Star Trek: Discovery - Is It Worthy?

Article first published as 'Star Trek: Discovery' - Is It Worthy? on Blogcritics.

I have been a Star Trek fan almost as long as I can remember. When I was very young, I asked my dad to pick up Star Wars for me from the library. He brought me Star Trek: The Motion Picture instead, and I was hooked.

This past fall and winter brought the first season of the latest Star Trek television series, Star Trek: Discovery. Disco, as fans are already calling it, is set in the prime universe (a.k.a. where all Star Trek has taken place except the most recent three films). It takes place ten years before the original series, and about two years after the first pilot, “The Cage.” Now, with the fifteen-episode first season complete, it seems an opportune time to ask, is this the triumphant return of Star Trek on the small screen?

The following contains major spoilers from throughout the first season, including the finale.

Idealism and Morality

The most obvious way Disco matches up to its predecessors is keeping the spirit of Starfleet and the United Federation of Planets, the military and political organization portrayed in the franchise, alive. Despite the darkness of war that pervades this run, our central crew is committed to the right ideals. While Captain Lorca (Jason Isaacs) seemed to stray early on; the revelation that he was Mirror Universe Lorca the whole time made his actions make sense. In the end, even when Earth itself was threatened, and with a wavering Admiral Cornwall (Jayne Brook) and Ambassador Sarek (James Frain) considering genocide, the crew of the Disco demanded better.

Besides the obvious saving of the Klingon home world, the best example of these values comes in the penultimate episode, when Ash Tyler (Shazard Latif), exposed as being a surgically-altered Voq, feels ashamed and alone. Cadet Tilly (Mary Wiseman) sits at his empty lunch table with him and others follow suit. Also, the way the tardigrade is freed without consequence when its pain is realized is excellent. This proves that the Starfleet attitude we know is alive and well in the new series.

Diversity in the Production

This trend of inclusion and acceptance continues behind-the-scenes, as well. Obviously, the cast is quite diverse, probably the most ever for Star Trek. Though the series has always had a history of showing different peoples working side-by-side in common cause. Disco boasts the first African-American female lead for Star Trek in Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green). Her captain in the first two episodes, Georgiou, is played by Michelle Yeoh. And this is backed up in the production, which also has a wider range of people than previously working in almost any television show. Just look at the credits, and you’ll see what I mean.

There has been some backlash to the casting online, but to borrow from the Vulcans, there doesn’t seem to be any logical argument against it. If you think Star Trek should just be white men, you’re missing the message of what the show is and has always been. Even looking back to the 1960s episodes, Star Trek was about diversity. In this regard, it pushed the boundaries of what they could get away with on network television, showing non-white-males in positions of power. Star Trek boasts the first interracial and first homosexual kisses on broadcast network television, and had African-American and female captains leading spin-offs in the 1990s. The haters can’t possibly be real Star Trek fans.

Where It Fits

Back to the story itself, Discovery tells a missing part of Star Trek history and does it without majorly disrupting continuity. The Klingon-Federation War was a bad one, as has been referenced, so it’s understandable why the first season isn’t as bright and cheery as past entries. It was also set in more dangerous times than we see in most series. After all, Captain Pike wasn’t all that upbeat in “The Cage” following a tragedy. This tone shift makes sense.

We get a deeper look at the Klingon Empire and why they came into conflict with the Federation, which had little to do with the U.S.S. starships themselves. Yes, there are more aliens serving on Disco than one might assume were in Starfleet at that point from past entries. But that can be traced more to budgetary limitations of the past than what was supposed to be. And characters like Harry Mudd (Rainn Wilson taking over the role originated in the 1960s by Roger C. Carmel), Sarek, and Amanda Grayson (Mia Kirshner) are shown earlier in their time line.

Disco is careful to pay homage to the classic while looking modern. The special effects and sets are thoroughly of today, as they should be to avoid looking dated. But tricorders and phasers and transporters are close enough to what’s been shown before to satisfy. The uniforms are more Enterprise than TOS, but it looks like the finale showed us background glimpses of the classic look, which I expect Pike and crew will be wearing next season.

Continuity

The only major complaint I have here is the delta emblems everyone on the Disco, the U.S.S. Shenzou, and the admiralty all seem to be sporting. In classic Trek, only the Enterprise crew wore this particular symbol, with other ships and stations having different icons. However, it’s possible that everyone originally wore the deltas, briefly switched to individualized badges ten years after this, then switched back later, as shown in the spin-offs and films. Given how Disco seems to later fix things that look to be wrong, I’m willing to give them the benefit of the doubt here.

