Doctor Who Christmas Special & Star Trek Section 31 - TRAILER TRASH

Published: 11th August 2024, by Andrew Radbourne.

My musings over the clip of the Doctor Who Christmas Special and Start Trek's Section 31 trailer

Greetings everyone,

Today, I'd like to discuss my reaction to two recent trailer releases that caught my attention. Now, I don't usually delve into trailer reactions, but the previews for the Doctor Who Christmas special and Star Trek's Section 31 were too intriguing to pass up.

Starting with Doctor Who, I had initially attempted to watch the San Diego ComicCon panel but found it far from engaging. However, the Christmas special preview had me glued to the screen. There were aspects that seemed promising - intriguing historical set pieces and the standard time jumps we've come to love. Yet, the dialogue was disappointingly subpar, and the Doctor's entrance, punctuated with the phrase "toy on a pumpkin latte," was less than impressive. It seemed out of place, given pumpkin lattes aren't typically a British or Christmas staple. Each potentially captivating scene seemed to be overshadowed by this jarring refrain.

Following the Doctor's appearance, we were introduced to Joy, which was a pleasant scene until an overly theatrical alien made an entrance, fearfully reacting to a mere hairdryer. The scene then took a nosedive with the Doctor's repeated, and might I add, irritating entrance through the incorrect door. This left me feeling underwhelmed and questioning the decision to release this as a teaser for the show.

Shifting gears to Star Trek's Section 31, fans of the franchise will recognize them as a shady and secretive organization. A series based on this premise could be intriguing, assuming it's executed well. However, the trailer gave off a vibe of cosplay TikTokers rather than a covert group, with characters speaking in modern lingo that seemed misplaced in the Star Trek universe.

The opening scene, despite its substandard English accent and low-budget feel, held some promise, but it quickly deteriorated into what felt like a butchered version of the beloved Star Trek. It seemed as if the creators had a limited understanding of the Star Trek universe and the role of Section 31 within it.

Michelle Yeoh, a stellar actress and one of the few highlights of Discovery, was unfortunately underutilized in the trailer, making her character feel flat and uninteresting. Many have praised the improvements in the recent Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, but based on what I've seen, I'm not ready to invest my money in it just yet.

In conclusion, while these are merely previews and things could evolve, I must admit I'm disappointed. I will likely still watch Doctor Who, but as for paying to watch Section 31, that's not on the cards for me. I'd love to hear your thoughts on these trailers. Did any others catch your eye at this year's ComicCon? As always, if you enjoyed this article, please like and subscribe. Thanks for reading, and until next time, peace out.
MARKED
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Marked Graphic Novel by Andrew Radbourne