Courtesy: CBS Television Studios/Paramount
In a little more than a month, CBS All Access’ latest entry into the Star Trek universe – Star Trek: Discovery — returns for its second season. While audiences count the days until the fledgling series returns, they have its debut season to take in on DVD and Blu-ray courtesy of CBS Television Studios and Paramount Home Entertainment. Released in stores Nov. 13 on separate DVD and Blu-ray sets, Season One’s home release offers both pros and cons to note, beginning with the series’ very writing. It will be discussed shortly. The set’s bonus content is its own positive, and will be discussed a little later. The set’s average price point is also important to discuss, and will be addressed later. Each item noted here is important in its own right to the whole of the season’s presentation. All things considered, the debut season of Star Trek: Discovery proves to be a new start for the Star Trek universe that is worth at least one watch, but sadly not much more.
The debut season of CBS All Access’ new Star Trek offering, Star Trek: Discovery is a rough new start for the Star Trek universe’s latest offering. It is not the franchise’s worst entry, but definitely is not the franchise’s best entry, either. That is due in part to the writing, which like Paramount’s 2009 big screen Star Trek reboot, is little more than just another revisiting of the Star Trek universe’s past. It takes audiences into the past, attempting to show what led to the never-ending tensions between the Federation and the Klingon Empire. The result is a presentation that conjures thoughts more of SyFy Channel’s most recent Battlestar Galactica reboot than any Star Trek entry, either on the big or small screen. This is just the beginning of the problems with the writing, because the set-off is actually somewhat ambiguous. Were the Klingons already planning to rise up before the incident with Michael Bernham and the Klingon warrior, or did it only happen after that incident? Audiences know that said incident played at least in part to the conflict, but because of the dialogue featured throughout the early episodes of Season One, audiences will be left scratching their heads to a point as to that setup.
As season one progresses, it resurrects some ST story elements that are all too familiar to longtime ST fans. One of those elements is a time loop arc. Another is the alternate universe story arc. The time loop has been done already in Star Trek: The Next Generation while the alternate universe arc was used in Star Trek: TOS. This series’ writers try to freshen up the time loop arc by setting it off through a character that fans of TOS will recognize, and while it does work to a point, the story starts to plod along after a while, getting lost in itself along the way. The alternate universe arc proves even more problematic not only because it’s already been done, but also because it creates its own share of plot holes. Not to give away too much for the sake of those who haven’t yet seen Season One, but if the alternate universe has the evil twins of the Discovery “prime” universe – the term “prime” is actually used by Berham in this arc – then where is the “good” twin of Capt. Lorca and the “evil” twin of Bernham? Bernham’s doppelganger is mentioned by the “evil” Phillipa, but the writers never address where she is in a bigger sense. Nor is it mentioned where the “good” Capt. Lorca is or if there even is a “good Capt. Lorca. The writers try to explain it away in an early scene in the arc between Discovery’s Bernham and Lorca, but it is still ultimately left up in the air. Even Paul Stamets’ double is introduced as he sits in a coma. This is its own problem as one can’t help but make comparison to so many soap operas, as every major soap opera has done the coma “dream sequence” way too many times. Getting back on track, even as Discovery gets back to its own universe, the whereabouts of the “evil” Discovery ship is not addressed, either. Where is it? Did it go back to its universe when Discovery jumped back to its universe? Again, here audiences have a plot hole that is left wide open even as the writers struggle to address the situation in the story arc’s finale.
Another plot hole that is left wide open involves Bernham’s adoptive father, (who also proves to be the father of another even more well-known Star Trek character) Sarek. Again, not to give away too much, but Sarek is rescued after his ship is sabotaged (in a moment that makes one think of something from Iron Man 3), but after his rescue, his character is ignored until the season’s final two episodes. Audiences don’t hear from him after Bernham leaves him laying in sick bay, recovering from his wounds. Next time he’s seen, he’s in full health. This is problematic as it doesn’t take long after that instance for the problems to start again for Discovery. Was Sarek still on the ship at that point? When did he leave the ship? Again, this is a plot hole that simply cannot be ignored. It proves the writing that much more problematic. This still is not the last of the issues raised through an examination of the writing. The introduction of Lt. Tyler creates its own issue.
The introduction of Lt. Tyler is a direct comparison to Battlestar Galactica. This critic will attempt to not give away too much information here, but the revelation about who and what Tyler is makes that comparison far too easy. The recent reboot of Battlestar Galactica saw the Cylons infiltrate the humans’ ranks by making them look like the humans. This in itself was a lifting from Terminator 2 (if not other previous movies and TV shows). What the writers did here with Tyler is very similar, but instead of making him a robot, they made him something else. Audiences who have yet to see this season will be left to make that discovery themselves, but it goes without saying that it has been done before. In this case, it is the same thing, just altered slightly and in more gory fashion.
