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Shahusta
Reviews
Star Trek Beyond (2016)
OTT
Cheap and powerful computer-generated imagery has made it too tempting to script so many ridiculous survival sequences that they no longer create tension. Often so much is going on so quickly that it's often hard to spot and understand important things that happen.
The other problem with modern Star Trek movies is that they feel the need to shoehorn comedy. This is unlike Star Wars, which helps suspend disbelief by mostly taking itself seriously.
The acting was fine, especially from Idris Elba. And each of the main cast had a meaty contribution to the insights and the actions, unlike the old Shatner-imposed Kirk-shows. The underlying story was quite good, though they couldn't resist a clichéd mano-a-mano + countdown climax.
5/10: I made it to the end, but will never watch it again.
Whodunnit? (1972)
Memories
The British are obsessed with murder shows and panel shows. This murder-panel show was one of my childhood favourites.
Many episodes can be viewed on YouTube.
The Orville: Identity, Part II (2019)
Good
Even though it was predicable that Part 1 had to be resolved by the evil guy turning good and obtaining partial redemption by sacrificing himself, a la Vader throwing the Emperor down the vent, or the Terminator shooting the T-1000 and asking to be lowered into molten metal, they kept some interest with the rebellion and Krill aspects of the plot, and the obvious effort put into effects and music.
For me the Orville has become a must-watch, though no episodes so far have been re-watchable "keepers". I like how they've (mostly) found how to use humour to humanise the characters, rather than shoehorning the comedy.
However the selection of writers and cast seems to be overly incestuous, taken from Seth's other projects, and from cosying up to ex-Trekkers. I wish they commissioned top SF writers, or even do what Trek did in the 90s and allow anyone to submit a spec script. A lot of great Trek people and episodes came from this process. Yes, I have one in the drawer.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: The Sound of Her Voice (1998)
Unrealised Potential
A fair episode, though a bit too much soap for my taste. Avery Brooks and Penny Johnson did however act well a relationship going through a rocky patch.
I didn't pick the "already dead" twist, thinking instead of a Dominion espionage or ambush ploy. (Debra Wilson's somewhat overacting made Lisa sound a bit suspect.) But I would have preferred an ending where Lisa's voice was still alive when they reached the planet. This would have allowed her to "attend" her own wake once everyone was outside the energy barrier, which could have been a truly moving scene rather than the "learning experiences" that we got.
And it was out of character for Odo to let goods be smuggled. He would have been more likely to intercept the goods but "accidentally" fail to link them to Quark.