With the Star Trek: Section 31 streaming movie debuting on Paramount+ January 24, we are starting to get a few more details about the characters, picking up on some of the reveals from NYCC last month. Over the last few days the official Star Trek on Paramount+ Instagram account has been posting animated character cards for the movie, revealing more about the crew joining Oscar-winner Michelle Yeoh, reprising her role as Emperor Georgiou from Star Trek: Discovery. The character cards reveal a bit more about the plot of the movie as well as some interesting canon connections. Here is a breakdown of what has been revealed for each character…
Phillipa Georgiou: The Emperor (Michelle Yeoh)
Unable to return to the Terran Empire, Emperor Philippa Georgiou lives under a new alias as owner of The Baraam, a nightclub operating outside of Federation space.
That is, until Section 31 enlists her to help protect the Federation while also facing the sins of her past.
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Alok Sahar: Mastermind (Omari Hardwick)
Alok Sahar is a strategic mastermind who leads a special team of Section 31 operatives. Sahar is driven to make amends for actions in his past by serving the greater good, which involves tracking down and recruiting Emperor Philippa Georgiou for a covert mission.
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Quasi: The Enigma (Sam Richardson)
No one’s ever met a Chameloid’s true form before, perpetuating their myth-like status as they never show their real appearance, which suits Quasi perfectly as a member of Section 31. He’s disinterested in the delusion of “utopia” and most other things, especially you.
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Zeph: The Machine (Robert Kazinsky)
Mech life ain’t just about brute force. The human Zeph lives, works, and everything in between, inside his mechanical exoskeleton, drawing out the right tools in his work as a Section 31 operative.
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Melle: The Lover (Humberly González)
While most Deltans take an oath of celibacy upon joining Starfleet, Melle uses her irresistible magnetism for Section 31’s benefit. After all, she’s in a league of her own.
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Fuzz: The Maniac (Sven Ruygrok)
Fuzz can switch from hysterical laughter to filter-free anger at the drop of a dime.
He’s a fun-loving guy until he isn’t. Just don’t suggest anger management sessions to this Section 31 operative.
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Rachel Garrett (Kacey Rohl)
We are still waiting for Paramount+ to post a card for Kacey Rohl’s character but this is a character we are familiar with as she is playing Rachel Garrett, who first appeared in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “Yesterday’s Enterprise” (played by Tricia O’Neil). In previous panels and interviews it is clear that Garrett representing Starfleet on this “misfit” team.
We will update this article when the Garrett card is released, but in the meantime, her character poster released after NYCC is below.
Kacey Rohl as Rachel in Star Trek: Section 31, streaming on Paramount+, 2025. Photo Credit: Sophy Holland/Paramount+
ICYMI: Teaser trailer
A teaser for the streaming movie was released at San Diego Comic-Con in July.
Keep up with news about the Star Trek Universe at TrekMovie.com.
“Mech life ain’t just about brute force.”
“Just don’t suggest anger management sessions to this Section 31 operative.”
“Join us this month as we dive into the world of Star Trek’s rogues and scoundrels.”
Are we really doing this?
Are we *really* doing this?
It’s gonna be bumpy and bad.
Yes, We are. We‘ve done it before. Gambit, The Magnificent Ferengi, and Tons of others. I‘m expecting a fun Romp on the puter Fringes of Star Trek. Honeytly, Stardust City Rag was war Worse from the Looks of it.
I love the Magnificent Ferengi. If this tv movie has half the intelligence of that episode- heck, if it has half the intelligence of the last scene of that episode- I will eat my hat.
No, we haven’t done this.
We haven’t done “Oh look, cool, pun smashing, over the top, style over substance, marvelised comic idiots” yet.. absolutely not!
Magnificent Ferengi is a comedy, sure, we have done tha, S31 is not a comedy, as far as I can tell. It is just suposed to be “cooooool”.
Gambit is still serious in its star trek way.
Nothing of that is glorification of rogue, brutal people…
S31… regardless of if it is actually good or not, is just stuff that it is “look how cool killing people can look” …
I will watch it. Maybe it will suprise me, but the trailer and all the promo is for sure exactly that.
POSITIVITY!
“Just don’t suggest anger management sessions to this Section 31 operative.”
I just hope he is a Romulan and not a Vulcan.
Why can’t he be v’tosh ka’tur?
I guess he could, I just wasn’t a fan of that from Enterprise I know Vulcans have emotions and just supress them but it’s more fun if he is a Romulan cause in this era they are largely unexplored.
comes across like a knock off Guardians of the Galaxy/ SUicide Squad caper rather than Trek.
I wish i was more enthused.
I’ve been thinking the same since the teaser.
Used to say that I would give this a chance. Now I’ll just wait for the Trekmovie comments and review to see if it’s worth my time.
The more promotions for it that I see, the less I want to see it.
Same here, I may just wait for the review(s) here. This looks worse and worse to me with every feature I see on it.
I feel the same way as you and the others. I won’t pay a single penny for this thing until I read the reviews. I don’t waste time on things I don’t like. It’s why I haven’t finished the last three seasons of Discovery. I have better things to do instead of forcing myself to watch something I hate.
I know I’m going to watch it regardless, but I can’t blame anyone from not wanting to spend any money on it until they get real reviews. I still can’t believe after 5 years of waiting to see if Section 31 finally becomes a real thing this is what they give us. It’s so tone deaf beyond belief.
Well, I’ll definitely wait for reviews and comments, but I’ll probably at least start to watch it. I just think it looks so dumb and campy. The nicknames, the costumes, the faux badass attitude… I’m not looking for Star Trek to be flamboyant and in your face.
