STD "Context is for Kings" thoughts
Oct. 1st, 2017 07:51 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
caitri1) "Context is for kings" is probably something I'm just going to say now.
2) The comment I keep seeing is that "This doesn't feel like Star Trek to me." Which....is subjective, but more than anything, the vibe of this episode was a cross between that one TNG ep about the junior officers just going about their days and doing missions with only part of the information available, and latter-day DS9. The emphasis on information--and who has it--appears to be a major theme.
ETA: I just had a thought while I was in the shower (as you do) about Enterprise, Reboot, and Discovery all being Millennial Star Trek: the main themes of all three are about the collisions between the ideals of Starfleet and how they change/are challenged by terrorism and wartime. I need to think on this some more.
I'm not sure what I think of Jason Isaac's Captain Lorca. It seems to be pretty clear that he is, if not actually a bad guy, then definitely an ethically dubious one, and he's certainly presented as such (his own crewmembers grumble about him as a warmonger). I do particularly like his weird whimsicality--offering Michael fortune cookies.
We learn some new background about Michael this week: She carries a print copy of Alice in Wonderland, quotes it to herself several times, and the book was read to her and Spock by Amanda--so we know that the pair of them share some childhood overlap now, which puts a new light on Sarek's encouragement to Michael to go to Starfleet. Also, I noticed that in this episode particularly her body language was very Vulcan, especially when she was getting bullied/hazed on the new ship.
I also like Michael's dynamic with Cadet Tilley--man, I hope that there's some femmeslash for this pairing sooner rather than later.
The conversations/tensions about Starfleet as a force for exploration/science and as a defensive/offensive force seem to echo the ones seen in Enterprise and in STID, both of which handled the topic with all the finesse of a blunt hammer. I hope that DIS improves on this; it's well worth exploring in terms of story--we never really see the "dark" side of the Federation....even when we do, like in the Journey's End episode of TNG.
2) The comment I keep seeing is that "This doesn't feel like Star Trek to me." Which....is subjective, but more than anything, the vibe of this episode was a cross between that one TNG ep about the junior officers just going about their days and doing missions with only part of the information available, and latter-day DS9. The emphasis on information--and who has it--appears to be a major theme.
ETA: I just had a thought while I was in the shower (as you do) about Enterprise, Reboot, and Discovery all being Millennial Star Trek: the main themes of all three are about the collisions between the ideals of Starfleet and how they change/are challenged by terrorism and wartime. I need to think on this some more.
I'm not sure what I think of Jason Isaac's Captain Lorca. It seems to be pretty clear that he is, if not actually a bad guy, then definitely an ethically dubious one, and he's certainly presented as such (his own crewmembers grumble about him as a warmonger). I do particularly like his weird whimsicality--offering Michael fortune cookies.
We learn some new background about Michael this week: She carries a print copy of Alice in Wonderland, quotes it to herself several times, and the book was read to her and Spock by Amanda--so we know that the pair of them share some childhood overlap now, which puts a new light on Sarek's encouragement to Michael to go to Starfleet. Also, I noticed that in this episode particularly her body language was very Vulcan, especially when she was getting bullied/hazed on the new ship.
I also like Michael's dynamic with Cadet Tilley--man, I hope that there's some femmeslash for this pairing sooner rather than later.
The conversations/tensions about Starfleet as a force for exploration/science and as a defensive/offensive force seem to echo the ones seen in Enterprise and in STID, both of which handled the topic with all the finesse of a blunt hammer. I hope that DIS improves on this; it's well worth exploring in terms of story--we never really see the "dark" side of the Federation....even when we do, like in the Journey's End episode of TNG.
(no subject)
Date: 2017-10-02 03:35 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2017-10-02 03:50 am (UTC)I'm glad. I'm relieved I have something to say when I'm quelling the urge to be catty about the old Trek fans who complain that it's different, and the non-SFF fans who enjoy it but don't understand how it's engaging with the franchise's history!
(no subject)
Date: 2017-10-02 02:29 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2017-10-02 04:46 pm (UTC)This is very close to the show I was hoping we would get out of Reboot, closely exploring changes in the wake of massive losses. That it's all from the pov of a "traitor" is even better!