I’ve only seen the first few, but it seems like a space based soap opera ffs. What were they thinking - ‘let’s bring in a Q for a random stupid episode, and then a malfunctioning holo deck - because those are always the worst plots from tng’ ?
Rhys Darby saved the Q/Trelane episode by being Rhys Darby. Everything else about it was weak sauce. Which, honestly, can be said about most of John de Lancie’s episodes, so fair play I suppose.
I thought the holodeck episode was better, actually. I could have done without not!Uhura’s self-congratulatory speech, but other than that it was all good fun. But then, I usually think that of holodeck episodes. Who doesn’t like Moriarty, Doctor Noah, or Queen Arachnia?
I felt like there were highlights in season 3. But it also felt uneven. The episodes I liked felt good, but not great. The first two seasons had great episodes.
There was also a distinct lack of social commentary, which I feel is important in Star Trek. The best we got was Terrarium. Definitely a fun episode, but it’s core is a trope we’ve seen a number of times. What Is Starfleet looked like it was thinking about commenting on something, but frantically pulled the ripcord partway through, and went in a direction I wasn’t comfortable with. (Which is too bad because I thought the directing in that episode was very cool.) There’s nothing on the level of Ad Astra Per Aspera. Instead we got 5 episodes of mortal struggle vs unreasoning monsters.
the list of unreasoning monsters
Gorn, plant zombies, the “pure evil” on Vadia IX, the ship-eating ship
This is the problem with modern TV shows. We only have 10 episode seasons now vs the 20+ long ones from the TNG era. If these were all episodes in a season that lasted 20 episodes I doubt we would be seeing as many complaints, but as it is 10 episodes does not leave much room for any change of pace mid season. This season, while in my opinion was quite well written, was a little all over the place and didn’t really seem to have a lot of direction. It really bounced around a lot, which wouldn’t be a problem as much if there was 20 episodes to work with, but when you only have 10 its hard to justify some of the “fun” or experimental episodes.
As an aside. My least favourite episode “This is Starfleet” was also my favourite story in the season and if it was shot as a normal episode I think would have probably be my favourite of the series so far. It really captured the “Classic Trek” vibe for me.
You are right, with 20+ episodes it’s easier to have a common theme while still being episodic enough to have episodes that don’t advance the plot but are either funny or explore some unrelated theme. 10 episodes season work for a serialized series (like discovery), but an episodic 10 episodes series is a hybrid of the two and more difficult to pull throught.
However, I still think they did a good job, the season was fun and enjoyable, and I don’t really care there’s no “big picture plot”. After all, this is not telling the voyage of a ship lost in the galaxy or a multi-year war with a foreign dominion, it’s a character build-up story that will eventually become the original series, it’s a prequel and doesn’t try to be anything else. Surely I enjoyed it more than galaxy-destroying-threat-of-the-year discovery.
Also, even if some more “experimental” episodes may be a little failed, I can surely appreciate the attempt and, even if more boring or over the top, at least they are memorable, si they have value.
Yeah. I do think they did a great job btw. This season was such a ride and I can’t wait for season 4. I just meant that with so few episodes you really feel when one doesn’t hit right.
Season 3 was pretty good tho.
I’ve only seen the first few, but it seems like a space based soap opera ffs. What were they thinking - ‘let’s bring in a Q for a random stupid episode, and then a malfunctioning holo deck - because those are always the worst plots from tng’ ?
I liked the q episode a lot, personally. It was fun and low stakes and didn’t fucking with established lore.
The holodeck episode is agree with you on tho.
Rhys Darby saved the Q/Trelane episode by being Rhys Darby. Everything else about it was weak sauce. Which, honestly, can be said about most of John de Lancie’s episodes, so fair play I suppose.
I thought the holodeck episode was better, actually. I could have done without not!Uhura’s self-congratulatory speech, but other than that it was all good fun. But then, I usually think that of holodeck episodes. Who doesn’t like Moriarty, Doctor Noah, or Queen Arachnia?
It wasn’t bad but it wasn’t good either
Especially the questionable Vulcan episode…
They set a high bar with the first two seasons.
I felt like there were highlights in season 3. But it also felt uneven. The episodes I liked felt good, but not great. The first two seasons had great episodes.
There was also a distinct lack of social commentary, which I feel is important in Star Trek. The best we got was Terrarium. Definitely a fun episode, but it’s core is a trope we’ve seen a number of times. What Is Starfleet looked like it was thinking about commenting on something, but frantically pulled the ripcord partway through, and went in a direction I wasn’t comfortable with. (Which is too bad because I thought the directing in that episode was very cool.) There’s nothing on the level of Ad Astra Per Aspera. Instead we got 5 episodes of mortal struggle vs unreasoning monsters.
the list of unreasoning monsters
Gorn, plant zombies, the “pure evil” on Vadia IX, the ship-eating ship
I don’t understand the dislike it gets. It had a couple fun episodes and that’s a bad thing?
This is the problem with modern TV shows. We only have 10 episode seasons now vs the 20+ long ones from the TNG era. If these were all episodes in a season that lasted 20 episodes I doubt we would be seeing as many complaints, but as it is 10 episodes does not leave much room for any change of pace mid season. This season, while in my opinion was quite well written, was a little all over the place and didn’t really seem to have a lot of direction. It really bounced around a lot, which wouldn’t be a problem as much if there was 20 episodes to work with, but when you only have 10 its hard to justify some of the “fun” or experimental episodes.
As an aside. My least favourite episode “This is Starfleet” was also my favourite story in the season and if it was shot as a normal episode I think would have probably be my favourite of the series so far. It really captured the “Classic Trek” vibe for me.
The 10 episodes really is not enough. What’s worse is the shows with 10 or even 8 episodes that have two+ years between seasons.
I mean… There was at least 2 years between season 2 & 3.
You are right, with 20+ episodes it’s easier to have a common theme while still being episodic enough to have episodes that don’t advance the plot but are either funny or explore some unrelated theme. 10 episodes season work for a serialized series (like discovery), but an episodic 10 episodes series is a hybrid of the two and more difficult to pull throught.
However, I still think they did a good job, the season was fun and enjoyable, and I don’t really care there’s no “big picture plot”. After all, this is not telling the voyage of a ship lost in the galaxy or a multi-year war with a foreign dominion, it’s a character build-up story that will eventually become the original series, it’s a prequel and doesn’t try to be anything else. Surely I enjoyed it more than galaxy-destroying-threat-of-the-year discovery.
Also, even if some more “experimental” episodes may be a little failed, I can surely appreciate the attempt and, even if more boring or over the top, at least they are memorable, si they have value.
Yeah. I do think they did a great job btw. This season was such a ride and I can’t wait for season 4. I just meant that with so few episodes you really feel when one doesn’t hit right.
Yeah beats me. It’s still the best trek since the aughts.
By a wide margin too.
Agreed. Unless we’re counting Risa/ tenforward. Then it’s second best.
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WTF. Sorry for an opinion on tee vee show. In the immortal words of William Shatner to Star Trek fans, “get a life”.
They need to hate something. Discovery has ended, Lower Decks and Picard too, and Academy isn’t out yet, so what are they gonna hate on?
I also really like Season 3, but I do feel it is the weakest of the 3 seasons we got so far.
Agreed. It was still good tho.
one word: musical.
Agree - I enjoyed it a lot.