a little since the 23rd century General Order 1.
Maybe instances like this brought about some reconsideration and tweaking of the General order/Prime Directive.

And this episode may be why.

Good episode. Though a starship full of smart people should have come up with the asteroid solution sooner/immediately. The harder part should have been making it work.

I think what Tilly is experiencing is a result of using the spore drive. Stamets is correct. It is some kind of repository. But using it to jump around is breaking down barriers and allowing others to cross over. In this case, the dead.

It is no doubt why it is abandoned/forbidden later on.

As for the 'angel', I have no idea. But if it can transport stuff vast distances, I would speculate it might be a denzien of the network as well.

As for Spock, he was probably having visions of dead people like Tilly and checked himself in.

Why is Burnham seeing the angel? No idea.

 

[eschaton]

I mentioned the editing issue as well. It got better by the end of the episode, but the first 2/3 or so had some really fast cuts and scene changes.

I'm not sure if that's a director's issue or the film editor's issue (although I'd expect the director to be working with the editor).

Yeah, I was less distracted later in the episode. I wasn't sure if that was down to getting used to the style or the editing actually got that much better.

I enjoyed the back end of the episode a lot more than the first half, which was just jarring and hard to get used to.

 

[Vger23]

We know that Tilly absorbed a spore last season, and the writers went out of their way to have Stamets recap how he saw Culber in the mycelial network... so I'm assuming this actually *is* Tilly's deceased friend Mae.

That whole subplot was really creepy.



In a totally awesome and intriguing way.

 

[Jackson_Roykirk]

...As for the 'angel', I have no idea. But if it can transport stuff vast distances, I would speculate it might be a denzien of the network as well...

Which may play a part as to why spore drive technology eventually becomes abandoned/forbidden/classified, and is unused in the future.

 

[IMC Headquarters]

It's a wonder young Spock checked himself into a psych unit--all the shi* that happens to him later in life should crack him like an egg, and a little counselling wouldn't be remiss:

Alien possession
More alien possession
Assorted tortures
Removal of brain
Dickweed racist colleague
Mind melding with alien probes, whales, shag carpets that move through rock, etc.
Failing Kohlinar
Dying
Undying
Becoming marooned in alternate universe
Failing to unify Vulcan and Romulus
Not being there for Jim at his ends
Watching his half-brother die
Dealing with a human stepmother
Dealing with his father's terminal illness
His wife leaves him for another man

 

[Amasov]

As was mentioned above, maybe "General Order 1/The Prime Directive" had been revised a bit between the 23rd century and the 24th century.

Hadn't read that far into the replies yet.

 

[Vger23]

It's a wonder young Spock checked himself into a psych unit--all the shi* that happens to him later in life should crack him like an egg, and a little counselling wouldn't be remiss:

Alien possession
More alien possession
Assorted tortures
Removal of brain
Dickweed racist colleague
Mind melding with alien probes, whales, shag carpets that move through rock, etc.
Failing Kohlinar
Dying
Undying
Becoming marooned in alternate universe
Failing to unify Vulcan and Romulus
Not being there for Jim at his ends
Watching his half-brother die
Dealing with a human stepmother
Dealing with his father's terminal illness
His wife leaves him for another man

Hmmm...well...since you put it that way!

 

[Lord Garth]

It's a wonder young Spock checked himself into a psych unit--all the shi* that happens to him later in life should crack him like an egg, and a little counselling wouldn't be remiss:

Alien possession
More alien possession
Assorted tortures
Removal of brain
Dickweed racist colleague
Mind melding with alien probes, whales, shag carpets that move through rock, etc.
Failing Kohlinar
Dying
Undying
Becoming marooned in alternate universe
Failing to unify Vulcan and Romulus
Not being there for Jim at his ends
Watching his half-brother die
Dealing with a human stepmother
Dealing with his father's terminal illness
His wife leaves him for another man

Whatever doesn't kill you only makes you stronger. He became stronger as he got older.

 

[Vger23]

Whatever doesn't kill you only makes you stronger. He became stronger has he got older.

Isn't that true of all of us?

 

[PixelMagic]

That new ready room, though.

 

[Uhura's Song]

Posted before reading the thread.

Preservers idea is a good one.

And perhaps Tilly seeing dead friends is a result of the spore touching her. No tie in with Spock in a straight jacket there, though. And I want to believe my crazy Culber/katra theory on the Tilly spore. Though the two aren't mutually exclusive.