As part of their European publicity tour, Star Trek: Discovery stars Sonequa Martin-Green, Jason Isaacs, and Shazad Latif were joined by executive producer and co-showrunner Aaron Harberts at a screening of Sunday’s episode, “Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum” at the Millbank Tower in Westminster, London on Sunday. A select group of UK fans were invited by Netflix to attend the event. In addition to the screening, there was a Q&A with the Discovery team.
Moderator Jamie East with Aaron Harberts, Shazad Latif, Sonequa Martin-Green and Jason Isaacs
Giving an update on the progress of the first season, Aaron Harberts revealed that they are currently “locking down” the finale (episode 15), which will debut in 2018. Actor Jason Isaacs added that in the finale, “shit goes down.” Harberts also confirmed that each season of the show will be treated as a “novel,” with the “war novel” about the Klingons wrapping up at the end of the first season.
Sonequa Martin-Green and Jason Isaacs
Harberts went on to say that work on developing the second season of Discovery will begin in two weeks. He didn’t give any details on what the story arc for the season would be, but did say the team is going to look at what has worked and hasn’t worked with the first season as they thrash out what themes they want to bring to the fore for season two.
The second season of Discovery was only announced recently. Co-creator Alex Kurtzman recently told TrekMovie the team had already decided on a new arc for season two and he had previously stated the second season may not debut until early 2019.
Moderator Jamie East and Aaron Harberts
Michael named for an angel and other highlights
Here are a few other tidbits from the UK Fan event:
- Sonequa’s head canon is her character is named Michael after her biological father and in the future gender names are more fluid.
- Harberts revealed Michael Burnam was named for the archangel Michael, but he prefers Sonequa’s version.
- The team is aware the redesign of the Klingons has been “polarizing” with the fans, but defended the decision, saying it was part of co-creator and former showrunner Bryan Fuller’s original vision to go”deeper into Klingon culture.”
- The cast enjoyed working with director Jonathan Frakes, who gave tips on doing the “bridge shake” effect, something he and his TNG cast members mastered after seven seasons.
- Sonequa and James Frain trained for their “Lethe” fight scene separately, with their first time together being in front of the cameras.
- Doug Jones is an “angel” to work with, and a “big hugger.”
Sonequa Martin-Green
More photos
The event also included a reception with Star Trek-themed snacks. There were also costumes and props on display, as well as a captain’s chair for photo ops.
Netflix Star Trek: Discovery London fan event
Discovery costumes
Captain’s chair photo op
Trek-ified signage
Star Trek: Discovery is available exclusive in the US on CBS All Access with new episodes released Sundays at 8:30 pm ET. In Canada Star Trek: Discovery airs on the Space Channel at the same time. Discovery is available on Netflix outside the USA and Canada with new episodes made available Monday at 8 am BST.
Keep up with all the Star Trek: Discovery news at TrekMovie.
I wish there were still a chance of Bryan Fuller taking over. So far, Discovery feels like a missed opportunity — it’s trying way too hard to show that it both is — and isn’t — your dad’s Star Trek.
It’s not terrible — and it could get better this season. But it’s not quite working yet (like a lot of first-season shows)
I think it’s still a stronger first season than what we often get with a Star Trek show. My introduction to Trek was TNG so Discovery is like Shakespeare compared to TNG’s first season! LOL Overall, I’m thoroughly enjoying Discovery and it’s quickly becoming my favorite series in the franchise. However, while the Klingon scenes are interesting, they are are, as my sister said, “laborious” to watch. Maybe they can speed up the delivery of lines in Klingon to move those scenes along a little bit because right now it sounds like they’re reading off their grocery list. I do love seeing more of Klingon culture and enjoy this different take on it. The Klingon scenes just really sloooooow things down.
The Klingon scenes are some of the best in the show. Reading subtitles isn’t really all that difficult.
Its not the ‘reading subtitles’ part, its just their basic delivery that seems to be boring people. I too find them a chore. I just don’t care enough about their story for one and two 8 episodes in and there has really been very little of the Klingon story. They basically been sitting on a ship discussing the same things all season: they want to unite the Houses, Kol wants power and L’rell has something up her sleeve. There has been little to actual action in terms of plot outside of catching a Starfleet officer.
