Watch: Preview For ‘Star Trek: Short Treks’ “Ask Not” With Captain Pike

IGN got an exclusive preview of the next Short Treks episode titled “Ask Not” (finally) starring Anson Mount as Captain Christopher Pike.

Star Trek: Short Treks – “Ask Not” is written by Kalinda Vazquez and directed by Sanji Senaka. The short will be available on CBS All Access and on the CTV Sci-Fi Channel in Canada on Thursday, November 14.

Episode description

When an attack on Starbase 28 leaves a surprise prisoner under Cadet Thira Sidhu’s (Amrit Kaur) watch, she is faced with making a decision that may threaten her standing in Starfleet.

Trailer video

Episode images


Star Trek: Short Treks are available in the USA on CBS All Access. Season 2 is available in Canada via CTV Sci-Fi Channel (formerly known as Space) and Crave. Availability for the second season in other regions has not be announced.

Keep up with all the Short Treks news and reviews at TrekMovie.

132 Comments
oldest
newest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Ok, just give the damn series already.

;-)

My thoughts exactly. I would even consider paying for CBS an extra month if that is what it took to get that Pike show on the air.

Perhaps ML31, subscribing to CBSAA now, rather than in January would be a good way to show your interest in a Pike series.

It’s what economists call ‘using your dollar votes’.

By paying more now to see the Short Treks, you’d be demonstrating that a Pike show has value in its own right, over and above that of Picard and Discovery.

If I KNEW such an action would lead to the creation of a Pike show, I would restart my subscription a bit early. But the fact is doing so would have no bearing on a Pike show. For all I know they could take my subscription as evidence to keep making the Short Treks. Which I’m not against, mind you. But if they went away tomorrow I wouldn’t be annoyed. My dollar vote won’t count unless I use it specifically to subscribe when the Pike show appears. Otherwise they may think I was paying to see the other 6 Twilight Zone episodes I did not see because I canceled. Which I DEFINITELY do not want them to think. The 4 episodes I saw were terrible.

If this were Amazon Prime rather than CBSAA, you could be confident that the firm is tracking what you watch and how it links to subscriptions.

Amazon Prime is know to make decisions on greenlighting original series based on viewship of pilots.

CBSAA isn’t quite so transparent about it, but I suspect they know that the Twilight Zone wasn’t able to hold you.

I don’t know if it’s on offer in the US, but CBSAA has a 7 day trial offer here at the moment. Signing up just to watch the Short Treks would send a message.

So are you saying that Amazon Prime just airs pilots only and then gets reactions? That would be unique to the business. I’ve never heard of any network, even broadcast ones, who air their pilots to help decide if the show will get made. And it is becoming more and more common to not even make pilot episodes anymore in the streaming and cable world.

Pretty sure CBS tracks what their subscribers watch. They would see that this subscriber has only seen Discovery and TZ on their service. All they would get from my subscription is that I pretty much paid only for Trek. (as TZ did not keep me subscribed) And that the Short Treks were not enough to get me to subscribe ahead of STD S2. They will see that again when I begin my subscription again in January. Only then will I see the new Short Treks and rest of the TZ. (Although based on the 4 I’ve seen I have little hope the rest will get better)

It is my understanding that the 1 week trial is only good for new subscribers. That would not be me.

I vaguely remember that Amazon used to release a bunch of pilots and then, based on feedback, decided which of these would go to series (some of them never went beyond a pilot). If I remember correctly, you could even watch those pilots without an Amazon Prime account. I have no idea whether they still do that.

I’m wondering… Did they show a pilot for the announced upcoming Middle Earth set series? I thought that was like other streaming shows in that it gets the OK based on concept and budget.

No the middle earth show is straight to series but they have used pilots to determine the viability of a number of series. Typically they’d release a bunch of pilots and those that were watched would be given a series order and those that weren’t would be canned. Off the top of my head I recall a Zombieland Pilot, and a Chris Carter show that didn’t make the cut. Successes of this scheme included shows like Man in the High Castle and Transparent. What @TG47 is saying makes perfect commercial sense. They’ve given us new Pike material but if nobody tunes in and makes them money then why bother making more. The thing is @ML31 is that nobody can guarantee that if you stump up the cash for the Short Treks that it will guarantee you a Pike show but the more people that does increases the likelihood of it happening.

