Spoilers Star Trek: Discovery 3x04 - "Forget Me Not"

[fireproof78]

Literally the only reason Discovery is relevant is because of the spore drive. Other than that they feel like as if a ship crew from the Byzantine Empire showed up in our time, then traveled to Istanbul to chat up the head of the Eastern Orthodox church about rebuilding the Byzantine Empire. Everyone, including who they'd try to recruit for their self proclaimed mission, would think that this crew has lost touch with their priorities and should focus on adapting to modern life.

Cool. Well, when that happens then I'll be sure to inform them of that.

Until then, Discovery does has something they want, and is willing to explore it further and maybe inspire them to work together. Them being out of time hasn't stop Trek crews from interacting/interfering in the past. Why start now?

 

[Muji]

I hope there's a possibility of Annabelle Wallis (voice of Zora) might have the chance to show up at some point? That'd be cool. Even if it's in holographic form or as a clone in an android body (I say clone because 'she' needs to remain on the ship at least until Calypso). Fun fact is that she is the partner of Chris Pine.

 

[Yistaan]

I hope there's a possibility of Annabelle Wallis (voice of Zora) might have the chance to show up at some point? That'd be cool. Even if it's in holographic form or as a clone in an android body (I say clone because 'she' needs to remain on the ship at least until Calypso). Fun fact is that she is the partner of Chris Pine.

Holographic Zora in Calypso wasn't Annabelle though, but another actress. Annabelle only did the voice.

 

[Jadeb]

I thought the A plot was pretty great — thoughtful and well drawn. It gave some real depth to the Trill as a species while setting up our new character nicely. We got a lot of background here, but it wasn’t an infodump. Instead, they gave us a proper story — a proper, emotionally engaging story, all the more effective because it was handled subtly.

I was less sure about the B plot. I loved seeing Culber caring for the crew, and Saru makes for a distinctive captain. But I didn’t know what I was supposed to make of the dinner scene. The spontaneous haikus seemed a bit forced in general, but Detmer’s haiku was so dark, so odd, so flat-out weird that I wondered why none of the other characters found it strange, especially considering her bizarre delivery. I get that everyone is overwhelmed and on the edge, but in an episode so full of empathy, it seemed odd there was so little for someone who seemed conspicuously unwell.

I continue to like season 3 Burnham much better. She isn’t the same as before, and she knows she’s not. That’s interesting.

 

[Yistaan]

I get that everyone is overwhelmed and on the edge, but in an episode so full of empathy, it seemed odd there was so little for someone who seemed conspicuously unwell.

That should be odd but unfortunately happens in the real world all the time.

 

[fireproof78]

why none of the other characters found it strange, especially considering her bizarre delivery.

Why would they? They might simply be happy she got it out there, dark or not. I can handle dark things being said as long as they are being said even if it seems off putting.

 

[IMC Headquarters]

I thought the A plot was pretty great — thoughtful and well drawn. It gave some real depth to the Trill as a species while setting up our new character nicely. We got a lot of background here, but it wasn’t an infodump. Instead, they gave us a proper story — a proper, emotionally engaging story, all the more effective because it was handled subtly.

I was less sure about the B plot. I loved seeing Culber caring for the crew, and Saru makes for a distinctive captain. But I didn’t know what I was supposed to make of the dinner scene. The spontaneous haikus seemed a bit forced in general, but Detmer’s haiku was so dark, so odd, so flat-out weird that I wondered why none of the other characters found it strange, especially considering her bizarre delivery. I get that everyone is overwhelmed and on the edge, but in an episode so full of empathy, it seemed odd there was so little for someone who seemed conspicuously unwell.

I continue to like season 3 Burnham much better. She isn’t the same as before, and she knows she’s not. That’s interesting.

I feel the A and B plots should have been reversed. This crew has been damned since Day One, and needs all the psych help it can get. And this should be running through the entire season. Group laughter in an improvised movie theatre must not be the last word on their recovery.

 

[Yistaan]

Group laughter in an improvised movie theatre must not be the last word on their recovery.

Discovery needs 32nd century holodecks installed.

 

[Lord Garth]

Pretty good, character-focused episode. Quiet... except when it wasn't. Like I said last week, Adira's a great addition. I had no idea what to expect when they visited Trill but the Trill Caves alone were worth the price of admission. I'm glad to see Saru trying as ship's Captain. I like seeing the beginnings of Zora (down to her preference for Classic Hollywood). I'm glad Detmer's going to get help. And I'd wondered if Culber was the best person to help the crew with PTSD, but he's the perfect person because he had a head start on everyone else. He wondered who he was anymore, felt different, didn't feel like he belonged, and came through from it on the other side. So he can help Detmer and the others.

