One of the reasons you don’t know Detmer was they made a conscious decision to make a “one main character” show instead of an ensemble show. They were consciously not trying to develop anyone but Burnham, and to a lesser extent Saru, then Stamets.
“I can’t imagine it would have been good, but boy do I wish I existed in a universe where this movie had been made.” — This is the perfect reaction and I cannot improve on it in any way.
A lot of people in these comments sleeping on Prodigy. I think it’s very good and would probably put it behind only Strange New Worlds. For me, the start of the season is just meh and feels more Star Wars Kidsy, but the season just grows and grows and has a real heart, real drama, and action.
Well, he’s barely had to show up for work so far this season!
Also, seems an odd decision to cast your captain then schedule your show, rather than the other way around. Voyager profited from unexpectedly recasting the captain after shooting began! (And if anyone doesn’t know that story, you should look it up… there are videos…)
“partially intentional”…
Oh, it’s WAYYYY intentional. Star Trek knows what it’s doing. A story like this one may not map 1:1 onto one particular group’s struggles IRL, but the moral principles that motivate us (or should motivate us) do. There is a current in our society now of people who are hurting because they feel they’re not free to be who they really are, and that they’re expected to lie about it or apologize for it. That’s exhausting. That’s why Una turned herself in.
As as everyone reading this knows, that has affected and is still affecting more than one group. So Trek episodes are a little broader, more allegorical, and ambiguous. That way, it’s not just “the trans episode” or “the racism episode.” It’s an enduring message of unity in diversity that can stand the test of time.
I appreciate you sharing your thoughts and your story here. It takes strength to be your true self when the world feels like a stream running the opposite direction. Just like Una saved La’an, who then went on to save others, you are now a part of that chain. Your strength, and the strength of your contemporaries, will make it easier for more and more in the future to live their authentic lives with pride.
Star Trek: Year Five - four-volume trade paperback (from the comic books)
Outstanding pacing, art, and characterization. Uhura really gets a chance to show her expertise in communications. Several connections to the original series, but they don’t feel like they’re just awkwardly-forced name checks.