Spoilers Star Trek: Discovery 5x03 - "Jinaal"

[ToddCam]

Still kind of bored.

If this is the sendoff for Gray, it's probably a good thing. Every single time I thought they might do something interesting with him, they instead did something bland. Not even their breakup was interesting. Oh well.

I don't see the appeal of Moll or L'ak at all. Moll looks like some kind of evil manic pixie dream girl type and I find it conspicuous she is paired with a very made-up male alien that most human beings IRL would not find attractive at all. It's almost never hot guy/ugly alien woman romance.

 

[Firebird]

My drive-by (or warp-by?) thoughts:

The dialogue in this episode was very nicely written. It sounded lively and realistic in ways the show has seemingly avoided in prior seasons.

Wilson was making a meal out of his performance this week and I could not love it and him more.

Rayner is growing on me more and more. He's the kind of energy this cast really needed.

T'Rina and Saru are the most adorable precious blueberries and must be protected at all costs... even despite T'Rina's assertions to the contrary.

All praise to Jeff Russo's score, just as in the past couple episodes. It's taken him seven years, but he's finally stopped blending into the background and is helping to liven up and enhance the show. When they release the season 5 soundtrack, I'll actually be listening to it quite a bit.

In general, Disco season 5 thus far feels like the most vibrant and alive installment of the show yet, while keeping all the other things essential (and some detrimental) to its core identity intact.

 

[El Maestro]

Prepare for revived Shatner Kirk!
(Would fit with the 1701 appearance!)

Am I a bad person if I want this to happen solely so I can watch the fan reaction?

(yes)

 

[Lord Garth]

I don't see the appeal of Moll or L'ak at all. Moll looks like some kind of evil manic pixie dream girl type and I find it conspicuous she is paired with a very made-up male alien that most human beings IRL would not find attractive at all. It's almost never hot guy/ugly alien woman romance.

I won't lie, this is a valid point.

But I'm going to give it more time. It's not something that's really bothering me, but I wouldn't have minded if they drove the Bonnie & Clyde comparison a little further by having L'ak look kind of like a Warren Beatty type.

 

[Amasov]

I don't think I'm fully buying the urgency with this story and I feel the cracks are already starting to show.

Thanks to Fred, Discovery has a copy of the journal, which helped them get two of the clues already.

Even if Moll and L'ak got all of the remaining pieces, they would still need the ones Discovery has in order to complete this puzzle.

 

[Lucky]

This was a good episode, though it didn't live up to the prior two episodes. I did enjoy Ranyer though, he's one of those characters that I think I'll grow to like as the season progresses. I also enjoyed the Sarus scenes with T'Rina. I really like them as a couple. This gets a 7/10 for me.

 

[Galaxy]

Not only do they reference the Dominion War, but Jinal backs up what I've long thought about the 24th Century. They thought they were evolved but they really weren't. During the Dominion War, anyone could've used the Projenator technology that Burnham is looking for as a weapon, and it would've gained them an advantage. Burnham had to prove that Humanity was more evolved in the 32nd Century than it was in the war-torn 24th. To which Burnham says, "We are at peace." But she's not arrogant about it and is realistic about how things could change.

I agree that the Dominion era Federation would have misused the tech, but how does Michael - who ironically stems from a less civilized time - demonstrate that the 32nd Century Federation is any better? I would argue that Picard would have passed the test as well. Now, someone like Admiral Vance I would actually trust with the tech, but we literally had Kovich state the he does not care what happens to people, he just wants the juicy Progenitor tech. Also, the Federation has just come out of a 100 year dark age, that often comes with degradation with society as well.

 

[Lord Garth]

I agree that the Dominion era Federation would have misused the tech, but how does Michael - who ironically stems from a less civilized time - demonstrate that the 32nd Century Federation is any better? I would argue that Picard would have passed the test as well. Now, someone like Admiral Vance I would actually trust with the tech, but we literally had Kovich state the he does not care what happens to people, he just wants the juicy Progenitor tech. Also, the Federation has just come out of a 100 year dark age, that often comes with degradation with society as well.

I don't think Burnham demonstrates the 32nd Century is better per se. I said I think she demonstrates it's less arrogant. Not quite the same thing. She says the Federation is at peace, but it could change. It's matter-of-fact.

