Spoilers Star Trek: Strange New Worlds 3x08 - "Four-And-A-Half Vulcans"

[tomalak301]

The fatal flaw at its core is that the episode can’t decide who it wants to focus on. And in doing so, it ends up not doing much of anything.

First of all - this needed to be a La’an-focused story. Out of everyone, hers had the most story potential to explore. Everyone else was varying levels of diminishing returns. You refocus the episode around her, most of everything falls into place. As it stands, everything happens too fast.

There were times when DVDs were a thing and you would watch the special features and get to the deleted scenes. There were quite a few Deleted scenes where I wish they had left in for numorous movies and shows. That's what this episode felt like now that I'm thinking about it. In this episode somewhere was an interesting story that could have really delved into characters (Like La'An) and one of the big no nos is solving an issue or problem off screen. How was this plot of an episode where you have four people turn into Vulcans and to turn them back it happened after a commercial break? It felt like this episode was trying too hard to be funny and forgot it was an episode of Star Trek. Looking at it, it didn't really have much to say and what it did say wasn't enough.

 

[Char Kais]

Regarding biological essentialism:


The ability of Vulcans to suppress their emotions is rooted in biology:

Mesiofrontal cortex

The mesiofrontal cortex was an area of the Vulcan brain, responsible for the suppression of emotions. In 2372, The Doctor detected a neurochemical imbalance in Lieutenant Tuvok's mesiofrontal cortex, after a mind meld with Lon Suder. This imbalance affected Tuvok's ability to suppress his...

memory-alpha.fandom.com

The mesiofrontal cortex was an area of the Vulcan brain, responsible for the suppression of emotions.

Meld (episode)

Tuvok is plagued by the senselessness of a murder aboard Voyager. In Chez Sandríne, Tom Paris offers to make a pool game with Harry Kim "interesting" by betting one week's worth of replicator rations on the outcome of the game, but Ricky warns Kim that Paris is hustling him. Instead, Paris...

memory-alpha.fandom.com

The Doctor diagnoses Tuvok with a neurochemical imbalance in his mesiofrontal cortex, the psychosuppression center of his brain. The Doctor temporarily disables Tuvok's emotional control hoping to shock his emotional suppression systems into functioning again.

 

[Gepard]

I found it odd that these “instant Vulcans” seemed more like they came from Planet Remulak, especially Pike.

I did not care for Mount's Vulcan voice.

Most of the time the characterization and performance reminded me more of Sheldon than the Vulcans we know.

 

[Captain Jollydark]

As soon as I saw Doug the Vulcan, I was expecting the Spock/Doug high-five scene that the Season 3 trailer promised me. Sadly, it did not appear. Either it was edited out in the final cut or only filmed for the trailer.

It occurs after the credits.

 

[Kamen Rider Blade]

It felt like the real Vulcans are far more mellow & chill while the artificial Vulcans were amplifying the worst aspects of ST:ENT Vulcans.

They all go off the "Deep End" in some way and it takes normal people to bring them back.

Spock being ½ Vulcan, ½ Human is way over emphasized as a "Bad Thing" when it actually is a good aspect IMO.

Being able to see the other side of your Species is a blessing, not a curse.

 

[Noname Given]

As soon as I saw Doug the Vulcan, I was expecting the Spock/Doug high-five scene that the Season 3 trailer promised me. Sadly, it did not appear. Either it was edited out in the final cut or only filmed for the trailer.

Go back and fast forward past the end credits of the episode. There is a whole extra scene you missed.

 

[Captain Jollydark]

It felt like the real Vulcans are far more mellow & chill while the artificial Vulcans were amplifying the worst aspects of ST:ENT Vulcans.

They all go off the "Deep End" in some way and it takes normal people to bring them back.

Spock being ½ Vulcan, ½ Human is way over emphasized as a "Bad Thing" when it actually is a good aspect IMO.

Being able to see the other side of your Species is a blessing, not a curse.

Well Doug was pretty open to it.

 

[Captain Jollydark]

I'm still processing this one but one of the things I liked very much was the way Doug is so fascinated by Spock's humanity, I mean really really interested and not remotely judgmental.

