Scifi TV Discussion Thread

[Tarsonis]

True but sometimes the "cheap" episodes are the better ones as they have to have a better story to replace the effects.

True but for every “Magnificent Ferangi” there’s ten “Shades of Grey”

[Ameriganastan]

The Orville premiere has been pushed back to New Years. Also season 2 will have 14 episodes rather than 22. Seth basically said he doesn’t want to do cheap filler, and would rather have fewer but quality episodes.


I’m okay with these developments

If only he would apply that same rationale to Family Guy...

[Tarsonis]

The Orville premiere has been pushed back to New Years. Also season 2 will have 14 episodes rather than 22. Seth basically said he doesn’t want to do cheap filler, and would rather have fewer but quality episodes.


I’m okay with these developments

If only he would apply that same rationale to Family Guy...

That’s likely Fox’s decision not his

[New haven america]

The Orville premiere has been pushed back to New Years. Also season 2 will have 14 episodes rather than 22. Seth basically said he doesn’t want to do cheap filler, and would rather have fewer but quality episodes.


I’m okay with these developments

If only he would apply that same rationale to Family Guy...

He's not writing/directing Family Guy anymore, only providing the voices.

He wanted to end the show in 2010, but Fox wouldn't let him, so he decided to just leave and collect the paychecks from voice acting and creative rights.

[The Alexanderians]

Star Trek: Discovery showrunners Berg and Harberts are out, replaced by executive producer Alex Kurtzman

Apparently the changes are not due to creative issues, but operational and leadership issues, in particular it seems the two showrunners were incredibly hostile and abusive towards the writing staff, and that several members of the team threatened to leave the show or file complaints with HR over how uncomfortable it was now to work on the show. And that the show runners doubled down apparently with "imposing remarks" once rumours of these HR complaints began circulating. Akiva Goldman is also not returning to season 2 of the show.

So, big ole changing of the guard there, and if true, seems like they were both utter dickheads.

And this is already being celebrated as the thing that kills the show for good. Because apparently that is a good thing for some reason.

Cause Discovery isn't very good and Orville is much better?

[Juristonia]

And this is already being celebrated as the thing that kills the show for good. Because apparently that is a good thing for some reason.

I seem to recall there being a similar issue between a lot of the TNG writing staff and Roddenberry's lawyer. Apparently, this was the root cause of D.C. Fontana leaving, among others.

Yeah, that's why I'm not worried, to be honest.
TNG had a pretty high staff turnover too.

[The Huskar Social Union]

You know both shows are capable of existing at the same time.

[Tarsonis]

You know both shows are capable of existing at the same time.

[Ameriganastan]

You know both shows are capable of existing at the same time.

Cause sci-fi fans are GREAT at peaceful coexistence with other sci-fi shows...

[La Paz de Los Ricos]

I've never gotten why they just happen to have both Discovery running as well as the Kelvin timeline up, at the same times.

Beyond didn't conclude the Kelvin series in any big way, so are they just going to dismiss it as non-canon when they spent so much time into making it sorta canon?

I'm 100% sure I'm missing some, like, Facebook post from one of the storywriters that explains all of this and makes me look stupid, but I can't be bothered to try and find anything.

[The Huskar Social Union]

I've never gotten why they just happen to have both Discovery running as well as the Kelvin timeline up, at the same times.

Beyond didn't conclude the Kelvin series in any big way, so are they just going to dismiss it as non-canon when they spent so much time into making it sorta canon?

I'm 100% sure I'm missing some, like, Facebook post from one of the storywriters that explains all of this and makes me look stupid, but I can't be bothered to try and find anything.

I believe another Kelvin movie is in the works, so they are not done with it yet.

You know both shows are capable of existing at the same time.

Cause sci-fi fans are GREAT at peaceful coexistence with other sci-fi shows...

You know both shows are capable of existing at the same time.

A man can dream.

[Ameriganastan]

I love how Fallout 4 got Tim Russ to basically play a post-apocalyptic Tuvok. Black dude, second in command of a ship, leader is batshit crazy, no emotional inflection in his voice, etc. Made me giggle.

[The Huskar Social Union]

I love how Fallout 4 got Tim Russ to basically play a post-apocalyptic Tuvok. Black dude, second in command of a ship, leader is batshit crazy, no emotional inflection in his voice, etc. Made me giggle.

I smiled the second i heard his voice, ah it was great.

[La Paz de Los Ricos]

I believe another Kelvin movie is in the works, so they are not done with it yet.

