Lethe

DVD, Discovery S1 (Lethe)

Watching this series makes me feel like an oyster, shifting uncomfortably in my seat trying to adjust the discomfiting grit in my gullet. Will it ever coalesce into a pearl? How I want to like it! But I'm increasingly aware that this may as well have been the Kelvin-verse TV series that at one time looked to be the only future of my favourite franchise, for all the care they pay to canon. They want to play in the 'cowboy diplomacy' time period that the 23rd Century came to represent, while at the same time they obviously want the 'TNG' era's technology and complexity - it creates an uneven tone that pulls in both directions and neither sits in the camp of exploring what this moment in history was all about when the Constitution-class ships were out expanding the Federation's knowledge, nor that of an expanded galaxy full of political ramifications and the delights of more advanced devices. Such as the Holodeck. Now I'm sure there are workarounds that could be used to explain how Discovery can have a holographic simulation in which Lorca and his newly appointed Security Chief (remind me what happened to the last one?), try some target practice against lifelike Klingon soldiers. Maybe the simulation is a very basic one and we're just seeing what they see, but in reality they were just hooked up to a device that was allowing their mind to experience it what wasn't actually a fully three-dimensional construct? But it appears on the face of it to be the same kind of Holodeck, right down to the yellow grid pattern when the holographic facade is stripped away, and which was new tech in 'TNG'!

How can you place your series a century before such developments and then throw them away on a training sim that had no bearing on the story and only served to show the bond between Lorca and his fellow escapee, Ash Tyler, from Klingon captivity? If they were more creative they'd have found a way to get that across through some other period specific training - maybe they could have gone rock climbing together, I don't know? It shows a clear disregard for the intentions of Trek's previous creators to make a cohesive and believable historical universe, and instead opts for the approach taken by JJ Abrams and gang, which was to have whatever gimmicks they wanted to impress a modern audience, regardless of whether it fit. It's lazy writing and sorely disappointing for those of us who actually care about the fidelity of this future chronology. And there's no need for it. The Holodeck wasn't the only large grit that was difficult to swallow: Cornwell must be the most unprofessional Admiral in history - not only does she drop everything to run after her friend, Captain Lorca, to meet him personally, but she condescends to drop the chain of command and chat as old mates. Then she spends the night with him, and we learn she used to be a doctor or psychologist of some kind. I wonder if she stopped practicing because she was forced to on account of having extracurricular relations with patients? It's all pretty bad, and Lorca would only have needed to report her actions to a higher authority to discredit her, except that he should have got busted as well.

When you think of Captain Janeway and how professional she was with her First Officer, despite having good reason to suppose she might never return to face any kind of music, and that she could have done with a close companion in her position, we see how different a time we're living in when writers are doing such crazy things at the drop of a hat. Casual and unprofessional, not inspiring or uplifting. But then that's the approach taken by this series: just as they want the tech from future eras, but not the attitudes, they want the Trek name, but not its morals or tone. It's a Trek series for our current age, that's for sure! Which means that it constantly rankles to watch it with the eyes of someone who sees it as (and which the creators claim is), a part of something greater than itself, namely the 'Star Trek' universe. There were possibilities for a truly great story here, with a couple of Klingon Houses said to be disgruntled with Kol's leadership and willing to do anything to undermine him, even stooping to peace overtures with the Federation. Then there's the whole Vulcan side of things, with a group of 'logic extremists' attempting to take out Sarek on his way to meet with these Klingons. And of course the flashbacks to Burnham's refusal into the Vulcan Expeditionary Force.

That last one had never been heard of before, but that's okay, we are supposed to be learning new things, so that's good. And it was nice to finally meet Amanda Grayson, Sarek's human wife and Mother of Spock whom was set to play an integral role in the season when it was under Bryan Fuller's direction. I'm not so sure she'll still figure as prominently, but there was nothing I could fault her appearance for, thankfully - she behaved as you'd expect from the brief times we had with her in 'TOS' and the films, speaking up for the human side of things and being encouraging to her ward, Michael. And all that was nicely done, pleasant, fitting uniforms and a graceful, beautiful setting, the Vulcan gongs and IDICs reminding us that for some reason, while the makers of this series love to do as they will, especially with visual canon, they sometimes wish to adhere to established continuity and cultural styles, even down to the 'musical notes' characters of Vulcan written language. It only serves to make other choices more head-scratching. Imagine if they'd put the same amount of concern into the Starfleet and Klingon look? This could have been a great series with the money they were throwing around (even if, like all Trek before it, they're not above reusing sets to amortise the budget, this time the holo-simulation of the Klingon prison the excuse), but they needed some old voices to keep things shipshape across the board and it suffers without the steady hands of the Okudas, Doug Drexler, Larry Nemecek…

