Okay, this was MUCH better than last week's. Jonathan Frakes again works his directing magic. This was much more focused and didn't feel like it was dragging.
FINALLY, Saru is back! Every scene with him was a reminder of how sorely he has been missed. And T'Rina has simply been awesome. Tara Rosling has proven to be an excellent casting choice for that role.
Rayner was simply badass here! It is a true shame that we won't get more of him past this season. (Honestly, him and Saru are the MVPs of this series.) My only issue is with him picking Tilly as XO. It didn't make sense in season 3, and it doesn't make sense now, not when there are other people who have been in Starfleet much longer. (How many Lt. Commanders are on the bridge alone? I've lost count.) I get that it's a position and the rank doesn't have to be a high one to be in it, but as a Lt. j.g. she is simply not as experienced an officer as so many other ones around her are. It feels like it disrespects the experience of all the other officers who have been serving much longer. I also get that because she's in the title sequence, they had to insert her in the action on the bridge. But she can be a part of the action (a good part of it, if done right) by simply doing her science stuff at her station. This was one of the things I thought was ridiculous in season 3, and I'm sorry that the writers did it again.
Burnham and Book work well together... I thought it was funny how she noticed his 'flirting' tactic for a diversion. But I really wish the writers could resist the urge for YET ANOTHER pouring of emotions with a TICKING CLOCK. (Attack of the writing room shrink... AGAIN.) At least Burnham bothered to acknowledge that it wasn't the best time for that. (I was genuinely shocked she even had enough professionalism and remembrance of Starfleet training to actually say that.) Hey, writers... maybe you should pay attention to what even the CHARACTER HERSELF said. You couldn't spare us this for JUST ONE EPISODE?!
I was glad we got to learn a bit about the Breen, and they started off well in DISCO... but they have been given a huge disservice these last two episodes. Last week, they can't make up their minds about L'ak. He was an outcast on that ship when we first learn of him, then all of a sudden he is a revered figure, to the point that they follow his wife, who is not even Breen, to possible war. (Given their clear bias against anyone that isn't Breen, this is just too unbelievable.) And this week, they seem to let EVERYONE in the galaxy know that a HUMAN is in charge of a BREEN faction. What happened to the race that was so secretive no one even knew about their physiology? Or the clear xenophobia and disgust they have of other races that has been shown repeatedly this season? I actually preferred them on DS9... mysterious to the point where you don't even know what they are saying.
Overall, it was a good episode that had some things I just found unbelievable. The pacing and tight direction really helped here. I give it an 8.