TOS fan reactions to 'Discovery'?

[JesterFace]

This surely has already been discussed in many threads but now after digesting 'Discovery' seasons 1 and 2 for a while, how do TOS fans react to 'DIscovery' and especially Spock and his story?

I'm not an old TOS viewer, TOS is something I watched for the first time on this millennia. I'm curious to know how fans, particularly those who have watched the original series decades ago, react to this prequel, telling the story of Spock before the original series? Even if you're new to TOS, feel free to share your thoughts.

I think prequels are not that cool. While they may have nice stories, they may change the character too much that we thought we already knew. Change it into something that the original creators wouldn't want to happen.

 

[BillJ]

I treat it as an alternate universe that has no bearing on Spock's story in TOS.

 

[Phaser Two]

Star Trek is a timeless masterpiece. Then there's Discovery.

 

[1001001]

Oh, joy...

I guess the other TOS/Discovery thread wasn't enough?

Remember...no spoilers for Season 2.

 

[Winterwind]

It's not for me. If people enjoy it, good. I don't. I'm not one of those "personal canon" sorts. I just don't watch it, that's all. I've got five other Star Trek series to enjoy in varying degrees.

 

[F. King Daniel]

I really like Discovery, but comparing it to TOS is like comparing Gotham to the old Adam West Batman. They're not the same world or characterisations, no matter what CBS says.

 

[Nerys Myk]

TOS is my favorite Trek series and I have been watching it since the 1960's. I really like Discovery and enjoy the additions it has made to Spock's history and to Star Trek in general.

Change and long lasting franchises go hand in hand. Though nothing they've done so far has changed the Spock character into something "the original creators wouldn't want to happen.". Creators, original and otherwise, have been adding to the character since the first episode. It's their job.

Too much of "what we know" is fanon anyway.

 

[Unicorn]

TOS is by far my favorite, and I love Discovery! It's not perfect (especially not in the story/dialogue department) but I enjoy it greatly, it's fun, looks incredible and I like the whole cast. Personally I don't really compare it to TOS, it just doesn't make sense to me, sort of like comparing Batman the TV series to Batman: Arkham Asylum. In my head Discovery is its' own thing and I like it for what it is. I liked Peck as Spock and what they did with the character, but it hasn't really changed my opinion of TOS-Spock (other than prompting a few jokes about secret siblings). Just a different take on the same character(s), I'm cool with it. I was just overjoyed to see them and the Enterprise again

 

[johnnybear]

But we've never seen an Enterprise like that before?
JB

 

[Nerys Myk]

But we've never seen an Enterprise like that before?
JB

It's also not the 1960's. I don't expect the Enterprise on a show made in the 21st Century to look like something from the middle of the 20th Century.

 

[Delta Vega]

As I've said before, it's possible to be a fan of Star Trek and still be a fan of Discovery. (Or a fan of neither)
TOS is the benchmark that every incarnation has aspired to, some made a good fist of it, some not so.
I like Discovery, and I think it has time on it's side to evolve further.

 

[Greg Cox]

Speaking as somebody who grew up on TOS, and whose brain still automatically goes to TOS whenever Star Trek is discussed, I've been quite enjoying DISCO.

And, honestly, I don't care how "Prime" or "canon" DISCO it is. It's a good, gripping show with lots of nostalgic nods back to classic TOS.

 

[Nyotarules]

It's also not the 1960's. I don't expect the Enterprise on a show made in the 21st Century to look like something from the middle of the 20th Century.

I also don't expect professional female astronauts to be telling their captains how afraid they are when the show is produced in 2018 not 1966

 

[seigezunt]

Speaking as somebody who grew up on TOS, and whose brain still automatically goes to TOS whenever Star Trek is discussed, I've been quite enjoying DISCO.

And, honestly, I don't care how "Prime" or "canon" DISCO it is. It's a good, gripping show with lots of nostalgic nods back to classic TOS.

This, basically.
I don't recall looking forward to each new episode of Star Trek, and being this much entertained, since watching TOS/TAS in the "before time" when that was all we had. I am feeling no desire to drop from viewing, as I did after the first season of TNG, the second season of DS9, and the premiere episodes of VOY and ENT (all which I caught up with and grew to love --mostly: sorry Voyager-- years later). I've never felt the need to grit my teeth and tell myself "well, it's Star Trek, I should support it," unlike every other show after 1987.

It's a solid entertainment. It's made me yell in surprise and enjoyment, it's made me cry, and it makes me care about its characters, mostly. The third season will likely be its biggest test for me

Spoiler: season two finale

as it departs for the far future, where it will be a challenge to be recognizable as Star Trek

, but I have faith in the show runners.

It's not perfect, but it's fun. Which is what TOS is. I feel sad for people who have such a death-grip on their perceived notions of the franchise's continuity that they can't enjoy the show for what it is. I've said it elsewhere here: I think those of us who were consumers of Power Records and Gold Key Comics back in the day, can easily be more forgiving of newer shows coloring outside the lines.

 

[seigezunt]

I think prequels are not that cool. While they may have nice stories, they may change the character too much that we thought we already knew. Change it into something that the original creators wouldn't want to happen.

I think DSC has been pretty careful, despite how some critics might see it, in their handling of Spock. I see no changes in the Spock we know, and I think this season helped fill in some things that were either troubling or a mystery about him.

Spoiler: Season Two DSC

In particular I like how it filled in his story with Pike. "The Menagerie" has long been a little mystifying in establishing how Spock is so completely loyal to Pike, to the point that he deceives Kirk in such a way, and Discovery really adds some heft to their close relationship. I also like some of the things that it adds to Amanda's story, giving it shadows and a richness it never had.

But we've never seen an Enterprise like that before?
JB

But we did. It's just our televisions were too primitive to see it.

 

[BillJ]

It's just our televisions were too primitive to see it.

Then something is wrong with my 65" 4K HDR set. When I put on TOS, I still see the 60's version.

 

[erastus25]

I think liking Discovery has more to do with how you feel about the modern action sci-fi genre. I've loved TOS for as long as I can remember, but don't care for the Marvel movies and don't care for Discovery. I'd argue the latter two share far more similarities than Disco and TOS.

 

[Nerys Myk]

I think liking Discovery has more to do with how you feel about the modern action sci-fi genre. I've loved TOS for as long as I can remember, but don't care for the Marvel movies and don't care for Discovery. I'd argue the latter two share far more similarities than Disco and TOS.

TOS could be very action oriented when it wanted to be. Almost every episode contains some form of fight be it mano-a-mano or ship to ship. Amok Time and Arena come to mind.

 

[Marsden]

It's also not the 1960's. I don't expect the Enterprise on a show made in the 21st Century to look like something from the middle of the 20th Century.

Shouldn't it look like from the middle of the 23rd century?

 

[uniderth]

Shouldn't it look like from the middle of the 23rd century?

Yes. Exactly. Just becasue the middle of the 23rd century happens to look like a hypothetical future created in the 1960s doesn't mean you just get to disregard it.

Then something is wrong with my 65" 4K HDR set. When I put on TOS, I still see the 60's version.

Someone buy this man a drink.