#star trek discovery 1x02

[bussterj]

I'm watching Star Trek: Discovery 1x02 "Battle at the Binary Stars"

[ichayalovesyou]

(Re)Discovering A Strange New Spock: “Charlie ‘X’” (1x02)

Previous Episode: The Man Trap

Next: The Naked Time

A meta anthology where I re-examine TOS, especially Spock, in light of the new information Discovery & Strange New Worlds has revealed about him to us.

Onto the analysis!

Thasian Debate & Everybody’s Got Daddy Issues and Nobody Wants To Talk About It!

This conversation has a lot of layers to it, and it gives me a chance to talk about McCoy and Kirk’s backstories as well as Spock’s! Every single one of these men has issues when it comes to being/having a father.

Both Bones and Kirk are divorced with a child. McCoy is allowed to be in touch with his daughter Joanna, Jim is respecting Carol’s wishes of staying out of his son David’s life. While Spock has daddy issues cubed between Sarek being an absolutely abysmal father. Christopher Pike aka “human dad” having given up his well-being to save Spock, which Spock is aware of and allowed to happen. Which runs parallel to Bones losing his own father by adhering to his wishes as well.

There are two conversations happening at the same time in that scene that, with this context in mind, are not totally separated from each other. The topic of who is going to act as Charlie’s guide/father figure while he’s aboard the Enterprise, and the topic of whether Thasians are still around.

Kirk tries to shunt that duty to Bones, chances are they’ve known each other long enough that Jim knows about Joanna, that Bones is already a father. However, Bones refers to Kirk as a strong father image, which could imply he doesn’t see himself that way. Jim however, wants nothing to do with it, possibly because of his own pain regarding David. What Spock does during this part of the conversation is VERY interesting.

If you want the boring interpretation he’s only waiting for his turn to talk but I really don’t think that is what’s happening. Spock’s facial journey and what he doesn’t say participates in this scene as much as the words exchanged between Jim & Bones do.

He looks at Bones, immediately looks down in contemplation, then he looks at Jim and looks even more uncomfortable. No comment, avoiding eye contact, definitely no volunteering himself for handling Charlie. Nimoy/Spock tends to do this subtle thing whenever Spock is deliberately trying to hold back an emotion, he purses his lips. THEN Spock changes the subject to talk about the Thasians more. I don’t know whether anybody had officially decided Spock had daddy issues at this point, but damn if this conversation doesn’t lend credence to that truth.

Now, we know Spock’s arguement is of course very logical and makes a lot more sense than what Bones wants to believe. Bones wants to believe that Charlie was able to make it on his own, perhaps because he hopes Joanna is doing alright on her own without him.

Spock on the other hand, however logical and correct, wants to believe that Charlie wasn’t alone. As he knows very well what feeling totally isolated is like, out of compassion it’s likely he hoped Charlie did not endure that same suffering. “Doctor, are you speaking scientifically or emotionally?” For Spock, logic and emotion are still treated as separate and opposite in his mind, when in reality, he needs both to make good judgements.

Spock & Uhura (Vol.2)

Despite their previous emotionally charged exchange in The Man Trap. The scene in the mess hall shows us that despite how the two of them have changed and grown over the years, they’re still friends. When she’s caught humming to Spock tuning his lyre, he actually smiles and proceeds to indulge her. Almost as though it wasn’t the first (and canonically not the last) time they’ve performed together.

She then of course weaves a song about a devilishly handsome heartbreaker who is obviously supposed to be Spock. He doesn’t stop playing even though he’s visibly like “alright, alright I get it 🙄😒😏” as she gets the teasing out of her system. Even if she’s never met/seen T’Pring she’s seen the effect he has on Chapel and I’m sure others (maybe even herself) and is poking at his general inability to handle it.

She doesn’t continue harping on it though, she then changes her target to Charlie. The lyrics she chooses and the way she winks at Janice suggests she might be trying to warn her. She’s a reasonable person and I strongly doubt she’s shipping the 17 year old with her coworker. Whether Spock is aware that is the ulterior motive of her lyrics is unclear. Regardless, they’re obviously confused and concerned for each other when (unbeknownst to them) Charlie cuts them off.

