Star Trek: Alpha to Delta Quadrants & Everything In Between

[D.T.]

The thing with GoT is that the books - themselves gripping, and at times, extraordinarily good - had already made this world familiar to a vast potential audience, and thus, an audience was primed to see how this story might translate to the screen (extraordinarily well. by all accounts).

This is not the same with a 'new world' - of unfamiliar characters - to the ST franchise in a new series, especially as the last one "Enterprise" was so.....underwhelming.

Actually according to several things I've read, GOT was a bit of a gamble (regardless of the relative popularity of the books). A fantasy show, with dragons, a niche genre (even with the success of the LOTRs movies), and a huge budget, serialized, on a cable channel. S1 to S7 the viewers increased by a factor of 5, that's huge, and it shows it took some time to ramp up to the now record breaking viewership.

... but, as someone pointed out, it had a massive advantage being on a premium channel, that offers movies, docs, some of the best original programming over the years (Sopranos, The Wire, 6 Feet Under, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Veep), it makes the subscription decision easier vs. effectively, one show for the monthly (even if per episode is not really that expensive).

For a new Star Trek series to gain momentum, it would have to be on a network with some compelling, existing programming (HBO, SHO, FX, AMC) or a service with enough breadth of offerings, the price is way more palatable (Hulu, Netflix, Amazon). I feel like the show is going to fail, regardless of how decent it is (though with it currently under review embargo, I don't have high hopes for the quality either ....)

 

[BigMcGuire]

Just got done watching the first episode of Discovery. Please don't read if you haven't seen but intend to see.

Spoiler: SPOILER ALERT - Star Trek Discovery

As a huge trekkie the show was very disappointing. The opening credits were very moving... haven't seen Star Trek live on TV in a long... long time. But wow... the first officer and captain have been together for 7 years but the first officer uses every second during the episode to question and second guess the captain? Not just once but CONSTANTLY... The "science officer" continues this second guessing and questioning to the point of pure insanity. How the hell does that ship get anything done?

The klingons don't feel like klingons... having group discussions with long complicated sentences... in the heat of battle they're having ceremonies as if they were sipping cocktails on Risa.

Then... when the Klingons do that bright beacon the Federation crew is talking, doing nothing technical other than talking .... very un-trek like. And then the first officer frigging mutinies ... somehow the captain recovers from a vulcan death grip in a matter of seconds... WHAT?! Bothered me too how the Admiral "how dare you make an assumption based on race." ........... Way too much talking way too little tech. That ship has to be the worst run ship in Starfleet. I can barely stand it.

I already pay for Netflix, Hulu, Hbo Go, so CBS All Access is really hitting the tipping point for me. I don't think I can justify paying for this.

That said... better than Enterprise but not by much. I like the captain but the first officer is ... unbelievable and kills it for me.

I really like the Orville - awesome.

 

[Huntn]

I might do the same! I hate the mid season split. Although I might be too excited to wait. Just have to hold out for the first three episodes then it’s easy.

Eight episodes, the last episode in the fall is Nov 5. So if you subscribe on Oct 8, you can watch the first 4 episodes and catch the last 4 before your month is up.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/CBS_All_Access

It looks like to bing watch you have to go with the $10 per month plan. There is a cheaper plan ($5.99) , but the description puts doubt on the ability to steam older episodes, but I'm not sure about that. I'm not sure if the "stream older shows" has to do with older series or older shows from this season of STDiscovery.

 

[BigMcGuire]

Eight episodes, the last episode in the fall is Nov 5. So if you subscribe on Oct 8, you can watch the first 4 episodes and catch the last 4 before your month is up.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/CBS_All_Access

It looks like to bing watch you have to go with the $10 per month plan. There is a cheaper plan ($5.99) , but the description puts doubt on the ability to steam older episodes, but I'm not sure about that. I'm not sure if the "stream older shows" has to do with older series or older shows from this season of STDiscovery.

It looked like, when I was signing up for the $9.99 plan that the $5.99 plan was "limited commercials" while the $9.99 was Commercial Free. It required that I register my Apple TV device online (used my iPhone to do this) so plan on that if you do end up doing this. At first I thought it wasn't working but it was just a registration code to register your device. And give it time after entering the code, it took a good 30 seconds to register.

When I paid, I could see 2 episodes for Star Trek Discovery.

 

[C DM]

Just got done watching the first episode of Discovery. Please don't read if you haven't seen but intend to see.

Spoiler: SPOILER ALERT - Star Trek Discovery

As a huge trekkie the show was very disappointing. The opening credits were very moving... haven't seen Star Trek live on TV in a long... long time. But wow... the first officer and captain have been together for 7 years but the first officer uses every second during the episode to question and second guess the captain? Not just once but CONSTANTLY... The "science officer" continues this second guessing and questioning to the point of pure insanity. How the hell does that ship get anything done?

The klingons don't feel like klingons... having group discussions with long complicated sentences... in the heat of battle they're having ceremonies as if they were sipping cocktails on Risa.

Then... when the Klingons do that bright beacon the Federation crew is talking, doing nothing technical other than talking .... very un-trek like. And then the first officer frigging mutinies ... somehow the captain recovers from a vulcan death grip in a matter of seconds... WHAT?! Bothered me too how the Admiral "how dare you make an assumption based on race." ........... Way too much talking way too little tech. That ship has to be the worst run ship in Starfleet. I can barely stand it.

I already pay for Netflix, Hulu, Hbo Go, so CBS All Access is really hitting the tipping point for me. I don't think I can justify paying for this.

That said... better than Enterprise but not by much. I like the captain but the first officer is ... unbelievable and kills it for me.

I really like the Orville - awesome.

Something about it felt familiar (and thus good) for a moment there, but that didn't last for me either.

Orville certainly feels much more familiar (and it seems like it's meant to be like that in purpose basically), but there's still something about the injection of Seth MacFarlane's humor that feels somewhat out of place and kind of forced sometimes. It's a bit hard to place it at times basically.

 

[Peace]

Something about it felt familiar (and this good) for a moment there, but that didn't last for me either.

Orville certainly feels much more familiar (and it seems like it's meant to be like that in purpose basically), but there's still something about the injection of Seth MacFarlane's humor that feels somewhat out of place and kind of forced sometimes. It's a bit hard to place it at times basically.

I think Seth is truly trying to create a drama but knowing his streak of humor makes it at times awkward.

Either don't do the comedy or go full bore with it.

I still like the show though. And will continue watching it.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Just got done watching the first episode of Discovery. Please don't read if you haven't seen but intend to see.

Spoiler: SPOILER ALERT - Star Trek Discovery

As a huge trekkie the show was very disappointing. The opening credits were very moving... haven't seen Star Trek live on TV in a long... long time. But wow... the first officer and captain have been together for 7 years but the first officer uses every second during the episode to question and second guess the captain? Not just once but CONSTANTLY... The "science officer" continues this second guessing and questioning to the point of pure insanity. How the hell does that ship get anything done?

The klingons don't feel like klingons... having group discussions with long complicated sentences... in the heat of battle they're having ceremonies as if they were sipping cocktails on Risa.

Then... when the Klingons do that bright beacon the Federation crew is talking, doing nothing technical other than talking .... very un-trek like. And then the first officer frigging mutinies ... somehow the captain recovers from a vulcan death grip in a matter of seconds... WHAT?! Bothered me too how the Admiral "how dare you make an assumption based on race." ........... Way too much talking way too little tech. That ship has to be the worst run ship in Starfleet. I can barely stand it.

I already pay for Netflix, Hulu, Hbo Go, so CBS All Access is really hitting the tipping point for me. I don't think I can justify paying for this.

That said... better than Enterprise but not by much. I like the captain but the first officer is ... unbelievable and kills it for me.

I really like the Orville - awesome.

Hm.

Doesn't sound remotely compelling.

