“Starfleet Academy” needs to move away from a defining trope of modern Star Trek if it’s to provide fresh approach while staying true to the core values of the beloved franchise.
47 Replies to ““Starfleet Academy” needs to move away from a defining trope of modern Star Trek if it’s to provide fresh approach while staying true to the core values of the beloved franchise.”
Agreed but do you really think they are going to take that route? I suppose it depends on who’s running the show and who’s running the writing room. Having a great lead isn’t enough. She has to have great scripts to play. I also agree that there is a lot of potential here. It’s almost a totally new ball game. But they must adhere to the principles. As you say, that’s what the Academy is all about.
I will never understand the hatred for this series. I don’t love the Captain, and I find the storytelling rough. But it’s fun, and I see so many things in the universe I’d love to see opened-up and explored.
I’m getting through the show, but it’s utterly predictable and boring at this point. They’re on the mission, onto the next super exciting clue. Ooooh will they make it? I don’t know. The opposition always somehow two steps ahead, beating the odds over and over again, major power shifts the drop of a hat that make o sense, and a main character trying so hard to be heartfelt and meaningful all the time, it just comes across as bad over acting.
But I do respect showing how, even in the future of the UFP, they still need to treat people of all types fairly. There is still much that ST can teach the people of today. In the face of rising fascism, I think this is a good thing.
I think someone’s forgetting a core tenet of Star Trek that has been there since the very first series. Strong personalities and messy emotional reactions and how they interact with a quasi-military structure built on principles, rules and heirachy. That’s what it’s about -what it’s always been about. Discovery is no different. It’s not about Logic and rules -it’s about the impact of the-often emotional- interaction of characters with their environment or the problem at hand. Star Trek in its various iterations ( except perhaps DS9) isn’t about starfleet’s structure and the application of rules -It’s about ‘humanity’ and its messy impact on the situations it finds during the journey. Nobody cares about cadet training.
We should probably stay away this Star Trek 5 season of the worst ST In my opinion we need to forget about all these characters it’s an alternate timeline and a boring universe where no common sense exist
Star Trek had from the start had stories that were apolitical. They were for everyone to enjoy, not slamming groups people as it created a society inclusive of everyone. It did have a humanist viewpoint that was couched into many of its stories. This humanist philosophy was not pushed above story. Good storytelling was always paramount. Star Trek showed a world where we had overcome petty hatreds, as well as poverty and bigotry. To show the dangers of these things, they had encounters with groups who still held to the hatreds humanity had overcome throgh the Federation, in the form of Klingons and Romulans. No matter how bad our current world was, we could watch Star Trek to see a future where we no longer had pettiness or poverty. This was all done with great story writting, even when it was with monsters in cheap plastic and rubber costumes. The original Star Trek won some of the most prestigious writing awards the Science Fiction field had to give. Now, political messaging is pushed so far to the forfront that good storytelling does not appear to even be a consideration.
I have zero interest in this. With the quality of TV out there they really need to step up their game. They cant rely on the name recognition alone. star trek strange new worlds got the formula right. Episodic series, solid sci-fi stories and interesting characters along with good pacing and action in the series.
Actually I likes the labyrinth episode but I agree with the overall theme that they need to lean back into science. You can have both, that’s always been in Star Trek, but they have leaned heavily into emotion in Discovery.
Stopped watching after being a life long fan. Too much crying and loving looks! It’s a bit “yay team”.
Switched to Orville for a genuine ST experience/fix. Glad it’s cancelled.
can I rant some more? Sure! Thank you! Of all the ideas they could go with in the massive ST universe they go back to a training academy. I remember one rumor that there was going to be a series about a black ops teams traveling the universe putting out fires. Now that would be cool!. How about something out of the box like a ship crewed with renegades that Star Fleet is hunting for? Like vigilantes? There are tons of possibilities. “Paramount execs. These are interesting ideas but wait how about this! We do a show about a Star Fleet school!” Yeah awesome….
Discovery, for better or worse, has focused on the character of Michael Burnham. There is no reason—yet!—to assume that Starfleet Academy will have the same flavor and atmosphere as Discovery.
This article completely glosses over Discovery’ s greatest sin, which the new series needs to avoid at all cost: failing to utilize an ensemble cast. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Disco mainly focused on Michael, a character many didn’t love. Also not a coincidence that SNW and Lower Decks DO give the entire cast moments to shine, just like TNG.
