The Vulcan Hello

DVD, Star Trek: Discovery S1 (The Vulcan Hello)

It's very difficult for something to withstand the weight of twelve years' anticipation, but my overall feeling when confronted - finally - with a new episode of Trek, was: relief. I was concerned that I wouldn't like what I saw, but whether from the copious advanced warning I had, the many reveals and tidbits of information I had read or heard, either purposefully or by accident, I'm pleased to say that I wasn't taken out of it by worrying about the state of Federation technology, the look of the ships, the Klingons, or anything else that might have unnerved me had I come to 'DSC' completely fresh. Of course there are things about it I questioned or wasn't keen on, but I'd already gone through that process in the months leading up to (and the months long after), its debut, and in the same way as seeing 'The Lord of The Rings' films on second viewing was a more enjoyable and relaxed experience, rather than being concerned about where it strayed from the book, I felt I'd been primed with enough clips, photos and interviews to be able to watch through prepared eyes, removing the shock value and being sucked into the story. It is a fairly basic story, at that, but due to a marketing decision the pilot was not the traditionally feature-length episode of all other modern Trek debuts, instead split into two parts so they could show the opening instalment on 'normal' TV and entice a larger audience to the streaming service CBS was hoping the series would promote. Such calculated marketing, where profit concerns win out over the needs of story, are worrying, but in actuality it made it easier on me to be able to take a bite-size piece of new Trek to digest and consider before plunging back into this new world.

The emotional connection to what was happening was successful, and before long I was much more at home in this world than any of the Kelvin Timeline films that had filled the absence of episodic Trek in the fallow years since 'Enterprise' was cut down in its prime. Prime is a good word, because this series made a proud statement of intent by taking place in what has become known as the 'Prime Universe,' as opposed to the offshoot Kelvin one used by the current film series. There was a time when Prime was decried as old hat, with some saying that history was dead and gone, never to be resurrected, but in this case, marketing and money-making decisions favoured the old Trek line, and the vagaries of copyright and legal issues, not to mention the continued success of merchandise based on old Trek, meant they chose to return to a meaningful historical period, not an action-packed, spectacle-laden universe where nothing really matters or lacks a sense of concrete history and continuation. As early as the opening scene of the episode where a Klingon speaks in his own language with English subtitles, I got the sense of the weight of real future history that has always made Trek better than anything else out there. Not to say there weren't any issues I had with both the time period and the interpretation of it, but using the Klingon language, which is a real, spoken dialect, recognised in the real world, was a bold choice and immediately pleases those like me that care about such things. Not that I speak Klingon beyond the occasion "Qapla!" or "nook-nekh," but I felt at home in the guttural monologue, another link to 'LOTR' which similarly began with a voiceover describing some history, and a deep connection to a fully realised 'alien' language.

The interaction between Captain Philippa Georgiou and Commander Michael Burnham, I have to say, was rather stilted and wooden. It didn't take me long to appreciate Burnham because of her Vulcan mode of speech and approach to detail, which I loved. I already knew that she was to be revealed as a protege of Sarek, Father of the legendary Spock, and in fact I was surprised she never called him that, rather referring to him by his name, but perhaps that will be explained. I felt she would have made an excellent Vulcan and I wish the character had actually been of that race, although it may have made the uninitiated less attracted to the series than the focus on a human lead. I wouldn't say it was a masterstroke of Bryan Fuller's to make Burnham a human that was raised Vulcan, but it was certainly an idea, Trek is supposed to be about ideas, and many things which were said about of Vulcans fitted with what we know of them as a species - since they're my favourite race in all Trek I want them to have justice done to them whenever they're used, something that hasn't been promising from 'Enterprise' to the modern films. Yes, Burnham was also emotional, but she couldn't have the same strength of control a real Vulcan would have (witnessed again in her only partially successful nerve pinch on the Captain, later).

