I loved the opening scene. It reminded me a lot of the opening scenes to both Into Darkness and Beyond.
So the Federation is still far from full strength, as only a dozen planets or so have rejoined at this point. I assume Earth has not rejoined since Starfleet Academy is now at Starfleet Command rather than recommissioning the San Francisco complex.
Burnham has a new foil in the "new" Federation President. (I still suspect Kovich was the old President.) I like her, but if Discovery has shown me anything, it's that even though she makes a lot of sense she'll start drinking the Burnham Kool-Aid soon enough. Either that, or she'll be killed.
Good to catch up with Saru and see 32nd Century Kaminar. Seems that Saru is feeling eager to return to space. Su'Kal is actually used to good effect here; I just wish there wasn't so much Burn stupidity associated with him.
David Sobolov voiced once of the Ba'ul. Nifty.
This episode might actually give us a good reason for the rediculous size of the anomaly given in the trailer. Oort Clouds are, in fact, on the size of several light-years, so if that's included as part of the anomaly, that makes sense.
Tilly and Adira get to be pretty useful in this episode. Also, Adira is officially in Starfleet with the rank of ensign.
Turns out the President tagged along on the rescue mission to size up Burnham for a new job. She is not impressed. Burnham's response amounts to "I didn't want your stupid job anyway!"
Kwejian is destroyed by the anomaly. Or, rather, the anomaly destroys the moon, and the moon fragments obliterate the surface.
-------------------- "Kirito? I killed a thing and now it says I have XPs! Is that bad? Am I dying?"
-Asuna, Episode 2, Sword Art Online Abridged
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Shik
Starship database: completed; History of Starfleet: done; website: probably never
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So many clichés. Nalas starts talking about home & I go "oh yeah, he's dead". Sure enough.. Broken plnet in the credits animation, mention of Kwejian as being near the station, Book is accepted ay home again, & I go "yeah, planet's dead". Sure enough...
Tilly seems like she doesn't want Starfleet anynore. Can't blame her, as her career has been one huge trauma after another. I guess it's her turn on the doubt wheel though. Burnham, Saru, Detmer, now her. Also, Stamets seems exceptionally unfocused & close to incompetant. Why? Is this related to that "fuck you" look he gave Burnham at the end of last season?
I like that Rillak is like ¼ or ⅛ Cardassian. Also, she's totally right about Burnham. Michael should never have been given command, or be placed in the command structure. That eval was spot fucking on. The center seat is no place to be working on your fatal flaws.
"Are you pulling me from the chair?" Bitch, PLEASE. There is a chain of commnd. Rillak can't fire you. She'd have to go to Vance, Vance would have to agree & then give the order.
It bothers me that in 3190, they're still dependent on dilithium. What about Romulan singularities? What about Borg decentralized power grids? In 800 years, none of that got figured out or reassessed? I know it's supposed to be a fossil fuel analogue, but come on. Also, where's transwarp? Where's quantum slipstream? I bet this "pathway drive" is related to one or both, as we saw in that holo bit with the ship entering the Stargate. And "next-gen spore drive"? Are we gonna have like spice navigators now, people who sign up just to be drive components? What about all that shit in S2 about fucking up the mycelial network from using it? Are we to just forget or ignore that?
Still hate the uniforms. The grey with the colored stripe is much better than the reverse.
I dunno. Started good, rapidly turned into cobbled together story by the numbers. I don't think the writing staff read books.
-------------------- "The French have a saying: 'mise en place'—keep everything in its fucking place!"
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Shik
Starship database: completed; History of Starfleet: done; website: probably never
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You know what else? I bet Rillak gives Saru command of Voyager-J.
-------------------- "The French have a saying: 'mise en place'—keep everything in its fucking place!"
Registered: Jun 2000
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Has the pathway drive been mentioned before?
I don’t know why I’m asking, it’s not like I’ve seen it, I’m being a good boy and obediently waiting until next year when I’ll switch our whole content provision to Sky so we can get Paramount+.
Only kidding. I’m going to torrent the shit out of this season. Fuck those cunts.
Shik
Starship database: completed; History of Starfleet: done; website: probably never
Member # 343
posted
It has not.
-------------------- "The French have a saying: 'mise en place'—keep everything in its fucking place!"
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Shik
Starship database: completed; History of Starfleet: done; website: probably never
Member # 343
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LETTERKENNY FANS!! Memory Alpha says that Lee'U, the leader of the butterfly people, is plaued by Alex McCooeye–the legenday Jim Dickens himself!
-------------------- "The French have a saying: 'mise en place'—keep everything in its fucking place!"
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I agree with Shik about Kwejian and Nalas, both of those were telegraphed way too obviously. I guess Book’s people won’t form the spicespore navigators’ guild after all.
I don’t want to get my hopes too high about any major changes to The Michael Burnham Show, but yeah, either President Rillak is going to start drinking the Kool-Aid or Burnham is about to have her Wrath of Khan moment this season. Which will be painful and dramatic and probably involve many tears, but will it break any new ground or just retread Kirk’s story?
Seriously, Rillak is pretty good so far, not being rude or dismissive but obviously recognizes Burnham as a Kirk-esque leader who can be just as dangerous as she is helpful. Rillak probably has access to the full 1000-year Starfleet archives including every egotistical Captain who thought they were able to do everything and save everyone. She can spot the warning signs a light-year away.
Poor Tilly. I love how nervous (dare I say Tilly-esque) Adria was for their first away mission. Tilly is obviously losing confidence because she was pushed into the captain’s chair long before she was ready. Nice job, Michael. In retrospect it’s obvious why Tilly’s not wearing command red but science blue now; she probably asked for a transfer.
I know I’m being snarky but I didn’t dislike the episode. There are some good moments. And it’s clear the writers are aware of the messiah complex they’ve cultivated around Michael, I’m just REALLY hoping they have the guts to deconstruct it this season and not just have all the doubters get won over like Vance last season. This story was mostly setup, they telegraphed some things way too obviously but it was decent and enjoyable.
Especially that first scene. For all my annoyance with Michael, she and Book make a good team. And it was very nice to see the “no strings attached” philosophy be explored like that.
-------------------- “Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.” — Isaac Asimov Star Trek Minutiae | Memory Alpha
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