The way the Klingons deliver lines reminds me of the way the Chancellor’s daughter speaks Klingon in Trek 6. To me, it works fine. Klingons don’t have to talk like pirates.
TUC was just two hours and most of them actually talked normally. That was fine. Episode after episode of it though with them all speaking slowly it just feels draining to some people I guess.
But Azetbur delivered most of her lines in English — not all, but most. And more importantly, she wasn’t hidden behind all that new Klingon latex.
Totally agreed. At this point the whole “Klingon Houses” subplot has yet to really go anywhere, let alone pay off.
They’ve been pretty light on the Klingon scenes and the war thankfully. They provide the background context to the season arc but that’s about it. I was halfway expecting an episode or two entirely focused on the Klingons. I’m sure the fans’ heads would explode if they were forced to watch 45 minutes of mumbling, latex mask wearing, subtitled mishmash.
Star Trek shouldn’t be about war. I’m not thankful for much about Discovery, but I am grateful they’ve had enough sense to mostly have it in the background. Strong character pieces and moral tales are what Discovery should be about. Then dream up whatever galactic politics, aliens or individuals are needed to service them.
It’s the flippin Klingon makeup. They need to figure out how to lighten it up around the mouth parts so actors can speak more easily and expressively.
1. Reading subtitles IS difficult when the font choice is so poor, and when they’re trying to focus the audience’s attention on the Klingon ship design.
2. More generally, it’s not a question of hating subtitles. It’s that the actors are delivering lines in a language the don’t understand and that is — big reveal here — a made-up language. That’s not the case with the Oscar nominees for best foreign language film.
Look, I was excited when I read that Klingons would speak in Klingon, and I’m glad they tried it; but surprisingly, it’s just not working out.
The river Temarc, in summer! Agree completely.
The Mudd time loop episode was the first one that my wife sat all the way through. Why? She said there was no Klingon stuff to slow it down. It’s not just a question of subtitles, it’s the questionable choices that the river Temarc highlights above.
Top TNG first season episodes are 11001001, The Big Goodbye, Conspiracy.
Personally I never liked holodeck centered episodes like The Big Goodbye. The holodeck as major plot devise was a sign the episode would be sub par.
Some of my favorite episodes were the holodeck ones but yes probably relied on it too much.
Agree – and I don’t understand why we are reading subtitles. There is a normal convention to indicate that a group are speaking in another language, which is shown in the Undiscovered Country trial scene. You establish that it is another language and switch to English. All the Klingons are very slow talkers, and it drags.
But all of the ideas CAME from Bryan Fuller. They said nothing really changed in the show itself and in fact he and Kutzman had mapped out the entire season and the first two episodes were already written before he left. This is basically his vision in pretty much every detail he layed out in interviews.
Come again?
https://mobile.twitter.com/bryanfuller/status/771872524619489280
That was a joke.
There was a sense that some of the things people dislike the most were Fuller ideas. But its hard to say his vision would be better since we dont know what it is and its damn good as it is now.
His dialogue is usually miles better. He’s got the track record as a visionary writer with a distinct voice, big ideas, and memorable characters. The new showrunners got plopped into his job when he was asked to leave. Even though it’s hard to say what was Fuller’s and what is theirs, they certainly have nothing close to his creative reputation or his understanding of Star Trek. So it’s not easy to escape the impression that they’re coasting on his framework and giving a competent but workmanlike approach to ideas and characters that needed a bolder and inspired creative to see them through.
The current creatives are doing a good job I think, they just need to retool and learn from the mistakes from the first season. This is how all trek iterations operate. Frankly I enjoy the trial and error aspect. Giving the show time to mature and find its legs is not a bad thing.
As for Brian Fuller, it’s hard to find anyone more enthusiastic about the franchise but I’d hesitate to place him on any sort of pillar. For all you know he’s responsible for the things you hate the most about the show. No one is going to satisfy all fans. That just ain’t happening.
(comment was meant for Jack)
Oh, but it is terrible. I quit watching this. After 7 episodes I’ve had enough of this Star Wars series. I wanted a Star Trek series. Fortunately, there is one. It’s called The Orville.