They may be wanting to expand the viewership by exploring new styles (which is fine) but the problem is for each new viewer they’ll lose ten more who were looking for more traditional Star Trek.
Right. You have the time to read AND post on a Trek blog’s comments section… but not watch a Trek TV movie? Because you are so, so busy, of course. Sounds like one of these “undecided voters” begging for attention and straining credulity in the process. Did posting this make you feel powerful in some way?
I understand you feel lost and perhaps still under the influence of hysteria following the cancellation of The Acolyte but try to calm down…
I use my time the way I see fit and yes, it’s quite possible people can be too busy to waste 2 hours watching trash. Most of us do have lives and things to do and unlike you it’s not blocking traffic in a Just Stop Oil protest.
Nope. You’ll watch it. Please.
I’m cautiously excited about this. Michelle Yeoh is a real talent. I know I’m in the minority regarding this on this forum, obviously. All I pray is that it’s better than the trailer made out.
Yup, I’m in it but only for Michelle. I know she’ll be a delight to watch if nothing else.
Halfway through my Deep Space Nine rewatch, and it just makes the new Section 31 trailer look even worse. DS9 was written by people who actually respected the universe they were building and took it serious—complex characters, real moral stakes, stories that made you think. This trailer and promo stuff looks like someone mashed up a generic action movie and slapped a Starfleet logo on it.
Section 31 could be an interesting concept if handled well (look at how DS9 used it), but this feels like teenage fanfic with Hollywood polish. I get that they’re aiming for a different, probably younger audience, but seriously, if they think that means gutting everything that makes Trek Trek, they’re missing the point entirely. This just isn’t for me—and that’s fine I guess. I can live with it.
Agreed. It looks like the empty remains of Star Trek after it has had all of the intelligence extracted from it.
Totally agreed. Section 31 has been misused from the moment they showed up in DISCO.
this is S31 as ‘spy fi’, not the usual black ops of the past and a lot in common with OS ‘enterprise incident’.
“No one’s ever met a Chameloid’s true form before”
I’m confused because at least in his poster card his form looks just like Iman in ST 6.
Who’s to say that that was her true form in ST 6?
It actually wasn’t. She says flat out “I thought I would assume a pleasing shape.” But the card suggests that this is his true form which is where my confusion comes from. Of course maybe in the movie he takes a different true form which we will see, who knows.
The stupid, it burns!
Imagine having such low standards that you’re looking forward to this garbage. Helen Keller would be thanking her lucky stars if she were still around.
Gatekeepers are the worst.
Oh like she could find the stars.
Or you could, oh I don’t know, accept that others have different opinions?
A Deltan blowing bubble gum.
I’ve seen enough.
No doubt where they are going with that character – because they are lazy
The horror. The horror.
Like so much of NuTrek, dumb and silly.
Nothing described on these cards sounds interesting…At all. I’m still going to watch it, but I see/hear nothing in anything they’ve put out that makes me think this fits within the idea of what Star Trek is.
Looks and feels like a cross between an Avenger movie and 007. I was hoping for something intelligent along the lines of John LeCarré, Sherlock Holmes and Mission Impossible. I’ll check it out, but good luck???!!!
ST ‘spy fi’
of course, desilu helped produce ‘M:I’ as well as the OS.
What does any of this have to do with Star Trek? It looks horrible.
Please, new owners of Paramount, fire everyone connected with this monstrosity. We need new blood for this franchise – the current showrunners have run the once interesting world of Star Trek into the ground. Bury it, say some prayers, and let someone else take control.
I thought it was the “new blood” that was making this movie. I would like to have more of the old blood back.
It appears Poochie did not die on the way to his home planet. He became a creative consultant at Paramount.
🙄
This sounds terrible. I can’t believe out of all the complaints they got about Section 31 in Discovery that it didn’t feel close enough to the original concept was to make it feel even more disconnected.
I been pretty upbeat about what they been offering lately. I even liked season 5 of Discovery. But this just looks and sounds so bad to the point I wouldn’t bother watching it if Star Trek wasn’t in the title. And that’s the problem, the only way you know it’s even Star Trek is by the title.
Yes I loved Prodigy so much as you know so it hasn’t been all bad. But then we get more Space Nazi nonsense with this ridiculous looking movie. Stop trying to make Star Trek something else. It’s not going to bring in younger people or people who likes Marvel or Star Wars. If the Abrams movies failed to capture those people, nothing will.
They are just diluting the brand as they been doing since 2009. No one cares about these new shows but old fans and my guess even less of them cares about it today when you make trash like this.
But I’m happy you enjoyed season 5 of Discovery dear! I do remember talking to you when the season was halfway done and you were very positive about it but I didn’t know if your view changed by the end. So happy that didn’t change. I’m not a fan of Discovery, that certainly doesn’t mean I don’t want anyone else to be. I’m always happy to see fans enjoy everything of course. We don’t all have to like the same things.
And you are one of the most positive people here who try to get along with everyone. So when you hate something as much as I do that’s definitely a really bad sign haha. But maybe we will be proven wrong and it’s good. But as you said the problem is it doesn’t even look like Star Trek.
I have a question, since you know I stopped watching season five of Discovery after the first episode and you liked it, should I give it another chance? My friends think I will still hate it. They know me so well haha.
Sadly judging by all the cancellations these shows are getting, it does probably speak to a bigger issue and keeping fans watching after a certain number of seasons and I love both Prodigy and Lower Decks. I still think Discovery would’ve been cancelled after season 4 if season 5 wasn’t shot so closely after it but that’s solely my speculation. But this era is clearly not the 90’s anymore. I’m still not certain SNW will get more than four seasons. Everything just feels so upside down these days.
