Spoilers Star Trek: Discovery 4x08 - "All In"

[CorporalCaptain]

The editing and camerawork gave us an unfair advantage when it came to spotting them, and we wouldn't have known what was going on in the scene if we couldn't see what they were doing. And they're in deep space, in the distant future, in an alien casino run by an alien on an alien planet. Surely there's never been a more suitable occasion for space cards.

The problem was not whether it was a suitable occasion in-universe. The problem was that as a result of the situation there was no drama whatsoever.

You make the point that it was space poker in the future in deep space with aliens on an alien planet, with space poker cards, yet after all that they use the terms "straight" and "flush" for what reason exactly? At least Battlestar Galactica got it right that, if you are going to do space poker, then you go all in with the space poker hand names (see what I did there?).

And the "twist" regarding the game also does not stand up to scrutiny. They're in a place where their tech is screened out and not allowed, yet Michael was able to smuggle some critical tech in after all and the security is so lax it can't even spot her planting it. Whatevs.

 

[Ray Hardgrit]

I'm not sure what you mean about there not being any drama. There wasn't supposed to be any in the scene they were cheating because it was about the two of them having fun together as a team one last time, and all the drama at the end comes from Book being given one last chance, and the two betting everything on the cards they've been dealt. Space cards doesn't change any of that.

They use the terms "straight" and "flush" because space poker either evolved from Earth poker or the universal translator is trying to keep things simple. (Looking at the cards it seems like it basically is Earth poker).

They did say that their tech has to be checked in, so it is strange that they were able to sneak their tracking device inside. It's a tiny device that can go invisible though and we've seen Captain Kirk go through the entire Klingon justice system with a tracker hidden on him the whole time, so there's precedent for trackers being ironically hard to detect. And their security sucks at spotting things, that's why they hired Book and Tarka.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

They use the terms "straight" and "flush" because space poker either evolved from Earth poker or the universal translator is trying to keep things simple. (Looking at the cards it seems like it basically is Earth poker).

Uh huh. Sure.

 

[dupersuper]

I regard to the Voth, I just figure that Chuckles doesn't know what he's talking about and that instead of evolving to their current form on Earth and then spreading to the stars from there, a different species (Preservers, Progenitors, what have you) took some Hadrosaurs from Earth before the K/T extinction event

Yeah, that's always been my assumption.

Yes, he knew they were working together to catch the cheater. He was the the one who asked them to do it.

He asked Book to, and Book did (with a slight assist from Michael that he asked for). The cheating at the poker game was just she and Book agreeing that these Emerald Chain baddies shouldn't get it, and the owner turning a blind eye (likely because he likes Michael and Book, possibly also because he agreed with them).

 

[CorporalCaptain]

The cheating at the poker game was just she and Book agreeing that these Emerald Chain baddies shouldn't get it, and the owner turning a blind eye (likely because he likes Michael and Book, possibly also because he agreed with them).

Or we're not supposed to notice or mind the inconsistency.

 

[dupersuper]

Or we're not supposed to notice or mind the inconsistency.

I really don't see one...

 

[jackoverfull]

Captain Kirk go through the entire Klingon justice system with a tracker hidden on him the whole time

hidden in plain sight!

 

[Tuskin38]

One of the unseen face cards was a borg queen apparently. From the Star Trek Cruise

 

[WarpTenLizard]

The rolling Tribble was the highlight for me. On the whole I enjoyed this episode.

My one gripe is Michael, as usual, making sure not to say the obvious thing that might actually matter. In this case, the fact that destroying the DMA so hastily could bring down the wrath of its builders even worse. No, instead she goes with "you'll ruin your career." This habit of hers has officially landed Michael as my third least favorite captain, behind only the purple guy from "Prodigy" and Archer.

 

[hbquikcomjamesl]

I would say that the weakest part of the episode has to be the fight sequence. Shades of VOY: "Tsunkatse" and TNG: "Code of Honor" (albeit without the WWE crossover or the racism, respectively). And you still don't talk about Fight Club.

Nor do I care for the script's outright buy-in to the organized casino gambling position that card-counting (which is nothing more than skillful play) is a crime. (Organized casino gambling, indeed all forms of organized gambling, particularly state lotteries, is itself nothing more than a swindle.)

But there was plenty of tension, and I appreciated the shapeshifter (Book and Tarka are apparently rather well-read to know about the Founders), the shapeshifter's morphing into a panicky tribble at one point, and indeed, the whole business of a shapeshifter in a casino (anybody else being constantly bombarded by Morongo ads?) And I also appreciated the business with Mazaro referring to the Armus.

 

[Tuskin38]

And I also appreciated the business with Mazaro referring to the Armus.

Huh I completely missed that.

Or forgot.