 

[Roller]

Just got done watching the first episode of Discovery. Please don't read if you haven't seen but intend to see.

Spoiler: SPOILER ALERT - Star Trek Discovery

As a huge trekkie the show was very disappointing. The opening credits were very moving... haven't seen Star Trek live on TV in a long... long time. But wow... the first officer and captain have been together for 7 years but the first officer uses every second during the episode to question and second guess the captain? Not just once but CONSTANTLY... The "science officer" continues this second guessing and questioning to the point of pure insanity. How the hell does that ship get anything done?

The klingons don't feel like klingons... having group discussions with long complicated sentences... in the heat of battle they're having ceremonies as if they were sipping cocktails on Risa.

Then... when the Klingons do that bright beacon the Federation crew is talking, doing nothing technical other than talking .... very un-trek like. And then the first officer frigging mutinies ... somehow the captain recovers from a vulcan death grip in a matter of seconds... WHAT?! Bothered me too how the Admiral "how dare you make an assumption based on race." ........... Way too much talking way too little tech. That ship has to be the worst run ship in Starfleet. I can barely stand it.

I already pay for Netflix, Hulu, Hbo Go, so CBS All Access is really hitting the tipping point for me. I don't think I can justify paying for this.

That said... better than Enterprise but not by much. I like the captain but the first officer is ... unbelievable and kills it for me.

I really like the Orville - awesome.

Agree with all your comments and doubt that I'll pay to watch from now on.

Spoiler

It's as if the people who created the show spent most of their time on the visual aspects and little on what has been the hallmark of the best Trek series—characters and their relationships. Say what you will about Shatner's (over)acting in TOS, but it was the interactions between the principals that made it so memorable. The same was true for TNG, my favorite Trek incarnation.

Watching the first episode, I kept thinking that Picard and Riker would have acted and reacted very differently than the captain and first officer did last night. It also didn't make sense to me that the captain wouldn't have known how the Vulcans had dealt with the Klingons. And the science officer seemed clueless.

The Klingons seemed odd to me, too. I always thought that they looked too human in TOS, but I chalked that up to limited budgets. The Klingons in TNG seemed right, but the ones in Discovery are just odd in their appearance and behavior. And the introduction of the light-skinned Klingon felt like a forced social commentary.

IIRC, Gene Roddenberry's son, Eugene, Jr., was involved as a producer or executive producer. I don't think that his dad would have been very satisfied with the results.

 

[BigMcGuire]

Careful with CBS All Access - if you buy via Apple TV you don't get a free trial and you're locked into one month. :/
[doublepost=1506347810][/doublepost]

Agree with all your comments and doubt that I'll pay to watch from now on.

Spoiler

It's as if the people who created the show spent most of their time on the visual aspects and little on what has been the hallmark of the best Trek series—characters and their relationships. Say what you will about Shatner's (over)acting in TOS, but it was the interactions between the principals that made it so memorable. The same was true for TNG, my favorite Trek incarnation.

Watching the first episode, I kept thinking that Picard and Riker would have acted and reacted very differently than the captain and first officer did last night. It also didn't make sense to me that the captain wouldn't have known how the Vulcans had dealt with the Klingons. And the science officer seemed clueless.

The Klingons seemed odd to me, too. I always thought that they looked too human in TOS, but I chalked that up to limited budgets. The Klingons in TNG seemed right, but the ones in Discovery are just odd in their appearance and behavior. And the introduction of the light-skinned Klingon felt like a forced social commentary.

IIRC, Gene Roddenberry's son, Eugene, Jr., was involved as a producer or executive producer. I don't think that his dad would have been very satisfied with the results.

Agreed 100%. Well put.
[doublepost=1506347857][/doublepost]

Something about it felt familiar (and this good) for a moment there, but that didn't last for me either.

Orville certainly feels much more familiar (and it seems like it's meant to be like that in purpose basically), but there's still something about the injection of Seth MacFarlane's humor that feels somewhat out of place and kind of forced sometimes. It's a bit hard to place it at times basically.

