What an absolute perfect ending, and I say this while admitting this ending didn't go the way I expected it to. Like honestly, how many of us actually thought Picard was going to survive this episode? I didn't, but I'm damn sure glad he did, even if we never see any of these TNG characters ever again, which I honestly doubt we won't given the ending. This was an emotional final send off however for this crew that honored and respected each of them throughout the season, every single one of them got their grand moment to shine, Riker with his asteroid, Geordi with his ship, Worf with his rescue, Crusher with her contraction discovery, Data defeated Lore, Troi rescued them in the end with her love for Riker, and Picard saved his son. And how about that borg queen, holy absolute hell was she horrifying looking or what? Anyway, what a beautiful ending that they all deserved, and one last poker game for the sake of it all. Am I excited about the future with Q showing up to tease the next series with the Enterprise G? Sure, but not as happy as I am that the old timers I grew up with got their swan song and somehow, someway, all survived. And if you didn't burst into tears when Riker and Worf decided to stay back to find Picard, basically sealing their death, then damn it I don't know what will satisfy you in life. Was this show perfect? Fuck no. Was the 3rd season without flaws? Bahaha, no! But if you can't appreciate what this really was meant to be here, I don't judge you, I just feel sad you couldn't feel the raw enjoyment the rest of us felt, because this was fucking awesome.
oh my god ! this episode is so intense ! my heart beating so fast !!
Well, it was clear where this would go... still, really poignant episode, typical Star Trek. And the helpless anger in the end, knowing that this child is suffering beyond help, and that another one is being groomed to take over in the future, over and over again - well done.
Granted, children suffer now and in the ST-age... but voluntarily send a child to a life of suffering just that the others may live in luxury, no, there's no moral high ground to be found here. But a couple of questions remain, such as those ancestors who built the machine, did they leave plans behind? And why not relocate the whole population if the planet seems inhabitable without that machine? Was the former colony meant as relocation world once upon a time?
I guess, Kirk, especially Trek-09-Kirk, would have blown that machine up. Can't say I'd have minded much... even though I actually prefer the uncomfortable TNG-like non-resolution we got here.
You know, I think what Dee Bradley Baker does with his voice, Doug Jones does with his body -- that thing he does with his arms as he walks is so alien, and graceful.
That was such a satisfying episode -- the show could end now, and I'd be happy. But, i hope it keeps going (and, I hope they do more Short Treks)!
[Edited by me to remove political statement. My apologies to the group -- this is not the forum for politics.]
I've really gotta stop reading these comments....
The directors clearly think Naomi is the most interesting character, but she is absolutely the least interesting character and I abhor constantly being forced to watch her whine and flail.
Can’t help but feel this was a little bit of a dud of an ending? Not sure, going to have to reflect on this for a little while, but immediately feels like a 6/10 ending for what was overall an 8/10 show.
Edit: Having read the book ending, yeah, I'm a little let down by this one. The book basically throws in another murder that Jacob is suspiciously close to after Hope winds up dead and Laurie finds a red stain on Jacobs bathing suit. This pushes Laurie over the edge with guilt as she is now totally convinced Jacob did it, resulting in her killing him with the car crash. I feel this is much more compelling ending as it adds a pattern of similar circumstances around Jacob, but still doesn't confirm he is the killer. and further drives home some of the central points of the show. The grey area between right and wrong, the decision between what is right ethically, and what is right for the family, and how hard it is to straddle that line for the people involved. How a parent copes with loving someone that they are convinced did a horrific act. It keeps the same ambiguity of the show ending while adding the finality of Jacobs death, meaning we may never know the truth.
Although it feels like I've bemoaned the entire ending here, I still really enjoyed the show, and would probably give the whole show about an 8/10 if pressed for a score. Would have just been great for them to have gone through with the book ending as it's a little darker and much more in-keeping with the shows tone and presentation.
White conservatives will hate it but this episode is true to the spirit of the original series. Tense with a message relevant to our times.
With every episode, the story gets weirder and weirder, and by this I mean really damn good.
Miller, Holden and Johnson are using the Mormon's ship to send the protomolecule into the sun. Talk about crazy plans.
On earth, Chrisjen is outplaying Mao and the undersecretary like a pro. Never saw it coming and it was glorious. She's airing out their dirty laundry and using them to help her do it.
Now WTF did the protomolecule just do? Move the whole space station with its's weird shrieking and avoid being destroyed? Yes it did.
