• Welcome! The TrekBBS is the number one place to chat about Star Trek with like-minded fans.
    If you are not already a member then please register an account and join in the discussion!

Spoilers Star Trek: Discovery 1x04 - "The Butcher's Knife Cares Not for the Lamb's Cry"

Rate the episode...


  • Total voters
    332
People are hating on the Klingons. I really like them. They are truly alien, interesting and not a warmed over forehead of the week like we got through much of the 90s (or currently on the Orville apparently). Blasphemy.

If the scene in TNG where Gowron swivels in his chair and threatens Duras with those bug eyes doesn't bring you joy, I don't know what to tell you.

Or Kirk and McCoy's trial in TUC.
 
A Federation that has scarce dilithium supplies and yet uses energy to make holographic mirrors deserves to fall. Go Voq go.
Nobody said fusion generators require dilithium, only warp power matrices seem to need it. Something the spore drive may render obsolete, in any other universe.
 
I was just thinking that it's a good thing Rainn Wilson is on next week, because this episode's title looks like something Dwight would say.
 
I continue to be torn! On the one hand, I'm still so excited this show even exists, that alone makes Discovery enjoyable viewing for me. But I was hoping every episode would be a total home run, and it's not that. It's more in the vein of other Trek first seasons -- there's some key things working right away, but I'm also constantly catching on things I don't like or that take me out of it, and I sometimes find myself thinking "this could be the most incredible season 2/3/4, once they get the kinks out." (Or I may end up feeling this season was incredible, once it's wrapped up -- it's hard to know sometimes on a serialized show, so much depends on the end-of-season resolution)

Some of the negative things I was sticking on this ep:

-- Really, to that Landry death? Her whole approach to the tardigrade was preposterously stupid. That actress had a lot to offer! What a waste!

-- Why wasn't Stamets more aware of what was going on with the Glenn? Wasn't he partners with the lead scientist on that vessel? It seems like they should have been in some form of communication...

-- Why do we have no sense of the relationship between Captain and First Officer yet? It's weird to me that the relationship of Saru and Lorca is such a blank. I have no sense of how they relate to each other -- Trek has always made such a big deal about captain's selection of first officer, and I have no clue why Lorca would pick Saru, they seem like such a terrible match.

-- Tilly, A CADET, steals a bunch of highly classified spores and takes them to Burnham. It all turned out fine, but that seemed like a pretty extreme action to just gloss over so quickly, especially from someone of her rank.

-- The heavy Klingon makeup + Klingon language dialogue is going to turn out to be this show's biggest mistake, I think. It's just too many impediments to overcome in the performance, it kills the drama. That poor guy trying to play Voq with a mouth that doesn't move... oy, it's painful to watch.

-- And the sarcophagus ship Klingons have just been hanging out in the same spot for 6 months? That was such an awkward way to pause their narrative, while SO MUCH else has gone on with all our other characters.

-- And why are all the Klingons being so sneaky and conniving this week? L'Rell has a triple-cross manipulation, Kol arrives on the ship with lies and a devious, underhanded scheme to take over. We've seen Klingons be conniving and dishonorable plenty of times before, of course, but in those cases they've A. been more secretive, or B. given more lip-service to how this is really still honorable somehow.

But on the positive side, I am super into Burnham and Stamets, those characters are fabulous and Green and Rapp are killing it. I was also impressed with Mary Chieffo this week, she's the only one who soars above all these obstacles they've burdened her with. I like the Star-Trek-ness of the "Devil In The Dark" update with the tardigrade. Everything looks incredible -- that scene on the derelict Shenzhou was gorgeous and impressive. So, I remain optimistic and excited to see the next ep!
 
Last edited:
The problem with the Klingons is, like with any art, eventually you have to concede concept for practicality; and, while they may work conceptually, they completely fail in practical execution.
Just my own opinion, but I think if they could keep to tight shots, with more subtle dialogue, we would see a lot more emotion and nuance from the Klingons. As I said before, during that dilithium processing scene, Voq and L'rell kept my attention the whole time, and I could see the subtle shifts in their body language, and in their eyes. It was rather fascinating for me. For the first time, I liked these two Klingon characters.

