"Star Trek: Discovery" Season 3 Talkback (Spoilers)

[Fone Bone]

Star Trek: Discovery "Terra Firma, Part 2"

That's what I'm talking about!

That Guardian of Forever reveal made my jaw drop to the floor. I think the ONLY Star Trek series with jaw-dropping plot turns before this was Deep Space Nine. And this was easily the biggest mindblowing, unpredictable thing Star Trek has done since that show went off the air. I think the twist was a far bigger surprise than some of the Dominion turns. But the only reason I suspect the DS9 is still better is because each twist there had far-reaching consequences for the entire show. This was simply the greatest Easter Egg ever. But I won't deny its greatness.

I feel like the episode did an impossible task: It redeemed Georgiou. I could not stand the character before this week, and all of a sudden I'm entirely on her side. It helps that the Guardian retconned her eating Saru. That was my biggest objection all along to the character. But I found her newfound struggle in the Terran Empire very familiar to Deep Space Nine. There Garak and Quark had a conversation about how insidious the Federation (and root beer) is. The entire idea is repellent. But if you drink it enough, you start to like it. It makes sense that the Federation is even a corrupting influence for the Mirror Universe. After all, wasn't that the actual downfall of Mirror Spock in the DS9 timeline? I like the idea that the Federation's nobility is like a cancer that spreads throughout terrible organizations, whether the people who absorbed the message wanted it to or not. It improves bad cultures by both example and osmosis. I love that about Georgiou talking about finding a better way and wanting to bring to the Terrans into that.

Georgiou is being sent back to a point when the Mirror Universe and our Universe were still joined? When was that? Enterprise hinted The Terran Empire was this brutal all throughout history. How will this tie into the Section 31 spin-off?

Speaking of Enterprise, I like that they redid the main title using animated negatives. Frankly, they didn't go all out the way Enterprise did with its main titles for the Mirror Universe episodes, but it felt like a nod in that direction anyways.

Cool to see a Terran Ariam return as a non-cyborg. Her actress is surprisingly hot.

I would be remiss as a nerd to point out that the Guardian Portal works entirely differently here than it was supposed to on The Original Series. But I'm not going to penalize the episode for it. But the nitpicker in me noticed for sure.

This was probably not a perfect episode. But Carl being the Guardian of Forever means I'm still giving it a perfect grade. *****.

 

[Yojimbo]

Episode 40. (3x11) Su’Kal
Discovery ventures to the Verubin Nebula, where Burnham, Saru, and Culber make a shocking realization about the origin of the Burn as the rest of the crew faces an unexpected threat.

 

[Fone Bone]

Star Trek: Discovery "Su'Kal"

Man, I did not like that episode ending. I don't mean that I didn't like the ending. I mean that I didn't like the fact that it ended. I'm dying to know what happens next. Luckily this season is outright ignoring the Christmas and New Year's mid-season break. Because I would not like to have to wait for more than a week to see what happens next.

I have to say, this episode set up a unique sci-fi concept the franchise has never done before. I don't think I can overstate how rare that is. Both Voyager and Enterprise slacked off on the sci-fi high concepts because they basically wound up repeating things from The Original Series, The Next Generation, and Deep Space Nine. Heck, even The Orville is basically a retread as far as sci-fi concepts go. But a holodeck world raising a kid who accidentally largely destroyed the Universe is not something Star Trek has ever done. And I took immediate note of that fact. Picard has also been exploring new concepts with its hinted upcoming war with the "Synth Gods" but that's more of a future storyline. This was the most unique Star Trek concept we've actually been allowed to explore. It was fascinating and cool.

It was fun seeing Doug Jones out of make-up. Unfortunately it did a very bad thing. The thing was so bad I regret seeing him act out of make-out at all. Without make-up Jones emotes better and clearer than he ever has. That is not something that I ever wanted to learn. Because now I'll find the make-up job inadequate. And I wouldn't have ever realized that until I saw Jones emote as an actual human being.

I very much like Tilly correctly pegging Osira's snap judgment of her as projection. Unlike Osira, Tilly isn't dumb enough to claim her assessment is definitely the true story, but it seems like the most likely scenario in my mind anyways.

That Kelpian monster was unlike any other creature Star Trek has ever given us too. Well done.

I love Stamets telling Gray that if they weren't at a memorial he'd give him a piece of his mind. Because Stamets can't even see the dude, and is probably not 100% certain he's even there.