Those odds seem awfully long. So I’m going to hope my single vote will be heard when they see that I did indeed stream the Shorties once I restart my subscription in January. What I do want them to see is that I’m NOT willing to pay for their service for an entire month just for ONE 10+ minute short.

Hear, Hear! They are sitting on a frelling GOLD MINE of talent, potential, excitement… AAAAAHHHHH!!!

Pike seems mean….

I did not see it that way.

He is confronting a hostile force of some kind, either a mentally ill or alien-possessed cadet.

Mean? Not remotely.

I think it’s pretty obvious it’s some sort of training simulation and Pike is playing it up to the hilt to ‘rattle’ the Cadet and see how she really acts in adverse situations, etc.

Armsman, I thought the exact same thing.

I’m wondering if Pike is an imposter.

I feel like 80% of the Enterprise crew is female?

She’s clearly not a member of the Enterprise crew. Pike commands loyalty from those under his command.

So what?

Interesting perspective Steve.

To date we have seen 8 Enterprise crew on the bridge, including Pike, Number One and Spock.

4 were male and 4 were female. 50% of each gender, but you say that for you that feels like 80%.

Yes it’s true that Nhan came over from Enterprise, but so did an ill fated male science officer.

We had an off-screen female engineering officer, but we’ve seen male crew running the transporters.

Again, it’s interesting how even handed and equitable representation can be perceived as exceptional.

TG47, assuming your data is accurate, I like the way you think. You used facts to come up with an insightful take on how people perceive and misperceive things in our society. It is an all too rare way of thinking these days- facts and critical thinking. Which is why our politics so so screwed up.

Your data seem correct. But please note: equitable isn’t even-handed, equitable is skewed in a different direction. It’s basically just another word-skin for the misguided and long-past discredited concept of “positive discrimination”, which ended up hurting more people than it helped.

Admittedly, we don’t know if the man-woman ratio on Enterprise is a result of current-day politics, or a result of 23rd century recruiting process. If it is an in-universe thing, it might explain why there’s so many humans, yet so few aliens from races we know to be superior to humans. It’s because of equity. Humans at the Academy are getting bonus points in tests because they’re dumber and weaker than everybody else. ;)

There are two reasons for more humans than aliens one can run to. The first is the TV show production reason. Aline makeup costs more money. So fewer of them. Given that situation, one can make up plausible in-universe reasons for it. In my mind, it doesn’t really matter. Would I like to see more aliens? Sure. But having some walking around is enough to keep up the illusion of their world.

Boze, “Equitable” simply means “fair.” I am still puzzled why some fans find the presence of women and minorities in prominent roles “unfair.” Whites and males had the prominent presence in previous Trek shows; why not even out the ratios.

“When you’re accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression.”

THIS

“When you’re accustomed to failure, blaming others feels really good.”

I’d like to note Boze that the labour law definition of equitable varies by country.

In my work reality in Canada, this means that hiring reflects the distribution of groups in the labour market. So, 50/50 male/female seems about right as long as women are equally distributed among Starfleet graduates.

Now, whether or not we’ve seen equitable representation of other groups or nationalities is another question. Steve seemed focused apparent gender.

Regarding the Canadian situation you reference, that feels like the wrong move. Such a policy sounds wrongly focused on outcome when the policy should be focused on opportunity. Equality of of opportunity does not produce equality of outcome.

ML31 there are definitely initiatives to promote equality of opportunity.

However, once a group achieves equitable representation in an organization, special priorities for equity groups may not apply.

I could go a little deeper with this but I don’t think I want to turn this thread into an analysis of societal behaviors. That gets a little too off topic.

I do not recall the gender of the E’s Chief Engineer being mentioned. Only a name.

ML31, in Q&A the engineer is a female. And a Scot.

I haven’t seen any of the new short Treks and will not until I sign up again for CBSAA when Picard starts. As far as I knew the E’s engineer was only mentioned by name in Disocvery’s season 2. Last name presumably. And it sure didn’t sound Scottish to me.

The Engineer off-screen in Q & A was an engineer but not necessarily the Chief Engineer.

I took it that we had the watch head in engineering speaking, but that doesn’t necessarily need to be the Chief Engineer.