It is funny how the same trappings of earlier days still play out the same with trekkies. In the nineties: “DS9 is not Trek/DS9 is the best Trek”/”Voyager is silly/Voyager is the real Trek.” Twenty years later: “DSC is not Trek/DSC is the best Trek”/”Orville is silly/Orville is the real Trek.” Oh boy.
I actually never quit watching a Trek series before. I’m actually among those who liked DS9/VOY. I didn’t like ENT that much – because at that point they already were attempting to turn Trek into something else, a more gloomy vision of the future – but despite those attempts I remained loyal to the franchise. Now they finally succeeded with that totally grim, unnecessarily dark, gloomy, dystopian future thing. Not interested in that at all. Not my kind of Trek.
@Salvador. Spot on. I mentioned a similar argument in another thread. Real Trek is in the eye of the beholder and what their first or favorite iteration is
Its great if you like the Orville. if you think Orville is Star Trek then you dont know what Star Trek is.
Well, not literally, obviously. But it’s got Star Trek DNA. That’s what counts.
Star Trek is much deeper and fuller than Orville is or will ever be. I’m not saying Orville is bad. I watch it every week and this weeks episode was damn good I thought, but it is not Star Trek. Star Trek expands the mind. Sometimes they go darker, but the universe is dark and you have to be dark to stand toe to toe at times. We see that in every iteration, but only “hear” about the ships or people that went dark. Changing a society to the Nazi way of life seems darker than anything DSC has every done don’t you think?
Quantum47… it has dick jokes. How very Star Trek.
Maybe The Orville got the DNA by going into a “glory hole”… smh…
Family Guy in space, sadly not much more.
So people only watch one show? 42 minutes of Television a week. That’s pretty good. As for me, I watch Discovery, Orville, Big Bang, a couple other shows.
I don’t understand a comment like this. Remember the leaked designs for Klingon ships and such? That was when Fuller was head of the show and that was very much NOT your dad’s Star Trek. I don’t get why people think Fuller would present a more visually familiar Trek.
Very much agree! I like Bryan Fuller and much of his past works, especially Pushing Daisies and Hannibal, but these people who want him to come back to save Discovery would very likely be disappointed. I wouldn’t mind him returning but don’t think it would be much better or worse.
Every major idea we have seen so far has come from Fuller. He was the one who wanted to redesign everything including the Klingons which the show runners specifically stated.
Maybe running the show would be some changes but as for the look and concept of the show this was what he and Alex Kurtzman came up with. From the characters to the serialized nature of the show, its his vision.
It’s the uninspired execution that’s more troubling to me than the shakeups of Klingons etc. Dialogue doesn’t sing, Burnham’s voice is not consistent, plotting is competent rather than memorable. The production values are great, it’s just not exactly groundbreaking TV.
While I’d love love see Fuller return in a showrunner capacity, there’s no reason to believe the show would change in any fundamental way that would make it any better. As is, it’s pretty effing great.
Perfect? Of course not. But few shows are.
@ Jack I agree 100%! There are elements in the show that I’m liking a lot, but over all IMO it’s not working. I HOPE season 2 will make everything click.
This show would be even weirder and more polarizing if Fuller were still involved. For those reasons alone, I WISH Fuller were still involved. I’m loving Discovery so far, but I’d have loved to see him let loose with his vision. Fuller argued with CBS about Alex Semel directing the first two hours, claiming Semel was too traditional a choice. (More pissed off Trek fans, I’d imagine…)
Look at it this way: he threw out and rewrote all his scripts for season one of Hannibal when the pilot was filmed because the director had elevated the script so much, he felt he needed to raise the game. If he’d had a director of his choice in the seat for Vulcan Hello and BOTBS, who knows what beautiful madness we could have gotten? Agh. Hopefully someday we’ll get the scoop.
“This show would be even weirder and more polarizing if Fuller were still involved.”
Pure speculation.
An Edgar Wright-directed pilot? Heck yes, I’d have loved to see that.
Discovery better tie up any loose ends ASAP
as I don’t see an bright future for them. They
can succeed being dark and rather dismal but
background and character modifications are in
need or dire straits will be their history to have.
