Shuttle Pod 40 – Star Trek: Discovery Comic-Con Recap and Trailer Reaction

This past week was San Diego Comic-Con, and along with it came an absolute deluge of news surrounding the soon-to-premiere Star Trek: Discovery. From a gallery full of screen used props and costumes (many of which we were seeing for the first time) to the first ever convention appearance of the full main cast and some crew to a brand new trailer to a press conference and red carpet event where TrekMovie got to talk with some of the USS Discovery’s crew, there is an awful lot of stuff to digest.

Subscribe to Shuttle Pod: The TrekMovie.com Podcast on iTunesGoogle Play Music and Pocket Casts!

Preview this podcast with the Shuttle Pod Enhanced!

What we learned at Comic-Con

Come along with the Shuttle Pod crew as we debrief and recap everything that happened at the con, with perspectives from Kayla, our “boots on the ground” in San Diego, and site editors Matt, Brian, and Jared who were covering the news back at base.

Kayla shares some experiences of actually meeting and briefly chatting with some of the cast and crew of Discovery. Matt gives us a glimpse at some of TrekMovie’s upcoming analysis and takes us down the rabbit hole of picking apart the new trailer, scene by scene.

Sonequa Martin-Green, DSC’s lead, gives the Vulcan salute at SDCC 2017

New Trailer

CBS version (does not work outside USA)

Netflix international version (does not work in USA or Canada)

TrekMovie SDCC17 interviews

Sonequa Martin-Green on First Officer Michael Burnham

Anthony Rapp on Lt. Stamets in ‘Star Trek: Discovery

Shazid Latif on Lt. Tyler in ‘Star Trek: Discovery’

‘Discovery’ showrunners Aaron Harberts and Gretchen Berg and executive producer Heather Kadin

Mary Wiseman on Ensign Tilly in ‘Star Trek: Discovery’

‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Producers On Trying To Delight Fans While Bringing In New Audience

More TrekMovie SDCC17 coverage

SDCC17: New ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Trailer And Images

‘The Orville’ panel report and new trailer

‘Discovery’ press conference report

‘Discovery’ panel report

New trailer and images from ‘Star Trek: Discovery’

IDW Panel reveals details for ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ and Boldly Go comics

See ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Federation and Starfleet Props and Costumes

See ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Klingon Costumes And Props

Klingon Torchbearer Revealed + Gentle Giant Announces Discovery Collectibles

‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Concept Art Details Klingon And Federation Ships

21 Comments
oldest
newest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

You guys bring up a great point about the potential of “slogging” through three seasons with the Klingons. As unpleasant as it sounds, it has the possibility of happening because most people have some familiarity with the Klingons, whether you’re a Trek fan or not. That’s built-in marketing! Just look at Star Wars – do we really need another trilogy about the Skywalkers? No but it’s what most people are familiar with. And I, too, want escapism from the real world when I watch Trek.

The thing is, Ben, when Enterprise focused on the new aliens the Suliban, the Sphere Builders, the Xindi, and the Na’kuhl (with some breaks to feature the Ferengi, Klingons, and Borg), everybody and their brother bitched, moaned and whined about how they wanted to see the Klingons and see the Romulan War. Now that the new show has the Klingons front and center, they’re still not satisfied and bitching their heads off again. What the frak do people want?

The Romulan War was a specific event that had been left vague and appeared to be ripe to make a show out of. That’s why people wanted it.

Most people would rather this not be a prequel at all .

I’m commenting as I’m listening cause this is one lengthy podcast and I’m gonna have to allot some time later this work-heavy day to listening to the second half but I REALLY like how you’re breaking down the whole Klingon/war-issue. There have been such heated arguments even in this comments section (still more civil than in other parts of the web, mind you!) and you’re discussing those matters in an in-depth, critical way while keeping your cool and maintaining a very professional journalistic perspective. That’s a great example for how trek fandom discussions can work and I really appreciate that.

I’m mainly referring to the fact that it’s not all hunky-dory, but there’s not an ounce of that… well, outright discrediting a show we know almost nothing about and calling out those who are still quite optimistic (if CAUTIOUSLY optimistic).

