Spoilers Star Trek: Strange New Worlds 3x08 - "Four-And-A-Half Vulcans"

[Dar70]

They sums up the episode

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[Bad Thoughts]

What Vulcan before Uhura manipulated the brain of a potential mate?

These Vulcans were assholes of an entirely new order.

 

[Photoman15]

Anson's acting was pretty bad here, which is surprising as he did a great job as faux Asimov in the holodeck episode. His stilted performance reminds me of the Stargate episode where Colonel O'Neil and T'ealc switched bodies. Richard Dean Anderson was pretty bad playing T'ealc, even with his long acting experience as McGyver, whereas Christopher Judge knocked it out of the park playing O'Neil.

Asimov? He was supposed to be Roddenberry.

The real shame is that Vulcans are really interesting and there's a lot to engage with and explore, even if (especially if?) approached from a comedy angle.

Anyway, it seems the once-per-season Vulcan """comedy""" episode is a convention now. Spock Amok was pretty good, Charades was crap, this was abominable, so on our current trajectory, season four's offering should be one for the ages.

How can the same writers who spend all day scouring Memory Alpha for the most miniscule shit to include and make flashy references to throwaway lines from sixty years ago be so crap at writing one of the main races in the whole setting.

The Vulcans are NOT interesting. They're stoic, logical, stick up their @$$ species that looks down on any other. Spock is interesting because of his internal battle with his Human side and Vulcan side. I'd guess at some point he will come to the conclusion that this period of his life, experimenting with the human side is over and will switch to the Vulcan side. THAT will coincide with him becoming First Officer of the Enterprise under newly appoint Captain J.T. Kirk. His interaction with Kirk in SNW is why they are friends. Kirk knew his human side before he leaned towards Vulcan stoicism.

Maybe they can explain Una's absence in TOS by making her and Doug the main characters of a spinoff series. Another one of those "chubby hubby + pretty wife" sitcoms. Pelia can be the zany neighbor.

You mean like "King of Queens", of which Doug (Patton Oswald) was a semi-regular?

 

[Tallguy]

Asimov? He was supposed to be Roddenberry.

Except he looked like Asimov.

 

[Tuskin38]

Asimov? He was supposed to be Roddenberry.

He felt like an amalgamation of influences, I don't think he was based solely on Roddenberry.

Jörg Hillebrand (@gaghyogi49.bsky.social)

We're watching #StarTrekVOY's "Resolutions" after #StarTrekSNW's "Four-and-a-Half Vulcans" because Vulcan-Uhura reminded me so much of Tuvok in this episode. I've found a *gazillion* things to write about when I reach this rarely discussed episode. I love #StarTrek! 😊

bsky.app

 

[Artoo Atari]

Ok, so I have posted some critical comments about this episode, but here are some things I liked. First of all, I have come to love the La'An character. She made an outstanding "Romulan" in this episode. Second, although they really amped up the negatives about the Vulcans (especially Mount with some uncharacteristic bad acting), the actual Vulcans (and the half-Vulcan ) were portrayed as being quite reasonable.

 

[Artoo Atari]

You mean like "King of Queens", of which Doug (Patton Oswald) was a semi-regular?

Yes, exactly (ironically enough).

(Again, sorry for the double post. Just can't seem to be able to add quote in the edit.)

 

[Nerys Myk]

What Vulcan before Uhura manipulated the brain of a potential mate?

These Vulcans were assholes of an entirely new order.

Well, Spock did manipulate Kirk's brain in Requiem for Methuselah. Does that count?

 

[Bad Thoughts]

Well, Spock did manipulate Kirk's brain in Requiem for Methuselah. Does that count?

Only if you ship them, which would make the mind meld creepy. But please tell me how this made Kirk more compliant.

 

[Fateor]

What Vulcan before Uhura manipulated the brain of a potential mate?

These Vulcans were assholes of an entirely new order.

Tolaris in Enterprise.

That said, who said Uhura did it intentionally? Because Vulcan's unintentionally effecting people in proximity to them with their telepathic abilities is a thing that happens.

 

[Tuskin38]

That said, who said Uhura did it intentionally? Because Vulcan's unintentionally effecting people in proximity to them with their telepathic abilities is a thing that happens.

She admitted to preforming a mind meld in dialogue. It wasn't said to be an accident.

"I used a simple mind meld to temper his impulses"

She also asked him first, so it wasn't without consent.

 

[juventuz]

Well that was quite possibly the worst episode of Star Trek I have ever watched. And I’ve watched literally every episode ever aired, yes worse than the Very Short Treks and Section 31.

I hated the writing, the music after they first turned Vulcan and were walking down the hallway. The fact that it took minutes for them to complete the initial mission. Others have touched on the issues so no reason to rehash them. Just poor writing from start to finish.

I’m really disappointed in season 3 of SNW. It’s been very poor.

Oh and Conehead Pike was unbearably annoying.

 

[Noname Given]

Tolaris in Enterprise.

That said, who said Uhura did it intentionally? Because Vulcan's unintentionally effecting people in proximity to them with their telepathic abilities is a thing that happens.

She asked him before she did it (That's said by Uhura in the episode). So yes, he agreed but she still proactively did the mind meld to alter his brain.

 

[Yistaan]

This was indeed worse than Section 31.

 

[Tuskin38]

I’m really disappointed in season 3 of SNW. It’s been very poor.

One bad episode doesn't make an entire season poor.

 

[Bad Thoughts]

Tolaris in Enterprise.

That said, who said Uhura did it intentionally? Because Vulcan's unintentionally effecting people in proximity to them with their telepathic abilities is a thing that happens.

Normalizing mind-rape?

 

[Tuskin38]

Normalizing mind-rape?

He consented.

This was indeed worse than Section 31.

It was not Section 31 levels of bad.

 

[Bad Thoughts]

One bad episode doesn't make an entire season poor.

Is it just one episode? How many cheerleaders for the series expressed their fatigue and frustration, like the Trek Culture people?

 

[Noname Given]

T'Pol was also a jerk in ENT Season 1, but that was part of her character arc.

Edit: Oops you specified TOS. But the Enterprise Vulcans were also jerks.

Well he'll if you bring ENT into the mix (the only Berman era show to portray Vulcans properly too) - Soval is a total asshole for 3 seasons and is still a jerk in S4.

 

[Bad Thoughts]

He consented.


It was not Section 31 levels of bad.

ARCHER: Sub-Commander T'Pol's in Sickbay. From what the doctor tells me, she's in pretty bad shape.
TOLARIS: That's unfortunate. What happened?
ARCHER: You know damn well what happened. She told me about your, what did she call it, mind-meld? She said when she asked you to stop, you got angry. She said she had to force you away.
TOLARIS: What happened between us is personal. It's not your concern.
ARCHER: You assaulted a member of my crew.
TOLARIS: I did no such thing. Mind-melds can be emotionally turbulent. She simply panicked.
ARCHER: Panic doesn't land you in Sickbay. Our doctor said she could have suffered neurological damage, thanks to you.
TOLARIS: No one forced her to try the meld. She did it willingly.
ARCHER: You've been manipulating her ever since you came aboard.
TOLARIS: I am helping her shed a lifetime of repression, and you of all people should understand what I'm trying to do. You're human. I need to go see her.
ARCHER: T'Pol's had enough of your help. Stay away from her.
TOLARIS: She is in a crucial stage of her awakening. She needs guidance.

What happened is clear. He used the mind meld to attack her, and wished to continue doing so even after consent was withdrawn.