The real surprise I had was Michelle Yeoh, whom I applauded as an excellent choice from the first casting announcement, especially when I heard she was to be a diplomat, more in the vein of Picard than Archer. I found her line delivery off-putting, and maybe over time I would have got used to it, but guessing she wasn't going to be around long (from the publicity around the series rather than specific knowledge), I had been wondering if I'd be presented with a perfect Captain that I'd want to follow in the series, only for her to be taken away shortly after. Having seen the character, and no disrespect to Yeoh, I didn't feel she worked very well, though it may have been my expectations for her that coloured my perception. But it's only one episode so I'd love to be proved wrong, and it was somewhat relieving to think I wasn't going to be disturbed when the inevitable loss of a great Captain occurred. I wouldn't say the rest of the cast was particularly well introduced, unlike the other Treks where the pilot always did a great job of setting up the new crew, but then this series was designed to be different, and it's a tribute to how it was done that it still felt very Trekky, another on my list of concerns before viewing. There's a bit of banter, and the sense of the longevity the crew has had together (we know that at least Burnham has served under Georgiou for seven years), but it wasn't played up enough to become tiresome. I would think Saru was relatively new as he explained his species to Burnham, and if she'd known him better she'd probably have prior knowledge of all that. That was one of the downsides of the writing: unnaturally conveyed exposition. The biggest culprit being the opening scenes on the desert planet where Burnham gives Georgiou a rundown of the situation which she'd surely have known in advance of beaming down, otherwise what kind of Captain would she be, but it's one of those conventions that details need to be explained to enlighten the audience. Not that Trek never did it before, but you expect a more organic reveal of information, especially from someone of former Trek pedigree like Fuller.

I did like the background to Saru, even though I already knew it, and just now realised he fits into the tradition of alien races portraying a facet of humanity: in the Kelpien case they represent fear and caution, being a 'prey' species that can sense the coming of death. A bit mystical perhaps, and unexplained, especially coming from the science officer, but I'm prepared to go with it. Every Trek series liked to introduce at least one new species to explore an alien culture in depth and reflect on an aspect of humanity in a new light. There can't be many facets of the human race they hadn't already done, but Saru could be different. Ferengi were known for their cowardice and conniving nature, but vice denoted their main characteristic. We'd seen secretive Romulans, volatile, untrusting Andorians, too, but outright fear of being prey strikes me as fertile ground. I only hope, given the serialised nature of this series, they allow time for such exploration. There's precedent even for a race representing fear as their identity, because the Changelings, Founders of the Dominion, did everything motivated by their fear of those that had persecuted them. But it's hard to think of anything Trek hasn't done, and they were hardly a benevolent prey species. On the other side we've seen many hunter races, best example being the Hirogen of 'Voyager,' but it would be interesting to know more about the race that hunted Saru's people, as well as his own, and one of the essential elements of Trek is that examination of races, the established and long-standing cultures being far more interesting than aliens of the week. A good mix of both makes for what I feel is the perfect blend of anthropology.

As it stands so far, Saru is visually the most interesting and had the most character after Burnham, but then I went into it expecting to be most interested in him from what I read or saw, the alien crewmember usually the biggest draw of a new series. We weren't short of alien life, from the partially CGI creatures on the desert planet, to the intriguing collection aboard the USS Shenzhou, with an especially robotic component to some, certainly a less travelled direction with ample potential for examination regarding society and its approach to augmentation and mechanical servitude or the potential rights of AI so well scrutinised in Trek with The Doctor in 'Voyager' or Data in 'TNG.' Burnham was unquestionably the lead of the series, speaking to her Captain on the same level, so no wonder Georgiou suggested she was ready for command. This story is practically a prequel to the actual series which will be set on the Discovery of the title, a unique approach to allow us some progression instead of jumping into a new adventure fully formed. Hopefully something that will extend to the characters, as 'DS9' so ably showcased when that series began with a disparate group, some of whom couldn't stand each other, but over time developed firm foundations for the bonds of friendship. At this time, it's far from the 'Lower Decks' episode of 'TNG' that many cited as being a potentially fascinating series to follow, rather than the standard Bridge crew that has always been the main focus, but it's a step in that direction. Georgiou looked a little weak at times, compared to the more confident Burnham who almost always seemed to take the lead, straining on the leash of being First Officer. But her Captain showed ingenuity in creating the Starfleet Delta as a pointer to their location, which I'm sure would have impressed me had I not already seen a still of, though in the episode it made me wonder if it was a strong enough image for the ship to notice!

I loved the look of the Shenzhou the moment I saw it, with its sleek lines, yet also retro design that somewhat bridges the gap from the NX-01 Enterprise, and seeing it in motion didn't change that view. My one gripe might be more to do with the position it held in space than anything related to its look: in all previous Trek the convention is that ships always meet on the same plane. Now this doesn't make much sense when you think about it, because ships would be travelling at all different angles and trajectories, there being no central point of reference for vertical or horizontal axes (unless you count the centre of the galaxy, and we all know what lies in wait there!), and while I must admit to liking the more roller-coaster nature of shots in the modern films, something which this series obviously takes some of its visual cues from (such as greater lighting depth and a touch of lens flare, though I do hope the Phasers aren't all going to be pulses instead of beams as we saw with Georgiou's rifle shots into the well, the beam such an iconic Trek image which can possess just as much intensity and violence as a pulse), yet it was one thing I would have liked to see stay true to the past shows - it was fine for the approach to be at an angle, meeting in the vastness of space like that, but then they could have realigned themselves to the plane of the Klingon ship once they'd arrived, rather than hanging at an odd angle like a wounded bird. It's only aesthetic value, I know, but I have clear preferences for my Trek, and many years of honing them, so it's understandable that I want things, in many ways, to remain familiar.

On the whole I felt they did a good job of that familiarity, with a neat, compact Bridge, a nice-looking ship, and a number of design touches that recall Trek of old. The Starfleet Delta being one, the Klingon symbol being another, and even the old screw-nozzle Phasers making the return from their one appearance in 'TOS' (two if you count 'The Menagerie,' or even three if you count the two parts of it). This necessarily brings up the biggest troubling issue for me: visual continuity. With the hairless, dome-head redesign of the most famous Trek race, the Klingons, and the technologically advanced interior of the Shenzhou, they make the biggest step in alienating a viewer such as myself. As I said, I had many months of preparation to get used to the idea so I was able to concentrate on the story and characters without being unduly disturbed, but it still bears comment. They shouldn'a' done that! What's done is done, but I hope they do take into consideration the visual history as time goes on, because it really does bother me when we see a part of an established timeline portrayed differently to how it was shown previously. Trek has always been produced as period drama, the only difference to historical dramas being that it's set in the future, and accuracy to whatever time period is important. The uniforms are probably the most glaring change, because this is set in 2256, two years after 'The Cage' and ten before Kirk's reign as Captain of the Enterprise in 'TOS,' so they should have made the uniforms look at least similar to those. Before seeing the series I speculated that these tight blue spandex-type costumes were a special variety used on the specific ships we were to see, not Starfleet's standard issue, but we see the Admiral Georgiou contacts has one, too, setting fire to that theory.

The holographic communication was another side issue that, while not ruining the episode, gave me pause - such tech had certainly been seen in 'Enterprise,' though it was the Vulcans who had such capabilities and they weren't very sharing. Again, I had forewarning so I knew it was there, and it was one of various things I kept thinking of precedents for in the episode (the human Picard being able to perform the Vulcan nerve pinch as Burnham does here, or the approach the Vulcans took to the Klingons - more on that in a moment), and this method of communication had been tried in 'DS9,' set over a hundred years later: tried, then abandoned in favour of a return to the viewscreen. I'm not entirely sure why a flat screen image works better for a conversation, but it is somehow off-putting to see a character wander round a room as Sarek did (I also felt surprise that he would be so immediately ready to respond to Burnham's message, as surely he's an important diplomat, and wouldn't be waiting for a call - then again, he knew of what had happened, so perhaps he was doing just that: waiting for Burnham to ask his advice?). It's not true holography in the usual Trek manner, with a physical form (even if Sarek does lean against her desk), and they are faulty images, which strays towards the 'Star Wars' design aesthetic which we don't want, but it was no big deal and didn't spoil the experience.

