Choose Your Pain

Enjoying the series so far. I've heard the criticisms about whether this is Trek or not. I think it is. I have a friend who posits that the characters are actually in the Mirror Universe and are evil. No, there's no evil unless you're talking the evils of war and what humans, any of us, would do in a similar circumstance.

To say there's no precedence for these characters' behaviors is not to understand a few episodes across the Trek universe that were considered classics: DS9's "In the Pale Moonlight" where Sisko looks the other way while Garak assassinates the Romulan Senator Vreenak under false pretenses to bring the Romulans into the war with the Dominion. DS9, where Nog lost his leg, surrounded by Star Fleet officers who had the months-long task of holding their position against impossible odds -- those weren't your typical "Roddenberry" types. "Yesterday's Enterprise" where they were at war with the Klingons. Is anyone seeing a pattern here?

When Quark rightly spoke the following (paraphrased): Federation (Roddenberry) ideals are fine while your belly is full. Take that away and you really see who people are. Discovery is showing humanity for all it's worth...the good and the bad...in times of FREAKING WAR! That's real. That's appropriate.

I'll bet if Roddenberry were alive today, he would be onboard. Hey, even his son is.

If there had been an episode in any of the previous Treks where some character spoke a throwaway line that "there's only been one instance of mutiny in the history of Starfleet", I think the same critics would be onboard then.

And in spite of all this criticism, last eve's episode was a paean to so much Star Trek lore it was delicious...and to setup conflict via the tardigrade and resolve that same conflict in glorious "Roddenberry" fashion at the end was a beautiful thing. It's far more compelling to be in a dark place to eventually get to that Federation ideal we love so much...that's the conflict...that's the struggle...that's the tension. That's GOOD writing! It will make getting to that Utopia all the more sweet when it comes.

So, people, be realistic. Be reasonable. There's little more human than what was depicted in this episode. Chill out!

The best episode so far! Amazing characters. The NYTimes also gave a rave review. Definitely worth watching! The first few episodes focused on the lead, but now the story is spread out among an ensemble cast. And there's even just a bit of humor. I would definitely recommend this to fans of DS9.

I've found this series a bit hit and miss so far, however this episode was actually very good, very energetic, past paced and entertaining. I liked the story, it was very well written, and flowed well.

Dazzling special effects once again, they have out together an incredibly well produced show, it looks so good, I'm just wondering if they'll face a foe other than the Klingons?

Has The Captain made an enemy? I do hope so.

I am a little frustrated by the character of Michael, she is becoming an insufferable know it all, and has been right about everything in every episode, they need to address this soon.

Very good, 8/10.

They said the word f*ck ! This is not star trek, it's some mashed up version of multiple sci-fi series and non sci-fi series, with added gore and bad language. It really is depressing watching the star trek brand being trashed by this alternative trek reality these writers have created.

Just put someone in the show that isn't from the US. I can usually suspend belief in a SciFi show where everyone speaks with an American accent eg Killjoy and Dark Matter because the universe they create is far away from Earth in either time or distance but for a show about the Federation of Earth and the member planets in a few hundred years this stupid decision made the show unbelievable.

It MUST have some people from outside the US to make sense.