OT: Star Trek Strange New Worlds

Dawgg

Well-known member
Sep 9, 2012
7,558
6,133
113
I’m not going to say it’s the greatest show on television right now, but it may currently be my favorite. It gives me a lot of the same joy that the original series gave me.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ranchdawg

Ranchdawg

Well-known member
Dec 13, 2012
3,099
2,253
113
I’m not going to say it’s the greatest show on television right now, but it may currently be my favorite. It gives me a lot of the same joy that the original series gave me.
I agree, and they stayed away from political ideology!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dawgg

Dawgg

Well-known member
Sep 9, 2012
7,558
6,133
113
I'll check it out. I'm just now watching Picard.
I wasn’t crazy about the first two seasons of Picard, but getting to season three made it all worth it. Seeing the TNG cast reunite for one last adventure made for some really great moments.

Strange New Worlds takes place shortly before the Original Series and features a mix of Original Series characters and characters from “The Cage”, the original pilot. It’s technically a spin-off of Star Trek Discovery, which I hated.
 

QuaoarsKing

Well-known member
Mar 11, 2008
4,719
696
113
I'll check it out. I'm just now watching Picard.
If you can make it through Picard (decent S1, bad S2, also medicore S3 if we're being honest but the nostalgia was a lot of fun anyway) and enjoy it, you'll love Strange New Worlds. It's so fuсking good. Like, season 1 of Strange New Worlds is probably the best season of any Star Trek if you just rate each episode and average them out. To be fair, it only has 10 episodes and it may lose out to the best 10 episodes of some TNG and DS9 seasons, sure, but still, it's a really great show all around.

I was worried about the crossover episode with Lower Decks (a show I like, but don't love), but it was actually pretty good.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dawgg

Bulldog Bruce

Well-known member
Nov 1, 2007
3,493
2,472
113
Go to the extras and watch The Ready Room. It is hosted by Wil Wheaton. It is probably the best show about a show I have watched. They cover the show, but they don't treat the guests like the character on the show. A bunch of good insights. The showrunner is a real fanboy of the original and this is intended to be episodic like those were. They give you spoiler alerts if you hadn't seen the episode they are talking about.

One show they described how the virtual set works was fascinating as Spock would say. It is not green screen and they add the CGI. The CGI is created and they project it all over including the sky and the set changes as the camera moves. So the actors are immersed into the world they are acting in.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dawgg

GloryDawg

Well-known member
Mar 3, 2005
14,434
5,235
113
Season one was better than season two so far. Not saying I am not enjoying it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dawgg

Ranchdawg

Well-known member
Dec 13, 2012
3,099
2,253
113
Not so sure about that. This one is teaming with DEI ideology. Season 1 episode 7 has a trans actor playing the pirate captain. And they are not really talking about prejudice against Illyrians.

I will say they are not beating you over the head with it though.
Yea, I've noticed a lot of Hollywood series start off apolitical but over time the writers start to weave their views into the series. It happens here too from both sides. I guess we all think we can influence others to our belief system. 99% of the time it just makes those on the other side dig in their heels.
 

HailStout

Well-known member
Jan 4, 2020
2,288
5,565
113

Also, I don’t think there are words to describe how “woke” this was at the time. This episode wasn’t aired in the vast majority of the south


 
  • Like
Reactions: Dawgg

CochiseCowbell

Well-known member
Oct 29, 2012
11,274
4,751
113
How far behind am I and where do I need to start?

Last cannon of any of it that I watched was Star Trek Enterprise. Also, I'm assuming I'll need to subscribe to Paramount+.
 

Dawgg

Well-known member
Sep 9, 2012
7,558
6,133
113
Go to the extras and watch The Ready Room. It is hosted by Wil Wheaton. It is probably the best show about a show I have watched. They cover the show, but they don't treat the guests like the character on the show. A bunch of good insights. The showrunner is a real fanboy of the original and this is intended to be episodic like those were. They give you spoiler alerts if you hadn't seen the episode they are talking about.

