#we all know galaxy quest is about star trek but spock's not in it so no one has to get mad about them fucking up spock

[lonesomedreamer]

SNW Liveblog: “Children of the Comet”

First, to recap my all-over-the-place liveblog of the pilot...

Things I liked about the pilot:

“First contact is just a dream…until one day, it isn’t.”

Some stunning visuals, especially in the opening credits

Spock and Christine had instant chemistry!

Uhura being a total sweetheart.

Ethan Peck looks good without a shirt. I’m weak, okay?

Things I disliked about the pilot:

So. Much. Cringey. Dialogue!

A lot of elements seemed more like fantasy than they did scifi—even stuff like altering the landing party’s appearance via “gene therapy”.

Breaking established Trek rules (i.e., using the transporter for intraship travel, using warp within the solar system, etc.)

The way the stars are animated while the ship’s in warp makes me feel nauseous.

The complete lack of TOS’s retrofuturistic aesthetic + the whole ship being lit like a dance club

Making Christine Quirky and Clumsy in an effort (I guess) to modernize her character?

Pike. I’m sorry. This episode didn’t sell me on the dude.

Things I hated about the pilot:

T’Pring proposing to Spock. T’Pring and Spock almost having sex. What???

The embarrassing, flagrant disregard for the Prime Directive by both the writers and, as a result, by Pike.

“Take me to your leader.” Miss me with that shit!

I also meant to mention during my liveblog that Uhura being a cadet (not even an ensign!) on Pike’s Enterprise and a Lieutenant and the Communications Officer on Kirk’s makes little to no sense. But neither does T’Pring proposing to Spock, so…there you go.

Why does Uhura wear a dress as her ordinary uniform and this uninspired jumpsuit as her “dress” uniform?

I do like the idea of officers being invited to eat dinner with the captain, something that real Naval captains did (and maybe continue to do?) That said… “You do NOT want to be late to the captain’s table.” Why? Will he be Disappointed in You? Pike does have some real Dad energy (which is not necessarily a compliment).

We swapped groovy mod-inspired 60s looks for THIS?

I know they bought a lot of the “civilian” costumes off the rack, especially in TSFS, but at least they tried. Does Pike shop for his weekend wear at the 23rd century equivalent of Kohl’s?!?

Also, Pike has a collection of model ships, nautical artifacts, and antique books…? Jim Kirk called: he wants his personality back. (I know Pike technically came first, but he only existed for a single episode before Kirk replaced him!)

Pike’s quarters are stupidly big. I mean, this is ridiculous. Kirk occupied a single room with a desk separated from a bed and chest-of-drawers by a wall screen!*

I love Uhura. She’s amazing and iconic and was NEVER just a “glorified switchboard operator”. If nothing else about this show, I appreciate that they’re trying to better-develop her character. But they really expect me to believe that she speaks 37 fucking languages? As much as I also like the message of “it’s best to communicate with someone in their own tongue,” this is the same universe that has the universal translator?!?? Uhura’s remarkable abilities don’t need to be unbelievable just to emphasize that she has always been special!

And of course they gave her a Tragic Backstory. Everyone on the Enterprise must either be an orphan or estranged from their parents, apparently.

The cringe factor of this is physically painful to me.

Sam Kirk of xenoanthropology? Funny, because once upon a time Jim Kirk (of Starfleet Command) said “he’s a research biologist.”

On that note, no one but Jim called him Sam! His given name was George. That isn’t unrealistic or, as I saw one person claim, a case of “unreliable” narrator (i.e., Kirk); this is just lazy writing.

These suits looks like something out of a parody. Galaxy Quest, an actual parody, looked better 25 years ago.

Since Sam Kirk is Doomed by the Narrative anyway, it’s hard to be upset by the way things have turned out here so far. He probably won’t die in this episode (otherwise why would they have done the bait-and-switch in the pilot/cast an actor?) but if he does, well…it probably sucks less for him than his canon death.

This shouldn’t need to be said, but “don’t take your foot off the gas” is not a colloquialism they’ll probably be using 250 years in the future. The whole pep talk thing between Uhura and Spock was amusing, though.

I appreciate that music is the basis of the alien language, because both Spock and Uhura are canonically musical. That was a good idea! But I don’t like any of the stuff happening on the Enterprise. Pike comes across as tongue-tied and almost incompetent when dealing with these aliens, though he’s marginally more capable while giving orders from the captain’s chair.

It is cool to see this Enterprise maneuvering in ways that earlier renditions of her couldn’t… but on the other hand, the whole “evasive maneuver” sequence looks very uncanny valley/video game-esque. (Also, why is no one falling out of their chairs?)

Now this—the no-win scenario Pike gives the Shepherds to force them to offer help—feels like some classic Trek. Of course it’s coming right at the end of the episode, but better late than never.

JJ Abrams and his lens flares continue to haunt this franchise.

Again, whatever Spock is up to in the shuttlecraft just seems like a video game to me.

A good use of “Fascinating”! <3

When you inadvertently break the Prime Directive (instead of purposefully).

Oh boy. I don’t like all this predicting the future/plot-point-X-was-predestined nonsense going on so far. I don’t like it at all. Though Pike struggling with and finding ways to accept his fate might be integral to the plot of the show, does every weekly plot and moral have to align with that larger theme? I’m not a fan.

*I saw someone speculating that this is a space called the “captain’s mess” separate from the captain’s actual quarters. It would explain why it’s so gargantuan and has a whole-ass kitchen…but NOT why it exists at all. Kirk didn’t have one—on the SAME ship. Picard, on his substantially bigger ship, didn’t either. So why does Pike?

The Good: Some cute moments between Spock and Uhura; the life-form on the comet communicating through music; a tiny nugget of Spockstine at dinner

The Bad: Lame, lazy, totally twenty-first-century costumes; giving Uhura an unnecessarily tragic backstory/unrealistic abilities (37 languages!); cringey dialogue continues; unnecessarily introducing Sam Kirk just to use him as a “red shirt”; more talk about fate/destiny and being able to see the future that, again, makes this feel a lot more fantasy than scifi

Still holding out for the S/C bits...on to the next one!

[wardenari]

7 Comfort Movies

I was tagged by @thejeeperswife​ and @laraslandlockedblues​.  Thanks!  As soon as I was tagged my brain immediately forgot any movie I’ve ever seen.  Took me a while to remember what the F I like LOL

Once I worked that out though, I had trouble making 7 because there were 8 and I just couldn’t eliminate anyone, so sorry, I don’t listen to the rules :P 

1. The Crow

How much do I love this? I STILL have the VHS because it has the final interview with Brandon Lee on it, which for some reason the DVD does not (???) When I was a senior in High School, actor Brandon Lee was killed on the set of his latest movie. At that time I was really into watching action movies (seemed like Van Damme and Steven Segal had a new movie every month) so I was familiar with Brandon (plus we all knew his dad). His death really hit me. When the movie came out, I was there opening night with my college friends. We watched it (I’m not kidding) 10 more times. Now keep in mind, movies were WAYYYYYY cheaper then, plus we got a college discount!! The sequels were “eh” to me, but this original, still breaks my heart. It’s the story of a loving, young couple killed because she stood up to the wrong people. It’s about getting vengeance, and getting the closure denied to you.

2. Penny Seranade

This movie is a comfort to me because it’s my grandma’s favorite movie. She lives in NY and I live in NC, so I rarely see her but this movie always makes me think of her. This is a HUGE tear jerker. TW: Miscarriage, Child death

3. The Big Lebowski

In college I took an “American Comedy” class for an elective. It exposed me to Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, and a host of others. The Coen Brothers was the final film we watched (”Raising Arizona”) and was one of the instructor’s favorites. This was a few years AFTER The Big Lebowski came out. I may have heard of it, but hadn’t seen it. After this class sparked an interest in the Coen brothers, I rented this movie (went to a Blockbuster and everything). Every time I watch this movie I notice something new. What’s it about? A rug. But it really did tie the room together.

4. Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

This movie is special to me because I remember my dad taking me and my brother (9 and 7 respectfully) to see this in the movies. My dad awakened a love for scifi in me and my brother and it’s something the 3 of us still bond over. I can remember my dad explaining to us the recap from the previous movie so we’d understand what was going on. Every time I see this on TV, I’m taken right back to that movie theater with my dad. It’s Star Trek, so I love it, I’ll watch all of them (well except maybe “Undiscovered Country”) over and over.

5. Serenity

I know Joss Whedon is not well liked anymore because even though in the 90s he was ahead of his time, he’s sadly not grown and updated his own thinking to reflect how the world had changed and improved.  But this movie is still a comfort to me because I was part of the movement to get it made. I got to see this in theaters 6 months before it was released. It wasn’t a final edit (so there were things in the version I saw that wasn’t in the release). But can you imagine having to keep mum about Wash for 6 fucking months from your best friend? Plus I love the story of a group of rag-tag people on the wrong side of the law taking on the powerful to do what’s right.

6. The Pink Panther

Oh Inspector Clouseau, you make me laugh so. I’m talking the ORIGINAL, with Peter Sellers here. This and the second movie make me laugh. It’s about a jewel theft, and even though Sellers didn’t even get top billing, he steals the show.

