So, not my favorite episode of the season, but still good.
+1 to the episode's non-existent score for no other reason than the return of Bruce Horak as Hemmer.
An additional +1 to the episode's non-existent score for Zombie Hemmer. I suspect I shall be using the phrase "Sweet Zombie Hemmer" in the near future.
The A plot is that Uhura starts having hallucinations while the crew is trying to get a new deuterium station online. They find that the station has been sabotaged by someone experiencing similar hallucinations. Uhura eventually figures out that aliens are living in the deuterium and the station is hurting them. For some reason ( ), they can't simply shut the station down, so they blow it up.
The B plot is that the Farragut is assisting with the station repairs, and the ship's newly minted first officer James T. Kirk takes the opportunity to visit his brother Sam. There's some tension as Sam is jealous of James' rise through Starfleet. James meets Uhura and helps her out with figuring out what's causing her hallucinations. We also get an awkward conversation between La'an and James.
The C plot is folks generally having a difficult time getting used to Pelia due to still grieving Hemmer. Good to know that the awesomeness that is Hemmer has not been forgotten.
Pike has been temporarily (i.e. probably for this episode only) promoted to fleet captain since he's in command of not just the Enterprise, but the Farragut and the deuterium station crew as well. (Translation: Continuity with James' comment in "The Menagerie" about only meeting Pike once shortly after his promotion to fleet captain is maintained, albeit somewhat awkwardly.)
Next week is what we've been waiting for all season: Lower Decks! Lower Decks! Posted by Malnurtured Snay (Member # 411) on :
I thought this was probably the second strongest entry this season, after the season premiere. Really had a "eyes in the dark, one moon circles" feeling to it. Loved that Carol Kane was not only in the episode, but got to be Carol Kane-y, and I sure didn't not appreciate seeing Zombie Hemmer. Also, hey, two episodes in a row with Sam Kirk! Well, guess we won't see him again until S3.
Posted by Malnurtured Snay (Member # 411) on :
I will say --
There's a nice scene between Pelia and Uhura, and then at the end of the episode, another one between Pelia and Una.
And the Una and Pelia scene really feels wrong. Like it was written for Pelia and Uhura, because it builds on what Pelia asked Uhura earlier in the episode "why don't you talk to me?" and felt like it would've been more appropriate for this meeting, especially since I felt the relationship between Hemmer and Uhura was stronger than between him and Una.
Posted by Lee (Member # 393) on :
“There’s zombies in that nebula!”
Competently executed, but all a bit predictable. Of course it was going to be something alive in there that was being hoovered up and then eaten, burnt, whatever.
So why did the collector have so many problems? It can’t all have been from sabotage - or was it? If so the irony, that the sabotage was meant to stop it being turned ON but ultimately meant it couldn’t be turned OFF, was lost on everyone.
Kirk, specifically, didn’t need to be there at all. The part he played in the plot could conceivably have been done by anyone. La’an, say. Who you’d thought have been in it more given her connection with a different JTK. But, oh well.
But Kirk and Spock met! Almost expected to see someone in the background Quantum Leap away. It’s like a Fixed Point…
Hemmer was chronically underused in season 1 so it was good to have him back briefly. I am wondering if they’re going to go down the new-engineer-each-season route. Maybe they’ll bite the bullet and get a Scott in for season 3!
Posted by Shik (Member # 343) on :
Meh.
Posted by Zipacna (Member # 1881) on :
I should perhaps be more enthused about this episode, but the main thought I was having from start to finish is that if the Uhura episode was so Uhura-heavy...then why was the Ortegas episode a few weeks ago pretty much just "I fly the ship"?? That's not a good thing when you're sat there thinking about other episodes instead of getting swept along in the narrative!
And why was Kirk even in this episode? Apart from the fanservice of a "omg Kirk met Spock" scene, what purpose did he serve that any of the regular cast couldn't?
And the basic plot itself is something we've seen done god-knows how many times before. All in all, there was something lacking for me.
Posted by Lee (Member # 393) on :
Yeah. In itself a solid Uhura episode - in a way that the allegedly Ortegas episode conspicuously wasn’t…
Anyway, the SNW crossover next week. Really hoping this won’t disappoint.
Posted by Lee (Member # 393) on :
ALERT! The next episode - “Those Old Scientists” - is dropping TONIGHT! 7pm Eastern.
And on 3 August… “Subspace Rhapsody”. Shik, G2K, you’re not gonna like it. Even less so than normal…
It’s a musical episode.
Posted by Guardian 2000 (Member # 743) on :
I'd have to be watching to have a normal liking level. I mean, sure, to me, Cop Rock 2259 (Redshirt Rock?) doesn't exactly sound like it's gonna make the studio arguments collapse in the WGA strike negotiations, but y'all enjoy whatever you like.
Posted by Shik (Member # 343) on :
Yeah, I already been knew. Been posting "This is not fucking 'Glee'!" screencaps from Letterkenny everywhere.
Thing is, I like musicals but hate musical episodes, because they take me right out of the setting. Can't even blame the holodeck here.
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
![[Confused]](confused.gif)
), they can't simply shut the station down, so they blow it up.