With the exception of a few tweets here and there, I have been mostly pretty quiet about DISCO (a nickname I love, by the way), as I have wanted to let it play out before I cast full judgement. Looking at TNG or DS9, both had pretty lackluster first seasons before they went on to greatness. Indeed, TNG, like ENT later, found it’s stride really in the 3rd season in my opinion. I find myself now additionally glad I waited because DISCO is not structured like any series that went before it. The story is so continuous, these 15 episodes are really structured like one long episode with a teaser and four acts.
And, much as the pilots of previous Trek series spend the first three acts building the problem before we see our crews gel to fix it, DISCO delivers its story the same way; but in this case, that means it is in episode 13, “What’s Past is Prologue” that we get that moment when we are reminded this is a Star Trek show, and this is a crew united in great purpose. I know people who checked out after the pilot episodes (“The Vulcan Hello” and “Battle at the Binary Stars”) as the show was too dark, didn’t feel right, and seemed to project some pretty non-Trek themes. They were correct; but those TWO episodes are just the teaser before the credits in my model, or Sisko’s flashback to Wolf 359 in the DS9 pilot. The show continues to be dark in places after that, but indeed it is building, and when its pieces fall into place it is satisfyingly Star Trek. But you have to watch them all.
So that non-Spoilery summary being there, I do recommend the show, and I will get into greater detail why in a moment. I am not going to discuss CBS and their model for distribution. I think there are valid complaints about it, in particular when it would have problems streaming, or the service didn’t quite offer all that it was supposed to. I am just here to talk about the show; and that show is very well written, delightfully well performed and produced, and despite taking its time, certainly finds itself a worthy if imperfect addition to the Star Trek universe. I would certainly hop on the Discovery for more adventures, and I hope we see them soon.
Now, let’s get straight to the biscuits; there is something old time Trekkies like me are going to have to accept in order to watch the show. The producers, so far as I can tell now (and it is possible there will be some in-universe multiverse answer in later seasons), consider story to be canon, but not visual aesthetics. So, when we see this complete re-design on the Klingons, the idea is just these are Klingons. When we see a Constitution Class at the end of the show and it does not look like the original Matt Jefferies design, well that’s just what they look like in this show; it’s intended to be the same ship. I know visual continuity is important to a lot of fans, and if you don’t think you can put it aside for the story, perhaps DISCO is not for you. I will admit I still struggle with seeing these Klingons as “Klingons.” I also understand that it’s the 21st Century and a new audience is not going to watch something that looks like it’s ten years older than a show produced in the mid 1960s.
One might argue that they should not have done a prequel then. I would agree if not for the great context they manage to bring to events we thought we knew. Yes, we seem to have traded human looking Klingons suffering from the Augment Virus for Lou Gossett Jr. from “Enemy Mine,” but we gain an incredible look into Sarek’s household and his relationship with Spock that left me reeling. We see why it seems Starfleet is so small in TOS, though it was much bigger in ENT and later in TNG. We see why Kirk and crew are so adamant about how vicious the Klingons must be in “Errand of Mercy.” In the end the benefits outweigh the lack of visual continuity, and the show does look fantastic.
Mostly. I did spend the first few episodes wishing the Klingons felt more kinetic. Choosing to do all of their dialogue in Klingon is bold, but it made for some very slow scenes for a while. Also, I am not very enamored of the Starships we see on the show, with the exception of the Discovery, which I love, and the Constitution Class that shows up at the end. Oh, all right, we’re in spoiler territory: It’s the Enterprise. I like their update of the Enterprise. The Klingon ships to me look clunky and not at all predatory enough. I think I would have preferred something like the Kelvin Timeline battlecruisers (or Klingons for that matter) or an update to the great old Jefferies design closer to what they do with the Enterprise.
Beyond that however, set design, costume design, props, makeup; all superb. Doug Jones brings a great alien-ness to Saru, and I do have to credit Mary Chieffo for the performance she gives through layers of new Klingon makeup. We do see a world that is based on but not beholden to a fifty year old version of the 23rd century; we see a 23rd Century that looks like a future conceived today. That may be a tough sell for some people, but I chose to take it, and I am glad I did.
