Maybe. It’s certainly a gamble. I think it’s off to a good start, so I hope it pays off. But mine isn’t the job that’s on the line, so I’m not gonna stress about it. I just watch if it interests me.

We’re only two episodes in, but yeah, I’d say SFA is angling for something pretty unique. Space setting aside, not many YA shows concern themselves with the nation-building of a failed state. I’m not hugely versed, but wrapping your second episode around a diplomatic conference seems pretty unusual for the genre.

Haven’t seen Wagon Train either, but I’d guess Forbidden Planet and The Twilight Zone were actually bigger influences. But everything has some antecedent, no shame in that.

Every position of authority at the academy is held by a woman

Ew! Star Trek gots GIRLS in it? Gross!!

That’s genuinely very confusing. When someone tells me a show is like another show I like, but in space, that’s usually an endorsement. Gene Roddenberry literally pitched Star Trek as “Wagon Train in Space”.

“The Magicians in Space”, “Vampire Diaries in Space”, “Gossip Girl in Space”, you’ve got a million of these. I’d have trouble naming so many shows I don’t like. I forget about them pretty quickly because I just stop watching them and never engage with their fandom.

Something to consider.

Those videos really exploded in my feed about a week before it came out, and none of them has seen it yet. I don’t know if it’s coordinated or if it’s just the inevitable response of the algorithm rewarding topical hate mongering, but it’s a painfully obvious grift either way.

I’m very happy with Academy so far, but I’m upvoting due the quality meme.

Yeah I’d say you hit the nail on the head. In a franchise that thought Spock saying his superiors should “go to hell” was such a great line they had Data ape it two films later, “professional” seems to be a label some characters have easier access to than others.

Which one is curling up in a comfy chair with a good book? Crass or dumb?

Not as dark as Generations though.

But Eva Green tho.

If I based my esteem for things on how popular they are, I’d have never gotten into Star Trek. It was decidedly unpopular with my cohort at the time.

For what it’s worth I adore old school Trek. Just like I think it would be dumb to judge someone for being comfy or exuberant, I also wouldn’t judge someone for preferring a reserved demeanour like dear old Picard.

I also remember Geordi building model ships in engineering and running off to play with Data on the holodeck, so I don’t really see an incompatibility between the eras.

I mean, look at this scene. Is it really that far off from Tilly dropping her enthusiastic F bombs?

https://youtu.be/Lr64khTqyYQ

I’ve seen the word “professionalism” come up in a lot of people’s complaints about nuTrek, but that concept of professional behaviour is something I just don’t value. If the people you’re working with stop respecting you because you choose to sit comfortably or let out an exuberant “fuck yeah!” when things go great, I think you’re working with the wrong people. I think only unserious and immature people would worry about that.

I’m also one of those who embraces the “scientists” view of Starfleet over the “military” view, so that might be a factor. I like to see the crew comfortable at their jobs and loving what they do.

So all of that is to say I’m 110% down with Holly Hunter letting her piggies out, and I don’t think that reflects badly on her or her gender in the least.

And, of course, Tarima is another example from Academy itself, so presumably they’ll delve into it a bit.

Although, thinking about it, I wonder if the 100 years of isolation from other Federation races might play into this. It would make sense if communicating with different races took training and practice, and it would be thematically appropriate if it took time for the Betazoids to relearn how to read human minds.

I did wonder about that, but it’s entirely possible Lwaxana was on the more powerful end of a whole spectrum of levels of telepathy that exist on Betazed. Add on to that an 800 year gap during which things might have progressed in any number of ways, and I think it makes sense to accept Academy’s portrayal on its own terms and wait and see if we get more backstory/explanation as we go.

The Cage takes itself so much more seriously than the series that followed. Muted colour palette, no miniskirts, less bombastic performances, a few mostly imaginary action moments but mostly a methodical conflict between the Talosian manipulation and Pike’s resolve to escape. I really like it, but I wonder if a show that stuck to this tone would have had the success TOS did. Regardless, solid episode that gives us a strong sense of the captain’s character as he goes through a rough time.

Watched the second episode now, and my opinion has not changed much! The romantic subplot was putting my partner to sleep, but I thought the two had pretty good chemistry — until that very forced argument. I guess I’ve seen young couples get into heated arguments about stupid things in real life too.

Nahla and Caleb’s scenes together were great fun as well.

One of the things I wished Discovery had taken more time to delve into was how society has changed in the burn-era isolationist Earth. Now it seems as though Academy is downplaying how much Earth had changed, but shifting that isolationist role to Betazed. A little disappointing, but I can understand the decision given how insistent so many fans are that Star Trek feel unerringly Optimistic. Maybe we’ll get to spend some more time delving into how Betazoid culture has shifted instead.

I was actually kind of disappointed going into this show that SFA seemed to be going back to an Earth centric model for the Federation, so this development is very positive for me.

That seems like it’ll be a major issue for future writers to come up with excuses why they can’t just put the characters where they need to be.

Only a little more of an issue than transporters already were. How often have writers had to add in an exotic atmosphere or cave ore or ion storm or just enemy shields to justify not beaming out of a bad situation?