An Incomplete Response to An Incomplete Start

In May 1964, Gene Roddenberry along with Herbert F Solow pitched the idea for the television series that would later come to be known as Star Trek. “The Cage”, the story of Captain Christopher Pike being captured by an alien species for mating with another human in their custody, was, upon screening, rejected by NBC. Despite their concerns, this did not prevent them from ordering a second pilot – “Where No Man Has Gone Before”. In 1966, after the airing of two other episodes (“The Man Trap” and “Charlie X”), this second pilot was aired. 

Star Trek: The Next Generation received disapproval from fans, some going so far as to start up a write-up campaign to separate the series into a different space-time continuum. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine was meet with doubts on the part of Gene Roddenberry, despite approval for it to be done. Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Enterprise also were met with criticism, and to this day still face it. Star Trek: The Animated Series, upon request of Gene Roddenberry, was removed from canon in 1988. Star Trek, from the movies to the television shows, has frequently faced challenges. Star Trek: Discovery is no exception.

                Fans have been skeptical since the very first announcement of a new series. From not liking the choice to air the show over CBS All Access to not liking the fact the main character is a black woman with a man’s name. Since the airing of the premiere and the release of the second episode on CBS All Access, I have come across reviews that are critical and those that praise the series. Some of them have made me wonder just what people were expecting, what they took from the released information prior to the showing of the series. Other responses caused me to bite my tongue and refrain from comment until I could work out my own response.

                It is still a response that, even while I write this, I am working on. 

                It is not easy to take in something new. I remain, to this day, critical of the Kelvin Timeline and reboot movies, despite my enjoyment of Star Trek Beyond, my dislike for Star Trek 2009 and Star Trek Into Darkness dampen that enjoyment. But this is not about those or about the other series. It’s about the criticism fans seem to give to anything Star Trek. It’s about a new series and what that means. It’s about Michael Burnham, Phillipa Georgiou, and everything that Discovery has presented to us so far. 

                Where amongst those should I start? With the death of Captain Georgiou? With Michael Burnham and her choices, struggles, and future? With the premise of a war and what that means in Star Trek? Perhaps with this idea that Captain Georgiou is being ‘replaced’ with a white man that I’ve seen mentioned a few times? Or, perhaps I should dig into why someone can accept the various actions taken by previous Star Trek characters with no consequences but the moment Michael Burnham took her actions and faced consequences suddenly it’s not appealing. Not relatable. 

                I’ll be honest, some of these things I do not feel qualified to speak on. Nor do I desire to do so at this point. Or, I just can’t see where the idea of it comes from. I do not think that Lorca is replacing Georgiou, I feel like the show was rather upfront about the fact it’s called Discovery and the USS Discovery was captained by Lorca not Georgiou. However, I do think that a different path could have been taken even though I understand why certain things happen. 

                I don’t think the reception of Michael Burnham is, at least for every case, about not identifying or connecting with the character. Or even about her actions, but more a continuation of the dislike of a black woman with a man’s name being the central character. It’s not uncommon for Star Trek characters to receive dislike because of gender, race, sexuality, or really anything to be honest. But what is it about Star Trek: Discovery that people want to decry it as not Trek? 

                It can’t be the diversity, as that’s been a Trek theme since day one. It can’t be the political aspect as, again, that’s been part of Trek since the start. It can’t even be the social commentary, as yet again that has been a part of Trek since day one. Yet, for some reason, these are frequently brought up as reasoning. For this entire week I’ve been trying to figure out how I wanted to do this. To follow up with my idea to analyze and review each new episode of Discovery. A series I get to watch released from start to finish for the first time. While it’s not my first Trek, it is my first chance to get to see a series from announcement to series finale. 

                So, instead of writing a review or analysis for these first two episodes … I’m going to just leave this like this. For future episodes I intend, or at least hope, to write more of a review and analysis. For these two, I will simply leave my take on it and my predictions for what this first season will bring us. I hope, that all those who have been critical and unwelcoming continue to watch and give this show a chance, as I’m sure whatever your favorite series or movie is was faced with similar criticism. After all, the history of Star Trek is filled with criticism and setbacks, some of which are still talked about to this day. Discovery is no exception.

                It’s a series that will touch upon the horrors of war. I do not think it will be like other Star Trek series. Even the ones that had no problem diving into darker themes (Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise for example) will, in many ways, come off as far more light in comparison to this series. I think that Captain Georgiou stated it rather well: “Battle is not a simulation, it’s blood and screams and funerals.” 

                We will see more deaths. We will see more battles. We will see these characters faced with war, not the potential for war. Star Trek Discovery isn’t going to be about maintaining hope and morality during peace and utopian situations but about maintaining hope, morality, acceptance, and so much more during some of the darkest moments people could experience. Within two episodes it’s already given us a valuable message and will likely continue to give us more as the series progresses. Given Michael’s already shown struggles (with her childhood trauma – very likely caused PTSD – and her actions in the premiere), I suspect we will receive many more flashbacks, some of which I suspect will include Georgiou (and I hope Ensign Connor).

                And, time and time again, we will see what “The Vulcan Hello” and “Battle At the Binary Stars” touched upon. When you use prejudices, assumptions, and unwelcoming rhetoric – on all sides – the outcome will, very likely, be battle, and battle, as Captain Georgiou stated, is death.