Also, this was clearly an earlier time when Ensign Spock first arrived on the Enterprise. Lt. Amin was not a bridge officer at that time, and was dressed in a operations/security/engineering red top.

Puts me in mind of a story that Roddenberry used to tell at his college lectures about the supposed male/female ratio on the Enterprise. The production staff wanted it to be 50/50, but the network balked, claiming that figure would imply “There’s a lot of fooling around going on up there,” and that 1/3 female was the best they could do. Roddenberry, who was long-accustomed to choosing his battles even when they were ridiculous, decided in this case to assent, reflecting that, oh well, “That number of women can probably handle the ship. . .”

That would be an awesome correction seeing as the TOS crew was for sure over 80% male.

…going to have to disagree with that, Luke. There were plenty of females on the TOS Enterprise – especially considering that was a (white) male-dominated era on television, kudos to Roddenberry and Co. Was it equal representation? No. But there was no way the TOS crew was 80% male. Watch hallway scenes, mess hall scenes, even bridge scenes. No way.

Not remotely true–there were a LOT of women in the TOS crew. Check out any scenes in the corridors–women are walking around all the time.

Check out my story above as to the why behind the disparity. If you weren’t aware of the details, it’s kinda fun. :-)

Real talk man, there’s a silly little thing in western media called “representation”. Every show/movie needs to acknowledge this bright idea somehow (because 2019) and for Trek, it seems like a perfect fit, wouldn’t you say? IDIC and all that idealism.

I will say though, this angle is getting a little old hat. And I’m a “minority” myself – so that’s saying a lot. Preaching to the crowd is fine, but where is the nuance and balance though? That’s all I’m asking.

It doesn’t take a rocketeer to read between the lines. You folks are on to something here… Smile and wave boys, smile and wave.

The nuance comes from saturization. When there’s limited representation, then the person playing a character of an underrepresented identity shoulders a disproportionate burden of representing that identity. That person no longer gets to be just a character. Every trait is dissected as something that applies to everyone of that identity and stereotypes develop. But when there are many examples of people from that identity on screen, then there’s room for people to be just people.

Oh, who cares? So there are a lot of women in the crew. Why is this an issue? Incels really piss me off.

And?

Look I feel that if Pike and Spock were not well established characters in the canon, they would be made female. I do like more female representation but not at the cost of males, as I feel it is going against the ideals diversity of Star Trek.

I am tired of reboots where the male lead is changed into a female one, why not give us new shows with female characters

I would love to see a female Kirk.

Watch “Turnabout Intruder.”

LOL, You know what I mean. There’s nothing to say that Kirk has to be a man.

Women are better.

Hey I’m fine with that ratio

Why are they screwing around? Fans really want the Pike series.

Well maybe because they have five other shows in production and so far only one has even been on the air. Even if they announce a Pike show tomorrow, it probably won’t land on TV until 2021 or even 2022 the earliest.

I think we can easily lose one of those 5 and push Pike to the top of the pile. We need a Star Trek series that takes place on an Enterprise.

There are reports from Destination Star Trek that, when questioned about the S31 series, Shazad Latif responded that “It all depends on Michelle Yeoh.”

So, while I have no patience for the either/or sibling rivalry thing between Pike and S31 that seems to crop up in discussions here, it doesn’t seem as though Yeoh the lead for the S31 show has been fully sold on the pilot. Or negotiations are ongoing. Or something.

As CBS is already out there with a confirmation that S31 is in development, I can understand that they aren’t interested in making and announcing anything about a Pike show until negotiations are concluded one way or the other on S31.

It probably just means that Michelle has a busy schedule.

But even if they did cancel one show for Pike, the soonest sound like it will still be in 2021 and that’s only if they could start filming by sometime next year. It probably takes a good 18 months minimum to get these shows on the air from pre-production to editing. The Section 31 show has been in production for nearly a year now and they already said that show won’t come out until 2021 because they won’t start shooting it until DIS third season is finished (I think they just mean filming it though, not until after it airs).

I agree with you though, it would be nice to see another show with Enterprise on the air. But if it doesn’t happen with Pike, as someone once said there are still plenty of letters in the alphabet. ;).

