What do you enjoy about the series

[marsh8472]

Figured I'd throw a positive thread out there. As far as positive things, what are the things that people enjoy about this series?

I like some of the novelty like getting to see the new aliens, new tech ideas like the mirror/hologram thing, the spore drive has potential

 

[Roald]

Someone negative about the show will highjack this thread with the word 'nothing' in 3...2...1....

 

[Vger23]

I love the production values and design elements
I love that we got a risky, different version of Star Trek
I am loving the slow-burn serialized nature of the story
I love the character interactions. We didn't start with everyone as a happy, well-oiled machine, nor did we get to that point after 2 or 3 episodes. I like EARNING it.
I surprisingly like the storyline. I wasn't happy about the "war" arc at first
I like the sense of realism and adventure
I like the mysterious nature of Captain Lorca
I'm very interested to see how Burnham's arc progresses
I actually like the spore drive. When was the last time Trek actually went bold on the tech? Probably TOS
I like that I have new Star Trek to anticipate and discuss with people

 

[SpocksOddSocks]

I like that they used the correct spelling of Qo'nos in the subtitles... (unlike another recent outing involving Klingons; Kronos... please.)

Actually, I'm liking most of it with only a few reservations.

Liked Saru (particularly in the first 2).

I like Voq.

 

[Spider]

The production values, sets, special effects are all excellent.

As a conflicted character, I like Lorca.

It's new Star Trek.

 

[Tesophius]

1. The production values
2. The holomirror
3. Close up scene on the uniform replicator
4. Stamets is an ok character, reminds me of Bones a little
5. First ten minutes of the pilot episode

 

[Albinator]

I love the production values and design elements
I love that we got a risky, different version of Star Trek
I am loving the slow-burn serialized nature of the story
I love the character interactions. We didn't start with everyone as a happy, well-oiled machine, nor did we get to that point after 2 or 3 episodes. I like EARNING it.
I surprisingly like the storyline. I wasn't happy about the "war" arc at first
I like the sense of realism and adventure
I like the mysterious nature of Captain Lorca
I'm very interested to see how Burnham's arc progresses
I actually like the spore drive. When was the last time Trek actually went bold on the tech? Probably TOS
I like that I have new Star Trek to anticipate and discuss with people

I'm not sure I could put it much better than this. I'd add that I really like the way they've portrayed the Klingons (I've said it before). I love that the characters-- within the first episodes we meet them-- feel like fully realized, complete characters, right off the bat.

The truth is, I'd probably be better talking about things I *don't* like, because of how much I love about it.

-I don't like the opening/intro. The music is like a car commercial, and the visuals are weak. I don't want to see diagrams of phasers and space suits... what were they thinking?

-I did not like the dutch angles and lens flares in the premiere. Thankfully they ditched them. Lens flares were more appropriate in the flashy JJ Abrams movies with their fast-paced action and exciting tone.

-I did not like Landry's death. Not that I loved the character, but it felt purposeless. We already knew it was a dangerous creature. It felt like it was just the show saying "don't get attached to anyone" but seeing as we weren't yet fond of Landry in any way (loved or loved to hate), it fell flat for me.

And that's pretty much it so far.

 

[Longinus]

The production values are obviously pretty damn high, and whilst I have some nitpicks about some choices (*cough* Klingons *cough*) the overall look is pretty pleasing.

I'm also very impressed by the actors. Though I have quite a lot issues with the writing, I have to say the actors are doing stellar job.

 

[Sakonna]

There's a lot of things I like, but the character work is what jumps to mind. I'm really into Burnham, Stamets, Saru, Lorca, Tilly, L'Rell, Georgiou... basically only Voq is getting the skeptical eyebrow still.

Actually, that's a great sign, now that I think about it. First seasons of TNG and DS9 had plenty of problems, but what they both had from the beginning was promising, intriguing, strongly conceived characters.

 

[Michael]

Oh man, too much stuff to list it all. I'll just say the thing that I most enjoy is the fact that there's new and entertaining Star Trek each week. I'm glad I like it as much as I do thus far.

I did not like the dutch angles and lens flares in the premiere. Thankfully they ditched them.

True, the Dutch angles bothered me as well. Looking back they gave the premiere episode(s) a certain surreal, almost dream-like quality, like the footage was originally meant to be shown in flashbacks instead of the two-parter prolog we got.

I did not like Landry's death. Not that I loved the character, but it felt purposeless. We already knew it was a dangerous creature. It felt like it was just the show saying "don't get attached to anyone" but seeing as we weren't yet fond of Landry in any way (loved or loved to hate), it fell flat for me.

I'm not so sure this was only about showing the audience that anything can happen, but also to give a first indication that Lorca's approach isn't really working out. Or at the very least doesn't work without sacrifices.

 

[BillJ]

Someone negative about the show will highjack this thread with the word 'nothing' in 3...2...1....

You had a chance to say something positive, yet chose to bait people. I think that says something about you.

The positives:

The production values are pretty damn high.
They got a great cast of actors.
Jason Isaacs as Lorca.