Miller has turned out to be my favorite character. He pretends not to care about anything except what will get him through the day, but when push comes to shove, he is righteous, just and honorable, willing to sacrifice himself to save another, but also willing to make the hard decisions others are often unable to make becuase they refuse to see the darkness as part of the light.
Fav line: "The Mormons are going to be pissed."
I thought the Borg were a formidable foe until I watched this episode. It's impressive (and somewhat creepy) how quickly and easily Data can take over the Enterprise and leave everyone defenseless (or even simply killing everyone on board with minimum effort). Hacking Data must be quite the fun hobby in the future.
It's always fun to see Lore, but the whole "family reunion" thing was rather underwhelming.
The writing is great, you have a story that keeps you interested. You only get dripplets of information each episode. On top of that you have great action sequences. This show continues to improve with every episode.
The blush on the cheeks scene was a nod at The Simpsons: I remember Marge's mom telling Marge something like "whores use rouge, ladies pinch" ("ladies leech", in Disenchantment). There were probably more nods at The Simpsons (and Futurama?), but clueless as I am I was already lucky enough to find that one.
The humour is a little bit wonky at times (i.e., not working), but this first episode was mildly enjoyable. Definitely not a breath of fresh air (unfortunately), but I found it to be watchable. Honestly, after watching BoJack Horseman I can hardly find any other cartoon show entertaining, but I'm willing to give Disenchantment a chance.
These last episodes are blowing me away. I love it. Spock is starting to grow on me, his supportive behavior was great. Mom Burnham was cold at first but it was the only defense mechanisme to have when you see your child die a hundred times. In these final moments, she softened at last.
Not to forget the expectionnal acting all around, this series is taking it to the next level each season.
Sweet Goddess of Space Dogfights! This was an excellent action episode! Man, I was glued to my seat most of the time, petrified with excitement (is that even possible?)! I honestly felt like I was a teenager again, watching a thrilling episode of The Next Generation, with Picard doing his best to shake off the Borg menace!
I never thought I'd say this, but the lower budget on The Orville actually made the space battles feel more Star Trek-y than in STD.
Of course, like someone mentioned in the previous episode (I think), Isaac being a deus ex machina was pretty much a given, so no surprises there. What I did not expect was for the Orville crew to get in touch with their long sworn enemy to get them to join forces to battle a common enemy. That may have been an overused cliché, but it was still satisfying to see it happen.
This was a solid conclusion to what will surely be remembered as the most exciting two-part episode from The Orville.
Nicely done CBS. Deftly blended in some characters (1 this episode) and iconography from TOS to squelch the discord from the nattering, canon fascist nabobs, and pique the curiosity of the undecided, while still remaining PRE-TOS and advancing the original "Discovery" premise. Well played..., well played indeed.
Of course the "purists" will be quick to point out everything wrong with this episode, just as they have all along, insisting that this is a show we shouldn't enjoy because it's not Trekie enough, or TOO futuristic for the timeline, or too politically correct, or too violent, or too gay, when perhaps the real problem is with those whose cranial contents simply haven't evolved enough to grasp the actual depth and awesomeness of the show.
Star Trek has ALWAYS been about "going BOLDLY where no man has gone before" yet, sadly, there are those who desperately try to squeeze it into the confines of what THEY say is correct, and would have the writer and producers restricted to the same tried, true, and BORING stories that were fed to the masses starting almost 50 years ago. Now imagine if they were allowed to restrict technology, or commerce, or just about any facet of life to where it was 5 decades ago. I for one like and embrace the changes that have occurred both IRL and on our screens of all various shapes and sizes. Just as I am willing to give each new generation of Star Trek writers the benefit of the doubt, and the chance to not just copy and paste, but to stretch the limits of possibility and imagination, and take us on new adventures, and to new frontiers.
If that gets some purists canonical panties in a wedgie, well, so be it. But I for one am willing to suspend disbelief, buckle up, lower my shields and enjoy the ride.
As for the episode itself, several nice head fakes, when those familiar with TOS would be expecting certain things to occur but... gotcha!
Kudos to Sonequa Martin-Green for continuing to evolve her portrayal of Michael Burnham, and showing some emotions when appropriate. To the always delightful Mary Wiseman, who, as newly minted officer trainee Tilly is "incandescent" as ever and never fails to make me smile when she's on screen. Anthony Rapp's Staments, is of course going through the stages of grief, and, had me worried for a moment, but, it looks like something new is about to bring him out of his funk. Doug Jones Saru, was, well... Saru, and, believe me when I say, I mean that as a GOOD thing. Anson Mount pulled his weight as Captain Pike, doing a yeoman's job of restraint when stepping into such an iconic (if short lived) role. And the addition of Tig Notaro's deadpan wit and whip-smart timing (as well as her characters apparent next level engineering chops) might have her hanging out in the Montgomery Scott wing of the Discovery, we shall see.