Just hoping the powers that be somehow look at this site. Please No Section 31 show. It’s a betrayal of the Star Trek vision. An Enterprise-based Pike show with Anson Mount is what so many fans (yes not 100%) including this one, yearn for. Please wake up and listen, even if you suits don’t understand Trek, try to understand what many fans are saying. Pike/Enterprise Yes, ditch the section 31 show. Please.

I am looking forward to the Section 31 show. I give new concepts and ideas a chance. I like out-of-the-box thinking. I am certain that the creators are aware of the ethics of Trek and that the characters will fit to it. The S31 concept must be very promising and strong for the creators the way they push it so it could be just great. And yes I can’t wait for a Pike series as well. I don’t understand why there can not be room for both in many peoples head. We have creators that are talking to do BOTH asap so why are so many fans unhappy?

Hey, I used to be pro-S31 myself back in the 90s, when the idea first appeared. But you know what? Kurtzman botched it. I wanted Sloane’s S31, which was like the guys with blue gloves from Firefly. Instead, I got a bunch of incompetent loons secretly manipulated by a non-sentient AI computer. As a result, I’ve had enough S31 for the rest of my life.

It doesn’t really help that the recruitment process in Kurtzman’s S31 apparently goes like this: “Hey, you seem to be a lovable psychopathic misfit like us, wanna tag along and have a command position in our top secret cabal? I’m sure you’ve heard about us already.” ;)

That’s sort of my problem as well Boze. I was pretty excited when I heard Section 31 was going to be on Discovery. I too thought we were getting the Sloane type of agents from DS9. Instead we got what was basically just another intelligence agency, just one with broader powers basically.

I understand why they went the direction they did though, because if they kept them to the versions of DS9, its no way most fans would accept it as a show that works AGAINST Starfleet. That’s the problem, S31 are great, but they are basically seen as the bad guys. Giving them their own show was controversial enough, you can’t do it where they are basically fighting Starfleet officers in the same vein they are the Klingons or Cardassians as well. It would fundamentally go against Star Trek.

Now they are in a murkier grey area. Still doing shady things (Note: see the entire season 2 of Discovery ;)), but now where they work directly with Starfleet even if they still try to keep some things away from it. They are more like antagonists now and not straight villains. And I imagine the reason why Georgiou is on the Discovery next season is to (try) and soften them up even more….as much as Georgiou can be I guess.

But it sadly destroyed my interest in a show, one I was at least curious about. Now, not so much. But if it happens I’ll still give it a chance. It’s still Star Trek. ;)

Hey Boze, you are right – as a huge DS9’fan I would also be happy if the S31 show would be of the “Sloane’s S31” type. That is S31 at the best. At least Georgiou is a very manipulative character so I hope they use her in that regard. I guess will have to wait and see ;-)

I completely agree. Sadler’s S31 was intriguing, and raised the concept of ends justifying the means. Kurtzman’s S31 is as deep as Saved By The Bell In Space.

Didn’t Sloane get outsmarted by Bashir and O’brien? That would have never happened on Philippa Georgiou watch.

You are of course free to feel that way Frank, Germany. My thinking is that while I like out of the box thinking and new takes on things, I don’t feel like if the Discovery powers that be find it promising then it therefore must be.

ML31, I cross my fingers… ;-)
But I have to say I like Discovery (esspecially Season 2) and Picard looks very promising. So while not everything is perfect I am afterall happy how Kurtzmann does his thing and brings a lot of new Trek with different styles and stories. I am so happy that Trek is back in such a big way.

The fans have been arguing about Section 31 since it was first shown on DS9. Gene Roddenberry might not have liked it, but he’s not with us any more, so he doesn’t have a vote. The “Star Trek vision” changes from year to year, and that’s a good thing. Bring on the Section 31 series!

I’m not keen on the S31 show either. It sounds like they were going to use it as a vehicle for further “syncing up with canon”, which I consider a wasted effort after the results STD’s last season. However a version of ST that places too much priority in listening to its fans is not something anyone should want, and will never deliver anything truly surprising or refreshing like some of the finest Treks of the past.

The Section 31 show doesn’t sound like a betrayal of Star Trek. It’s original sin, IMHO, is simply that it sounds boring (even moreso after watching S2 of Discovery).