I find the Discovery and Pickard series really out of the moral and logical narrative. On the other hand the Orville has more deep messages and is fresh and funny. To me, as a long term fan of Startrek it is the true successor of Startrek.
Burnham’s abandonment of logic and embracing of emotional decision making, despite her Vulcan upbringing really put me off of the show. Hollywood has been pushing the trust your feelings over your reason for decades. I dislike it there and I dislike it in shows too.
For those of you to lazy to read the article:
It’s that Star Trek have abandoned science when it comes to solving problems and now it’s about feelings.
All of modern Star Trek needs to get rid of the miserable, self-loathing characters bogged down in contemporary social commentary and remember it’s supposed to be about a future where humanity has evolved past all of that.
Love the new stuff …. Star Trek is always at its best when the characters are so strong you care about them within the story line.
It’s always tackled societies issues and it continues to do so.
I love it all, sure some things are cheesy but there always is. From Spock singing with space hippies, Westley Crusher, Harry Kim and the Kimtones…. each time a new series comes out they have to play catch up with social commentary. Star Trek has always been woke, get over it.
Agreed but do you really think they are going to take that route? I suppose it depends on who’s running the show and who’s running the writing room. Having a great lead isn’t enough. She has to have great scripts to play. I also agree that there is a lot of potential here. It’s almost a totally new ball game. But they must adhere to the principles. As you say, that’s what the Academy is all about.
In needs to ditch everything that has to do with STD
Is it “only being available on a second-tier streaming service that I’m not going to pay for”?
Well said. I had to stop watching Discovery towards the end of season two and I never thought I’d give up on a Star Trek series.
I don’t disagree, although STD has multiple problems, including not thinking through the acronym 🙂
It doesn’t look like it will interest me in the slightest… and I’m a fan since the ’60s
I will never understand the hatred for this series. I don’t love the Captain, and I find the storytelling rough. But it’s fun, and I see so many things in the universe I’d love to see opened-up and explored.
I’m getting through the show, but it’s utterly predictable and boring at this point. They’re on the mission, onto the next super exciting clue. Ooooh will they make it? I don’t know. The opposition always somehow two steps ahead, beating the odds over and over again, major power shifts the drop of a hat that make o sense, and a main character trying so hard to be heartfelt and meaningful all the time, it just comes across as bad over acting.
But I do respect showing how, even in the future of the UFP, they still need to treat people of all types fairly. There is still much that ST can teach the people of today. In the face of rising fascism, I think this is a good thing.
I think someone’s forgetting a core tenet of Star Trek that has been there since the very first series. Strong personalities and messy emotional reactions and how they interact with a quasi-military structure built on principles, rules and heirachy. That’s what it’s about -what it’s always been about. Discovery is no different. It’s not about Logic and rules -it’s about the impact of the-often emotional- interaction of characters with their environment or the problem at hand. Star Trek in its various iterations ( except perhaps DS9) isn’t about starfleet’s structure and the application of rules -It’s about ‘humanity’ and its messy impact on the situations it finds during the journey. Nobody cares about cadet training.
Why are all the modern ones really dark inside the ships etc compared to the old ones? Has the cost of living crisis affected starfleet now
I don’t mind inclusivity as long as it doesn’t dominate the series…
We should probably stay away this Star Trek 5 season of the worst ST In my opinion we need to forget about all these characters it’s an alternate timeline and a boring universe where no common sense exist
I can’t stand all the interpersonal relationships on this version. So much time is wasted on nonsense that doesn’t matter to a diehard sci-fi fan.
I’ve committed myself to watching the final season of STD, but if Starfleet Academy is remotely as bad as STD I’m out.
Star Trek had from the start had stories that were apolitical. They were for everyone to enjoy, not slamming groups people as it created a society inclusive of everyone. It did have a humanist viewpoint that was couched into many of its stories. This humanist philosophy was not pushed above story. Good storytelling was always paramount. Star Trek showed a world where we had overcome petty hatreds, as well as poverty and bigotry. To show the dangers of these things, they had encounters with groups who still held to the hatreds humanity had overcome throgh the Federation, in the form of Klingons and Romulans. No matter how bad our current world was, we could watch Star Trek to see a future where we no longer had pettiness or poverty. This was all done with great story writting, even when it was with monsters in cheap plastic and rubber costumes. The original Star Trek won some of the most prestigious writing awards the Science Fiction field had to give. Now, political messaging is pushed so far to the forfront that good storytelling does not appear to even be a consideration.