Yeah, my wife and I both really like the show. It isn't GREAT but it's very likable and makes us both laugh. The awkward moments are strong lol.

 

[ucfgrad93]

The pilot episode was no where near compelling enough for me to want to sign up for CBS All Access.

 

[D.T.]

Orville certainly feels much more familiar (and it seems like it's meant to be like that in purpose basically), but there's still something about the injection of Seth MacFarlane's humor that feels somewhat out of place and kind of forced sometimes. It's a bit hard to place it at times basically.

Seth is a +huge+ nut for Star Trek, so he totally gets it, but he signed up for a "Seth McFarlane show", so he's got obligations.

 

[C DM]

Seth is a +huge+ nut for Star Trek, so he totally gets it, but he signed up for a "Seth McFarlane show", so he's got obligations.

Right, I mostly get the reasoning, it's just that it all makes the show feel a bit odd (for lack of a better word) at times because of that. I still like it nonetheless.

 

[Booch21]

I am a cord cutter and I have been subscribed to CBS All Access for some time. I enjoy a number of CBS shows and having access to all of the Star Trek franchise is nice to have. It's only $5.99 per month with limited commercials. I do get up from time to time so hardly a deal breaker to upgrade to the more expensive no commercial package.

I'm a diehard original Trek timeline fan. I went into this, upon hearing of the new series, wanting to hate this version. It felt like Abrams was going to have some influence on it. I hate that the technology is far superior to Kirk's Enterprise, even though this is before that time. I hate the whole window on the bridge thing. The viewscreen makes far more sense. But, I also get it. They want to appeal to younger audiences. This old guy watched the pilot and the second episode. I want to be fair to this effort and see what I really think of it. I am not overwhelmed with excitement for this series, not yet. Not like I was with TNG when it was coming out. I'm intrigued enough to continue watching though. It doesn't feel like the must see Trek, but it has potential to have story lines very much like DS9 had, darker and more militaristic, yet still having relationships an integral part of the stories.

I'm giving it a fair shake, but I may not be the one to jump all over the exact time of showing. Again, intriguing but not one that I'm going to jump through hoops to see it "live".

 

[BigMcGuire]

I am a cord cutter and I have been subscribed to CBS All Access for some time. I enjoy a number of CBS shows and having access to all of the Star Trek franchise is nice to have. It's only $5.99 per month with limited commercials. I do get up from time to time so hardly a deal breaker to upgrade to the more expensive no commercial package.

I'm a diehard original Trek timeline fan. I went into this, upon hearing of the new series, wanting to hate this version. It felt like Abrams was going to have some influence on it. I hate that the technology is far superior to Kirk's Enterprise, even though this is before that time. I hate the whole window on the bridge thing. The viewscreen makes far more sense. But, I also get it. They want to appeal to younger audiences. This old guy watched the pilot and the second episode. I want to be fair to this effort and see what I really think of it. I am not overwhelmed with excitement for this series, not yet. Not like I was with TNG when it was coming out. I'm intrigued enough to continue watching though. It doesn't feel like the must see Trek, but it has potential to have story lines very much like DS9 had, darker and more militaristic, yet still having relationships an integral part of the stories.

I'm giving it a fair shake, but I may not be the one to jump all over the exact time of showing. Again, intriguing but not one that I'm going to jump through hoops to see it "live".

Very cool - thanks for writing this up. Out of curiosity, what do you pay for when it comes to TV? Anything else like Netflix, Hulu, etc...? Do you buy movies often?

DS9 is the most watchable Trek in my opinion. Some of my most favorite Star Trek episodes are DS9 episodes (TNG takes the highest spot with The Inner Light). The DS9 Jemhadar battle scenes intrigued me to no end. I was kind of hoping Discovery would be fleet battles, Starfleet focused, etc... I think it has potential. Not sure how it is going to survive on CBS All Access tho.