Surely the producers know that they have accidentally managed to capture lightning in a bottle. They’ve got the sets, they’ve got the VFX assets, and they’ve got the actors. I am honestly mystified why this isn’t being fast-tracked.

Scott, I’m somewhat mystified why this is not getting fast tracked myself. This is the Trek project that seems to have the fan base really jonesing for. If not the same level as Stewart’s new show then it’s really close. I am deeply hoping they are indeed working on it but keeping all the details as hushed as possible.

I’m with you guys, ditch Section 31. Also ditch Picard and Discovery now, we get it, the Federation is doomed by stagnation. At best we are going to build super do it all robots that take over but hey, maybe they have emotions.

So let’s focus on a time when the Federation wasn’t stagnant, didn’t know everything, wasn’t large and still was growing and exploring – Pike / Number One / Spock NCC-1701.

I had concerns that Discovery portrayed the Federation / Starfleet as too big too fast where everyone can talk to each other (1000s of ships everywhere, no more only starship in the sector, need help just pick up the phone) but let’s blame the Klingon War. All those ships destroyed, subspace comms relay toast, Federation short dilithium and needs to explore and recover – done, back to TOS action, adventure and fun.

And please let’s see a Connie take on a D-7 battlecrusier. It’s been 50 years or something, let’s have a one on one with some real strategy and some real stakes. That you had the right year, a Klingon War, an awesome Connie bridge, an awesome Connie ship model, the NCC-1701 and such awesome TOS characters/actors and STILL no Connie on D-7 action…. SERIOUSLY?!?!

“I’m with you guys, ditch Section 31. Also ditch Picard and Discovery now, ”
Dream on! Not gonna happen. Though Pike/Spock/#1?Connie ENT could make its way into S31 or merged into one show

I hope you say ditch Picard sarcastically. Because they are totally going to cancel a show that’s been announced, filmed, and in post production.

Most people want Discovery and Picard and just as excited for them. Please just speak for yourself only.

Let’s not be pulled down the rabbit hole by Cmd.Bremmon again.

We’ve done our best to convince them of the merit of different kinds of Trek for different audience niches, but they sincerely believe that only a recreation of TOS is worth any investment.

There is a limit to how long I’m willing to engage with someone who has shown they are stuck in the ‘only my Trek is real/worthwhile Trek’ mindset.

If you only like TOS, fine, then just watch TOS and stop moaning over everything else. My god, Star Trek has been more than TOS for over 30 years now. If you still can’t accept that, fine, but its not changing, especially when its now a much bigger part of Star Trek mythology and has millions of devoted fans to it.

For some older fans, I get some will basically always be loyal to that show only if they started watching Trek when that’s all it was. But for most fans today forty and under, they were born into a bigger world of Star Trek and consider TNG and others their favorites since that’s probably what brought them into the franchise.

This is why its good some Star Trek fans are not in charge of these shows. It would’ve been the same thing for decades now.

I agree 100 %

I myself think Pike / Spock / Number One and that beautiful USS Enterprise model and bridge in the exciting golden age of exploration should be the way to go. I am not exciting by Discovery and Picard going to the future where everything is stagnant where the best they can do is add some action with a stagnant boring Federation ripping itself apart and/or a race to replace themselves with nonsensical Super robots when not too bothered to leave Earth to rewrite the socialist collective Borg and poor good guys. Hard pass. Cancel Discovery while it was good, I was over Picard 10 years ago when the Borg was a real exciting threat so toss that.

Now I am apparently the only one who thinks so, and I accept that but I would pay real money to see more of Pike / Number One / Spock on that beautiful 1701 bridge please!!!!! I guess I’m the only one who thinks so, but seeing the Big E on Discovery in her prime during a time of exploration was a real treat!

Cmd.Bremmon many of us would like to see the Pike show.

There are many, me included, that were very wary of TPTB bringing back, Pike, Number One and a younger Spock.

We weren’t looking for it, but it turned out better than anyone here expected.

Where most of us part ways with you is the either/or sibling rivalry thing.

It’s the ‘stop everything else and just do what I want’ commentary from you that is off-putting.

I recognize that Secret Hideout management is stretched. So, they have their plates full with series that CBS has already announced. It probably does mean that, even if the market could take a 4th live action show, they aren’t able to move quickly to get it to commitments.