And I always say that Star Trek should be trying to shake things up and go a different way, especially being nearly 60 years old. But it still has to look like Star Trek as well. If you ‘shake it up’ to the point you can look at that trailer and literally wouldn’t know it was Star Trek but instead think it was a bad and generic SyFy TV movie starring Michelle Yeoh, you went too far off the reservation IMO. That was the problem many had with Discovery when that started, it just didn’t feel or look like Star Trek enough to a lot of fans. And here we are yet again sadly.
But I defy anyone, ANYONE, to take one frame of that trailer and tell me one element of it that identifies specially as Star Trek? Just one. And no, the two second space shot doesn’t count since Star Trek is not the only show that takes place in freaking space.
I have defended NuTrek as much as I have criticized it. I will obviously give this a chance as I given everything else, but this just feels bad. And it doesn’t make it better when every time we get new information on it like these characters bios, it only makes it worse. But yes, I hope me, you and everyone here are proven wrong and truly loves it. But I can’t blame ANYONE for feeling cynical over it.
A show like Lower Decks doesn’t interest me but when I see a clip of it it tells me it’s Star Trek ten seconds in. It has all the great iconography of Trek. It may not interest me but I can understand why it pulls others in.
I didn’t feel that with Discovery and I certainly don’t feel it with this movie. It’s exactly what you said and looks like a generic sci fi cable show.
And I never wanted a Section 31 show or movie either but if you’re going to do then do it right.
I will most likely watch it but I’m only paying for it if the reviews are good and will subscribe then. I haven’t had Paramount+ since end of April. But if it’s bad I won’t subscribe again until SNW or 1923 comes back and watch it then.
But so far this has zero appeal for me. Hopefully the next trailer is better.
Oh and that’s very nice of you to say. :)
I do try to stay optimistic but yeah when I think something sucks I have zero problem saying so lol. I’m very critical like everyone, I just don’t come off like a mouth breather either when I don’t like something. But yeah, of course, I still stay open minded about everything including this movie. I think most of us do or we wouldn’t bother watching most of it. I stayed open minded about every season of Discovery, but sadly it was only the final one where I felt they at least stuck to landing. And yes, I liked it, but I don’t want to give the impression I thought it was amazing television or anything but good overall IMO.
As far as if you should watch the last season of Discovery, based on what I seen your opinion of the show your friends are probably right lol. Even though I used to get attacked and being accused of hating the show (thankfully all those people are gone), it was so eye rolling because I have stated I loved the beginning of every season. I was super excited about seasons 2 and 3 on the same level as I used to be about TNG, DS9 and VOY when those started to hit their strives in the later seasons. There are hundreds of posts here of me praising multiple episodes for five seasons straight. I clearly wasn’t hate watching it. I wanted to like it just as much as others did. But that was always the problem with Discovery, they usually started off strong but by the middle it loses its cohesion and starts to become a mess by the finale IMO. The serialized and drawn out stories just never did it any favors IMO. But others disagreed and truly liked it. Good for them! But as you point out, I always try and stay positive…until I don’t lol.
I will say for season 5, while a lot of it was up and down, it did have strong episodes throughout the season. I thought the finale was great personally but per usual, it seems to be more mixed in the fanbase. The only advice I can give is to watch the first four episodes (episode 4 is still easily my favorite) and if you are enjoying it, keep going. If you’re still not feeling it, then don’t bother. In fact I would say episodes 1, 2, 4 and 6 were the strongest episodes for me outside of the finale. Episode 6 also has a small Enterprise canon connection you may like!
Even when you don’t like something you are very thoughtful explaining your reasons while always staying civil. The total opposite of me haha.
I never got the impression you hated Discovery, just disappointed in it. But as I say even when you’re negative about something it never comes off as angry or triggered. And I have never seen you upset when someone says something negative about a show you like. I know you are a big fan of SNW but I have never seen you argue with me or anyone who doesn’t like it very much. And I don’t hate SNW, I think it’s like you and Discovery, just very disappointed with it. Same with the first two seasons of Picard. And that was a very dismal experience.
As for Discovery last season, I think I will leave it alone. Maybe one day, but I don’t think I have the motivation to watch it. And I already knows what happens in it and still doesn’t interest me. But I’m happy you and others enjoyed it! I envy anyone who can appreciate something I don’t.
Always great talking with you and others here dear! 🙂
Again, I appreciate that!
And yes, that’s an apt observation, I never hated the show, just deeply disappointed in it. And hate is such a strong word because to me that means it’s not something I wouldn’t even give my time to at all. I hate broccoli like no one’s business, so it would be weird if I ate it once a week for five years lol.
Now there are certainly specific episodes I can say I hate in all the shows and avoids them like the plague. But I don’t hate any of the shows since I do watch all of them, including Discovery.
And no I’m never bothered by anyone who hates a show (or deeply disappointed in it ;)) if I like it. For starters, I’m a mature adult, I think I can handle someone having a difference of opinion over a TV show or movie. But secondly because believe it or not, I actually don’t disagree with the complaints people usually have about a show. I loved Picard season 3 but I can’t really argue about people’s complaints the story took too many short cuts and there was a lot of heavy nostalgia. I completely agree with all of that and yet still love it. Same for SNW, it too relies on a lot of nostalgia, doesn’t feel very original, a little bland in places and as you always point out, the characters come off a little too comedic and immature. Not LDS level lol but not at the TOS or TNG level when we think of serious officers. And don’t get me started on the ridiculous canon issues. But guess what, still like it very much even though I have made these complaints myself. But I understand why others don’t.
