Star Trek - Discovery - 1.03: Context Is for Kings

[Cli-Fi]

-----------------------------
Creating topic, remember you
can only discuss this episode
inside this topic. Reviews of
the episode are encouraged
-----------------------------

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?

This is a really cool, interesting and complex plot that they have put together. I am genuinely surprised I am liking it as much as I am. The characters and their roles are fresh and three dimensional. Other stations are getting their time in the spotlight. "Starfleet doesn't secure their Engineering Sections!" Indeed Micheal, Indeed. Very intriguing and apparently too intriguing for our little mutineer to stay away for too long.

I love this shot of the ship!​

She is going to have an interesting relationship with what appears to be a rouge captain with too little oversight. He will make her do things she doesn't want to do. I don't think she should easily trust him and when he says end the war, that almost sounds like genocide. But maybe that's what Burnham wants too. I do agree with others that this ship might be Section 31-ish. That way, Starfleet will have little contact with Burnham and they can let Lorcas do whatever he wants with her.

I'm liking quirky LT. stamets who is apparently Star Trek's first openly gay character. If that scene with his "friend," was how this show is going to portray yet another toned down politically correct barely out of the closet gay relationship, then I don't see what all the bragging was about in the first place. I don't really care about his sexuality. His personality is cool reminds me a bit of Martin Freeman who is one of if not my favorite actor of all time!

The interesting thing here is that we'll see if Burnham ever redeems herself. Saru seems to think is destined for greatness and so does Lorca. Other crew members don't think so and don't like her. I had a problem with apparent prisoners eating so freely in the cafe with the other crewmembers. I don't think that's common practice in any military. What's funny is that Kirk has done way worse and he was treated like a hero. That's the difference between a war time starfleet and an isolationist starfleet.

 

[Dave]

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.

Yes, the Caretaker did have access to some mystical space corridor. Thinking about this further, the ancient Iconians had intra-galactic pathways for which the mechanics were never explained. Also, the Borg did too, and ditto for them. Having an actual explanation must only be a good thing, and hopefully once demonstrated it won't be as "magical" as it now appears to be. I withdraw that criticism too. Which leaves me with none left.

 

[Cli-Fi]

Yes, the Caretaker did have access to some mystical space corridor. Thinking about this further, the ancient Iconians had intra-galactic pathways for which the mechanics were never explained. Also, the Borg did too, and ditto for them. Having an actual explanation must only be a good thing, and hopefully once demonstrated it won't be as "magical" as it now appears to be. I withdraw that criticism too. Which leaves me with none left.

This is a really cool theory that I hope its true. The creators of the show said that it will please real fans and that the show links to the larger universe in a bunch of ways. Hopefully not just little Easter eggs and mentions of other eras. It would be cool if they linked it to the larger verse like this but why do I think we are reading too much into it?

 

[MWagner]

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.

Three episodes in, and I'm getting off the train. It's far more like the movies than the previous TV series. In fact, it's much darker than the Trek movies. Some fans have mused about what a mirror universe would even look like in this series. An optimistic and cooperative crew on a mission of science and discovery?

A lot of people have said Discovery needs to suit the tastes of today's audience. If that's the case, then presumably today's audience expects grimdark teen angst. The whole tone comes across as YA, with the alienated and misunderstood protagonist having to endure being treated as the new kid in school. Setting aside any fidelity to the Trek ethos (of which there is essentially none), I find it impossible to reconcile a crew of science and military professionals with a social climate of snark, sarcasm, and sneering.

I also find the writing poor. The pacing is leaden, the dialog cackhanded and burdened with exposition. The characters are unappealing, with none of the comradery or humour demonstrated in previous shows.

Lastly, it's the only Star Trek I can't watch with my kids (even the Orville, though it has some raunchy humour, is more suitable). So I guess another trait of modern audiences is that families don't watch TV together anymore.

 

[Cathbad]

I find it impossible to reconcile a crew of science and military professionals with a social climate of snark, sarcasm, and sneering.

You obviously haven't been in the military!

 

[Dave]

I think the key to this, and the reason that I, myself, can reconcile the difference, is that the Federation is at war with the Klingon Empire. We haven't seen a war where Earth was really in any danger. We did see the Dominion War in the latter half of DS9 and some of those last season episodes were extremely dark indeed i.e. The Siege of AR-558

 

[Amelia Faulkner]

I'm liking it. I didn't like Engineer dude, but then you learn he's been seized from his safe civilian laboratory environment and stuffed onto a ship all but against his will and separated from his bff and research partner. He's got reason to be pissed off with all the sh*t that gets piled onto him.

 

[Cli-Fi]

Yes, the Caretaker did have access to some mystical space corridor. Thinking about this further, the ancient Iconians had intra-galactic pathways for which the mechanics were never explained. Also, the Borg did too, and ditto for them. Having an actual explanation must only be a good thing, and hopefully once demonstrated it won't be as "magical" as it now appears to be. I withdraw that criticism too. Which leaves me with none left.

I've expanded somewhat on this theory here. I see a revisit to This Side of Paradise in a future episode: How Star Trek Discovery Could Be Connected to the Larger Trek Universe – JohnJFalco.com

 

[Alexa]

I cannot stop doing a parallel with Stargate SG-1 and the team in charge of stealing any possible artifacts from the other worlds.

 

[Cli-Fi]

Somebody on Reddit made a theory about the Ferengis and the spores and how even that culture could be impacted by the Spores and their manipulation of currency. Basically the theory goes, the Great Material Continnum is the force that binds the Universe together sounds a lot like the top Ferengi could use the spores for profit.

 

[Rodders]

I watched this last night, still entertaining, although I'm not buying into spores as a means of transferring starships across the galaxy. Is our intrepid heroine being lied to?

 

[Cathbad]

The spore thing is hard to accept, but I am looking forward to elaboration.

 

[Vince W]

Ahead warp factor... shitake?

 

[Alexa]

I like that spore thing and I don't care if it's not realistic. This is a SF movie and that projection of other worlds was really cool.

 

[Bugg]

Just makes me think of Midichlorians. It surrounds us and penetrates us - it binds the galaxy together. Oh, wait. Wrong franchise

 

[Khuratokh]

I'm liking it. I didn't like Engineer dude, but then you learn he's been seized from his safe civilian laboratory environment and stuffed onto a ship all but against his will and separated from his bff and research partner. He's got reason to be pissed off with all the sh*t that gets piled onto him.

Well here at least 'Discovery' follows in the proud tradition of "the-chief-engineer-must-suffer" trope. Just look up all the crap La Forge, O'Brian, Torres and Tucker had to go through on a weekly basis. Scotty got off easy. And this is the same guy that was stuck in a derelict shuttle's transporter buffer, for the better part of a century.

Oh, and
"Did that Klingon just shush me?"

Nice to see the new show isn't completely devoid of humor.