Overall a really good season premier, and, from the looks of the upcoming clips, it's gonna be fun.
SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL
-33-
"Can I make the call now?"
Holy shit! This show went dark.
What a way to start this episode.
Always appreaciate those Scenes in which we actall see how they do their stuff, in this case forge a gunfight.
So beatifull made…
Nacho is in a lot of Trouble and who is the source of it?
"No more than a week."
Gustavo Fring, again. He creates chaos so he can climb the ladder to the top.
Genius. Who is his tool? The Cousins. Again.
Or should I say for the first time?
His talk with Juan Bolsa is another example how good Gus is.
Always just a little push in the right direction.
He can built an empire. He is made for that.
The Little smile of Gus...
Again: He is not the Gus we know from "Breaking Bad" yet.
He wouldn't have smiled there, not one bit.
As he walked into the School, I got goosebumps, then I saw "Chemistry" and I thought:
Is he in Walts School? But it was even better!
As soon as I heard someone sing...
Gale is back! (Run Gale! Run!)
His love to chemistry is one of a kind.
I have to say, I believe him when he says he can make better than 67%!
And now to Jimmy.
Eight minutes? More like Eighty minutes^^
Clever way to get this guy out of his office.
But who did he got for the Job?
Ira from Vamonos Pest! Nice cameo.
For the letter from Chuck I only have one Thing to say:
The fact that Kim has Tears in her eyes and is so moved by his words and Jimmy had no emotions whatsoever, says it all.
Or does it?
The last conversation with Chuck was so cruel and These words sound off.
Did Chuck wrote the letter only to relieve his soul?
Guess Jimmy made up his mind. The rest is open to Interpretation.
This episode hits me every time, and I always forget just how meaningful the plot is until Captain Keogh shows up with his intimidating Galaxy-class starship and I remember what's about to happen.
Ultimately, the episode title could not possibly be more relevant. Everything that happens eventually serves to paint the Jem'Hadar and the Dominion in full color, and we know exactly who they are by the end. We don't know what they want, precisely—even if we can guess from the name, "Dominion"—but we do know that agents of the Dominion will stop at nothing to carry out whatever orders the Founders have given them.
I did forget about Eris being a Vorta until they all made it back to Deep Space Nine, but I have to agree with @LeftHandedGuitarist on at least these points: Her telekinetic power is never displayed by any other Vorta in the Star Trek canon; and it's extremely odd that she should fail to recognize Odo as a Founder. Eris was meant to return in at least two episodes ("The Search, Part II" and "The Ship"), but Molly Hagan was unavailable. In the process the writers seem to have forgotten about the Vorta's supposed telekinetic ability. As for Eris failing to recognize Odo as a Founder, all I can think of is that the writers hadn't yet thought far enough ahead. Later we find out that the Vorta consider themselves "those who serve the Founders", and that the hierarchy of the Dominion government is essentially Founders > Vorta > Jem'Hadar > everyone else. But this early on, that structure likely hadn't solidified in the writers' room yet.
Certainly there are other little things I could nitpick, like how Jake seems to think putting back the single piece of the autopilot subsystem he removed would be too difficult, but overall this is a good, gut-punching (on account of the Odyssey's fate), first real introduction to the Dominion's true colors.
Honestly, i don't know why all the hate on this show. I'm lovin' it. Hard.
I hear what a lot of fans are saying, but this isn't supposed to be modern day star trek, this is a time when the federation was just formed and people are still trying to unify their morals with the ideals of the species as a whole. This is a time of desperation, and desperation has always led to starfleet officers to having battles of morality. I think it's a great launching point to the modern idealistic universe that the federation turns into, and find it super interesting that it came through not so moralistic means. At the end of this arc with the klingons we know that they sign the Khitomer accords, and the federation and Empire usher in a new era of peace. I find it awesome how they're going about it, each plot is dynamic and I cannot call what will happen from episode to episode, and the fact that the federations launching point is based in moral ambiguity leaves very deep interpretations that you can consider, such as Cpt. Picard's moral virtousness being grounded on the actions of less moral men, because the federation made it to the point where it was established and unified. I dunno, i'm enjoying the series and am looking forward to each new episode!
