By With Paramount+ ending “Star Trek: Discovery” this past week after five seasons, the show leaves behind a somewhat confusing legacy.
On the one hand it launched the new wave of “Star Trek” shows, its second season directly leading to the creation of “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds,” and certain elements have been praised – most notably Doug Jones’ Saru character and the overall ambition of the show.
That said, it has also drawn the outright ire of a good portion of the fandom as well – some for the way it doesn’t fit the “Star Trek” mold, some for its darker tone and serialised approach, some actively disliking some of the characters.
Its early days were especially rough-going, especially that Klingon-centric first half of the first season, which was widely rejected and saw at least two key characters played by Michelle Yeoh and Wilson Cruz to be brutally killed off (only to come back a bit later).
In a new interview with The LA Times, co-showrunner and current “Star Trek” TV czar Alex Kurtzman reflected on that initially chilly reception and why it took time to work:
“I think people felt it was too dark…. Season 1 of ‘Discovery’ was always intended to be a journey from darkness into light, and ultimately reinforce Roddenberry’s vision.
I think people were just stunned by something that felt darker than any ‘Trek’ had before. Doing a dark ‘Star Trek’ really wasn’t our goal. The show is a mirror that holds itself up to the times, and we were in 2017. We saw the nation fracture hugely right after the election, and it’s only gotten worse since then.”
Kurtzman says the writers room paid attention to feedback during the writing process and took it onboard when necessary. in the end he says he understands there are people who appreciated the show for what it was, and others for “whom it was just not ‘Star Trek’” and never would be.
All five seasons of “Star Trek: Discovery” are available on the Paramount+ service.
The post “Trek” Chief On Rough “Discovery” Start appeared first on Dark Horizons.
