The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Star Trek: Discovery (Season 1)

OK, I have stated in the past that I was going to hold off on doing episode reviews of DIS episodes until more of it had rolled out. I also didn't want to get caught up in the whole week-by-week breakdown of the show, as I only do this blog in my spare time and I just can't keep that kind of commitment. However, now that Season 1 is in the bag, I can give you a look back at the season as a whole, in a little piece I am going to call "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly". Each section is not limited in the amount of points that I can make, and some points might fit in more than one category. So, without any further ado, here we go.

The Good

• Special Effects! - Gotta admit that the effects of the show are great. I know this gives some fans a lot to complain about, but it adds to some great aesthetics. Things look sleeker and more modern, which is what is necessary for the franchise to continue to boldly going forward. While I appreciate how some fan shows are paying attention to details that keep the same look as the original series (hats off to you, Star Trek: Continues), I just don't think that the show would be successful if everything looked like it did in the 60s. 

• Interesting characters - While not every character has endeared themselves to me, I do like many of the ones that they brought into the universe. Personally, Saru is my favourite. I have seen a lot of great growth as he went from timid science officer to capable first officer to decisive Acting Captain. I also enjoyed the characters of Paul Stamets and Hugh Culber (more on them in a moment). Lorca is most assuredly a different type of captain, Tilly is the heart and soul of the show, and Ash Tyler gives us one of the most complex characters ever. Of course, there is Michael Burnham (played by star Sonequa Martin-Green). A first for a Trek series, focusing on not the captain but on a crew member. Burnham is likely one of the most complex characters that we have ever seen. Definitely divides the fan base, but I see a lot of promise being delivered. It also looks as if we will see Georgiou again, and that should be interesting. We also have some well developed recurring characters is Sarek, Mudd, and Cornwell that look like they could add some spice to the future of the show. While not every character is a home run, it definitely makes things interesting.

• One of the Best Relationships is Trek - Paul Stamets, the first main character that is openly gay on Star Trek, is involved in one of the most real and lovely relationships we have seen in Star Trek. His love, Doctor Hugh Culber, is a perfect yin to Stamet's yang. I have noticed that some shows include a same-sex couple and make such a big deal about it that it comes across as forced and phony. This is not the case here. Their relationship, as tragic as it becomes, is so simple and yet sincere. The fact that there is no big deal made out of the fact that they are gay just adds to the power of this duo. Sadly, with death of Culber, this relationship is looking like it's done, but it gave us some great touching moments while it lasted. Here's hoping that Paul will find love again.

• Hat Tips to the Past - Some have argued that Discovery spits in the face of the past. I disagree. They have paid great homages to the past. Noticed the list of "Great Captains" that Saru asked for in "Choose Your Pain"? Johnathan Archer is a throwback to Enterprise, Robert April to the Animated series, and Christopher Pike and Matt Decker to the Original series. Did you notice the Gorn skeleton and in Lorca's ready room? All cool little nods to what has come before. Plus, there are the familiar characters with new faces (Sarek and Mudd) that give us more to love. And, of course, the last scene of seeing the USS Discovery nose-to-nose with the USS Enterprise was a great way to end the season.

The Bad

• New Klingons - There is an old saying: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". I get that we can have updates to the look of Klingons, but do we have to go so far away from what has been established? Yes, the look of the Federation's favourite foes-turned-allies changed a lot from the Original series to the movies and TNG, but at the time it was understood that it was due to progress and increased budgets over 20 years. Enterprise even gave us a plausible explanation for the difference in the look. And yet, once again, the look of the Klingons underwent a major change that, in my own humble opinion, was unnecessary. I could have bought that T'Kumva's group were on a generational ship that was far away when the Augment virus hit, but they then took the look to all Klingons in the established universe, and I just really do not like the look. The look of the Klingons has become as iconic as the Vulcans, so I really don't get why they have to go such a drastic route as they did. 

• Failed Hat Tip - Even though I mentioned that the hat tips were a good part of the season, there was one that just seemed a bit pointless. Lorca had a pet tribble. Cool, a tribble! But, why? Tribbles have become a bit of an inside joke among fans, and given what we learned about Lorca it made little sense that he would have one. If it had served a plot device, such as exposing Tyler as a Klingon, that would have been better. Plus, if he had a bowl of fortune cookies on his desk all the time, what would have stopped the little furball from snacking on them and becoming a ready room full of tribbles? I like nods to the past, but I prefer it if they actually mean something and are not on the superfluous side. 