7. Galaxy Quest

You have to laugh at yourself, and as a sci-fi fan, this movie has that. It lovingly mocks those of us that go to cons, write fanfics, and just worship scifi. And I laugh so so much every time I see this. PLUS it has Sigourney Weaver and Alan Rickman, both of which I just love. Seriously Sigourney is my bad ass hero that I want to be when I grow up.

8. The Princess Bride This one is on many people’s lists for a good reason -- it’s a great film. This movie was my first ever real date!!  The date was a flop but the movie was great! Several years ago I showed it to the kids of my friend from High School. They didn’t like it so my friend is now wondering where she went wrong with her parenting. If you haven’t seen this well tell me so that once we’re out of isolation, I can come over and MAKE you watch it. It’s a grandfather telling a story to his sick grandson. It has giants, sword fights, pirates, princesses, an evil prince, and, yes, kissing.

Tagging @kemvee​, @fandomn00blr​, @turbootaku​, @esmeralda-juniper​, @thelittlestfische​, @charlatron​, @serial-chillr​, @sarenkascrawls​

[weerd1]

Star Trek DS9 Rewatch Log, Stardate 1909.24: Missions Reviewed, “Chimera,” “Badda Bing Badda Boom,” and “Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges.”

Odo and O’Brien are returning from a conference when their Runabout is rammed by a space whale. It suddenly disappears and their ship is infiltrated by a changeling. Initially, they think it might be a Founder, but Odo quickly understands this is a Changeling like him, one of the 100 sent out into the galaxy to explore. This one, called Laas, has found Odo, the only other shapeshifter he has encountered. Laas immediately shows a disdain for “monoforms,” and particularly after linking with Odo feels the two of them should leave to find other Changelings. He cites the fact Odo knows there is a virus killing the Founders, and together with the other 100, they could form a new Great Link. Also, after having linked Laas knows that Odo stays for one reason only: Kira. Odo tries to get Laas to socialize with his friends but it doesn’t go well, with Laas increasingly taunting Odo for bending to the monoforms’ sense of normal rather than being himself.

 When Laas is antagonized by two Klingons on the Promenade, the altercation runs deadly with Laas stabbing a Klingon. When Sisko agrees to extradite Laas to the Empire, Odo believes it would not have happened if Laas were not a Changeling. Quark tells Odo that “solids” are programmed on a genetic level to distrust things that are different. When Odo confronts Kira on this, she realizes how torn he is. She released Laas and tells Odo what planet he can go to in order to find him and start their quest to find the other 100. Odo does go, but tells Laas that he—and Quark—are wrong about humanoids, and Kira is the example that proves it, putting Odo’s desires above her own.  Odo bids Laas farewell and returns to Kira. She regrets that they cannot link, but Odo becomes a shimmering mist and surrounds her, encompassing her in the most intimate way he can be with a humanoid.

An interesting look at xenophobia, and how it seems to work both ways with the humans (or humanoids) being distrustful, but Laas himself also refusing to consider them as anything more than savage. It’s an important step for the Odo/Kira relationship, but with knowledge of where the show is going, also is setting the stage for Odo’s eventual exit from the Alpha Quadrant, and making Kira who he leaves behind. That’s a few episodes off though, and right now we can wallow in and wrap the warmth that is their love for one another around ourselves like a cozy blanket. (Before it is ripped away from us.) It would be interesting to see what ever became of Laas and if he found others.  Laas Is played by JG Hertzler, who usually plays General Martok the Klingon. His performance and the makeup here come together well enough to make you forget it’s the same man. Also, when Laas first appears as a bit of cosmozoa I would describe as a space whale, it seems to me to be very similar to a gormagander which we will see later (earlier?) on “Discovery.” Memory Alpha, the Star Trek wiki, does not make that connection however, so maybe it’s just me.

Vic Fontaine’s casino is in trouble in “Badda Bing Badda Bang.” The program is suddenly taken over by a holographic mobster known as Frankie Eyes. They can’t just restart the program as it will wipe Vic’s memory. Bashir contacts “Felix” who programmed it in the first place and finds out the takeover is a “Jack-in-the-Box”: an effort to keep the game fresh. 

To restore the program (and keep Vic safe) Julian and Miles have to find away to get rid of Frankie Eyes that doesn’t get Vic killed. Much of the rest of the staff want to help, owing a debt to Vic in one form or another. Kassidy Yates also argues for Vic being more than a hologram, but Sisko does not want to participate because he feels the inclusivity of the program ignores the true history of the period, and the struggle African-Americans would have existing in 1962 Las Vegas. Kassidy argues that you don’t have to forget your past to enjoy a version that demonstrates how it SHOULD have been, provided you know the truth. Sisko ponders that while the crew come up with a heist plan to take the casino’s money, preventing Frankie Eyes from passing the cut on to his higher benefactors in the mob. The plan is sound except they need one more role in the heist filled. Sisko unexpectedly appears in order to fill it.

 They prep, but of course there are snags along the way and the plan has to adapt to other little unexpected moments built into the program. They do manage to pull it off, ruining Frankie Eyes and restoring Vic’s casino. To celebrate, Ben actually joins Vic on stage to sing “The Best is Yet to Come.”

The last fun episode of the show, period,  they still manage to get in some interesting commentary.  The argument we may have over a film like “The Patriot” that idealizes a character who would most likely have been a slave owner is demonstrated well here, and Sisko, particularly after his experience as Benny Russell in “Far Beyond the Stars” and “Shadows and Symbols” is the right character to point it out. This is in the end a heist episode, completely in the spirit of “Ocean’s 11” and it never falls into the Trek Trope of “Oh no, the holodeck is going to kill us.” They want to help Vic because the change is real for HIS world, in he has, whether sentient or not, helped them all in their own world (Nog in particular who is well used here). Again, there’s a larger issue here whether or not holograms are life forms, but for the most part, this is a chance to catch your breath, because the next one is back to the big questions.

“Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges” begins with the return of Sloan from Section 31. He knows Bashir is going to attend a medical conference on Romulus with Admiral Ross and Senator Cretak (who, despite being a different actress, we last saw having a stand off with Kira over a heavily armed Romulan hospital in the season opener). Sloan wants Bashir to collect information on the health of the head of a Romulan Tal Shiar (their equivalent of Section 31 and the Obsidian Order). Bashir goes on the trip and finds to his surprise that Sloan is himself there. 

When Koval of the Tal Shiar hopes Bashir can show him how to introduce the Dominion “Quickening” virus into a population, he tells Sloan they have to stop him.  Sloan however just wants a medical diagnosis as it turns out Koval suffers from a rare Romulan disease.  Bashir realizes Sloan plans to kill Koval and make it look like his illness, and that Sloan to know about this must have a mole in the Romulan government. He goes to Ross, who plans to act but mysteriously suffers and aneurysm, leaving Julian on his own. He goes to the one person he trusts, Senator Cretak, to get information that could save Koval. Soon after Koval arrests and interrogates Bashir, soon bringing him before the Romulan ruling council, lead by the Praetor himself (last seen as a proconsul WAYYYYYYYY back in the TNG 5thseason episode “Unification” which had Spock trying to repair Vulcan and Romulan relations). Also there is Cretak, who was caught gathering her information. Koval also brings in Sloan, who he reveals to be a simple intelligence officer looking for revenge for Romulans killing his mentor. Section 31 is a fiction. Koval believes however that Cretak is actually conspiring with Starfleet to kill him, and the council decides to strip her of status, and possibly execute her. In her place on the council, they appoint Koval. 

They plan to release Bashir, but Sloan is to be kept. He tries to escape, but is disintegrated by Koval. Back on the way home, Bashir is deep in thought, and he goes to confront the recovered Ross.  Bashir demands to know where Sloan is, as Bashir has realized that the plot all along was to get Koval, the ACTUAL Section 31 mole onto the council, while sacrificing Ross’ friend Cretak. Bashir has been outmaneuvered by Sloan and Section 31, getting them exactly what they wanted…and Ross must have known.  Ross tells Bashir “Inter arma enim silent leges,” a quote from Cicero that means “in war, the law falls silent.” Bashir is appalled, asking if the Federation is to become a new Roman (or perhaps Romulan?) Empire. Ross dismisses him, and sure enough back on DS9 Sloan reappears, thanking for being a good man who could be counted on to do the right thing so Section 31 could exploit it. Bashir considers calling security, but knows it will do no good.

This one is deep, and Section 31 digs its place in Trek history a little deeper. I really liked Megan Cole as Senator Cretak, eating a jumja stick and winning over Kira before proving to be crafty at the beginning of the season, but she was unavailable for this one.  Casting Adrianne Barbeau, no stranger to the genre (Escape from New York, Creepshow, Swamp Thing, being married to John Carpenter) is a bit of a delight though, and her Cretak is a bit more sympathetic than Cole’s which fits this story well.  Also look for John Fleck as Koval, who among other roles will play the Suliban Silik on “Enterprise.”  The episode though is another unflinching look at what even the best of nations may have to do in war, and what our soldiers may lose of our souls and values to protect the souls and values of the people and nation.

