Life, Itself

Well I kept saying after season 3 that I just want to see how they end this series. No offense to the actors but Burman's character, how she acts, and he loud whisper talk is nothing but annoying. I one episode of season 5 Burman and Tilly are on a secret mission, consideration disguised as the indigenous people of the planet. But yet they're walking and openly talking about their problems things that they wouldn't want local people hearing. In this last episode The shaky cam was also extremely annoying. As so many other people I've read here saying this is a series that they will never rewatch and I'm the same way. Absolutely no desire to ever watch this again. Really hope if there's going to be a future of Star Trek that they do better than this. The third season of Picard and with Star Trek Strange New Worlds, shows they can do better.

The tacked on extended coda indicates that Paramount thought Discovery had run its course.

Over the course of five seasons there were several brilliant episodes. The last two seasons were less than stellar and Paramount decided to pull the plug.

In the series finale. Moll is injured but Burnham allows for her to mended. Only tha thanks Burnham gets is that Moll tries to kill her gain. While Burnham tries to tell Moll that there is another way. Something Moll has shown no interest in following throughout the season.

As for the Progenitors. Burnham comes face to face with them and realises the true value of their gift which they did not actually invent.

The coda itself went on for too long. It could had ended with the Progenitors story. A solid but bland final episode.

I can't even say that I am sorry that the series has ended.

A tedious end to a tedious season of an increasingly tedious series. The series started out reasonably well, peaking with Captain Pike taking charge in Season Two. From then on, it was downhill all the way: the preaching tone of the episodes and the characters became insufferable; stopping for lengthy monologues in the middle of a crisis; lack of acting ability from the younger actors, who appear to have been chosen as part of some box-ticking exercise, rather than from any sort of skill at their chosen craft; poor writing; stretching out what would have been a story idea for one episode - or at most a two-parter - of Next Gen into a whole season. The list just goes on and on... Thank God it's over and it'll be the (so far, who knows what will come?) only series of Star Trek that I'll never bother to watch again.

Life, Itself is a mostly Burnham focused ending that for me has more good points than bad, but struggles to deliver the momentous scenes of a satisfying finale.

The intro scene hooks me into wanting to know the outcome, so does its job well. After the opening credits and throughout the conclusion to the Indiana Jones narrative of season 5, the Burnham and Moll focussed scenes are hit and miss.

I like that Burnham has to use her brain to overcome the main obstacle and the decision made late on works well. However, the fight scenes feel included for the sake of spectacle. Slow motion action with characters jumping about and landing in Marvel poses feels tiresome. Mol frustrates at every moment as an irretrievably one-note character.

The space battles are suitably energetic, when not pausing for heart-to-heart dialogue nor shouting annoying woohoos. I raised a smile at the "ignite the plasma" tribute to TNGs The First Duty. The spore drive related manoeuvre is a typically Star Trek moment of technobabble that I think works well, particularly as it shows all characters in unison.

It is hard not to be disappointed by the Breen portrayal. As much as I like Saru having a strong moment of limelight, they are not depicted as particularly competent antagonists. For me I wonder (as I have with several other of Trek's alien races over the years) how did they ever become a spacefaring civilisation?

The epilogue (Saru and T'Rina aside) feels long-winded due the focus on Burnham. This for me is the expected conclusion to a show centred so much around one character.

Easily the most enjoyable moment is the reveal involving the character Kovich.

Visually there are some great sci-fi designs, particularly the portal scenes. Most actors give strong performances, particularly Doug Jones and Sonequa Martin-Green.

I think the negative reviews are excessive, but I empathise with the frustrations of many viewers. It is not as flawed as Turnabout Intruder nor as ill conceived as These Are The Voyages. Yet, it has falls notably short of the standard set by All Good Things. I also preferred What You Leave Behind and Endgame.

I still remember starting my undergraduate studies in 2017, the same year "Star Trek: Discovery" premiered. The show was truly impressive, with its depiction of future technology and interstellar civilizations fulfilling many of my fantasies about humanity's potential journey into space. The second, third, and fourth seasons accompanied me through my entire undergraduate journey and into my master's program. The fifth and final season began streaming this March, coinciding with the completion of my thesis. I even thought it was quite serendipitous that the show would accompany me through both my undergraduate and master's studies. However, as the fifth season progressed, I became increasingly disappointed, and by today's final episode, I was thoroughly disheartened.

The fifth season initially introduced a very cool sci-fi concept that seemed highly appealing. However, as the season progressed, this concept, which should have gradually become clearer, remained elusive. All the suspense was left until the end, but it seemed the writers themselves did not know what this concept truly entailed, deciding instead to wrap things up hastily. Then, through the protagonist's wide-eyed monologues, they tried to teach the audience to cherish their lives, appreciate their friends and family, and love this diverse world. However, the effective communication of these morals requires a solid sci-fi core to support it. If you can't even tell a basic sci-fi story well, how can you expect the audience to believe in your so-called profound truths?

Science fiction dramas have lost their core essence of science fiction and are merely focusing on imparting so-called profound truths about love, family, and friends to the audience. Viewers don't appreciate being lectured. Dear writers, before attempting to educate your audience, please ensure you tell a good story first.