Episode Discussion | Star Trek: Strange New Worlds | 2x09 "Subspace Rhapsody"

LoglineAn accident with an experimental quantum probability field causes everyone on the USS Enterprise to break uncontrollably into song, but the real danger is that the field is expanding and beginning to impact other ships—allies and enemies alike.

Written by Dana Horgan & Bill Wolkoff

Directed by Dermott Downs

felixxx999 ,

honestly who knew La’an and Uhura would be the main characters this season? And I’m crushing on Chapel and Uhura and La’an right now. This episode only made it worse. Yeah there are three damned handsome guys on the show. But those ladies… might be my favorite of all star trek. La’an’s doomed relationship was heartbreaking btw. I knew this was happening with Spock so it didn’t hit so hard (I thought they’d last longer). Meanwhile Pike’s love (who is also insanely cute with that smile) may be heading for danger now. We need to do a poll to see if the woman on SNW are more loved then the men. And good songs.

z3rOR0ne ,
@z3rOR0ne@lemmy.ml avatar

I just want a full on Erica Ortegas back story episode already. But this was a very enjoyable episode. Im not that picky with music in general, and yet also enjoy musicals generally, so I was happy.

leviathan3k ,

It occurs to me that her partner died around the filming of.this season, and she may not.have had it in her to be a lead for an episode.

z3rOR0ne ,
@z3rOR0ne@lemmy.ml avatar

I didn’t know that.That’s a fair assessment, and makes sense. I hope she takes good care of herself and takes the time she needs to mourn.

triktrek ,

She has written a heart-wrenched, tragic letter about this experience and grief. It was very moving/difficult to read and gained me a lot of respect for her:

talkhouse.com/an-actor-a-helmsman-and-my-brian-bo…

z3rOR0ne ,
@z3rOR0ne@lemmy.ml avatar

And I just read every inspiring, touching word. Thank you. Deeply, thank you for sharing this.

Hogger85b ,

But but lotus eaters was that "she is Erica Ortegas...she drives the ship"....../s

z3rOR0ne , (edited )
@z3rOR0ne@lemmy.ml avatar

Yeah, strangely enough, while this kind of character development doesn’t make the show worse, it does make it more obvious (at least to me) that her character hasn’t been given the screen time the others have that dives into her backstory.

Plus that episode is a tease because she starts off excited to do something other than fly the ship with an inner monologue and everything.

Had she gone down to the planet and somehow realized by the end of the episode that she loves flying the ship, or the other characters learning that she’s so much more than just a pilot, that would have been satisfactory to me (at least for a season).

ThirteenthWorrier , (edited )
@ThirteenthWorrier@mstdn.social avatar

@ValueSubtracted
Subspace Rhapsody is the greatest episode in all of Star Trek canon.

I will die on this hill.

Edit: cannon -> canon

GaiusGornicusCaesar ,
@GaiusGornicusCaesar@startrek.website avatar

I’ll join you, great episode.

ThirteenthWorrier ,
@ThirteenthWorrier@mstdn.social avatar

@GaiusGornicusCaesar
Then you're gonna be my cha'DIch from now on!

All the haters will draw their last breaths at the end of our Mek'Leths!

HardlightCereal ,

Yep, it’s the best episode

JWBananas ,
@JWBananas@startrek.website avatar

🎵 They got the mustard uncertainty out! 🎵

frankPodmore , (edited )
@frankPodmore@slrpnk.net avatar

No, sorry. Very bad. Only Rose-Gooding and Chong could sing, the autotune was obvious and jarring for all the others. The songs weren’t memorable (I confess I really dislike the modern US showtune style, but it can at least be catchy — this wasn’t), the choreography and even the editing was shoddy. The first episode of Trek, other than Enterprise, that I’ve wanted to switch off.

Tired8281 ,

We all must have done some pretty amazing stuff in our past lives, to deserve this season we are getting.

theothermatt_b ,
@theothermatt_b@lemmy.ml avatar

I was wondering why the Klingons were all pissed off about singing. They love their opera.

…and then I saw the performance and was like ah yeah I bet that would be completely humiliating for them. 😂

I loved this episode!

milkisklim ,

I think it’s because the pop Hamilton style singing they were forced into does not constitute Opera in their tradition. This dishonor

estebanknobl ,
@estebanknobl@lemmy.world avatar

I don’t like musicals… at all. But I really enjoyed this episode. The whole cast is so good. I had a lot of fun watching (and listening to) it.

lonlazarus ,

So, the time has finally come. I want to mention that I’m not a huge fan of musicals, this translates to that tend to only watch them if external circumstances push me to watch one and I only enjoy if they’re really well done. Well, circumstances have pushed me, and… it was meh.

I thought the songs weren’t particularly memorable, the productions were a bit underwhelming and the dancing nearly non-existent.

GrinningLlama ,

What. The. Heck. Just. Happened. I always hated musicals but this was incredible! This show is KILLING it. OMG

HardlightCereal ,

I hated musicals until the structure and theory was explained to me. Maybe you liked this episode because it directly addressed the plot conventions it was hitting and the structure of musicals. Check out the channel Sideways on youtube, he does a great job explaining musical theory in cinema, including musicals and nonmusicals.

1stTime4MeInMCU ,

La’an definitely becoming one of my favorite characters, which is surprising because she was middle of the pack in S1.

canis_majoris ,
@canis_majoris@lemmy.ca avatar

I’ve come to the conclusion that SNW is the entry point series.

Do you like legal dramas? Perfect, here’s a great LGBTQ allegory episode!

