I was going to explore my reactions to Star Trek: Discovery(AKA "DSC") in greater depth, and you may expect that later in this entry. For the moment, a surprising bit of news from closer to home arrived this morning: Rick Mercer's announcement that the Mercer Report will be closing up shop at the end of what will be its fifteenth season CBC Television.

Allow me to share his announcement via his own recording...



I admit that I see this as another sign of something akin to a Canadian Apocalypse. Some of you who've been watching this weblog for a while will be making informed deductions and/or guesses as to what some of the other signs are.

I'm not happy. But it's Rick's choice to make. Not mine. Not CBC's.

Okay, on to DSC.

What we ended up getting on Sunday night, after delays thanks to CBS' contractual obligations to the NFL impacting on BellMedia's obligations to CBS, was the first two episodes of DSC. Aired back to back, with "The Vulcan Hello" followed immediately by "Battle at the Binary Stars". Together they form what you might call either a prologue or a full Act One of the first season's larger story.

Without giving away too much, it's a good setup for whatever else we're about to get this year.

I'm still getting over my bout of design history dissonance considering this is supposed to be happening about a year after the events of "The Cage" and ten years before "Where No Man Has Gone Before". The uniforms, the user interface designs, the starship architecture...all seem a bit out of place with those two episodes of the original series. We're being promised explanations and evolution over time, to be sure. How fast the production team delivers is up to them. Our reactions to that speed - or the lack of it - are up to us.

Just about everything else: the scripts, the performances of the live actors, the visual effects work...all meet my hopes.

That visual dissonance remains. For now, anyway.

One bit of advice to CBS and its production partners: please show the episode titles in the episode itself.

On fictional user interface design for film and TV:

http://www.idnworld.com/imprints/FUI-DesignFilmGames

On Brexit's campaign against anti-corruption efforts (and yes, I wrote that as intended):

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/19/opinion/brexit-britain-corruption.html

Noting that Netflix isn't doing business inside mainland China, but they are offering their services in Traditional and Simplified Chinese langages anyway in assorted other markets.

Also noting that Star Trek: Discovery is being carried outside of the US and Canada by Netflix.

One of the supporting cast ships in the new series is USS Shenzhou NCC-1227.

Wondering if the dedication plaque will credit the Dalian Yards in mainland China for that starship. Dalian is where mainland China's first aircraft carrier, the Liaonang, was refitted to their navy's requirements.

Laundry's done, and I'm just taking in the news and other chatter right now. Not sure I have enough brain for much else this afternoon.

Noting, however, the passing of Adam West. His version of the Batman was among the earliest I knew of. He was scheduled to visit Ottawa-Gatineau back in May of 2017 for a local convention, but cancelled at almost the last minute. I suppose we now know why that cancellation happened. Sad news about a man who entertained so many over the decades.

Yes, I saw some of his 007 work.

But for me? His Saintly adventures on the silver screens of our living rooms are worthy of our better attentions.

Vaya con dios, Sir Roger.

One: tonight's Doctor Who is an argument for labour unions if ever I've watched it.

Two: pleased by the Sens' game one results.

Having seen only four episodes of the second season thus far (specifically episodes 3 thru 6), and none of the novels - which look rather dense on the shelves of the local bookstores - I have to admit to some curiosity about the whole thing, and a lot of uncertainty about what questions to ask about which aspects in what order. Also, I notice among those who have already been reading and/or watching, there's a growing enthusiasm.

So...open forum for discussion of what makes the novels and/or TV series work for those of you who got there before me.

Tonight, CTV - one of the privately-owned TV networks here in Canada - aired Captain America: the Winter Soldier.

I have to wonder about the timing, given the last three months in the real worlds. How long ago would the scheduling choice for this particular night have been made?

I think this is a very good thing, better-timed than we might now appreciate.

http://trekmovie.com/2016/12/14/breaking-star-trek-discovery-casts-sonequa-martin-green-in-lead-role/

Six mini-episodes, adding up to a half-hour roughly. All available via ABC or Marvel Entertainment on YouTube for the moment.

It's an interesting little experiment centred on Elena Rodriguez AKA "Yo-Yo" AKA "Slingshot" and one last bit of vengeful clean-up from her days as a vigilante in Colombia as she signs aboard to the Sokovia Accords and status as a SHIELD "asset", rather than a full-on agent. I'd say the most expensive visual is the launch of the Zephyr done as a panorama shot.

Quick and fun. And I wonder about consequences...