Is this what we're going to talk about?
Spoilers Star Trek: Strange New Worlds 3x07 - "What Is Starfleet?"
- Thread starter Commander Richard
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Is this what we're going to talk about?
Erica has a model of an NX-Class (presumably the Enterprise) in her quarters
bsky.app
Jörg Hillebrand (@gaghyogi49.bsky.social)
The model of the Enterprise NX-01 in Erica Ortegas' quarters, barely seen in #StarTrekSNW season 2's "Among the Lotus Eaters"⬇️, can be recognized much better in season 3's "What is Starfleet"⬆️.
bsky.app
That's what happens when one over analyzes things, you destroy the enjoyment of it.
As an example, SPOCK's BRAIN is stupid as Hell, but I still enjoy watching it for the umpteenth time after almost 60 years.
More than a few TNG episodes leave a lot to be desired in their production and writing process, but I don't rewatch any of the Star Trek episodes for their technical prowess, I watch them because I enjoy the character interactions and the starships.
And thankfully not the "refit".Erica has a model of an NX-Class (presumably the Enterprise) in her quarters
Jörg Hillebrand (@gaghyogi49.bsky.social)
The model of the Enterprise NX-01 in Erica Ortegas' quarters, barely seen in #StarTrekSNW season 2's "Among the Lotus Eaters"⬇️, can be recognized much better in season 3's "What is Starfleet"⬆️.
I agree with you, for the most part.That's what happens when one over analyzes things, you destroy the enjoyment of it.
As an example, SPOCK's BRAIN is stupid as Hell, but I still enjoy watching it for the umpteenth time after almost 60 years.
More than a few TNG episodes leave a lot to be desired in their production and writing process, but I don't rewatch any of the Star Trek episodes for their technical prowess, I watch them because I enjoy the character interactions and the starships.
But there are times when an episode, particularly on a rewatch, actually loses something when you think about it a bit more. (Not that I think this episode is such a case. For me, anyway.)
I'd agree with that. However, I still don't think the "novel" format added to it.
IMO the way it was implemented in this story was actually somewhat detrimental. That's not because the documentary style itself is inherently problematic but rather the specific way it was executed in this story. I've seen other shows use this approach more effectively.
In the end, it was a solid Star Trek style story. I thought it was pretty good but not great.
If I really think about Star Trek it all falls apart. There's no logic to it because it's from a different era in terms of space travel possibilities.That's what happens when one over analyzes things, you destroy the enjoyment of it.
As an example, SPOCK's BRAIN is stupid as Hell, but I still enjoy watching it for the umpteenth time after almost 60 years.
More than a few TNG episodes leave a lot to be desired in their production and writing process, but I don't rewatch any of the Star Trek episodes for their technical prowess, I watch them because I enjoy the character interactions and the starships.
It's why I don't think too hard on Trek. Real space travel ruined it.
Nowadays they 3D print the CGI models. Ys they still need to be assembled, but I don't think there's much 'kitbashing' going on anymore.
I believe they used off-the-shelf model kits of the Enterprise and the NX-01 as set dressing in Ortegas’s quarters. The black dome bases and metal rods are clearly from the Round 2 kits.
My hubby and I loved this episode. Hubby even said this one will become a classic. We both felt it was extremely "Star Trek".
I also was like, "holy shit, are they actually asking if Starfleet is a military?" I knew the board would blow up.
I've seen a lot of TV shows use the documentary framing device, so I had no problem with it here. I thought it was very interesting that Beto shot secretly in several places and felt Pike would not have been amused if/when he found out. Overall, I was pleased with the directing.
I was happy to see some really good character work out of everyone.
I also was like, "holy shit, are they actually asking if Starfleet is a military?" I knew the board would blow up.
I've seen a lot of TV shows use the documentary framing device, so I had no problem with it here. I thought it was very interesting that Beto shot secretly in several places and felt Pike would not have been amused if/when he found out. Overall, I was pleased with the directing.
I was happy to see some really good character work out of everyone.
YES! Absolutely gorgeous! And then it was heartbreaking too. Double Plus Good!
I know I'm late to the party, but this episode is simultaneously one of my faves this year and a gigantic misfire.
I think trying to tell a Star Trek type story through the lens (pun intended) of a documentary was a good stretch, and I really looked forward to it, and I liked having the characters talk directly to the camera and us, as that's off-format.