• It's Been a Long Road - One of the biggest complaints about Discovery was that for many fans it just didn't feel like Star Trek. Starfleet officers were not acting like we had come to expect. Yes, it was war time, and that led to more grit. Yes, we saw some very un-Starfleet actions by officers in the past (Sisko and Janeway have both made some questionable choices in the past). Yet it seemed that it took a while before I myself could say "Now this feels like the Star Trek I knew and loved". I felt a little bit of it in the pilot episode, and then when Burnham mutinied and tried to take control, it went out the window. It wasn't until "Magic to Make the Sanest Man Go Mad" did I start to feel it again, and then it took me until the last two episodes where I could see the Trek moments of humanity bettering themselves really take shape. There may have been other examples of this in other episodes, but they were overshadowed by the desperation and darkness that dominated this season.

• Who Are You Guys? - This is not so much as "bad", but it is something I really hope gets explored and developed moving forward. I get that in this new current format of story-telling on TV that the ability to develop characters becomes limited. In Discovery, the focus was on Burnham, Lorca, Saru, Stamets, Tyler, and Tilly. Other recurring characters, such as Sarek, Mudd, Cornwell, Huber, and Gerogiou, were given their moments. Then, there was the rest of the bridge crew. They showed a lot of diversity, (as well as a lot of looking at each other on the bridge) and yet we had very little knowledge of them. Airiam, Demeter, Owosekum, and Rhys all appeared in most of the episodes, and yet very little information about them was provided. I get that they had to tell a story and that these characters were largely in the background, but I wish that we could have learned a bit more about them. Hopefully, some if not all of these characters will be given some more attention in future seasons.

The Ugly

• Unleash the Trolls - Without a doubt, the ugliest thing that DIS has brought out are the small yet vocal cadre of fans that have taken it upon themselves to sully the name "Trekkie". There are two groups in this. First, there are those that have decided that DIS is utter garbage, but instead of turning the channel or popping in a DVD and watching something they enjoy, they take it upon themselves to ensure that everybody knows about it, and that they insist that people who do enjoy it are not "true fans". Second, there are those that love the show, but as soon as someone expresses an opinion or thought that is a criticism of the show, they turn into ravenous foul-mouthed lunatics who will spam said offenders with venom and vitriol. I get  that Star Trek is a passion for many people, but come on guys, do we have to be so negative that we create a toxic environment for everyone? I have seen a lot of fan groups on social media that have been overtaken by this type of trollish behavior, and it really doesn't put Trekkies in a positive light. 

So now that Season 1 is in the bag, how do I feel about the series and season as a whole? Overall, I liked it. I think the good far outweighed the bad, and I think the first season has been strong. I will freely admit that I miss a more optimistic Star Trek, and the dark mood that DIS sets is not my favourite. I also accept that there are some fans who cannot get over the disappointment of their expectations not being met, and to them I would offer that they have a right to those feelings and a right to offer them up in a manner that is respectful without having disrespect thrown at them. I also accept that there are fans who love the show, that this is the best Trek for them yet. There are a lot of us that fall in between. I hope that in the future, the good gets better, the bad improves, and the ugly (which is what we fans have the most control over) goes away. The only complaint that I have at this point is that we have a long wait until Season 2. Until then, live long and prosper my friends.

Star Trek: Discovery Lands. My Thoughts Watching the First Two Episodes

Last night, my wife and some friends and family members and I gathered to watch the first two episodes of DIS. For years this show has been building, changes to the production team changed, and anticipation grew. Fans took sides and debates raged along the spectrum. Some loved what they were seeing, while others saw it as the coming of the apocalypse. As the days to the premier counted down, the discussions got hotter and the opinions became more polarized. Then, last night, it happened. We had a new Star Trek series on television. I am not going to touch on whether or not CBS All Access is a good business model or a slap in the face of "true fans". I will not even touch the topic of "true fans" because that subject has beaten to death already. Instead, let me give you my thoughts and hopes for this new series.

First off, I liked it. I didn't love it, but I liked it. There is a lot to take in less than 24 hours later, but overall I enjoyed the first two episodes. I won't talk about any details in order to keep this spoiler free, but the show has some promise to it. I have not seen Sonequa Martin-Green in much of anything, but because of her work on "The Walking Dead" I had heard about her. I was impressed by much of her acting in these first two episodes, and her character of Michael Burnham is well established. The actions of Commander Burnham set a tone and a course for the story and the show, and she is a very unique character. It is refreshing to see a character that is not the captain as the central focus of the show. Hats off to both the writers and the actress for giving us someone we haven't seen the likes of before.

This, in a way, sums up my feelings on the new show. It is unlike anything in Trek I have ever seen before. This is why I can say I like it, but not love it...yet. Like many open-minded fans, I am reserving overall judgement until I see more. There are a few things that I can discuss, though, and maybe address some of the controversies and arguments that have come around before the show even aired.