NEXT VOYAGE: The epic NINE PART finale of Deep Space Nine begins with Sisko about to marry Kassidy Yates and Worf back in Dominion hands in “Penumbra”!

[dawnquafam]

Star Trek the original series! Or, if you haven't watched that, The 2009 Star Trek Movie!

I have seen and utterly adore both so I did both!

TOSTop 3favorite characters – Bones, Chekov, ScottyTop 3least favorite characters – I don’t really think aboutthis for TOS, I like all the mainsTop 3OTPs – I don’t really have OTPs for TOS… Sarek/Amandais adorable, but I wouldn’t call them an OTPTop 3nOTPs – Don’t really have any nOTPs for it eitherTop 3brOTPs – Kirk/Spock/Bones, Sulu/Chekov, Scotty/EnterpriseTop 3favorite episodes/chapters/scenes/games in series – Journeyto Babel, Trouble with Tribbles, and… perhaps Shore LeaveTop 3other things u think ppl who like this thing should watch/read/play – Star Trek:Voyager, Star Trek: Enterprise, Stargate: SG-1Myrating of this media out of 3, with 0 being lowest and 3 being highest – Probsa… 2? I love it, I love all of these dorks, but I am not a fan of constantShakespeare references and constant extended philosophical speeches (I know, I’min the wrong fandom for that, but Star Trek is just. So good. I need my hopefulsci-fi future)

AOSTop 3favorite characters – Jaylah, Bones, JimTop 3least favorite characters – I like everyone exceptAdmiral MarcusTop 3OTPs – Chekov/Jaylah, Spock/Uhura, Jim/CarolTop 3nOTPs – Chulu (Sulu is happily married with a daughter,and even before we knew that, Chekov would’ve been like 14 and Sulu 19 whenthey met, that ain’t right), Kirk/Khan (idk why anybody even ships that),Kirk/Pike (respect the father/son relationships people)Top 3brOTPs – Kirk/Spock/Bones, Chekov/Sulu, Scotty/everybodyTop 3favorite episodes/chapters/scenes/games in series – Everyscene in Beyond with Bones taking care of Spock, Beyond’s use of Sabotage (thattops even Ragnarok’s use of Immigrant Song imo, nothing shall surpass thatmoment), Jaylah’s intro scene Top 3other things u think ppl who like this thing should watch/read/play – WonderWoman, Galaxy Quest, Guardians of the GalaxyMyrating of this media out of 3, with 0 being lowest and 3 being highest – 3.Beyond specifically is a 5

[aion-rsa]

Star Trek: Prodigy Timeline Explained — How is Janeway Already a Hologram?

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

Mild spoilers ahead for the Star Trek: Prodigy premiere, “Lost and Found.” 

The creators of Star Trek: Prodigy cannot promise Tribbles. They’re not saying you won’t see Tribbles, but they can’t promise them, either. The new series — which just debuted on Paramount+ — is the first Star Trek series explicitly aimed at children. But the creators, Kevin and Dan Hageman know that even the big kids in the Trek audience are curious about what to expect for this new series. When does it take place? Will we see any familiar faces? And, since it’s for kids, will there be tribbles?

“Though you don’t see it yet in the pilot, our show is trying to hit some of the greatest hits right away,” Kevin Hageman says. “What makes Star Trek? Tribbles are high up there.” But, his brother and collaborator Dan Hageman adds: “There could be anything in this galaxy. There could be tribbles. We can neither confirm nor deny.” One thing the creators of Prodigy can confirm is that this animated Trek doesn’t take place in a canon vacuum. Here’s when Prodigy happens relative to the other shows, and how the Hagemans are working with the creatives at Picard and Lower Decks to make the Final Frontier boldly consistent…

First, some general background: For the intended audience of Prodigy — kids 7 years old and up — the universe of this series won’t seem particularly confusing. The action follows an alien named Dal (Brett Gray) and his quest to escape a forced-mining operation run by a baddie called The Diviner (John Noble.) Imagine the Guardians of the Galaxy breaking out of prison, but for kids, and you’ve pretty much got your set-up. Dal recruits a friendly rock alien named Rok-Tahk (Rylee Alazraqui), a talkative Tellarite named Jankom Pog (Jason Mantzoukas) a blob named Murf (Dee Bradley Baker) and a Medusan called Zero (Angus Imrie). Along with the Diviner’s daughter Gwyn (Ella Purnell), the gang finds an abandoned experimental Starfleet ship called the USS Protostar, and, by the end of the first episode, escape on that starship to freedom. But here’s the catch, none of these kids have known a life outside of the mining prison, and because this all takes place in the Delta Quadrant, they’re kind of out in the wilderness. Yes, that’s the same distant Delta Quadrant where the USS Voyager was once stranded, far from Federation space. 

This is by design. The Hagemans want the characters to learn about the Federation and Starfleet organically, which starts to happen in the second episode. Still, if you’re a longtime fan of the franchise, there are actually some Easter eggs hiding in plain sight in the pilot. Zero the Medusan and Jankom the Tellarite are both from alien species that were first featured in the TOS. Though we’ve seen the Tellarites a decent amount on Discovery, the Medusans only appeared in one TOS episode, the famous third season banger, “Is There In Truth, No Beauty,” in which Spock rocks the IDIC pin, and those red space shades.

“We combed through the entire universe and found things that were really interesting, that we thought were being underutilized,” Kevin Hageman says. “Because you know, Trek has covered Klingons, let’s say, really well. So we weren’t going to make Klingons our main villain. But on the flipside, Klingons are an important species, so we definitely want to introduce our young audience to Klingons. Without saying too much!”

One thing the pilot of Prodigy does introduce to all viewers is a training hologram version of Captain Kathryn Janeway, voiced by Kate Mulgrew, reprising her role for the first time since Voyager ended in 2001, and since her brief cameo as Admiral Janeway in Star Trek Nemesis in 2002. But, if Janeway has been turned into a training hologram when does this zany new Trek even take place? Physically the show is set in the Delta Quadrant, but what year is it? The answer is, Prodigy happens in the year 2383; five years after the end of Voyager, roughly a year after the most recent season of Lower Decks, and very close to the earliest flashback in Picard, in 2385. Meaning, Prodigy is wedged into a very specific part of the canon. And, apparently, five years after bringing Voyager home, and accepting the promotion to Admiral in Nemesis, it seems Janeway agreed to have her personality and likeness be turned into a training hologram. This means that our Janeway is still out there. The hologram Janeway hasn’t replaced her, there are now (at least) two of her. The precedent for this is pretty simple. In the DS9 episode, “Doctor Bashir, I Presume?” we met Doctor Zimmerman, the human upon which the Emergency Medical Hologram was based. Now, it seems the same is true of a training hologram based on Janeway.

Bottom line: In Prodigy, all of these Star Trek rules matter. “We wanted to make sure our show wasn’t in some cartoon Mirror Universe,” Kevin Hageman says. “We know we are right around Picard. We’ve been talking with their showrunners about what they’re doing. Making sure it all works together. There are events in Picard that will drastically affect our young characters.”

Although it’s unclear how the events on the other side of the galaxy will impact the characters on the Protostar, it has been made clear that Robert Beltran is also reprising his role as Chakotay from Voyager. Interestingly, this is also around the same time Seven of Nine is probably joining the Fenris Rangers in Picard. As Prodigy expands it could shed new light onto what is becoming perhaps the interesting decade of the 24th century, the 2380s. Why are so many events clustered here? What else could be happening? For the first time, Star Trek will answer these questions from a new perspective. For the first time in Trek history, the crew of a new starship knows less about Star Trek than the Trekkies. 

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Star Trek: Prodigy airs new episodes on Thursdays on Paramount+.

The post Star Trek: Prodigy Timeline Explained — How is Janeway Already a Hologram? appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/30YP7Yn

[nashforhire]

Star Trek asks: ALL OF THEM

1. Top 3 favorite female characters?

Jadzia Dax 

Ro Laren 

Guinan

2. Top 3 favorite male characters?

Dr McCoy

Spock

Picard

3. Top 3 least favorite characters?

Dr Pulaski

Kai Winn

Eddington

4. Favorite alien species?

Klingon (I may own a Bat’Leth that may or may not be hanging on my wall)

5. Episode plot you wish they had handled differently?

Basically all of S7 DS9 and The Outcast (TNG)

6. Character you feel a show could have done without?

Pulaski. She was awful and added literally nothing to the show. 

7. Who would make up your crew dream team?

McCoy, Spock, Picard, Barclay, Dax, and Worf. 

8. Which captain would you most want to serve under?

Picard

9. Which episode plot do you prefer?

     a. Time traveling to the past or dealing with time travelers from the future?

     b. Going undercover to spy on enemies or going undercover to explore pre-warp planets?

    c. Holodeck malfunction or space anomaly?

    d. Ship being taken over or being stranded on a planet?

    e. Rapid aging or de-aging?

    f. Diplomatic negotiations or all out battle?

