Star Trek - Discovery - 1.03: Context Is for Kings

[Dave]

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To be shown first 10/1/17 (Su.) 8:30 PM CBSAA

So, will Lieutenant Commander Michael Burnham be court marshalled for Mutiny? If not, why not? At least she should get a demotion down to Lieutenant, right?

 

[Cathbad]

First, let me give one of my favorite rants about film and TV prison idiocy:

Prison guards do not carry guns or rifles!! Even Emergency Reaction Teams only carry non-lethal arms, like rifles which shoot pellets containing pepper-spray, mace, bean-bags, etc., and/or shock/stun weapons. Why? Because they are vastly outnumbered. Bring a rifle, shotgun or handgun into the facility, and you risk it being taken from you - and used not only on yourself, but other guards, as well. Even the Sheriff's Department has to stop at the front gate and surrender their weapons, before they are allowed to enter the facility! [Yes, tower guards do carry rifles - but the towers are not in the facility, with the inmates!]

Star Trek, unfortunately. has done the same. Not unexpected, though. It makes prison look even more dangerous than it is.


Okay - this episode was surprising to me - and I like being surprised. I think the Discovery Captain is playing a dangerous game - both with Star Fleet's knowledge and - I believe - without. So many questions and possibilities - which is what it takes to build long-term viewership!

I'm pleased to see the unexpected in this series, and I am thoroughly enjoying the storyline!

A Captain we don't know if we (the viewers) can trust! How unique!

 

[Alexa]

I didn't expect the new captain's behaviour either. This episode was quite interesting. If it keeps going like this, we will have a lot to talk about.

Spoiler

After 6 months in prison, Michael is back and has to join the new team on Discovery at the *invitation* of the captain. Discovery is in appearence a research vessel, but we already have a glimpse it's much more.

 

[ctg]

Actions have consequences. Michael took intentionally one in the face, when she accepts responsibility for starting the war with the Klingons. And she provided the StarFleet political motivator for doing things that normally would be frowned upon. In a way I feel StarFleet is at the time of interstaller Klingon war much like our own governments with their black operations.

It is as if there is a shadow government, who actually wanted this war to happen so that they could disregard the red tape that usually surrounds questionable scientific and engineering research missions. With out the war they would have to go through the bureaucracy that is aimed at the ST universe on safety issues. It's the crews that commit those acts that break the records.

Back in the old days, logging everything was done for the scientific purposes, but in the USS Discovery things are turning differently. Burnham quotes: "Sometimes up is down," which nicely correlates with this current vision that is truly showing the dark side of the StarFleet. They will do whatever it takes to win, and they don't consider prisoners on a war mission as things not morally hazardous.

Michael Burnham accepted her place and she wanted to go down in the prison because she felt guilty. I don't think she ever even thought about being placed on a role of a red shirt on her transfer. Who would have batted an eyelid is she had been eaten by that space mole?

Certainly not the alien. It had no eyes, but long whiskers and that weird looking snout resembling one found on Eartly specimens. I also believe that it saw the bipedal humanoids as enemies for it territory. It might be highly likely that the spores also came from the same place. But who would have thought mushrooms can net a galactic wide nervous system?

Not me, even if it's plausible in the quantum theory, and the reason for that is because a galactic wide fungal infestation sounds like midichlorians George Lucas invented. That technology however would explain Spocks visions at the new ST movies.

I like this new angle and showing of the darker side of ST universe. It feels so much more plausible (minus the magical spores) than what the utopia previous series painted to the viewers.

 

[Vince W]

I have a problem with the entire idea of prison in the future. I would think some sort of psychological readjustment would be more appropriate in the sort of future Star Trek is meant to be.

I have mixed feelings about the overall tone of this episode. The Federation is at war and needs to act more like a military organisation, so shadowy figures and deep secrets are to be expected. However, where will they draw the line? I think Discovery could be where that line is drawn.

I like the idea of Discovery being a science vessel, but Captain Lorcas clearly has some ideas as to how the research aboard is to be directed and used. Lorcas seems to be driven by something and will stop at nothing to win the war. Having Burnham on board does make some sort of sense then as Lorcas will probably hold her up as a model of the sort of un-Starfleet behaviour he will need to justify to win his war.

I hope the writers will take into account the future Federation and that this is going to be one of the low points of its history. Maybe at the end of this series Ricker and Troy will emerge from the holodeck...

 

[Cathbad]

Not me, even if it's plausible in the quantum theory, and the reason for that is because a galactic wide fungal infestation sounds like midichlorians George Lucas invented. That technology however would explain Spocks visions at the new ST movies.

I like this new angle and showing of the darker side of ST universe. It feels so much more plausible (minus the magical spores) than what the utopia previous series painted to the viewers.

I'm betting a very bad downside will be discovered.

 

[Dave]

I thought her punishment was quite harsh considering other punishments given to Spock and Kirk for disobeying orders.

I like that this is a story being told from her point of view and unfolding slowly. It isn't another 'planet of the week' show at all, and I agree that this is anew formula and quite a departure for Star Trek. While some people will disagree, I think that can only be a good thing. I agree that Lorcas is not your usual Captain, and that there are so many questions and possibilities with this story.

First, let me give one of my favorite rants about film and TV prison idiocy:
Prison guards do not carry guns or rifles!!

To be fair, they weren't Prison Guards, they were Discovery security officers (but since they didn't have red shirts they all survived for once without incident.)

I have a problem with the entire idea of prison in the future. I would think some sort of psychological readjustment would be more appropriate in the sort of future Star Trek is meant to be.