It does seem though that CBS is either going to greenlight or shelve the S31 show soon. Discovery S3 will wrap production in February 2020. Kim and Lippoldt, who are supposed to be the S31 showrunners have just been announced to be leading another non-Trek production. Shazad Latif’s comments make it sound like negotiations with Michelle Yeoh are not concluded.

Bottom line: one way or other, TPTB are not going to be able to focus on developing a Pike show until the S31 show decision is made.

Cmd. Bremmon nearly EVERYONE here has said they would like a Pike show too. Did you close your eyes before reading other posts? I mean its practically stated on every board now. No one is getting on your case about that and you know it. But you seem to have a very narrow view of what Star Trek should be and suggesting they should cancel a show, Picard, that is clearly something most fans are looking forward to and has truly excited the fanbase. And you want to cancel Discovery because its not how you want it. People use to get on my case because I had issues with its execution, I never once said it should be cancelled. That comes off really selfish for all the people who are huge fans of it, including some on this board. Maybe its just easier if you stop watching it?

It doesn’t have to be an either/or, especially since the point seems to have diverse content. Believe it or not most people can watch all of it and be satisfied. Just watch what you like and let others enjoy what they like, is that OK with you? Not everyone agrees with your viewpoint (and some of us, shocking, just see it as a TV show and love different representations of the future). But Star Trek is something for everyone these days and its only getting bigger as it covers multiple centuries, crews and formats. This is a good thing for the franchise. It’s gives us fans options.

You realize that if we got rid of everything connected to Discovery, that includes Pike, too right?

Peck and Rojin-Stamos would probably be quick to sign on, but Mount’s long-term availability to do a series is still in question, so far as I know.

Eh, availability is something a shuttle full of Federation credits flown to Anson’s front door would fix.

I would wager that is how they brought Stewart back. Don’t see why it couldn’t work on Mount as well.

I can’t wait for Section 31.

I love trek to death, but for the love of Talos please not another show about the Enterprise.

2021, I’m hoping! I imagine, based on Pike’s popularity, they’re doing whatever they can to fast-track it.

For all we know, it’s already been given a go and they just won’t announce until they have something of a team around it or it could be a series they want to announce after Picard and the next season of Discovery starts airing.

I really hope that is what is going on. Part of me thinks not but one can still hope!

Fans? You are god and you determin what fans wants? I dont wont any more precuels.

Me too Athus. I don’t want another prequel either which is why I’m not too bothered if we get a Pile show or not.

THAT said though I’m a realist and I know at some point they are going to return to this era again. So if they are might as well give people something they really want. And I would definitely be excited for it, just not my first choice.

But my only fear is many expect it to be a TOS retread and that’s probably where dissapoiment may set in. If people just want a Pike and Spock show that’s fine. But if they think they are going to get TOS standalone type adventures I don’t see that happening. It will probably still be done like DIS just aboard the Enterprise.

Just looking at that show and now Picard, I think that type of story telling is over.

That is the only thing that gives me pause. As great as the Enterprise characters were on Discovery, and as much as I would LOVE to see a show devoted to them my chief concern is the show would mirror Discovery WAY too much. Now I don’t particularly mind a season long arc. But that arc has to be a good plot line. Something we absolutely did NOT get with Discovery’s season arcs.

Agreed, ML. As compelling as Pike-led show may be to many, I have serious reservations that TPTB could get together a writing crew that could do such an investment justice. And, I’m really not too excited about the thought of another prequel, either.

I wonder if they might combine S31 with Pike, so you have Pike having to deal with a secret, powerful organization as Sisko had to on DS9. After the S31 Control debacle, I imagine TPTB in Starfleet are looking for a fresh start for the organization.

Last I heard, Anson Mount does have certain stipulations [being close to home in SoCal for one], and his availability may be limited after he made such a big splash in DSC S2. I hope that CBSAA can lure him with whatever it takes, but as has been said, it will take time to appoint writers, producers, and take care of all the other factors that go into a new show. At least they have the sets for a turbolift, bridge and transporter room done :^D

To me that just sounds like the best outcome Marja if S31 really happens or Mount isn’t interested in a full-time show. Combine the two and just have the Enterprise make appearances. And that also give people who isn’t sure about a S31 show a reason to be interested and tune in.