There is a LOT of information to digest about the new series. Most of everything I’ve seen looks good and it will be a very entertaining sci-if series.

The one thing I don’t like is how the show has devided Star Trek fans into two groups – one that dislikes/hate how the look of the show has radically changed from the original series and another group that loves the changes no matter how far they deviate from canon. The exchanges between the two groups is very bitter at times and I find that disheartening.

In retrospective I believe all of this could have been avoided by simply identifying the show as a prequel to the Kelvin timeline movies. It would still be “ten years before Kirk, Spock and the Enterprise …” But there would be no issue with canon because the events would transpire in the alternate timeline created by Nero. The more advanced tech would fit fine because star fleet may have salvaged tech from Nero’s ship or simply invested more in R&D to deal with possible future events. Who knows?

I may have missed it, but has anything definitively identified this to take place in the prime timeline?

Regards.

There is a problem with “definitively” identifying DSC as prime timeline. About the only way to do it would be to show or refer to Capt Robau or George Kirk Sr being alive. All the other events of the Kelvin Timeline happen later or are non-events in the prime timeline (no ambassador Spock, no Nero). Somehow I just don’t see this CBS production “crossing over” even as little as mentioning the Paramount productions – even if they should be one happy universe.

That said, I am really looking forward to this show. While not every creative choice is my favorite, I think the whole thing is being done with a lot of thought and quality. I appreciate TrekMovie staff’s enthusiasm and openmindedness.

It is mostly a matter of if they say it is in the “prime timeline” the whole show is worth vastly more in terms of what they can charge companies that make merchandise. Anything ‘prime’ related has continued to attract more licensing and greater profits.

There is nothing wrong with having it as a prequel in the prime timeline… as is. I have no issue with that.

Never listened to this before, but that was fun. Thanks for all the work!

Thanks for all the great comments guys, we had a lot of fun talking things through :-)

Matt
I haven’t listened yet. Has anyone mentioned any guest appearances from actors from past Treks?

They have not mentioned anyone. That’s something I think they’d keep a tight lid on if it were happening, CBS likes their secrecy.

So far they seem to be trying to set DSC apart from the Berman-era, so I personally don’t expect any past actors to show up in Season 1. Maybe in Season 2+, when they feel more comfortable with DSC’s place in the Trek franchise?

Thanks Matt
Probably true as they establish their footing. Lets see what new info if any comes out during the Vegas convention Thanks for the great work you do on this site as well as the podcasts.

I would like to add that it’s possible that Burnham’s is still in starfleet but that she receives a reduction in rank alongside being sentenced to the brig. That means she would still have a rank while being in the brig albeit a lower one. Eventually Lorca comes and gets her. That in effect turns her into a Ro Laren or a Tom Paris were she would be a “military advisor” to the discovery before joining their ranks. This would actually be more believable IMO than if she were let go, picked up as a civilian advisor and reinstated in Starfleet at the end.

As for Lt. Tyler, he could have been a security officer aboard the Shenzou, and when it got attacked he could have been in those escape pods we see jettisoned. The Klignons could have captured him there and it would have the added bonus of giving him a connection to Burnham.

Also as a DS9 fan, I thought a better anaolgy for the storyline of Cadet Tilly’ being “green behind the ears” approach was/is Dr. Bashir. Over the 7yr story arc of his character he evolved from a naive young man with an idealized view of things to a grown up who could see the shades of gray that is life.

Also I would like to add, not to pick on the group……DS9 is not just a blow um’ up kind of show. As Michael Logan, of TV Guide Magazine, once said in one the of the best defenses of the show I have ever read, that’s it’s: extraordinarily human and humane while also being daring and dysfunctional. It was never about trying to pigeonhole anybody. It showed how complicated humanity and our relationships with others can be while still making the point that despite our differences we can come together and achieve great things. It also showed through these relationships the “human” cost of war but that somethings are worth fighting for. After all sitting down with an enemy and hammering out a peace agreement isn’t always possible. A message that is very much needed even now.

On a side note…sorry for so much but everyone gave me a lot to think about. Which is the mark IMO of a good show.

