Strange New Worlds S2-E9 "Subspace Rhapsody" Warning may contain spoilers.

AMKC

Well it's time for the episode we have all being dreading. Let's hope it is not a "Les Misérables" and is more a "The Greatest Showman" type musical so at least it might be good.

This could go one of two ways. It could be brilliant or it could be terrible.

I am imagining a scenario where they have to make first contact with an alien race and the only way to communicate with them is through music.

Really hope it's something like that

Also this is the penultimate episode of Season 2. Only the final left after this.

AMKC

OK so here is the good news. It is not bad at all. Its not all singing only parts of it. I fact it is quiet an emotional episode and I even find myself singing along with them.

Ye not so bad at all and

I quiet enjoyed that.

We have some character development on it too for some of them.

The only real part I did not like was the four ships spinning around lol.

Also I still do not like engineering on this ship and once again where was the Engineer? She was not in this much.

What are them massive things on the side walls supposed to be injectors maybe. Some injectors. I get it they tried to make it look less advanced than when Kirk is Captain of the Enterprise and its a smaller more compact engine room but still not a fan. We need to see the Enterprise in a battle and see what happens in the engine room then. Maybe next episode.

DoctorEdgeWild

Wow. That was... the absolute worst.

(...and this is coming from me, who has been to 6 musicals in the last 9 days in real life)

corkie

https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Subspace_Rhapsody_%28episode%29

A tough episode to sit through, at least they still manage to wrap up some threads (Spock + Chapel, La'an + Jim Kirk).

https://screenrant.com/strange-new-worlds-star-trek-musical-song-list-released/

the song list is now available on Apple Music. Titled "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2 - Subspace Rhapsody (Original Series Soundtrack)" by various artists, the list of the 11 tracks in the musical contains the song titles, the performers, and the length of the tracks.

Above was posted 2 days ago.

Got a bit of showman vibes at the start.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yO28Z5_Eyls

DoctorEdgeWild

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120934117#Comment_120934117

Good point about closing off those two storylines. Glad they took the simple, smart route and didn't try to be too clever and write themselves into a hole. That's an illustration of the difficulties with doing prequels, and where DIS failed and SNW succeeds.

Spear

Well, that was pointless and stupid. I expected worse from it though. The basic premise was something so hand wavy and magical it could have been written by Terry Pratchett.

That said, credit where it's due, they leaned fully into the premise. And buried in there were some important character moments.

Also Battel is getting set up to be murdered by Gorn, isn't she?

AMKC

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120933938#Comment_120933938

Really. I really enjoyed it and will happily watch it again. I thought it was a nice easy fun to watch episode.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120934339#Comment_120934339

A tough episode to sit through, at least they still manage to wrap up some threads (Spock + Chapel, La'an + Jim Kirk).

Really. I found it fun.

Yes I meant to mention they done that and wrapped them threads up nicely. That was well done.

AMKC

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120934359#Comment_120934359

Well, that was pointless and stupid. I expected worse from it though. The basic premise was something so hand wavy and magical it could have been written by Terry Pratchett.

I disagree about it being pointless and stupid. The whole cast looked like they had a ball and it's a great jelling session for them too.

Also I have no idea who Terry Pratchett is.

eadrom

Wonderful! :-D

I wasn't fearing this episode, I guessed they'd probably pull it off and I think they really did. Fairly typical Star Trek premise on the surface with a fun twist perfectly executed.

Near enough 10/10 for me, and that makes 3 in a row.

Doodah7

Hated it. Hated the singing, hated the never-ending heart to hearts and hated all of the emotional boll*x. If this was in Discovery, everyone would be having a blue fit. A paper-thin plot and it was ugh.. just awful. The only redeeming segment was the boyband Klingons near the end.

For me, easily the worst episode of Star Trek of any series ever and that includes the cod-Irish episode in Voyager.

Spear

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120934391#Comment_120934391

It's pointless in the sense that it's a musical for the sake of musical. It wasn't part of a larger thing to make any point. All the episode really serves to do is to slightly advance (or kill) some of the secondary threads. They did something similar earlier in the season too, with the central plot little more than an hollow framework to further the secondary stories. The biggest long term event in this is Battel looking to be sent out to die.

corkie

@AMKC Also I have no idea who Terry Pratchett is. :-)

Of Discworld and Good Omens fame? I put a smiley after your quote because I guessed a joke?