I’m still of the opinion that a section 31 show would be far better off set in the Picard time frame.

ML31, I agree with you. For some reason I associate Section 31 with the stagnation of the TNG era. I mean half the fun of Sisko was watching him break the rules to save the Federation despite itself (the Belisarius of Trek?). It just doesn’t fit in as well with the early Federation where the races were still diverse, exploration was everywhere, one ship for a whole sector, etc. I suppose the Klingon War with a crippled Federation opens the door for that arc though (as I think it does set up TOS with a “rebuild”).

Well yeah, now that they made Section 31 a lot different in the 23rd century (although we are still talking decades so they can try and change them back to some degree). Most people want the original way they were created and how they were done on DS9. As I said earlier, I understand why they changed them, but its just not as interesting.

DIS stripped a lot of things that made them cool in the first place. And went SUPER crazy on the technology lol.

wouldn’t be cool if we found out that Kirk worked for S31?

I don’t want it. Leave the adventures of the Enterprise for the movies.

Yes, they’re making so many of those lately.

The next movie if it ever gets off the ground will be about the Enterprise crew. We might hear something about it soon.

Interesting how they added the line in Disco that the traditionally colored uniforms the Enterprise crews wears are new, but everyone is wearing it in these episodes that mostly occur before the events of Enterprise.

I think “new” Star Trek writers eventually “get it” and then suddenly they want to throw in what works when they unfortunately didn’t do it in the first place and then nothing fits anymore. Example bridge. New writer goes “I want a BIG bridge” because big is cool. Then they end up with a big bridge that half the show is a bland shot of someone in a chair with a door behind them. Then in comes the NCC-1701 bridge done right and there are computers and crew members all able to talk and see everything – now I bet they would kill for that to be the Discovery bridge but how do you do that? (quite frankly admit your mistake and blow up the Discovery if you have to).
I honestly think the writers were surprised when they got the crew out of the generic blue and into the TOS uniforms how much better the characters stood out. But how can that be?!? Blue “cool” uniforms right?? TOS is 60s! So why does Pike look x 100 cooler in gold than in the generic blues?!??!? Now I bet the Discovery team is wishing they had TOS uniforms on Discovery and suddenly they have TOS uniforms in prequels where they unfortunately technically wrote them out!
Now to the ships, I think the writers are surprised that when they stopped making Starfleet a thousand generic “cool looking” designs and brought in a classic Connie that the audience and themselves is immediately drawn to that one starship. Now I bet they wish they had stuck to TOS designs and a limited number of ships from the start, but how do you get rid of all the others?!?
ENTERPRISE – Hey, if we don’t have transporters, we have guys with machine guns on the ships, no phasers on stun, need to get the Vulcans and Andorans onside and have war with the Klingons and Romulans this show is pretty exciting!!! It’s too bad we had transporters and peace with the Klingons in the PILOT, how do we get rid of all that?!?

We agree 100% about the uniforms. The revamped TOS uniforms are way better than the bland DIS ones and its a shame they didn’t just go that way on day one. I do wish when another show goes back to the 23rd century full time, those are the uniforms we see more of. And its at least a good sign that will happen since both The Trouble with Edward and now this short has all the Starfleet officers in those uniforms and they weren’t just on the Enterprise either. I love the different variations of them in TTWE!

I highly disagree on going with the TOS-esque look from Day 1. The DIS uniforms are a great continuation of the ENT look while the cut of them is approaching the new TOS look. it’s been a nice transition imho.

Yes, maybe if it was 10 years before The Cage I would agree with you. But by this time they should ALREADY be transitioning between The Cage and TOS uniforms anyway. And TOS uniforms a few years after The Cage is fine, which is when we see Pike and Spock wearing them.

That band uniforms just really stick out of place to me in that period.

I would agree as well. If the show was 10-20 years before the time they were set the uniforms would not be as big an issue.

Agreed, why put the series around the time of the Cage and then not use cool stuff that should be around the time of the Cage… uniforms, ships, etc. The phasers and communicators were there which everyone loved. The worst though was having a Klingon War during a time when their should have been Constitution class cruisers and D-7 battle cruisers (i.e. the DNA of Star Trek) and then seemingly forget about them until the next season where their absence is now a big WTF, why didn’t you do that in the first place?!?!