I just don’t know why we can’t have nuance on message boards? You can pick out a show or movie flaws but still love it anyway. Same time you can also acknowledge what you think a show or movie does well but still think it’s just not very good. And I know MANY people in fact do this, I read them all the time. But there will also always be people who sees things in very black or white terms and sadly this happens a lot in Star Trek fandom. And the fact they get so upset about it because someone else hates SNW or Discovery but loves LDS and Prodigy (or vice versa) I will never get. And I see it time and time again here. People just have different tastes. Stop acting so insecure over it. They are just TV shows the majority of the world don’t remotely care about or even heard of. That’s life. All that matters is what you think. That’s the motto everyone should have IMO.
As far as you not watching Discovery, again, that’s fine. Why watch something you know you will hate? If you keep trying to like it but don’t, then best to focus on the stuff you do like. And that’s the beauty of Trek today, there are so many shows, episodes and movies, you’re guaranteed to find quite a bit to like these days and has been the case since the 90s.
I think people who can’t look at things with more nuance are sadly people who aren’t simply mature enough to do it. It doesn’t matter the age, profession, status in life, etc, many people out there are used to only having one train of thought and can only express it that way. And when others don’t see something their way they snap just like the belligerent elderly toddler who used to cause chaos on these boards.
I love TOS but I am conscious of its flaws and I have no issues with pointing them out of course. Same time I don’t love SNW but there are certainly many positives in that show and understand why others such as yourself loves it.
And unfortunately social media has made things extra toxic and people just want to be belligerent instead of having a two sided conversation. That’s why I never involve myself with people like that and just have discussions with people like you who seem to want to have an actual conversation even if your mind is made up or we disagree. I will say that seems to be the case with most people here fortunately.
As I make clear, my opinions can be harsh but not how I talk to people. I want to listen to every side as well and I have no problem saying I was wrong or was in error. But same time, as Star Trek fans we can be very passionate, me especially, so I get that too.
My views on Section 31 is highly negative and cynical because it looks bad and I think NuTrek is just a mess overall with a few bright exceptions. But I highlight those exceptions as much as I can like I have done with Prodigy. And maybe Section 31 will also be one of them. But like you, I just don’t believe it will be.
And yes, I have never understood the point of hate watching something? The more I watch Discovery, the more I usually hate it and that cannot be good for my mental health lol.
Honestly, I’ve made my peace with the fact that Star Trek just isn’t Star Trek anymore—not the kind that was driven by curiosity, optimism, or a real vision of the future. Now it’s all brand management and numbers, with no one running the show who truly believes in it. It’s all checkbox TV now: Emperor Georgiou tested well? Add her. Section 31? Fans like it dark? Let’s go. Even Starfleet Academy—an idea the ‘90s team wisely scrapped—got revived, not because the concept is good, but because it checks the soft reboot box: cheap new cast, the same sets, a few familiar faces like Robert Picardo for nostalgia, and a big name like Paul Giamatti just to grab attention. Same with section 31. They throw in recognizable names and species but completely miss the depth and moral complexity that should define it.
This whole checkbox approach is why Trek’s lost its soul. It’s not about exploring humanity or challenging ideas anymore; it’s fan service, rehashed elements, and a “target every demo” formula. So yeah, I’m done expecting Trek to go back to what it was. If something meaningful ever comes along, great. If not, I’ll just stick with the Trek that actually had heart and vision.
I have to agree with your point about it feeling like a check box instead of just trying to make a great Star Trek movie. I think that is also the biggest issue of Section 31 for fans who hate the idea, there is no optimism about it. It’s literally the complete opposite lol. And I have always liked Section 31 as a concept, but it’s probably better to tell it within other Trek shows and movies and not be its own thing because as has been proven for five damn years now, the idea is just too divisive. And then when you add in Georgiou that some fans love but others (like me) cringe over, it doesn’t make it better.
I think they are trying so desperately to make Star Trek to appeal to others which is a positive, but at what cost? If THIS is what you think you have to do to get a few non-fans to check it out then don’t bother. Star Trek is a niche franchise, we just have to accept that. It’s not going to ever be as popular as the big boys, but clearly it’s successful enough because they are still making it nearly 60 years later. That in itself is a major accomplishment.
But I think unfortunately with content being so fragmented everywhere, it’s behind a pay wall and on a lagging service that probably won’t be profitable if at all years down the road, they are doing the kitchen sink approach and seeing what works. Maybe we will be proven wrong and this will work, but to me it will probably be another Star Trek Beyond situation meaning even if it actually turns out good, it will still keep a lot of people away when the reaction so far has been meh to bad.
Studios often mix up ‘broad appeal’ with building a lasting fandom. Franchises like Star Trek and Star Wars thrive because of dedicated fans who invest in merch, books, and collectibles—far beyond ticket sales. Abrams’ Star Trek reboot drew big box office numbers, but it didn’t nurture a committed fan base; there’s little ongoing support for the Kelvin timeline. Now, even merchandise skips over it, focusing instead on classic series. Paramount+ might assume longtime fans are locked in with subscriptions, but relying on broad appeal risks alienating the core fan base. If Picard season 3 taught us anything, it’s that loyalty is waning—hence the heavy PR push to bring fans back with promises of ‘real Trek.’
I agree to a point, but both animated series (and flashes of SNW and Picard season 3) do still have some pretty core Star Trek elements. Optimism, philosophizing, complex moral dilemmas and parables, having real heart, exploring futuristic ideas. Discovery has some of this but the way it tackles them to my mind isn’t sophisticated, and they went the dark dystopian route to highlight it, which is not exactly my favorite.
I have a sneaking suspision that just like Sir Patrick got the show he wanted (even tho no one else did) Michele Yeoh MIght have wanted this and they gave her exactly what she wanted, whether it was a good idea or not.
