Star Trek - Series and Films

[allegro]

As we get further into DS9, the general quality of the stories and the acting (with some notable *coughs* Bashir *coughs* exceptions) is much better than TNG.

TNG has SIR PATRICK STEWART, a Shakespearean ac-tor. And Whoopi Goldberg, who has achieved an EGOT.

DS9 has aged better in almost every way. DS9 gave its ensemble cast a more centered world to occupy compared to the somewhat sterile feel of TNG. It’s serialized long-form space opera storytelling helped to give the world and characters a chance for far better development compared to TNG’s individual one-and-done episodic approach. But TNG was the right series in the right place at the right time. To this day TNG feels like the “true Star Trek experience” to me, even if DS9 is clearly the better show in general.

DS9 is a space station orbiting one planet. Also the first Star Trek series to be created without the direct involvement of Gene Roddenberry.


TNG’s intro (just like the original ST):

Space: the final frontier.
These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise.
Its continuing mission:
To explore strange new worlds.
To seek out new life and new civilizations.
To boldly go where no one has gone before!

And that’s exactly what they did.

Every week.


DS9? Gas station by a worm hole.

[GulDukat]

DS9? Gas station by a worm hole.

Not exactly, but that did make me chuckle.

[GulDukat]

TNG has SIR PATRICK STEWART, a Shakespearean ac-tor. And Whoopi Goldberg, who has achieved an EGOT.



DS9 is a space station orbiting one planet. Also the first Star Trek series to be created without the direct involvement of Gene Roddenberry.


TNG’s intro (just like the original ST):

Space: the final frontier.
These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise.
Its continuing mission:
To explore strange new worlds.
To seek out new life and new civilizations.
To boldly go where no one has gone before!

And that’s exactly what they did.

Every week.


DS9? Gas station by a worm hole.

DS9's cast rivals TNG. The actors might not be household names, but Avery Brooks, René Auberjonois, Terry Farrell, Marc Alaimo, Jeffery Combs, Louise Fletcher, Casey Biggs, etc. were wonderful and, I would argue, are more interesting to watch interacting.

[GulDukat]

I *loved* René Auberjonois. RIP. I totally agree re the stellar cast.

Met him in 2013 in Boston. He signed my Odo picture. Really nice guy.

[marodi]

I didn't cry at all when you-know-who showed up in Picard. Nope, not one tear. And I didn't watch that segment 10 times in a row.

*opens another box of tissues*

[GulDukat]

I didn't cry at all when you-know-who showed up in Picard. Nope, not one tear. And I didn't watch that segment 10 times in a row.

*opens another box of tissues*

Loved it. Did you see Strange New Worlds? Thoughts?

I really enjoyed the first episode. Will write more later.

[marodi]

Loved it. Did you see Strange New Worlds? Thoughts?

I really enjoyed the first episode. Will write more later.

It's classified. Kidding! I loved every second of it. It's like TOS younger brother but maybe even better. It felt new and so familiar at the same time. I was a kid watching TOS in wonder again. I really hope they can keep this up.

Side note: each time I see Ethan Peck, I keep telling myself how he has his grandfather eyes and how he sounds just like him.

Oh
My
God

HE was the Watcher?!?!?


(Edit: Spoiler: I cried when Picard hugged Q!

I started weeping when I saw him coming behind Kobe. He hadn't spoken a word and I was bawling. I was so incredibly happy to see him. He looked and sounded so at peace and wise.

Someone give this man his own spin off!

And the waterworks went on until the end. That moment you mentioned was so touching for me too @allegro . Never in a million years did we think we'd see something like this!

[raltenbach]

I feel like the finale re-contextualized the whole season and made it into a more cohesive story.
Q's actions which seemed inexplicable initially make a lot more sense in context of the finale which makes me enjoy this season more in retrospect.

Spoiler: For example, let's assume for a moment that the galactic level event we see is indeed the aftermath of the death of a Q (or at lease something he knew was coming), then he would know that this would end up destroying the entire Alpha quadrant. How can this be stopped? By making a world where the Borg and the Federation can work together to create the shield we see at the end. Just as the new queen needed someone to trust and could be trusted, Q would need the same thing. Bringing Picard into a world where the Borg is reduced to a lone Queen is of paramount importance (pardon the pun) as it sets the stage for this partnership. This explains the need for the Confederation timeline. The two-person collective of Agnes and the Borg Queen had to happen which not only saves the Alpha quadrant but also reinforces the theme of accepting past trauma to create a better future. The loneliness they both experience is what drives them together. Q's interaction with Soong also makes sense in this context as it was the only way to bring about the one timeline where "one Renee lives and one dies" (granted, I'm not exactly sure why that would need to be the case). He also needed Renee to have anxiety about the Europa Mission to bring about the events leading to that timeline as well.

[stankeybearlover]

Oof, this was just poorly done. With what they have, they could've cut this season into a neat 3-4 episode miniseries. Now it's a hastily assembled retread of later elements of the 12 Monkeys series' story. It easily could've been an alright interpretation of 'Mission Impossible' meets 'Eternal Sunshine' with 'Star Trek' characters.

I do like that the Picard show revolves around themes of mortality, legacy and relevance. It's crazily ironic, though, that the writers only seem to know how to employ these themes by putting Picard in environments that must feel solipsist to him.

[stankeybearlover]

It often makes the show feel like it might as well take place on a holodeck. They could incorporate that into the show by having the entire next (and final) season take place on one or in some other kind of simulation. The TNG cast is already supposed to be returning, seems like an opportunity. Get Cronenberg to direct while they're at it.

[GulDukat]

Spoiler: The Watcher is not Spoiler: bound by the Prime Directive.

