Star Trek Picard and Trek Taking on Modern Politics
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Yukaphile
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Re: Star Trek Picard and Trek Taking on Modern Politics
... wait, what?! A murder on Earth?! I mean... shit, I KNOW what Voyager did, but damn it! TNG and DS9 was clear on this point! No poverty! No crime! No war! What the hell?!
"A culture's teachings - and more importantly, the nature of its people - achieve definition in conflict. They find themselves, or find themselves lacking."
— Kreia, Knights of the Old Republic 2: The Sith Lords
— Kreia, Knights of the Old Republic 2: The Sith Lords
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Yukaphile
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Re: Star Trek Picard and Trek Taking on Modern Politics
... synthetic lifeforms are taboo, really? Why?
"A culture's teachings - and more importantly, the nature of its people - achieve definition in conflict. They find themselves, or find themselves lacking."
— Kreia, Knights of the Old Republic 2: The Sith Lords
— Kreia, Knights of the Old Republic 2: The Sith Lords
Re: Star Trek Picard and Trek Taking on Modern Politics
I watched it....and, well judging from just the first episode....it's good.
As a first episode, it is a bit 'slow' as we need to see a bit of Old Man Picard, but not too much. It takes a bit of time to introduce things, but that is true of any TV show.
As a first episode, it is a bit 'slow' as we need to see a bit of Old Man Picard, but not too much. It takes a bit of time to introduce things, but that is true of any TV show.
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clearspira
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Re: Star Trek Picard and Trek Taking on Modern Politics
Why did the Feds refuse to help Romulus? Remember this well: the politics in this show are Stewart's commentary on Trump and Brexit. That has come right from his own gob. The Feds did not help because "make the Federation great again" with all of what that implies.Yukaphile wrote: ↑Thu Jan 23, 2020 4:13 pm I finally got fed up and read a review online. My thoughts?
Picard is still grieving Data, which I find perhaps a bit odd to the past preaching Picard gave, but then he was also a dear friend, so I don't have a problem with this.
The Federation refused to help the Romulans... why? Given how they had been allies in the Dominion War only years prior? Seems like more of the Trek hamfisted approach. "The US is not helping refugees!" How blatant is this? It really does, sadly, seem to be trapped in the times we live in. The Federation of the 1990s TNG was presented as paradise, and hell, even in DS9, and now they wanna shatter paradise to show it was a lie. Like how 1990s culture died on 9/11.
You know, I just can't get over that the Federation wouldn't help the Romulans. What justification was there for it? Past "let's allegorize the US!" In that context, though, Picard resigning from Starfleet would be logical for his path, tbh. Kinda like when Superman renounced his US citizenship. Or how he acted in Insurrection.
They wanna make this like the modern world? Okay. But then... again, why didn't the Feds help the Romulans? Third time, I'll beat this into the ground.
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clearspira
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Re: Star Trek Picard and Trek Taking on Modern Politics
I called it: the Trek I love is dead. RIP the hopeful future. Long live the boot standing on the face of the human race forever.
Re: Star Trek Picard and Trek Taking on Modern Politics
At first, they did. Then terrorists blew up all the help (the rescue ships and lots of people). So Starfleet, backed off. We don't really know why. I guess the idea is something the Federation does not want to risk more lives as they fear the terrorists might strike again.clearspira wrote: ↑Thu Jan 23, 2020 8:57 pm Why did the Feds refuse to help Romulus? Remember this well: the politics in this show are Stewart's commentary on Trump and Brexit. That has come right from his own gob. The Feds did not help because "make the Federation great again" with all of what that implies.
It is DEFINITELY a more Liberal Progressive response to terrorists: roll over and give them what they want.
Re: Star Trek Picard and Trek Taking on Modern Politics
It's still far from grim darkness of 40k universe and misery of living in Imperium of Man.clearspira wrote: ↑Thu Jan 23, 2020 8:59 pmI called it: the Trek I love is dead. RIP the hopeful future. Long live the boot standing on the face of the human race forever.