The execution was a mess, however. The visual look was too close to the standard episode style. Lens choice and camera angles aside, it felt too slick and too polished for that kind of shoot. It needed a bit more grit and some harder light to illustrate Beto trying to shine a light into what he perceives are shadows in hopes of finding a chink in Starfleet's armor to support his presuppositions. His behavior in the latter part of the episode should have gotten him confined to quarters and game over-ed had Uhura the presence of mind to report what he was up to once he played his hand.
The touchy-feely "aww, you're just mad cuz your sister enlisted," the "you were just doing your job" and "let's eat" ending was just flat and didn't work for me at all.
I think trying to tell a Star Trek type story through the lens (pun intended) of a documentary was a good stretch, and I really looked forward to it, and I liked having the characters talk directly to the camera and us, as that's off-format.
The execution was a mess, however. The visual look was too close to the standard episode style. Lens choice and camera angles aside, it felt too slick and too polished for that kind of shoot. It needed a bit more grit and some harder light to illustrate Beto trying to shine a light into what he perceives are shadows in hopes of finding a chink in Starfleet's armor to support his presuppositions. His behavior in the latter part of the episode should have gotten him confined to quarters and game over-ed had Uhura the presence of mind to report what he was up to once he played his hand.
The touchy-feely "aww, you're just mad cuz your sister enlisted," the "you were just doing your job" and "let's eat" ending was just flat and didn't work for me at all.
It's a bit of the reverse experience for me, actually.
It's always the first watch with Trek where I'm doing the overanalyzing, and that was the watch where I (kind of) liked this episode. I was so into the impressive logistics. There was so much the director had to work out in how the camera's would be placed and how it would all cut together. I think that's what carried me the first time: respect for how challenging working out the cinematrography was.
Almost always on the second watch, I like the episodes more. That's where I can just immerse myself in the story and let myself be carried away by it.
And when I tried that with this episode... didn't work. Didn't pull me in, didn't involve me, didn't move me, didn't feel well told. Once I wasn't being freshly surprised by technical achievement, there wasn't much left that I found to be effective.
I think it's the first time I've found a SNW to be worse on rewatch since "A Quality Of Mercy."
And trust me, I need no convincing of the merits of fun trash episodes.
I love "Spock's Brain." "Sub Rosa" is a franchise high point of mine. But this episode was too serious and sad to offer any of those fun guilty pleasure vibes.Ah well! I don't expect to love them all. I think this is my first true dud since "Ad Astra Per Aspera", so that's been a great run.
GR was in the Army air corps (I have his service records), but Coon was a Marine who was never deployed during wartime, IIRC.
I gave this episode a 6 out of 10.
It started kind of slow, and it took me a second to realize it was in a documentary style.
The show did improve when the hard question were being asked, although it was obvious the reporter was trying to slant the story into the sensational.
His realization that it was a bit more complicated than that was quite well done.
Still better than the singing episode.
It started kind of slow, and it took me a second to realize it was in a documentary style.
The show did improve when the hard question were being asked, although it was obvious the reporter was trying to slant the story into the sensational.
His realization that it was a bit more complicated than that was quite well done.
Still better than the singing episode.
Beto did get the goods.
That mission was 100% a clandestine military operation, authorized and directed by the Starfleet Admiralty and probably approved by the allegedly civilian government.
"Officially, it's livestock."
And don't ask questions.
The fact that the officers eventually refused to carry it out on the basis of conscience mitigates their culpability but doesn't change the nature of the beast.
That mission was 100% a clandestine military operation, authorized and directed by the Starfleet Admiralty and probably approved by the allegedly civilian government.
"Officially, it's livestock."
And don't ask questions.
The fact that the officers eventually refused to carry it out on the basis of conscience mitigates their culpability but doesn't change the nature of the beast.
I could counter with "What does 23rd century documentary style look like"? It's kind of like for a certain brand of fan (ME!) there are a lot of "This is old timey computer footage" tropes that I still gravitate towards just don't make sense in a 21st century context let alone a 23rd.
There are so many artifacts of "found footage" that we're eliminating now, never mind 200 years from now.
And of course no vessel makes record tapes in that detail, that perfect. Except here. And in Court Martial.
TOS got there decades before CSI.
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