-- Tilly, A CADET, steals a bunch of highly classified spores and takes them to Burnham. It all turned out fine, but that seemed like a pretty extreme action to just gloss over so quickly, especially from someone of her rank.
Tilly knew it was the right thing to do. I think Michael unknowingly influences her, because she is a cadet, and is impressionable. That said, it may save her life someday. Also, Lorca being a results oriented Captain, I think he would overlook her action because it lead to the spore drive working to where they saved an entire mining colony and gave the Klingons a bloody nose. That is, if he knows about it, which he probably does.
 
I continue to be torn! On the one hand, I'm still so excited this show even exists, that alone makes Discovery enjoyable viewing for me. But I was hoping every episode would be a total home run, and it's not that. It's more in the vein of other Trek first seasons -- there's some key things working right away, but I'm also constantly catching on things I don't like or that take me out of it, and I sometimes find myself thinking "this could be the most incredible season 2/3/4, once they get the kinks out." (Or I may end up feeling this season was incredible, once it's wrapped up -- it's hard to know sometimes on a serialized show, so much depends on the end-of-season resolution)
Well said.
 
Just my own opinion, but I think if they could keep to tight shots, with more subtle dialogue, we would see a lot more emotion and nuance from the Klingons. As I said before, during that dilithium processing scene, Vog and L'rell kept my attention the whole time, and I could see the subtle shifts in their body language, and in their eyes. It was rather fascinating for me. For the first time, I liked these two Klingon characters.
I'll have to watch that again.

I think I switched to the TBBS browser tab during that scene.
 
I thought the episode was solid. Last week was my favorite so far. A couple of things did not make sense to me & dragged it down to a 6.

1. Why did they rescue the telescope and leave the ship? Ditto the Klingons leaving T'Kumva's ship. For 6 months. Rally around him & start a war? Yep. Leave his followers to starve & abandon the only ship you have with a cloak for 6 months? Silly. Ditto Starfleet. You went back for the Telescope but left the Klingon flagship? Take it & try to undetstand the cloak. This was beyond stupid.

2. Speaking of stupid. Landry. Why not turn the lights on first to see if it is stunned? A sure sign of lazy writing is making one charter appear smart by making others appear stupid. Smart vs smarter is harder to write. A security chief acting that way? Letting that creature loose? Awful.

In fairness, not the first dumb stuff Trek crew does. You could set your clock by TOS crew going offworld & starting a fight, even after orders not to, when insulted, or the ship getting insulted, or the captain.

Which brings me to the haters. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but not their own facts.

Klingons. Been eating enemies hearts for a while now. Worf & Kor made mention as others have said. TNG had 7 years to explain the differences in appearance & we had to wait for DS9 season 4/5 to get one. This is episode 4. Give it some time. Yikes. Do agree that the subtitles are a tad distracting.

Spore drive. Is not warp. Hence the terminology change. Also find it ironic that Trek bases (loosely) something on the show on a real scientific theory (and person in Stamets), people say they don't buy it.

Burnham. I also and kind of miffed people don't understand why she killed T'Kumva. He just killed her best friend. That shouldn't be hard to figure. Battle situation. Plus plenty of precedent for less reason. Scotty started fights because someone insulted the Enterprise FFS. I think that is just a part of who she is. She tries to be logical & dispassionate, but sometimes she fails. She's human. Sometimes she succeeds when she shouldn't. She rates low on the interpersonals. Raised by Vulcans.

I did like Burnham's interactions with Tilly & Stamets. Some ice thawing there. Also liked the developments with the Klingons.

Sorry for the length.
 
Sorry for the length.

Man, if I had a nickel for every time I heard that...

I don't think the majority of people critical of Discovery are necessarily haters. I enjoy the show. But it's not the newest prestige drama or anything, come on. There are some definite structural problems and the first two episodes were a wet fart.
 
Well, it does make the Klingons something to be feared. During TNG and DS9, they sort of became buffoons if you ask me. All that "It shall be glorious to die in Battle!" got old really quickly, it was hard to take them seriously.
I agree. The Klingons of TNG and after had become parodies of themselves over the course of the Berman years. I'm glad to see them "rehabilitated".
 
If you are not already a member then please register an account and join in the discussion!

Sign up / Register


Back
Top