I wasn't a fan of this episode. I'm not really liking this season overall. I thought we would get more answers about the DMA, and maybe even learn who was behind it, but instead we got another pep talk episode. It seems like if last season was filled with crying every episode-or just about-this season everyone is getting a pep talk.
The episode started off intriguing enough. I loved the cutaways to the crew and was hoping we would get more with them, but instead the episode focused more on Gray and Zora. I don't think either getting development is a bad thing, but I would like to see the bridge crew get the develop first, with many of them, if not all, being with DISCO from day one, or first season rather. The quick little info dumps like Owo gave, similar to Rhys last week, aren't cutting it. It's nice to get that information, but especially in the case of Owo it came at an awkward time.
While watching this episode I was wondering if the writers even had a culprit in mind for the DMA at this point in their creative/writing process. I imagine they are trying to use the DMA as a kind of overarching threat that allows them to delve into their characters and how they are reacting to it, but the issue to me seems that they are repeating themselves or sticking with the same characters going over the same traumas or feelings-without spreading around that misery more. This week, and last, I was thinking we might have gotten two better episodes if Rhys and Owo had been the leads, so they could show them responding to their past traumas by helping instead of giving quick monologues about them.
The series still impresses with its production values and I am liking Burnham's direct command style. This episode was ably directed by Mr. Frakes, and I expected nothing less. I really liked that scene where you really see how small Discovery is, like a speck in the vast darkness of space. I feel a bit bad because the series is giving me what I asked for (in some ways) but not in a way that I think is good, or good enough. There's nothing wrong with focusing on Burnham or Book, however, I think exploring Book's pain and grief, there should be progression (if not realistic, because it's a television series with finite time) and that his phantom father perhaps should've been used to provide another clue to the DMA instead of being another rung on the ladder for Book to pull himself out of the pit of despair.
Not much happened in terms of story progression. Yes, Book's brain provides some clues-which we the audience still are in the dark about-but did we need an hour to really accomplish that? (I did like the mention of the Galactic Barrier, which brought to mind the God Entity from Star Trek V, and then that the culprits were not from this galaxy, which made me think of the Kelvans). Further, the Burnham in peril plot didn't really work because I didn't buy them killing off the character. Again, this is where I think having Owo, Detmer, Nilsson, Bryce, or Rhys for some reason taking command would've upped the suspense. I did like that they put Pollard into the action, though I wasn't that impressed with the scene where she almost lost her life because I thought that one could've put her in more peril, with the hull blowing right before the force field kicked in. But it was a decent attempt to use a very underutilized character.
Back to Gray. I was thinking Gray might work as DISCO's Guinan. Right now there's nothing for Gray to do on board the vessel.
Agree with most of this. In particular, they bring in Book to be the quirky extra character (as well as a love interest) but they haven’t even fleshed out the bridge crew yet. Do that first and you don’t need quirky extra characters.