I wouldn’t be remotely surprised because this movie is only happening because Yeoh wanted to do more and they promised her a show. And she probably got approval on everything. Or maybe it’s the opposite and she just trusted whatever they wanted to do. I don’t know if we’ll ever know but I don’t think anyone is losing sleep this is no longer a show.
Thats true too. If this was a show it could have gone a lot worse.
*Taps mic and clears throat* Ahem. Is this thing still on?
Guess who’s back? ;)
Great to see that you’re still here and making superb points as always. You’re right, of course.
There are a couple of further issues with the current showrunners’ attitude to Georgiou and Section 31 in general:
Firstly, they seem so starstruck by Michelle Yeoh that they’re effectively in a bubble, conflating the actress with her on-screen character and having an exaggerated impression of the popularity/appeal of both of them in the minds of the audience. And that’s assuming they’re considering the core audience at all, rather than simply being thrilled about doing a Star Trek film with Yeoh full-stop, right or wrong, and the audience’s actual reactions be damned.
The other main issue is the complete misinterpretation of what Section 31 actually is, as confirmed by erroneous statements made by multiple people involved in the film. I see that some of them have even recently claimed that S31 is Starfleet’s equivalent of the CIA. This is despite the fact that DS9 actually included both Sloan and (in a subsequent episode) Bashir explicitly stating that S31 is *not* part of Starfleet; Bashir actually says this very forcefully. This basic fact is either being ignored or it’s completely gone over the current showrunners’ heads. So it’s not surprising that they’re continuing to get one thing wrong after another.
So instead of correctly showing S31 as a “deep state network” of shadowy grand chessmasters whose existence even pre-dates the founding of the Federation, the promotional material describes them as basically Star Trek’s version of the Suicide Squad. Cue Bashir slowly banging his head against a desk. “Is this what we’ve come to?”, asked Bashir once, and is now asking again. Yes, Julian. Apparently it is.
Even the potential historical origins of S31 aren’t rocket science. S31 are literally “men in black”. Anyone following the real-life claims can join the dots and point to S31 credibly originating in the alleged modern-day classified programs & organisations responsible for investigating “external NHI threats”. (By the way, there’s a public Congress hearing about all this on November 13, as a follow-up to last year’s hearing with David Grusch and two fighter pilots). But so far, the relevant folks at Star Trek have dropped the ball here too, even though this stuff basically writes itself and provides a very interesting and realistic explanation.
Having said that, hopefully the film won’t be quite as bad as the trailer and the other ongoing promo material. As you’ve also said, plenty of us will check it out despite our reservations. Hope springs eternal, but I think we’ve had enough experiences with Trek during the past 15 years to have a wryly humorous attitude by now, rather than excessively getting our hopes up and then being outraged at how bad it’s turned out to be.
Anyway, given how prolific you are when it comes to commenting here, I’m almost convinced you’re secretly a tech oligarch or a hedge fund millionaire ;) I’m not able to post comments quite so often, especially these days, but I will drop by from time to time. If you reply to my comments anywhere (including this one), I may not be able to reply immediately or even necessarily on the same thread, but I will of course post a suitable response the next time I see one of your comments on Trekmovie, even if it’s a few days later.
Hey jai! Great to see you! Yes a blast from the past so to speak but always happy to hear from you.
On to your points. Obviously I agree with nearly everything you said. I have made it very clear I DON’T like Georgiou as a character. Not because she’s a murdering dictator but because she’s a two dimensional murdering dictator that just feels like she’s there to give Yeoh more air time but zero character development. I remember certain people got upset because others like me called her Space Hitler. I still very much believe that. And every time her name is brought up anywhere online, most people seem to share the same sentiment about her as this board. I don’t get the appeal at all. But others do, so OK I guess. I can just ignore the character from this point on. But this is not a ‘popular’ character. And I think that’s just due to a lack of strong writing of her more than anything since people seem to like other Hitler type characters like Gul Dukat or Khan because they felt like real characters but I digress.
“The other main issue is the complete misinterpretation of what Section 31 actually is, as confirmed by erroneous statements made by multiple people involved in the film. I see that some of them have even recently claimed that S31 is Starfleet’s equivalent of the CIA. This is despite the fact that DS9 actually included both Sloan and (in a subsequent episode) Bashir explicitly stating that S31 is *not* part of Starfleet; Bashir actually says this very forcefully.”
It’s funny but I pointed this out specifically in the other thread with the interview TM posted with the director who I’m guessing you’re partly referring to. And I’m just going to cut and paste what I said, And you probably saw it already, but here it is again:
“I just recently listened to the last podcast talking about this movie and it’s pretty funny Anthony specifically says that you can’t really compare Section 31 to the CIA because the CIA is an official part of the government in America like everything else. It’s not a secret or lives in mythology. And while there isn’t a tour, everyone knows where it is. In fact, Star Trek does have a better comparison to the CIA in the show. It’s literally called Starfleet Intelligence, was introduced in TOS and has been part of every show since. And like the CIA it has a building too, answers directly to Starfleet and has someone who publicly runs it who is picked for the job just like the CIA.”
So yeah! Why do they keep making this comparison when as you yourself said they made it clear in the introduction of the organization that it’s NOT an official division of Starfleet and they directly acknowledge Starfleet Intelligence in the same episode. An episode that is now over 20 years old. America doesn’t disavow that the CIA exists or pretends they know nothing about its activities. In fact, when the CIA does something most Americans can agree with like finding and killing terrorists, they can’t wait to give it credit. In Section 31 case, none of what they do is suppose to be known to anyone. And even if Starfleet may know something about it, it’s certainly not known to the average Federation civilian out there.