You can't really appreciate the detail that went into the production in the episode for the most part, but I'd already done that through publicity photos (where you can see details such as the flowing Klingon hair on the sarcophagus to prove the bald look isn't their natural state), so that was more preparation for me to accept the changes, seeing how much attention to detail was put in. They didn't change the essential Klingon symbol, and there was a thrill to hear Kahless spoken of, or Vulcans (even Andorians get a mention), which took me back to seeing 'Star Trek XI' at the cinema back in 2009 - just to hear those names and the lore is exciting, and one reason why this felt so much more real than the almost cartoonish approach taken by the film series. The visuals were expressive and beautiful, and though I wasn't keen on the Klingon ship design, it didn't bother me because, yes, you guessed: forewarning. I knew I was becoming invested when Burnham goes shooting off into space, her suit crippled in the encounter with the Torchbearer and I cared what was going to happen to her. Knowing that it was her actions that would precipitate conflict with the Klingons, I wondered if this small moment was the incendiary spark that set off the powder keg, but it wasn't really, it was her later defiance where I guessed she was going to defy the Captain and shoot first. If it had been, it would have been a little poor since I guess it was mere instinct that caused her to launch towards the attacking foe, when she could just as easily have boosted to one side and fled. Instead, she accidentally skewers the warrior with his own Bat'leth blade confirming the Klingons' prejudice against humans. There's also the question over whether this was deliberate as we later learn her parents were killed by the race, a parallel to Kirk's struggle with his attitudes against the Klingons for killing his son, something in which you can see 'Star Trek VI' as the inspiration it was said to have been for the series.

I found it interesting that they tied down the lore by saying there were twenty-four houses, although I suppose this could just refer to this particular point in history. It's fascinating to get new and definite lore on such a long-explored race and I look forward to more - in the past, things like that were often left open, perhaps too often, being careful to leave flexibility for future story potential, but eventually there comes a time to fill in those gaps and set a precedent for what something means, or is, at a given moment, so they've set out their stall and made ready. One thing I did question was the talk that humans hadn't encountered Klingons in a hundred years, because you have to wonder why after 'Enterprise' they must have gone into relative isolation, it doesn't sound much like the Klingon way. Plus, if you know your lore, then you have to point to 2218 as being a significant date between the Federation and the Empire as we know from 'TOS' that something big happened then. But it's all a bit hazy and shouldn't impinge on what they want to do too much, and importantly they get round it by having the Admiral clarify (or cloud, depending on your point of view), that there had been minor encounters between the peoples over that century. I appreciated the fudging, and it goes to show that just a little line dropped here or there can make a world of difference to being able to accept something without messing up the canon, or not.

Burnham's first name, Michael, I found to be an odd choice, and I wondered if it was a deliberate move to try and blur the difference between male and female which seems to be happening in our society today, almost trying to say that there is no real difference. In some ways it might seem a bit Trekky to do that, but against what I would consider reasonable to assume about the future. It could also be a specific choice that meant something to Fuller or Alex Kurtzman, or it could be short for Michaela, I don't know. I seem to remember she was originally called something else on initial press releases (though that may have been Georgiou), I can't remember precisely what, but there was certainly supposed to be a big deal about when we were going to learn her name beyond being referred to as 'Number One,' though that seemingly got chucked out when Fuller was apparently ousted early in production. It's not a problem, just an observation. A good job was made of forming a bond between her and the audience, something you expect to be well done in Trek pilots from experience, although past examples were adept at juggling multiple characters, not just one or two, or three as is the case here. We're given a flashback to her childhood education in the traditional Vulcan method of throwing multiple questions at the student (coming from both 'Star Trek IV,' and one of the actual good additions to lore in 'Star Trek XI,' with the little learning pits), in this case not allowing for her human heritage: this is where we learn her parents were killed in a Klingon attack, which the computer insensitively brings up in the quiz. It was a strong scene where you really feel for the child Burnham.

Sarek, on the other hand, is difficult to accept. That's always the danger when you recast a long-established and much-loved character, as in the new films, and they plan to go even further (Spock already cast for Season 2…). Mark Lenard was about as iconic as Spock or Kirk for his few appearances in the role, but again, precedent had already been set, with a younger version seen in 'Star Trek V,' and an alternate variant in 'Star Trek XI,' but it still doesn't make it easier to accept. Both the voice and look are unsatisfactory, this Sarek having neither the rich, noble tones or the patrician bearing of a Roman senator. It's too early to judge, but I knew going in I would find it hard to get on board with a replacement Sarek, because no one could replace Lenard, just as no one could replace the other Trek characters. At least he was very Vulcan, so that's something. What they did get right, was the Vulcans as a species, melding their behaviour very well to established lore: the title itself, 'The Vulcan Hello,' I found to be a bit weak before understanding its significance. I felt something grander like 'The Vulcan Greeting' or 'The Vulcan Gesture' would have been more fitting. Until I saw the episode with its reveal that the Vulcan 'hello' isn't what you think it would be: you'd assume the reference to be to the hand gesture of V-shaped fingers parted down the middle, with the gracious words to 'live long and prosper,' but in fact the reference is to Vulcan first contact with the Klingons: their first ship was destroyed and Vulcans don't make the same mistake twice: they in turn destroyed any Klingon ship after that encounter until formal relations were established.