Spock & Jim’s Relationship Evolving Under Charlie’s Duress

Something tells me Spock was tipped off by the events in the mess hall that Charlie was more than he seemed. Perhaps subconsciously he picked up on Charlie’s advanced telepathic/telekinetic abilities through his own Vulcan abilities.

Yet again though Spock is not one who goes off of gut instincts, though it is no way his fault. The confirmation he needed lay in the destruction of the Antares. In the melted chess pieces after he comes face to face with Charlie personally. (Fun fact: Pike served on the Antares a couple assignments prior to captaining the Enterprise!)

Spock is reluctant to be compassionate regarding Charlie after the Antares destruction. Jim is still willing to try and reach out to Charlie despite everything, whether Spock finds that admirable or illogical, he trusts him. Spock knows full well that Jim has a talent for reaching unreachable people, as he’s begun to experience that first hand. The third act of this episode is also the first time that he and Bones are on the same page, United in the goal to protect Jim.

The confrontation with Charlie in Janice’s quarters evolves Spock’s relationship with Jim even further. It is the first time Jim puts himself between not the crew, but Spock specifically and immediate danger. Spock cannot intervene because the injury Charlie inflicted prevents him from doing so.

It is also the first time Jim openly admits to needing Spock, perhaps to anybody “You need me to run the ship and I need him.” I wonder if anyone has admitted to/told him he was needed like that since Chris left. Much to grapple with indeed.

[macgyvertape]

Star Trek Discovery 1x02

flashback time

getting some of that good good captain and xo relationship

getting some of those dynamic tilted camera angles for extra DRAMA

the holograms instead of veiw-screens really help give the scenes so much energy

I think this has already set the record for most view of Klingon culture from Klingon eyes. (Worf doesn’t quite count because he’s an outsider to his own culture)

the entire in klingon scenes really help with this

as does the costume/face/ship redesign

“they come to destroy our individuality” Aww yeah the federation as an assimilation culture and aliens disliking it for being so. Got some of that from DS9

Whose Conner?

doesnt matter he’s ded

good old classic MIND MELD

how is that force field wall still up  when half the wall is gone. Did it just adapt to keep her confined?

these battles so much more dramatic than ship shake because the crew bounces around seat

seriously these holograms allow for much more drama. Including body language, blocking on sets.

honestly it makes the drama that they got in older series that much more impressive

“so far its apparently against the camera man's religion to keep the camera at a straight angle“

RIP ADMIRAL

fuck the Klingon ship cutting the other ship in half is metal af

I really need to rewatch some of these klingon scenes, because I don’t really remember who is whom, and what their individual agendas are.

Aww yeah logic arguing the computer

it’s different to have a star trek show where there are only like 3 crew members we know, captain, number one, and alien scientist

are those phasers set to stun or kill?

is he not wielding a batleth??!?!

this is real fighting not old school 2 fisted punch

DID THEY JUST FUCKING KILL THE CAPTAIN

WHAT

i can’t believe it i just got so invested in her and number one’s relationship

Number one just killed the Klingon leader, she doesn’t have a good record for not making things worse

OH shit court martial for Michael

damn, this is dark as shit. Seriously look at the court martial council sitting in shadow

“I am the enemy” a bit overdramatic, also life imprisonment

THATS HOW THE episode ends!!! WHAT THE FUCK

what kind of star trek is this

yay cute science alien showed up in season trailer

what kind of star trek is where they don’t time travel out of this????

i don’t know if i like this yet

this doesn’t seem like the relaxing star trek of before

but I do admire that it isn’t retreading things (cough cough Enterprise) and is VERY different

Man I thought the female captain was one of the main characters and they killed her off. Star trek has never done that before, like sure they thought about it with BoBW Part 1, but they didn’t do it

The season trailer shows her transferring to like a special ops ship, guess that explains why the original bridge crew didn’t get characterization

I think what has me most shook is star trek held up consequences, didn’t time travel out of it. That’s actually impressive. Serious consequences for a serious mutiny. Because for so much of star trek the protagonists don’t fail, or if they do it doesn’t really cause lasting consequences that feel severe or real.