10. Which alien pet would you most want for your own?

Cardassian Riding Hound

11. Top 3 OTPs?

Gashir

Worf/Jadzia

Scotty/Uhura

12. Top 3 NOTPs?

Kira/Odo

Picard/Vash

Worf/Troi

13. A ship you wish had been canon and why?

Gashir. Having an actual gay couple that wasn’t just queerbaiting or “Bury Your Gays”

14. A ship you wish hadn’t been canon and why?

Odo and Kira. The whole thing was just so forced and weird and no. Just no. And Odo spending a creepily long time pining over Kira like a weirdo was so... gross. 

15. Top 3 favorite alien crewmembers?

Spock

Jadzia

Worf

16. If you could steal the basic plot of an episode for one show and apply to another which would you choose?

Really any of the Mirror stuff applied to TNG. I’m so annoyed we didn’t get any Mirror Picard.

17. What role would you have aboard a starship?

If I lived in the Trek verse, why the fuck would I join Starfleet when you can travel space on your own??

18. If you had to fight a character who would you choose?

Maddox. I want to punch that asshole in his stupid face. 

19. You can undo one plot point, which do you choose?

All the Pah Wraith shit with Dukat. 

20. Which piece of technology do you wish existed in reality?

Replicators. 

21. What kind of stories do you hope the new show does?

Some Star Trek ones would be nice. I don’t know what garbage they think they’re doing, but that train wreck isn’t Star Trek. 

22. Would you rather serve on a starship or a space station?

Neither.

23. Favorite tropes?

I’m skipping this one.

24. Which character do you relate to the most?

Reg Barclay

25. Favorite villain(s)?

Gul Dukat. He’s my precious garbage angel. 

26. Which alien hybrid offspring are you most interested in seeing?

I really wanted Worf and Jadzia to get a family together. 

27. What do you wish they had handled differently?

All of S7 of DS9, or as we call it - the bad ending. 

28. Character(s) you want to cosplay as?

T’Pau

29. Favorite and least favorite episodes?

Favourite - Civil Defense (DS9)

Least Favourite - Sub Rosa (TNG)

30. Something you wish you could delete from canon?

Pulaski.

31. A crossover with another show/movie/book/ect, that you’d want to see?

I’d really just like Galaxy Quest and Orville to be ST Canon

32. F/M/K.

Dukat/Barclay/Pulaski

33. Whose twitter feed would you most want to follow?

Data. I think it would be endlessly entertaining. 

34. What do you think *insert character*’s tumblr would be full of?

Garak’s secret tumblr would just be a lot of fashion reblogs, vague blogging shade about friends and coworkers, and odd posts that may or may not be coded spy messages (but who’s to say, really?) 

35. A minor character you wish had become a main character?

Reg and Garak. They are in surprisingly few episodes. 

36. A social issue you hope the new show tackles and how?

I hope the new show fucks off forever. Can it cover that?

37. Character A and Character B get into a fight, who wins?

ngl, watching anyone try to fight Data is funny af. 

38. *Insert crew here* is thrown back in time to *insert time period here*, how do they handle it, which fashion trends do they pick up, who threatens the timeline the most, who is saddest when they have to leave, who is most knowledgeable, who stands out the most, ect?

Look, just watch the episode of the Orville that covers this. 

39. You have to relocate to a planet other than Earth, which do you choose?

Risa

40. If you got a trek inspired tattoo what would it be?

I have two. Leonard Nimoy signed my arm and I had it tattooed on, and I also have “live long”/”and prosper” tattooed along the sides of my middle and ring ringers. 

41. Which episode(s) creeped out/scared you the most?

Spider Reg in Genisis was fucked up.

42. Which episode(s) made you cry?

The end of Wrath of Khan makes me cry every time. 

43. Order of shows from most to least favorite?

TOS

TNG

DS9

Orville 

Galaxy Quest

TAS

44. If *insert crew* ended up in the modern day what would amaze them the most?

Well, the fact that the Eugenics wars didn’t happen would probably come as a shcok. 

45. Which alien culture would you most want to live in/would feel most comfortable?

Trill maybe. 

46. If they rebooted *insert show here* who out of modern day actors would you pick to play the main characters?

STOP. REBOOTING. SHIT.

47. An unpopular opinion you have?

Disco is garbage and it’s not Star Trek.

48. Sort the crew of *insert show here* into Hogwarts houses.

I’m just going with TOS, TNG, and DS9 and I’ll do as many as I feel like.

Gryffindor - Kirk, Scotty, Riker, Worf, Sisko, Kira, Nog

Ravenclaw - McCoy, Spock, Uhura, Picard, Jadzia, Odo, Julian

Hufflepuff - Sulu, Chekov, Crusher, Data, Geordi, Reg, Jake, Rom

Slytherin - Chapel, Troi, Wesley, Garak, Dukat, Quark

49. A favorite ST fic?

I don’t really have one. 

50. A random headcanon?

Garak absolutely has that secret tumblr and it is SO SALTY. 

[lunastationquarterly]

The Sea Below and the Sky Above – The Quest to Find Other Sentient Beings

We've talked before about how mankind looks for fellow sentient, intelligent creatures among the stars. Some think it's plausible, some think it's ridiculous. Whatever you think about SETI and real-world theories about alien lifeforms, it's nearly impossible to deny that alien encounters can make for really interesting pieces of fiction. Science fiction doesn't stop its search for intelligence at the earth's atmosphere, though. What if we aren't the only sentient lifeforms even on this planet? It would certainly bring up a lot of complications, due to the way humanity has treated other species. Who would it be, though? What would our intercultural relations be like? And how would we find out? Dolphins and whales are one of the most common non-human earth species portrayed in science fiction as sentient. Biologists have speculated for a long time that they actually are quite intelligent and sensitive animals. In a way, they're a bit like aliens, because they live in a world that's challenging for us to reach - oceans and rivers. Could it be that our companions in the galaxy have been living beneath our waters all this time? Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home , while primarily a comedy about being displaced in time, is also an exercise in human humility. Spock chastises his crew mates in the beginning of the film when they assume that the message of a mysterious probe must be for them. What makes them think they're the only ones worth talking to on the planet? Douglas Adams features sentient and uber-intelligent dolphins in the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy trilogy. While the dolphins are far smarter than humans, their attempts at sophisticated communications are taken as no more than simple amusement park tricks, like whistling and jumping through hoops. Even more intelligent than the dolphins are the mice, originators of the entire planet, who are trying to figure out the answer to the most important question in the universe. What does it all matter, though? It isn't any different than us trying to find life out there in the universe, is it? I think the startling thing is how frequently we wonder if we are alone in the universe, or even on the planet. It's like we know there has to be something more. Why does that question linger so long in our collective unconscious? What do we know that we can't quite put our finger on? Who else is out there?

[frasier-crane-style]

Let’s talk about Treks, baby

So I’ve been watching The Orville, which has been coming along pretty nicely and seems to have developed something of a following among Trek fans, proving successful enough at Galaxy Questing the franchise (although Galaxy Quest itself is getting a show, because peak television). I wouldn’t say it’s a quantum leap better than Discovery, but I do think, even with the dick jokes and Norm MacDonald slime creatures, it’s trying to be Trek in a way Discovery isn’t, which explains the goodwill it’s garnering. Discovery seems to be going for some... Star Trek by way of J.J. Abrams by way of prestige television cliches by way of Game of Thrones. And we already have The Expanse and it’s doing a better job of it. Sometimes chasing modern trends gets you Casino Royale, sometimes it gets you Quantum of Solace, but a lot of the time people just want a classy Roger Moore adventure without all the brooding.

Part of the problem is that Discovery seems to be yet another allegory for 9/11-cum-the War on Terror, which the franchise has been doing since Enterprise. All three of the reboot films have concerned themselves with villains who are driven to avenge injustices or protect their people, but go too far and become monsters in the process (would it be grasping at straws to say Nero blaming the Vulcans for Romulus’ destruction and trying to kill Spock is a metaphor for attacking Iraq after 9/11? Before you answer, consider Star Trek Into Darkness). And now Discovery is more of the same. I know, I know, it’s topical, but seriously... Klingons as Trump voters. Doesn’t that feel a little like you just accidentally peed on your shoe?

Plus, at a certain point, going “Starfleet isn’t a military organization! We’re all pacifists! Make love not war!” comes off a little hypocritical when your entire story revolves around beating people up and blowing shit up and shooting each other and running around so you can get close enough to punch someone. Say what you will about The Orville, but in the last episode, two big action sequences revolved around saving a crashed starship pilot and navigating through a dangerous space phenomenon. It’s almost like you can have an exciting space adventure without anyone being murdered.

The Orville is approaching a multitude of different social topics and science-fiction concepts, but their biggest problem is that I don’t think they quite engage with any of them. There’s plenty of external conflict, yes, but little internal conflict. The plots tend to be simplistic, with a bad guy who is bad because he’s either evil or (less often) misinformed, and so the stories just revolve around overcoming the bad guy. 