 

[Kamen Rider Blade]

Well Doug was pretty open to it.

He might be one of those "Weird Outliers" within Vulcan Society.

Most Vulcans might consider him "Strange", especially with having "Human Names" instead of Vulcan names.

 

[firehawk12]

That was... okay? Like better than last week - although this episode confirmed that the documentary was exactly what Beto wanted which makes it even more confusing... dude tried to make a Supersize Me type documentary about Starfleet where he's the subject experiencing Starfleet first hand and really failed at it - but it was just fine. I think if last week was a better episode, I'd probably be more accepting of it, but shenanigan episodes feel like a waste when the season is so short and like maybe only one of the dramatic episodes of the four that we've gotten so far have been good. The balance just seemed better last season.

I also think they should just make Kirk part of the crew instead of coming up with contrivances to keep bringing him on. Literally "I'm in the neighourhood so I decided to drop by" this week. It makes the galaxy seem smaller, in the same way every Star Wars problem is just solved with a Skywalker.

 

[firehawk12]

He might be one of those "Weird Outliers" within Vulcan Society.

Most Vulcans might consider him "Strange", especially with having "Human Names" instead of Vulcan names.

If they want to do another shenanigan episode, Doug meeting Sybok would probably be good for laughs I suppose.

 

[JohnCrichton1999]

Just starting the episode now and was that Patton that was doing the open monologue, or Anson in a weird Vulcan/Remulak accent? Caught me off guard.

 

[Kamen Rider Blade]

Just starting the episode now and was that Patton that was doing the open monologue, or Anson in a weird Vulcan/Remulak accent? Caught me off guard.

Anson

 

[Lakenheath 72]

Another painful episode. I bailed out. I hope that others like it more than me.

 

[JohnCrichton1999]

Ooh Cetacean Ops finally!

 

[indranee]

Is this SNW's "Profit and Lace"?

Watching it, it feels more like the Magnificent Ferengi. But I've not finished it yet...

 

[JohnCrichton1999]

Well not the best episode. Was kind of getting annoyed at Pike sounding more like a Conehead than Vulcan after a bit. Was it hinted that instead of the Vulcan side coming out in La'an, it was instead the Romulan side? She was definitely acting more like a Romulan. And the scene of La'an and Spock doing that choreographed fight transitioning into dance as they were fighting in the various rooms of the Enterprise with the spotlight on them was pretty clever, though it started to once again almost feel like a play or musical. Well anyways I'm giving it a generous 7. This season has been odd with the back and forth of drama to light comedy. I hope Season 4 does better, but I'm not that upset with 3 like others are. I'm just accepting it for what it is for now. Still far better than Discovery and Picard seasons 1 and 2.

 

[thribs]

A very stupid episode but rather enjoyable. I could watch a spin off series of Vulcan Pike.
Seeing a live action version of Cetacean Ops was the highlight.

 

[thribs]

I also think they should just make Kirk part of the crew instead of coming up with contrivances to keep bringing him on. Literally "I'm in the neighourhood so I decided to drop by" this week. It makes the galaxy seem smaller, in the same way every Star Wars problem is just solved with a Skywalker.

Yeah, I don’t get their obsession with having Kirk with them nearly every episode. If they want to use him, have him completely separate from Pike’s crew; doing his own thing. Have him visit Bones or something.

 

[Enterprise is Great]

It was more like that La’an’s Augment ancestry was coming out which makes sense.

Anyway I loved this episode except for Mount sounding like a Conehead. He was the most irritating of the bunch with that voice.

Also everyone but La’an reverting to human offscreen was weird and such an odd choice. Did the episode run too long and they cut scenes? I didn’t like that but not enough to hurt my love for the episode.

I was surprised that Kirk showed up as I had no idea he was back. It was nice seeing the beginning of the Kirk/Scotty friendship.

Doug was the coolest Vulcan ever after Spock (and T’Pol) or course. Nice to see he was not a jerk like 99.9% of Vulcans seen in Star Trek. The after credits scene was a hoot and a half.

9/10