Yeah, sure, but with the death of Anton Yelchin, who played Chekov in these new movies, how will they work around that large gap in the cast?

WARNING: I got so carried away with my rant that I put it in a spoiler for everyone's safety. Open at your own risk!

Chekov had such a large role in Beyond that simply saying that he left on another ship would be very poor and would not only be lacking in the plot but also be lacking as a way to acknowledge Yelchin's passing.

They also can't do what they did with Leonard Nimoy, and the whole "Spock is sad with Spock Prime dying," because Nimoy was such a prominent figure in acting and, especially, his role in both old and new Star Trek, he deserved a unique and symbolic way of acknowledging his death, and simply replicating (hehe) it with Yelchin's Chekov would be disrespectful to both Nimoy and Yelchin's memories.

I love a good alternate timeline and alternate history, but I feel that making a fourth movie where the series ends or is merged back with the regular Star Trek Canon, such as by doing the whole "Praxis" incident as the point where the two universes are "re-aligned". Wasn't there a theroy hinting that the story of the fourth movie would be that Kirk would go back in time and save his father, which would cancel out the Kelvin timeline? Either way, a simple "realignment" ending would feel poorly executed in one movie.

If they continue, however, with the Kelvin timeline, as well as running Discovery, it would basically be "well, which is the 'main' universe?" I realise Kelvin is a prequel to the original series, which is set ten years in the past, but that leaves me confused. If Discovery takes place before the Kelvin incident, then would it be all good, and possible? At the same time, doesn't the Kelvin incident take place just as Kirk is born? In Discovery, wasn't the Enterprise under Robert April's command? I'm sure they have a very public answer to this question that makes me look stupid, but still, I'm sure there's a one percent of Trekkers that thought the same thing.

My analogy to this problem is the "Cuban Missile Crisis Documentary", which is a very creative title. Basically, the premise goes that there was a series detailing the Cuban Missile Crisis, and there was one episode where the crisis goes through and the U.S. is struck by a missile, setting off an entire alternate history, and then the very next episode, it goes with the actual outcome of the C.M.C, and it doesn't explain or even acknowledge the previous episode's factual errors, while the company that owns the C.M.C series doesn't take down the first episode of the series. I'm sure that was hard to follow, but it's my analogy for the Kelvin timeline's problem. (no, this series doesn't exist, i just made it up)

Either way, I feel Star Trek has reached a sort of stalemate with itself. With the death of Yelchin, the Kelvins will be left with either a very cheaply executed end or an empty series. The start of Discovery would have worked just fine if they had waited to start after the Kelvin series ends, or until it reaches a threshold (haha reference to Voyager) where it can thrive even with the inception of a new regular-canon series. If they stop Discovery, it'll still be bad for all the Trekkers who watch that series, including me.

Don't get me wrong, I love Star Trek, and I admire how many years of work has gone into every individual series. I'm an avid Trekker, and I've watched all the series' (even Enterprise, as well as the Animated Series, which I personally love). I haven't been around long enough to have seen The Next Generation as it was being made, but I love the entire franchise with a passion. However, I feel that the franchise has gotten a bit crowded.

I'm sure I shouldn't have an opinion since I wasn't around to be at the first screening of The Wrath of Khan (incredible masterpiece of a film, btw), but with the two timelines running at once, I feel Star Trek should lay one of the two timelines to rest. I admire the amount of effort put into Kelvin, and I'm a fan of the movies myself, and I love the main canon as well, and I am fascinated with all the lore behind all of the series in the franchise, and that's the problem. I can't decide which one I like more. I like them both, even though I recognize it would be better if Trek was consistent and focused on one timeline instead of the two.

I don't know, I'm not enough of a Trek master to be able to have an opinion, so I'll go back to slaving away watching Enterprise the entire way through on repeat until I die as a punishment for having an opinion.

[The Huskar Social Union]

They will probably mention an offscreen death or something like they did with Leonard Nemoy, or maybe just mention that he is off doing something else, maybe on another ship.

[La Paz de Los Ricos]

They will probably mention an offscreen death or something like they did with Leonard Nemoy, or maybe just mention that he is off doing something else, maybe on another ship.

Not to be rude or disrespectful, but I feel you didn't even read my point on why those exact two things are bad ideas.

I literally made two paragraphs which mentioned those SAME TWO THINGS in my argument!

[Ameriganastan]

Or they could just recast him.