For instance, early on we have a plot where a female baby is born in a monogendered (male) race. Most of the crew wants her to be left ‘as nature intended,’ while the aliens believe that without ‘corrective’ surgery, she’ll be socially ostracized and have an awful life. Not to ruffle any feathers, but that’s a somewhat arguable position--however, the episode gilds the lily by having the aliens be virulent sexists, and so the protagonists are arguing “women ain’t so bad” while the antagonists argue “women suck.” What’s especially weird is that a main character who’s a member of the alien race, Bortus, doesn’t seem to have any problems with serving under a female XO or serving with any other woman (if he or others of his species did, you think that would be a problem for the Federation-esque Union). If that’s meant to be an in-universe hypocrisy, that the aliens believe the women of other races are fine but that their own are awful, then that should be pointed out. Otherwise, it’s a viewpoint made up just to make the aliens’ position indefensible. 

In another episode, the crew is trying to save a generation ship whose people have forgotten they’re on a spaceship and developed a religion and culture of their own, but they’re going to crash into a star. Maybe there could be some good conflict in whether the Orville should shatter their worldview to save their civilization, or how they should go about it, but nope, the religion is an evil cult (T-Bag is their leader!) and the good guys reveal the truth without any compunction. Consider how much more dramatic it would be if, instead of the crew coming across bad guys stoning heretics in the town square, they found a more benign religious festival and had some misgivings at destroying a people’s culture, no matter what the benefit. Tell me that isn’t a situation that would benefit from the steely wisdom of Patrick Stewart.

[nsmtnz]

So, here's the thing about the second, third, and fourth Star Trek movies: they're a trilogy. And Search for Spock plays true to form for most two-of-threes: lots of feelings on display and not a whole lot of plot.

But that's okay! Search for Spock is one of the reasons I tend to disagree with the odd-versus-even Star Trek Movie Rule, because Star Trek 3, while not a very complicated story, is still pretty emotionally satisfying if you're invested in the characters, and okay, we definitely are.

Did I mention this is the one where they all get badass leather jackets?

Basically, the Enterprise returns to Earth to the news that even on top of Spock's recent, tragic death, everything is garbage: they're denied permission to travel to Vulcan to attend Spock's funeral, and Starfleet is retiring the Enterprise (which at this point is over 20 years old) and replacing it with a hot young thing named the Excelsior, a ship Scotty, who is a starship engineer in the 23rd century, thinks is too fancy and complicated and hates with all his being.

It's hard to say which of these two things is more upsetting to Kirk: being denied the opportunity to grieve his best friend-slash-life-partner, or losing his best girl to the political machinations of a PR-conscious Starfleet, who would rather the Enterprise crew hang around to do damage control over the Genesis incident.

But no worries: here comes Sarek, Spock's dad and Vulcan Ambassador to the Federation, to hand Kirk & Co. a new quest like a video game NPC: Spock, though his body died, would have transferred his consciousness to someone else given half the chance. Sarek wants it back, and he's super-pissed (in a distinctly Vulcan way) at Kirk for leaving Spock's body behind on Genesis. Sarek thought Spock would have hitched a ride with Kirk, who even Sarek knows was his son's best friend in the galaxy, but it turns out that Spock hitched a ride with McCoy instead, leaving our favourite curmudgeon space doctor speaking in tongues and having hallucinations while he tries to deal with his passenger.

This one was directed by Nimoy. Here I assume he's instructing on the appropriate level of manly weeping.

Kirk, being Kirk, takes one look at the facts and comes to the only logical conclusion: LET'S STEAL THE ENTERPRISE AND GO ROGUE.

In the end, after some frankly forgettable battles with random Klingons and the (tragic?) death of Kirk's son David, Spock's body - regenerated to health by his time on Genesis - and his katra (the Vulcan soul) are reunited, and Spock is saved. The crew is reunited, the day is saved, and all is well. I  mean... except for the mutiny charges that are no doubt awaiting them back on Earth.

This is literally the happiest we've ever seen any of them. *sniff*

Next time on NSMTNZ: Star Trek: The Voyage Home, AKA: The One with the Whales, AKA: The Best Star Trek Movie, Bar None. Are you excited?

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[From The Not So Much The Neutral Zone Podcast]

[luminousfinn]

Vader, new canon and Kylo Ren’s “self evident” redemption

A lot of the arguments for Kylo Ren’s redemption - and for the fact that he obviously will be - boils down to "Well Vader did just as bad and he was redeemed” rhetoric.

But here’s the thing, Vader wasn’t redeemed. Not in new canon.

In old canon he was, the galaxy at large was at least okay enough with him that they didn’t take it out on Luke and Leia despite the fact that it was common knowledge that he was their father. They may not have loved him, but the galaxy on a whole did forgive him to some degree.

But that was old canon, the new one tells a very different tale. A tale where Luke is the only one who ever forgave Vader, where the galaxy hates him so much still that it ruins Leia’s career when it become know she’s his daughter. In fact Leia herself hates him and haven’t forgiven him, and feels like throwing up every time Luke talks about Vader’s redemption as told us in Bloodline.

So Vader was not redeemed in the eyes of the galaxy (and if the concept art for his Force ghost that was at one point meant to appear in TFA is any indicator nor in the eyes of the Force). 

The only one whom he set things right with, was Luke.

This marked difference might have to do with the fact that new canon were heavily influenced by two Jewish men, JJ Abrams and Lawrence Kasdan, and they were the ones who created the characters and storyline for the ST.

Redemption in Judaism means literally “to buy back” and to do so by deed. Beliefs, thoughts and feelings are irrelevant, only what you do matters. Vader redeems himself to Luke, because he - by deed - fixes things with him. He doesn’t do so with the rest of the galaxy, nor perhaps even with the Force itself. 

Another important, even crucial, difference, is that it is impossible to redeem another. You cannot fix another persons mistakes. In other words, you screw up you fix it.

And then there’s JJ’s other villains.

JJ Abrams have made two other movies of a similar nature to Star Wars, Star Trek 2009 and Star Trek: Into Darkness. The villains in these two are interesting in this context.

In ST09 we have Nero the Romulan, a character who’s lost his family, home and planet whom he lame Spock of the old time line, along with all of Vulcan for. Over the years this hate and grief festers until he becomes obsessed with making Spock and Vulcan pay for it.

He’s a villain who’s actions are very much portrayed as bad, atrocious even - he does after all commit genocide - but he’s also an understandable villain. Perhaps even one you can feel some sympathy for, for that he is evil.

Khan is portrayed in a similar vein. His people, the only ones he really cares about, are held hostage by Admiral Marcus, to ensure his cooperation in Marcus’ militaristic agenda. He takes his quest to get his people ack and get revenge against Marcus - and by extension Starfleet - way too far, but you can understand why he’s acting as he does. Even again, feel some level of sympathy for him.

A final interesting thing is that both Nero and Khan are more than once during the story, offered the chance to change their ways. To turn back on the evil, their quests for revenge, ect. Both repeatedly turn it down and dies/are captured as villains.

So what does that mean for Kylo Ren and his possible redemption. Well it took a nosedive from “self evident” to a huge maybe. Vader after all wasn’t and JJ have a track record of villains that you can sort of understand why they act like they do, but they’re still very much villains. And they die as such.

Does this mean that Kylo Ren will? No, but he is no longer obviously going to be redeemed, when the one major redemption in Star Wars no longer happened. And if he is, it will be entirely on him. It will e his choice to change and his alone. And he alone will likely be the one who has to set things right if he does choose to change.

[britesparc]

Weekend Top Ten #367

Top Ten Star Trek Characters I’d Like to See in the New Picard Series

I grew up as a Star Wars fan, but I’ve always had a soft spot for Star Trek. Slow-paced and contemplative, I like its depiction of futuristic submarine warfare in space; its focus on morality and ethics over bombastic heroism; and, above all, its depiction of a future where we all, more or less, get along. I came to the franchise via the original movies (The Voyage Home and The Wrath of Khan being particular favourites when I was young), but my introduction to the various series came via The Next Generation. Although it’s understandably dated now (it’s over thirty years old, after all), I think it best nails what I consider the core Trek trait of morally upright people trying to maintain their sense of decency as they navigate the choppy waters of space and intergalactic diplomacy. Central to this, of course, is Sir Patrick Stewart’s epoch-defining portrayal of everyone’s favourite patriarch, Captain Jean-Luc Picard. Unquestionably the best captain, but also – like Martin Sheen’s Jed Bartlet or Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers – a profound performance of a super-straight, moral, upstanding bloke who is dedicated to being a firm ethical foundation upon which an entire franchise can be built.

All this is a typically long-winded way of saying I’m super-stoked about the upcoming Star Trek series that will catch up with Picard twenty years after we last saw him in Nemesis.

I’m primed for it, too: as well as enjoyed the new episodes of Discovery, I’m also about halfway through a re-watch of The Next Generation. I say re-watch, but to be honest I’ve probably only seen about a third of the episodes before (like I said, I came to the franchise through the films); and even then, I watched it in a disorganised and random fashion, catching episodes on TV over the years. So following the story from beginning to end for the first time has been something of a revelation, and one I’m thoroughly enjoying revelling in.