Do you like goofy animation like Rick and Morty? Here’s the crossover with Lower Decks!

Do you like gritty serious war stories? We’re still dealing with the trauma of the Klingon War!

Do you like showtunes? Somehow we pulled that off too! (also Chapel’s song is a straight banger)

SNW is the show I’d introduce my friends to in order to get them into Star Trek as a larger thing. I think it’s an easier entry point than any other series.

VindictiveJudge ,

You can also use the episodes they liked to recommend other Trek shows. Someone that likes the zany episodes would probably like TOS or VOY, for example.

eva_sieve , (edited )

If I had a nickel for every time Uhura solved a problem by singing at it, I’d have two nickels. That’s not a lot, but it’s the same number as how many times Chakotay’s been lost in the Delta Quadrant.

This was a fun episode. Some bangers, though I agree with some of the people who think some songs could have been shortened. The unexpected Klingon boy band was an amazing gag that didn’t overstay its welcome. Overall, I think it’s great to have Trek embrace the old-school camp from time to time.

Anyone else convinced Captain Batel is kinda doomed? Pike got off the relationship trauma fairly easily in this episode.

ValueSubtracted OP Mod ,
@ValueSubtracted@startrek.website avatar

Anyone else convinced Captain Batel is kinda doomed?

spoilerThe preview clip from “The Ready Room” suggests she’s about to have a very bad day, but maybe it’s a fakeout.

eva_sieve ,

D:

IonAddis ,
@IonAddis@lemmy.world avatar

I suspect she’ll die in this season finale. I just get those vibes.

Personally, I want to see Pike and Una happen. They’re already mom and dad to the rest of the crew (which skews really young).

eva_sieve ,

I mean never say never? If I’m remembering the Cage correctly the Talosians at least thought there would be potential there. Though this is the much younger and possibly a little sexist Pike.

krolden ,
@krolden@lemmy.ml avatar

I despise musical episodes and had to stop watching this one after I heard Spock’s autotuned voice.

StillPaisleyCat ,
@StillPaisleyCat@startrek.website avatar

I loved the episode. I’m not a huge fan of American musical theatre, but this really worked for me and my partner.

The tone was just right and the songs were well matched to the skills and characters. It’s delightful.

It was also really nice to come to this community and soak up all the positivity. I really needed a place to come like this after watching episodes. As we see it a bit later on CTV Sci-fi Channel in Canada, I can often feel blasted with fan backlash when I check out people’s views after watching.

Yes, there are a few folks here for whom this isn’t there kind of thing, and they are letting us know. We’ve not however seeing brigading negativity that is cropping up on some other social media. I can appreciate that some want their Trek more dignified and serious, but the ‘worst thing ever’ hyperbole is a bit hard to take when Threshold and Code of Honor exist.

canis_majoris ,
@canis_majoris@lemmy.ca avatar

I think the main split in the Trek fandom now is how serious a tone people tend to prefer. Most of TNG was professionalism porn, and most of the 90s stuff was generally serious. A lot of people got used to that, and whenever I talk to them about stuff like SNW or LD, their chief complaint is that “the characters act immature and are too quippy”. To an extent, I can agree and see the point of view, but on the other hand, I really like it when Trek doesn’t take itself too seriously.

I like to argue that the TOS era was a less mature era of Starfleet in general which causes the familiarity with the bridge crew to be more socially profound as opposed to professionally based. To whit, I remember SNW directly addressing things like this wherein they discuss “General Order 1” being renamed “The Prime Directive” which I feel is evident of a maturing organization.

Strange New Worlds doesn’t take itself seriously unless it has to. It’s been great about totally experimenting with the Trek formula to create unique, fun and memorable episodes. The plot devices are straight out of the 70’s, with random space anomalies impacting the crew. They modernize the storytelling and keep up the pace, which is always just what the TOS era needed.

NuPNuA ,

I’d disagree that all the 90s series were too serious, they all took time out for more wacky stuff but they were hidden in 24 episode or more series. DS9 for example had loads of Ferangi family sitcom stuff, the bond episode, the baseball one, the heist, worfs wedding, all the mirror universe episodes, the TOS crossover, etc all within the backdrop of the bajoran restoration and then the dominion War.

canis_majoris ,
@canis_majoris@lemmy.ca avatar

Most of the people who argue that the new stuff is not serious enough would probably consider most if not all of those sillier episodes from the old days to be not worth watching. There’s tons of DS9 watch orders that are like “Skip the Bajoran restoration, don’t watch the Ferengi episodes, don’t watch the Mirror Universe, etc”

Some people just dislike fun!

felixxx999 ,

DS9 had what seemed to be a whole season singing swing songs in the holodeck…

canis_majoris ,
@canis_majoris@lemmy.ca avatar

One of my favorite things ever is the DS9 instrumental for the heist episode. It’s just great.

TheGayTramp ,
@TheGayTramp@lemmy.ca avatar

Voyager had the captain proton episodes which are tremendously silly as well

NuPNuA ,

Good shout. Forgot about them.

brandoncarey ,
@brandoncarey@vivaldi.net avatar

@canis_majoris @StillPaisleyCat

TOS could be downright goofy sometimes. Tribbles, Harry Mudd and his android wives, Spock jamming with the Space Hippies™. Sure, there were heavier episodes like City on the Edge of Forever, but ... c'mon, it was the 60s! Not everything could be US Space Navy vs the Evil Aliens.

echo ,

Kirk and Uhura are real ones for never telling McCoy that Spock had a phase of being proud to be human until he got dumped by Nurse Chapel. He never would have let him live it down.

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