It’s funny how both Pike’s and Uhura’s first word with a totally unknown species is “Hi!”
You’re Starfleet! Come on!
OK… they will have learned this lesson by the 24 century. 😂
Also, why treat the aliens like idiots? Why say: “You made him easier to talk to” instead of “He is now a different species.” This seemed to just have served as a plot point to make Chapel admit her feelings openly.
These minor quibbles aside it felt like an average TNG episode. And for me that means it is a successful episode.
Go to a dignitary and greet with Hi. Chances are it will not be perceived as showing the respect that could - and likely should - be given. In a first contact setting, a formal approach is surely the way to go.
Maybe society just keeps getting less formal over time and by then “Hi” is one of the more formal ways to greet someone, as opposed to just “sup” or [suggestive eyebrow movement]
Doesn’t seem likely. By the time Picard takes over, the Federation has gone to great lengths to get first contact right. I am thinking of TNG episodes like The Big Goodbye, First Contact, Who Watches the Watchers or Darmok as examples.
And to push this further, chronologically before SNW, Enterprise already put some effort into first contact beyond Hi. Cogenitor is just one of many examples.
I will try to resist using the Beyond opening scenes as a reference, because they were just ridiculous.