I think I need to rewatch/read some analysis to see how much of the start of the war was Michael’s fault. Like she is blamed for it, and definitely fucked up, but I’m sure the internet will throw her under the bus more than she deserves.

The set up of her arc seems to be past Klingon trauma, and emotion vs logic.

[kajaono]

I just watched the first two epsiodes of Star Trek discovery.

Nearly every character of importance is allready dead? What the fuck?!

[fandomsmeantheworldtome]

I want personally thank @littlehollyleaf and @donfalcone-is-kinky their blogs were major influence to start watching the amazing series Star Trek Discovery

[the-goofball]

[trekgate]

[subbyfoxelf]

[tv review] star trek: lower decks, season 1 (2020)

like a lot of star trek fans, i was pretty skeptical about this show going into it. the animation style screamed “family guy,” and there is quite a bit of rick and morty in the show’s dna. like, for instance, series creator and showrunner mike mcmahan was one of the first writers hired for rick and morty and served as its showrunner for a season.

one thing that did reassure me at the time and made me more willing to give the show the benefit of the doubt is that mcmahan was the self-professed “scifi guy” of the rick and morty crew. considering that the show’s inclusion of actual, interesting scifi concepts was one of the things i did actually like about it when i watched it, that was a promising sign.

anyway, yeah, saying i was “pleasantly surprised” by this show feels like a massive understatement. pleasantly shocked? pleasantly astonished? whatever you want to call it. i held on to a lot of my skepticism early on, but it didn’t take long before i fell head over heels for the show. i distinctly remember turning to my fiancx after one episode and nervously broaching, “soooo… this is actually really good, right? i’m not crazy?” and being relieved that ve was thinking the same thing. i was actually kinda genuinely sad when lower decks passed the baton back to discovery for their third season, though i felt pretty dumb about that when discovery went into beast mode that season.

so, yeah. the animated comedy star trek show is actually extremely good, and clearly made with star trek fans first and foremost in mind. i think what really caught me by surprise was how much heart it has. it tells good stories while also having great jokes basically constantly, and despite the comedic tone it genuinely believes in and cares about its characters.

wait. i've got it. the one sentence i would say to other star trek fans to respond to their (understandable) misgivings. this isn't rick and morty, this is futurama.

the first season was a lot about establishing the show’s identity and getting fans onboard with it, so i probably won’t have as much to say in my episode reviews of this one as i do of other star trek shows. a lot of it was working towards making it the show i described in the preceding paragraphs, and putting all those pieces together and establishing everything took a lot of time. so these will be more like capsules with my rating for the episode attached than actual reviews.

1x01 “second contact”

the only reason this isn’t the best star trek pilot is because we live in a post-strange new worlds world. okay, actually, “emissary” is pretty great, too. i’ll have to see how they stack up against each other when we get to that one. a-rank

1x02 “envoys”

the sequence where rutheford is trying out different departments is rather silly conceptually but i freaking love how supportive and enthusiastic everyone is. i think that really went a long way towards breaking the ice for me. a-rank

1x03 “temporal edict”

mariner and ransom butting heads was actually very well done, and ransom shows that while he might be a himbo and a bit of a gloryhound he does genuinely care. a-rank

1x04 “moist vessel”

mariner hating being promoted and boimler just shaking with rage over the whole thing was the best thing ever. a-rank

1x05 “cupid’s errant arrow”

the best friend and girlfriend both being suspicious of each other and protective of their boy was adorable, and waiting until nearly the end of the episode to reveal that the girlfriend was doing it too and having them bond over it was a great choice. having boimler be the one who had something wrong with him all along was also a nice touch.

also i freaking loved captain freeman finding out that the last domino in the demolition of a moon was that it would inconvenience a rich guy, and she was just immediately like “blow up the damn moon.” like, zero hesitation. that was awesome. a-rank

1x06 “terminal provocations”

cannot believe they added the third chu to make it the chu chu chu dance. incredible. a-rank

1x07 “much ado about boimler”

the show’s creative team is apparently a bit remorseful that they didn’t make it more explicit that mariner and ramsey are exes, and honestly that does make a huge difference for me. like this episode is already super good, but i think if they had been more upfront about that it could’ve pretty easily been the show’s first s-rank. a-rank