AMKC

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120934968#Comment_120934968

Awe OK. Never heard or seen the first show. Have heard of the second one but not watched it yet.

eadrom

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120934844#Comment_120934844

Some of the best Star Trek episode are pointless in the sense they're just a <situation> for the sake of a <situation>. Or my favourite ones at least.

I mean I love the harder science episodes and the more serious episodes too but I absolutely have room for stuff like this alongside it.

Kevrano

I enjoyed it for the most part and was a good way to tie up the 2 threads mentioned above. Loved the way all the cast really threw themselves into it. The "finale" came close to crossing the cringe line though...

Varik

Spent a lot of that just skipping forward 10-30s to get past parts.

Doodah7

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120935217#Comment_120935217

I did exactly that.

GreeBo

Nope, Nope, Nope.

corkie

https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/star-trek-strange-new-worlds-subspace-rhapsody-musical-episode-interview

If you count the brief Klingon dance number — featuring the promised return of Bruce Horak as the Klingon captain — there are technically 10 unique songs in “Subspace Rhapsody.”

It didn't click with me, it was him when watching.

Spear

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120935578#Comment_120935578

I caught the name in the credits, but didn't recognise him at all. I wonder if he's going to be the new Jeffrey Combs for guest star appearances?

Evade

I had this on while doing something else, which isn't typical watching a new episode, and it was meh but I'm not a fan of musicals. The Klingon boyband did get a smirk though, very dishonourable.

IstvaanV

I am so glad that episode is over, was dreading anything musical. Now we can refocus on what was hinted-at at the very end of the first episode of season 2.

ilovesmybrick

Nope, not for me. Though I can’t stand musicals anyway. Fair deuce to them for trying something new, and the cast seem to be able to hold a tune, but not for me at all. Anson Mounts reaction when the call was cut off was fairly funny though and I did like the nod to Carol Marcus in there. The Ktinga looked cool, pity it got introduced here during some boy band nonsense.

I will say, I did really like the harmonising during the intro theme, that was pretty fun, but the rest. Nope. Somewhat annoying as it seemed there was some character development in the songs, but really cannot stand musicals.

I think there have been some decent episodes this season, but overall a bit weaker than the first season. Though to be fair season 1 was very strong, especially considering the recent shows that had preceded it.

ilovesmybrick

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120935008#Comment_120935008

Book series. I'd avoid the majority of Discworld shows, maybe aside from Going Postal. Well worth reading.

fritzelly

Well that was better than I feared - laughed out loud at the Klingons

corkie

@AMKC @ilovesmybrick

Off topic for this thread but I enjoyed David Jason in both of the below.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1079959/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0765458/

flazio

OK, that was a fine experiment. You never know unless you try.

Now let's never do this again.

Sudden Valley

They sort of torpedoed the Chapel character- being horrible To Spock after they were together for two episodes (with barely any scenes together). Has to be one of the more baffling relationships developed in Star Trek.

flazio

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120936544#Comment_120936544

But has canon merit as Barret and Nimoys Chapel and Spock played awkwardly around each other in Old Scientists era.

Sudden Valley

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120936558#Comment_120936558

It could be canon faithful but still entertaining. Reminds me of how they wrote Dath Vaders backstory in the Star Wars prequels.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120934829#Comment_120934829

Your dead right about Discovery. This would be ripped to shreds if they done a musical episode but "something something SNW better something something"

There are exceptions but generally musicals are a pain because they take 5 minutes to say a 1 minute sentence. Also I'm not a fan of episodes that are all about the cast getting to act out of character and indulge their "craft". Felt a number of other shows have pulled it off much better too. Overall it felt like a very very long hour.

La'an and Chapel probably the best of the episode again but sadly we get another flimsy excuse to see that awful Kirk.

Also the Klingon ship looked absolutely terrible. Some of the worst green screen I have seen in ages and especially weird given how good the anomaly looked.

Had some funny lines like La'an worried about revealing herself through sea shanty.