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Discuss Thrower · 11-12-2017, 11:26 PM

Spoiler!

Okay so it's at the midseason break. I've liked just about every post-pilot episode and the pseudo-finale tonight was pretty good and made up for a lackluster but necessary set up episode which preceded it.

Credit to the show for doing a time loop episode without being a blatant rehash of "Cause and Effect" from TNG beforehand. That was well done, though the mid-season finale outdid it.

The plot wasn't too thin though it was a bit dodgy in its execution in needing very obvious and easily discovered devices to pull off. The universal translator contrivance was used well and some more dedicated fans noted that there was a marked difference in how Kol spoke in English to Adm. Cornwell earlier in the season and the episode tonight. Speaking of the good admiral, Discovery dispensed a teaching moment in showing how PTSD (... or is it?) is experienced and how to try and deal with it.

Burnham's Vulcan upbringing makes sense too seeing her go toe to toe with Klingons and survive the ordeal in addition to her scientific knowledge. Further, her being standoffish to people allowed for an organic way to stave off "shipping" which some might find tiresome (Bechdel test and all that.)

As for shipping, tonight was the first human-on-human same sex kiss on the show. I'm not one to say how things outta be in spite of the many gay friends I have, but I still kinda feel like the Stammets and Colburn relationship seems campy to the point of it being needlessly "we're here, queer, get used to it" in a way instead of a Roddenberry-esque "It's the 23rd century; there's really no difference among people based on the gender of their romantic partners."

Speaking of romantic partners and going back to the PTSD part, either the showrunners are doing a marvelous job of depicting the ****ed up dynamic of captor-rapist and captive-victim or are just blatantly signaling that Lt. Tyler is T'Kuvma's albino acolyte Voq. For the sake of getting people to think on a meta level, I'd prefer it be the former rather than the latter.

As for the overall plot and circling back to telegraphing potential future plot points, Lorca might not be who he appears to be, Stammets might be going full Gary Mitchell and we just might be getting a reason why the Mycelium-drive wasn't proliferated through Starfleet.

The two-part pilot aside, I think Discovery has been an enjoyable, modern soft sci-fi show that has stayed true to what Star Trek is all about that people should take a chance on.

11-12-2017, 11:26 PM	#371
Discuss Thrower "You like to drink?" Discuss Thrower's Avatar Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: "I like to drink."	Spoiler! Okay so it's at the midseason break. I've liked just about every post-pilot episode and the pseudo-finale tonight was pretty good and made up for a lackluster but necessary set up episode which preceded it. Credit to the show for doing a time loop episode without being a blatant rehash of "Cause and Effect" from TNG beforehand. That was well done, though the mid-season finale outdid it. The plot wasn't too thin though it was a bit dodgy in its execution in needing very obvious and easily discovered devices to pull off. The universal translator contrivance was used well and some more dedicated fans noted that there was a marked difference in how Kol spoke in English to Adm. Cornwell earlier in the season and the episode tonight. Speaking of the good admiral, Discovery dispensed a teaching moment in showing how PTSD (... or is it?) is experienced and how to try and deal with it. Burnham's Vulcan upbringing makes sense too seeing her go toe to toe with Klingons and survive the ordeal in addition to her scientific knowledge. Further, her being standoffish to people allowed for an organic way to stave off "shipping" which some might find tiresome (Bechdel test and all that.) As for shipping, tonight was the first human-on-human same sex kiss on the show. I'm not one to say how things outta be in spite of the many gay friends I have, but I still kinda feel like the Stammets and Colburn relationship seems campy to the point of it being needlessly "we're here, queer, get used to it" in a way instead of a Roddenberry-esque "It's the 23rd century; there's really no difference among people based on the gender of their romantic partners." Speaking of romantic partners and going back to the PTSD part, either the showrunners are doing a marvelous job of depicting the ****ed up dynamic of captor-rapist and captive-victim or are just blatantly signaling that Lt. Tyler is T'Kuvma's albino acolyte Voq. For the sake of getting people to think on a meta level, I'd prefer it be the former rather than the latter. As for the overall plot and circling back to telegraphing potential future plot points, Lorca might not be who he appears to be, Stammets might be going full Gary Mitchell and we just might be getting a reason why the Mycelium-drive wasn't proliferated through Starfleet. The two-part pilot aside, I think Discovery has been an enjoyable, modern soft sci-fi show that has stayed true to what Star Trek is all about that people should take a chance on.
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