Article Content
Star Trek: Discovery
‘Lethe’ takes a closer look at its characters
Gabriel Lorca is like the Schrödinger’s Captain of Star Trek. Either he’s a well-intended military man who bends the rules for the greater good and has gone a little crazy because of traumatic events — or he’s an amoral self-server willing to sell you out and do who-knows-what-else to save his own ass. You can read the clues of "Lethe" both ways and come to either conclusion. The series seems agnostic on the character so far because it wants to shroud his motivations in mystery and play the long game.
Again, this can be frustrating. I don’t have to root for the guy to necessarily get something out of watching him. But I feel like I should at least know I have enough information to make some sort of moral judgment about his actions. But the series is vague and doesn’t seem to believe there’s merit in having the truth be in the details; instead, the mysteries are in the fog.
‘Discovery’: Choose your narrative pain point
“Choose Your Pain” is an intriguing, entertaining, confusing, and frustrating hour that’s proving Discovery to be, at times, a maddeningly murky narrative engine that can work well moment to moment. This series operates in a very gray area. I’m not talking about gray morality (although there’s plenty of that for sure); I’m talking about gray narrative clarity. I’m doing my best to keep up with the characters’ motivations, but the vagueness and choppiness of the plot are not helping. Watching this show can be like walking on ground that shifts beneath your feet.
Is this show merely trying to keep me off guard, or is it kind of a mess? Characters’ actions can seem wildly inconsistent, perhaps because I previously read them wrong, or perhaps because the writing was done haphazardly by committee. Time will tell — unless, of course, it doesn’t. My comments from last week apply again here: I’m not sure if this series is just sloppy, or if they’re strategically hiding things so they can reveal more later. Maybe both. But that makes for a sometimes strange viewing experience.
Mixed bag of ‘Butcher’s Knife’ lacks sharpness
One of the things about Discovery’s serialized format is that it’s hard to know whether questions I have with the story will be answered soon, later, or never — whether gaps are a result of unfinished long-form storytelling or simply sloppy writing. With certain aspects of "The Butcher’s Knife Cares Not for the Lamb’s Cry," I’m leaning toward the latter.
Consider the plot’s central motivation, which is that the tactically crucial dilithium mines on Corvan II — which are responsible for nearly half the Federation’s fuel supply — are under attack by the Klingons, and Starfleet needs the Discovery to come through with a miracle by making its experimental spore-drive engine technology functional so they can get there before the defenses fall and the Klingons kill everyone and destroy the facility. Why is this crucial facility so utterly defenseless that only a hail-Mary pass employing a starship using untested, dangerous technology can now save it? Starfleet must really be out of practice when it comes to war strategy.
‘Discovery’ seeks context as it begins (again)
The key scene in “Context Is for Kings” is the one where Burnham explains herself to Captain Lorca, after having come to the conclusion that he has orchestrated her release from prison so he could recruit her onto his crew to do dirty work on his behalf.
She explains the reason she mutinied against her captain — her mentor — was because she thought she was taking the only course of action that would protect the Federation and, by extension, its values. That she had to break the Starfleet chain of command — one of those key values — is the paradox she must answer for. Her prison sentence was the cost of her actions and one she intends to pay. But she sees herself not as a renegade but as someone who made an extreme choice in an extreme moment that she thought was for the greater good.
‘Discovery’ is here; should you pay for CBS All Access to watch it?
Star Trek: Discovery is here. (Go read my review of the first two episodes, but beware spoilers.) Should you pay for CBS All Access to watch it? If you’re in the United States, the answer to that question depends on one thing: Do you want to see Star Trek: Discovery as it is released? I do, for obvious reasons. I am reviewing the show and I want to discuss it in real time with my readers. Even if I weren’t reviewing it or discussing it online, I’d probably want to see it on the release schedule to avoid spoilers. I’m one of those suckers CBS is exploiting.
Your mileage may vary. You might not care. If you don’t care, you can and should adjust your thinking. You could wait until all the episodes are available and then binge it during a trial period or pay for a single month. If you can hold off, then by all means do so. You could also skip Discovery altogether or wait until it’s finally released another way. That’s certainly an option.
I will say this: I hate that I have to pay for CBS All Access in order to see this show. I hate that I have to use it at all. I will do it, but I don’t like it. (Read more…)
A modest proposal for ‘Discovery’ and ‘The Orville’
Before the month is over, we’ll have two new shows set on starships, and I might even be reviewing them both. (CBS/Fox)
A mere 24 hours ago, I didn’t even know what the plan was, or if there would be one. Now I think I might have a plan. Whether I can stick to the plan is another question entirely. Whether the plan will make sense in even a few weeks I can’t even begin to guess. But I am going to press ahead with this plan, perhaps foolishly.
Here is the plan: I will attempt to review both Star Trek: Discovery and The Orville beginning this fall (starting this Sunday or shortly thereafter with The Orville, and Sept. 24 with Discovery). In my circles, there seems to be a good deal of interest in both.
This plan might very well be completely stupid and quickly abandoned. My wife, kids, and desire for sleep will help me decide that. (Read more…)
Trailer proves the existence of ‘Star Trek: Discovery’
After many, many months of vague press and departing showrunners, we finally have a trailer with actual footage from the forthcoming Star Trek: Discovery to be streamed on CBS All Access. We also have a date, or at least a season, for its release: Fall 2017.
My initial thoughts: Like many trailers, this is a very generic offering that teases the show, gives the title, displays some sci-fi visuals, and provides next to nothing in terms of story information. Par for the course. If you were hoping for something awesome or informative, you are going to be disappointed. It at least features some actors, including Michelle Yeoh and series lead Sonequa Martin-Green.
But we now have a committed time frame for the release of the show, and proof that it exists. Which, after all these reports of delays and a lack of new information aside from those delays, is something.
More ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ details emerge
More information has been emerging about Star Trek: Discovery, scheduled to premiere in January 2017, so I thought I’d take the opportunity to reframe the discussion and offer up some of my own musings about what we have been hearing so far.
The show is being run by Bryan Fuller, of Hannibal and Pushing Daisies fame. Also on board are high-profile Trek veterans Nicholas Meyer, Joe Menosky, and others.
This is, obviously, great news. While I have not seen Hannibal or Fuller’s other shows, I am aware of them and their ambitious creative visions. I’m glad that a showrunner was selected who has both previous experience with Star Trek and also has been distinguished creatively in the auteur vein in the ensuing years since his Trek tenure. That’s probably exactly what this franchise needs — a balance between Trek knowledge/experience and creative visions that are more individually driven. Bringing on Meyer as a consultant will hopefully ground the series in the sort of humanity seen in The Wrath of Khan while also being allegorically relevant like The Undiscovered Country. And, of course, Menosky strikes me as a writer that knows the Trek universe but also has his own individually unique ideas. So this looks like a promising team of Trek-specific writers.
Reaction: New Trek Series Coming in 2017
I have a few quick thoughts over on Jammer’s Reviews. Feel free to discuss it over there.
In a nutshell, this is an interesting move. Not simply because it will bring Star Trek back to the television screen, but because it’s actually bringing it back to the TV screen by way of CBS’s digital streaming service, which is perhaps an admission of the way of the future.