That last shot with the three of them in the elevator skyrockets this episode to the top!
Let me just say that, while there have been some moments of brilliance in the early episodes of this return to the Twin Peaks universe, there have been some things and episodes that have had me a bit concerned. That being said, if everything beyond this episode was crap, it could not diminish the absolute brilliance I witnessed tonight. Started out good, but the sequence that kicks off with the a-bomb explosion has to be the most artful piece of television ever produced to date. Those first few minutes are what Kubrick might have done in 2001 if he'd had the technology. I suspect I'll be rewatching this episode several more times in the week to come. So, if you, like me, have been a bit disappointed at moments with the return, I hope that this episode has restored your hope and or faith in the genius that is David Lynch. I know it has for me. Mind. Freaking. Blown.
The single greatest hour of television I've ever witnessed.
[9.1/10] If there’s a well-worn trope from The Original Series and beyond, it’s godlike beings examining humanity to see whether we’re a barbarous race too dumb and violent to evolve into higher beings, or a decent, clever species with the capacity for growth. Hell, it’s the animating premise of The Next Generation! Inevitably, there is some sort of test, or trial, or experiment to determine once and for all whether we humans are worthy of the respect or notice of more evolved or powerful lifeforms.
But there’s a reason Star Trek returns to that well so often. It’s a great way to create the sort of moral thought experiments that the franchise thrives on. It’s a venerable means to examine the core characteristics of humanity, and to use advanced species as avatars to debate the good and bad within us. It’s an excuse to question our humble human morality as measured against the oft-callous ethical mores of those more powerful lifeforms, and put both into relief against one another.
That’s what “Observer Effect” accomplishes with its own spin on that time-tested story. A pair of advanced beings are inhabiting Lieutenant Reed and Ensign Mayweather to observe how the crew of the Enterprise responds to a particular challenge. When Trip and Hoshi contract a silicon-based virus, these long-lived beings are present to examine whether Archer and company’s reaction shows intelligent, rational thinking, sufficient for them to be willing to make first contact. It’s a test that, apparently, the Klingons, the Cardassians, and many many other species have failed.
This is putting the cart before the horse, but there’s a Good Omens vibe to this setup. One of the beings is an old pro, and having observed this test for eight-hundred years, he’s rigid about the procedures and skeptical that it’s worth spending much time evaluating these humans. The other is newer, sees a potential in the Enterprise’s response to this crisis, and sees and believes in a brand of compassion and altruism that his counterpart seems reluctant to accept as the natural experiment plays out.
It’s a traditional dramatic diad, but it works here! Like many things in Star Trek, some of the ideas are repurposed or based on archetypes, but they’re durable archetypes that fit into this context. There’s something compelling about these beings who are gradually more and more impressed, or at least intrigued, by the choices the humans make and the things they achieve, until they’re willing to break 10,000 year old rules to help them.
But before that can happen, things have to get bad. What’s particularly striking about “Observer Effect” is that there are effectively no real stakes. All but the most naive Star Trek viewer knows that, by hook or by crook, Trip and Hoshi are going to make it out alive. And yet, we care about their plight for the same reason the superbeings eventually do: because it’s compelling to see people being stoic and brave and comforting one another in the throes of (what they think is) mortal peril, and because we feel for the people trying desperately to save them.
The scenes where Trip and Hoshi are in the thick of the virus’s effects are low-level harrowing, as Hoshi loses her sense and starts trying to break out of the quarantine, while Trip sedates himself and wonders if he’ll ever wake up again. But they’re also an excuse to let us get to know Hoshi a little bit better, learning that she was kicked out of Starfleet for a surreptitious poker game (and, er, breaking her commanding officer’s arm when he tried to stop it). And we learn that Trip, unsurprisingly, was a tinkerer from a young age. These details put us in the shoes of the superbeings, helping us to recognize these guinea pigs as more than that, as human beings with hopes and dreams or, if nothing else, character-revealing backstories.
That said, the superbeings aren’t necessarily interested in whether humans are interesting; they want to know whether we’re smart. And if there’s a major weakness to that premise, it’s that it’s never really clear what the standard for that is supposed to be. It can’t be just killing off anyone with the virus, since the Klingons and Cardassians apparently did that and were judged barbarous for it. Is it figuring out the radiation cure for the virus in time for it to work? If so, that’s a rough standard, since apparently no one in the 800 years the skeptical being has been at this has managed it. It’s left deliberately vague how the Enterprise crew could pass this test, beyond some weird Kobayashi Maru-esque “dealing with a situation in which no matter what you do, you lose someone” idea that doesn't seem to be the point.