There are also countless Easter eggs for the eagle-eyed, from Tribbles to Centaurian slugs. These are great for the fans. Georgiou talking of “bread and circuses” might feel slightly odd, but it’s appreciated. Even Clint Howard’s weird cameo as an Orion was great. (Howard previously guest starred in TOS, DS9, and Enterprise). These little nuggets are perfect and appreciated.

Changes

There are some notable changes to the way Discovery is presented as opposed to other Star Trek series. The most important is that we finally get a serial, complex story. This isn’t the first time Star Trek has done this; Deep Space 9, and to a certain extent, Enterprise, pursued long-running arcs, as well. But Disco is the first show to fully realize this superior method of story-telling, with only one of the fifteen hours seeming mostly stand-alone. This change allows for better character development and growth. For instance, Commander Saru (Doug Jones) goes through quite an arc, from disapproving coward to wise captain. This would not have been possible, certainly not in a single season, in the past.

Some big swings Disco takes, like the spore drive, seem ridiculous to exist without mention down the road. But because of how Disco fixes things, as mentioned above, I’m willing to give it the benefit of the doubt for now that it will make sense later. Spock not mentioning a sister, similarly, I can overlook because Spock is very private. Besides, she’s not the first surprise sibling he’s sprung on us.
Additionally, the captain is not the lead, and that is welcome. We finally get a different perspective on the starship, with a show mostly told from below-decks. Both Tilly, a lowly cadet, and Burnham, not even a commissioned officer for most of the season, give us fresh insight that is more than welcome.

Weaknesses

For much of the year, I thought the biggest weakness was going to be how the show handled the Voq / Ash Tyler twist. It was all over the Internet long before the story was ready to reveal it. However, in retrospect, I wonder if that wasn’t a genius distraction to keep the real twist, Lorca being from the Mirror Universe, completely off the radar. If so, brilliantly done.

Disco is not without its share of missteps, though, and a lot have to do with production decisions. For instance, almost every episode is right around forty-five minutes, the length of a regular broadcast installment. Being on a streaming service, it shouldn’t try to squeeze into such a narrow box. The result is plots that sometimes feel wrapped up too quickly or missed opportunities between characters. Did the way the handling of the bomb in the season finale make total sense? No, and another minute of dialogue could have fixed that. But I feel like these aren’t too distracting, and the show overall remains strong.

Of course, the worst thing about Disco is that it’s exclusively on the way-overpriced CBS All Access service. But that can be blamed on CBS bullying the fans, not a Star Trek misstep.

Conclusion

Is Discovery the Star Trek we deserve? I think it’s a little early to tell. A show like this takes time to prove whether its journey is worth it, and that’s a good thing. This type of storytelling is more ambitious, and when it succeeds, it’s aces. When it fails, it’s frustrating as hell. I do think the signs so far are that it’s a very good show. As long as it doesn’t screw anything huge up in the mythology, it’ll go far.

Some will argue that The Orville, a new show on FOX, is the Star Trek heir apparent. But despite sharing some strong DNA with The Next Generation, the Seth MacFarlane-led dramedy doesn’t quite have the same traditional Star Trek spirit that Discovery does. For this reason, as much as I like The Orville, I disagree entirely with this assessment.

Whether you’re a Trekkie or not, I recommend giving Discovery a chance. It’s a pretty solid show by just about any measure. I hope it lives long and prospers (preferably after moving to CBS-owned Showtime). It certainly had an interesting freshman year, and the cliffhanger of seeing the Enterprise promises more goodness to come.

Catch Star Trek: Discovery‘s full first season through CBS All Access.

Discover new STAR TREK

Article first published as TV Review: STAR TREK: DISCOVERY on Seat42F.

SPOILER ALERT: Towards the end of this review, I do talk about the events of the second episode, available only on CBS All Access, where the rest of the series will be released.

I’ve been a Star Trek fan since I was a child. I asked my dad to pick up Star Wars at the library for me, and he brought me Star Trek: The Motion Picture instead. Widely regarded as a weaker film for the franchise, it was still plenty enough to get me hooked, and I devoured most of the episodes and movies made, usually many times over. Today, I co-host the re-watch podcast It’s All Been Trekked Before and still eagerly look forward to any new material from the title. Hence, I was super psyched for last night’s premiere of STAR TREK: DISCOVERY. Thankfully, it lived up to the hype.