 

[Booch21]

Very cool - thanks for writing this up. Out of curiosity, what do you pay for when it comes to TV? Anything else like Netflix, Hulu, etc...? Do you buy movies often?

I pay for Netflix 4K, Hulu with commercials, HBO, Boomerang (love the old cartoons) and I have Sling. It works out to be around $75.00 per month for things that I do want to watch. I don't watch live tv very often but it's nice to have as an option. I do purchase movies but not that often. I'm ok waiting for most movies to hit one of the services I pay for. I may have about a dozen purchased movies that I like having in the library.

Also have Amazon Prime, mainly for the shipping as I order from them several times per year. I don't utilize the service much as it's through my Smart TV app, but do use it on occasion. Add in another $9 per month if that is to be counted as well.

 

[mobilehaathi]

Just got done watching the first episode of Discovery. Please don't read if you haven't seen but intend to see.

Spoiler: SPOILER ALERT - Star Trek Discovery

As a huge trekkie the show was very disappointing. The opening credits were very moving... haven't seen Star Trek live on TV in a long... long time. But wow... the first officer and captain have been together for 7 years but the first officer uses every second during the episode to question and second guess the captain? Not just once but CONSTANTLY... The "science officer" continues this second guessing and questioning to the point of pure insanity. How the hell does that ship get anything done?

The klingons don't feel like klingons... having group discussions with long complicated sentences... in the heat of battle they're having ceremonies as if they were sipping cocktails on Risa.

Then... when the Klingons do that bright beacon the Federation crew is talking, doing nothing technical other than talking .... very un-trek like. And then the first officer frigging mutinies ... somehow the captain recovers from a vulcan death grip in a matter of seconds... WHAT?! Bothered me too how the Admiral "how dare you make an assumption based on race." ........... Way too much talking way too little tech. That ship has to be the worst run ship in Starfleet. I can barely stand it.

I already pay for Netflix, Hulu, Hbo Go, so CBS All Access is really hitting the tipping point for me. I don't think I can justify paying for this.

That said... better than Enterprise but not by much. I like the captain but the first officer is ... unbelievable and kills it for me.

I really like the Orville - awesome.

Agree with all your comments and doubt that I'll pay to watch from now on.

Spoiler

It's as if the people who created the show spent most of their time on the visual aspects and little on what has been the hallmark of the best Trek series—characters and their relationships. Say what you will about Shatner's (over)acting in TOS, but it was the interactions between the principals that made it so memorable. The same was true for TNG, my favorite Trek incarnation.

Watching the first episode, I kept thinking that Picard and Riker would have acted and reacted very differently than the captain and first officer did last night. It also didn't make sense to me that the captain wouldn't have known how the Vulcans had dealt with the Klingons. And the science officer seemed clueless.

The Klingons seemed odd to me, too. I always thought that they looked too human in TOS, but I chalked that up to limited budgets. The Klingons in TNG seemed right, but the ones in Discovery are just odd in their appearance and behavior. And the introduction of the light-skinned Klingon felt like a forced social commentary.

IIRC, Gene Roddenberry's son, Eugene, Jr., was involved as a producer or executive producer. I don't think that his dad would have been very satisfied with the results.

Well, I'm sorry to hear that my expectations were met. Thanks for the feedback; part of me was still hoping a bit...

 

[Janichsan]

Geez, you guys are really quick to write Discovery off.

While I admit that the first two episodes didn't really blow me away (I especially really didn't like the new Klingon design and the space battle looked laughable), let's have a little reality check: which previous Star Trek series was really good from the first episode on?

They all took quite a while (in most cases even two or more seasons) to really find their own qualities and flesh out their characters.

 

[BigMcGuire]

I think if I wasn't forced to pay $10/mo for this thing (or $5.99 for commercials) I'd be a lot more open to it and probably continue watching it.

 

[Number-Six]

Geez, you guys are really quick to write Discovery off.

