More classic Trek. Spoilers.
Another better episode, with a few good stories in it. We’re losing the external pressure of the anomaly a bit, as it’s really only referenced in voice over, but we’re also getting some good classic Trek plots – this week the ‘training mission gone wrong’ and the ‘Captain saves the delicate negotiations’ plots.
Tilly’s journey has a lot of personal resonance for me. Sadly the rest of that plot was very by the numbers. Assumptions held that turn out to be unreasonable, the team comes together under pressure. But fun enough, and no obvious major missteps. It’s used well to support Tilly’s journey of self discovery, and a new direction in her career (not clear if this is her leaving the main cast, or simply a plot move. The farewell sequence suggests the former).
The Ni’Var plot felt a bit by-the-numbers as well. There was some cute ‘political negotiations for babies’ stuff. But the solution wasn’t that spectacular, and that’s also really not how these sort of negotiations work. Nice to see the Federation President work out how to weaponise the ‘Burnham saves the day’ effect.
Four episodes in and I don’t really know where this season is going or what it’s really about. Hopefully the direction gets a bit clearer soon.
Quick hits:
– So there’s a bar on the Discovery now?
– I love Grey’s new look.
– I am confused about the astrography of this episode. They’re in orbit around Ni’Var, but then suddenly Tilly and Adira are back at Starfleet HQ?
– Never get on a shuttle in Star Trek. It’s just too dangerous.
– Rule one of crashes – stay with the shuttle craft. They are given some reasons to move, but I don’t think they override that basic piece of advice.
– One does not build diplomatic agreements of major import on a single person’s background. What if Burnham gets killed in an accident next week?
– That was a very Star Wars top-to-bottom wipe at 42:21. Followed by a reference to Ensign Morn.
829 down.