I'm also glad that they're finally starting to look at ways to make the Spore Drive work without having to rely on Stamets. In the 23rd Century, the Spore Drive couldn't take off because we don't see it in TOS or later. But now, in the 32nd Century, they can perfect it, and they should. Especially in what's almost a post-warp galaxy.

This is my favorite episode of the season, so far. Pretty much all because of how character-driven it is and what it does with the characters. I noticed a lot of swing posters agree. So I don't feel uncomfortable with outright giving this a 10.

 

[Tosk]

Pretty good ep. I only have two gripes, and both are minor.

1. The scenes where they try to justify sending Burnham instead of Culber were kind of...eh. It's especially odd when Culber pivots. He comes to Burnham to tell her to go, and when she says that she can't even give her friends what they need right now, he says that he loves that she is a responsibility hoarder. Dude, you literally just brought her more responsibility to take on.

2. I wish the Trill make-up was just a little bit tweaked. To my eye, the tight dark designs DSC uses aren't quite as pleasing as the two-toned layering of the DS9 style. And the markings stop dead at the hairline instead of continuing up under the hair. (But I do like that some of them have different placement. Personalizes it a bit.) I'm not saying they have to/should change it, just a personal preference.

Plus points for going with Buster Keaton instead of Chaplin for movie night. I love Keaton.

 

[Deks]

Who says they have to save the Federation on their own? They are currently reaching out to allies and working to figure things out. Do we just want a library episode of them sifting through records?

And doing scientific research... developing new technologies... YES... Voyager would have benefit from that to just see the crew occasionally working on researching new methods of power conservation, improving efficiency, trading with other cultures for anti-matter, or seeing them scour raw materials to find their own (albeit, we DID see that in the early season with no results - aka, not finding Dilithium on that moon, nor could they reach the Subatomic particles to augment their anti-matter reserves, or showing automation repairing the ship).
You can still make a great episode from that while advancing the story.
At least we got Saru to talk to Stamets and Tilly about being able to fly Disco in case something happened to Stamets and Zora is finally making a showing too (which is progress).

Lots of issues with this one.
1) Nobody thought to mention to the holo-trill that "by the way, the squid joined with a human, will that be a problem before they come down there?"
2) Why a shuttlecraft? Why not beam down? Yeah, the first TNG trill episode said they couldn't use a transporter but DS9 proved that wrong.
3) Burnham never thought to use her communicator once when attacked by the Trills? You know.."Hey Discovery, just an FYI...we are having a problem here in case you never hear from us again!" Not to mention requesting an emergency beam out.

Tilly's gained some weight during the last 900 years. Not a problem, just an observation.

Maybe I missed something while my cats were issuing their demands.

Still, It was a fairly decent episode. I gave it a 7.

1. Its also possible they omitted that fact and didn't want to risk being turned away while still in orbit... or didn't think that the fact a human was joined with a Trill symbiont would be a problem.

2. In early TNG yes, and Discovery transporters predate TNG's by over 100 years. They may not have had time to adjust transporters and accommodate for the symbiont (and Adira may have known this, or they may have gotten this information from Earth Defense fleet).

3. An oversight I suppose... but did she even bring her communicator with her? I hadn't seen it... and maybe she didn't find it necessary to have it?

 

[fireproof78]

And doing scientific research... developing new technologies... YES... Voyager would have benefit from that to just see the crew occasionally working on researching new methods of power conservation, improving efficiency, trading with other cultures for anti-matter, or seeing them scour raw materials to find their own

Entertainment varies from person to person. That does not appeal to me as far as an episode goes. A scene? Yeah, maybe. But, right now, them reaching out to Earth and now Trill and then the Federation strikes me as logical progression thus far.

 

[Sarcastic Vulcan Salute]

I was less sure about the B plot. I loved seeing Culber caring for the crew, and Saru makes for a distinctive captain. But I didn’t know what I was supposed to make of the dinner scene. The spontaneous haikus seemed a bit forced in general, but Detmer’s haiku was so dark, so odd, so flat-out weird that I wondered why none of the other characters found it strange, especially considering her bizarre delivery. I get that everyone is overwhelmed and on the edge, but in an episode so full of empathy, it seemed odd there was so little for someone who seemed conspicuously unwell.

