REVIEW: Strange New Worlds, Ep 2 Season 2. Even worse. SPOILERS

[@bhushanharripersad5716]

Star Trek fans show more love and care for the franchise trying to fix the problems with these episodes than the entire staff involved in producing them. There comes a point where you just have to accept that Trek is dead and the longer you watch whatever this is, the longer it will take for real Trek to return.

[@kathleenhensley5951]

That is how I feel... I'm still paying attention (a little) but seriously, I can't afford to buy garbage for ol' times' sake.

[@HotspotsSoutheast]

Trek isn't dead. The political hacks in Hollywood want it dead, or more accurately want us dead, so they can keep cranking out garbage like this to their target audience which is less than 3% of the population who are interested in these woke made up issues. For those of us who actually love Trek we will just have to wait until all of these talentless writers and producers are all laid off and flipping burgers, which better suits their actual abilities, and the Next Generation of writers and producers who actually care about Trek and our opinions are on the job. Until then...

[@frankowalker4662]

I only got 5 mins into S2 E1 when I had to turn it off. 😢

[@MarcCoteMusic]

@@HotspotsSoutheast - You've just insulted burger-flippers the world over. But yeah...

[@olympicnut]

SNW is "meh" to me. I watch for mild entertainment, but it is a flashy rip-off of TNG. Watch "The Measure of a Man" & "The Drumhead" and the difference is profound.

[@jswets5007]

The destruction of Spock's canonical personality is an effort to ensure that young individuals will never see a representation of stoicism. Nevermind that they'll never hear the word...

[@kathleenhensley5951]

A great point. Spock was an incredible example of living a Stoic life, Meditation, calmness and self discipline.

[@raymondsmith6870]

Epictetus would have been impressed but the modern audience of millennials have to see themselves as Spock and that why he is acting like dumb teenager.

[@cb-gz1vl]

And the lame excuse "This was when he was learning". Nope.

[@kev30631]

​@@kathleenhensley5951I loved Spock growing up watching him. Why did he have to be fixed.

[@amanzeihedioha]

Oh, I usually go to Manga for that.

[@garygresham1115]

It's like Discovery, but funner! These writers are great... at killing a classic franchise.

[@kev30631]

Yes, especially with Spock. I like the smiling Vulcan nurse chapel romcom, but that's completely not Spock.

[@deathsdoor07]

Did you mean funnier or more fun?

[@sambou812]

With every New episode the show becomes more STD and less Star trek. They should just fire all the slightly male characters, install a spore drive and be done with it. I can't believe I ever defended this CF of a show. I should have known it was going to the dogs when they killed Hemmer.

[@kev30631]

Wasn't strange new worlds suppose to be created as a course correction to star trek discovery and Picard? That was the mind think on social media/ KZbin. All I have come to realize is that season 2 was filmed a long while ago. Possibly before discovery was cancelled. I think they were already secret plans to pivot this once good show into a social justice platform like st discovery is/was. Do I flee now to just watch the cartoons. Oh wait they cancelled one that was good and fans actually liked . (ST prodigy.)

[@garygresham1115]

@@deathsdoor07, all 3. I think they wanted to lighten the mood after the often weepy and morbid discovery. Which you can do without forgetting that this is military organization. Other Trek series maintained a better balance. Picard Season 3 nailed it.

[@darksidemachining]

No one noticed but McCoy who was in his early twenties and was present as a law clerk assisting on the case and who became so disgusted with all the lies and deceptions in the field of law that he wished to switch to something else. He did have one encounter with Spock who said to him flatly, “Young man, you appear to wear your emotions on your sleeve which makes you incongruous with the field of law… you might try another field of study.” McCoy, “Look you pointy eared know-it-all. What do suggest… medicine?!”

[@paulgiacomantonio9802]

That... is a genius plot turn. You are a better writer than SNW

[@fauxbro1983]

Mccoy was older than kirk.

[@TheMaleRei]

​@@fauxbro1983 R/whooooosh!

[@brettbeyer73]

It really says something about Leonard Nimoy's performance that he could make a non-emotional, strictly logical character and make him likable.

[@kev30631]

Spock didn't need to be fixed. I also didn't need a pre explanation of his journey to become the Spock we know and love.

[@sneakyguy8917]

Agreed. But then I've seen Peck do a good job of being Spock too, he's just getting shafted by the writers who are determined to change him into something he never was. Like they do these days.

[@nicholasemjohnson47]

​@@kev30631 He wasn't fixed, be was just younger. You may not have needed an explanation, but I've been wondering for years why he never embraced his human side. The musical episode finally gave me that answer. Not the best answer probably, but it was better than nothing.

[@laurenmasters]

Imagine if each episode gets worse so by the time we get to the end it’s a hilarious comedy

[@willstikken5619]

it woudl be a surreal irony if the Orville becomes Trek while Trek becomes the Orville...

