I have been rereading Carol Plum Ucci’s excellent teen novel, “What Happened to Lani Garver”, and that caused me to start considering angels, and what they really are.
It's interesting they use those names! But I have no opinion on them, since I haven't yet seen Discovery. Several reasons: 1. I don't own CBS all access, so couldn't see it. And--
2. When the discs came out (I bought them for the library), I was reluctant to watch them, because--
a. Like you, I object to the new Klingons. MY Klingons are those of TOS, especially of "The Day of the Dove". I grew (semi) reconciled to TNG Klingons, but could never understand why they had to be so darn ugly! Since Discovery precedes TOS, logically, the Klingons should be either TOS or TNG Klingons. Why the retrofit?
b. Also, I didn't get or appreciate Michael's (apparent) connection with Spock's family. There are, at the very least, millions of Vulcans. Why couldn't she belong to a completely different clan?
In short, I could not be interested in a prequel that canon-shafted TOS, which I still love dearly!
But those are certainly interesting points. I'd love to know what you think of Picard. I was more interested in that because of--well, Picard! And I admired the prequel novel.
Thank you for such a thoughtful reply. I felt like that for a long time about Discovery - I made the decision not to buy the Netflix subscription that would have allowed me to watch it, and am only watching it now because it is on a channel that I can access for free. As I said, it is mostly the characters who have drawn me in - and while I like it, I still tend to feel that, while on its own terms it is very enjoyable, it isn't really 'Star Trek'. I think it is the feel of the thing that is quite different - it lacks the hope and optimism of both TOS and the three 'second wave' series.
I also agree with you about Michael Burnham. While I can imagine that Spock might never have mentioned his human foster-sister, especially as she is rather older than him, I really can't believe that Kirk and McCoy would have let something like that go without discussion - McCoy in particular would have questioned and needled Spock about her incessantly, I think! It would have been much better if she had been fostered by a different family - perhaps one known to Spock and Sarek, but not actually their family. It does increase my sense that she is something of a Mary Sue - she is probably my least favourite character, which is a pity, as she is clearly the hero!
I am getting to feel the same about 'Picard'. I like it, it's an interesting concept, and it does have Jean-Luc Picard, who is clearly the same man - but the Star Trek universe has changed a great deal. The technology is now our idea of 'futuristic', as opposed to that of the nineties - which is jarring - but it is also a very much bleaker universe, one where there are mercenaries and drug addiction, and where money seems to be much more prevalent. In many ways, it is more like the universe of Past Tense. I don't know if they will give some explanation for this, or if it is to be supposed that this was always lying behind the cleaner world of the Federation, but it is sad. The whole thing has a very elegiac feel - a fallen world that is only just holding together.
One thing about both series and their effects is that the ships seem curiously insubstantial - they don't seem to have the same presence that any of the Enterprises did.
But in Picard there are also angels! Raffi does turn out to be short for Raffaella, and she has an estranged son called Gabriel. Curiouser and curiouser!
1. I don't own CBS all access, so couldn't see it. And--
2. When the discs came out (I bought them for the library), I was reluctant to watch them, because--
a. Like you, I object to the new Klingons. MY Klingons are those of TOS, especially of "The Day of the Dove". I grew (semi) reconciled to TNG Klingons, but could never understand why they had to be so darn ugly! Since Discovery precedes TOS, logically, the Klingons should be either TOS or TNG Klingons. Why the retrofit?
b. Also, I didn't get or appreciate Michael's (apparent) connection with Spock's family. There are, at the very least, millions of Vulcans. Why couldn't she belong to a completely different clan?
In short, I could not be interested in a prequel that canon-shafted TOS, which I still love dearly!
But those are certainly interesting points. I'd love to know what you think of Picard. I was more interested in that because of--well, Picard! And I admired the prequel novel.
Always good to hear from you.
Reply
I also agree with you about Michael Burnham. While I can imagine that Spock might never have mentioned his human foster-sister, especially as she is rather older than him, I really can't believe that Kirk and McCoy would have let something like that go without discussion - McCoy in particular would have questioned and needled Spock about her incessantly, I think! It would have been much better if she had been fostered by a different family - perhaps one known to Spock and Sarek, but not actually their family. It does increase my sense that she is something of a Mary Sue - she is probably my least favourite character, which is a pity, as she is clearly the hero!
I am getting to feel the same about 'Picard'. I like it, it's an interesting concept, and it does have Jean-Luc Picard, who is clearly the same man - but the Star Trek universe has changed a great deal. The technology is now our idea of 'futuristic', as opposed to that of the nineties - which is jarring - but it is also a very much bleaker universe, one where there are mercenaries and drug addiction, and where money seems to be much more prevalent. In many ways, it is more like the universe of Past Tense. I don't know if they will give some explanation for this, or if it is to be supposed that this was always lying behind the cleaner world of the Federation, but it is sad. The whole thing has a very elegiac feel - a fallen world that is only just holding together.
One thing about both series and their effects is that the ships seem curiously insubstantial - they don't seem to have the same presence that any of the Enterprises did.
But in Picard there are also angels! Raffi does turn out to be short for Raffaella, and she has an estranged son called Gabriel. Curiouser and curiouser!
Reply
Leave a comment