STAR TREK: DISCOVERY stars Sonequa Martin-Green (The Walking Dead) as Commander Michael Burnham, first officer on the U.S.S. Shenzhou. Raised by Sarek of Vulcan (James Frain, Orphan Black) after her family was killed in a Klingon attack, Burnham returns to humankind under the command of Captain Philippa Georgiou (Michelle Yeoh, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), who helps her find her humanity and emotion. When the Shenzhou runs into a new sect of Klingons trying to unite the 24 houses of the empire, emotional and physical battles erupt.

This spin-off is set in the same familiar universe of most Star Trek (aside from the most recent films, which take place in an alternate timeline), and that is apparent. The ideals and diversity and mission feel the same. Uniforms and ship design and aliens match up with what we’ve seen before. The crew is heroic and dedicated.

What’s different is the complexity. From the stunning designs to new special effects, STAR TREK: DISCOVERY looks cinematic and larger-scale than any other Star Trek television show, and all of the older movies, too. This matches the character development, which is much more central, driving the story. The tale itself is serial, and the pacing a lot slower than any previous part of the franchise. So this is the grown-up, modern, better version of the universe, with clear influence from co-creator Bryan Fuller (Hannibal), who is sadly no longer with the show.

Lest you think that makes it a stark departure from traditional Star Trel, I would argue that it isn’t. Serial storytelling was explored in Star Trek: Deep Space 9, my favorite of the spin-offs. (It’s too early to rank this one.) Voyager and Enterprise, which came after DS9, were less so, but did retain some of the ongoing elements. The more episodes that are made, the more we got into the makeup of the species and characters. And Burnham is sort of echoing Commander Sisko from Deep Space 9 with her tragic backstory and the battle we witness in the first two installments. So STAR TREK: DISCOVERY builds upon what’s come before without going too far off the rails.

That being said, there are some mistakes or stretches in the continuity. For instance, the delta insignia worn by all Starfleet officers is not appropriate to the time, as in the Original Series (set ten years later than the newest incarnation), each starship had a different logo. The uniforms and bridge layout pull from Enterprise more than the Original, even though STAR TREK: DISCOVERY is a lot closer in time to the Original (though it is said that the Shenzou is an older ship). It’s possible, but unlikely, that Burnham and her history with the Klingons wouldn’t have ever been mentioned by Spock, even though she was apparently raised by Spock’s parents when she wasn’t much older than he was. And the Klingons feel pretty different than those in the original, not just in look, but in culture, too.

Some of this could be explained away, and I hope it is. Under the leadership of T’Kuvma (Chris Obi, American Gods) and Voq (actor not revealed, despite getting a character poster), the Klingons are likely to undergo a dramatic shift as a species. If STAR TREK: DISCOVERY is partially about how the Klingons become the Klingons we know, that would be neat. And maybe the Spock stuff will be explored, too. Given how well made this series is, I am willing to give them the benefit of the doubt for now.

Besides the Klingons, STAR TREK: DISCOVERY has a lot of other cool alien species. The most prominent non-human is Lt. Saru (Doug Jones, Hellboy), the Kelpien science officer of the Shenzhou. He is biologically prey, which means he isn’t as bold as some other crew members. But in Jones’ hands, he’s also a very interesting personality who I hope will continue to appear.

So here’s where we get spoiler-y. The first episode, which aired on CBS, is only half of the original pilot, ending in a massive cliffhanger. Which is smart if they want to force Star Trek fans to purchase CBS All Access, the network’s way-overpriced streaming service where the rest of the episodes will be released. The second half of the pilot was made available last night, too, and was quite shocking, ending with the deaths of both T’Kuvma and Captain Georgiou, and the destruction of the Shenzou.

This changes the direction of the show entirely, which makes since, given that Yeoh is listed as a ‘special guest star’ and we haven’t even met some of the show’s leads, like Captain Lorca (Jason Isaacs, the Harry Potter films) and Lt. Stamets (Anthony Rapp, Rent). However, what that means is that these two hours are basically Sisko at the Battle of Wolf 359, a small part of the DS9 pilot, elongated and enriched. Burnham, stripped of her rank and sentenced to life in prison, has a very challenging hero’s journey ahead of her.

Burnham is a truly fascinating individual. She is the reverse Spock, trying to become more human and less Vulcan. Clearly, seven years on the Shenzou have worked wonders, as Burnham’s actions in the pilot are extremely emotional, including killing someone she really should have captured out of a sense of revenge. She has now heavily contributed to starting a war, and that will surely weigh heavily on her. Hopefully, we have flashbacks with Georgiou to show her evolution pre-series, the way we see Burnham as a child with Sarek in the initial offerings.