1x08 “veritas”

i fucking love this episode it is probably the moment when i relaxed and allowed myself to believe that this show was probably just actually as good as it seemed like it was.

the “trial” is a great framing device, the misunderstandings on top of misunderstandings are hilarious, and i really love how earnestly our main characters gush about how awesome starfleet is even though it’s because of a huge misunderstanding. a-rank

1x09 “crisis point”

mariner forces her friends to participate in a holodeck pastiche of wrath of khan that has a ton of wonderful references to the tos movies, it genuinely gets kinda epic, and although she’s avoiding therapy with the milquetoast ship’s counselor she ends up getting accidentally therapied by the experience. meanwhile, boimler accidentally learns that mariner is the captain’s daughter so that’s obviously gonna be a whole thing. a-rank

1x10 “no small parts”

there are a lot of things to love about this show in general, and this episode in particular, but i think the one i’m going to single out is the first canon appearance of captain william t. riker in command of the u.s.s. titan. i think i shrieked with joy at that the first time i saw this episode. s-rank

[jokerasylum91]

Sarek: You're gifted.

You are brave.

You must do better.

Because I know you can.

Michael:You were never one to bolster my self-esteem.

Sarek: Perhaps that is where I failed you.

No matter your shame, gather your strength.

Find a way to help those who need you.

Live long and prosper

[ansonmountdaily]

Anson Mount interview about filming Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

Speaking to RadioTimes.com while promoting his new movie The Virtuoso, Anson Mount said the following about Strange New Worlds:

- It wasn't something he'd expected – he'd believed Pike was a "one-season gig" – but has been delighted to return, particularly after such a warm reception from fans.

- He was still high on the pleasure of being back at work three months into production. "I was telling our costume designer earlier today, I was at home for a year," he laughs. "The last time I was home for a year was my junior year in high school. Everyone's glad to be back at work."

- Inevitably things aren't quite as Mount had anticipated when Strange New Worlds was first proposed. "COVID [protocol] makes everything take longer," he admits, "but you get through it and it's weird trying to get to know my cast only on set." However, despite everything, "it's been one of the smoothest starts I think I've ever had in television."

- Mount's joined by Rebecca Romijn and Ethan Peck reprising their roles as the enigmatic Number One, aka Una, and Spock from Discovery, and the general familiarity is helped by the fact that Strange New Worlds shares some of the production personnel with Discovery. "That has worked to our benefit," he notes, "not just with the world and the material, but interpersonally, with this production company and these producers."

- He takes his place as number one on the call sheet seriously, as much a captain off-screen as on. "Normally I'd be throwing barbecues and we'd be going to the park and you can't do much of that right now, particularly during the lockdown in Ontario but we're surviving."

- The shoot in Toronto is about halfway through its first season, which is expected to air in 2022 after the next seasons of animated series Lower Decks and Discovery. "We're really happy with the material," Mount points out. "We're all having a good time together."

+ some extra news: Director of episode 2, Maja Vrvilo (who previously directed eps of Discovery and Picard, and the Short Trek ep "Runaway"), announced her involvement on Twitter on May 1 2021, posting a couple non-spoilery pictures from the set that show a Strange New Worlds clapper-board and the director's computer.

Written on the clapper-board are the episode number ("102" aka 1x02), the date April 26 2021, and the name of the cinematographer Glen Keenan who also worked on episodes of Discovery and two Short Treks, including "Q&A" that ties to Strange New Worlds. Fans are speculating that episodes are being filmed out of order because the clapper-board indicates the tv series is currently shooting episode 2, yet Akiva Goldsman and three other directors appear to have already directed their episodes.

- Earlier in April, a production crew member (mechanical engineer) shared a photo of their production vehicle (with a Strange New Worlds sign on it), tweeting, "Never a dull moment living in Toronto. Apparently I get the same burritos as the crew of the Enterprise."

- Anson Mount also tweeted about the music being played on set, calling it the "on-set playlist", which includes Steve Earle, Gerry Rafferty, Del McCoury Band, Motörhead, AC/DC, Prince, and others!

