Spoilers Strange New Worlds General Discussion Thread

[fireproof78]

Funny how segments of a fandom which has elements of Shakespeare and open-mindedness about it are so centered on that someone doesn't look like the actor that portrayed them before.

Unfortunately, that informs more of my Trek fan experience than a lot of other things. A lot of negativity towards things that don't look "right" i.e. TOS not being Trek because TNG looked better, which was my first rough introduction to that world as a 6th grader. It's a harsh world, and pretty well evident that fans prefer uniformity vs. diversity in fan opinion.

It's actually really heart breaking to me but it pretty much confirms a big suspicion of mine. So, I'm less open and a bit more surface level in my approach.

 

[JoaquinSlowly]

Since First Contact was released in the theaters I’ve had no problem believing that Glenn Corbett’s 5’10” self, with his dark hair and traditional Hollywood leading man good looks is the same man as James Cromwell’s lanky 6’7” light brown/grey haired character actor self.

It’s just having a willing suspension of disbelief. For me believing Shatner at 47 was meant to be a 38 YO Kirk in TMP is harder to swallow, but it isn’t a problem for me.

 

[cooleddie74]

Cochrane was an alcoholic with depression who lived in the postnuclear world of the mid-21st century. He had radiation poisoning at some point. It's what happened to Glenn Corbett after the mushroom clouds and the infrastructure went down in 2050s America.

 

[JoaquinSlowly]

Cochrane was an alcoholic with depression who lived in the postnuclear world of the mid-21st century. He had radiation poisoning at some point. It's what happened to Glenn Corbett after the mushroom clouds and the infrastructure went down in 2050s America.

Of course. In the universe of Star Trek radiation poisoning is closer to Marvel Hulk logic than reality, where it has what has been described as effecting an “Elvis to Abe Lincoln” like transformation.

 

[cooleddie74]

Trek turned Ethan Peck into Leonard Nimoy so yep, it's a weird universe.

 

[Nightcreature]

Probably so. That doesn't change my opinion on shows. It's completely different mediums. I have books that I much prefer to the vast majority of shows out there, but that's me. I am a total book worm, but I will not judge shows vs. books. For me it doesn't work that way and treating a character special because they were important in a book is not how I engage with two different story telling methods.

And telling me something is better than a show is a bit odd. Like, ok, but a book is far different animal than a show. A show has to engage the audience at multiple levels. A book does so differently. Way differently. Often times utilizing the reader's imagination and willingness to suspend disbelief more in a book, resulting in way more engagement and way more forgiveness.

Ok but Robert April is a significant figure in Trek lore not just based on two novels but also based on one of the best episodes of the animated series and he has been mentioned in Trek encyclopedias and other sources. You could argue that Christopher Pike was a "nobody" and only appeared in a failed pilot of TOS and a few novels but look at what they are doing with him now after he was the star in Discovery Season 2. It's not beyond the realm of imagination that they might feature Robert April more prominently in this show and same goes for George Kirk. Even 2009 Trek supposedly used some material from these two books as a guideline for building the character of a young Jim Kirk.

As for books vs shows, they are very different but I compare them in how well they are written. The best Trek shows, books, even video games have top notch writing. It's true books involve imagination but I know some books read exactly like episodes of a Trek show they are that good. Final Frontier could be a great movie. Imzadi reads like a two part episode of TNG just to name a few examples.

 

[thribs]

Nothing says it wasn't.

I say so

 

[eschaton]

There are many Trek books that are literally better than shows in my opinion. I consider the New Frontier novels to be better than Enterprise, Picard so far and Discovery so far but that's just me.

And there are so many good science fiction books beyond the world of media tie-ins. And frankly, while there are some good media-tie-in books, the overall chance of getting a good one is probably lower than if you pick an original universe book from an established author.

 

[fireproof78]

You could argue that Christopher Pike was a "nobody" and only appeared in a failed pilot of TOS and a few novels but look at what they are doing with him now after he was the star in Discovery Season 2.

I would argue that. And the fact that a nobody like Pike gets a show is not lost on me.

It's not beyond the realm of imagination that they might feature Robert April more prominently in this show and same goes for George Kirk

Potentially. I still don't care.

As for books vs shows, they are very different but I compare them in how well they are written. The best Trek shows, books, even video games have top notch writing. It's true books involve imagination but I know some books read exactly like episodes of a Trek show they are that good. Final Frontier could be a great movie. Imzadi reads like a two part episode of TNG just to name a few examples.

Cool.

I don't. Books are books, shows are shows, and never the twain shall meet for me.

And there are so many good science fiction books beyond the world of media tie-ins. And frankly, while there are some good media-tie-in books, the overall chance of getting a good one is probably lower than if you pick an original universe book from an established author.

Naturally. There is a world outside TV shows after all. I prefer written SF to film, shows, or game SF. But Star Trek is one that I treat as a show franchise, not a book franchise. In any case, I will not judge a book vs. a show.

 

[Nerys Myk]

The best Trek shows, books, even video games have top notch writing. I

No, just no. I've read just about every Trek book from Blish's adaptations to Bantam to Pocket/S&S. The entire DC and Marvel comics runs. And I can say, they were not "top notch". Most were middle of the road pop lit. some were down right awful. The writing is perfunctory at best.

 

[The Wormhole]

Ok but Robert April is a significant figure in Trek lore not just based on two novels but also based on one of the best episodes of the animated series and he has been mentioned in Trek encyclopedias and other sources.

"One of the best episodes of the animated series"? I generally enjoy TAS, but The Counter-Clockwise Incident isn't what I list as among its better episodes.

And the fact remains, that as far as onscreen material goes, TAS aside, April's on presence is a name on a computer screen a couple of times on Disco.

 

[Yistaan]

Trek turned Ethan Peck into Leonard Nimoy so yep, it's a weird universe.

Turned Peck into Nimoy, back into Peck, and then into Nimoy again. Remember Q&A and Cage

 

[cooleddie74]

 

[BillJ]

I never understood the April obsession. But, I can't throw stones in my class house.

And George Kirk is a near nobody.

I would rather they create new characters than pick canon names out of a hat and try to make them popular. Looking at M'benga and La'an Noonian Singh.

Cochrane was an alcoholic with depression who lived in the postnuclear world of the mid-21st century. He had radiation poisoning at some point.

And Montgomery Scott was an alcoholic with depression in the glorious UFP.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Turned Peck into Nimoy, back into Peck, and then into Nimoy again. Remember Q&A and Cage

No they turned both into Spock.

 

[cooleddie74]

That man drank to live and lived to drink. I'm pretty sure his urine alone could have powered the warp engines of both Enterprises.

 

[Nerys Myk]

I would rather they create new characters than pick canon names out of a hat and try to make them popular. Looking at M'benga and La'an Noonian Singh.

Works for Marvel
When they're more or less ciphers like M'benga or a new character with a connection with an old one, I don't really care. They are for all intents and purposes, new characters.

 

[Nerys Myk]

That man drank to live and lived to drink. I'm pretty sure his urine alone could have powered the warp engines of both Enterprises.

Kirk: Scotty, we...need...more...power!
Scotty: Aye, gimme a tick..

 

[fireproof78]

I would rather they create new characters than pick canon names out of a hat and try to make them popular. Looking at M'benga and La'an Noonian Singh.

Both those are walking a very thin line. M'Benga could have been a CMO without the name. But, on the other hand, we know next to nothing about those characters and I have feeling they feel like M'Benga will benefit like Pike has.

Time alone will tell.

 

[cooleddie74]

"Where's Mr. Scott?"

"Follow the trail of vomit and pee..."