Anyway, if you’re bringing back Picard and going back to the best era of Star Trek – the Next Gen era – then who else do you bring back? I’m not expecting (or even desiring, really) a new Enterprise-focused series with the whole crew. But pretty much all versions of Trek are defined by their characters, by the interplay between the actors, and the sense of a constructed family that emerges. I’m assuming that some reference, at least, will be made to all of the main crew – Riker, Troi, Crusher, La Forge, and Worf – but what about the various supporting characters, love interests, nemeses, and – yes – dear departed Datas? Well, as you can imagine, I’ve got a few ideas. So here we go: ten Star Trek characters I’d like to see back in the Picard show (apart from the ones listed above, natch).

Data: what? But he’s (a) one of the main cast and (b) dead! Well, yes. I know in the comics at least Data’s android brother B-4 absorbed Data’s memories and, essentially, our favourite android was resurrected. Well, I’m sort-of in favour of that, but I’d like it to be a slow, painful, morally-compromised affair; perhaps Data’s personality is surfacing underneath B-4’s rudimentary programming, leading to an android in some degree of pain. Whatever, having Brent Spiner come back as a reminder of Picard’s lost friend and also what I imagine he would see as his own personal failure, would serve as a valuable plot point and also tie up the loose end left dangling in Nemesis (but, for what it’s worth, it would also be nice for a Trek character to die and stay dead).

Q: it has to be Q. He has to be in it. I would be entirely in support of Q being the main antagonist or even co-lead of the show; Q taking a tired and ageing Picard on one last bizarre voyage. Maybe Q claims he can “cure” Data and restore his personality, and Picard follows him on a quest to “save” his friend? See, two birds with one stone. Triple bonus points if they get John de Lancie to make some kind of My Little Pony in-joke.

Guinan: her wisdom and counsel was often very beneficial to Picard during TNG, so it would be great to see her back, even if it’s just for a cameo. I know from her recent interview with David Tennant that Whoopee Goldberg would be up for it. Plus maybe we could get more of her contentious backstory with Q?

The Borg Queen: Picard’s relationship with her in First Contact, and the delicious, flirtatious portrayal of her by Alice Krige, was a highlight of that film. I’ve not seen all of Voyager, but my understanding is that a great deal of the Borg threat is neutralised by the end of the series, so seeing the Queen return to further torment Picard would be interesting. Alternatively, perhaps he’s having some kind of regressive visions due to his old assimilation?

Wesley Crusher: yes, I know, I’m trying to avoid “main” characters, but Young Wesley left the show halfway through, so I’m counting him in this time. His final appearance saw him flitting off with the weird space-wizard “Traveler” to learn the Force, or something. I know he cameoed in Nemesis at Riker and Troi’s wedding, but I don’t recall seeing him in the final film, unless he’s in the background somewhere. Nevertheless, I like the idea that he rejoined Starfleet, and perhaps by now he’s a Captain himself. But what’s his relationship with Picard like nowadays, seeing as he saw the Captain as a surrogate father-figure during his time on the Enterprise? And if he does have mystical space-wizard powers, how is he putting them to use?

The USS Enterprise: yes, that’s right, I’m counting it as a character even though it’s a spaceship. Is the Enterprise-E still in operation twenty or so years later? Probably, as they seem to use starships for quite a long time (maybe because they go back to stardock every three episodes to get a refit or something). But even though I don’t think the series should be set on the Enterprise, it’d still be good to catch up with the old ship and see how life is progressing back there. Who’s the captain now? Riker would be the obvious choice, but I’m gonna go with Worf. I like Worf.

Sela: my apparent predilection for resurrecting actors knows no bounds! Last we saw of Sela, I seem to remember, was when her attempted invasion of Vulcan went tits-up. She didn’t appear on Romulus during Nemesis; where is she now, what’s she doing? Romulus was destroyed at the beginning of 2009’s Star Trek; let’s assume she escaped that tragedy. Is she in favour or better relations with the Federation? Was she disgraced following the Vulcan incident? Did she, like Nero, blame Spock for the destruction of Romulus? Regardless, it’d just be nice to bring back Denise Crosby for an episode or so, and seeing that (as far as I can gather, reading between the lines), the aftermath of Romulus’ destruction will play into the storyline, we need some recognisable Romulans.

O’Brien: I’m gonna be honest, this is just because I want to see more Colm Meany. I love his appearances in TNG, and he was often a good source of humour on the show. Plus we need more Irishmen in space. I think the plot of the series should involve Picard essentially commandeering a ship to follow Q on a quest to resurrect Data, and the captain of this ship should be O’Brien. There you go. Writes itself.

A character from the wider world of Trek: we’re all used to shared universes nowadays, but arguably Trek got there first, with characters flitting from TNG to DS9 to Voyager back in the day. I mean, O’Brien is king of this, really, going from recurring in TNG to starring in DS9. But he’s a special case and I love me some Colm Meany regardless. No, it’d be nice if we could briefly catch up with some of the other contemporary Trek families. Perhaps Sisko? Or Voyager’s Doctor? Alternatively – and this is where I’m descending into rampant fanning speculation – what about a time-displaced Michael Burnham? I’ve got this crazy theory that, in Discovery, she is the Red Angel and the current season will end with her catapulted into the future. Perhaps she bumps into Picard? Or – and this idea has literally just come to me – the Prime-universe Gabriel Lorca, who was similarly thrust through time when trying to escape from the Mirror Universe.

Ian McKellen: I mean, good god, how great would that be?

So there you go. Sadly no time for Vash, my favourite of Picard’s love interests, and who would be fun to bump into for an episode. I also think serial Trek-actors like James Cromwell, Clint Howard, and Jeffrey Combs should cameo as various aliens. And, like I said at the beginning, I want to see all the TNG regulars at some point. This might be the list bite of the TNG cherry, so what became of our faves? We demand to know! Well, not demand, but it’d certainly be nice.

Finally, a suggestion: it is common among Star Trek series for the title to be the name of the ship or station upon which the story is set. Deep Space Nine, Voyager, Enterprise, Discovery. In this vein, I think the plot of the new series should involve the launch of a new starship, which is called… the USS Picard. Picard himself, a retired admiral now, is on board for the maiden voyage when… something happens. The plot intervenes. And then they’re off on some grand quest in the galaxy (like I said, maybe involving Q, Data, and Captain O’Brien). As such, the title of the series would be… Star Trek: Picard.

You’re welcome, fellas.

[thebrockblog-blog]

For those in fandoms 2016 was rough. We lost so many great actors and musicians. I feel that it is only right to officially start off my Fandom Friday series with a post dedicated to those wonderful Wizards, Rebels, Droids, and Musicians that we all came to love and adore so much.

Alan Rickman

To start off the list we have Alan Rickman. The English actor was born February 21 , 1946 and died January 14, 2016. Of 2016 his death was the hardest for me. Alan Rickman was known for his rolls in Die Hard, Galaxy Quest, Sweeney Todd, and of course the roll that caused me to fall in love with him, Severus Snape in Harry Potter. Rickman died while battling pancreatic cancer at the age of 69. If you are anything like me you started off hating his character in Harry Potter but by the end of the series he was the one character that you loved most. That one character was a character I related to so much. I remember after Rickman passed calling my brother asking him to stop calling me Snivellus for a while because that is what James Potter called Severus Snape. As soon as my husband and I found out about his death we HAD to find the Severus POP! Funko. It is still one of my favorite POP!s. Alan Rickman’s memory will always  be alive in the PotterHead community, always!

“Look…at…me…” he whispered. The green eyes found the black, but after a second, something in the depths of the dark pair seemed to vanish, leaving them fixed, blank, and empty. The hand holding Harry thudded to the floor, and Snape moved no more. -J.K. Rowling

**To see a full list of movies and accomplishments by Alan Rickman CLICK HERE**

Anton Yelchin

Anton Yelchin was most known for playing Pavel Checkov in the most recent reboots and adaptations of the Star Trek series. Yelchin was born March 11, 1989 and was killed in a freak car accident June 19, 2016 at the age of 27. Yelchin also had roles in the movies Smurfs and Terminator: Salvation. Anton may have only lived to the young age of 27 but his memory will be alive as the quirky, young, Checkov that all Trekkies came to love in the reboots that started rolling out in 2009.

Live Long and Prosper! -Spock

**To see a full list of movies and accomplishments by Anton Yelchim CLICK HERE**

Erik Bauersfield

This name may not be recognized by some but fans of the Star Wars franchise recognize him. Family and Friends knew him as Erik but to Star Wars fanatics we knew him as Admiral Ackbar. Erik Baursfield died of natural causes at the age of 93, on April 3, 2016. Little did we know that his death was only the first death that Star Wars fans would cry through during 2016.

It’s a trap! -Admiral Ackbar

**To see a full list of movies and accomplishments by Erik Bauersfield CLICK HERE**

Kenny Baker

In 2016 one of the world’s favorite droids passed away, marking the second of 3 Star Wars actors deaths that year. Kenny Baker was known all over as R2-D2. Before they had great CGI and technology for robots to be created they had Kenny Baker. Baker was born August 24, 1934 and passed away August 13, 2016 at 81. Little is known about his death but it is believed that he passed away due to having complications with dwarfism. As the Star Wars films continue I believe that we have not seen the last of R2-D2 even though Kenny has passed.