The Vulcans are logically ruthless when the need arises, and it all made perfect sense, something that tells you this was being written by someone that knew his Trek history. The Vulcan way isn't the human way, or the Starfleet way, as Georgiou points out, but in this case perhaps they were right, because they were able to gain the respect of the violent and volatile Klingons by that course. But human/Klingon relations weren't so easy, as Captain Archer and his Enterprise were considered small and pitiful by the more powerful Empire, hardly worth bothering with. This idea of weak humans has continued so that Klingons are ready to strike them, perhaps now they're 'worthy' of consideration as an opponent, or the feeling is that they're encroaching and spreading their ways in a sign of what 'Star Trek Beyond' suggested it might be about, but was unable to carry the idea across: the frontier pushing back at an expanding Federation. I'm not sure why Klingons came to this conclusion, but there's still much to be explained so I look forward to more detail, though I wonder if much will go unspoken - I wouldn't know who the Klingon leader was except for reading up news stories beforehand, and it pays to have a bit of background knowledge before jumping into the series. I don't know why they couldn't use a more common Bat'leth when it appears in the hand of the Torchbearer, except these are supposed to be ancient Klingons, or at least I think they are, nothing has yet been confirmed onscreen, so I remain openminded for now.

One thing I was uncomfortable with was the use of part of the 'TOS' theme for both the Shenzhou and in the theme music. I'm grateful that they have an opening credits sequence when so much modern TV just flicks the name up on the screen and is done, but the theme was completely unmemorable and the technical drawings coming to life were an odd choice. Many hated the 'Enterprise' theme, so you knew that if they ever did another it would be going back to orchestral, but what that series did so well was a beautiful montage of real and fictional history, and whether you hated or liked the music, it was a really good sequence. It's early days, so maybe the theme will grow on me as the 'Enterprise' one did. It can take time to accept new things, but I just wish it was more immediately memorable and strong, a little more of the graceful majesty 'Voyager' pulled off. Incorporating part of the 'TOS' music felt wrong because it's identified with the Enterprise line, not Trek in general, and so whenever you hear it you think of Kirk or Picard, like when 'DS9' went back in time and met the original Enterprise and those stirring notes played. It didn't suit a new ship, unconnected to those elements and needed its own identity. It's probably another marketing decision, as the theme had played a part in the new films and they obviously want to attract people that liked those, but it's like a dilution of the connection it has.

The same is probably true of the lack of episode title or specific writing credits that always followed the opening titles and, if you were interested in the behind the scenes side of Trek, was always useful for reference, but again it's to save time, and like the titles being rushed through it gives them more time for advertising. There are going to be a few things that will take time to become acclimatised to, just like the spatial orientation of ships breaking convention - series' that don't bother to show an episode title have always annoyed me because it's like setting out the stall of an episode if you have a fitting monicker for it, and to avoid displaying it on screen is like a show of no confidence. Fortunately, so far it hasn't been about all-out action, but the setting up of an interesting situation and talking of issues like General Order Number One (the Prime Directive), or the philosophy of Starfleet. In the light of that, no amount of transparent consoles that wouldn't look out of place in Voyager's time, or hairless Klingons, are going to upset. An example of this approach is the opening scene on the planet: rather than going down the 'Into Darkness' route of madcap chases by angry aliens that want to kill our characters, there's a thoughtful discussion with a touch of subtlety about the Captain's actions. It's not about technology saving the day, it's about using the brain. Whether this approach will continue past the first couple of episodes I don't know, since Fuller was kicked out after writing them, and his plans for deeper, allegorical storytelling were reportedly abandoned, much to the dismay of many that love Trek.