[@sneakyguy8917]

@@willstikken5619 Well the Orville is getting less funny and is not shy of pushing 'the agenda' but it was funny in parts. This NuTrek is not funny and never has been been.

[@willstikken5619]

@@sneakyguy8917 Early episodes of the Orville were definitely trying to be more comedy heavy with that decreasing over time. They do push an agenda but they are generally much more deft in handling it and working with sunbelt and nuance. Shows like STD & STP have no nuance, subtly or humor. Where I think the original comment was going and what I was replying to is the idea that these new shows are becoming a parody of Trek at the same time the Orville became less parody and more Trek.

[@sneakyguy8917]

@@willstikken5619 Cheers, yeah I know what you mean, the only bit I would disagree with is that The Orville's pushing of the agenda is about as subtle as a sledgehammer in a few places and had me rolling my eyes, but yes not quite as insipid and preachy as nu-Trek. :)

[@willstikken5619]

@@sneakyguy8917 Maybe it just seems subtle because it isn't slapping you across the face every 3 seconds like discovery. I do agree though, there are not many things that are subtle in Orville but I'm just thinking of a few instances where i noticed they were pushing the message but in a much less offensive way than Discovery. It certainly isn't the whole series but there are moments.

[@wekurtz72]

I've never had a hate-watching session like that before. I feel unsettled at how angry an episode of TV could make me. I might be a bad person.

[@kathleenhensley5951]

No, you are a normal person, that I suspect calling someone 'normal' in 2023 could be considered an insult? It is normal to be insulted when they make such drivel and call it 'Star Trek'

[@wekurtz72]

@@kathleenhensley5951 No, no...happy as a normy. Pleased as punch.

[@joeclaridy]

No you just remember all the good Trek that proceeded this show

[@disruptive_innovator]

anger at wilful incompetence and negligence is not a character flaw

[@rosswatson9144]

I have been hate watching for years now and I think you are right in being concerned as to how it affects your personality...perhaps best to step away and read a good book.

[@joeclaridy]

Did the writers not know Wrath of Khan exists? In Deep Space 9 Dr. Bashir was outed and the Court Martial of the 24th century still held on to what augments did not just in the Eugenics Wars but other instances. Do these writers not know Trek lore?

[@joeclaridy]

Forgot to mention Star Trek: Enterprise dealings with augments and how it sparked a pseudogenocide within the Klingon Empire. This happened less than a century before Strange New Worlds and at a minimum the Admiralty should have aware of that incident.

[@NicConstitution]

The saddest part for me is the absolute waste of Anson Mount and Rebecca Romijn. In my opinion, they were both cast perfectly in their roles, but neither is given proper scripts. Ethan Peck was never the right actor for Spock, and I would say the same thing for Celia Rose Gooding, both talented actors, but not right for those roles. Discovery should never have happened, but SNW could have been something special, but it never had a chance with these writers and producers. I am losing interest in this show, and I am losing hope that it can ever be worth my time. I think for me, Indiana Jones ended with the ride-off into the sunset, and the Pike Enterprise story ended with The Menagerie.

[@pedroares6562]

I got down after episode 1. But you're a hero, watching these episode so we don't have to. You have all my respect :D I hope you can recover some of the lost IQ.

[@chrisprsa896]

Oh my, your critique was astounding. "Did they airlift the writers from She-Hulk to do this?" That was a very deep cut. Well played sir. Well played.

[@kirbymarchbarcena]

I am still amazed how the studios entrust their franchise to those who are not familiar with court proceedings and the traits and mannerisms of the beloved characters.

[@london19657]

Watch She-Hulk :)

[@kirbymarchbarcena]

@@london19657 Never...unless I'm forced to.

[@DarioDarrow]

I've seen lots of other reviews where they say they loved it. I was so bored. As if there was any other outcome than her being found not guilty. There were no stakes. No surprises 😴

[@CallMeChato]

Exactly. As a writer you have to work hard for the surprise.

[@Thermool]

That’s why the writers had the Vulcan man lob charges at Pike. They had to put stakes in. Seemed out of left field to me. We’re they trying to get Una to crack? Was this Vulcan man have some sexism? Racism?

[@kev30631]

Even when Kirk was on trial, didn't it end with him beating up someone in the enterprise engine room 😂

[@d.1.a_mayby18]

Everything about this episode felt like it was written on a Sunday night with a presentation do on Monday.

[@calvarymarketing2566]

Paul may i say that watching your analysis is better than watching the show itself. 😂

[@d.1.a_mayby18]

For this episode I absolutely agree.

[@raymondsmith6870]

Love your patio side chats. RMB on one of his videos explained that the writers of New Worlds have taken Spock who is the coolest cat in the room(Original Series) and made him into a dorky teenager that everyone talks down to and mocks. Heck the human doctor giving Spock his Vulcan harp in one episode is insulting but not as much as beyond annoying Nurse Chapel slapping him on the head for not "getting' T'Pring even though Chapel is human and has no understanding of alien cultures.

