Fair, PIC did have some pretty rugged moments.
But would you say you actually experienced trauma watching season one, and then that trauma was alleviated watching season three?
If I'm remember correctly from Michael Chabon's instagram AMAs, apparently the relationship was based entirely on the chemistry that Ryan and Hurd had when they attended events together, so it was very last minute that they added the tease of a budding relationship in that final scene.
But yeah, they could have done more to build it up.
The bar was just so low after the TNG movies and first two season of PIC that traumatized fans were happy to have a seemingly final sendoff that wasn’t completely terrible.
"Traumatized?" We are talking about a television show, right?
I would argue that even if season two's ambitions exceeded it's execution, at least it was trying to do something. Still not a season of Trek that I think deserves any real regard, but it did add something new and interesting to the fabric of Trek. And maybe at some point some comic book or novel will actually do something interesting with that thing, because I can't imagine we're ever actually going to see it revisited on screen.
Season three was exactly the dark, cynical mess that everyone complained season one was because Admiral Clancy cursed at their space dad. Jack Crusher is the infallible, ultra special badass everyone accuses Michael Burnham of being. Season three is ideas I would expect to find in someone's first attempt at writing fanfic, not the work of seasoned television professionals.
And, to be fair, both seasons two and three were made by the same people, so the fact that neither of them were particularly good should not be shocking to anyone.
I'm not really sure what the point you're trying to communicate here was?
Yeah, I can’t wrap my head around it either. Easily the worst, most self indulgent season of Trek in my opinion.
But it had the TNG crew back aboard the Enterprise D so for a lot of people it’s hitting the nostalgia button.
There’s an entire audio drama about it that Ryan and Hurd did voice work for.
It is perfectly fine.
There have been plenty of indications that the Prime Directive applies to warp capable species. I think episodes like "Too Short a Season" and "30 Days" could be cited as evidence, though some would argue we're never explicitly told that either of the civilizations being interacted with are explicitly warp capable. In "Redemption" Worf resigns his commission after Picard claims the Federation cannot support Gowron in the Klingon Civil War, citing the Federation's, *"principle of non-interference." Granted, he does not explicitly say it's the prime directive. However, there is "The Outcast" the J'naii that Riker falls in love with, Soren, claims to be familiar with all the systems aboard a Starfleet shuttle, including the warp nacelles, and Picard later tells Riker he can't interfere with the J'naii subjecting Soren to conversion therapy because of the Prime Directive.
And, if you want the most explicit example, in the PRO episode, "First Con-Tact", a screen displays text -- copy and pasted from the book "Star Trek: Federation - The First 150 Years" -- outlining the general rules for how the Prime Directive applies to warp capable cultures.
"Section 2:
If said species has achieved the commensurate level of technological and/or societal development as described in Appendix 1, or has been exposed to the concepts listed in section 1, no Starfleet crew person will engage with said society or species without first gathering extensive information on the specific traditions, laws, and culture of that species civilization. Then Starfleet crew will obey the following.
a) If engaged with diplomatic relations with said culture, will stay within the confines of said culture's restrictions.
b) No interference with the social development of said planet."
That's not a continuity error, that's an aspect of Spock's character.
• In "Amok Time" Kirk learned that Spock was engaged to T'Pring, and he also comments that Spock never mentioned how important his family was after learning that T'Pau would be officiating the ceremony.
• In "Journey to Babel" Kirk suggests to Spock that he might want to travel to the surface of Vulcan to spend time with his parents, while Sarek and Amanda are standing right in front of them. Kirk learns that Spock's father is one of the most well regarded diplomats in the Federation.
• In "Yesteryear" when Spock returns from this journey to the Vulcan of his childhood, he tells Kirk that the only thing that changed was that a pet died. He doesn't mention that it was his childhood pet that died protecting him.
• In "Star Trek: The Final Frontier" Kirk learns that Spock had a half brother, Sybok. At that point they've known one another for 22 years.
• In "Sarek" Picard mentions having met Sarek at Sarek's son's wedding. What son? Spock? If it was Spock, there's no mention of him having a wife when he later shows up in the "Unification" two parter, or in the Kelvin films. Another, as of yet, unnamed member of Spock's family?
It would be a bigger continuity issue if Spock had mentioned a sister.
Which episode was that?
Care to expand on what specific continuity issues you’re concerned about?
Actually it's both!
When I was trying to think up a suitable title, Billy Shakes was the first thing that came to mind as I am a fan of the Bard. Then I remembered its use in 'Westworld' and that cemented my decision as it seemed appropriate, given the content of the image.