And I’ll say the obligatory thing here and maybe the movie will acknowledge all of this and make it clearer but if that’s what the director of the movie is saying in interviews, then clearly not.
I think NuTrek has gotten better over the years and they have listened to the criticisms and tried to correct a lot of things. We all know what they are. But same time, if you want to just do something radically different from the 50 years of canon you were forced to follow, then just put it in its own universe and go wild with it.
And oh yes, I am still focused on all the UFO craziness. I watch a weekly podcast that keeps track of all the information being let out by Grush, Congress, etc. It’s almost insane where we are with it now and YET still doesn’t remotely generate news beyond a headline online.And yes I know all about the Congressional hearing this month. Will definitely be watching as I did the last one a year or so ago.
And no, not an oligarch. Just an average nobody with a basic job and life (but a happy one) and just way too obsessed with Star Trek lol. But with a few of my favorites like LDS and (assuming) Prodigy now leaving with no replacements and a Picard spin off of any kind doesn’t seem to be in the cards anytime soon, it’s kind of lackluster at the moment. Hopefully SNW next season will be good and keeping hope SFA will be a good show. But sometimes I still miss the days of the 90s and classic Star Trek.
And don’t worry about responding, it’s just fun to bump into you when you give me a shout! :)
They’re going to release this mess, and when it ultimately breaks down and fails, blame fans. This is not Star Trek. Looks like an attempt at skirting PG ratings with hedonism.
It’ll do what the Enterprise saucer section did on Veridian III – but with less grace and more damage.
It’s hard to believe that not only is trash like this still made, but adults get paid to make this.
It is such an embarrassment. Who is this supposed to be for???? The Deltan blowing bubble gum tells you everything you need to know. They are trying so hard to make it ‘cool’ when it’s just eye rolling.
This trash isn’t Star Trek. Not even close.
It makes me wonder if Secret Hideout even reads Trek Blogs. Say what you will about the recent Trek Movies, they were here to see what we thought.
Although I think this looks awful so far, I’m looking forward to watching it. I always enjoy being proven wrong when I expect something to be bad and it isn’t. So with any luck, this will be one of those times.
I will watch it because I will give anything related to Star TRek a try. And I hope to be proven wrong too. But the more and more material that comes out?….
I fear you’ll be disappointed, but you make a good point. I’ll probably watch it too eventually, hoping against hope…
Good positive outlook!
And that’s a great attitude to have. I think I’m too old and jaded with NuTrek to have that same positive spirit.
But I do hope to be proven wrong too. Especially when you bring in such a great character like Rachel Garret into the picture. I don’t want this movie to ruin her
I think watching this is going to be so much fun, but for all the wrong reasons. We should get an online watch party and just spout off our random thoughts and reactions while we watch it. If this trailer is an accurate representation of what we’re about to get, this live evisceration of it will be epic. .. and if it turns out to actually be.. good? It’ll be fun to be with all of you if that’s the case.
Honestly, if this was movie was apart of a different IP, like says Star Wars, I’d be cautiously excited for it. But as part of the Star Trek universe, I’m just not sure…
On the other hand, the Star Trek universe is big enough for a band of misfits type show like this. However, I really don’t think this works as a Section 31 show for so many reasons – least of which is that DISCO did a major disservice to the Section 31 we were introduced to in DS9.
Thats a good point, I think this would fit well into Star Wars. But Wars and TRek are like a night and day difference despite them both being set in space.
Star Wars has been mangled beyond recognition by Disney, so this could indeed be part of Star Wars…
In both cases it all started with JJ Abrams.
not with Mando, rogue 1′, ‘andor, ‘ahsoka’.
they still look like SW.
I wouldn’t necessarily say that. Trek as a conceptual basis lends itself to all kinds of story variations. You can do thriller, horror, comedy stories all with the same cast and within the same show because the show, but it never *becomes* a horror or comedy star trek show. I love the ferengi comedy episodes of ds9, but you wouldn’t put one of those in cinemas as the next star trek movie.
Either it’s a producers movie where everyone has too much say in it, or it’s simply the writers being incapable of delivering in some areas like characterization. Those characters are neither compelling nor do they feel authentic. But they do read like characters that come from the discovery writers room and are a logical extension of season 2′ section 31 subplot.
I’m not opposed to the ideas in this project, but it does not look good on any level right now. Proof is in the pudding, and marketing has been misleading before, but I struggle to understand why anyone that cut this trailer thinks this is the thing people will want. Seriously.
The star trek movie we deserve
This looks horrendously stupid. As bad as Discovery is, even that looks more watchable than this drek.
Why is this so hard??? Section 31 isn’t Suicide Squad. It’s not about rejects and rogue characters detached from society. It’s about serious and dedicated officers who have taken a darker path to protect Earth and the Federation from its enemies at all costs. The silly Space Nazi srutting around who has never been a part of Starfleet or the Federation but now defending it is so deliriously dumb it makes my head spin.
NuTrek has butchered the concept into the ground. It was handled badly in that awful reboot movie with fake Khan and they just keep making it worse and worse.
Stop stepping on things that came from better writers and producers. NuTrek is just as bad as Disney Star Wars and has been mostly a stain on the franchise since 2009. It’s embarrassing when you put out crap like this and have the nerve to call it Star Trek.
“It’s not about rejects and rogue characters detached from society. It’s about serious and dedicated officers who have taken a darker path to protect Earth and the Federation from its enemies at all costs.”
