Far from Home

My god this show would be great without Burnham. Just put the former Empress in charge!

THIS IS NOT YOUR PARENTS STAR TREK! I AM SO GLAD OF THAT SURPRISE. I THOUGHT THERE WAS AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF IRRELEVANT DIALOGUE; HOWEVER THE SHOW WAS SUSPENSEFUL WITH AN EDGY CINEMATIC FEEL AT OTHER TIMES.

SET DESIGN NEEDS TO BE A LITTLE MORE IMAGINATIVE AND BUSY. MAKE EVERYONE NOT HOLDING A CAMERA OR EQUIPMENT AN EXTRA FOR SCENES LIKE FIRST CONTACT. OTHER THAN THAT, THIS EPISODE ROCKED! AWESOME, YOU DID YOUR HOMEWORK. BRAVO!!!

After going through the wormhole, Discovery crash lands on a planet.

This is an okay episode that gives decent screen time to Saru in command of Discovery and some of the lesser visited characters. It also finishes quite strongly.

One plot thread involves an away mission that sets the scene reasonably well. It's great to see Saru in command and his character is very likeable in this episode, embodying many of the Star Trek ideals. He is complimented well by Georgiou who is as opposite as it gets. Tilly doesn't really contribute much for me aside from the cinematic effect of her beautiful auburn curls against a snowy, mountainous backdrop.

Back on board Discovery there seems to be some intrigue surrounding Detmer which hopefully might give her character the attention and depth she didn't receive in the first two series. Scenes between Culiber and Stamets seem to have lost their edge now with everything being happy again.

There was a bit of a space-western feel to it all which for me is a bit of a tired aesthetic within the sci-fi genre. It's not done badly, it just made me roll my eyes given that we are 930 years into the future, with all the intrigue and creative freedom this carries. I found myself wondering if the best they can offer is somebody moseying into a saloon full of suspicious locals and getting involved in a dispute with some desperadoes.

Doug Jones and Michelle Yeoh both give strong performances, although I do not think the dialogue written for the latter (as always) suits her delivery style. It feels too laden with Americanisms for a Malaysian actress playing an Asian character, however Yeoh still manages to pull it off.

For me, this episode came down to the genuine heart displayed by the characters. Discovery has a terrific cast, and when they're given good dialogue and their relationships aren't being squeezed with a heavy hand to wring out maximum drama, the whole crew really shines.

What struck me in this episode, though, was how perfectly Saru embodied the values of both the Federation in-universe and the franchise on a meta-level. He was, as each circumstance called for it, decisive, commanding, sensitive, pragmatic, smart, nurturing, and unwavering in his principles. Doug Jones knocked it out of the park with a performance that celebrated both Saru's restraint and his honesty. He's a complex character who has undergone plenty of growth throughout the series, and even though he's only "acting" captain at this point, he's established himself as a match for the upper echelons of Trek captains.

Plus, I could watch Reno and Stamets arguing all day long.

I like this show. The scenery is great and for the most part the cast is likeable. Burnham bores me and Tilly needs a new job. I liked the old Star Trek but I'm glad it's evolved and made the universe more acceptable to a wider audience