YMMV, but from what I watched, the crew was confused and freaked the f--- out by Detmer focusing on Stametz's blood. We see a lot of puzzled faces as the game goes from innocent fun to a really dark place. Then Saru and Culber try to intervene. Before they can get too far, Stametz chimes in. But rather than seeing what Detmer is saying as a sign that she's f----ed up, he takes it as an attack against him. Which led to the pissing match, Stametz and Culber leaving, Owo trying to console Detmer but Detmer getting up and the party breaking up.

Whether someone tried further followup with Detmer off-screen, who knows?

 

[Sarcastic Vulcan Salute]

A couple asides because my memory of DISC is often blurry:

I have gotten the sense that Detmer/Owo are more than just friends. Is that just my imagination, is it a ship tease, or has anything established this one way or another?

Was there any previous indication of the Detmer/Stametz rivalry, or was the scene in this episode pretty much out of the blue?

 

[Deks]

Entertainment varies from person to person. That does not appeal to me as far as an episode goes. A scene? Yeah, maybe. But, right now, them reaching out to Earth and now Trill and then the Federation strikes me as logical progression thus far.

Not an issue for me either if we get an occasional scene with this too.
But Trek writers sometimes have a habit of not including that, so we are frequently left guessing.

 

[tomalak301]

I'm generous with this one. This one gets a 10, and Jeff Russo gets a 20.

This is my favorite episode since If Memory Serves. It was a quiet character(s) piece and everything about this episode was spot on for me.

1) The dinner scene with the crew was the first time I've actually felt this was a crew. Everything felt organic and I'm so glad they are pushing more Detmer this season. Her comments to Stamets (Doctor?) were shocking, but I do think we are dealing with a PTSD storyline and her talk with Culber cemented it.

2) What they are doing with Culber this season is great. He's confident, he's joyous, and he's slowly becoming my second favorite character, right under Suru.

3) The Trill scene was spectacularly done. First of all they nailed the Trill pools (I am watching DS9 this year and just saw Equilibrium maybe a month and a half ago). More than that though, seeing Adira's story and having it culminating with her previous hosts was quite a moment, and I almost choked up at the end there. Also, the visual effects were gorgeous. I wish they filmed this show in 4K because I bet they would have been mesmerizing in 4K.

4) I think the sooner Georgiou leaves the better. She might be the Tilly of this season, meaning the character who worked in Season 2 because the villain allowed her to do what she was great at, but in Season 3 she feels in the way.

I have to give major props to Jeff Russo this week. The music made this episode for me, especially during the Trill sequence. It was just absolutely beautiful.

 

[valkyrie013]

10 for me, very character centric, and good because of it.
A note though.. Didn't DS9 have an episode where the Trill joining Committee and massage parlor get in hot water because they were covering the fact that MOST Trill can join with a symbiote rather than a few? True this might have changed and the Non Joinable Trill procreated and the Joinable are a real minority.. Just a thought.
When Zora poped on I was like WEEE!!!
Another note, For section 31, if IF the Emperess goes back in time, she takes the Discovery, and then Hides it in the nebula for the future crew to pickup again in the future. Thats a thought of how Calypso can happen.

 

[Tuskin38]

View attachment 18689

Wow. Admiral Senna Tal oozes integrity from his spots. Beautiful.

Ohh I like that badge. It's different from the one we see in the trailers/title sequence. Guess it predates it.

 

[Go-Captain]

Ep 4 is great and I believe it is a turning point for the series, if it doesn't 180 back to what was being done previously. Not only did the writing make sense, the characters were used intelligently, and Burnham not only didn't dominate the episode, her helping Adora actually made sense. Burnham helps without taking the focus off Adora. The directing and FX are also notably improved.

We got multiple long panning shots of Discovery, no weird angles, and the camera work was very sedate and established scenes well. No flipping, spinning, or shaking camera work. The lighting might also be warmer over all.

If Discovery can maintain this quality I will have high hopes for the latter half of the season.

The only thing I don't like is the mention of dark matter for accessing subspace. Trek has never needed that before, and it would have worked better with Tilly showing Stemats some math which he too quickly rejects. That's just a quibble.

 

[cooleddie74]

My first 10 in a long while.

WHY CAN'T MORE OF THEM BE LIKE THIS?!?!?!?