Star Trek after 8 years of disappointment and why I'm moving on

[Thebestoftherest]

The old adage of ''never assume malice when incompetence will do'' does apply. But man, this is a LOT of incompetence to account for. Years and years of it at this point. I can easily see why some would assume intentional sabotage tbh even when realistically it doesn't make much sense why a corporation would intentionally want to make their product less profitable. The last ten years have been overall absolute poison for our favourite sci-fi brands with but a few cherries of quality to be found such as LD or Rogue One.

Hollywood producers seem to be myopic. I saw a making of Wild Wild West that a producer wanted a B52 because jets are cool.
Enterprise had the time war forced on them because time travel in Trek sells well.

It could be these people want to make more money, but look at a spreadsheet instead of what fans will care about.

There seems to be these business degrees every where. Look at Chuck's review of the comics industry. One guy gets in and decides to print 'Collector's Editions' to print money. Even though that is not how that works. Like making brand new antiques.

Agree, it might be able to get your grand child (more likely your great grand kids) a little money, if the supply and demand was right but unlikely.

[tyrteg]

Thanks for all the replies and encouragement, folks. And thanks for the advice on LD or Prodigy but at this point I basically have to pick through a dish I personally find disgusting to find the few tidbits that might be edible just to get through the meal when on a table right next to me people are dining on prime steak.

The most damning part of my wall of text and the point that made me stop and think hard about what I want to do next - was the fact that new Star Trek was actively killing my enjoyment of entertainment in general. It genuinely made me afraid I was loosing the ability to get emotionally invested and find real enjoyment in fiction. Enjoy going on interesting and meaningful journeys into fictional universes with characters I find likeable and/or interesting and reflecting on those experiences in a way that made me grow and evolve as a person. Experiences that stay with me and that I come back to. Stuff that makes scientists say "Star Trek got me into physics" in inteviews..

I was afraid it was happening for me in general - but I came to realize that no. It was just Star Trek that I couldn't empathize or connect with and there are plenty other media coming out that still affect me, make me feel joy, cry and reflect on my own life and values. Warframe, Arknights and The Orville all make me care. And I haven't even mentioned the rollercoaster of emotions and lessons that Frieren: Beyond Journey's End delivered that I feel I will be chewing over (and rewatching) for years to come.

But to circle back where I started - yes, I could watch a select episodes of Prodigy and Lower Decks and try to get what enjoyment I can get out of it... or I could use my limited free time as an adult to watch/play something that I'm invested it 100% care about and feel like I can learn from. And in 2025 I intend to do just that.

My biggest realization probably is that I don't have to keep going with a TV series/universe forever. I still enjoy TNG, DS9 and big parts of TOS. But I've watched them, loved them and I can move on. I'm in no way obligated to stay with Star Trek just because it keeps getting made. Same with Dr. Who. I've had my adventures with the Doctors and with starships Enterprise. And now I'm free (and still able) to move on. And I will.

PS: Yeah I'm still sticking with SFDebris. Recently rewatched his review of Assimov's Foundation and it's still absolutely exquisite. And I do hope he'll eventually get to review more episodes of Orville and hopefully someone will drop him face-first into Frieren the way he got dropped in Madoka Magica

PPS: CharlesPhipps there was a reason why I compare Edward with Barkley. When you look at what Reg did in the same optics you view Edward - he created Deepfakes of his superiors - half of them to beat up and humiliate (with his direct superior being a blind black man) and the other half for sexual purposes.
I don't think it's any less wrong and abhorent than what Edward did. But one command crew took the time and effort to explain to Reg why it was wrong and the other half used the hearing over the loss of a ship and a human's life to call the deceased an idiot. Can you imagine Picard/Kirk calling any of his dead crew-members that? Not even Janeway would be so callous...

[Riedquat]

I got around this by simply not bothering to watch most of it (although I did see the first season of Picard). I have watched all of Lower Decks though and love it. I've never had any sense of obligation, just watch whatever I feel like watching. Works for me.

[clearspira]

PPS: CharlesPhipps there was a reason why I compare Edward with Barkley. When you look at what Reg did in the same optics you view Edward - he created Deepfakes of his superiors - half of them to beat up and humiliate (with his direct superior being a blind black man) and the other half for sexual purposes.
I don't think it's any less wrong and abhorent than what Edward did. But one command crew took the time and effort to explain to Reg why it was wrong and the other half used the hearing over the loss of a ship and a human's life to call the deceased an idiot. Can you imagine Picard/Kirk calling any of his dead crew-members that? Not even Janeway would be so callous...

It is interesting how few episodes of Star Trek tackle deepfakes given how much of a serious issue that they are today. The only other episode that I can think of that tackled the issue is the one where a perv bribed Quark to make a copy of Kira and that was played for laughs.

This is probably going off into ''other thread'' territory but we never actually get an official in-universe answer as far as I know as to the morals, ethics and laws around deepfakes and yet this seems like prime story potential. It is after all made very clear in that episode that all Quark needs to do is to scan her with a tricorder.

In my opinion (and it is just that) creating a duplicate of someone without their permission is a violation just as we now have rules governing fake revenge porn. And ironically, the fact that the episode above ended up putting Quark's head on top of Kira's body proves that you can do just that.