[stankeybearlover]

TOS and TNG and bits of all of the franchise focused on the Prime Directive, and Picard is kind of (??) doing that, too??? Spoiler: And now with the "Watcher" or "Guardian Angel" characters, etc., ALLEGEDLY focused so heavily on not changing the universal continuum, not causing a wrinkle in time or whatever, and the plot goes so far as having Picard put that skeleton key back in the wall), they were all on the right "track" for Star Trek, but at some point I felt like I was watching a sequel to "The Time Traveler's Wife." Spoiler: Really, you CAN'T time travel and NOT fuck with the Prime Directive. So, while I love seeing all of my warm fuzzy characters back from TNG in a nostalgic sense, a LOT of this made ZERO "Star Trek" sense. My getting choked up during the final Q/Picard interaction was largely because this is officially "The End" of TNG and my own demise approaches. Q confirmed my suspicion as the "Watchmaker God" character who actually loves us, but - SURPRISE - Q is mortal, too. Well, at least, THAT Q. And Picard discovers his human emotions after he's no longer human, at all. Oh, and making the dreaded Borg into a delightful helper species was just so warm and fuzzy. And totally implausible. This was all, really, like some fantasy sequence on the holodeck.

Spoiler: I think they tried to work around the bulk of the season's directive violations by having Picard say "those Borg left the bullet holes from my childhood - we're on the right track!". It was seemingly meant to be, ergo no directive violation. But that Rios, though...

I do wonder how the new Borg will translate to Discovery, if ever. Or are they in different time lines?

[GulDukat]

[spoiler]The Watchers are to insure the continuum. Which is pretty much the same goal as the prime directive.

The Prime Directive is official Starfleet policy that states pre-warp civilizations should be left alone. The Watchers are the arbiters of when to step in and meddle with the space time continuum. Apples and oranges and I don't see any inconsistency in the writing.

[GulDukat]

A top ten moment is all of Star Trek, imho.

Over on Strange New Worlds, Anson Mount is killing it as Captain Pike:

[marodi]

[thelastdisciple]

Aside from some moments here and there, Picard season 2 was rather middling wasn't it? I adore TNG and Patrick Stewart but i just found it so lacking.

Season 1 wasn't really outstanding either but it was much better than this i found, i really hope they pull out all the stops and give us a thrilling final season with 3.

[GulDukat]

Aside from some moments here and there, Picard season 2 was rather middling wasn't it? I adore TNG and Patrick Stewart but i just found it so lacking.

Season 1 wasn't really outstanding either but it was much better than this i found, i really hope they pull out all the stops and give us a thrilling final season with 3.

I want to binge-watch season 2 because there are things I may have missed, but overall I thought it was great.

Not crazy about writing off Santiago Cabrera. Hoping the writers find a way for him to return for season 3.

[marodi]

I'm going to miss Crystal Ball and Elnor.

[GulDukat]

Den of Geek's rave review for Children of the Comet. This is the second episode of Strange New Worlds.

[GulDukat]

Picard season 3 promo:


I don't know how I feel about the cast of TNG joining Picard for season 3. One thing I really liked about the finale of season 1 was that it showed Picard with his new crew, ready for new adventures. I really liked the new characters and was excited to see what would come next. Now, they just wrote most of them off the show and we get a defacto season 8 of TNG instead. I'm sure I'll enjoy the third and final season, but I kind of wish they stuck with the same cast for all three seasons.

[GulDukat]

My ranking of Star Trek. Favorite to least favorite:

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (DS9)
Star Trek: The Original Series (TOS)
Star Trek: The Next Generation (TNG)
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (SNW)
Star Trek: Picard
Star Trek: The Animated Series (TAS)
Star Trek: Voyager (Voy)
Star Trek: Discovery (Disco)
Star Trek: Enterprise (Ent)
Star Trek: Prodigy
Star Trek: Lower Decks (LD)

[GulDukat]

Herbert! Herbert! Herbert!

[AndItKeepsRepeating]

Strange New Worlds is the best Star Trek I've seen since Deep Space Nine ended, and that was like 25 years ago

[allegro]

Aside from some moments here and there, Picard season 2 was rather middling wasn't it? I adore TNG and Patrick Stewart but i just found it so lacking.

Season 1 wasn't really outstanding either but it was much better than this i found, i really hope they pull out all the stops and give us a thrilling final season with 3.

I liked season 1 better, too. I’m actually looking forward to season 3 because of all the TNG characters. Because, ultimately, Picard *IS* TNG.

[GulDukat]

Strange New Worlds is the best Star Trek I've seen since Deep Space Nine ended, and that was like 25 years ago

Agreed. Four episodes in (out of 10) and I am ready to declare SNW the best first season of any Trek since TOS.

[GulDukat]

Interesting story on the original draft of "City on the Edge of Forever."

[GulDukat]

"Spock Amok" was another solid episode. It's probably not my favorite episode of SNW, but I did like the lighter, comic tone. One great thing about SNW is that unlike Enterprise or the first two seasons of Discovery, SNW really works as a prequel. We know that Spock's relationship with T'Pring is doomed, but the backstory in SNW makes "Amok Time" even better. Peck is totally believable as a younger version on Nimoy's character. The music from "Amok Time" used during Spock's dream sequence where he battles himself on Vulcan was a nice touch.

I liked Discovery and Picard, but Strange New Worlds is my favorite of the Paramount+ era. It's just fantastic.

[GulDukat]

Ten Ways Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is the best of the recent Star Trek series.

[GulDukat]

The first season of SNW is over and wow, what a terrific first season.

Den of Geek review of the season one finale (lots of spoilers).
https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/star-tr...ode-10-review/

[GulDukat]

Will the next Trek movie be a TNG reboot?

According to this article it will be set in the Kelvin timeline. Just a rumor for now.