First off, the production value is amazing. Special effects, sets, wardrobe, props, all of it is top quality. I am thrilled with that aspect of it. While I appreciate that some of the familiar sound effects are still being used, I do not mind it so much when updates are incorporated into the show. So many fans complained that the sets and technology the characters use are too "modern" for a show set a decade or so before Kirk and Spock were on the Enterprise. As I watched the first two episodes of Discovery, a thought came to mind. If Gene Roddenberry had the budget and technology in the 1960s that we have today, I suspect his show would have looked very similar to what we see on Discovery. Hind sight being what it is, that is mere speculation, but it is how I felt. The use of 3D/hologram projections for communications, for example, sounds like something that Gene would have loved to do. So while I get why some would have felt that those details should have been made to be more like what we saw in the 1960s, I give the show credit for giving us something fresh and sleek. I really think that if we tried to actually recreate a show made in 1966 to look exactly the way it did back then, few would watch it. 

Now, on to the Klingons. I had heard and read many theories on what was up with the new Klingon look. Some explanations have been given by fans, with the producers saying "Trust us, we got it. It will all make sense". I want to trust them, but I have to go on what I saw. Now that I have seen how the Klingons are in Discovery, I can say this: I hate and love them. What I don't like is the new look. I can tell that they are Klingons, but I just do not like the new look. I don't mind the updated ship and weapon design, but the makeup design they went with does bother me a bit. Having said that, when you look past the makeup, they have the essence of the Klingons just about right. When I think of TOS Klingons, I think of schemers who speak little of honor. It wasn't until Star Trek III and TNG that the Klingons really came into their own, and the Klingons of Discovery fit that mold much better. They have the language, the culture, and the soul of great Klingons such as Worf, Chang, Martok, Gowron, and so many others. Well-established parts of Klingon culture are not only incorporated but delved into further, adding to the rich history of this beloved warrior empire. So yes, the new look has a long way to go before it grows on me, but they got it right in most of the other important ways. I will also add that there may be a better explanation of the new look in future episodes, so I will hold off on final judgement until then.

One of my favourite parts about Trek is the development of intriguing characters. I already mentioned Michael Burnham, but some other important characters were introduced as well. Captain Phillipa Georgiou is a great captain, showing experience combined with instinct, mixing heroics with wisdom. She is a delightful mix of grit and compassion, grace and steel. We also meet Lt. Cmdr. Saru, a member of the Kelpian species. The Kelpians are a new species created for Discovery. His species developed as a prey species on his homeworld, and because of this Saru is a very cautious individual. As most Kelpians he has an innate sixth sense to approaching danger, which comes into play in the show. His constant fretting and worrying does make him a bit of nuisance at times. His potential as a character is large, and I look forward to seeing if he mellows out a bit as the season progresses. In the character department, I was a little disappointment that we still have to wait and meet some of the regulars, such as Anthony Rapp's Paul Stamets and Isaac Jacob's Captain Lorca. We did have Sarek, played by James Frain. While nobody in my mind will ever do a better Sarek than the original Mark Lenard, I did enjoy Frain's portrayal and hope we will see this cherished character again. 

Several fans raised concerns that there would be a loss of Trek with the announcement that they were going to ignore the Roddenberry Rule of no conflict between Starfleet officers. First, let me point out that this rule was ignored by Gene several times in TOS. Second, the conflict in most cases reminded me of the banter between Spock and McCoy, just with different approaches. It worked, and with one major and crucial exception, it is nothing too severe. The exception, though, is what makes the show stand out, so it is worth the watch. 

My biggest question mark with Discovery is how the new format of story-telling will play out. I like a good balance of stand-alone episodes and multi-episode story arcs in a series. I recognize that in today's television world that is evolving to be more serialized, but that does give me concerns. I enjoyed what I watched last night, but if every episode is just a lead in to the next, I do not know if I will continue to enjoy it as much. Seeing as how last night showed two episodes that were darker and grittier than any Trek show I have seen to date, I hope that there is something to balance out the feel. I am not convinced that a series that is only dark and gritty is what I want from Star Trek. In earlier incarnations the seasons had a mixed bag of light and dark. For every "Balance of Terror" there was a "The Trouble with Tribbles". For every "Yesterday's Enterprise" there was a "Data's Day". I hope we get to see the lighter side of some of these new characters. I hope we get to see some laughter and the odd bit of silliness. I always felt that Star Trek's greatest legacy was that it showed us that humanity has hope for its future. While there will always be some bumps along the way, I want to see Discovery give us that hope. I did not expect it from the get go, but it is something I want to be there. That, for me personally, is what will make this a Trek show I love versus a show that is merely enjoyed. 

So, while we have to wait another week for the next installment, I hope and wish the producers and stars of Discovery nothing but the best as they move forward. I know you won't please everybody, but if nothing else, I hope that this show will get more people introduced to this franchise that has come to be the influential piece of our cultural mosaic it is. I hope that they will continue to learn, grow, and more importantly, love this series. I hope more fans will keep an open mind and, if the show is worthy, support it in the best way they can. In essence, I hope Discovery lives long and prospers.