"In the embrace of the great Nurgle, I am no longer afraid, for with His pestilential favour I have become that which I once most feared: Death.."
- Kulvain Hestarius of the Death Guard
- Kulvain Hestarius of the Death Guard
Re: Star Trek Picard and Trek Taking on Modern Politics
Just watched the first episode, and my first impression is that while flawed, it does have a Trek feeling, but it also feels like it's a high-budgeted deleted scene. There are a few things that bother me:
-Why did the 9/11 in space, sorry, meant the synthetic attack on Mars, that devastated a good portion of its surface, completely destroyed the Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards and caused the atmosphere of Mars to burn (?) only killed 92,000 people? That's a very small number, it should have been a lot higher
-Why would the Starfleet have to evacuate 900 million Romulans to other planets or to Federation planets? Don't Romulans have colonies of their own? They are a... STAR EMPIRE after all, there are still thousands of star systems in the galaxy that are still free estate. I mean, losing Romulus would collapse their government, but the other Romulan-controlled planets would just try to fill the power vacuum. I imagine this would lead to conflict, but would the Romulan citizens that wouldn't want to get involved in some civil war flee to the Federation? Why? They haven't lost all infrastructure and last time I checked they still have replicator technology, so they're not gonna starve in the middle of space. I guess you have to bend the events to fit with the whole immigrants/refugees theme I suppose
-So B4 failed to become Data (or at least that's what the official story is), because his brain wasn't as sophisticated as Data's. But no mention of Lore? Or are they saving it for later?
-Does the synthetics ban also cover non-humanoid bots, like the exocomps?
-How, why and who is an organic synthetic (really, they want to ripoff Blade Runner now?)? Is it a clone, a melting pot of lab-grown organs and tissues, artificial skin, nanotechnology?
-Why did the 9/11 in space, sorry, meant the synthetic attack on Mars, that devastated a good portion of its surface, completely destroyed the Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards and caused the atmosphere of Mars to burn (?) only killed 92,000 people? That's a very small number, it should have been a lot higher
-Why would the Starfleet have to evacuate 900 million Romulans to other planets or to Federation planets? Don't Romulans have colonies of their own? They are a... STAR EMPIRE after all, there are still thousands of star systems in the galaxy that are still free estate. I mean, losing Romulus would collapse their government, but the other Romulan-controlled planets would just try to fill the power vacuum. I imagine this would lead to conflict, but would the Romulan citizens that wouldn't want to get involved in some civil war flee to the Federation? Why? They haven't lost all infrastructure and last time I checked they still have replicator technology, so they're not gonna starve in the middle of space. I guess you have to bend the events to fit with the whole immigrants/refugees theme I suppose
-So B4 failed to become Data (or at least that's what the official story is), because his brain wasn't as sophisticated as Data's. But no mention of Lore? Or are they saving it for later?
-Does the synthetics ban also cover non-humanoid bots, like the exocomps?
-How, why and who is an organic synthetic (really, they want to ripoff Blade Runner now?)? Is it a clone, a melting pot of lab-grown organs and tissues, artificial skin, nanotechnology?
Re: Star Trek Picard and Trek Taking on Modern Politics
The "light" causalities of the Mars incident might be because many were able to seek shelter and be rescued later. Mars is marginally habitable, so most structures are probably enclosed. There's also transporters, so those outside the initial attack might have beamed to orbital platforms and ships. It's a minor detail to set up the current situation, so I doubt we will get much of an explanation.
As for Romulus, 900 million is a fraction of a planet's population so it could be the Romulans were evacuating everyone they could out of the blast radius but needed help to fully evacuate their two home worlds and nearby systems that were going to be affected by the supernova.
I suspect the ban only covers androids who could pass for organic lifeforms. As we see, AI holograms are still in use and automated vehicles and devices are.