 

[TheCrankyCardassian]

Is “damn near everything” a viable answer?

 

[Roald]

You had a chance to say something positive, yet chose to bait people. I think that says something about you.
.

Says little about me, I've always been very positive about DSC! I've just gotten used to snark comments in here, and positive threads are side lined by negativity.. you know this as well as I do... Sorry I made this joke, was just hoping no one would be snark towards the OP by posting 'nothing'... (is snark a word.....?)

Anyway, there is soo much to love about DSC.. what I like most is that I REALLY want to find out what happens next!! This story arc WORKS! With ENT season 3 I really didn't have that urge, now I do! I think that's awesome! This will be a great 'binge-series'!

 

[F. King Daniel]

Michael Burnham. Interesting character, curious to see where it's all going.

The POV. A lower decks character on a ship that's not doing Planet of the Week™. For Trek, It's fresh.

Captain Lorca. He's colourful. He's awesome. He's slightly skeevy. I'm pretty sure he's gonna end up a Crazy TOS Captain™.

Everyone else. They're all cranky assholes. I wasn't a fan of BSG or SGU's cranky assholes, but this lot have clicked with me. Maybe because Staments and Saru are harmless assholes who wouldn't actually cross any big moral event horizons and are just pissy because of the circumstances they're stuck in.

Klingons. I never liked the TNG/DS9 bonehead caricatures. This guys are different. It may end up sucking, But thus far it's fascinating. And the visuals of the Klingons themselves, their costumes and ships are spectacular.

A new Star Trek universe to explore. Everything that's old is new again. Again. It's shiny and pretty, and very high tech. Definitely 2017's reimagining of the 1960's future.

 

[Rahul]

I really love the character work in DIS. I don't care about the spore drive, I dislike the entirety of the klingon war. But what they're doing with the characters so far is excellent. And this is one of the most important things, which keep me as a viewer attached, even though I dislike many other things.

I think focusing on a very small group of characters works great. We're only four episodes in, but the main characters already feel very familiar. Burnham as the grudgy "criminal" works surprisingly well for a main character in a Trek series (and fits her way better than her Spock-related backstory), I dearly miss Michelle Yeoh (so they pushed the right buttons here). And, I might be alone in this regard, but having only one major alien character in the beginning works also great. Having a number of alien main characters (like VOY or DS9) always came with diluting some of them in the beginning: While some where interesting, others came across as only humans with latex on their faces. But Saru taking center stage as the "alien" works great by defining him both as a character and in what makes him different. And it allows for new aliens being added later, without the risk of any of them being marginalised. I like Stamets and his snark.

 

[Borgminister]

Along with everything else already mentioned, the fact that there is a complete arc (and apparently mini-arc within the arc), and not just a unconnected, standalone episode of the week approach. Making the audience wait and go "ohhhhhh" as season one wraps is something new, and I'm happy that it's being attempted. A lot of TLC has obviously gone into this product, and it shows.

 

[Count Zero]

• The visuals
• The high contrast in the space scenes
• The blue uniforms and the boots
• This quote: "Universal law is for lackeys. Context is for kings."
• Burnham, Lorca, Saru and Tilly
• How Jason Isaacs delivers his lines
• Mysterious crew members like Airiam (I hope we get to know more about her)
• Black Alert
• The understated romance between Voq and T'Rell
• T'Rell's suit
• The tardigrade
• The title sequence

 

[Jadeb]

Having a captain who defies the Trek mold. Will like it even more of he turns out to be "highly competent in a difficult way" rather than "evil"
The unconventional title sequence
The updates to the phaser, tricorder and communicator
The use of TOS sounds on the bridge and the blinky lights
The lavish space battles and the special effects in general
A lot of the ideas, even when I'm not keen on the execution -- serialization, making the Klingons more nuanced, fleshing out the characters' back stories, etc.
The willingness to defy Trek tropes to update for the 21st century

 

[marsh8472]

The effects are way better than I was expecting based off of their original showing of the Discovery with the video game type graphics.

 

[cultcross]

Some things I love about it.

- The characters. Realistic, human, flawed, brave, dedicated, shy, cranky, arrogant, complex, mysterious. All words I'd use for one or more of them. Impressive not only for Trek but for TV generally. They've broken the Star Trek mold of perfect people and created, instead, people.

- The narrative drive behind the setup. Previous Trek series have clearly been an exercise in slotting people into roles; Captain, first officer, helmsman, tactical officer, doctor, chief engineer etc. Then when you've filled up your cast and designed your ship and props, you turn to the stories last - try to fit what you've designed into a narrative. Discovery has clearly done the opposite, and I love that. The characters serve the story, and if they're not relevant, we don't meet them. No 'crusher episodes', or 'Dax episodes', just the story that they're telling. For Trek, that's very fresh, and arguably the most fresh thing about this show.

- The production design and quality is great. Everything looks fantastic and the effort and expense doesn't go unnoticed.

- The performances, particularly from Jason Isaacs and Doug Jones, but SM-G is impressing too, much better than on The Walking Dead.