JayDeeDubs
1350
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I wanted to post about this show, which has received a ton of hate here particularly and online in general. The first two episodes have aired, though I haven't seen them myself yet, and wanted to talk about it.
First, there's a huge divide in reactions. Critical response is actually pretty strong. 85% fresh on Rotten tomatoes, and certified fresh, so that includes critics with some career heft, not just cranks writing online to an audience of one. 41 reviews is pretty high for a TV show, with seasons of some shows only getting a handful of reviews these days.
But let's talk about those negative audience ratings. Reading a selection, I was definitely struck by a distinct slant to most: how dare they do something different from the Trek I grew up watching! It's a very similar line that all of the new shows have received (Disco, Picard, Lower Decks, Strange New Worlds and Prodigy) at one time or another, and if you can't agree that at least some of those are quality shows, well, get the fuck outta here.
Also, I think a healthy amount of prejudging is going on
Here we see a "fan" complaint about the writing of a bit of dialogue, dialogue that was actually a direct quote from TOS, which is a fine example of that sort of prejudice IMO. Jörg Hillebrand is a fan Star Trek researcher, and if you think you know more about Star Trek than him, you're wrong.
Brad here worked on Lower Decks, and I have to agree, if you're upsetting Stephen Miller, you're doing something right.
John Scalzi, sci-fi author of note, Redshirts in particular being relevant here.
Anyway, as I said I haven't seen any of Starfleet Academy yet, but I love Star Trek and can admit to having gotten into it with posters on this site on more than one occasion.
BuckRavers
Yea the demographic didn't look like my thing but it's a world I'm always interested in. Just found out about it yesterday on Startalk and am going to give it a shot tonight! Looking forward to it.
realrealluckless
The worst part about Trek these days are the people claiming to be fans who haven't remotely paid attention to anything in Trek since the start...
It is just tradition for the first bit of a new series to feel weird, awkward, and horribly cringy... Anyone who tries to deny that clearly forgets so many first season episodes of TNG.
Lura Thok seems like an awesome character so far, and more Jett Reno and The Doctor is always welcomed. Cadets are all cringe, but I'm also just old at this point.
ParpleBarglarAhrlm
Couple of things: Star Trek isn’t meant for critics so please don’t listen to them, even if they say it’s great
Next: most people that watch Star Trek and complain have no idea what Star Trek means
Last: Watch it and form your own opinion
JayDeeDubs
Why shouldn't Star Trek be meant for critics? Classic episodes of various Trek shows have been very well regarded by critics in the past.
ParpleBarglarAhrlm
Most, not all critics, miss the connections to other series and miss out on the lore and history. I’ve read poor reviews and noticed they don’t actually judge for what it is and leave the bulk of what star fleet stands for out of it
Some also cling to the Star Trek that was and are unwilling to accept new visions
PostalHeathen
I watched the first two episodes today, and it doesn't suck. I'd even say it's one of the stronger starts to a series in the franchise.
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Wuz314159
Helen Hunt is in this? Ò_o
JayDeeDubs
Holly Hunter
Sebastopol140
I will watch it... I truly don't know what to expect. I'm finishing watching Lower decks right now and THAT's awesome!!
ePluribus
Paul G gave off the same vibes as his creepy perv character in "Gunp0wder milkshake" which, for me at least, somewhat ruined his performance. Everyone else was pretty good actually, even the hologirl's annoying antics made sense when her nature was revealed.
ianrl337
I thought he and Holly Hunter just killed it. He just chewed up every scene he was in. But I can also see how it can be a bit much. As a not every episode background BBEG it would be great.
ePluribus
Yeah... I mean for me, he's a bit like a chocolate brownie - tiny bites spread out is workable. But it doesn't take much to go from tolerable to fast-forward and figure out any missing plot bits via context later.
morningxafter
Yep, they’re getting review-bombed by dipshit MAGA chuds who hate how ‘woke’ Star Trek has become. Forgetting that it was ALWAYS woke. First interracial kiss on television, sound familiar?
ePluribus
I was so desperate for something to watch last night, I plonked myself down to watch the first 2 eps.
Surprisingly, not that bad. Sure, it's DEI-heavy - which is not a bad thing at all, I quite enjoy seeing the diverse spectrum of humanity on show - but it's a very prominent aspect of the show, which will utterly infuriate all the MAGAts... but it's not SO heavy as to spoil the vibe.
It suffers from all the same ailments that Discovery did post-timejump, but it's still a good watch.
KingofRogues
im gonna check it out...Even though Im wary about its teen agnst
ianrl337
First episode is up on youtube for free. It kind of is, but not entirely, and not unexpected.
LexiconDul
Star Trek 90210
AvidApostate
God, can you imagine if they're all as insufferable as Wesley and his "friends" in TNG 5.19?
wobblecopterrrr
no they play them as pretty realistic young adults,
itdweeb
Shut up, Wesley.
Ankylosaur
The setting has Final Fantasy 8 Balamb Garden vibes
ADMNtek
I will give it a chance. Even if the idea of Beverly Hills 90210 in space isn't my cup of tea. But hey, Prodigy looked meh, but season 2 was amazing. Still would prefer more Lower Decks.
wobblecopterrrr
i wayched it last night, my take, it's star trek, they seem to be staying true to a lot of the cannon, but they definitely are doing new things with it, doing some call backs while creating a unique environment, some of it feels a bit like fan fic, which tracks with the young adult theme, but don't listen to me, I pretty much like all star trek.
ianrl337
I kind of want to watch, but it's Paramount. don't forget they own CBS which is basically Fox News at this point. They canceled Colbert and bowing to Trump. There are other ways to watch that don't profit Paramount.