While I admit that the first two episodes didn't really blow me away (I especially really didn't like the new Klingon design and the space battle looked laughable), let's have a little reality check: which previous Star Trek series was really good from the first episode on?

They all took quite a while (in most cases even two or more seasons) to really find their own qualities and flesh out their characters.

Those other series aired on regular TV, they weren't hidden behind an obscure service.

From what I've seen so far of the series (I have only seen half of the second episode due to weird scheduling on the channel it's playing on in Canada), I am slightly pleasantly surprised because I was expecting complete garbage from the trailers and what I had read.

However, I'll watch it because it will air on a channel I have access to, I would definitely not pay to watch the rest of the episodes.

 

[Mousse]

Geez, you guys are really quick to write Discovery off.

I haven't even watched the first episode and I'm ready to write it off. From what I've read/heard it's already a dumpster fire. This is what happens when you violate the Roddenberry Rules.

And what the hail with the new look Klingons? The old new Klingons (movies, TNG, DS9, Enterprise) were great. The new Klingons...what happened? Some kind of genetic engineering? A viral infection? Just don't discuss it with outsiders. Burn every bridge linking it the Star Trek universe. I might have given Discovery a chance if they had kept the old new Klingon look.

 

[C DM]

I haven't even watched the first episode and I'm ready to write it off. From what I've read/heard it's already a dumpster fire. This is what happens when you violate the Roddenberry Rules.

And what the hail with the new look Klingons? The old new Klingons (movies, TNG, DS9, Enterprise) were great. The new Klingons...what happened? Some kind of genetic engineering? A viral infection? Just don't discuss it with outsiders. Burn every bridge linking it the Star Trek universe. I might have given Discovery a chance if they had kept the old new Klingon look.

It's possible that part of what Discovery (or lets day its first season) is about might have to do with how the Klingons progress/change.

 

[Mousse]

It's possible that part of what Discovery (or lets day its first season) is about might have to do with how the Klingons progress/change.

Enterprise (ENT: Divergence) tried to explain the Klingon lack of ridges in TOS. It failed miserably. Combination genetic engineering and viral infection. That story line should be burned and it's ashes sent into the nearest star.

Anyhow, gross violation of the Roddenberry Rules is what will sink this series. If the Captain and XO can't see eye to eye, no chance any ship can function properly. Ask Captain William Bligh and Lt. Fletcher Christian. Ask Capt'n Queeg and Lt. Maryk.

 

[ucfgrad93]

I think if I wasn't forced to pay $10/mo for this thing (or $5.99 for commercials) I'd be a lot more open to it and probably continue watching it.

I'm not sure I'd watch it even then.

Spoiler

The first officer using the Vulcan nerve pinch on the captain so she can disobey her orders was completely absurd.

 

[Number-Six]

I'm not sure I'd watch it even then.

Spoiler

The first officer using the Vulcan nerve pinch on the captain so she can disobey her orders was completely absurd.[/spoiler/

There were a few moments that bugged me

Spoiler

One of them is the choice of giving a male name to a female character. There doesn't seem to be any reason for it.

Another is the fact that the first officer covered 2000 KM in less than 8 minutes. In an EV suit. I kept thinking that there was no way the human body could withstand an acceleration like that

 

[D.T.]

DS9 is the most watchable Trek in my opinion. Some of my most favorite Star Trek episodes are DS9 episodes (TNG takes the highest spot with The Inner Light).

My favorite is still TOS (for non-Trekkies, that's The Original Series, i.e., from the 60s with the glorious Bill Shatner ).

Those stories I grew up with really, stuck in my head, the had such a simple, but powerful ideas, they covered all sorts of new ground in TV, pulled in amazing writing talent. I've enjoyed the heck out of the remastered editions, while the FX were terrific for the time (and mostly played a backseat to story and character), the new versions make the FX a little more transparent, effectively immersing you in the plot even more.

I do generally like a good number of TNG episodes, and like many, feel like DS9 was way more of a cohesive, long term scifi epic.

Also, I'd like to give a little shout out to the animated series