[@deuetdeufontsinq]

The first names on deck, the rude junior officers, the childish insubordination = nails on a chalkboard. ChatGPT could write a better script, period.

[@robo5013]

They wrote in the judge being able to change or ignore the law because that is how they want the legal system to work IRL.

[@charlesratcliff2016]

You cannot have good courtroom drama without that good old 20th Century SJW victimhood speech.

[@Carl_Aznable]

It's the 21st century.

[@charlesratcliff2016]

@@Carl_Aznable It was a mixture but you are right

[@pacershark452]

The writers are not morons, they're MALICIOUS.Everybody on this show know's EXACTLY know what they are doing.

[@willstikken5619]

I'd disagree slightly, they are malicious morons.

[@PsychicGirl]

I am rewatching Boston Legal and I remember being on the side of James Spader the first time. He was idealistic and constantly challenging the status quo on behalf of the underrepresented. However, rewatching it, I find William Shatner far more sympathetic. It's still a lot of fun, but it's weird recognizing how blatant the messaging was even back then.

[@pyramidus]

It was a real chore watching it. And I only did it because I wanted to watch your review afterwards.

[@MichaelJosephSonger]

After the writers decided to kill off a likable character to give the Uhura simulacrum a superhero origin story, and that dumb last episode with Kirk that felt contrived just for a spoon full of member berries, I just gave up. Also, after reading an interview with Davy Perez (writer of the Gorn episode) made me realize that a lot of these writers aren't very literate. A lot of, "it's like Aliens, or Gremlins, or like that one scene from Star Wars..."

[@pmarin3855]

Dear Paul, please know your analysis of SNW season 2 episode 2 was very enlightening. You weaved together very salient insights that put into a compelling framework all of the many missing pieces needed to match TOS television series. Thank you.

[@markkoops2611]

I agree. I gave S1 a go and it was passable, but at 2 episodes into S2, I've had enough with this garbage

[@loupasternak]

3 was a lot more fun . try it . no, I am not a sycophant. (gave up totally on Discovery long ago.)

[@ianoz1]

Thanks again, Paul. You, Az, Gary, The Drinker & RMB are my go-to for anything media related. Even if the "takes" are unique to each of your perspectives, they still come down on the side of good stories, good performances, credible casting and respect for the SOURCE MATERIAL, the last of which is the deal-breaker and the one these producers revel in ignoring or perverting.

[@WileCoyoteMoncure-Smith]

Mount’s wife had a baby. He took time off.

[@ShawnGilbert1967]

THE REASON we even have SNW was fan outcry and Petitions for Anson Mount as PIKE period full stop....why the hell wouldnt HE be front and center nearly continually???

[@iamgroot4063]

Just to see the SJW trolls lose their minds, I would love to see a show that casts strong males, high testosterone, clear defined gender roles, NO WOKE BS and great emphasis on writing a good story. I bet it would be a huge hit and the media would eat their hats over it.

[@STho205]

Hate to break it to you Chato, but the episode was an adaptation of an episode of "The Defenders" in 1963...which won an Emmy BTW. EG Marshall (the liberal that still believed in the status quo), Robert Reed (Kenny Preston the young idealist lawyer fighting the system to change it by emotional pleas), William Shatner playing the hard line logical prosecutor (tonight's guest star). If this is the "modern message" then it is odd that it was also that 60 years ago.

[@fomasfaith]

This episode really annoyed me. It was so preachy and self righteous. The concussion from being beaten repeatly over the head was probably a blessed side effect. A few more blows and I might not have been able to remember anything at all. The asylum defence shouldn't have worked. I suggest that there was too big a gap in time, she never requested asylum nor did Pike officially grant such status. Even if she had it still would not have allowed her to stay in Starfleet. As Chato pointe out it was not the court's place to legislate. The law, right or wrong, was clear. Uhura...can this character be anymore different from the one we knew in TOS and the films. Can you imagine the original Uhura refusing to help? As an aside, why do the Illyrians all look human when they aren't (other than being cheaper production wise)? Assuming of course that these are the same race as seen in the Enterprise. The ability to pass as human would definitely be a security concern. What brought them to the Federation in the first place? Clearly from the colony Pike visted they have done well for themselves. Are they trying to get membership just to give humanity the finger? Still bearing a grudge for Archer stealing that warp core?

[@ukmediawarrior]

I just can't get past how high tech this SNW Trek universe is compared to TOS universe. But then having said that .... how did no one know Una was genetically changed? Have Starfleet stopped doing medical check-ups on their people, or are they basically the doctor checking your ears, nose, tongue and signing you off as fit? :)

[@kirk1701]

It's an alternate universe where Starfleet is run by idiots.

