10
Wow. This is how to do a season finale that ties up all the personal and other plot points from the other episodes of this season.
This is how you do something very much akin to TNG's S5
The Inner Light and really make it hit home as being a real part of STAR TREK and not just an episode that would work in any other Sci Fi/Fantasy anthology series like
Twilight Zone or
Outer Limits.
This was also miles above other similar Trek Franchise episodes like TNG's S6
Tapestry because it involved more than just the main characters and it pulled in and tied together stories from secondary characters they've taken the time to develop and make us care about. It's not just a bunch of 'one and done' guest stars of the week interacting with our Leads; it's secondary characters you know (assuming you've been watching the series of course.)
Loved:
- Pike got to experience the life he and Marie Batel wanted. It's so great the way they SHOWED in full how Pike 'gave Batel (now also a Beholder) the power needed to defeat the Vezda. (And wow, Pike is ascending to 'Kirk' level status because not only does he get his life with Marie Batel, he'll also get to live out a life with Vina on Talos IV in 2266.)
- Spock's explanation of 'dealing with Dimensional space' that lays the groundwork to make the various plot elements work out within the episode.
- The Mind Meld between Kirk and Spock that allows them to pilot the two ships in perfect synch (among other things.)
- Pela's self cut off 'admission' that she once 'hung out' with a 'Time-Travelling Doctor'
(STAR TREK/Doctor WHO crossover confirmed.
)
Nit Picks:
- The degree of Spock's memories Kirk appeared to retain after the Mind Meld. I assume such memories fade over time OR Spock still has ways of not sharing everything as one would think that after that Kirk would remember that Sarek is Spock's father and Amanda is Spock's mother just a few years later in TOS S2
Journey To Babel.
- Didn't really care for Spock's "One day we may serve of the same ship..." bit. Less blatant foreshadowing is more in my book, and this was unnecessary.
And yeah, you can tell that Akiva and Co. were definitely thinking SNW S3 might be the last (and this was obviously written prior to them getting the SNW S4 renewal) - as yeah, it definitely came across as something that would work and was intended as a series finally, especially given that blatant Spock line I mentioned above, the whole "enough for a 5 year mission..." which would move them to 2265 and imply 'more adventures' in case we had no more actual episodes coming; and the way they did the final ship 'Warp Out' sequence.
^^^
So, no - these writers and producers weren't assuming anything was set in stone for this series after Season 3, and especially after the SAG strike.
But, that said - I'm extremely happy we're getting a SNW S4 (10 episodes) and S5 (6 episodes) and my only annoyance at this time is I have to probably wait another year before seeing the next 10 SNW episodes.
So again, a
10 from me and IMO this is how to do something like TNG's S5
The Inner Light (which I know is many a Star Trek TNG fan's favorite, but which I didn't find that good as it could work equally well with no real changes for ANY anthology series) and make it uniquely and DEFINITELY Star Trek.) YMMV.
And overall I have to say S4 really worked for me. There were only two episodes I disliked:
SNW S3 Ep. 2
Wedding Bell Blues to which I gave a
3 because yeah, I didn't need to see Trelane be confirmed as a Q nor John De'Lanice's Q confirmed as his father.
SNW S3 Ep. 4
A Space Adventure Hour to which I gave a
1 as I felt it was laughing at Star Trek (and TOS in particular) and not with it, as a majority of other parodies have done. (And yes, I know others very much disagree and think it was a good parody laughing 'with' Star Trek, but not me.)
The other eight episodes are six
10's one
8 and one
9 so yeah, this was IMO a great season overall for me.