That fight scene was prepared horribly. Saw that coming.
I am sure the Second half of the season will involve the Mirror Universe and the Terran Empire.
Thats already happening this season unless you mean a continuation of it? If so yeah, I can see them pulling a DS9 and going to the Mirror Universe every season, although I guess they can’t do it TOO much because, once again, it would effect canon since Kirk knew nothing about the MU on TOS….but its possible.
@Tiger2
As much as I loved DS9 the mirror universe episodes I really could have done without. Once in the series would have been plenty. But they returned to it too many times. They did, however, have lengthy seasons and had the time to spend on such things. That is not the case with this limited series. I thought the limited episodes meant no more “mid season fillers”. They already had one. And with the upcoming mirror episode it looks like they will have at least two.
I will admit they probably did too many of them but I really enjoyed them. It gave that universe its own mythology.
As I said I don’t think Discovery would do as many because canon wise it would be a stretch. But then again Discovery may end up where 90% of what we see on screen may just stay highly classified missions and can explain away why others didn’t know about it I guess.
But as far as your definition filler episodes, I just don’t see it that way to be honest. I get your point but for *me* I want to just see episodes where they get into a personal crisis, usually through some crazy sci fi situation and work together as a team to get out of it. I mean that is basically 80% of what Star Trek is in every show, especially TOS and TNG. If we look at it that way, then practically most episodes of those shows could be defined as fillers.
But I guess I’m not really all that invested in the Klingon war since its a prequel we know it can only end one way basically. So I’m happy to have the smaller unique sci fi stories as well, even if they don’t always add to the bigger story.
Sorry you said second half of the season. For some reason I read it as second season. I totally missed the ‘half of’ part lol. But yes, you’re correct! Can’t wait!
Well, nothing new so far. But boy, they’re steadfast in defending that terrible Klingon makeup under which most actors (barring Mary Chieffo) can’t even act properly.
There would probably still be some opportunities to make it fit into existing visual canon somehow, but chances are getting slimmer.
It’s not a stretch to see them fit into canon. If you added hair, they’d look like Klingons with harder features. I appreciate the work they’ve done and the interesting thing, the guys who do the makeup, work on a makeup effects competition show with Michael Westmore. It would be really hard to see him not talking with them about his process of doing the Klingons and things he would’ve liked to do had he had the time and bigger budget.
Sounds like we would have gotten the current Klingon makeup even if Fuller had stayed.
It was Fuller’s idea.
“If you added hair, they’d look like Klingons with harder features.”
But you can’t add hair because it this point, it’s pretty obvious they biologically don’t grow any hair. Especially with so many DIFFERENT Klingons, including Kor’s relatives already shown, it’s obvious that DSC’s Klingons don’t have hair. And that makes it IMPOSSIBLE to link them to TNG Klingons, let alone TOS Klingons. The hair, especially facial hair, was a major element of Klingon design, and I’m still having a hard time letting this go.
I might have read somewhere some time ago that an original concept for the Klingons was they would be gold skinned. But ended up not having the budget for it and so….
The only thing that bugs me about the Klingon make up is how awkward they are with their hands because of these big rubber mitts they wear.
As far as acting I think it works fine. Go watch TMP if you want to see actors unable to speak because of Klingon makeup. Or the Ferengi. Or a myriad other aliens we’ve seen the past 50 years.
Overall I like the update and wish they’d always looked like this. Too often, particularly over the course of TNG and DS9, the Klingons looked less and less alien and just became human with the same as any forehead-of-the-week guest stars. They were just angry starfleet with swords.
It’s the teeth that baffle me the most. They are so unnecessary – they impede the performances, possibly being the reason all the actors speak so damned slowly now.
I’d like season 2 to include the Romulans. Wasn’t their speculation in TOS that the Klingons got their cloaking technology from the Romulans? Perhaps even have the current war between the Federation and the Klingons as being a Romulan manipulation. They don’t even need Starfleet to be aware of the Romulan involvement, like with the Romulan agents on Vulcan during the Enterprise era.
The team is aware the redesign of the Klingons has been “polarizing” with the fans, but defended the decision, saying it was part of co-creator and former showrunner Bryan Fuller’s original vision to go”deeper into Klingon culture.”