[@davidgantenbein9362]

I haven‘t watched the episode. Is her genetic modification based on adding genes from a different species or is it just altering existing genes? If it’s the later, it should be impossible to find without her original code to compare it to.

[@sneakyguy8917]

Better yet, did they explain why it matters or is it just 'against the rules'? I fell asleep half way through so might have missed that explanation if it was made.

[@kirk1701]

@sneakyguy8917 Usually, you want the writing to be consistent. So, yes, it's against the rules of good storytelling. It's a plot hole since something was already established about genetic beings, and SNW drops it and leaves audiences who pay attention (especially those who ware writers themselves) saying 'huh?'

[@ukmediawarrior]

@@sneakyguy8917 Genetic alteration was outlawed after the Eugenics Wars on Earth where creations such as Khan Noonien Singh tried to take over. Una is from a race that genetically altered itself to be a better race of people, and so by Federation law its illegal for her to be in Starfleet.

[@kevinkorenke3569]

I think I like the more relaxed setting for these videos. Makes me feel a little like I'm debating nerd things nobody else cares about in my back yard over some beers.

[@coreydoty687]

Star Trek TNG Measure of a Man was so much better than this woke garbage. And it was much more interesting to see Riker and Picard have to prove their case to the court to determine if Data was a person or property. When Riker turned Data off you could see the impact it had on Riker knowing it was devastating to the defense and to his friend.

[@CallMeChato]

And it starred the main characters for crying out loud. That’s what you do in a series.

[@JoeCannon1]

The sad thing is SNW writers would likely never think to look to this gold review to make their jobs easier & help them write a better story.

[@Keycity60]

Attention writers who wrote this show and all those in the WGA currently on strike, I have discovered how entertaining it can be to watch a guy on KZbin clean out storm sewer gutters in the city streets with a rake. What little talking is done is unscripted. I am looking for a reason to switch over from the guy with a rake to Watch what the writers are putting out these days.

[@CallMeChato]

That is Emmy raking.

[@J3335]

The Hoof Dr is pretty good too.

[@quij7ote222]

This comment is as funny as anything you'll see in a comedy these days. Perfect description of the universe in which the viewer sits, as well as her options. I, too, am looking for a reason to abandon the rake.

[@theinfamouspropagandalf]

Of course a bunch of Trek pages on Facebook had people saying how this is the best trek episode ever of all shows. Yawn.

[@zac8670]

There are currently 882 episodes of Star Trek. That's a 1:882 ratio with many of those on the other side being some of the best TV episodes of all time. Fat chance.

[@coldwave007]

My biggest issue with S2 so far is it just feels flat. It took me two tries to finish Ep1, and I still haven't finished Ep2. This season is just so boring. Shame cause I quite enjoyed S1 (overall). Definitely feels like a regression.

[@mrhumpty]

It felt Star Trek. Except for yet another very important thing - It made the Federation/Starfleet look dumb. The assigned council, a sheepish white male of course, just wants her to go along. He's incompetent, shocker. Federation has some insanely broad binary rule... not a chance that's normal. And yea, you can't tell they are aliens, annoying. This would have been actual Trek had this been them visiting, wait for it, a "strange new world" and getting embroiled in a story much like this one. Bottom line, Una shouldn't have been arrested. Pike and some Admiral should have chatted and ignored it... then when they get to this world, Una can relate her experience to the people of that world or something... and she can be proud that she was part of the federation/start fleet because they had evolved past it. But that would be real Trek. These... buffoons (censoring myself here) that are writing this Trek think it's some edgy Apple TV+ series with less nudity I guess.

[@Warped9]

This is the best place to get honest reviews of contemporary Drek.

[@mainstreetsaint36]

Thank you old man yelling at the clouds.

[@stormglass2882]

4:42 ROFL, I guess they did airlift the writers from She-Hulk to do this episode. 🤦‍♂️ Can't wait for your review on episode 6: we start off fairly ok, then Uhura starts seeing and hearing things, is out on medical leave, we enjoy her rolling eyes and making snarky remarks towards senior officers, we see her doing maintenance on a communications array in a nacelle (imagine stepping into an office and seeing a junior messing around with your servers), later on while on medical leave and basically a crazy person: she is given a weapon. Yes people, a crazy person who is hearing and seeing things is walking around with a handgun. Some more disobeying orders and we end the episode with her (an ensign) ordering to fire torpedoes instead of Pike and thus destroying a whole factory just because she's the only one who sees aliens. Nowhere in yhis entire episode is there any scientific evidence given that there are aliens out there in the nebula. 🤷‍♂️

[@CallMeChato]

Fortunately for me I’ve stopped watching it. Thanks for the update. A “why SNW pisses me off” video is coming

[@GaudiaCertaminisGaming]

Listening to Chato talk about these shows is like listening to a grizzled explorer telling of his adventures amongst the savage, cruel natives of distant lands.