One show they described how the virtual set works was fascinating as Spock would say. It is not green screen and they add the CGI. The CGI is created and they project it all over including the sky and the set changes as the camera moves. So the actors are immersed into the world they are acting in.
I'm going to check that out today. My wife came in the room while I was watching the episode where they lose their memories and are sent to that workman's camp in the mountains and noted how the mountainous background, while beautiful, looked kind of fake. I didn't really notice it until then, but I think it's because I was so caught up and invested in the characters and the story that it didn't matter. For the most part, I think the sets are pretty incredible.
 

Dawgg

Well-known member
Sep 9, 2012
7,558
6,133
113
How far behind am I and where do I need to start?

Last cannon of any of it that I watched was Star Trek Enterprise. Also, I'm assuming I'll need to subscribe to Paramount+.
You're not far behind. The second season is about to wrap up. A lot of the characters are introduced in Season 2 of Star Trek Discovery, which is the only season of that show I would even begin to call 'watchable'.

Yes, Paramount+... The basic version is $6/mo, but the version with no commercials includes Showtime for $12/mo.
 
Last edited:

Dawgg

Well-known member
Sep 9, 2012
7,558
6,133
113
If you can make it through Picard (decent S1, bad S2, also medicore S3 if we're being honest but the nostalgia was a lot of fun anyway) and enjoy it, you'll love Strange New Worlds. It's so fuсking good. Like, season 1 of Strange New Worlds is probably the best season of any Star Trek if you just rate each episode and average them out. To be fair, it only has 10 episodes and it may lose out to the best 10 episodes of some TNG and DS9 seasons, sure, but still, it's a really great show all around.

I was worried about the crossover episode with Lower Decks (a show I like, but don't love), but it was actually pretty good.
I agree that I'm probably caught up in the nostalgia on Season 3, but it was just really great to see that cast together for one last run. I'm just now starting Lower Decks, which I started based largely off the crossover episode. I'm enjoying it. It has kind of a Rick & Morty vibe. It's a good show for when I don't have a new episode of something else.

I think there are two things I really like about Strange New Worlds:
1. There is there is no 'filler'... like we're not just doing these little chores or having these heart to hearts waiting for some big event to happen. Every episode feels important, even if it's important for something minor.
2. The characters are so good and so unique. Like the doctor starts out just being the doctor, but they eventually peel back more and more layers to him to the point that you start to see this extremely complicated (and maybe a little scary) individual.
 

00Dawg

Active member
Nov 10, 2009
3,043
272
63
Strange New Worlds is great in every way Discovery is bad. Being a Star Trek fan, I made myself keep up with Discovery, but I can't recommend it to anyone, even other Trekkies.
To Bruce's Illyrian reference above, in a (likely unintended) credit to the SNW writers, even in a legal victory for the oppressed where they're trying to subtly convince us to back "their" side in American society, they did too good a job of having the tribunal explain why the rules exist. I could put that in front of my 12 year-old and he's not going to come in on the side of removing the restrictions. The allegory also wasn't close enough to the actual reality of current life in America to really hit home...you're more likely to lose your job for being anti-rainbow than pro. It occurs to me as I write this that maybe they missed the mark because the writers have been indoctrinated too much, but I have neither the time nor the inclination to see how deep that rabbit hole goes.
 

Dawgg

Well-known member
Sep 9, 2012
7,558
6,133
113
Strange New Worlds is great in every way Discovery is bad. Being a Star Trek fan, I made myself keep up with Discovery, but I can't recommend it to anyone, even other Trekkies.
Agreed. I slogged through Season 1, but it was like how many Michael Burnham soliloquies must I endure? God, her character is insufferable.

Season 2 was saved by the Enterprise crew being such a big part of it (which led directly to Strange New Worlds). Outside of that, Michelle Yeoh's character was the only thing worth watching on that show.

When they went to the future and demanded to be sent out into the field despite being 1000 years behind on technology and understanding and they were still allowed to go on the mission, I knew this show was doomed beyond repair and I gave up.
 

QuaoarsKing

Well-known member
Mar 11, 2008
4,719
696
113
How far behind am I and where do I need to start?