The story overall is very good with themes and character development intertwining through multiple storylines. There are some twists, but I have to say with rare exception, I saw them all coming. I won’t claim any rare gift, and in retrospect there were subtle clues I did miss, but the reveals of Tyler being Voq, Lorca being from the Mirror Universe, and Georgiou being Terran Emperor all seemed pretty obvious. However, each actors’ performance regarding these revelations was fantastic. In particular the way Shazad Latif transforms his demeanor and voice between Tyler and Voq was astounding. Truly great performance. And that is saying a lot on a show full of great performances.
If I have any other gripe though, it is probably just me being a complaining old man. I think I should be able to put on any Star Trek and let my grandkids wander through the room. Network and syndicated standards and practices have kept most of Trek at that level of accessibility. Streaming allowed for some gore here that would be a little strong for my Granddaughter, and of course Cadet Tilly’s “fucking cool,” “those assholes,” and a “shit” there at the end. Except for the f-bomb, I can get past the others, but for me “fucking cool” just felt wedged in because they could. I did however really adore Tilly as a character and May Wiseman did deliver the best and most heartfelt comedy on the show. She was an absolute find by casting, and the many phases of Tilly hair did always keep me guessing! Seriously though, her ability to portray naiveté and nerves while still delivering her knowledge with a bit of brass and confidence of someone who will grow into an amazing officer, was fantastic. Captain Tilly will one day be as badass as Captain Killy, but she’ll have the heart to go with it (more on that in a moment). 
So another little something bothering me is the death of Hugh Culber. The matter-of-fact presentation of Culber and Stamets’ marriage made up for a gaping representation hole in Star Trek, and their relationship was palpable right down to their little photon toothbrushes. I bought every minute of them as a couple, and really looked forward to the moments they shared onscreen. It is an effective “oh shit!” moment when Tyler snaps Hugh’s neck, and when Stamets later confronts Tyler over it, I wanted to weep at how well Anthony Rapp conveys his sorrow while holding on to his own humanity in response. Producers have mentioned that Culber’s death does not just mean the standard “kill a gay guy” trope, and I hope that proves correct. I would love to see the Doctor and the Mycologist reunited, but I am not sure it’s something that can be pulled off in a plausible way. Of course, the mycelial network works in mysterious ways. As much as I have reserved judgement on a few things until this season is done, perhaps I need to hold out a little longer for some others. After all, ENT waited until season 4 to have their Vulcans really make sense.
Other things I would praise include Rainn Wilson’s appearances as Harry Mudd, and the plethora of easter eggs scattered throughout the show. But I really need to talk about Jason Isaacs as Lorca. Indeed, the more I have thought about his character and the eventual reveal of him being from the Mirror Universe, the more I have actually thought of a different TOS episode being revisited: “The Enemy Within.”
One of the points that older episode makes is that Kirk is ineffectual as a commander without the wolf inside. The compassion of the lamb must have the jaws of the wolf to back it up, but so does the predator need the feeling of mercy to temper it. That’s a fascinating statement to make 50 years ago, and honestly one that holds up. In an age where we are as divided as a society as we have ever been, it may be true that a nation of the meek cannot stand, but a nation of wolves would be monsters. Finding the balance, the compromise is the better way forward. Watching Discovery, and especially looking back at earlier episodes now knowing the eventual motivation of Captain Lorca, it is interesting to note that despite some horrible acts (mostly in abandoning people like Mudd and Admiral Cornwell where mercy should have been in evidence) he is a good Captain. He wants the best from his crew, he does forge them into people who will survive the war. The right actions for the wrong purposes. It is an interesting dichotomy that certainly sets the stage for Kirk a decade later referring to himself as “a soldier” or “admit that we’re killers,” or dealing with his wolf when torn asunder from his sheep. We can say the more diplomatic Jean-Luc Picard has evolved beyond that, but we see the steel of violence in him when he needs it. Hell, Sisko punched Q. Back to Discovery, I found Lorca’s character fascinating for this reason, and Jason Isaacs really brings it in his performance. I would imagine even Mirror Lorca had a part in the growth of the future Captain Tilly, and man I’m hoping that’s a movie we get someday.
So despite some reservations (though I can’t think of a Star Trek for which I don’t have a few of those), the first season of Discovery has surprised me in how much I have come to like it. I can see where some very die hard folks won’t be able to get past the shifting aesthetics or the suddenly curvier Enterprise, but it took me a few years to realize that Star Trek was not about starships. It’s not the quality of the set, it’s the heart of the content and despite some slips and starts, the Discovery crew has the heart of Star Trek on its sleeve. I can’t ask for more than that.
Well, maybe some Kelpien soup too.
(All images property CBS)
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