The weirdly small and empty universe of Discovery

[Crazy Eddie]

They are related to Discovery and what is and is not.

Right. It IS a scifi drama that involves an abundance of characters being actual people with rich and dynamic stories to tell rather than just being components in a bland fictional history that one can study in painstaking detail in order to feel like an expert during internet debates. It IS NOT based on books, lore, RPGs or personal interpretations of fans. This is why there is a large minority of pretentious fans that unconditionally hate it.

I kind of figured that out back when everybody started creaming their pants over how good "Prelude to Axanar" supposedly was. The same basic thing happens with Star Wars, come to think of it.

 

[Aaron McGuire]

I've only read one Star Trek book, and it made my eyes roll too much, despite being written by a Star Wars author.

Well, there's your problem right there.

 

[Tuskin38]

Well, there's your problem right there.

That isn’t an issue, several good books have been written by writers who’ve written for other universes

 

[fireproof78]

I kind of figured that out back when everybody started creaming their pants over how good "Prelude to Axanar" supposedly was. The same basic thing happens with Star Wars, come to think of it.

Expectations and anticipation of what Star Trek "should" be.

 

[BillJ]

Expectations and anticipation of what Star Trek "should" be.

Not sure I see how that is a problem? When I order a hamburger, I expect a piece of ground dead cow cooked as the center of it all.

 

[Vger23]

Yes, and when I watch Star Trek I expect an outer space action / adventure.

 

[eschaton]

Yes, and when I watch Star Trek I expect an outer space action / adventure.

Action Trek is my least favorite. Episodes like The City on the Edge of Forever, The Inner Light, Duet, The Visitor, In The Pale Moonlight, and Living Witness are the apex of the franchise IMO. High concept thoughtful stories rooted in the characters.

 

[BillJ]

Action Trek is my least favorite. Episodes like The City on the Edge of Forever, The Inner Light, Duet, The Visitor, In The Pale Moonlight, and Living Witness are the apex of the franchise IMO. High concept thoughtful stories rooted in the characters.

I think Trek works best when there's a healthy mix of action and concept stories. Lean too heavily on either one and the show becomes one-note.

 

[eschaton]

I think Trek works best when there's a healthy mix of action and concept stories. Lean too heavily on either one and the show becomes one-note.

I'm not saying they have no merit. I'm just saying that "action Trek" has never done much for me at all. Even episodes which routinely make the Trek top 50, like Yesterday's Enterprise and Best of Both Worlds Part 1, don't seem all that good to me. I feel nothing when I watch them, aside from a general sense of being impressed with the direction and the like.

I have to say, I recently started to watch the Battlestar Galactica remake (came out during the period between getting rid of my TV and getting streaming Neflix, and missed it) and it's far more effective at doing action which actually gets me on the edge of my seat than any version of Trek ever was.

 

[Vger23]

Action Trek is my least favorite. Episodes like The City on the Edge of Forever, The Inner Light, Duet, The Visitor, In The Pale Moonlight, and Living Witness are the apex of the franchise IMO. High concept thoughtful stories rooted in the characters.

I love those stories. Absolutely love them. That reads like a list of some of my personal favorites as well...

But I also like Conspiracy, Yesterday's Enterprise, Best of Both Worlds, Year of Hell, Balance of Terror, Arena, The Wrath of Khan, and The Undiscovered Country for their action adventure and/or darker tone.

And I like fun hi-jinx like Shore Leave, Trouble With Tribbles, Q-Pid, Captains Holiday, The Voyage Home etc. as well.

I think the big argument over the past several years I have tried unsuccessfully to make is that Star Trek can be many things...not just thoughtful tea drinking and deep pondering of the philosophy of mankind's place in the universe. That's a small percentage of what the franchise has to offer, and quite frankly would get dull if every episode was The Visitor or The Inner Light. Star Trek is a brilliant franchise because it can do all these things in the scope of its universe. It is (to employ an over-used term) diverse.

And, we don't need to piss all over elements that don't appeal to us. We can simply sideline them. Where fandom tends to become grating (at best) is when people think it's their responsibility to take up an endless and relentless campaign when a series or movie does not meet their own personal, more narrow view of what the franchise "should" be. It's okay to have our tastes...but it's a damn big franchise. Focus on what you like and let be what you don't. That's what I do. And I go through life extremely happy with Star Trek.

Star Trek has frigging 741 episodes and 13 movies across 7 series / settings. There's something for everyone.

 

[fireproof78]

I'm not saying they have no merit. I'm just saying that "action Trek" has never done much for me at all. Even episodes which routinely make the Trek top 50, like Yesterday's Enterprise and Best of Both Worlds Part 1, don't seem all that good to me. I feel nothing when I watch them, aside from a general sense of being impressed with the direction and the like.

It's not about emotion, though. Star Trek has room for a wide variety of stories, from those you listed, to "Balance of Terror," "Where No Man Has Gone Before" and light comedies, like "Trouble with Tribbles."

This is why "it doesn't feel like Star Trek" argument falls flat. This isn't a matter of emotion, because that is highly subjective.

I have to say, I recently started to watch the Battlestar Galactica remake (came out during the period between getting rid of my TV and getting streaming Neflix, and missed it) and it's far more effective at doing action which actually gets me on the edge of my seat than any version of Trek ever was.

Ugh, no. I'm glad you like it, but nuBSG made me want to slit my writs by the end. The action was simply dreary.

 

[ISS-Magnum]

Take Orville as a foundation (minus the most puerile stuff, obviously) with MacFarlane as boss (and that one Braga fellow) with Disco's budget and the Star Trek name brand.

I can say with good confidence it would have been a smash.

Well, it's not too late.