It was Picard's arrogance that led Q to fling the Enterprise in front of the Borg Cube, which led to over 35 years of conflict with the Borg. It was the Federation's willingness to challenge the Dominion after they laid claim to an area of space that led to the Dominion War. I haven't seen any such posturing from Burnham since she's been in the 32nd Century and a Captain. I think the first season of DSC taught her a hard lesson.

I think Picard could've passed the test if he had Book at his disposal. Without Book to help, I'm not so sure. I think he wouldn't have harmed the creature, but I don't think he would've been able to make as much progress. He'd have had to have come up with something else.

 

[tomalak301]

I think the best thing about this episode was Culber as Jinaal. He was the right and obvious choice. Other than that, I found this episode kinda boring.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

I'm getting antsy waiting for Moll to get out her lightsaber.

If it can be opened like Reno's why would anyone want it to open like Culber's?

If anyone would be annoyed and figure out how to rejigger their uniform it would be Reno.

 

[Guy Gardener]

I'm getting antsy waiting for Moll to get out her lightsaber.


If anyone would be annoyed and figure out how to rejigger their uniform it would be Reno.

In some parts of the world a policeman cannot give you a speeding ticket unless they are wearing their special magic hat.

Authority comes from the completeness of the uniform.

 

[El Maestro]

Is anyone else getting Project Genesis vibes with the progenitor tech? The way Stamets described it made my wife and I think of Carol and Kirk describing Genesis. Not to imply there’s a connection, more of a “we did this already” thing.

 

[NCC-73515]

Genesis is quite different I think, it makes planets that are "capable of sustaining whatever lifeforms we see fit to deposit on it", and therefore such lifeforms still need to come from somewhere else. It's just a fast way of terraforming, turning a class not-M into class M. But there is the resurrection effect on Spock and the evolution effect on the microbes that turned into worms... maybe a result of the unstable protomatter. Hey perhaps when Kirk's body is exposed he'll return as a kid as well

 

[Lakenheath 72]

It would help the situation to know more why someone wants a particular piece of technology. With the Genesis Device, we know that Dr. Carol Marcus' team was attempting to address the "cosmic problems of population and food supply". With the Progenitors, the representative explained their purpose behind what they did:

You're wondering who we are, why we have done this, how it has come that I stand before you, the image of a being from so long ago. Life evolved on my planet before all others in this part of the galaxy. We left our world, explored the stars, and found none like ourselves. Our civilization thrived for ages, but what is the life of one race, compared to the vast stretches of cosmic time? We knew that one day we would be gone, that nothing of us would survive. So, we left you. Our scientists seeded the primordial oceans of many worlds, where life was in its infancy. The seed codes directed your evolution toward a physical form resembling ours. This body you see before you, which is, of course, shaped as yours is shaped, for you are the end result. The seed codes also contained this message, which we scattered in fragments on many different worlds. It was our hope that you would have to come together in fellowship and companionship to hear this message. And if you can see and hear me, our hope has been fulfilled. You are a monument, not to our greatness, but to our existence. That was our wish, that you too would know life, and would keep alive our memory. There is something of us in each of you, and so, something of you in each other. Remember us.

So, why do Moll and L'ak want this technology, or what do their employers want with this technology? Frankly, none of what Stamets says seems beyond the technology of the 32nd century. I am pretty sure that if we went down the list of what the Progenitors could do, or what Stamets believed that they could do, that we could find an example of another civilization or even the Federation doing in the 900 or so episodes or films of the franchise.

I am developing a concern about this season. Last night, I watched "Bloodlines" and a lot of it seemed familiar as many of its elements were redone in the third season of Picard. Picard has a relationship with
* a woman (Miranda Vigo; Beverly Crusher)
* that woman has a child (Jason Vigo, Jack Crusher)
* the relationship with Picard ends and the mother doesn't include Picard in the raising of the son (in Bloodlines, it makes sense - Jason Vigo is not the son of Picard)
* question of paternity
* son has a criminal background
* son is threatened by an external agency and is used by external agency as part of a larger revenge scheme (the scope is larger in Picard, the whole Federation)
* external threat is resolved
* the relationship between Picard and the son ends well (even though Jason Vigo was not Picard's son, they did depart from each other with a greater respect for the other)

Older Trek did this in one episode; it took new Trek 10 episodes to do the same.

I am concerned that this is what this season of Discovery will become. A 10-episode season which could have been resolved in one hour.

 

[F. King Daniel]

So, why do Moll and L'ak want this technology, or what do their employers want with this technology?

I'm gonna speculate that it's T'Rina who hired them, and Saru's gonna be in a pickle.

 

[Citiprime]

Can the costume designers please make up their minds as to how these uniforms work when they're unzipped?

Even though there's been zippers visible on some of the costumes, I remember reading somewhere during TNG that supposedly Roddenberry's idea for the uniforms were that they're a sort of future clothing that's made from a material that makes them seamless.

That's why in the episode which introduces Ro Laren (Michelle Forbes), there's a weird scene where she takes off her uniform top by splitting the front of it, when the actual seam/zipper for the costume I believe was in the back of it. Also note, in the video below, Ro is able to pull the top off while keeping her combadge on her undershirt.

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So Discovery is actually consistent in their portrayal of how the uniforms can come apart in multiple ways.

 

[Quantum21]

Lol so defensive. It was a simple nitpick about costuming, not an indictment of the show as a whole.

I was simply making light of the usual clueless denouments. Who's defensive now?

I think the best thing about think episode was Culber as Jinaal. He was the right and obvious choice. Other than that, I found this episode kinda boring.

Cruz was excellent. In fact all the acting was, Ian Alexander's best performance yet. Though the bar wasn't especially high.

 

[ananta]

They took the foot off the accelerator, which isn’t a bad thing. A slower, quieter episode, but I still enjoyed it on the whole.

The DS9 references—I’m all for it! Too often that show has felt airbrushed out of history. Any reference to the Dominion war is a win for me. And we finally got to see Slug-o-cola!

Wilson Cruz was fantastic, really felt like a completely different character inhabiting his body. Something that isn’t always easy to pull off (I still have nightmares of Shatner as Janice Lester, I won’t lie). I liked the resolution to this, having to pass a test in order to qualify for the next puzzle piece.

Has there even been a character more devoid of personality than Gray? Thank the Prophets this spells an end to the character, I assume,

Raynor/Tilly worked a charm, I really enjoyed the interplay and Tilly running out of her 20 words genuinely got a laugh for me. I really hope Raynor doesn’t lose his attitude; the show genuinely needs a character like that, something I sorely missed when Michelle Yeoh left.

Saru and T’rina are such a wonderfully understated pairing. Their first tiff reminded me of Odo and Kira’s first fight. I absolutely adore Saru and so pleased to see him happy.

Probably a strong 7 from me.

 

[NCC-73515]

And we finally got to see Slug-o-cola!

And it wasn't slimy

 

[Quantum21]

They took the foot off the accelerator, which isn’t a bad thing. A slower, quieter episode, but I still enjoyed it on the whole.

The DS9 references—I’m all for it! Too often that show has felt airbrushed out of history. Any reference to the Dominion war is a win for me. And we finally got to see Slug-o-cola!

Wilson Cruz was fantastic, really felt like a completely different character inhabiting his body. Something that isn’t always easy to pull off (I still have nightmares of Shatner as Janice Lester, I won’t lie). I liked the resolution to this, having to pass a test in order to qualify for the next puzzle piece.

Has there even been a character more devoid of personality than Gray? Thank the Prophets this spells an end to the character, I assume,

Raynor/Tilly worked a charm, I really enjoyed the interplay and Tilly running out of her 20 words genuinely got a laugh for me. I really hope Raynor doesn’t lose his attitude; the show genuinely needs a character like that, something I sorely missed when Michelle Yeoh left.

Saru and T’rina are such a wonderfully understated pairing. Their first tiff reminded me of Odo and Kira’s first fight. I absolutely adore Saru and so pleased to see him happy.

Probably a strong 7 from me.

Yeah, my rewatch could be termed this way. Weak 7 to a strong 7.

I didn't really mention Saru and T'rina in my opinion, it's almost a given their stuff works at this point.