Such things just gave me cause to wonder how much of Trek were the writers and show runners REALLY aware of? And if they were and let this stuff get by then they must have thought the story was so very good that it overrode such trivialities.

Though what’s interesting is that the crew of the USS Cabot in “The Trouble with Edwards” actually had different uniforms than the Enterprise did. The Cabot crew did not have the black collar part on their uniforms. It might be because the Cabot was a research/science vessel.

I suspect that the ‘out of story’ answer is that Gersha Phillips and her costume team made a wide variety of prospective colourful uniforms before TPTB landed on the ones shown in S2 of Discovery.

I suspect that a decision was made to roll out the collarless version for the science ship so that their cost could be amortized on a show.

On screen, having a different uniform backs the canonical justification that the colourful, black-collared uniforms were reserved for Constitution class ships.

As to why the captain got to retain her black-collared uniform? Well, there are precedents where real world serving military are permitted to continue to wear uniforms from conflict or prestigious postings for a certain time period after they are posted back. Coming off a posting on a long range exploration mission on a Constitution class ship would seem to qualify.

Looking forward to this. This round of Short Treks look interesting. Can’t wait til January!

So annoying that this hasn’t got a Rest of the world release yet. Come on Netflix.

Sounds as though Netflix is going in the other direction : passed on Picard, discontinuing TAS in the US.

It seems like Amazon Prime is taking on more of the Trek content. It seems to align better with their brand.

I have to say, it’s really interesting that more and more digital content is going that way. It’s not just a CBS issue but the outcry with Disney not releasing their platform in other territories until sometime next year. I don’t know, it’s just really odd. I live in the States but I feel for you guys.

Maybe it’s not the cadet who is alien-possessed. Threatening cadets does not usually seem to be Pike’s style and he is using a kind of hypnotic tone. So maybe Anson Mount gets to play an impersonation of Pike and real Pike will step in at the end to deliver the plaudits.

Spock! It’s me! Shoot him!
Spock! It’s the real me! Shoot him!

well people did ask for more Pike :-D

This one always looked intriguing. Hope it lives up to expectations.

Garth of Izar impersonating Pike. Calling it right now.

WAT!

Yeah, because that makes complete sense.

Not even remotely close lol.

Just watched it, I Liked it!

I just watched it. From the first scene it was painfully obvious where they were going with it. Oh, and the actor playing the cadet? WEAK. Can we not try for diversity AND talent together? She really stunk up the place with her substandard “acting” chops.

Do you know why your comment is racist?

Because you say your problem is with the acting, but you turn it, somehow, into a comment about “diversity”. But what does “diversity”, aka a non-white person existing, have to do with this performance? Absolutely nothing.

Implying that someone only got the job because of their race is also racist. It assumes that there MUST have been some hypothetical superior white candidate who was passed over. You have no reason to assume that. The fact that you do shows that you are bringing your own (racist) baggage to the conversation.

Nonsense. They obviously cast her for a particular reason, and it certainly wasn’t for her acting ability. Once you eliminate that as the motivation, what else is there? Answer: to fulfill a certain “type”. Once you veer away from casting the best actors available, what you end up with is mediocrity.

Nah, she’s fine. She held her own against Anson Mount.

Here’s a good example: Game of Thrones. An amazing show. Great cast, production values, etc. BUT, the one glaring error in the show is the casting of Kit Harington as Jon Snow. He is gawdawful in the part. Can’t act his way out of a paper bag. Hopeless. All the other actors are superb, but he diminishes every scene he is in. THE NUMBER ONE FACTOR IN CASTING IS TALENT, NOT ETHNICITY. And, if you’re looking for a certain type, then cast the best damn actor you can get (of that type).

Harry Baltz, seeing what this actor has done on other shows (e.g. Kim’s Convenience), and how Anson Mount’s speech & performance was rushed, I’m convinced the issues were on the other side of the camera.

The main act was about 7 minutes. Seriously.

Contrast that with the measured pacing and focus on facial and body language in Q & A.

I did too. The character of Cadet Sidhu was cool, but it would’ve even better had they cast someone to play Lt. José Tyler or even Yeoman J.M. Colt. Another “welcome to the Enterprise” story is ok with me.