You hit it on the head. For those of us who always loved the idea of Section 31, what made it interesting in the first place is that it was about a group of underground Starfleet officers who saw the true dangers of the universe and knew the utopia that Earth was striving for would always be compromised unless they did things under the table that the ideals of Starfleet and later the Federation would never condone. Starfleet was the optimistic view of humanity of seeking out new life and civilizations. Section 31 was the group that saw the cynical view of what happens if and when that contact ended badly and they created a new foe instead of a friend. Or when there were groups out there that just wasn’t buying what the Federation was selling. S31 stayed in the background because the people running it were other Starfleet officers who gave an oath to Starfleet but also knew they were going against it’s values at the same time. That’s what made it interesting. That’s what I THOUGHT we were getting.
Now we got this ‘fun romp’ with MU Georgiou and her merry band of lovable rogues that misses the entire point. It doesn’t mean it can’t be fun, but it should still be Section 31. This feels completely the opposite of what that organization is suppose to be about.
And since you mentioned STID, that’s the bigger irony about all of this. And in that case, I’m talking about Khan. That was something NO ONE was asking for when they were making the next movie. We were actually begging to just avoid Khan altogether and just do their own thing. Not only did they completely ignore that but then they brought him in and made it worse by giving us a very alternate version of the character that just pissed everyone off in the end. And here we are yet AGAIN!!! No one was begging for a Section 31 show or movie. In fact most people were, once again, begging them to not even do it. They did anyway and gave us this crappy alternate version of it once again.
It’s so frustrating. Why keep bringing in these big elements to Star Trek if you’re just going to ignore the original intent and change it to whatever you want? Just call it something else then.
I am still going to keep an open mind. The main thing about Section 31 to me has always just been its mission to be a shady Obsidian Order-type organization that feels it needs to play puppet master from the shadows. People like Bashir and Sisko abhor them, but others like Admiral Ross are willing to turn a blind eye to what they do. To me that kinda gives writers a lot of space to color in just who they would recruit for their special ops. Before STID and Kurtzman Trek blew things up, we’d only ever seen Sloan, Malcolm Reed’s contact, and the Romulan double agent. I’m not opposed to the idea that there’s room in S31 for all types of characters, including a rogue’s gallery.
They’re playing up how two characters are atoning for their pasts and Rachel Garrett will be there to be aghast at some of their tactics. Maybe that’s enough to feel like it can live in this universe. I dunno.
The other problem for me is the tone. It comes off too flippant for an organization like Section 31. Maybe the movie will have a different tone but this just felt like they were trying to copy Guardians of the Galaxy or Suicide Squad trailer instead of a Star Trek one.
And it failed miserably. But I do hope you’re right Ian. I really do.
And btw, I always enjoy reading your posts too. Very friendly and civil. 🙂
The tone is a concern. I don’t think anyone was gonna sell Paramount on a show or movie that was a totally serious Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy in space, but going the Suicide Squad route has a lot of risks. We know Paramount has Marvel envy (it’s not our fault Viacom didn’t buy them when they had the chance!), but it’s a disservice to the fans to constantly try to mold Star Trek into something it’s not.
This isn’t to say Trek isn’t flexible. The movies for one run the gamut from ponderous to comedic to a pig all sorts of action films. SNW leans into being different each week, and I for one had more praise for the Berman Era when it tried new things rather than safe retreads. But there’s still a comfort zone for what feels like it belongs in this universe, and it’s dicey when that gets broken out of. So at the end of the day it just has to be packed with great fundamentals to mitigate things. We forgive a lot if it’s hard to argue the writing/acting/action/comedy et al isn’t solid. Otherwise we’ll just pile accusations of heresy on top of getting the fundamentals wrong.
And thank you! I think I still get a little salty at times, but I try not to do right off the bat. I’m also long winded so there’s room to try and meet some people halfway. It’s easier to be civil when people like you are just trying to talk rather than troll and get off pithy zingers. We have some great nerdy conversations here and I love reading what you have to say. It’s fun to make this site a daily habit.
They don’t seem to care how much it stands up with the golden era of Trek. If not, then don’t put it in the same universe. Do what the reboot movies did and put it in its own universe and its very easy to ignore it like I do those movies.
But if you’re going to put it in that universe and have the nerve to call it ‘Section 31’ then treat itbthat way. And the way they talk is so jarring. Why does NuTrek never try to have people sound more professional or mature? Listen to how they speak in TOS-ENT. Professionals. There are plenty of times they are casual and friendly on those shows too but NuTrek everyone sounds like that all the time. And everyone sounds like they were raised in the 2020s.
And as you said most of us didn’t want it but I didn’t want it because I was just afraid they were going to screw it up…and then we got that trailer making all my fears come true.
But maybe the final product will be an improvement but forgive me if I do not hold mu breath.
And yes fake Khan was a travesty. That’s when I no longer cared about those movies and didn’t watch any in the theaters. I thankfully saved my money and watched them on TV.
I really do wish sometimes they just decided to make Discovery, SNW and everything after that in its own universe as well. That way the prime universe can stay whole and consistent for the 60s-90s fans and Discovery can just reboot the franchise completely like the Kelvin movies at least tried to do. Or at the very least put the prequel stuff in its own universe and stuff like Picard and LDS could go to the prime universe since they follow prime universe canon very closely. But yes, that seems to be the problem, the fans basically rejected the new universe and I guess they knew they had to appeal to the people still watching TOS, VOY, TNG and ENT 20+ years later and here we are. Also why they haven’t tried for a Kelvin universe show of any kind.
But in a rebooted universe you can treat Section 31 in any way you want. As far as how people talk, these aren’t the same type of writers who wrote for TOS, TNG or DS9 back in the day. It’s just a different time unfortunately and trying to appeal to a younger generation who probably doesn’t give Star Trek two seconds of thought today, but once again here we are.
it is S31 as ‘spy fi’
God i miss good writing.
this movie hasn’t aired yet….
