“All in all, a fairly decent episode. I’m still grading this show on a curve, hoping it becomes really great by season 3 (like TNG)“

Which troll?

I mean, you definitely don’t need to watch TNG in order, but the Klingon stuff was one arc that actually carried over to DS9. If you want to start with the Klingon episodes, “Sins of the Father” is a really good one, and the start of the ‘arc’ (if you could call it that) that concludes over a decade later in “Tacking…

-The former Doctor Who reviewer reviewing Star Trek? Is the universe gonna implode?

I have not, but it sounds like I should. Especially considering it’s only one season.

It’s also using the trope of recycling plot points (another mind wipe?). Which is below this awesome show.

I agree, for the first seasons. Season 1 was rough in spots, but came together incredibly in the end. Season 2 was a high-water mark for television comedy. This season has felt lighter on laughs and heavier on piece-shuffling, and it was very unsatisfying.

I strongly approve of your taste. Though I think POI is one of the best sci-fi shows of all time, if not *the* best (Yes, there are plenty of contenders). The Good Place is also fantastic, if not quite to that level. However, I was somewhat disappointed in this season. Taking the show out of the setting of the…

What we “need” is a good show. Not a copy of a style that’s worked before. Otherwise, I agree with you, and I’m not going to defend Whedon at all.

His point was nonetheless correct. 

I don’t buy the argument about the other Trek shows taking awhile to find their too. It’s a different time for television than the 90s and the 60s. There are far less episodes per season-is it really too much to ask to be better than the spinoffs’ first season? Being better than TNG Season 1 is not an accomplishment.…

So Broad City is The Wire of comedy? Interesting.

In this day and age, yes. I think a big part of the ‘not Star Trek’ thing is that they set it in the past. Many of the issues would be fixed if they just set it after the Dominion War. It would be seen as just a darker direction for the series, rather than fundamentally incompatible with the universe. But still, I…

Fine review. I saw someone else mention something I agree with: instead of fixing the fundamental issues of Season 1 like TNG and DS9 did, the Discovery writers are just giving the fans what they want. Which isn’t a good way to tell stories. Joss Whedon was right-you have to give the fans what they need. 

Cannot wait to see where this goes. This show really is the modern day Buffy. I’ve learned not to compare everything to Buffy because I will usually wind up disappointed, but The Magicians is one of the few shows that doesn’t completely suck in comparison. It’s been the best ‘genre’ show on the air since POI ended.…

Cannot wait to see where this goes. This show really is the modern day Buffy. I’ve learned not to compare everything to Buffy because I will usually wind up disappointed, but The Magicians is one of the few shows that doesn’t completely suck in comparison. It’s been the best ‘genre’ show on the air since POI ended.…

It’s weird that they dropped so many shows for not getting enough comments, when it was the PTB’s decision to move to Kinja that was the main reason for it. 

It was your thread on CT that inspired me to watch the show, now my all-time favorite. So, many years late, THANK YOU!

I agree. It was very funny, but felt like table-setting to me, as unfortunately much of the season has. The first two seasons managed to make (almost)every episode satisfying in their own way. This one hasn’t quite managed that. It somewhat shows the downsides of serialization.

In general, I prefer reviewers to at least sorta like the show they’re reviewing. That being said, Zack’s a great reviewer, and I can hardly blame him for not being enthusiastic about Discovery. Its first season was a boring mess.