Sources: RadioTimes.com (May 4 2021), TrekCentral.net, Maja Vrvilo Official Twitter (@majavrvilo), Star Trek Pike Twitter (@CaptainPikesEnt), crew member (@trueman832) Twitter, Anson Mount Official Twitter (@AnsonMount)

[startrekucast]

Star Trek: Discovery Review - 1x01 & 1x02 - The Vulcan Hello & Battle at the Binary Stars

It's the first episode of our 'Star Trek: Discovery' Rewatch!  This episode we’re talking “The Vulcan Hello” and “Battle at the Binary Stars”, the first two chapters of the new CBS ALL ACCESS Star Trek series! We found ourselves enjoying it far more than we did on our initial watch last year, and after you hear our reasons, we would love to hear your thoughts on these episodes as well!

[booasaur]

Star Trek: Discovery - 1x02 || 1x13

[spidypool]

Star Trek Discovery » 1x02 (Battle at the Binary Stars)

[breetzreactz]

Star Trek Discovery 1x02

wait she joined starfleet 7 years ago and she’s already a commander???

why did that use the boatswain sound just now, there was no annoucement happening

damn, good on you captain georgiou

I never really thought of klingons as racial supremacists

crazy star battles, already an improvement on older stuff

holy fuck, they’re getting pretty war-is-hell shit now. honestly kinda great

whoa sarek are you just gonna mind meld with her. isn’t mind melding with a dying person a bad idea?”

major hullbreach” *salutes*

wow, that was pretty dishonorable

lol they literally just rammed the other ship while cloaked for like no reason

“T’Kuvma The Unforgettable” W O W, a little early to deify, I think?

ah, he claims to be the reincarnated Kahless

I too, look forward to the future where I have to have ethical debates with computers

the captain still sending herself into dangerous places for some reason

wait why is she delivering the warheads, didn’t she just say that they didn’t want to martyr them? bombs don’t seem like a good idea to capture anyone

whoa, is this actual fight choreography?

shit, I knew the captain being this reckless would be bad

dammit, burnham, you literally killed him even though you said it would make him a martyr

okay, I’m glad she’s actually being court martialed

lol @ the dramatic overly lighting

wait wtf, she’s straight up in prison???

I can’t say this is what I was expecting

[cleoselene]

Discovery spoilers, 1x01-1x02

finally getting over my fears and watching Discovery

I like the uniforms, and the sensible shoes.  The pants kind of look like yoga pants, comfy.  

>_> I hope there’s a plot reason for the Klingons to look like this.  I don’t care for changing things just to change them.  Where are their fabulous manes?

lol the Admiral’s name is Brett Anderson.  Hopefully he’s a better admiral than he was a starting pitcher for the Cubs.

“Shields up to 47%” HA!  The 47s follow us.  Me gusta.

Why is the Starfleet court marshal led by three shadowy faceless figures??? Weird directorial choice

okay, wtf at Starfleet giving a life sentence for mutiny???  

Final thoughts: engaging pilot, even if I’m *GROAN* at the Klingons apparently being a large part of this plot.  Who are the Klingon stans???  I swear everyone I’ve known well who loves Star Trek is lukewarm on Klingons.  I didn’t ask for a large Klingon plot and I don’t know how comfortable I am with a main character whose background involves terrorism in 2017.  

Also they need to be a little clearer -- did Michael start as an ensign and work her rank all the way up or what?  I’m a little arglbargl at yet another commanding officer NOT going to/finishing the academy, since the Abrams College AU reboots did bullshit like making Kirk captain straight out of the academy (after he’d gotten in trouble!!!), and I’m not so sure how well a human child would deal with being raised by Vulcans emotionally, either, but that I’m willing to handwave, I guess.

HOWEVER, I will say that I loved Michael and Philippa, and thought both actresses were especially wonderful.  I also really enjoyed the dynamics between Sarek and Michael, there was genuine warmth there and James Frain’s Vulcan portrayal is a breath of fresh air after suffering through Quinto’s screaming and wailing and being generally un-Vulcanlike.

Summary: I am wary, I have many questions, but I am willing to keep going on the strength of the lead actress and the fact that everyone else seems to be receiving it relatively well.

[the-goofball]