Despite my complaints about the price of CBS All Access, which I say again, is absolutely ridiculous for a single network and not worth it, I will pay it because they’re holding me hostage with my beloved Star Trek. It makes me hate the network more, but I love Star Trek too much not to subscribe. And STAR TREK: DISCOVERY seems to be the fulfillment of the promise Star Trek always held but often didn’t quite live up to. Until now. So how can I wait a year for the home release, which will likely be cheaper than paying for All Access? Ugh.

STAR TREK: DISCOVERY releases Sundays at 8:30 ET on CBS All Access.

"Broken" ARROW

Article originally written for Seat42F.

This week’s episode of ARROW on The CW, “Broken Arrow,” is anything but boring, again. Oliver (Stephen Amell) agonizes about letting Roy (Colton Haynes) sit in police custody and asking Ray, a.k.a. The Atom (Brandon Routh), to protect the city. But he has no choice because Quentin (Paul Blackthorne) is on an Ahab-like quest to expose Oliver as The Arrow and toss him behind bars, too. Will Oliver finally accept Ra’s (Matt Nable) position and end this mess that, admittedly, Ra’s has caused?

Oliver is not someone who relies on others easily, and that has always been a core part of his character. But Team Arrow exists now, and he is not just a lone wolf. When Oliver is believed to be dead, the others step up and continue the job he once performed, finding their independence. The transition is irreversible, and never has Oliver needed their help more than now, when he is sidelined again. Except, this time he has to sit and watch them perform his duties, rather than recovering in a secret hideout.

The team is worthy of Oliver’s trust, though. Perhaps not Ray, who means well but is far too inexperienced to tackle a metahuman named Deathbolt (Doug Jones, Falling Skies, Hellboy) himself in “Broken Arrow.” But Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards), Diggle (David Ramsey), and Roy have earned his confidence, and even if they don’t fill Oliver in on their full plan, they have one. Diggle and Felicity convince Oliver to mostly stay back, and to his credit, he does listen to them.

Staying back isn’t enough, though. With Quentin latched onto the idea that he must catch Oliver, the issue isn’t going away, and Oliver can’t hide from it. Lieutenant Pike (Adrian Holmes) advises Quentin to slow down, lest he lose rank again. Quentin doesn’t appear to heed those words, though. It is likely that Quentin will let this destroy him, and that will be another thing for Oliver to feel guilty about, meaning he can’t save everyone and this is something he must come to terms with.

“Broken Arrow” shows Oliver at his lowest in this regard when Quentin tells Oliver and Thea (Willa Holland) that Roy has died in prison. He isn’t actually dead, this being a trick cooked up by Team Arrow without Oliver’s input, but Oliver doesn’t know this and comes as close to breaking down as we’ve pretty much ever seen. He sometimes comes across as a little cold, but he truly does carry the weight of what he does and the people he protects on his shoulders.

Which makes it all the more tragic that, while Oliver and company are saying goodbye to Roy for good as he leaves town to start a new life, Ra’s runs Thea through with a sword. Thea is the most important person in Oliver’s life, and if she dies, it will wreck him. Even if she doesn’t die, the fact that she might have will definitely make Oliver re-think his priorities.

Can Oliver ever be The Arrow again? That identity has been burned, and the public thinks the man responsible is dead. I don’t think Oliver can give up trying to save the city, but will he do it as Ra’s, even though Ra’s has done evil things, or will he take on another identity? ARROW is very uncertain on this front.

It’s less uncertain about the future of Ray and Felicity. Their days as a couple are numbered as soon as Ray sees how affectionate Felicity is with Oliver. Ray knows her heart belongs to someone else. It probably won’t be long now before they split.

“Broken Arrow” opens a big mystery when Ray takes Deathbolt to Star Labs to be locked up. Cisco (Carlos Valdes) observes that Deathbolt was not in Starling City when the reactor exploded (see: The Flash television series), so how is he a metahuman? Thus far, all the metahumans they are aware of stem from that accident. I assume this will be a story spanning both ARROW and The Flash in the coming weeks or years.

There’s also yet another boring Hong Kong flashback in which Oliver and his friends break into a lightly-guarded lab to steal an antidote for a virus that some bad guys are about to unleash. To be honest, I find myself zoning out during these scenes, as uninteresting as they usually are, and hope the day comes very soon when ARROW dispenses with this nonsense. Thankfully, these bits are brief this time. It was a good convention at the start of the series, but has long since lost its luster.

Still, even with that complaint, “Broken Arrow” is an excellent, engaging hour for the rest of its running time. ARROW has been having a stellar third year, and this episode is no exception.

ARROW airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on the CW.

FALLING SKIES a "Machine"

Article originally written for Seat42F.
 