[@DaveNarn]

I’m surprised and a little annoyed that I didn’t know Casey Kasem was the voice of Shaggy. It would have spiced up his top 40 countdown. Too bad about Star Trek, that was once a favorite too.

[@andrewelliott3567]

I believe Star Trek is a special unique and dynamic art, performing art, that requires special, unique and dynamic actresses, actors, writers, producers, film directors. Sady I believe Star Trek is becoming a lost performing art. Mr Chato, thank you, thank you for using your platform to speak out not only on the current state of Star Trek, but the current state of the film industry as a whole.

[@davidrichardson1636]

Star Trek was a hopeful and engaging view of humanity's more rational future. The motto for SNW, however, should be: "Abandon all hope ye who enter here--especially if ye are male." At any rate, the Woke view of the future overflows with aliens with varying sexual identities, males who don't know what they are doing, women who are far more competent than men, and dystopian tropes that seem curious in the far future. Best of all, which is why Spock seems to be having so much trouble, everyone seems to have been injected with an anti-logic virus that makes them incapable of pushing a proposition against a logical operator without hurting themselves. How that happened could become a part of upcoming episode later in the series to explain how the Federation fell apart so quickly. Consequently, characters simply make emotive decisions without benefit of logical inference. That is just so much easier. It's not terribly entertaining, but it's easier. One other thing, Chato. The writers are morons, which is a word derived from the Greek word "moros," meaning "dull" or "stupid." Spock is a Vulcan who is motivated by logic. It should not be surprising that morons would have difficulty writing for his actual character. As you know, writers should write what they know. For morons, that leaves little flexibility.

[@paininthepatoot]

I had hoped that based on Series 1, Strange New Worlds was a course correction from Discovery. Nope! Series 2 is back to the future. I guess with Discovery winding down they moved all the writers to SNW. 2 Episodes in and it is already circling the toilet bowl. So sad.

[@kev30631]

Good analysis. St discovery was the vessel that all that hammer fisted woke garbage was being dumped in. In hindsight that was a good thing because it was mostly kept away from the other shows. Now with st discovery being cancelled , they unfortunately decided they need to continue this garbage and get a new vessel to present it in. So it seems strange new worlds might or will be the victim of this.

[@derekgarvin6449]

The lack of a B-story was seriously bizarre. The closest we got was the security officer trying to steal personal logs. Weird tv episode

[@suburbanbanshee]

What?!? Personal logs?!?

[@vanneli]

I want to point out 3 things: 1)Even if the 'pull out of their behind' solution was valid, and Una was given asylum, that does not mean she can stay in Starfleet, she is accepted, but has to be cashiered out of the fleet (dishonorably). 2) The best legal drama in Star Trek? Have they not seen 'Court Martial'? The Drumhead? Even Dax or Death wish were a lot better. And 3) Their 'diversity quota' is already ridiculous, First officer FEMALE, navigation FEMALE, Ops FEMALE Security Chief FEMALE, Chief of Engineering FEMALE (and apparently drunk), Chief Medical MALE, but has a FEMALE nurse to correct him, Science Officer MALE, but unlike in TOS, this Spock is stupid and apparently hopelessly in crush with Chapel. And a captain, MALE, but non existing.

[@jamesanthony8438]

... Wasn't Tasha Yar the first female Chief of Security on the Enterprise back in '87? Personally, I think the best thing that could happen to the series now would be for the spirit of Gene Roddenberry to return as a poltergeist and wreck every inch of production on set... but the writers have already done that, themselves.

[@willstikken5619]

Looking around the bridge you'd think this enterprise is actually under the command of Captain H Weinstein.

[@theoconstantinou2839]

I still haven’t been able to get through ep 2 season 1. So Una (Number One) is augmented now? Whaaa? Has any 1 brought up the fact that one of Kahn Nooien Singh’s ancestors is a bridge crew member yet? & what’s going on with Robert April? He doesn’t look anything like James Doohan

[@vanneli]

Robert April was only seen once before, in TAS (the animated series), he was a white guy, who captained the Enterprise when it was first taken out of the shipyard, and ended up marrying the nurse after he was promoted and she was no longer on his chain of command. He was not played by James Doohan (Scotty)

[@theoconstantinou2839]

@@vanneli The Counter-Clock Incident oh? He wasn’t played by Jame Doohan… really? But Kahn Nooniien Singh great great niece or something is onboard right? Oh & must be Chinese in this universe too then ( it’s not a “reboot” ) anyway thanks for clearing that up fellow human

[@vanneli]

@@theoconstantinou2839 Hello, Robert April WAS voiced by James Doohan, but the actor did NOT play Robert April, anymore than Nichelle Nichols played his wife, Dr. Sarah April, who voiced the character. And now I wonder, should Nichelle Nichols be censured and cancelled for voicing a white character?