[BridgeConsoleMasher]

Discovery and Picard look to have run their course, while Strange New Worlds has had highly competent seasons, and I'm personally looking forward to the likes of the Enterprise D spinoff of Picard. I'm not sure where the Section 31 show is going, but I'm quite fascinated with what it's supposed to represent on an allegorical basis.

[clearspira]

Discovery and Picard look to have run their course, while Strange New Worlds has had highly competent seasons, and I'm personally looking forward to the likes of the Enterprise D spinoff of Picard. I'm not sure where the Section 31 show is going, but I'm quite fascinated with what it's supposed to represent on an allegorical basis.

''The Enterprise D spin off of Picard''

Are you sure that's a thing? The alternative is that Kurtzman does not know that ''Star Trek XII So Very Tired'' was never actually meant to be a thing. Although it would further my belief that we are indeed living a dystopian nightmare right now as more and more of The Simpsons comes true.





''It's no good Captain! I cannot reach the control panel!''

[Riedquat]

It is interesting how few episodes of Star Trek tackle deepfakes given how much of a serious issue that they are today. The only other episode that I can think of that tackled the issue is the one where a perv bribed Quark to make a copy of Kira and that was played for laughs.

Or "IT'S A FAAAKE!!!!"

[Madner Kami]

It is interesting how few episodes of Star Trek tackle deepfakes given how much of a serious issue that they are today. The only other episode that I can think of that tackled the issue is the one where a perv bribed Quark to make a copy of Kira and that was played for laughs.

Or "IT'S A FAAAKE!!!!"

Ahem... Leah Brams. Particularly Düring her second appearance. Argueably also Fairhaven.

[McAvoy]

Thanks for all the replies and encouragement, folks. And thanks for the advice on LD or Prodigy but at this point I basically have to pick through a dish I personally find disgusting to find the few tidbits that might be edible just to get through the meal when on a table right next to me people are dining on prime steak.

The most damning part of my wall of text and the point that made me stop and think hard about what I want to do next - was the fact that new Star Trek was actively killing my enjoyment of entertainment in general. It genuinely made me afraid I was loosing the ability to get emotionally invested and find real enjoyment in fiction. Enjoy going on interesting and meaningful journeys into fictional universes with characters I find likeable and/or interesting and reflecting on those experiences in a way that made me grow and evolve as a person. Experiences that stay with me and that I come back to. Stuff that makes scientists say "Star Trek got me into physics" in inteviews..

I was afraid it was happening for me in general - but I came to realize that no. It was just Star Trek that I couldn't empathize or connect with and there are plenty other media coming out that still affect me, make me feel joy, cry and reflect on my own life and values. Warframe, Arknights and The Orville all make me care. And I haven't even mentioned the rollercoaster of emotions and lessons that Frieren: Beyond Journey's End delivered that I feel I will be chewing over (and rewatching) for years to come.

But to circle back where I started - yes, I could watch a select episodes of Prodigy and Lower Decks and try to get what enjoyment I can get out of it... or I could use my limited free time as an adult to watch/play something that I'm invested it 100% care about and feel like I can learn from. And in 2025 I intend to do just that.

My biggest realization probably is that I don't have to keep going with a TV series/universe forever. I still enjoy TNG, DS9 and big parts of TOS. But I've watched them, loved them and I can move on. I'm in no way obligated to stay with Star Trek just because it keeps getting made. Same with Dr. Who. I've had my adventures with the Doctors and with starships Enterprise. And now I'm free (and still able) to move on. And I will.

PS: Yeah I'm still sticking with SFDebris. Recently rewatched his review of Assimov's Foundation and it's still absolutely exquisite. And I do hope he'll eventually get to review more episodes of Orville and hopefully someone will drop him face-first into Frieren the way he got dropped in Madoka Magica

PPS: CharlesPhipps there was a reason why I compare Edward with Barkley. When you look at what Reg did in the same optics you view Edward - he created Deepfakes of his superiors - half of them to beat up and humiliate (with his direct superior being a blind black man) and the other half for sexual purposes.
I don't think it's any less wrong and abhorent than what Edward did. But one command crew took the time and effort to explain to Reg why it was wrong and the other half used the hearing over the loss of a ship and a human's life to call the deceased an idiot. Can you imagine Picard/Kirk calling any of his dead crew-members that? Not even Janeway would be so callous...

Honestly I would still give Lower Decks a try. Not just selected episodes. I mean you have to power through the first few because they were still trying to find their footing. But overall it is an enjoyable series.

That is unless you can't get past the animation style, the comedy in it and the use of fan service, how you treat it as part of Trek lore. The fan service and Trek lore seems to be a stumbling block for some.

Personally I didn't bother watching Lower Decks until the second season due to my prior misconceptions about the series. Also the animation wasn't my thing. But I have found it to be fun. A true valentine to old school Trek fans.

[Makeshift Python]

When the first season of LOWER DECKS was first streaming, I didn't give it a shot. It didn't look like the kind of show I wanted out of Trek, so I just ignored it. However, as each episode dropped, I noticed buzz around it getting bigger and bigger. By the time the finale dropped, I was getting recommends by friends who had been disgruntled over DISCO and PICARD.

I then give the show a shot. Before I realize it, I've binged the entire first season within one day... It dawned on me that it may not have been the Trek I wanted but it turned out to be the Trek I actually needed. LDS was a very pleasant surprise and is what kept my enthusiasm for Trek alive for the past five years along with STRANGE NEW WORLDS.

But that's just me.