How is completely changing 51 years of what is a globally recognised iconic race “Going Deeper”?
The same way redesigning them and creating a backstory in the films and TNG did.
“The team is aware the redesign of the Klingons has been “polarizing” with the fans, but defended the decision, saying it was part of co-creator and former showrunner Bryan Fuller’s original vision to go”deeper into Klingon culture.””
How does completely changing the make-up design takes us deeper into Klingon culture??? They’re portraying a different sort of Klingons that can only be aligned with traditional depictions by some more of ENT’s genetic virus mumbo-jumbo or some other crazy explanation, if they even care to explain it at all at some point.
In the end, it may be just a way to hide the Voq actor’s identity which certainly wouldn’t have worked with Worf’s traditional make-up. If that’s the reason, it’s an extremely high price to pay for one puny little revelation.
He wanted them to seem more alien and have different tribal looks for each house.
Not only that, but we’re getting a much deeper look at their society and structure and religion than just “honor based warrior race.” We’re getting into not just their religion (only briefly touched upon in the past) but insight into their thinking as a people, what motivates them beyond “honor.”
Klingons were always a cookie cutter alien race, which may have worked in the past, but they’re being given a lot more depth here.
If viewers can’t see that, it says more about the viewers than the show. Viewers that can’t see that are simply refusing to see it because they can’t get past something that doesn’t look safe and familiar.
They’re certainly not being given more depth, even from a religious standpoint, than in TNG “Rightful Heir” and “Firstborn,” where we saw things like ritual passion plays, meditation, etc.
I love the show. But I am thrilled to hear them say they will look at what worked and what didn’t. Being self-reflective is great for creative types to make the next season even better.
Agreed. I went away with great confidence for Season 2.
So, if I were Showrunner for a day, below are a few things I’d like to see in Season 2.
1. A season based on true “discovery” and exploration without the war theme.
2. A few visual nods to classic Trek to confirm we’re in the same universe. For example, an encounter with a Constitution class that looks like it did in TOS with the crew wearing the Cage uniforms. And, overall visuals that are more in line with TOS while still looking appropriate for modern television.
3. An explanation for why the Klingons look so different. Perhaps in the 100 years that they weren’t seen, they tried to reverse the augment virus but it instead changed them to look like they do in ST DSC. Perhaps they revert back to looking human in time for TOS before finally finding a cure and returning to their “real” look for the movie era and beyond.
4. Tone down on the profanity and graphic violence. I’m not a prude, but to me that isn’t Star Trek.
Please don’t accuse me of being a hater… I love Discovery. The above are just a few things in my own personal opinion I’d like to see…
Agree with Danno on this point: “2. A few visual nods to classic Trek to confirm we’re in the same universe. For example, an encounter with a Constitution class that looks like it did in TOS with the crew wearing the Cage uniforms. And, overall visuals that are more in line with TOS while still looking appropriate for modern television.”
Otherwise, I’m not in love with the show – it’s ok, and unless the mid-season finale blows my mind somehow (doubtful), I probably won’t miss it all that much until it returns in January. But if they do somehow tie it into classic Trek and even marginally prove to me visually we’re in the same timeline, that’d be great. Unless CBSAA does something incredibly stupid like raise their already bloated price, I’ll be tuning in for season two. It is decent sci-fi.
While I wouldn’t mind some visual cues– maybe have them start wearing black trousers– but I’d also like to see them completely visually retcon the Constitution class. To something akin to Gabe Koerner’s redesign.
Once again Danpaine we are on similar pages. Danno’s point 2 is something I think the show desperately needs to tie it into the prime timeline. As of now I’m just not seeing visual evidence that it is what the producers say it is.
And I as well am not in love with the show. It’s not bad but I think The Expanse did what it feels like this is doing better. And like you unless they hit the ball right on the screws with the mid season finale I’m not going to miss it. I’m canceling the instant I watch the episode but will still re up in January. Weather or not I subscribe for season 2 will be determined by factors that are not yet known.
Thankfully, the show is far better than you or danpaine seem to believe!