JayDeeDubs
There are indeed other ways
ianrl337
I like to call it creative licensing.
Wuz314159
First episode is free. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0sjDkoNgfY
NotThePoint
Every episode is free if you have a VPN.
ianrl337
I don't know what you are talking about.
NotThePoint
:)
ianrl337
I have not seen that version and feel I am better for it. Thank you good sir, madam, buccaneer, or whatever you may prefer.
Escapist83
I mean, I probably won't watch it anyways. I never enjoy the episodes where the kids or cadets get the focus and this seems like it's just that?
017renegade
I'm not a fan of the concept. I have always liked the big names in the shows and their heroic image. Shows like this showing the "normal guys" just seem so boring. When the social drama becomes the main plot and affairs and intrigues aren't just side lines anymore I feel like I don't need a space ship setting anymore. This could be told on a cruise in the Caribbean or on a science outpost in Antarctica. It taints the franchise and its heroes and it just feels off...
nintendolunchbox
So star trek meets Dawson's Creek. Great.
L0rdinquisit0r
#5 Klingon typeguy has a weird left arm, I was gonna ask was he missing it and had a empty sleeve, but there is that small claw hand.
VikingHobbit
Saw the first episode. Liked it. Not hardcore fan, but have watched all shows and movies. Give it a chance, it has potential.
HumanFromPlanetEarth
How many of those so called 'critics with heft' are bought-out pieces of shit who write what they are told
nobodyspecial995
If you want to piss off a trek fan, the only thing you need to do is make a new trek. They always hate everything.
UsernameEL
Wars and Trek fans have more uncommon than they want to admit (At least in this instance lol)
psugab
You mean in common?
UsernameEL
Yeah, auto correct screwed me on that one...
Wuz314159
My favourite show as a kid was CHiPs. Ponch & Jon helped people and never drew their guns.
itdweeb
Sheesh. It's not even the latest batches of Trek content. "How dare they have a black captain." Regardless of the fact they clearly didn't watch, since he was commander at first. "How dare they have a woman captain." Any other rank being acceptable, including doctor and not nurse. People have always found a reason to be upset with Star Trek. Even TOS was loaded with progressive, for the time, and boy did people get butthurt then.
Wuz314159
TOS is more progressive than modern Trek. That's pretty fucked up considering how misogynistic it is. Gone are the days of a better world. The Federation is the dystopian future I fear. No hope. :(
JayDeeDubs
Sir, this is some free range bullshit. Got any thing to back up this claim?
Wuz314159
Sure. Lots. First scene in Academy and we see Holly Hunter's character ripping apart a family like Donald Trump. THAT is the Federation. . . . We see our cadets all fighting with each other. That never happened on TNG, DS9, or even Voyager. The threats came from the outside. . . .They're creating a right-winger's ideal and masking it as a utopia by draping it in multiculturalism. Just like JK Rowling did with Harry Potter. "Nothing shows Dumbledore as gay, but I'll say it for clicks." Insulting!
JayDeeDubs
Like I said above, I have yet to see these episodes, but cadets never fought with each other in older shows? Cadets bullied & peer pressured Wesley into covering up a fellow cadet's death in a banned flight maneuver. Cadets in DS9 were part of an elitist Hitler youth-esque group that almost completed a coup. I don't remember cadets coming up on Voyager.
Wuz314159
Tom Paris was a dick. . . . and yeah, Valiant was a shitty fucking episode too. You got me there. Some writers really didn't get it.
itdweeb
This is a wild claim. Sure, there are things like Section 31, and all of the things Sisko did during the war, but he still accepted Dax regardless of presented gender. Well before that was even a big talking point. TOS did some bold things and pushed the envelope for its time. Each successive generation has done the same. So, there were still not great things in TOS, or in TNG, and so on. But each one walked so the next one could run.
Wuz314159
They dumped the first episode onto my TOS feed on PlutoTV. So I've seen that episode 4 times now. Really hated it... It was so right-wing.
Wuz314159
...You have the Federation stealing children like Trump. Ignoring cultural sensitivities. and on top of it all, you have a bunch of new recruits running a starship before their first class. Combine that with pointless pandering and it's a pass from me.
77hnx994wv10
Star Trek version of Beverly Hills 90210? Looking at the poster that sure seems like this it what it would be about
JayDeeDubs
The poster is certainly pushing one demographic, but it's not the whole thing the show is about
77hnx994wv10
It’s probably much more than the poster indicates and makes me think they need different variations of the poster to appeal to different demographics
Sorrontis
I lost interest in ST a while ago. I loved TNG, Voyager, DSN, TOS... even Enterprise. But something changed after the movie reboots (1/2)
Sorrontis
and it's not the "woke" stuff. The writing feels flat compared to my nostalgia hits. The filmography feels better, yet devoid of meaning.2/2
JayDeeDubs
Sorry, if you can enjoy Enterprise but not Lower Decks or Strange New Worlds, it isn't the writing or anything about the quality of the shows that's changed.
Sorrontis
I haven't watched anything since Picard S01. Not paying for it
JayDeeDubs
Which is certainly your prerogative. But bad mouthing shows you haven't seen at all is shitty
Sorrontis
wait. are you my wife, cuz you're hearing shit I didn't say.