As if the general story elements, the plot holes and that they create, and the rehashing of another element are not enough, the smaller items of the writing prove just as problematic for this presentation. There is lots of overt bloodshed, gore, sexual content and foul language. Given, maybe her and there, there has been some mildly suggestive material in previous Star Trek incarnations, but never was it to the point that it is here. There are flashes of a sex scene between one of the lead Klingon characters and another character late in the season’s run. There is also enough bloodshed and overt violence to appease the most bloodthirsty person. It’s a disappointment because none of the Star Trek universe’s other series’ needed any of that in order to be even mildly entertaining. So, why did the writers think it was needed here? Have audiences really become that dependent on violence and sexuality? If so, then that is in itself is a troubling statement.
While the writing exhibited in the debut season of Star Trek: Discovery does a lot to detract from its presentation, the set is not a total loss. That is thanks to the bonus content featured throughout the set. Throughout the set, audiences are treated to featurettes, which focus on the series’ sets, costumes, makeup and even the philosophical aspects of the storylines as well as other items. The discussions on the stories’ deeper ruminations are interesting, and do create at least a little bit of appreciation for the work that the writers put in. After all, this is not the only Star Trek entry that has striverd to use its stories to create dialogues on certain deep topics. However, it sadly is not enough to make up for the bigger problems posed through the writing. The discussions on the sets and costumes make for fun glances behind the cameras, Audiences will be interested to see how the costume and makeup departments used modern 3D printing technology alongside more traditional methodology to create the look of the Klingons. In the same vein, the thought and effort put into the sets is just as interesting. This feature will appeal just as much to theater production specialists as it will to general audiences.
As the season comes to an end, audiences are treated to another, different type of feature in the season retrospective, “The Journey of Season 1.” This roughly 20-minute featurette features discussions from the show’s cast and creative heads about their favorite episodes and the importance of those episodes to the season’s overall presentation. This brings everything full circle in regards to the bonuses. It brings back those discussions on the season’s philosophical elements while also letting more people offer their own perspective on those themes. Of course it is just one more of the bonus features worth watching. The bonuses, including deleted scenes (at least one of which gives a hint about Season 2), are spread throughout the season’s discs. This is important in that it shows Paramount and CBS Television Studios did not try to just cram a bunch of random featuerettes onto the last disc, unlike what so many other studios do. It shows the companies wanted to give audiences the biggest bang for their buck. They succeeded at that, too.
Speaking of bang for the buck, the set’s average price point is respectable. The average price point for the season’s Blu-ray presentation – using prices listed at Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million – comes to $39.86. In other words it comes in at just under $40. The DVD set’s average price – using those same outlets – comes to $32.14. Both sets feature the same bonus content and the same episodes. There is no real difference between the two platforms in terms of content. Considering this, the pricing here is on part with other DVD and Blu-ray sets for other TV series, so there is that to appreciate. Considering the entertainment that the bonus material (and to a slightly lesser degree, the primary content) offers, that makes both platforms’ average pricing respectable. When this is considered alongside the noted bonus and primary content, the whole of Discovery: Season One proves worth at least one watch, but sadly, no more.
CBS All Access’ latest journey into the Star Trek universe, Star Trek: Discovery – Season 1 is a presentation that is nothing like its predecessors. More akin to Syfy’s most recent Battlestar Galactica reboot and Disney’s most recent Star Wars movies, this latest revisiting of the Star Trek universe history’s past (it has already been done in 2009 with Paramount’s big screen Star Trek reboot) suffers severely from writing problems, such as lagging story arcs that are often times overflowing with plot holes and general lack of creativity. Additionally, the overall cinematic nature of the season, and the knowledge that the series is a serial (unlike its predecessors) makes this season feel more like one big movie than a general TV series. Some people will like it, but others – like this critic – will very much dislike these aspects. The bonus content spread across the set’s discs does at least a little bit to make up for the problems posed by the writing. The average price point for the set’s separate DVD and Blu-ray platforms lets audiences know that their money spent was not entirely wasted. Despite that affordable price point and the positives in the bonus material, the problems posed by the writing are just too much to overcome. In general, the positives of the pricing and secondary content makes this set worth at least one watch, but sadly no more than that. Star Trek: Discovery – Season 1 is available now in stores and online. More information on Star Trek: Discovery is available online now at:
Website: http://www.cbs.com/shows/star-trek-discovery
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/StarTrekCBS
Twitter: http://twitter.com/cbs
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