Subspace Rhapsody

I typically love SNW and like how it doesn't take itself too seriously (ahem, Discovery!) - although I couldn't make it through the Elysian Kingdom episode last season... This Subspace Rhapsody was SO much fun though! I laughed, I emoted, I smiled almost endlessly throughout the episode. I know many purists will hate what they've done with this episode but as a one-off bit of musical fun, it was terrific. Favourite moment - let's just say it was when they hailed a nearby ship! Great work, SNW team! I hope that next season will continue to explore new ways of telling us great stories like this!

It's increasingly obvious that there are some very creative people working on this show - and that they delight in challenging their actors and keeping them happy.

Subspace Rhapsody was a riot.

Now having said that, I've always loved sci-fi but I pretty much hate musicals - but they pulled this off with some lighthearted humor and a twinkle in the eye, and it worked, it worked very well.

This show delivered on a full roller coaster of emotional journeys and a few great sight gags and jokes - Klingons?

So well done for mixing it up and having some fun - that's what we're here for after all, to be entertained.

Sure some people won't like it, but some people are stodgy and don't have a sense of humor.

This is a pretty bold thing to do for a franchise that, as far as I know, has never broached the subject of musicals. While I don't think it's the best episode or worthy of a 10, it's not a 1/10 and DEFINITELY not the worst Star Trek episode of all time as some people are claiming.

Have you people seen any Star Trek in your life? You think this was the worst of all time? Really? Please, be real for a second. It's not. I'd honestly say this is above average. The plot reasoning behind the spontaneous singing could be better, but it's certainly not bad.

There's some pretty good singing on display here from various actors, some of it you can tell has autotune but several of them were also just belting it out with their own voices. I just think it's impressive how they pulled this off. There are issues, and ultimately I think it will boil down to if you can't stand musicals or not; but I really liked this. I was particularly fond of the Uhura focus towards the end of the episode, considering in the past of this show we got an Uhura focused episode where she was communicating with aliens through harmony. This felt like a spiritual callback to that.

I saw a review saying something along the lines of "what scifi fan would want a musical?" ME! I do, I think it's a neat idea. Based on the numerous other high reviews, clearly a lot of people liked the idea too. Going into it, I was worried it would make me cringe based on how they'd handle the singing but it really didn't. Uhura's actress stands out having great vocals, but she's not the only one. Apparently some of the actors have experience singing in the past and you could definitely tell.

I don't know, I can't justify giving this episode a 1/10. I could maybe understand if you gave it a 3, 4, 6, whatever. But a 1? Come on now. You're just lying to yourself if you've seen other Trek and are calling this the worst of all time. I love Star Trek, and there have been some absolutely awful episodes before that this episode comes nowhere close to being as bad. I knew this one would be divisive but I'm glad to see so many people who agree this episode is solid.

I have to say I was very skeptical from the moment I heard this was happening. Why? That was my most frequent question. The premise suggests it is a one off which is relieving as I would hate this to become a once a season thing. All that said, the premise is clever in giving a sci-fi reason for the musical and I have to say the episode is actually quite good. The songs are of high production and their use of relevant lyrics is impressive. The songs kind of have a Disney feel to them and I mean that as a compliment. It has character development. It has galaxy threatening danger. It has genuine humor, suspense and mystery. All the things a great episode of Star Trek needs. It is entertaining and a lot of fun to watch. My biggest fear is that the episode would make me regret promoting this series to whoever would listen. My fears were unfounded.

A few series have done the musical episode, Moonlighting and Buffy being the more memorable examples. Once More With Feeling works so well because of the crucial story arcs expounded from a series very well established. I think that's the problem here: Although we are towards the end of series 2 there isn't enough to really work with and it all feels like the writing team just fancied doing it for the sake of it. It's a bit early in its run to be going with the whacky episodes. It's all quite well done and the songs are pleasant enough (thankfully with some auto tune for the ropier singers).

My thoughts: You've done it now, well done, please don't do it again 🙂