Why is the acting in STD so WOODEN?

Discussion in 'Star Trek: Discovery' started by PicardSpeedo, Nov 12, 2017.

  1. PicardSpeedo

    PicardSpeedo Commander Red Shirt

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    I cite this video as an example - specifically, the scene near the beginning of the video where Lorca and Mister Satan or whatever his name is (I still can't make out the engineer's name clearly; it's like the actors slur it whenever they say it) are hollering at each other about the spore drive not working: .

    The dialog feels forced and awkward; the acting barely above the caliber of a fan video. Was this done intentionally to make the characters seem "relatable?" Or is it an homage to Enterprise, which I've been reminded by a fellow forum-dweller followed a similar acting template?
     
    Last edited: Nov 12, 2017
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  2. JamesRye

    JamesRye Captain Captain

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    I think we must be watching different shows! For me, it was Scott Bakula who was wooden in Enterprise. I'm finding the acting in DSC to be some of the best since Patrick Stewart.
     
  3. PicardSpeedo

    PicardSpeedo Commander Red Shirt

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    I concede that Bakula's was pretty bad as well, and forgive me for forgetting about that. I try to block Enterprise from my memories and headcanon. On balance, I would say STD's acting is about as wooden as Enterprise. That doesn't make it good, though.
     
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  4. Jarvisimo

    Jarvisimo Captain Captain

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    It is Stamets, which you could easily learn or even just check by googling the show, going on wiki, etc. Or by turning on subtitles. This isn't a good start to your post ...

    But certainly some moments are off, others are excellent. But actually I really like Isaacs and Rapp in the show.
     
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  5. Vger23

    Vger23 Vice Admiral Admiral

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    More data for compiling the "ignore list" right here.
     
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  6. O_Kav

    O_Kav Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

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    Woah. Never saw someone hate so much a Star Trek TV Show to a point where they simply refuse to say the name of a main character. :lol:

    Perception is everything, you know. Maybe you're seeing "wooden acting" where there's none because you're hate-watching the thing. I don't think either Jason or Anthony are "wooden", both are great actors with three decades of experience with the industry, including stage... So...:shrug:
     
  7. PicardSpeedo

    PicardSpeedo Commander Red Shirt

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    Yikes, I really didn't mean any offense to anyone by asking this question. I genuinely want to understand why this show deviates so much from the others.
     
  8. mattyhugh

    mattyhugh Commander Red Shirt

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    Because it’s 2017, and an entirely new production staff and studio. But you knew that.
     
  9. Cox of Seagulls

    Cox of Seagulls Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

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    Some are better than others, but the quality of the actors taken as a whole is a lot better than any 90s Trek. Aside from Stewart and Spiner, the Next Gen cast was pretty awful.
     
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  10. GeekUSACarl

    GeekUSACarl The Last Starfighter Fleet Captain

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  11. SJA

    SJA Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

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    Away! There are Billy Goats crossing your bridge...
     
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  12. urbandefault

    urbandefault Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    As the series unfolds we're seeing the layers of each characters' onion being peeled back. I think everything will start to make sense as the seasons progress. This is not one of the old shows, giving us fully developed characters from the start. Hang in there.
     
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  13. eschaton

    eschaton Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    I broadly agree about TNG, but Michael Dorm got massively better as time went on, and ultimately only Marina Sirtis was genuinely bad through the whole run.

    Basically every main cast member on DS9 aside from Terry Farrell and Avery Brooks was great however. Plus of course much of the recurring cast.
     
  14. GeekUSACarl

    GeekUSACarl The Last Starfighter Fleet Captain

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    i agree with you on their attempt and focus. however its too many characters and too few episodes. im fearing in execution by the end of the season we'll be short on enough character development
     
  15. BillJ

    BillJ The King of Kings Premium Member

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    They can only do so much with the scripts they are given. The writing has been a big let down for me.
     
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  16. Qonundrum

    Qonundrum Vice Admiral Admiral

    The clip was actually rather engaging... no qualms with the acting, nice set design, has a solid and professional feel...

    But then the one guy (hired because he looked like a slightly older Peter Duryea) says "this tech", the H-word - HACK - instantly kicked in. "Fan video" is most apropos a term... which is a shame, the discussion of processing power and such actually showed a modern level of consciousness. Then the writers decide to treat the audience like 7 year olds and have the actor go "goo goo gaa gaa tech goo goo gaa gaa". Sigh...

    Never mind the porno voice describing "black alert" - nice lighting scheme, yes, but just how many more colors are there and what's so great about memorizing them all? Yellow = caution, red= battle, blue = no oxygen in case y'all hadn't noticed, green = okay (at least on the other side), purple = "halloween, turn off the lights and pretend nobody's home", orange="we'll scribble any old thing just to look kewl", and so on... what next, "blue and pink polkadot with tangerine stripes and lime stars alert"? Well, that one means the captain's gone off his rocker and it's okay to mutiny...

    Gawd, imagine if Geordi said "tech" instead of "technology". Like Gareth Blackstock, would say, "give me strength".

    It's sad.
     
  17. zar

    zar Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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  18. Nerys Myk

    Nerys Myk A Spock and a smile Premium Member

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    The acting in Star Trek has always been a mixed bag. Discovery is no different and I'm not seeing any "deviation".
     
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  19. Kane_Steel

    Kane_Steel Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    The only bad actor on this cast is Sonequa as Michael Burnham, and sadly that makes or breaks the show.

    Sonequa would have been perfectly serviceable in a supporting series role, but as the series lead that audiences are supposed to connect with and root for? Nope. Failed spectacularly.


    I wouldn't be shocked if STD's villain, Captain Lorca, has a significantly bigger fanbase than Burnham.
     
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  20. GeekUSACarl

    GeekUSACarl The Last Starfighter Fleet Captain

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    i think she is a fantastic actress.
     
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