Excuse me sir, but that R2-D2 is in prime condition, a real bargain! -C-3PO

**To see a full list of movies and accomplishments by Kenny Baker CLICK HERE**

Gene Wilder

Another death that stabbed me right in the heart was the death of Gene Wilder. I grew up watching him in Willy Wonka and I knew all of the songs by heart. Wilder lived a long life, he passed away at 83 on August 28. Gene played many memorable rolls that won’t be forgotten. The movies he was in are classics that in my opinion will live on for many generations. I know for a fact that my son will be watching Will Wonka in the near future!

If you want to view paradise simply look around and view it, anything you want to, do it. Want to change the world? There’s nothing to it! -Willy Wonka

**To see a full list of movies and accomplishments by Gene Wilder CLICK HERE**

Carrie Fisher

Just as 2016 was about to end and the fandoms finally began to end their mourning over the fallen, tragedy struck. Carrie Fisher who is most known for as Princess Leia Organa, daughter of Anakin SkyWalker and Padme Amidala, sister of Luke Skywalker, lover of Han Solo, suffered a heart attack not even 2 weeks after Rogue One hit theaters. On Christmas Eve Carrie had her heart attack and on December 27, 2016 she passed away. Carrie was 60 years of age when she passed. My heart broke when I read the news and I felt sick to my stomach. Her character was one that I grew up adoring and looking up to. I was so excited to see her in The Force Awakens and I was hoping to see her in the next few movies that are set to come out. But now, I can only wonder what they will do with her character in the series.

The force will be with you, Always! -Obi-Wan Kenobi

**To see a full list of movies and accomplishments by Carrie Fisher CLICK HERE**

I know that many others have fallen but for the sake of the length of the post I included the ones who affected my emotions most. Who was the hardest death for you to handle in 2016? Were they on my list or was it one of the few that I left out? Let me know below.

FANDOM FIND OF THE MONTH

POP! Funko Golden BB-8 Collectors Edition Vinyl Bobble-Head Hot Topic Exclusive

Submitted by: Jennifer Brock (me) Price: $32.50 Buy It Now:  CLICK HERE to buy BB-8 while you still can!

This POP! Funko, is a limited edition Hot Topic exclusive that was purchased on Black Friday 2016 for $20. This POP! is a collectors dream. This BB-8 POP! comes housed under a clear acrylic dome, and when the light reflects off of the dome it looks beautiful! It is the perfect centerpiece for our family’s little army of POP!’s. While writing this I asked my husband what would I even say to describe this, here was his response..

It’s GOLD! It’s BB-8! What more could you want!? -Joe Brock

To submit a Fandom Find to be featured on the blog email a photo and description of your product to TheBrockBlog@yahoo.com!

  We lost a lot of amazing men and women last year so today I post a tribute to a few of them! For those in fandoms 2016 was rough. We lost so many great actors and musicians. I feel that it is only right to officially start off my Fandom Friday series with a post dedicated to those wonderful Wizards, Rebels, Droids, and Musicians that we all came to love and adore so much.

[aion-rsa]

Hulu New Releases: July 2021

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It’s summer, everyone! And with its relatively sparse list of new releases for July 2021, Hulu seems to be subtlety imploring its subscribers to go outside.

Don’t get us wrong: Hulu’s library offerings get a big upgrade this month. July 1 sees the arrival of great films like Galaxy Quest, Fargo, and Caddyshack. Bill and Ted Face the Music premieres on July 2 and its followed by Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar on July 9. Not bad stuff! It’s just that, outside of the library titles, there isn’t much to go off of.

Hulu’s only major original release this month is the FX on Hulu production American Horror Stories on July 15. As its name implies, the show is a spinoff of American Horror Story and will feature self-contained horror episodes rather than a season-long arc. If you’ll allow this geriatric millennial to deploy one truly ancient meme: “Yo dawg, we heard you like anthologies so we put an anthology in your anthology so you can anthologize while you anthologize.”

The day after American Horror Stories premieres is the release date for McCartney 3,2,1 – a docuseries about Paul McCartney. Peter Jackson’s epic The Beatles: Get Out docuseries is coming to Disney+ in November so hopefully this will be a nice amuse-bouche.

Here is everything else coming to Hulu this month.

Hulu New Releases – July 2021

July 1 The Mighty Ones: Complete Season 2 (Hulu Original) RuPaul’s Drag Race: Complete Season 7 (MTV) 127 Hours (2010) 28 Days Later (2003) 28 Weeks Later (2007) 68 Kill (2017) 78/52: Hitchcock’s Shower Scene (2017) A Ciambra (2018) The Adventures of Hercules (1985) Almost Human (2014) Alpha & Omega: Legend Of The Saw Toothed (2014) American Gun (2005) An Acceptable Loss (2019) Australia (2008) Bad Teacher (2011) Band Aid (2017) Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels Of A Tribe Called Quest (2011) Beetlejuice (1988) The Best Man (1999) Better Living Through Chemistry (2014) Big Fish (2003) Bitter Harvest (2017) Blue Sky (1994) Bohemian Rhapsody (2018) Breakdown (1997) Bruno (2009) Caddyshack (1980) Caddyshack II (1988) Candyman 3: Day of the Dead (1999) Carnage Park (2016) Caveman (1981) Chaplin (1992) Chuck (2017) The Chumscrubber (2005) Citizen Jane: Battle for the City (2017) Cliffhanger (1993) The Condemned (2007) Confessions Of A Shopaholic (2009) The Conversation (1974) Coyote Ugly (2000) The Cured (2018) Dangerous Minds (1995) Dealin’ With Idiots (2013) Dealt (2017) Dear White People (2014) Donnybrook (2019) Dumb & Dumber (1994) Dumb And Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd (2003) Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me (2014) Eliminators (2016) Enemy at the Gates (2001) The Face of Love (2014) Factotum (2006) Fargo (1996) The Feels (2017) Fired Up! (2009) Foxfire (1996) Frank Serpico (2017) Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell (1974) Free To Run (2016) From Paris with Love (2010) Galaxy Quest (1999) The Gift (2000) Gimme the Loot (2013) The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (2011) Gorp (1980) Graduation (2017) Grandma (2015) Hellions (2015) Hideaway (1995) House of the Dead (2003) House of the Dead 2 (2006) The House That Jack Built (2018) Housesitter (1992) I Daniel Blake (2017) I Do…Until I Don’t (2017) I Remember You (2017) Ice Age (2002) In The Cut (2003) Indignation (2016) Intermission (2004) Intolerable Cruelty (2003) Johnny English (2003) Knowing (2009) The Ladies Man (2000) Last Days Here (2012) Let’s be Evil (2016) Manic (2013) The Mask (1994) Maximum Risk (1996) Mercury Rising (1998) Morning Glory (2010) Mystic Pizza (1988) The Natural (1984) Ode to Joy (2019) Open Range (2003) Open Water (2004) Open Water 2: Adrift (2006) Passage to Mars (2017) Personal Shopper (2017) The Polar Express (2004) Rabid Dogs (2016) Rebel in the Rye (2017) Reno 911!: Miami : The Movie (2007) Revolutionary Road (2008) Robocop (1987) Robocop 2 (1990) Robocop 3 (1993) Rookie of the Year (1993) Seabiscuit (2003) Shelley (2016) Sightseers (2013) Sleeping With The Enemy (1991) Sleepwalkers (1992) Soldier Boyz (1995) Something’s Gotta Give (2003) Somewhere (2010) Sorority Row (2009) Space Jam (1996) Stand by Me (1986) Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986) Star Trek: First Contact (1996) Stephen King’s Graveyard Shift (1990) The Stepfather (2009) Stonewall (2015) Stray (2020) Sunshine (2005) Super Troopers (2002) Sweet Virginia (2017) Taffin (1988) Take Every Wave (2017) Take Shelter (2011) Taken (2009) The Terminator (1984) They Came Together (2014) Thunderheart (1992) Timeline (2003) Tooth Fairy (2008) Twisted (2004) Underworld (2003) Underworld Awakening (2012) Underworld Evolution (2006) Underworld: Rise Of The Lycans (2009) Universal Soldier (1992) The Unknown Girl (2017) Walking Tall (1973) Whip It (2009) White Nights (1985) William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet (1996) Wolves (2017)

July 2 Summer of Soul (2021) (Hulu Original) Bill & Ted Face the Music (2020)

July 3 Flower of Evil: Complete Season 1 (Subbed) (Viki) I’ll Go To You When The Weather Is Fine: Complete Season 1 (Subbed) (Viki) More Than Friends: Complete Season 1 (Subbed) (Viki) Dreamcatcher (2021)

July 4 Leave no Trace (2018)

July 8       My Wife and Kids: Complete Series (ABC) Murdoch Mysteries: Complete Season 13 (Acorn) Papillon (2017)