One thing I’ve noticed about FALLING SKIES is that it has never quite figured out what it is. Every time it seems to settle into some sort of routine, the writers make sure to knock the characters out of their situation, sending them somewhere entirely new. This does keep the show interesting, even if it seems to lack depth. I do wish the pacing would slow down a bit and explore each scenario a little more before moving onto the next one, but for now, that doesn’t seem likely, so just buckle up and enjoy the ride.

As season four starts this week with “Ghost in the Machine,” it all changes again. Our band of heroes is walking along, enjoying a rare, happy day in the sun as they approach Charleston, until they are suddenly attacked. The group is fragmented and sent in various directions, and as the action picks up months later, many have settled into a ‘new normal’ that they have no wish to perpetuate.

So it seems this season, more than the others, won’t be about bringing down the aliens. The characters will be fighting the invaders, yes, but with short-term goals of finding missing loved ones and achieving freedom from captivity, not the long-term mission of taking back the planet. This changes the scope, even while trying to elicit more emotional responses from the viewers tuned in. Will FALLING SKIES take full advantage of this, or gloss over it as it has done other set ups?

In the current season, there are definitely some new and interesting developments involving the conquerors. For one, we finally know what they are doing with the children. Matt (Maxim Knight) is placed in a re-education school where kids are being brainwashed to fit into a new world run by those who are not native to Earth. Apparently, this has worked in other places, and it is the next phase of the invasion, which makes sense, because perpetual war or outright extinction don’t seem like outcomes that gel with what we’ve seen before.

Of course, not all of the youngsters fall in line. Matt is smart enough to realize that he should at least pretend to, biding his time until he has the opportunity to stage a coup. It’s the boy’s first major arc that he’s central to, and Knight seems to be doing a pretty good when faced with this challenge. Matt is likely to cause as much trouble as his father ever has, learning from the best.

Speaking of Tom (Noah Wyle), he has become the Batman of the slums, sneaking around in a mask, spying on their captors, and doling out vigilante justice when needed against low-lifes like Pope (Colin Cunningham). I feel like this is a natural next step for the character of Tom, but also feels almost as ridiculous as some of the other leaps he makes. Tom is best when he is being a father or a negotiator or a professor, and whenever he takes on the super leader persona, it always feels just a bit false.

I think Tom seems even more out of place when put in a cell next to Weaver (Will Patton). Weaver is distraught that his daughter has been taken, understandably so, but goes a little bit too far off the rails when dealing with it, to the point of almost committing suicide-by-cop. While Weaver has been pathetic in the past, that is when his character seems least authentic, and by putting an uneven Weaver and Tom side by side, “Ghost in the Machine” highlights something FALLING SKIES has never gotten quite right.

Anne (Moon Bloodgood) has a cool arc, though. Off in the woods with Anthony (Mpho Koaho) and some other soldiers, she is staging a military operation to rescue her family. This is a tougher side of Anne, stepping up to be a leader in a desperate situation, and it’s welcome. As a mother, she has a reason to turn hard, tasked with protecting those she is responsible for. This other side of her isn’t nearly as false as the men’s.

I also believe the reverted Pope. He’s not fully back to his old ways. He may be acting selfish again, but other than hoarding some supplies, he’s not actively trying to hurt anyone. I think he just doesn’t want to risk showing he cares, having been burnt before, as he’s locked up now. He thinks if he acts the old way, he’ll be left alone or get back to surviving as he did previously. But in the manner Pope refuses to beat on Hal (Drew Roy) too much, we see that it will just take some motivating factor to bring back the mostly redeemed Pope viewers love.

Finally, in the strangest twist in the premiere, Ben (Connor Jessup) wakes up after months of sleep to a tranquil garden staffed with body-snatcher-esque versions of Lourdes (Seychelle Gabriel) and Maggie (Sarah Carter), seemingly run by a grown up version of his sister, Lexi (Scarlett Byrne, Harry Potter). I don’t know what’s going on here, but it’s weird and definitely not what it appears to be. Which just makes it all the more intriguing. Given what we know and don’t know about Lexi, it could very well be real, but as for what it means, that’s up for debate.

All in all, while I’m sad FALLING SKIES just jumps into yet another something new, barely checking in with the most recent abandoned (for now) plot involving Cochise (Doug Jones), it’s still a pretty cool season opener, with a lot to tantalize, and some fresh settings and new aliens to keep audiences engaged. It may move a bit too fast, but I guess that’s better than getting bogged down in slowness, and during the summer, when people want explosions and special effects, this program serves that purpose well enough.

FALLING SKIES airs Sundays at 10 p.m. ET on TNT.