Even the Vulcan portrayal still hews to the emotional more than I care for. Not since Tuvok have we seen a 'proper' Vulcan, emotionless, stoic and cool. 'Enterprise' botched the whole thing and set a precedent for everything since, but this is supposed to be just ten years before 'TOS' when the few Vulcans we saw were very Vulcan - even Spock, 'only' half Vulcan was so very Vulcan most of the time. James Frain chooses to speak as if he's in constant discomfort, his facial features betraying every little emotional change like he's in a palsy of indecision. I will grant that he's not at his best in this episode, suffering, near to death, and in those scenes when he displays anger, irritation or frustration at Burnham's presence in his mind, I buy it, it's fine, but these uncharacteristic moments would have had so much impact if we'd seen him play Sarek as Sarek had always been played before: I think of the incredible performance of Mark Lenard in 'TNG' when we see him coping with a condition of old age, losing his strong control and mask-like impassivity to a roiling of emotions. This Sarek is only a few notches below that on a good day! Even when we see scenes of what he did the day of Burnham's rejection to the VEF, he can't portray the Vulcan way, he has to emote and it's distressing to see. Sarek was such a cool character and they've really failed to bring him off successfully. They don't even have the excuse they used on 'Enterprise' that it's a hundred years before the Vulcans we know in 'TOS' so they might be different (ignoring the two century lifespans of the race in the process!), because as has been trumpeted for their USP, this series is but ten years before 'TOS'!

I did wonder if the title referred to a 'TOS' character, a woman who was a mental patient in 'Dagger of The Mind,' and how were they going to work this lady in? I also had the faintest of hopes they were going to bring in some Letheans, one of my favourite of the minor races - I didn't really think that, but it would have been fun! In reality it's a reference from Greek Mythology, so they're trying to be literary and intelligent, they just come across as guttersnipes rolling around down there while glancing into a bookshop's window and seeing something notable that bears repeating. I can't express how low an opinion I'm continually feeling for this series, because even if it had been averagely written, but had adhered to the precepts and the reality of past Trek, had carried the torch, then I would find something commendable in it. But while this episode was marginally more palatable than the previous one, it's still more frustrating and irritating and disappointing more than anything else, and far from making me hopeful about all the other Trek projects coming down the pipeline I keep getting a deep sinking feeling as if that which I enjoy most is no longer wanted or respected or desired in today's world.

What did I actually like or enjoy amidst all the chaotic wrenching of my insides? As I said, I appreciated the detail and integrity of the Vulcan culture - while the shuttle that Sarek uses to go to Cancri IV was disappointing in that it didn't have that beautiful ring ship quality seen by their vessels in 'Enterprise,' this is a century later so they would look different, and there was the impression of the ring design within that. Cadet Tilly was less annoying and actually had some positive scenes, and even Stamets was in a good mood for a change, enthused and upbeat. We have what I believe is the first mention of the Constitution-class Enterprise, as well as Sarek's son, Spock. I'm not sure, but 'Yridia' would probably be home to the Yridians (which were known even in 'Enterprise' as they had one appearance). The food slots looked like those on 'TOS.' And I love it whenever Burnham acts Vulcan. Vulcans bombing or being renegades is an established thing and a surprisingly common one in Trek history as there logic can sometimes lead them up the garden path, so that makes sense, although ironically I'd have to agree with the failed assassin to some degree when he claims Vulcans are superior to human, because they just are, and I sometimes wonder if it's human writers' way of subconsciously getting back some of that ground by making Vulcans out to be so petty or whatever negative emotional response they can fashion! There were probably other planets that were mentioned, but I really couldn't concentrate on the unfolding of the universe when so many things were upsetting me. It's like Admiral Cornwell said about Lorca, he's not the man she knew - that's how I'm feeling about this series, it's not the Trek I knew, as much as I try to accept it into the fold.

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