Last cannon of any of it that I watched was Star Trek Enterprise. Also, I'm assuming I'll need to subscribe to Paramount+.
If you've seen TOS, you'll be fine. The only plot point that really carries over from Discovery that that Pike had a vision and knows he's going to end up in the beep chair. That was a really dumb plot line from Discovery, but since they officially treat all of Star Trek as a consistent universe, they had to go with it and address it in Strange New Worlds.
 

CochiseCowbell

Well-known member
Oct 29, 2012
11,274
4,751
113
If you've seen TOS, you'll be fine. The only plot point that really carries over from Discovery that that Pike had a vision and knows he's going to end up in the beep chair. That was a really dumb plot line from Discovery, but since they officially treat all of Star Trek as a consistent universe, they had to go with it and address it in Strange New Worlds.


TOS? The Original Show?
 

QuaoarsKing

Well-known member
Mar 11, 2008
4,719
696
113
This past week's episode "Under the Cloak of War" was probably my favorite of the season so far, a great dive into M'Benga's past.

M'Benga appeared in 2 episodes of the Original Series back in the day. About half of the cast is characters already established in TOS.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dawgg

ChE1997

Active member
Feb 14, 2023
506
354
63
Yea, I've noticed allot of Hollywood series start off apolitical but over time the writers start to weave their views into the series. It happens here too from both sides. I guess we all think we can influence others to our belief system. 99% of the time it just makes those on the other side dig in their heels.
 

ChE1997

Active member
Feb 14, 2023
506
354
63
One show they described how the virtual set works was fascinating as Spock would say. It is not green screen and they add the CGI. The CGI is created and they project it all over including the sky and the set changes as the camera moves. So the actors are immersed into the world they are acting in.
Disney ( Well Jon Faverau, working on The Mandalorian) created that. It uses a bunch of 4k TV's and Video Processing to render the background in real time. Game Changing for the audience and the actors.

Carl Weathers remarked how much easier it is to act when you KNOW everyone is seeing the same thing.

Disney calls it the Volume. And it looks just like the inside of Dawgstudent's house.****
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dawgg and engie

Bulldog Bruce

Well-known member
Nov 1, 2007
3,493
2,472
113
The only issue I have with this series is the "Big Bad" they decided to use. The Gorn, as shown so far, are not capable of being a species that could have a society. You can't be that blood thirsty and unempathetic and actually work with others to create what they have created. I never have been a big fan of any of the "Big Bads" in any of the series. TOS with the Klingons was fine. The reimagined Romulans in the Chris Pine movies were just stupid. Never liked the BORG. The Gorn in this series needs to just go away.
 

HailStout

Well-known member
Jan 4, 2020
2,288
5,565
113
The only issue I have with this series is the "Big Bad" they decided to use. The Gorn, as shown so far, are not capable of being a species that could have a society. You can't be that blood thirsty and unempathetic and actually work with others to create what they have created. I never have been a big fan of any of the "Big Bads" in any of the series. TOS with the Klingons was fine. The reimagined Romulans in the Chris Pine movies were just stupid. Never liked the BORG. The Gorn in this series needs to just go away.
The Borg were the GOAT until they introduced a Queen and then Discovery finished them off. When they were simply an unstoppable force bent on assimilating everything, they ruled. Having a queen neutered how scary they were. And Discovery just made them boring as hell.

except 7 of 9 simply based on her outfit.
 

QuaoarsKing

Well-known member
Mar 11, 2008
4,719
696
113
The Borg were the GOAT until they introduced a Queen and then Discovery finished them off. When they were simply an unstoppable force bent on assimilating everything, they ruled. Having a queen neutered how scary they were. And Discovery just made them boring as hell.

except 7 of 9 simply based on her outfit.
Hate to be that guy, but you're mixing up Voyager (from the 90s) and Discovery (from the 10s).

People used to talk about how Voyager was the worst series of Star Trek, and while it's not as good as DS9 or TNG, it's still enjoyable to watch. Discovery has some decent high points, but overall is just not a very good or enjoyable TV show, especially seasons 3 and 4 when they moved to the 32nd century. I've often wondered if the showrunners of Discovery even like the earlier shows or understand why the fans do.

