nihihine

I have just watched this for the first time. I am a sci fi fan but have never been into Star Trek at all, I was assured this show was not like other Star Treks (I don't know if that's true).

Each show is stand alone (episodic) and there are no arcs but I ventured in even though the grand arcs are central to any tv series I have enjoyed. They are in the most part very good standalone episodes, tight, tense and well crafted.

There were some difficult moments early on, its difficult to understand what centering Riker was about (is there something wrong the man's back? Quite distracting), but that soon passed.

Series one of any show is just finding its feet in my experience, and so I just push through it. For example - Data the android becomes a fascinating character later but comes across as a poor replacement for Spock at first.

I loved the world building around the functional and operational aspects of the Enterprise.

The actor who plays Worf was brilliant (the guy had a mask on, just perfected using his eyes, stance and breath to convey so much) and Geordie the amiable engineer was great.

The last series, 7, has been hilarious and right down my alley (occasionally a little weird around Dr Crusher - that ghost episode is the only one I would recommend people skip - it's just not right and feels exploitative, why blow your age rating for that rubbish?). It looks like the writers were having fun and the actors had a chance to extend themselves. The scientific concepts explored in series 7 were top notch - (did it inspire Fringe?) and I would definitely be down for a new show taking that further.

This is probably peak 'broadway' movie, I think if tastes hadn't changed this movie would be a lot better known. It deserves to be.

Lots of laughs and some amazing dancing in this.

Here are some of things that kept me watching.

I had a lot of laughs.

The chorus line dancers/singers grabbed my attention early on in the she's not in love number.

Carole Haney's dancing had me standing open mouthed - watch the dance in the suit, she looks like she is tapping her foot, but she is moving hip, knee, foot. My background is only ballet, so I'm no master but I know enough to recognise perfect timing and control and pure athleticism. I hadn''t previously heard of but looked her up after watching her performances in this - she was uncredited assistant director of dancing in singing in the rain, among many other things. My partners said 'this is so sexist' because of her character, but there's a reason in the plot for that.

John Raitt. Again I didn't know who this was and wondered why I had never heard of this good looking baritone who knew how to dance. In fact he was a big Broadway star and is the father of Bonnie Raitt.

I just put it on from Prime for some colourful background (in that cute late 50s/ early 60s colour explosion way) but it caught my attention and I really enjoyed it.

I have been trying to watch this series for over a decade and there are reasons I persist. But there is only so much Bradley whoever I can take. Is he on cocaine? Is that a story line that comes out later?

At this rate (one episode per 2 years) unless AI comes up with a way to scrub a character I will be dead before I finish. I'm sure his allies are working on this sort of technology for other reasons.

In spite of this the show is very good and the other characters and actors are great . Martin Sheen is fantastic of course and as a man of integrity you know he doesn't get involved with questionable projects. I like the way the story starts before they win the election, so we see this is not just about power for the sake of power.