July 9       This Way Up: Complete Season 2 (Hulu Original) Grown-ish: Season 4 Premiere (Freeform) Barb and Star go to Vista Del Mar (2021) In a World… (2013) Moffie (2021)

July 10       47 Meters Down (2017)

July 12       Love Island UK: Season 7 Premiere (iTV)

July 14       Cleopatra in Space: Complete Season 1 (Peacock) Cleopatra en el Espacio: Complete Season 1 (Peacock) My All-American (2015)

July 15       American Horror Stories: Two-Episode Limited Series Premiere (FX on Hulu) 20,000 Days on Earth (2014) A Field In England (2013) The Act of Killing (2012) Amira & Sam (2014) Borgman (2013) Bullhead (2011) Cheap Thrills (2013) The Complex: Lockdown (2020) The Congress (2013) The Connection (2014) Enforcement (2021) Exit Plan (2021) The Final Member (2014) The FP (2011) I Declare War (2012) The Keeping Room (2014) Men & Chicken (2015) Mood Indigo (2013) Pieta (2012) R100 (2013) Raiders! The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made (2015) Wrong (2012)

July 16       McCartney 3,2,1: Documentary Series Premiere (Hulu Original)

July 17       Horimiya: Complete Season 1 (Dubbed) (Funimation)

July 22 Olympic Dreams featuring Jonas Brothers: Special (NBC)

July 26 The Artist (2011)

July 29 The Resort (2021)

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Leaving Hulu – July 2021

July 4 Warrior (2011)

July 9 Desierto (2015)

July 20 The Last Full Measure (2019)

July 21 Bolt (2008)

July 24 All The Wild Horses (2017) B.B. King: On The Road (2018) The Beatles: Made on Merseyside (2018) Bees Make Honey (2017) Closing Gambit (2018) Gloves Off (2017) I, Dolours (2018) In Extremis (2017) Into the Night: Portraits of Life and Death (2017) The Last Animals (2017) Lost in Vagueness (2017) Painkillers (2018)

July 27 For A Good Time, Call… (2012)

July 30 The Good, the Bad, the Weird (2008) Like Someone in Love (2012) Mad Detective (2007)

July 31 (500) Days of Summer (2009) 28 Days Later (2003) 28 Weeks Later (2007) A Perfect Gateway (2009) The Adventures of Hercules (1985) Alive (1993) Batman Begins (2005) Before We Go (2015) Blue Sky (1994) Breach (2007) Broken Flowers (2005) Captain Corelli’S Mandolin (2001) Caveman (1981) The Crazies (2010) Cyrus (2009) The Dark Knight (2008) Dinosaur 13 (2014) El Dorado (1967) Evening (2007) Fargo (1996) Footloose (1984) For Richer Or Poorer (1997) Friends With Benefits (2011) Gamer (2009) Goodnight Mommy (2015) Gorp (1980) Grace Of Monaco (2015) Hannibal Rising (2007) Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay (2008) Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle (2004) The Haunting in Connecticut (2009) Haunting In Connecticut 2: Ghosts Of Georgia (2013) Hyde Park On Hudson (2012) I Feel Pretty (2018) I Saw The Devil (2010) In The Mix (2005) Internal Affairs (1990) The Iron Giant (1999) The Jackal (1997) Jiro Dreams of Sushi (2011) The Ladies Man (2000) L!Fe Happens (2012) Lucky Number Slevin (2006) Machete (2010) McLintock! (Producer’s Cut) (1963) Morning Glory (2010) Mystic Pizza (1988) The Nanny Diaries (2007) National Lampoon’s Van Wilder (2002) The Natural (1984) Ong-Bak (2003) Ong-Bak 2 (2008) Ong-Bak 3 (2010) The Pawnbroker (1964) Predator (1987) Predator 2 (1990) Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown (1977) Red Cliff (2008) The Relic (1997) Robocop (1987) Robocop 2 (1990) Robocop 3 (1993) Seabiscuit (2003) The Skeleton Key (2005) Sliver (1993) Slumdog Millionaire (2008) Soldier Boyz (1995) Something’s Gotta Give (2003) Soul Food (1997) The Spy Next Door (2010) Stand by Me (1986) Star Kid (1998) Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984) Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986) Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989) Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991) Star Trek: First Contact (1996) Star Trek: Generations (1994) Star Trek: Insurrection (1998) Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979) Step Up 2 The Streets (2008) Step Up 3D (2010) Step Up Revolution (2012) Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007) Taffin (1988) The Terminator (1984) Triangle (2009) Turbulence (1997) Unstoppable (2010) Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2009) What’s Love Got To Do With It (1993) Zack And Miri Make A Porno (2008)

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Star Trek: Lower Decks Episode 3 Review: Temporal Edict

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This Star Trek: Lower Decks review contains spoilers.

Star Trek: Lower Decks Episode 3

If one of the unspoken goals of Lower Decks was to make Galaxy Quest-style jokes, but more on-the-nose, the third episode of the show, “Temporal Edict,” succeeds. In Galaxy Quest, when Tim Allen’s Commander Taggart gets his shirt ripped unnecessarily, the Trek people in the audience get that this is a joke about Captain Kirk. In Galaxy Quest, the joke worked without having to say the name “Kirk,”  but, in Lower Decks, making jokes about Kirk’s shirtless machismo comes with name-checking. As a series, Lower Decks is both on-the-nose and oddly subtle. So far, “Temporal Edict” is the best example of how that balance works. The story also does something the previous episodes did not do: Create stakes that felt like an old-school Star Trek adventure.

I can’t prove that the writers of Lower Decks intentionally made a nod to Scott Pilgrim Versus the World in the opening scene of “Temporal Edict,” but had Mariner and Tendi said, “We Are Sex Bob-Bomb!” before playing their electric guitar and drums respectively, I would not have been surprised. In my head, this connection is only helped along by the fact that Alison Pill — the person who brought those words to life in Scott Pilgrim — is also a member of the Star Trek family, and for some reason, I couldn’t help but wonder what Dr. Jurati was doing at the exact moment Tendi started playing the drums. (Um…it’s 2280, has she started working with Maddox? Probably? Okay. I’ll stop.)

Lower Decks may be the first episode of Star Trek to show a Starfleet officer wailing on an electric guitar, but all the other notes played in this episode are the classic hits of Trek. It’s hard to really decide what the “A story” and the “B story” of this episode are, but it’s pretty shocking that both of these ideas are weaved seamlessly into less than 30 minutes of runtime.

In what we’ll call the “A-story,” Captain Freeman gets wind of the fact that the junior officer in the crew employs something called “buffer time,” which means they basically pretend like certain tasks take longer than they really do. This joke comes straight from Scotty in Star Trek III: The Search For Spock when Kirk realizes that Scotty always multiples his “repair estimates by a factor of four.” Basically, when Captain Freeman realizes that everyone in the crew uses what Rutherford calls “creative estimating,” she suddenly implements time limits and quotas on everyone’s tasks on the ship, everywhere. This idea allows Lower Decks to create a shipboard crisis that is totally of their own making. It keeps the show true to its structure as a workplace sitcom in space, but if you’ve ever seen the Voyager episode called “The Voyager Conspiracy,” you’ll find something familiar here. Boimler is by no means the Seven of Nine of the USS Cerritos, but he does love work and he does love efficiency. And, just like Seven, part of the episode is designed to remind Boimler that he needs to lighten up.

Meanwhile, the “B-story,” focuses on how to follow the rules when you’re fighting aliens with crystal spears who have been profoundly offended. And this is where the non-stop Captain Kirk jokes happen. Yes, Commander Ransom often does leg-leans reminiscent of Riker, but he’s clearly the Kirk of this series. That said, Mariner has proven herself to also be the Kirk of the show, too, insofar as she loves to break rules and she definitely kicks ass. In this episode, she gets, what is perhaps, the best joke in the entire series saying, “Circled by spears, this is a classic! What am I Kirk, what is this, the 2260s, all right.”

Some might say this kind of meta-joke goes too far, because Mariner shouldn’t be making jokes about Kirk so much. But, as we already know from Icheb in Star Trek: Voyager, Starfleet officers in the late 24th century have defied Kirk the same way we love Batman, only in this case Batman would be a real person. Marnier is clearly a Kirk fan, and when she shows Ransom all of her scars, it might be clear that she’s more of a Kirk than him. And, in some ways, that’s kind of what the episode is about. When Ransom goes out into the ring to fight the giant green space monster (who is actually a nice guy) he rips off his shirt and proceeds to do basically all of Kirk’s signature fight moves. 

The fight recalls “Arena,” but it also has elements of Chris Pine’s Kirk in Star Trek Beyond. The music is nearly identical to Gerald Fried and Sol Kaplan’s famous fight music for “Amok Time,” and numerous other Trek episodes where Kirk employed similar moves with a ripped shirt. Ransom, for a moment, gets to be the hero, but by the end of the episode, because Ransom is such an egomaniac, we’re still rooting for the funnier, more likable, Mariner. In the classic Star Trek, one guy usually ended-up fighting for the entire crew. But in Lower Decks, we’re more concerned about the entire crew, and that one guy ends up being a punchline. 

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