I'll grey out the next section because it's spoilery - in the 3rd season, they go to the 32nd century and find that warp drive hasn't worked in the whole galaxy for over a century, and everything has gone to hell and it's all grimdark and edgy. Just not the ethos of any other Star Trek series. And guess what - Michael Burnham figures out what caused the incident when no one else in the whole galaxy could for the last century. It's just stupid. (She also single-handedly saves the galaxy in seasons 1, 2, and 4. She's literally the most important person to ever exist. Just dumb.

If I were going to rank a top 100 Star Trek episodes, regardless of series, I would expect Voyager to have something like 5-10 entries on the list. I can't think of a single episode of Discovery that would make the cut -- maybe one of the ones with Pike and Spock, but still probably not.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Dawgg

Boosh

Member
Sep 14, 2017
56
35
18
Strange New Worlds is great if you liked TOS. In fact, when watching with my son who hasn't seen TOS, I will show the corresponding show from TOS that goes with the show we just watched so it makes more sense to him. They have done an intentional and great job at tying in the original to everything.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dawgg

Dawgzilla2

Well-known member
Oct 9, 2022
851
998
93
Strange New Worlds is great if you liked TOS. In fact, when watching with my son who hasn't seen TOS, I will show the corresponding show from TOS that goes with the show we just watched so it makes more sense to him. They have done an intentional and great job at tying in the original to everything.
Well, until today. The real James Kirk couldn't sing. I think it is even canon that he was tone deaf.

Strange New Worlds at least does not take itself seriously. It's a fun ride.

But they are really (and probably intentionally) playing with fire by having James Kirk show up so much. If they manage to screw up canon the fan revolt could be ugly.

OTOH, they have given themselves an out by showing the Romulans have been trying to disrupt Earth's timeline for years. Any changes could be attributed to them
 

Dawgg

Well-known member
Sep 9, 2012
7,558
6,133
113
Hate to be that guy, but you're mixing up Voyager (from the 90s) and Discovery (from the 10s).

People used to talk about how Voyager was the worst series of Star Trek, and while it's not as good as DS9 or TNG, it's still enjoyable to watch. Discovery has some decent high points, but overall is just not a very good or enjoyable TV show, especially seasons 3 and 4 when they moved to the 32nd century. I've often wondered if the showrunners of Discovery even like the earlier shows or understand why the fans do.

I'll grey out the next section because it's spoilery - in the 3rd season, they go to the 32nd century and find that warp drive hasn't worked in the whole galaxy for over a century, and everything has gone to hell and it's all grimdark and edgy. Just not the ethos of any other Star Trek series. And guess what - Michael Burnham figures out what caused the incident when no one else in the whole galaxy could for the last century. It's just stupid. (She also single-handedly saves the galaxy in seasons 1, 2, and 4. She's literally the most important person to ever exist. Just dumb.

If I were going to rank a top 100 Star Trek episodes, regardless of series, I would expect Voyager to have something like 5-10 entries on the list. I can't think of a single episode of Discovery that would make the cut -- maybe one of the ones with Pike and Spock, but still probably not.
I don’t know that I’ve ever hated a protagonist of any work of literature, radio, stage, or film more than I have hated Michael Burnham.
 

Dawgg

Well-known member
Sep 9, 2012
7,558
6,133
113
Well, until today. The real James Kirk couldn't sing. I think it is even canon that he was tone deaf.

Strange New Worlds at least does not take itself seriously. It's a fun ride.

But they are really (and probably intentionally) playing with fire by having James Kirk show up so much. If they manage to screw up canon the fan revolt could be ugly.

OTOH, they have given themselves an out by showing the Romulans have been trying to disrupt Earth's timeline for years. Any changes could be attributed to them
I chalked it up to the subspace tunnel giving everyone autotune.

Seriously, this week’s episode could have gone so wrong, but I kinda loved it.
 
Get unlimited access today.

Pick the right plan for you.

Already a member? Login