There's a lot to take in and the technology is just one of those aspects, with the radical notion of a Bridge on the underside of the saucer, a return to the computer having a voice, since 'Enterprise' was far back enough that they didn't have that feature (I wished it sounded more like Majel Barrett, and it was a shame the rumours of Marina Sirtis taking up the vocal reins of her screen Mother proved false - what's Judi Durand up to these days?), and the return of the thruster suit from 'The Motion Picture.' You have to wonder why you'd allow the First Officer to boost off alone without Security accompanying her to this unknown alien structure. Story-wise, it's to show Saru's cowardy-custard attitude, but Health & Safety must have been off-duty that day! Mind you, where was Security when both Captain and First Officer were down on the desert planet all alone and defenceless? Someone needs a serious talk with whomever Georgiou's Head of Security is! Something the Kelvin Timeline films are responsible for are introducing the idea of ships having a window instead of a viewscreen, with graphics overlaid. Looks good, but has its flaws, as demonstrated in this episode when the Bridge is flooded with a blinding light so strong that even the filters can't stop it being painful to the naked eye. Was this a comment on the flaws in the Alternate Universe's design approach, or another welcome mat to make viewers who were more comfortable with the films settle in to this new series? Probably the latter, I suspect the Discovery will have the same, but the argument that you couldn't have achieved such a nice shot as flying round the Shenzhou and into the Bridge to see Burnham looking so pensive isn't true, as she could have been at any window.

Did the Captain refer to one of her crew as Mr. Wheaton? If so that must be a reference to Wil Wheaton, surely. I just wish that this pilot had kept up with the tradition of all previous pilots and featured a cameo from a previous series. I think there was some talk of Nichelle Nichols potentially having a cameo somehow way back when it was first talked about, unless I'm mistaken. Not sure how that would have worked, maybe I'm thinking of the films? Sarek fits the mould of an established character, but in every other case it was someone returning to play their role again, as happened with Dr. McCoy in 'TNG,' Picard and O'Brien in 'DS9,' Quark and Morn in 'Voyager' and Zefram Cochrane in 'Enterprise.' Even the Kelvin films followed that pattern with Mr. Spock! At least the expected levels of language and brutality that I've heard about have yet to reveal themselves, the only hint of nastiness being Voq burning his hand in a flaming torch to show how tough he is, and Trek has occasionally dipped into violent scenes anyway, it's part of the danger space can hold. Already knowing Voq's secret is one of the more annoying spoilers I got by accident, but it will still be interesting to see how it all plays out. There have been light-skinned Klingons in Trek before, but probably not as pale as him, so it makes sense that he was an outcast. I'm not sure what it's saying about race, but again, it's an unfinished line of thought so hopefully we learn more - I can imagine him being like Shinzon in 'Nemesis,' a bitter outsider that battered his way into leadership of the Remans, playing on their hatred of the Romulans.

Where the story will go, what the actual ongoing style of the series will be, and how much development time characters will be afforded, are all questions hanging. It's unlikely we're going to see any stories where people are trapped in Turbolifts or in shuttles, discussing their life stories, but if they can do what they did so effectively in this opener, giving us a few moments to sympathise with the lead, and other characters get that attention, then we could be looking at a successful series. A first season is never the best by which to judge, and you can't truly see where it stands in the great pantheon of the franchise until all the dust has settled, the critics and fanatics fall silent, and history is allowed to have its vote. In real terms it would be almost impossible for a pilot to match, let alone surpass, the things I've loved for so many years, and the challenge to do something that is different and fresh, yet also carry the hallmarks of what went before so strongly that it identifies as the same, is a challenge, especially when technology and society changes at the exponential rate that is has over Trek's 50+ years of existence. With all this in mind, I have to admit that this first foray into a whole new Trek never thrilled me in the way that 'Broken Bow' did. That 'Enterprise' pilot, the last time I was at this point of a new series for my favourite form of entertainment, excited and impressed, and with those first few episodes suggested it could surpass even the mighty 'DS9' as the favourite entry in the canon. But it failed to live up to the early promise. Now, I'm far more experienced, I don't expect to be blown away, and though 'The Vulcan Hello' didn't impress me, it did please me. After all, I've waited twelve years for a good new episode of Trek, and this is it.

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