I have zero interest in this. With the quality of TV out there they really need to step up their game. They cant rely on the name recognition alone. star trek strange new worlds got the formula right. Episodic series, solid sci-fi stories and interesting characters along with good pacing and action in the series.
Actually I likes the labyrinth episode but I agree with the overall theme that they need to lean back into science. You can have both, that’s always been in Star Trek, but they have leaned heavily into emotion in Discovery.
At the moment, Strange New Worlds is the only Star Trek I recognise, from all the new fodder.
There is a lot of what seems like pandering to the LGBTQ community going on. I always assumed that was motivated by money
I tried to watch Disco. It’s just bad. SNW is a solid ok. Lower Decks is ok. I miss Enterprise
Stopped watching after being a life long fan. Too much crying and loving looks! It’s a bit “yay team”.
Switched to Orville for a genuine ST experience/fix. Glad it’s cancelled.
can I rant some more? Sure! Thank you! Of all the ideas they could go with in the massive ST universe they go back to a training academy. I remember one rumor that there was going to be a series about a black ops teams traveling the universe putting out fires. Now that would be cool!. How about something out of the box like a ship crewed with renegades that Star Fleet is hunting for? Like vigilantes? There are tons of possibilities. “Paramount execs. These are interesting ideas but wait how about this! We do a show about a Star Fleet school!” Yeah awesome….
Discovery, for better or worse, has focused on the character of Michael Burnham. There is no reason—yet!—to assume that Starfleet Academy will have the same flavor and atmosphere as Discovery.
This article completely glosses over Discovery’ s greatest sin, which the new series needs to avoid at all cost: failing to utilize an ensemble cast. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Disco mainly focused on Michael, a character many didn’t love. Also not a coincidence that SNW and Lower Decks DO give the entire cast moments to shine, just like TNG.
How about we just stop making even the ship cry and we start there.
Discovery is way over the top with all the love in every couple of minutes
Being terrible?
Agreed
Disco was just Star Treks turn at checking boxes for ratings. It was terrible all around. I couldn’t make it past season 1.
I find the Discovery and Pickard series really out of the moral and logical narrative. On the other hand the Orville has more deep messages and is fresh and funny. To me, as a long term fan of Startrek it is the true successor of Startrek.
Burnham’s abandonment of logic and embracing of emotional decision making, despite her Vulcan upbringing really put me off of the show. Hollywood has been pushing the trust your feelings over your reason for decades. I dislike it there and I dislike it in shows too.
Woah, if you think this dude, you have woefully missed the whole point of difference between Captain Kirk and Spock.
Another post for people who never really liked, or understood Star Trek
Just make the show what the audience wants not what you think they need and it will be a hit.
Oh! I wonder what the mysterious “TROPE” could BEEEEE?!?!
For those of you to lazy to read the article:
It’s that Star Trek have abandoned science when it comes to solving problems and now it’s about feelings.
All of modern Star Trek needs to get rid of the miserable, self-loathing characters bogged down in contemporary social commentary and remember it’s supposed to be about a future where humanity has evolved past all of that.
Tick those boxes !!
I liked the reboot because it was a fresh look at old content.
Otherwise TNG was the pinnacle and TOS was a solid beginning.
DS9 looked solid too but not really my cuppa tea and Voyager got monotonous
The rest, I didn’t bother
Love the new stuff …. Star Trek is always at its best when the characters are so strong you care about them within the story line.
It’s always tackled societies issues and it continues to do so.
I’m not a fan of the star trek..
Discovery is fine, except it’s the Michael Burnham show.
I think Discovery would have benefitted from single episode storytelling.
But, it’s definitely C- writing. I think the actors deserved so much more. This final season is nearly unwatchable.
Welcome to woke
I love it all, sure some things are cheesy but there always is. From Spock singing with space hippies, Westley Crusher, Harry Kim and the Kimtones…. each time a new series comes out they have to play catch up with social commentary. Star Trek has always been woke, get over it.
It’s the lack of personal discipline, it’s a spaceship and discipline is required for survival. They now run around crying.
Old Star trek, modern Star strek. All are awesome. There is enough material to pick your poison.
Thats why I continue to watch the old ones….no need for FRESH approaches….