[@theoconstantinou2839]

@@vanneli that isn’t my point at all. That’s like saying Phill LaMarr shouldn’t voice Samurai Jack, or Russle Crowe play Zeus

[@MoonjumperReviews]

In their defense, it’s been hard for these CBS/Paramount writers to let their beloved CW go. It’s rough. A little compassion for them is in order.

[@HotspotsSoutheast]

um no.

[@davfree9732]

A swift firing and them being allowed to walk out of the front door. That’s the limit of rational compassion they deserve.

[@MoonjumperReviews]

@@d.1.a_mayby18 - it all got progressively worse year by year. Like someone on “The Drinker’s” show a couple days ago said it perfectly: “There’s pre-2016 Hollywood and post-2016 Hollywood,” which mirrors what I’ve said on my own channel for years now. Hollywood has never been conservative, but I remember a time when they were generally rational. But all it took was losing one election for them to LOSE THEIR MINDS!!-and they’ve been out to punish and teach us a lesson ever since. Dude’s not even in office anymore, but they can’t let go. They will double and triple and quadruple-down and topple their own studios to the ground to express their anger. I’ve been around a good while and never seen anything like it. The Arrowverse wasn’t that bad in the beginning. Supergirl, back when it was on CBS, was actually pretty good. That was 2015. But guess what happened a year later? Hillary lost and the writers subsequently lost their minds and started preaching. They were done with subtly. From there, The CW in particular got absolutely ridiculous and whiny adolescent. And the result is CBS and WB had to actually sell the network because they had preached away all their viewers.

[@MoonjumperReviews]

@@davfree9732 - yup, kind of my point.

[@stephengarrity9702]

Anson Mount was on paternity leave for the first part of Season 2

[@johnallen4030]

No way Shatner would have done that. Different times

[@timmochama7712]

In Australia to "Pike" literally means fail to show up😂

[@terryrasmussen6409]

Thanks!

[@CallMeChato]

You’re welcome and thanks for your contribution. Appreciated.

[@rafaelsays175]

It just all seems light...weightless even. Writers going on strike is a bit of a joke because they don't seem to be working in the writers room anyway.

[@Elerad]

I couldn't bear to watch this, but always enjoying your takes.

[@antoncaligari1818]

So the bases of this story was she lie on her application form, got caught and wants to keep the job using a loophole. :)

[@Mhotepful]

Yup. Like Spock, getting caught stealing a starship and taking everyone to a forbidden planet, but getting let off the hook because of an emotional technicality.

[@antoncaligari1818]

@@Mhotepful should have had everybody else disappear and some talosians show up 'Don't think we haven't forgotten about you'. :)

[@t.stephen5086]

They're definitely going after Spock, they will say because he smiled in "the cage" this is what he was like. But we all know its an excuse an opportunity to humiliate or destroy a legacy character, just like Luke Skywalker.

[@alanperry8676]

Uh, The Expanse is much more scientifically grounded than Star Trek.

[@xraymike66]

Do you remember when the intro changed during TNG? When it went from "where no man has gone before" to "where no one", that should have been the end of any woke concessions.

[@figmillenium]

Yes, if I wanted my entertainment to remind me of American slavery, Apartheid, or the Jewish or Native American holocausts, I wouldn’t have gotten Texas public school education. 🙄

[@project9701]

My friend has a theory about this, after involuntarily watching all of the CBS Trek stories (he actually likes "Lower Decks," but mostly because of the humor). SNW was Bad Robot's "B" show, the one that they HAD to do to keep Paramount/CBS/Viacom happy while all of their "A" people were working on STD, S31, and whatever other atrocities they were going to create in their new, 25% different Star Trek series in all respects. And since SNW was the "B" show to keep the network happy and it had "B" people working on it, they weren't paying that much attention to it. So, mistakes like small amounts of competence will get through despite what Bad Robot wants. Then, STD got the cancellation antibiotic and now all of those "A" people have to be doing SOMETHING...which means they have to be working on SNW. And since clearly these are Bad Robot's "A" people, they clearly know what they're doing! So, the entire show has to be modified to fit the ideals that they were planning to show with the next season of STD, whatever atrocity that S31 was going to be, and in general...they have to screw things up.

[@kev30631]

I read that strange new worlds season 2 was filmed a long while ago. So all this mansplaining and other BS ...was probably all ready in there before Discovery was cancelled.

[@sneakyguy8917]

Don't you mean 'Bad Reboot'?

[@wasneeplus]

I actually really liked the first season of Strange New Worlds, despite its flaws. I can't tell you how much these new episodes break my heart.

[@garethjax]

Wow, it's almost like a machine is regurgitating platitudes! Impressive!

[@beowulfsrevenge4369]

Damn it, Chato! I'm a random youtube commenter, not a former network executive! But seriously, Anson Mount is a pretty good actor whose talent they're clearly wasting. I think, given a proper script and director, he could have done an excellent job as a Star Fleet Captain. I still don't think they should have brought Captain Pike back. That was a story that didn't need to be written.