Anyway, watching the first episode, it reminded me of episodes like the Drumhead and Home Front/Paradise Lost. I know some people are going "How could the Federation do this?" apparently forgetting the Federation did do this in the Prime canon. There are people in power who are ruled by their fear. Fortunately, before, they overreached and our heroes were able to stop them before they could do any real damage. However, in this case, they weren't stopped. The Mars incident was another opportunity for fear to take over, and it did this time.
In his "Hard Time" review Chuck pointed out the people of the 23rd and 24th centuries aren't these angelic beings far beyond us. They're people like us who can still suffer the same flaws. The paradise they've created is thanks to the technology and knowledge they have developed. However, they can still give in to fear or prejudice if placed under enough stress. Genetic engineering has been banned for centuries out of fear of creating the next Khan and starting the next Eugenics War. Forget all the benefits that could come from it, that risk is too great in the minds of the people to accept. So, after a major Federation colony has been destroyed by synthetic lifeforms (this would be like nuking Norfolk), banning their manufacture would fit with the mentality of the Federation.
As for Romulus, 900 million is a fraction of a planet's population so it could be the Romulans were evacuating everyone they could out of the blast radius but needed help to fully evacuate their two home worlds and nearby systems that were going to be affected by the supernova.
I suspect the ban only covers androids who could pass for organic lifeforms. As we see, AI holograms are still in use and automated vehicles and devices are.
Anyway, watching the first episode, it reminded me of episodes like the Drumhead and Home Front/Paradise Lost. I know some people are going "How could the Federation do this?" apparently forgetting the Federation did do this in the Prime canon. There are people in power who are ruled by their fear. Fortunately, before, they overreached and our heroes were able to stop them before they could do any real damage. However, in this case, they weren't stopped. The Mars incident was another opportunity for fear to take over, and it did this time.
In his "Hard Time" review Chuck pointed out the people of the 23rd and 24th centuries aren't these angelic beings far beyond us. They're people like us who can still suffer the same flaws. The paradise they've created is thanks to the technology and knowledge they have developed. However, they can still give in to fear or prejudice if placed under enough stress. Genetic engineering has been banned for centuries out of fear of creating the next Khan and starting the next Eugenics War. Forget all the benefits that could come from it, that risk is too great in the minds of the people to accept. So, after a major Federation colony has been destroyed by synthetic lifeforms (this would be like nuking Norfolk), banning their manufacture would fit with the mentality of the Federation.
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clearspira
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Re: Star Trek Picard and Trek Taking on Modern Politics
Isn't it mentioned in dialogue at the end of ''Descent'' that Data is going to have Lore destroyed?Mabus wrote: ↑Thu Jan 23, 2020 11:02 pm Just watched the first episode, and my first impression is that while flawed, it does have a Trek feeling, but it also feels like it's a high-budgeted deleted scene. There are a few things that bother me:
-Why did the 9/11 in space, sorry, meant the synthetic attack on Mars, that devastated a good portion of its surface, completely destroyed the Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards and caused the atmosphere of Mars to burn (?) only killed 92,000 people? That's a very small number, it should have been a lot higher
-Why would the Starfleet have to evacuate 900 million Romulans to other planets or to Federation planets? Don't Romulans have colonies of their own? They are a... STAR EMPIRE after all, there are still thousands of star systems in the galaxy that are still free estate. I mean, losing Romulus would collapse their government, but the other Romulan-controlled planets would just try to fill the power vacuum. I imagine this would lead to conflict, but would the Romulan citizens that wouldn't want to get involved in some civil war flee to the Federation? Why? They haven't lost all infrastructure and last time I checked they still have replicator technology, so they're not gonna starve in the middle of space. I guess you have to bend the events to fit with the whole immigrants/refugees theme I suppose
-So B4 failed to become Data (or at least that's what the official story is), because his brain wasn't as sophisticated as Data's. But no mention of Lore? Or are they saving it for later?
-Does the synthetics ban also cover non-humanoid bots, like the exocomps?
-How, why and who is an organic synthetic (really, they want to ripoff Blade Runner now?)? Is it a clone, a melting pot of lab-grown organs and tissues, artificial skin, nanotechnology?
