posted
Another episode that I rather enjoyed... why am I worried the streak is going to come to a crashing end soon?
The DMA disappears and then promptly reappears in a different location. Apparently this somehow proves the DMA is being artificially generated, although we've seen Trek anomalies do this before. Several ultra-powerful Trek species with the power to create such an anomaly are name-dropped: Metrons, Nacene, Iconians, and the Q. Interestingly, the Q are mentioned not to have been seen in 600 years.
The DMA is possibly on course to destroy an asteroid colony, so Discovery is sent with several other ships to evacuate.
A Risian scientist named Tarka shows up to try to figure out who or what created the DMA. He's definitely the insufferable risk-taking type.
Burnham and Book go to the colony's prison to break out the prisoners for rescue. Turns out they are the episode's titular "Examples"; most locked away for life for minor crimes as examples. One, though, committed a legit major crime, and elects to stay behind to atone. Book does not take that well.
Culber is having issues burning himself out. We finally get some idea of what Dr. Kovich's role is: He's a psychologist of some sort. In fact, Culber appears to be his patient. Also, the episode automatically receives a +1 to whatever grading scale we're using due to Kovich appearing.
Lastly... Is... Is that what I think it is on the back of Tarka's neck? If so... well, that's a plot twist and a half.
-------------------- "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
Member # 343
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After a thousand years, though? That's some long waiting.
Return of the Akaali from ENT! With no makeup changes!
I saw a post on Tumblr recently that said DSC's major plot theme is "dealing with trauma", & that's what makes it relevant for today. After seeing that, thinking about it, & watching the past couple episodes, I'd concur in that assessment. The writing & canon problems that disconnect it from OG Trek are still a thing, but seeing the show in that light, a lot of it makes more sense: it's televised therapy wrapped in Trek's essence of hope. For the team, Star Trek is just the very loose vehicle to handle a world reeling with daily multiple physical & psychoemotional traumas.
-------------------- "The French have a saying: 'mise en place'—keep everything in its fucking place!"
Registered: Jun 2000
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I guess if I had one problem with the ep, it's... Tarka's experiment had to be done there and then with what they had available? It couldn't wait until they had more time and resources?
Therefore, it felt like two A-plots that were underdeveloped - or two B-plots that were padded out. Or both! The jeopardy of rescuing the Examples felt forced and contrived; so too was running a risky experiment that didn't need to be taking up some clever people's time and attention when they could have been doing something that would have ensured all the lives were saved.
But it was still pretty good, if not as well formed as all the previous episodes.
Rhys is getting A LOT of backstory this season. Callinng it now: Dead Soon.
What's the significance of the scar on the back of the neck? Was he rescued from the Matrix?
Shik
Starship database: completed; History of Starfleet: done; website: probably never
Member # 343
posted
I think we're thinking Control.
We ARE getting a lot of Gen Rhys lately, which makes me bring up someyhing I've been wondering: where the fuck is Bryce? Suddenly we have a Lt. Christopher.
Also, still no CENG, so maybe Stamets & Reno are splitting the post?
-------------------- "The French have a saying: 'mise en place'—keep everything in its fucking place!"
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I think it’s assumed that Reno is CENG (and Stamets is Science Officer) but she’s usually off in the (as yet unseen) engineering room doing her thang.
Apparently the scar might be an indication Tarka had been an EmChain slave and that was where his control device was.
Fairly certain Bryce was in one scene - with Christopher - in the first episode… oh, here we go:
quote:Bryce was promoted to Lieutenant commander and was assigned to the USS Curie and his post as communications officer was temporarily filled by Lieutenant Christopher. (DIS: "Kobayashi Maru")
First Mary Wiseman, now Ronny Rowe Jr., sidelined. Are they struggling to keep actors long term in what are relatively minor (ok, Tilly not so much) background roles? Is this why they’re giving Rhys more to do, to try to entice them to stay? Owosekun & Detmer haven’t been in it much this season either…
Shik
Starship database: completed; History of Starfleet: done; website: probably never
Member # 343
posted
That's why these reduced 10/12-episode seasons suck; there's nothing but power-pushing the plot forward. If it's not relevant to the Big Bad, character development falls by the wayside. We NEED those filler episodes to give processing breaks for important shit, & to allow those minor characters to be fleshed out better. This production team does not seem to grasp that.
-------------------- "The French have a saying: 'mise en place'—keep everything in its fucking place!"
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I don’t quite get why the anomaly jumping 1000 light years means it *must* be artificial… we’ve seen the graviton ellipse from Voyager, which actually is remarkably similar in shape, behavior, and effect, if not in size or the technobabble-y details.
I too was wondering why they had to do the experiment at that precise moment.
It’s kinda interesting that Michael took the time to read up on Federation law while on the actual away mission, apparently with a complete legal database loaded onto her tricombadge. On one hand, it’s continued character development that she’s being more careful and deliberate. On the other hand, it seems…. indecisive? It’s certainly different from the “screw the rules, I’ll do what I think is right” attitude of every other captain.
I’m pretty sure Tarka’s scar is from the Emerald Chain prisoner-control implants we saw last season, not from Control. It’s in the exact same spot.
And I 100% agree with Shik about character development and filler episodes. The stories aren’t as momentous but we learn a lot more about the people on the way.
-------------------- “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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I find it interesting that they dropped "the surviving members of the Iconian Empire" as a candidate for those who might have technology capable of creating the DMA. Have we had reference to anything other than technology surviving the bombardment of Iconia before? Outside of Star Trek Online, that is.
Registered: Jul 2006
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quote:Originally posted by Shik: That's why these reduced 10/12-episode seasons suck; there's nothing but power-pushing the plot forward. If it's not relevant to the Big Bad, character development falls by the wayside. We NEED those filler episodes to give processing breaks for important shit, & to allow those minor characters to be fleshed out better. This production team does not seem to grasp that.
This season had actually been pretty good for main character development. And the secondary crew members haven’t exactly been hard done by either, not compared to the revolving door of nameless extras who made up the background staff in previous series.
Right now there is a lot of TV being produced as the streaming services scramble for new content to entice subscribers and keep them. It’s causing overwork and shortages of qualified production crew - it’s why there was nearly an IATSE strike, and also the series of blunders that led to the death on that Alec Baldwin film set. But, actors? They’re two a penny. If the secondary actors are starting to want to go elsewhere, it’s not unexpected.
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