[@quij7ote222]

Yeah, how in the world do you waste the talents of the guy from "Hell on Wheels?" Good looking, a presence and can act. A combo to die for. Oh, well

[@willstikken5619]

He is the only source of charisma in the entire show. Romijn has some screen presence but most of the cast act like they are someones friends filling in on some fanfic being filmed in a garage.

[@ΔημήτριοςΣκουρτέλης]

The filmmakers tried to show that the lawyer won the case, but her arguments were unfounded. Una never formally applied for political asylum - she obtained it herself by fraud - nor did Captain Pike officially offer her protection from any racist persecution but he wanted to cover up her illegal declaration. If we look for some logic in the scenario, except the publiq's obsession about equal rights we will see that it was the prosecutor's greed that acquitted Una. The Vulcan tried to court-martial Pike for Una's cover-up, thus putting the Court - and the Fleet - in a dilemma: Either we exonerate Una or we lose a good captain... Starfleet will do anything for a fine captain... Equal rights... A joke

[@tlrlml]

And you had hope during Season 1... next time remember the pattern... A. Make a product that resembles a product people once liked, but that is now unavailable. B. Use self-discipline, make more of the product (as close to what it once was) then you strictly think is wise, get the consumers hooked. C. Once you have hooked consumers on the product, because they believe it to be related to its style/function/quality of its former incarnation, begin to introduce small samples of the product you want to make into the mix. D. As soon as practicable after 'C' make wholesale changes to the product, so that it is no longer the previous product, but completely the product that _you_ original intended. E. Once backlash begins, blame the consumer for their lack of taste/morals/youth/inability to live outside of their intrinsic qualities/imagination. ('E' is best accomplished if processes of blame can be established _before_ full implementation of 'E'). F. Once the product you are creating is discontinued, continue process 'E' while searching for/acquiring new product to create. G. Repeat process ('A'-'F') with new product.

[@kev30631]

Very good analysis. I was okey until the unnecessary , out of nowhere ,( st discovery) mansplaining scene with uhura and Ortegas. Nooning sing out drinking the Klingons in their own cultural blood wine. Making men look weak and stupid. It's slowly creeping this stuff in there. Why are you doing this? I liked strange new worlds as it was.

[@manmohansingh9464]

This could have been one of the most painfull episodes in the entire franchise yet. It's such a shame. Your reviews are spot on btw

[@kev30631]

I think SNW season 1 episode 9 with the wrecked ship with the Gorn babies was far worse than this episode.

[@billcook8136]

If I could borrow anyone’s time machine to go back to when television was good and just leave me there I’d be grateful.😪

[@terryrasmussen6409]

I love your back yard deck. The pansies are lovely. If I can't say anything good about the show being reviewed, I'll stick to the nice stuff in view.

[@jswets5007]

No B plot? That's worse than lazy writing. It's deliberately lowering the bar for present and future projects.

[@jswets5007]

@@davidredmond292 I just keep rewatching TOS, TNG, DS9, Voyager, and even Enterprise. Much like the Indiana Jones trilogy, they can keep making product, but that doesn't mean it is relevant. IMO ... 😅 *Edit* There are also hundreds of books which are better than any new, and some old, products.

[@davidredmond292]

@jswets5007 I have over a hundred books starting way back in 84. A lot of great adventures over the years for sure.

[@jswets5007]

@@davidredmond292 Fascinating. 😉

[@davidredmond292]

@@jswets5007 🖖

[@quij7ote222]

How do you do it, Mr. Chato? You played this so straight and smugless and yet I still laughed my rear end off. I tip my non-existent hat to you for this review. You're the anti-internet negative reviewer. It is still devastating and funny without the anger, low-brow vulgarity and histrionics (which is to my taste at times). And I appreciate the elevated vocabulary. The i.q. points comment was an appropriate opener to the fun. Wish you still had a job as an exec.

[@sparkleypegs8350]

loving the pretty outdoor setting Chato. Very nice.

[@desertbluffs7113]

Crippled imaginations! How far would this go if it didn’t have Star Trek in it?

[@janstenger6230]

Thank you for this review mr Chato. Don't you think that the tables already have been turned?! The writers strike where no one is talking about doesn't help either.

[@augustragone1159]

No one can beat Samuel T. Cogley, played by the late, great Elisha Cook Jr., in "Court Martial." No one. Except, maybe, Denny Crane.

[@jfh9219]

Spock is going to be Saggy from Velma and Pike is going to turn into Fred. This show sounds it has gone full caca mode. Now that Krapman has a new contract to kill trek, it is full speed ahead, the new missions of the LBGT The Message sets sail.

