Amph “Let's Fly!” - Star Trek: Discovery [Paramount+/Netflix/CraveTV]

505: Mirrors

Not as strong as the first few episodes have been this season, but pretty well done on the whole. It's wild that we are finally seeing what a Breen looks like (and what they can look like)- that they're tied to the green glow of the helmets is also a neat detail that helps sell the concept (though I will say that La'ak's behavior makes him feel too "normal"/"human" than the more alien, colder demeanor of past Breen- but they cross that line with a variety angle since we see the others still behaving that way).

And the angle they took to reuse the other show's standing sets was clever.

Their backstory is about what I would expect- it's just hard to contain that arc in one episode, let alone in flashbacks. But it feels consitent with everything else we've gotten.

As or the ship... seems like it would make for a fine Academy trainer .

 

506: Whistlespeak

This one risked being not that good (the native villagers and the father/daughter stuff has kinda been done too much in Trek, and it's not done much better here than it would have been done in either TOS or TNG; a very basic execution on that angle, in other words), but managed to recover by the end when it's the show doing what it does best and having its crew members problem solving as a team (even if it's with fewer characters). And the transition to that with the race (and a throwback to Tilly's jogging routines from Season 1) was effective and different.

I was also surprised that neither the titular whistlespeak, nor the acoustic healing, played a greater role in the story or resolution.

Spoiler

It is interesting, though, that this is clearly being used as a lens to apply to the Progenitor tech and their role in our existence. Much like with the gods and myths of these people, its just adding more things to the story. Likewise interesting that they use the B plot here to simultaneously contrast this search for technological answers of existence with Culber's spiritual awakening.

Oh, and can't they just repair the other towers before they go?

 

Yeah, I don’t dislike Book as a character, but I’ve never liked the amount of time the series has focused on him in place of other characters. Like you say, he’s not a part of the crew so it makes time spent with him feel like a side plot. Though his connection to Mal and Lok (gotta learn those spellings) works better.

 

Well, that episode had some pretty tense negotiations going on there. Pretty effective.

Spoiler

Though I'm hoping DIS ending in Season 5 isn't robbing us of a Breen War the same way ENT's premature cancellation robbed us of the Romulan War.

 

I’m loving the season on the main, but I have some nitpicks:

Spoiler

- Moll? Really? A “hawt chick” criminal, and you name her Moll? While you’re at it, why not have a big strong dimwitted criminal and name him Brute?

- Speaking of Moll, Starfleet Security needs training. Pop Quiz! Question 1: You have a dangerous and inventive criminal trapped in a forcefield. You also have guns. Do you:
A) Keep your distance
B) Walk up to the forcefield with your gun lowered
Question 2: The dangerous criminal has gotten out of the forcefield. You have a phaser already set to stun. The criminal is within arm’s reach, but is unaware of you. Do you:
A) Announce your presence, allowing her knock your weapon outta your hand
B) Just shoot her

- Starfleet’s ability to track things at warp has always been dodgy. They can detect an incoming state of the art Breen ship, but can’t track a 1,000 year old escape pod? Come on!

- You’re telling me that a pair of criminals on the run have the tech and problem-solving skills to rival a whole-*** crew of Starfleet’s best and brightest aboard a state of the art vessel sporting an A.I. that is the sum total of tens of millennia of knowledge? Bruh…

Also, prediction: They’re gonna find the Progenitor tech and either leave it hidden, or hide it somewhere else.

Again, love the show, have some criticisms.

 

It is a little more complicated than that- what you're describing is this one particular Primarch. It seems most of them have more nuance, even if they have that common aggression.

You know how hard it is to clean out all that leftover 23rd century tech? Stuff gets everywhere!

 

Okay, here’s something that has been bugging me for three seasons now: Where are the Klingons?!?

 

Apparently on the other side of the Emerald Chain:



But with that threat ended, I'm guessing they weren't anxious to become involved in events, or were reclaiming territory for the Klingon Zone. In reality, they're probably holding off on dealing with them for both the mystery and to allow other species like the Breen to come to the forefront and better convey that the status quo has changed since the 25th century.

 

Okay, but if we can show a Ferengi Starfleet officer, name a starship after a different officer, have a Cardassian as President of the Federation, show a Romulan/Vulcan reunification, etc., then surely the Klingons warrant a mention, yes?

 

It's because it's an enhancement of a wide shot:



Though there's a slightly closer shot here, the foreground focus makes the background a little more blurry: