Spoilers Star Trek: Discovery 3x08 - "The Sanctuary"

[Nyotarules]

Watching it for a second time, the first time I was working and it did not engage me.
I give it a 6.5, I am tempted to give it a bit more just for the Ryn and cat scene but I cannot base my interest in Trek on how many cats show up, although seeing some Caitians would be nice.
I have not read all the responses but the great secret about Osyraa made no sense, I thought the whole of the Trek universe had a dilithium shortage, right? Is she the only Orion mobster in the quadrant?
The Orion makeup looks like shiny plastic, even ENT did it better almost 20 years ago.
I also so no reason for Adira to explain their choice of pronouns to Stamet or why that is a secret, unless the decision to use nongendar words was recent. Its the 32nd century right?
Another planet that only has ten people living on it, is Booker's brother the leader of the planet with one village on it or something?

What did I like?
Well I can smell the set up for Phillipa to go back via time travel next week, to save her life.
A bit more background on Booker and his brother - good
Detmer facing her fears - good
A bit of comic relief with Linus and the little boy - sweet
Nilseen - should be XO they gave her some lines!
The ending was very Trek, I liked it.

 

[jackoverfull]

I remember watching it in the 1980's in reruns (and our UHF station used 35mm or 16mm prints to show them), and at that point I thought something odd about the mirror ship (being 12 and getting into Trek in a huge way at that point, I was looking at every detail, lol!)

Then when my parents got me the 5 volume VHS set from Paramount Home Video, it could be seen a little clearer that the nacelle caps were back to the spiked ones. I guess to further distinguish the ship?

Oh, the spikes are very noticeable, it’s the lack of them on the normal ship that is not very notable.

I'm curious about Georgiou's plot, but, the problem is, it's not going anywhere right now. We haven't really been given any clues; just more than what we've been seeing over the last few weeks. Next week looks like we're going to get something, finally.

The show wants to focus on plotlines that I don't find particularly interesting. We got some clues that SOMETHING is in the nebula, but, then it's forgotten about to focus on Book's planet and Osyraa. The nebula mystery isn't even revisited or teased again in the episode. It feels like it needs to be a cliffhanger, but, instead the show ends each episode as if it's just a week-long commercial break. It's really frustrating.

its’s something I’ve noticed they like doing this season: they drop a hint but follow up two episodes later, not in the immediately following one.

 

[Amasov]

Oh, the spikes are very noticeable, it’s the lack of them on the normal ship that is not very notable.


its’s something I’ve noticed they like doing this season: they drop a hint but follow up two episodes later, not in the immediately following one.

Right and because of that, I sometimes forgot about that plot point they are revisiting because the show didn't treat it with any particular level of importance.

 

[Nerys Myk]

One thing confused me about Book.
Did we not see him on his home planet in episode 1?

It was a different planet, designated "Sanctuary Four". Presumably there are at least three more.

 

[Nerys Myk]

I also so no reason for Adira to explain their choice of pronouns to Stamet or why that is a secret, unless the decision to use nongendar words was recent. Its the 32nd century right?

It's not a secret, just something Adira is keeping private until they feel more comfortable, possibly with themselves. Stamets ( and Culber) are parental figures to Adira, that's why they chose to share.

 

[Discofan]

It's not a secret, just something Adira is keeping private until they feel more comfortable, possibly with themselves. Stamets ( and Culber) are parental figures to Adira, that's why they chose to share.

"They" seems a bit awkward though... Plus it causes confusion, you're constantly expecting more than one person until you realize that it is a "singular" they...

 

[137th Gebirg]

In Adira’s unique case, it would be correct, considering all the personalities being held by the symbiote.

 

[Nerys Myk]

"They" seems a bit awkward though... Plus it causes confusion, you're constantly expecting more than one person until you realize that it is a "singular" they...

Context helps

 

[NX_01]

Yeah its not enough that they can see the ships in the orbit from the planet’s surface they can also hear the explosions

Apart from that I liked a lot of the character moments, Saru finding his way of command, Tilly first day in the new job and also Detmers part, what a roller coaster. Almost too much for one short episode.

 

[cooleddie74]

Although to be fair in the deleted scene from the original movie where Luke is wearing the floppy hat and working to repair the moisture vaporator he sees the Tantive IV and Vader's Star Destroyer fighting in orbit over Tatooine. It's not the first time someone on a planetary surface can look up and see a ship, and Gideon's cruiser looked like it had already enterted the atmosphere so it wasn't even in space.

 

[Discofan]

Yeah its not enough that they can see the ships in the orbit from the planet’s surface they can also hear the explosions
....

Yeah, and apparently the speed of sound is the same as the speed of light, which is infinite...

 

[Tirius]

Decent episode if not a very standout one for me. A solid 7 for the poll.

Likes:
- More of an ensemble cast piece again.
- More backstory for Book. I'm slowly starting to appreciate his character, though I connected more with his talking about his planet's challenges than with his 'brother' issues.
- Detmer, Ryn and Grudge on Book's ship scenes. Showed that we could really use more screentime for Detmer.
- Stamets mentoring Adira brings out the best side of his character. I liked the scene where they play music together.
- The 'autumnal' look of the planet and the look of the sea locusts, who looked very cute for an ecological menace.

Dislikes:
- "Starvation due to pests" for the whole planet, solved with quick solution directed at one spot. Either this is a really tiny settlement, or a very easy fix.
- The Orions so far seem like very generic villains. Including the killing of an underling to show someone is evil. I'm missing the subtlety usually found in Orion adversaries.
- I'd have loved a more distinctive look for the Orion ship and the Orion characters. I don't mind the oily skin, but perhaps a different wardrobe selection?
- "Captain's catchphrase". Yeah, we know this is a Star Trek trope. The characters should not.

On the fence:
- Georgiou and the nebula signal/music thing. Not much progress to those storylines, so waiting for the payoff.
- Vance being OK with going on this mission to begin with. It does not sound like a great use of Discovery's time (see scale of catastrophe comment above).
- Tilly as 'captain's assistant'. Really, she's shown more as Saru's assistant than the actual XO. Better fit for what she can do perhaps, but doesn't more actual XO-work need to get done?
- Linus being there for comedy again. I feel he could use a bit more development; right now, he's turning into a bit of a Morn.
- Adira's 'coming out' felt a bit sudden. Also the issues with memories/insecurity about personality are just like we already saw with Ezri. Hope it goes somewhere fresh.

A side note, on the they/them use for Adira. I found I had to correct my text above twice to not say 'she'. Not sure if it was wise to have that be used for Adira's first few appearances, though the comments above that 'they' has apparently also used for a long time in English to denote people whose gender is unspecified helped to understand it more. It probably doesn't help me that in my native language, "she" and "they" are the same word, though one would think it would make it easier for me to not see the translation as a plural form immediately... It made me stop and think, so good on the show for that.

 

[Discofan]

Decent episode if not a very standout one for me. A solid 7 for the poll.

Likes:
- More of an ensemble cast piece again.
- More backstory for Book. I'm slowly starting to appreciate his character, though I connected more with his talking about his planet's challenges than with his 'brother' issues.
- Detmer, Ryn and Grudge on Book's ship scenes. Showed that we could really use more screentime for Detmer.
- Stamets mentoring Adira brings out the best side of his character. I liked the scene where they play music together.
- The 'autumnal' look of the planet and the look of the sea locusts, who looked very cute for an ecological menace.

Dislikes:
- "Starvation due to pests" for the whole planet, solved with quick solution directed at one spot. Either this is a really tiny settlement, or a very easy fix.
- The Orions so far seem like very generic villains. Including the killing of an underling to show someone is evil. I'm missing the subtlety usually found in Orion adversaries.
- I'd have loved a more distinctive look for the Orion ship and the Orion characters. I don't mind the oily skin, but perhaps a different wardrobe selection?
- "Captain's catchphrase". Yeah, we know this is a Star Trek trope. The characters should not.

On the fence:
- Georgiou and the nebula signal/music thing. Not much progress to those storylines, so waiting for the payoff.
- Vance being OK with going on this mission to begin with. It does not sound like a great use of Discovery's time (see scale of catastrophe comment above).
- Tilly as 'captain's assistant'. Really, she's shown more as Saru's assistant than the actual XO. Better fit for what she can do perhaps, but doesn't more actual XO-work need to get done?
- Linus being there for comedy again. I feel he could use a bit more development; right now, he's turning into a bit of a Morn.
- Adira's 'coming out' felt a bit sudden. Also the issues with memories/insecurity about personality are just like we already saw with Ezri. Hope it goes somewhere fresh.

A side note, on the they/them use for Adira. I found I had to correct my text above twice to not say 'she'. Not sure if it was wise to have that be used for Adira's first few appearances, though the comments above that 'they' has apparently also used for a long time in English to denote people whose gender is unspecified helped to understand it more. It probably doesn't help me that in my native language, "she" and "they" are the same word, though one would think it would make it easier for me to not see the translation as a plural form immediately... It made me stop and think, so good on the show for that.

You're German?

I guess "sie" also meaning "you" must add to the confusion.

 

[fireproof78]

"They" seems a bit awkward though... Plus it causes confusion, you're constantly expecting more than one person until you realize that it is a "singular" they...

Context helps

Yeah. I use singular they daily. It aren't that hard.

Captain's catchphrase". Yeah, we know this is a Star Trek trope.

Why not?

 

[jackoverfull]

Right and because of that, I sometimes forgot about that plot point they are revisiting because the show didn't treat it with any particular level of importance.

i guess they put recaps in the beginnings for a reason...

It was a different planet, designated "Sanctuary Four". Presumably there are at least three more.

So it seems. Not a clever idea.

Yeah its not enough that they can see the ships in the orbit from the planet’s surface

That’s something I hated in recent Star Wars and hate in the new Trek.

Yeah, and apparently the speed of sound is the same as the speed of light, which is infinite...

the speed of light is definitely not infinite (that would be warp 10!), it’s around 300 000 km/s. And they shouldn’t be able to hear sound from objects in space anyway...

 

[NCC-73515]

It's not a secret, just something Adira is keeping private until they feel more comfortable, possibly with themselves. Stamets ( and Culber) are parental figures to Adira, that's why they chose to share.

And at 16, nobody can be expected to fully know themselves yet

 

[donners22]

I didn't like the last episode at all, but loved this one. So many fine character moments (though Detmer was laid on a bit thick), and the plot threads are coming together. It's especially good to see Burnham happy. Loved the moment she had with the kid - I just want to see more of happy, fun Burnham!

I see the bigots are spamming hate on IMDb and no doubt elsewhere for the trans aspect, which I thought was well-handled.

 

[ITDUDE]

Starting at 5 as baseline, Discovery gains +1 for no huge long Burnham speeches, +1 for Detmer getting more than one line, +1 for Manual controls
Then -5 for Burnham AGAIN singlehandedly solving a problem in 5 MIN that the whole PLANET couldn't solve in a 100 years
3/10

 

[Bad Thoughts]

I have not read all the responses but the great secret about Osyraa made no sense, I thought the whole of the Trek universe had a dilithium shortage, right? Is she the only Orion mobster in the quadrant?

I'm not sure that a shortage would preclude hoarding. The Orion's hold might be based on the ability to control whatever resources are available.

 

[Happenstance]

Have the props department just repurposed old phaser models as the new medical scanners?