[@vincentbrown4926]

What a shame. "Court Martial" is one of my favorite TOS episodes to quote. Spock's testimony that people, like inanimate objects have immutable characteristics or Samuel T. Cogley's rant that his client has been denied the right to face his accuser because his accuser is a computer log were prescient (people here in the states have used the later defense to have traffic camera's declared illegal). Courtroom episodes are the cheapest to film so the writing should be the best of the season. The fact that other reviewers find this good (or even gripping?) saddens me.

[@jrzshor]

i fast forwarded till the black female lawyer was first shown, then i stopped watching after the black lady said "slavery etc."

[@Crustyheart1]

We used to call them cheap knock offs... unless they were airing on Sat. morning...I cant watch it... you're a better man than me... hope the senses recover quickly from viewing....

[@jacek_poplawski]

Thanks a lot Chato for great review. It's nice to see someone was able to notice how terrible this episode was.

[@c0d3warrior]

"Let me watch it a second time to make sure it's not a fluke..." - The Lock Picking Chato, probably.

[@danielhislop3051]

I was going to wait until you talked about Season 2, Episode 5, but I can’t wait. They have me worked up about how they are handling the development of the characters on this show. The show runners and writers continue to emasculate Pike in episode after episode. He doesn’t command anything, he sits around watching things happen to other people, he is relegated to the role of cook, bystander, and insignificant walk-on. He just stands around with a confused look on his face asking if anyone wants another Vulcan cookie. Everyone else has more screen time and plays a significant role in the storyline. He is being punished for being a straight, white, male. As you have said in a previous video, “Hollywood hates Capt. Kirk”. For the same reasons, so far, “Hollywood hates Capt. Pike”, too.

[@zedicus11]

I want my 50.minutes back. I was not going to watch it after last weeks mess. But i saw your headline and decided to see how bad it really was. Prior to watching your review. I wod say your summary was better than mine, thoughtful and articulate. Mine was just anger, and regret.

[@TheBrewjo]

If the threat isn't being sent to a Klingon Dilithium Mine, it just ain't a Star Trek courtroom episode.

[@lionheart7333]

If I have to see Pike in that apron one more time…🤬

[@spartacusforlife1508]

In the court case they pointed out how laws change over time. Naturally they bought up gender. Was expecting it

[@mjmeans7983]

This series needs to be far grittier and more militaristic, like The Cage. They have at most 4 episodes to set the right tone, and half of that time has now passed.

[@joegee2815]

I did enjoy it but everything you said was completely correct. I'm just desperate for new sci fi content. I'm now watching movies from the 50s and 60s...

[@radioface3306]

Digging the Wolverine tee, Paul….

[@Ni999]

Another great take on the latest in the Start Wreck universe.

[@mariolafrance5806]

I was expecting your review on E2, which I loved. In fact, I think it would have been an excellent E1, with the open opportunity to slide some B and C plots ! But to be honest, I also love your review. Despite the fact that I don't really agree with you, it gives me the chance to look deeper into the episode and appreciate your point of view. Thanks to you, I will be more attentive to details for the rest of the season. And by the way, the hug scene felt really awkward to me also. For me, the ultimate hug scene was Captain Archer and T'Pol in ST Enterprise's last episode. It felt true and sincere and I think it was the perfect way to conclude that amazing series.

[@tlskyward3214]

Wow! I watched that episode the day it came out and had to watch this video to remind me what it was about.

[@Cathoray2012]

Great review; thank you foe sharing my frustrations. 😠

[@WileCoyoteMoncure-Smith]

Spok is the science officer and he never does his role. He’s always too busy running around chasing women.

[@TheSlackrguy]

Chato, if you stopped watching SNW then you made the right call. It is heavily serialized this season compared to last season. I am stepping away from the series after episode 6. Hopefully I will be curious enough to finish season 2 in the future.

[@dudleymq]

They might as well have had the crew waving placards declaring, "Illyrian rights are human rights!"

[@subtropicalken1362]

Yap, yap. That’s his other dog imitation. 🤷‍♂️ going back to my wine and cheese …

[@classicmartini]

Sir, I must protest! I am NOT a merry man!

[@staciepaul]

Thank you may I have another. Poor Chato forgot his Trek safe word.

[@cb-gz1vl]

According to cannon lore, the federation at that time had difficulties with women and that's why women were not allowed in command positions. Basically humans were fine on women's rights but other member planets were backward in comparison and more aligned with Klingons in this respect. The Tellurites for example actually had inferior, lower IQ females. So a lot of member planets were very much against women in command roles. So to compromise and not lose member planets to the Klingons, the federation ruled women could not be in command positions. I would imagine this would carry into roles like Judges and Admirals etc. They totally forgot the TOS episode in which Kirk has his body switched with a woman who wanted to be a commander. basically women in power positions in this era flies in the face of cannon material.

[@brachiator1]

The absence of women in command positions is one area where canon is rightfully ignored.

[@cb-gz1vl]

@@brachiator1 No it makes sense from that point and very interesting. Some cultures would walk away from the federations so they made a compromise.