While I suspect we’ll get a Connie eventually we certainly dont “need” it. Its clearly Prime. Im not sure why we need to see the Enterprise from TOS to feel better about it. How many times did we see a Connie in any of the other series?
Anyone still griping about “visual evidence” are still burying their heads in the sand. You wont see visual evidence of the 60’s. But my goodness, they have given you plenty of visual nods to TOS. You choose to ignore them, fine. But dont pretend they arent there.
Not to beat a dead horse here, but I really wish the show had been placed somewhere later in the timeline. Post-TUC, pre-TNG, preferably. 90 years of unaccounted-for time in the Prime Universe, and I think a ‘prime’ time to explore.
I know it’s too late for that to happen, but halfway through the season now, I see NO reason this needed to be set 10 years prior to TOS. None at all.
Well, that depends on how important that war was to the show runners. Other than that, I agree 100%. It would make far more sense visually, technically, and in any other way I can think of ;-)
Agreed Danpaine,
Its no secret I don’t like prequels but I told myself maybe Discovery is in this timeline for a very good reason story wise just to learn it really isn’t. There was zero reason why they couldn’t do a Klingon war story in a different period, especially when, ironically, putting a Klingon war story in this period actually goes against canon.
Its not the end of the world but as I been saying Discovery would actually feel more in line with the timeline if they actually moved it post Voyager with all the differences they made and crazy tech they have going on versus where it is now. It feels like the only reason its in this timeline so Burnham can have a connection to Sarek and Spock. But once you take that away the show could be in any timeline frankly and you wouldn’t miss a beat.
And thats what bothers me a little because at least with Enterprise you saw a real reason why that show was placed in its timeline because they were making a real effort to show Starfleet at the beginning of its run. It really felt like a show taking place in the 22nd century. You wouldn’t know what century Discovery took place in if they didn’t throw out a reference somewhere, especially since everything is completely different.
That said though if you look at it as a reboot, which it basically is, then its fine as well. But thats what it is, a reboot. More of a visual one obviously.
“Not to beat a dead horse but here’s a horse corpse and I’m going to hit it a few more times.”
Ha ha ha….:). Nice, Burnham. Exactly.
How does fundamentally changing the way Klingons look “go deeper into Klingon culture” in any way, shape or form?
Sorry to say,This is not Star Trek!
So much is missing, on so many levels!
Can’t tell you how disappointed I am! Nothing left of 50 wonderful, fascinating, hopeful,ground breaking,forward
Thinking years!
But they also said that about TNG at its start. And later DS9. No matter how you feel about the show (and its perfectly OK not to like it) Star Trek has proved judging a show in its first season is usually not the same as judging it in its third or fourth.
Now it may not improve for you later on but shows can change and improve, especially Star Trek shows. To this day the only Star Trek show that was considered great in its first season was TOS, all the others took time to get their footing. And even though I have issues with Discovery I personally think its off to a decent start in its first season compared to TNG and DS9 at least although so far its nowhere close to my love of those shows. But it will be a better comparison if it makes it to five seasons. ;)
You’re wrong. All of those 50 previous years was saved for posterity. You are welcome to rewatch them. ;-)
This is more Star Trek than a lot of episodes of past Trek. It’s got fictional science, bizarre aliens, moral quandaries, social commentary… pretty much everything that makes Trek what it is.
It’s not perfect. There hasn’t been a single episode I’d put in my top ten Trek lists. But I’m enjoying how the story is unfolding, and loving everything on screen so far, and clearly so are a lot of other people.
On to season 2!!
Not sure what you believe is missing.
But the 50 years of content didn’t disappear.
It isimply a show for the 21st century, thats all.
“Sonequa’s head canon is her character is named Michael after her biological father and in the future gender names are more fluid.”
Bulls–t!
The show even referenced the fact that it was odd to name a female ‘Michael’. If Michael were commonplace for both male and females in 2256, Cadet Tilly wouldn’t have made the comment she did. Do these people not know what’s in their own show? Seeing as one of the producers (Harberts) basically agreed with Sonequa.