[The Huskar Social Union]

They will probably mention an offscreen death or something like they did with Leonard Nemoy, or maybe just mention that he is off doing something else, maybe on another ship.

Not to be rude or disrespectful, but I feel you didn't even read my point on why those exact two things are bad ideas.

I literally made two paragraphs which mentioned those SAME TWO THINGS in my argument!

To be fair i didnt even notice the spoiler tag. Sorry

[La Paz de Los Ricos]

Not to be rude or disrespectful, but I feel you didn't even read my point on why those exact two things are bad ideas.

I literally made two paragraphs which mentioned those SAME TWO THINGS in my argument!

To be fair i didnt even notice the spoiler tag. Sorry

Yeah, you're fine, I didn't mean any disrespect, I just made a spoiler because the argument was too long in the first place.

[La Paz de Los Ricos]

Or they could just recast him.

Yeah, but there would be a noticeable difference, and it would just kinda feel like they weren't acknowledging Yelchin's passing.

[Purpelia]

Or they could just recast him.

Yeah, but there would be a noticeable difference, and it would just kinda feel like they weren't acknowledging Yelchin's passing.

Why do they need to acknowledge it though? I mean sure, he died but it was years ago and by the time any new movie comes out will be years more. It's not disrespectful to not acknowledge ancient history. And they can always throw in a special dedication or something in the credits.

[Grenartia]

I love how Fallout 4 got Tim Russ to basically play a post-apocalyptic Tuvok. Black dude, second in command of a ship, leader is batshit crazy, no emotional inflection in his voice, etc. Made me giggle.

Speaking of Trek cast members in other works, the other night, I saw Marc Alaimo in an episode of Quantum Leap, playing a cop during the Watts Riot. Then there was an episode of Wings with Andrew Robinson playing a lawyer for a mafia guy. And while flipping through channels the other day, I saw Jeri Ryan in an episode of Two and a Half Men. I'm getting pretty good at spotting Trek alumni even in blink-and-you-miss appearances, and even if you only ever saw them in makeup. I vaguely remember seeing Ethan Philips in something a few weeks ago, but I can't for the life of me recall what it was. I've heard Patrick Stewart did a cameo in Frasier, so I'm looking out for that one.

Honestly, all I need to do is look for Casey Biggs, and I can claim I'm an expert at Keeping Up with the Cardassians.

Or they could just recast him.

Yeah, but there would be a noticeable difference, and it would just kinda feel like they weren't acknowledging Yelchin's passing.

I feel like they're probably going to CGI him. Most likely in an early death scene. Seems like the only way to handle it without retreading old ground or coming across as total dicks (ignoring, for the moment, any arguments about CGI'ing him in being a dick move itself).

[La Paz de Los Ricos]

Why do they need to acknowledge it though? I mean sure, he died but it was years ago and by the time any new movie comes out will be years more. It's not disrespectful to not acknowledge ancient history. And they can always throw in a special dedication or something in the credits.

Not to be rude, but that argument is just downright rude to Yelchin. Yes, he died two years ago, but that does not mean that they can just "throw in" a dedication, as you so delicately put it.

He put in a lot of work into the Kelvin series, and they should have something more special than just "oh yeah, one of our cast died in a horrible accident."

Yeah, maybe I did choose the wrong words to describe it, but still, if they were to just gloss over his death, it would just be wrong.

Also, you might want to change that "ancient history" remark.

[Ameriganastan]

I've heard Patrick Stewart did a cameo in Frasier, so I'm looking out for that one.

YouTube is your friend.

Honestly, all I need to do is look for Casey Biggs, and I can claim I'm an expert at Keeping Up with the Cardassians.

IMDB shows he mostly does parts in the crime procedural circuit these days. Mentalist, Person Of Interest, Elementary, etc.

[Grenartia]

Yeah, but there would be a noticeable difference, and it would just kinda feel like they weren't acknowledging Yelchin's passing.

Why do they need to acknowledge it though? I mean sure, he died but it was years ago and by the time any new movie comes out will be years more. It's not disrespectful to not acknowledge ancient history. And they can always throw in a special dedication or something in the credits.

In case you missed it the first time, Anton played a major character. Its not like Chekov was some random redshirt that only got a line or two in one movie. He was a bridge officer, and in the last movie, he got as much screen time as anyone else. In short, in any future Kelvin movie, HIS ABSENCE WILL BE FELT. Not just in an OOC sense. In a very real IC sense, as well. That is something that needs to be addressed onscreen.