Based on the trailers it seems possible that Burnham is put in the brig; during a Klingon attack the ship is damaged and in the chaos she is able to get out. Lorca then rescues the Shenzou’s survivors, and she is reluctantly allowed to serve aboard the Discovery due to lack of personnel after the attack.

Interesting……I got the impression she was gone for much longer than that. She even has a different hairstyle. I was also factoring in that she was escorted off the bridge and straight to the brig. That’s something that normally carries consequences.

Another good podcast with interesting info!

Like some of you, I’m cautiously optimistic. But in the end, any trek show (be it awesome or just good) is better than any other tv show out there (for my two cents). So, I’m super jazzed about 9/24 getting here already! :)

Some really great conjecture about how the pilot might unfold, can’t argue with any of it. So looking forward to this!

One thing I have yet to hear discussed anywhere (as far as I know), what’s your opinion about the Enterprise? I mean, it’s eleven years old with Pike and Spock floating around at the time. Think they will just steer clear of that whole thing? I think they would be wise to, just wondering if you have any thoughts.

Another great one, keep it up!

To dismiss DS9 as just a war show and therefore not interesting for that reason alone, shows why I’m beginning to understand why many have stated that the franchises’ worst enemy are the fans. Some have gone so far as to even say DS9 wasn’t even STAR TREK. Of course, that’s just not true. And herein lies my biggest problem with STAR TREK right now and this new streaming series in particular: we’re getting yet another starship-based series.

Say what you will about Rick Berman, but when Paramount came to him after two starship-based series in a row (TOS, TNG), he had the intelligence to know it made no sense to rehash that format again. Thus, we got DS9. So what does CBS and these producers do? After Voyager and Enterprise, they yet again drop another ship-based series on us. It’s creative bankruptcy to go yet again to that same well and not come up with a new concept or approach for this series.

STAR TREK contains the backdrop of an entire unused fictional universe that with the exception of DS9—in my opinion the best TREK series ever—has never been explored. Why? Fans—like the ones on this podcast seem to be—just want TREK to be the same thing over and over again. To many, it can’t be different, it can’t be something else, or explore a new direction or new ground because to some fans, they think TREK can only be or only do one thing. If anything is going to kill STAR TREK, it’s that kind of thinking.

It’s okay for long running movie series like 007, Star Wars to do the same thing over and over again because they really never diluted and saturated their product additionally with over 700 hours of television, with movies and hundreds of books and comic books, and conventions, etc., over such a long period of time. TREK doesn’t have that luxury. If new TREK is created—especially on television—it HAS be different and unique which is exactly why the worst mistake CBS made was to abandon Bryan Fuller’s anthology approach, which was the only thing inventive about Discovery in the first place. In some circles it’s been hinted they really haven’t abandoned it. We shall see.

I’m a TREK fan and I wish this series the best, but I won’t be paying for it. I don’t have cable, satellite or any streaming services and I have always been able to wait for TV series to complete their run and watch the entire series on DVD or on another venue—quality series too, from the Sopranos, Mad Men, Boardwalk Empire, Breaking Bad (the best series, ever!), etc. I’ll be waiting for Discovery also. I wish them good fortune.

In defense of “gritty”. Maybe the show runners are trying to counter an impression of Trek as squeaky clean. On TNG you never saw dirt and everything was sleek and shiny. The uniforms were always spotless. Over the years the result was that their uniforms could NOT get dirty no matter what. This is why the DS9 writers had Kira tell Sisko in the pilot that Starfleet officers do not get their hands dirty, and why it was a shock when he proceeded to prove her wrong. DS9 was trying to set itself apart by being “gritty”. TNG was just too clean, orderly and perfect. VOY is a show that suffered greatly because the producers were afraid to be “gritty.” On VOY the uniforms should have gotten dirty and torn; the ship’s equipment should have broken down and the ship gotten cluttered and duct-taped back together. It should have been falling apart by the time they got back to earth. “Gritty” would have made that series much better. So all I hear from the DSC show runners is that they are not afraid of “gritty” and that is a good thing in my book.