‘Star Trek: Discovery’ ends its disappointing voyage
I have a soft spot for the original “Star Trek” series and believe “The Wrath of Khan” is a genuine clas- sic. “Strange New Worlds,” which debuted in 2022, is one of the best adventures in the franchise’s history. But I’m no Trekkie. My attempts at a Vulcan salute would probably be interpreted as a gang sign.
So maybe a die-hard fan could explain to me why “Star Trek: Discovery” was such a hit. The series, which started streaming its fifth and final season Thursday on Paramount+, never tries to wrestle the moral dilem- mas wi h the same gusto that its predecessors did. Capt. Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-green) takes her cues from James Bond instead of James Kirk, never missing an opportunity to deliver a quip. There’s more onboard romance on a “Love Boat” cruise. And the plot in the final episodes seems like a rip-off from “The Avengers,” with the rather bland crew racing across the galaxy to locate puzzle pieces.
There are some clever references to past series during these last 10 episodes, but they’re reminders that “Discovery” was never in their league. Let’s hope the next “Trek” mission is a little more enterprising.
Also this week:
‘Two for One’
Hollywood hotshots are showing their support for Turner Classic Movies by curating some very special double features every Sat- urday through the end of June. The series kicks off wi h Martin Scorsese introducing “Blood on the Moon” and “One Touch of Venus,” both from 1948. Future guests include Spike Lee (“A Face in the Crowd,” “Ace in the Hole”), Patty Jenkins (“The Fisher King,” “Synecdoche”) and Steven Spielberg (“Jailhouse Rock,” “Forty Guns”). p.m. today,
TCM
‘Dave Attell: Hot Cross Buns’
Nothing is taboo for the
New York comic, whose lat- est special has him riffing on Jeffrey Dahmer, Cracker Bar- rel and the Jan. 6 riot. The uproarious insults come at such a fast and furious pace that At ell appears to run out of material, filling the last 10 minutes with some tooting on a recorder. Those elementary school instruments are even more annoying when the San Francisco audience joins in.
‘The Beautiful Game’
Bill Nighy stars as an enthusiastic soccer coach determined to make a good showing at the Homeless World Cup, despite the fact that his best striker never learned that there’s no “I” in team. The action scenes aren’t as riveting as the ones in “Bend It Like Beckham” or even “Victory,” in which we come to believe that Sylvester Stallone could play goalie. But this movie shines when it focuses on the off-the-field interplay among the underdog players.