Oh yeah, she's an utterly terrible character.
I'm done with this anyway, managed to watch about 20 minutes of the new series and I can't put any more time in. I think it's only Anson Mount who kept me going through season 2.
New Star Trek series - 2017
- Thread starter Spit
- Start date
Oh yeah, she's an utterly terrible character.
I'm done with this anyway, managed to watch about 20 minutes of the new series and I can't put any more time in. I think it's only Anson Mount who kept me going through season 2.
Soldato
I wathced the first 2 episodes while I was away with work, but haven't caught up since then..
Soldato
Gonna get to this one earlier than last week for @uvarvu, since you seem to like these 
3x08 - The Sanctuary
3x08 - The Sanctuary
1) It's a Frakes episode so maybe, just maybe, it'll have something that elevates it.
2) Pointless recap is pointless.
3) Pointless gripe about pointless recap being pointless is pointless.
4) !Georgiou
5) Some truth bombs getting dropped by Culber.
6) And a witty line as well - "The early stages of brain dysfunction will feel manageable. 'What was I just doing?' 'Where did I bury that last body?'"
7) Welp, here's Burnham to ruin my good time.
8) Aw, Burnham's upset that !Georgiou (who, I feel the writers need reminding, isn't 'her' Georgiou) is dismissing her. Oh dear, how sad, never mind.
9) Book all breathless, needs to get home. So here's where the actual plot starts.
10) Emerald Chain, Book's home planet, blah blah, everything is terrible.
11) Briefing Vance. SW-esque robots in foreground.
12) Exposition/backstory from Book.
13) More exposition from Vance.
14) Saru with a plan that in a better series than this would actually be a smart move. In this one, it comes off as simply being the illumination around the sign that says "PLOT INCOMING! PLOT INCOMING!"
15) Vance with justifiable reservations and urges caution. Burnham wearing that look that screams "I'm gonna do something dumb today, tee hee!"
16) Back where we were a couple of episodes ago.
17) Osyraa, presumably. And her highly impractical fingernails.
18) Witless, badly-acted dialogue.
19) Segueing into witless, badly-acted execution scene.
20) Okay, while the intro drones on...so far, so terrible. They appear to have brought Osyraa's nephew Tolor (the guy running the scrapyard from a fortnight ago) back this week in order to kill him in a gruesome fashion and show just how Terribly Evil™ Osyraa is. Big whoop, think we probably already figured out that she was the main villain for this part of the story given how it's mentioned that she's the villain every God damned time her name is brought up.
21) Saru and Tilly doing an Aaron Sorkin-style walk 'n' talk, but made futuristic with a hologram.
22) Linus as comic relief even when not on-screen
23) Oh, that's kinda fun. Saru has his acting XO working on what he should say when they make a spore jump.
24) This is why I think Tilly as XO might actually work. It allows for Saru to be, for lack of a better term, humanised. Still gonna have to get her a promotion up from Ensign, but with this said it's not the first time we've seen an odd command chain in Trek history. By the time of the sixth film the Enterprise-A had three characters onboard who held the rank of Captain. Kirk, busted down from Admiral at the end of the 4th film. Spock, promoted to Captain between the first and second films. Scotty, promoted to 'Captain of Engineering' to run the department on the USS Excelsior transwarp testbed in the third film.
25) Door open, flickering light playing on characters faces. Yep, it's a Frakes episode
26) Stamets and Tal have done some figuring out. Burnham will be annoyed about not getting to be the hero.
27) The Burn started at the Verubin Nebula (dun dun DUUUUUNNN).
28) There's a signal coming from the nebula (dun dun DUUUUUNNN).
29) It's deliberate (dun dun DUUUUUNNN okay I'll stop doing that now).
30) And it is indeed the lullaby. If you hadn't long since figured out that the lullaby was entirely Burn-related, then you might really be the target audience for this show
31) Saru's on to something.
32) Tal picking up what Saru's putting down.
33) Federation distress signal sounds like a familiar/reused Trek sound effect but I can't place it right now.
34) Stamets using the wrong pronouns for Tal, and is about to get an earful.
35) Yep. A fairly restrained earful, as it turns out.
36) Pausing a moment. I'm guessing that this bit is going to provoke some pretty witless debate in Trek fandom, and I'm going to throw my 2p in before it all gets really started. Tal didn't go all Princess Stampyfoot™. They didn't rage about people misgendering them even when that person had absolutely no malicious intent. They just respectfully asked to be addressed by the pronouns that they preferred, and Stamets is fine with that. Hell, by STD standards it wasn't even a particularly hamfisted way of getting it into the episode. The only surprise is that the conversation between the characters hasn't already been had given how Tal has been on the ship a few weeks by this point. But that's a minor quibble.
37) Ah, there we go. They never told anyone other than Gray before. Minor quibble from 36) dealt with. Yep, it's definitely a Frakes episode
38) Show takes a nosedive as Burnham returns to the screen. I was enjoying the break from her.
39) Exposition from Book.
40) SMG/Burnham/both sucking the life and warmth out of this scene.
41) Meanwhile, on the bridge.
42) Detmer has had Engineering make her console PTSD-proof. Smart move.
43) Still think her and Owosekun are boinking each other.
44) That's a resounding "WTF?!" from the bridge bunnies for attempt #1 at a "let's go" catchphrase. Better luck next time Saru.
45) Jumping out from within the barrier around Fed HQ. Didn't they leave the barrier to do that last week? Not that I guess they'd have needed to anyway, given that we've never seen the spore drive create any kind of backwash/space turbulence. But consistency might be a nice idea.
46) Popping out in orbit over Kwejian.