Painful.
Star Trek used to be about – is supposed to be about – telling thought provoking stories about human issues and politics through the metaphor of science fiction (granted, with the occasional doomsday machine thrown in to make it exciting, but even then there was a point to be made). This looks like something Bavis and Butthead would watch and go “huh huh – cool!”, but with the Star Trek name stuck on it to get attention. It’s like someone who has never read anything about Star Trek came out of high school having only seen four of the worst episodes and said to the studio “I can make Star Trek, only better”.
The boomers here an angry again. What’s new.
I can’t wait to see this.
I just hope you bring all your friends along to watch and enjoy this and keep trek alive, because me and pretty much everyone I know who became a fan in the 90s ad 2000s has abandoned the franchise at this point.
You guys don’t represent Star Trek fans, you’re just a small minority of loud mouths on a small internet forum. Remember to vote.
100% the same – I know no one that watches Trek that is a new fan. Those that loved Star Trek in the 90s/2000s have left it behind due to how poor it is since Kurtzman got involved.
Immature, self righteous children can be forgiven for using age as an insult as they just don’t have the life experience to know any better, but at close to 50, what’s your excuse?
I don’t see a lot of anger, I see a lot of criticism, but not anger.
I’d have more respect for the all the harsh criticism if it came after actually seeing the movie.
I think it’s completely fair to comment and give opinions about what is being shown and teased.
The movie looks, to me, like it is being marketed as a B movie knockoff of Suicide Squad, but maybe it will be a complete masterpiece that will have me raving about how great it is when I have seen the complete movie. If that happens, then my comments will certainly reflect that updated opinion. Since the tone of the marketing hasn’t changed at all, it does seem like it is exactly what the movie will be like. Bubblegum bubble blowing Deltans and all.
If you think criticism demands watching the movie, you’re missing the point entirely: this isn’t about the finished film—it’s about the train wreck they’re passing off as promotion. Either the marketing team is utterly incompetent, twisting the film’s essence in some desperate attempt to appeal to who-knows-who, or—more likely—the movie is exactly as flat and lifeless as it appears. If there’s even a shred of hope it’s the former, maybe I’ll give it a chance someday. But based on everything they’ve shown us, there’s absolutely no reason to extend the benefit of the doubt.
I mean, it’s Paramount. They hid the Mean Girls musical’s musical aspect from all their advertising. Did you see the first Gladiator II trailer? Derided across the internet. Cut to critics’ giddy first reactions to the actual film and it’s got renewed Oscar buzz. Marketing can often be totally out of step.
These are indeed some convincing arguments.
Can’t speak for everyone, but I’ll just say, I’m going to give the movie a fair shot. But I will absolutely throw out my thoughts based on what we’re being shown. To me, it just doesn’t look good. They are the ones marketing it, and it’s fair to criticize what we think of it based on this.. are we prejudging? I don’t see a lot of unfair criticism either way. Those that think it looks good are just into what this thing is selling, and that’s 100% ok too. I see several of us doing what we can to remain open minded enough to give it a shot, but the marketing has a job of attracting people, and even trying to be objective, I don’t get it. If this weren’t Trek, I’d be skipping it, for sure.
Fuzz definitely sounds like V’tosh K’atur. Vulcans who don’t control their emotions are always a little nuts. The description of him reminds me of Tolaris.
The problem with this movie is gonna be that if it doesn’t get good ratings the producers could scrap the whole “streaming movie” idea for Trek and I feel like that would be a mistake. I think Trek could work as a streaming movie series. What if all these stuff and ads are a fake-out? Maybe the movie will have a twist that these aren’t real characters, maybe Georgiou is imagining this scenario in her head. Or maybe Section 31 is experimenting with her and they found a way to implant this scenario in her head and it’s like some sort of a test for her?
To the Don’t Criticize it Until You See it Crowd: There is nothing in that trailer that makes me want to see it. Just like any other movie or show trailer. Why should I give it a chance when it obviously wasn’t made to appeal to me?
And that’s exactly what a trailer is supposed to do, get you excited. I can’t say this wasn’t what I expected, but I was hoping it would look a little more high brow than it does. So, yeah… totally fair to criticize.
Like many I’m getting the same vibes from this promotional work as when the first Suicide Squad film came out – i.e. I’m not the intended audience for this. It’s aimed squarely at teenagers. Particularly those who think bonkers is ‘cool’. And that’s okay – if franchises are to grow one cannot be in the audience for everything.
I don’t know if it’s just me getting old though, or that the franchises I love are changing too much, but I feel the same happening with Star Wars and Doctor Who (and with Who for a long time – probably the end of Matt Smith’s run). Even if I’m in the minority who enjoyed The Acolyte. Maybe I’ve stayed around too long. Even if you never leave home, home eventually leaves you. The shops and restaurants you used to love close. Your favourite pub changes hands and the decor, atmosphere, and clientele change. The places you used to play as a kid or hang out as a teen get developed for housing. Friends leave and family pass on, and you are left feeling like a stranger. It’s sad, but it’s life.
I don’t mean any of that to sound like ‘old man shouts at cloud’. It’s more a lament. And, as I say, it’s life. And I have been enjoying the animated shows, even if I’ve not been entirely happy with what has been produced in live action. Including, for me, SNW which has far too many TOS characters too soon – I was hoping for an exploration of The Cage crew.
And as far as DSC goes, I found it boring when they got to the 32nd Century. It took me over a year to get through season 4, so I’ve never started 5. The less said about PIC the better.
There are still genre shows I enjoy (largely on Apple) and I hope that some of those writers and show runners find their way – or find their way back to – Trek at some point.