Man, this is not going to be an easy wait until next week. ****1/2.

 

[Yojimbo]

Episode 41. (3x12) There is a Tide...
After capturing the U.S.S. Discovery, Osyraa seeks a meeting with Admiral Vance while Burnham and the crew must overcome unimaginable odds as they attempt to regain command of their ship.

 

[Fone Bone]

Star Trek: Discovery "There Is A Tide"

I love that Vance's condition for the Chain joining the Federation is for Ossyra to surrender herself for her crimes. I had been going back and forth in my opinion as to whether Vance was good or bad, but that right there proves he's good. That amazed and impressed me.

You know what? I don't blame Stamets for being as furious at Michael as he was. She's always making unilateral decisions for everybody that are not in her power to actually make. Even if Hugh, Adira, and Saru survive, if I were Paul, I'd never forgive her.

It's interesting Stamets sees Adira as a daughter. Him talking to the human scientist was interesting, but I have to say he's much stupider than a scientist could be if he could ever believed Ossyra was righteous. Her shooting the Andorian was absolutely sick.

I have to say this episode is kind of turning point for me. I've tolerated all of the problems Burham has caused the crew before because her heart was always in the right place, and it always turned out for the best. But I've gotten to the despair Paul is feeling here, and I'm doubting I'll ever forgive her.

Those cute Droids in the main title were the Sphere Data? Weird they only showed up in the second to last episode of the season.

Interesting, but not great. I'll hold out judgment until I see the finale. ***1/2.

 

[Yojimbo]

Season 3 Finale

Episode 42. (3x13) That Hope Is You, Part 2
As the Emerald Chain tightens its grip and the mystery of the Burn is finally solved, Burnham and the crew have one last chance to save themselves – and the Federation.

 

[Fone Bone]

Star Trek: Discovery "That Hope Is You, Part 2"

Good for the show for giving us the satisfying ending, rather than the usual cliffhanger. I loved that Picard did that, and I want to see more Star Trek do that.

Finally the lead of the show is actually the Captain. As it probably always should have been. It was a long time coming.

But I don't think Stamets is going to forgive Burham anytime soon. I won't either.

I love that the first thing Culber does upon meeting Gray is give him a hug. When he tells him he will find a way to make him visible to everyone I believe him. Will holodecks be involved? And if so, what about one of those Mobile emitters as seen on Voyager? There are quite a few possible solutions.

I forget the skeezy dude's name, but he was a dead man the second he threatened to kill Book's cat. It was a stupid thing to do, a deserved death, and I was like "Good riddance."

Ossyra really does have no actual redeeming qualities. I'm wondering what her boyfriend saw in her at all. But then, I wondered the same thing about Trump supporters. Hopefully like this guy, their eyes have now been opened. The Roddenberry quote at the end suggests one can dream.

Love the Original Series theme playing over the end credits.

We'll have new Uniforms next season: Early opinion: I don't like them. They strike me as too close to the Movie Uniforms the original cast wore in Star Trek II-VI. Easily the worst Starfleet Uniform of all time (and no lie, The Motion Picture's were pretty bad as well).

Refreshing that no main cast members died tonight. The show almost seemed to remember it was Star Trek, which was long overdue.

I think last week's episode and this were a bit unintentionally relevant with Ossyra strutting into Starfleet headquarters in a coup attempt. Star Trek has always been a bit cutting edge with its politics, but that was the most accidentally accurate political allegory I've seen since the canceled USA Network show Colony. This wasn't quite as brilliantly coincidental as "Red Hats". But it's close.

I think the reason it resonated for me is that it was so easy for Ossyra to do this. I felt like the real DC Capitol, the real-world safeguards the Federation had were woefully inadequate, and nearly led a centuries old organization being toppled by a terrorist. The main difference here is that Starfleet isn't complicit in the coup at all. Even when I recognize parts of our reality in Star Trek, Star Trek's reality is always better. As it should be.

I'm wonder if the Child (I forget his name) will have a target on his back next season. If anyone ever found out he was responsible for the Burn certain races (like Klingons for example) might simply want to take him out. I fully expect this to be explored next season.

That was a good ending to a great season. I was very satisfied at where we left things off, which was definitely NOT true of the first two seasons. ****1/2.

 

[RoyalRubble]

Article about the visual effects in season 3.

 

[Yojimbo]

Won an Emmy for Outstanding Visual Effects in a Single Episode.