But maybe the point is that whatever the being’s standards, they’re too high, or at least testing the wrong thing, since it seems like no one has made it. Instead, the good guy superbeing recognizes the compassion, the empathy in these humans. Archer, Phlox, T’Pol, and others don’t turn their backs on their crewmates. Even when it looks like all is lost, they move heaven and earth to try a cure. Archer risks his own exposure to try to revive Hoshi when their EV suits are too cumbersome for the fine motor skills necessary to do it. He sends Phlox out of sickbay to make sure his doctor survives.
That in and of itself is a pretty standard trope -- that humans are determined and self-sacrificing. But again, it’s a trope for a reason. It strains credulity a bit that no other species in the galaxy in 800 years of tests was willing to be martyrs for their compatriots like this, and there’s a mild perniciousness to the “humans are the specialist creatures in the universe” idea behind it. Still, there is something flattering and vivid to the idea, that seeing this sort of commitment to one’s fellow man is enough to compel the good guy superbeing to see the light (after an Archer speech of course), revive and cure the afflicted crewman, wipe everyone’s memories and reset the status quo.
And better yet, the superbeings turn out to be Organians, the original (or near-original) superbeing testers from The Original Series who founded the peace treaty between humans and Klingons. It’s a nice touch, and an implicit recognition that Enterprise is playing with familiar narratives and character types here.
“Observer Effect” hits some of the expected beats of that narrative type. You have the advanced species that is eventually move by humanity’s plight and potential. You have the human turning the tables, and accusing the godlike creatures of negligence and immorality. And you have the end recognition that there’s some spark to humanity worth saving, or at least not destroying. These ideas are familiar to any longtime Star Trek fan (which you probably are if you’re watching Enterprise), but this episode realizes them well, playing with its sci-fi concepts, characters, and central notions in a way that’s worth of all the stories that came before.
20mins chase sequence in a 30mins episode. We know the main characters won't die , who are we kidding .
4/10
I'm convinced people complaining about this seem to just hate fun. star trek has had some of the goofiest episodes ever to grace tv screens and I love that strange new worlds is keeping up with tradition. 12/10, would spontaneously burst into a sea shanty again
Wow. I might be the only one that liked this... From last week's awesome animated crossover to this week's the point when Spock started singing. I just love how they are trying new things in Trek. Doesn't hurt that I love a good musical.
If you didn't shed tears throughout the entire episode... this didn't serve you well. It's just wonderful.
What the f...?
I really loved that episode! Ethan Peck played that role fascinatingly good. What a blast this second season is.
[8.0/10] Every Star Trek show does the “We just need to use science-as-magic to solve this life-threatening problem!” routine. I get tired of it sometimes, because it doesn’t require any actual ingenuity from the crew or the writers. Simply saying, “We could blow up the Protostar to stop the living construct, but if we [technobabble] the [technobabble-machine], we should be able to disperse the explosion and not hurt anyone!” is kind of a cheat. Sure, it ostensibly requires some in-universe cleverness from Zero and Rok-Tahk to drum up the solution, and from the rest of the team to make it happen. But nothing the show set up to this point really establishes why this would be a good or natural solution to the problem.
But there’s a way you can still make those nigh-magical solutions meaningful -- give them a cost, whether it’s practical or emotional (and ideally, both). In this instance, there’s the simple fact that Dal, Gwyn, and company would have to say goodbye to the Protostar, the ship that has been their home and their salvation after the events on Tars Lamora. That alone makes it tough and sad to let the ship explode, even for the greater good. (Hello Search for Spock fans!)
More than that, though, the destruction of the Protostar to prevent the construct from continuing to destroy Starfleet’s entire, er, fleet is meaningful because it comes with a human cost. For one thing, Dal is willing to go down with the ship, something that indicates how he’s grown into the role of captain. More importantly, it takes a sacrifice from Holo-Janeway.
She has been the den mother to these young officers-in-training all this time. She knows what this will cost her. But she’s also willing to make the sacrifice because she too has internalized Starfleet’s ideals. She wants to save these kids as much as she wants to save the universe. So she makes the choice, and doing the right and selfless thing means losing her with the ship. There’s something beautiful but melancholy about the fact that her time with the young heroes has caused her to grow, to the point that her program can no longer fit on an isolinear chip. The irony of her developing alongside these kids, to the point that she can’t join them in their escape, makes her sacrifice all the more poignant.