You would think that; that in the world of Star Trek, where all of societies ills had been cured, reforming criminals would have also been more enlightened. However, prisons certainly existed right up to Voyager, as Tom Paris served time at the Federation Penal Settlement in New Zealand. There was also that treatment in the TOS episode Dagger of the Mind at the Tantalus Penal Colony. That experimental treatment didn't go so well. And Klingon prisons were even more Victorian as we saw in Rura Penthe.

Not me, even if it's plausible in the quantum theory, and the reason for that is because a galactic wide fungal infestation sounds like midichlorians George Lucas invented. That technology however would explain Spocks visions at the new ST movies.

Not only the fact that it is a 'midichlorian' type of pseduo-science, but I just can't believe we haven't heard of these things before. I can accept that we never heard about one of many great Klingon leaders, but a revolutionary form of transport that would change the universe?

I'm betting a very bad downside will be discovered.

Well, it already seems very dangerous if it destroyed the sister ship, and no doubt that is why it will be discontinued before the time of TOS.

I've read that this episode was meant to set years after the last episode, but I didn't hear any reference to that in the show, except for Saru's promotion, and people generally talking about the mutiny in terms of it being very old news. It also appears that the war is now 'dug in.'

Saru has mellowed on me, but he is no longer a total coward anymore, and seems to have used the Battle of the Binary Stars as a learning experience. I'm not sure I'm going to like the Engineer though, and the room mate, and replacement for Wesley Crusher, is already annoying.

 

[ctg]

I can accept that we never heard about one of many great Klingon leaders, but a revolutionary form of transport that would change the universe?

They had one at the beginning of the Voyager. Dude died as the end result and Voyager was trapped. *sad face* Maybe there's some weird alien race that's all into mushrooms and weird stuff. Hopefully they don't portray them as hippies.

 

[Vince W]

@Dave it said it was only 6 months later at the very beginning.

 

[Cathbad]

To be fair, they weren't Prison Guards, they were Discovery security officers (but since they didn't have red shirts they all survived for once without incident.)

I'll have to watch again, but I'm pretty sure the first ones were guards. I might be wrong.

But, yeah. The next were Discovery crew, which I probably didn't grasp at first.

By next week, I'm betting they'll need red shirts.

 

[Cathbad]

You would think that; that in the world of Star Trek, where all of societies ills had been cured, reforming criminals would have also been more enlightened.

But there is a sect of criminals that don't need "reforming". Michael definitely belongs in this category. Yet still, she require(s)(d) punishment. She broke the "law" believing it was for the Greater Good - and there's no doubt but that she'd do it again - but she still broke the law.

 

[Cathbad]

Well, it already seems very dangerous if it destroyed the sister ship, and no doubt that is why it will be discontinued before the time of TOS.

But that was during the experimental stage. They might just find that it is too volatile for use, but I was thinking of the possibility of a physical toll on the bodies of those sent through.

 

[Cathbad]

I've read that this episode was meant to set years after the last episode

Really? I don't know why, but I was under the impression only six months had passed.

My bad!

 

[Cathbad]

Saru has mellowed on me, but he is no longer a total coward anymore, and seems to have used the Battle of the Binary Stars as a learning experience. I'm not sure I'm going to like the Engineer though, and the room mate, and replacement for Wesley Crusher, is already annoying.

I still don't like Saru, and I'm withholding judgement on the roommate.

But the Captain is the most intriguing character to come along in the Star Trek universe, for quite some time!

 

[Dave]

It said it was only 6 months later at the very beginning.

Sorry, I missed that. Six months would seem about right.

 

[DelActivisto]

So, if this show worth watching? Is it like the old shows - thought provoking, insightful, and scientific - or like the new Star Trek movies - a dumbed down, computerized, and whitewashed soap opera for the masses? Sorry if that sounds critical.

 

[Vince W]

After meeting Captain Lorcas I'm beginning to wonder if this isn't the mirrorverse.

 

[ctg]

So, if this show worth watching? Is it like the old shows - thought provoking, insightful, and scientific - or like the new Star Trek movies - a dumbed down, computerized, and whitewashed soap opera for the masses? Sorry if that sounds critical.

It is very different. Traditionally we would get a planet, monster, space-ship per week but this one is all tied nicely together. And all of them seem to have greater character. Everyone who is on the screen has a purpose and a tale to tell. So they're three dimensional and believable rather than them repeating the course of Wesley Crusher. Also the science is very plausible. The only thing as I said earlier, the magical mushroom network is on verge of being a bit ... meh. But in the infinity of space, who knows, maybe magical mushrooms are real. We just haven't learned about it, yet.

 

[ralphkern]

Lorca is an interesting character, and a nice juxtaposition with the previous captain. He seems half-mad scientist, half-idealistic Starfleet officer.

I'm not too well-versed on Trek lore, but it seems like the end result is what they're working on fails... but I'm guessing the extent of that failure would have been kept secret seen as the ship itself looks to be some kind of black ops vessel.

Overall, I'm getting the impression the production team watched BSG, Aliens and GOT and said, "Let's mix all that up in the Star Trek universe - and don't be nervous about having grusome deaths and PG-13 language."

 

[Alexa]

It seems that the pilot broke records in Canada as the most watched series ever on Canadian specialty TV.

As this series is supposely 10 years before the adventures of Captain Kirk and the original Star Trek series in 1966, than I'm ready to bet Lorca will broke several rules. The Federation will add new rules later, as a consequence.