The only reference was Tilly saying the only female Michael she knew was the mutineer, Burnham. By the way, is Meurik male or female? Sounds 23rd-centurish to me… :-)
Yes, Cadet Tilly never met another female “Michael”. I’ve never met a Meurik. So what?
This is good to know that they have a 2nd season, if you can call it a season. Unlike regular or (some) Cable channels, you got maybe 22 episodes and there was a time you got 26 or 27. But getting 9 episodes, waiting 2 or 3 months for the next half which is 6 episodes and then wait 8 months to a year perhaps…. People could loose interest real quick. It would be nice if they can make a full 22 or 23 episode season. However, I am quite sure it would be “too costly” to do so.
mid season breaks are common among tv shows these days.
yep and usually after ninth episode,just like discovery is doing.
@Gary 8.5,
Not with streaming shows.
Maybe so but I am okay with how they are doing it.
Taking a break is a good idea.
Sort of silly to apply hard & fast rules to streaming. Some drop all episodes at once. Some do it weekly. We’re seeing an evolution with premiere content (streaming and otherwise) and there arent really hard & fast rules. Discovery is longer than most premiere content series, more akin to a cable show like Walking Dead.
@Nebula1701
It’s common for over the air network television. It is not common for cable shows who run their 10-11 episodes and are gone for 10 months. It is virtually unheard of for streaming shows where the common practice has been to throw all episodes out at the same time. CBS has been treating this show like a shortened version of one of their regular over the air shows.
@Kirok – Not true. Walking Dead does this. Shows with 10 episodes wouldnt do it because thats too small. 15-ish episodes and you have enough to break.
Its been common for decades to do breaks. They just didnt market them as big deals. They’d just start airing re-runs. Even network shows like Law & Order, they dont really make a big deal out of the “break” but they do with the “return”.
Very common.
CBS All Access is not treating Discovery in an unusual way. As a Network-produced streaming service, they are treating it like premiere content. Plus you’ve got the holidays.
I realise your schtick is to complain about everything. But just like you used to argue disc rental was Netflix’ biggest division, you’re wrong about this too. Its not unusual and makes sense given the time of the year.
Personally, I’m happy with fewer episodes. 22 is often too many — there’s a lot of filler — and arcs really start to drag/get watered down. A lot of UK shows (and a lot of netflix/premium cable now) do under a dozen. I’m a fan.
I also don’t mind the mid-season breaks — it’s the way shows work now.
Swooning over Shazad
He is a good looking man! He is also a good actor and does an American accent well.
This show is terrible. Latest Episode was a complete waste of time
Replace the writing showrunners & the writing team. Get competent people capable of writing believable characters, realistic dialogue and original ideas; get the most out of the freedom allowed by the streaming medium.
I think we need to replace you as well.
@ Captain Ransom…Ahmed isn’t entitled to his opinion because you don’t agree? Is that what you are basically saying?
Ahmed is well known as a shitdisturber here. He was super negative about the show before even seeing it and that has continued. Relevant and rational opinions are one thing and many people here have differing opinions and discuss them in a wonderful way.
Ahmed continues to push the same perspective he had when he knew nothing about the show. In fact, its doubtful he’s even watching it.
I have no issues with the Klingon makeup, continuity inconsistencies or the likes. In fact I wouldn’t care if it was a total reboot. I just don’t see the smart humanistic series that Gene created here. And if it is to be ST just in the name, why don’t they just go create something new? Instead we got a series that is just diluting further the name and fandom. I have been a fan for 40 years now, and I don’t feel obligated to consume this just because the name. I came to understand all things must eventually come to an end.
There seems to be a general theme in the comments on this site. If you don’t like Discovery and prefer classic Trek your opinions don’t count. Wow, how tolerant.
For season 2 they need to start putting more meat on the bone. Discovery is serialised – which I have no problen with – it has felt though at times like we are just getting standard episode concepts stretched out over a longer period. I want a dense multi-layered story with penetrative, deep and insightful explorations of the characters.
Hey, designer responsible for the Trek-ified signage, use the cool new European wheelchair icon design instead of that old, stiff one. The new one shows the stick figure leaning forward, and the arm is bent 45 degrees to role the wheel. It’s way more engaged and active, not so lame (literally), it looks cool, and the disability community appreciates it.