There’s also some synchronicity to the fact that the Protostar’s shockwave creates a wormhole that either is what took Chakotay and his crew fifty-three years into the future, or at least allows Starfleet to learn that's where he ended up. Frankly, I thought I understood the whole kit and kaboodle of Chakotay’s disappearance and the Vau N’Akat going back in time, but the “five decades into the future” threw off what I thought I knew. Still, it’s not that hard to get, even if it’s a little convoluted, and the fact that the Protostar’s self-destruction helps create a bridge there gives the adventure a certain clockwork quality.
This is also a strong outing for Admiral Janeway. I don’t know why, but there’s always something compelling about a captain (or, in this case, admiral) defending the actions of her crew to a stuffy Starfleet tribunal. Her speech to Starfleet command is a great one. She pushes back on the council’s ojbections to theft and other misdeeds on the part of the Protostar’s crew, and points out that they saved everyone’s butts with their courage and ingenuity. She rejects the idea that they’re not suited for admission to the Academy, arguing that the baptism by fire they’ve survived is a better indication of their fitness than any formal evaluation could be. And she stands up for objections to Dal’s status as an augment, noting that he’s not enhanced and, more than that, is a living representation of the bonds among Federation worlds. It’s a great stand for Janeway on behalf of what’s good and right, and a vindication of all the good works and maturation our young heroes have gone through.
That's why it’s so triumphant to see them show up on Starfleet’s doorsteps, after landing in the bay. (Shades of Star Trek IV!) Their hard work and good works pay off. They may not be able to attend the Academy straight away, but they’re permitted to become warrant officers under Janeway, thereby achieving their goal to become an official part of Starfleet. It’s a nice middle ground. On a practical level, the council makes a fair point that it wouldn’t be fair to fast track them ahead of other candidates. On a show level, this allows Dal and company to succeed in joining Starfleet, while still making it possible for the basic premise of the show to continue and evolve. I like the line that walks.
The exception is Gwyn, who chooses to go to Solum and try to prepare the Vau N’Akat for first contact. I have mixed feelings about the choice. Mostly, I hope this is a Saru thing, where the ostensible return to the homeworld is more of a pitstop than an exit from the show, since I like Gwyn’s presence. But I wish we got more time with her reconciling her feelings about her dad before just deciding to return to a planet she’s never known and a people she’s never been a part of, over her own found family, because it’s what her quasi-abusive father wanted. I’ve already said my piece, but suffice it to say, I’m uneasy about how the show’s handled this.
All that said, I dig the idea that she’s taken Federation values to heart, and wants to use her abilities to bring people together to help resolve the conflict her father wanted to avoid using more peaceful, progressive means. Her and Dal’s goodbye is suitably sad and sweet, with enough callbacks to their initial sparks to give them a sense of having come full circle.
So the first season ends on a high note. Zero gets a fancy new containment suit. Jankom impresses his fellow cadets with his engineering abilities. Rok-Tahk’s care for Murf and others is consecrated into the study of xenobiology. (I knew it!) And the kids get to join the real Janeway to be a part of her bigger plans. Despite some science-as-magic, the second part of “Supernova” gets the big things right and makes our heroes achieving their goal feel earned, which is what’s important.
Overall, I walk away impressed with Prodigy’s maiden voyage. The show still has cracks in its armor, like the janky animation and occasional bouts of overly broad humor. But it also reinvigorated the meaning and value of Starfleet’s ideals by showing them to us through the eyes of children and outsiders who need them more than anyone. It leveraged fifty years of Star Trek history in creative ways, bringing back concepts and characters, but using them to enhance this show’s main players rather than dousing us with simple nostalgia. And despite the more baroque qualities of its mystery box, the first season uses that plot to show why Dal, Gwyn, and their comrades grew and matured in dealing with these challenges, to where they deserve to be in Starfleet as much as anyone.
It’s nice to have something specifically aimed at a younger audience that helps deliver these concepts and stories in a way that fits their style and needs. As with Star Wars: The Clone Wars, it balances canon connections and grown-up ideas with accessible stories and age-appropriate adjustments. The reverence for Trek is plainly there, and it’s nice to see the show’s creative team move the ball forward, in a way that makes the franchise’s big tent even bigger.