47) No response to hails. So Burnham gets hold of Book's hand because of course she's a comforting, nurturing presence and not at all a complete waste of perfectly good oxygen.
48) Osyraa's ship the Veridian incoming. Veridian is the name of a star system in the Beta quadrant, notably the scene for the climax of the seventh film "Generations" where the Enterprise-D gets wrecked and Kirk has a bridge dropped on him. I offer this purely because I know it, not because I think it's at all plot relevant
49) Saru handing orders to Burnham. Bets on her obeying?
50) Back to Sickbay, !Georgiou snarking. Mind, I'd be snarking too if the best medical care I could look forward to was Dr Pollard who - lest we forget - as late as Season 2 still didn't know anything about Kelpian physiology. An entirely useful trait on a ship with a Kelpian in the command crew
51) One suspects this scene was just an excuse to put Michelle Yeoh in something form-fitting.
52) Oooh, future medical tech. Hopefully that and Culber being on hand will make up for Pollard's shocking gaps in her medical knowledge.
53) Adira Tal playing cello.
54) With the skills learnt from a past host - Kasha, who was the Tal symbiont's first host I believe.
55) Adira not communicating with Gray at the moment the way that they were.
56) This is playing like a scene from a different, rather better show. STD keeps doing this.
57) Tilly briefing Saru. Ryn (the antennae-less Andorian) barging in and immediately has the wind taken out of his sails by the acting XO.
58) Down on the planet.
59) VFX team go into overdrive.
60) Incoming 'welcoming party'. Predictably.
61) This would be the guy who is Book's 'brother'.
62) Back in Sickbay. Spot of panic going on.
63) More VFX work.
64) Exposition brought to you by Kyheem and Book.
65) A slightly better grade of witless dialogue.
66) The cruiser Veridian has warped into orbit. I like how in Trek warping in or out that close to a planet is dangerous except when it isn't
67) Osyraa showing how unfazed she is by not blocking the Disco from scanning. Bond villain stupidity alive and well in the STD universe.
68) Saru wants Burnham back aboard. Personally, I think she's probably better off away from the ship. Fewer chances of screwing anything up. But, not as though she's going to obey an order from Saru anyway.
69) Eh, what the hell. Gets a this week because Frakes.
70) Osyraa is played by Janet Kidder, who so far seems to be in a battle with SMG over who can be the worst actress in this series.
71) I would very much like this scene to end.
72) Cutting between planet surface and the bridge. A Frakesian touch that helps keep the pace up.
73) Yep, proper Bond villain stupidity. Now she's giving Saru five minutes.
74) Bryce hasn't gotten hold of Burnham, so at least she can't receive an order from Saru that she'll disobey
75) Boringly predictable bit between Kyheem and Osyraa over comm link.
76) *strangled screaming*
77) I do hope that the Federation upgraded the Disco's shields and weapons with the refit.
78) While all the excitement is going on, !Georgiou hacking a look at the medical scan results. Because [reasons].
79) Culber rocking up to prevent her from doing anything rash.
80) Ryn finally in helpful mood, wanting to help Book.
81) Nilsson pointing out the flaw in the 'return fire' plan.
82) Tilly taking that particular ball and running with it. Because, of course, Book's ship is docked. And that's not a Starfleet or Federation ship.
83) Yep, called it. Though giving the job to Detmer seems a little...risky, as far as her mental health goes? Or maybe it'll help her. Feels like a moment that Culber should have been called for an opinion on, if they could do it without trashing the pace.
84) DS9 did this bit better with mirror universe Defiant against mirror universe Klingon battleship
85) Grudge!
86) Book able to spot his ship up from that distance, eh? Sure. Okay. Makes perfect sense
87) Rumble.
88) I just paused here to check something, and yep - think we can score one against the fight choreographer here, because that palm heel strike from SMG went nowhere near her opponent
89) Detmer giving Ryn a pep talk. Not entirely certain it's the best time to be doing that, but what the hell.
90) And she's going 'full manual', just to ramp up the tension some more.
91) Dynamic entrance from Kyheem.
92) Witless dialogue.
93) More Bond villain stupidity, alongside a spot of Bond hero stupidity as well.
94) Detmer and Ryn succeed in ruining Osyraa's day, and the Veridian's paintjob.
95) And she's reduced to swearing retribution from her busted up ship. No tropes left untouched this week!
96) The writers clearly suffering "Burnham is the hero!" withdrawal, so here she goes being the One True Light and Saviour.
97) Call-back to events on Kaminar.
98) Saru has settled on a catchphrase. Bridge bunnies approve.
99) And of course Burnham's plan worked. Because she's the hero.
100) Mess hall. Detmer bragging to the bridge bunnies about going full manual. Cute.
101) Tilly reassuring Ryn.
102) Bit of exposition/backstory.
103) Ryn spills the secret to Tilly - the Emerald Chain is running out of usable dilithium.
104) Family moment with Book and Kyheem. Brief appearance from Linus
105) Book will tell Kyheem the story behind his new name once the writers have worked it out.
106) Down in Engineering, Tal asleep at their console. Culber checking in.
107) Cuteness abounds.
108) Swiftly knackered by a return to Burnham and Book.
109) Well, that was unfortunate. Would have preferred the episode to end on the Engineering scene.
110) "Next time..." Oh, please say that this is how they write !Georgiou out...
2) Pointless recap is pointless.
3) Pointless gripe about pointless recap being pointless is pointless.
4) !Georgiou
5) Some truth bombs getting dropped by Culber.
6) And a witty line as well - "The early stages of brain dysfunction will feel manageable. 'What was I just doing?' 'Where did I bury that last body?'"
7) Welp, here's Burnham to ruin my good time.
8) Aw, Burnham's upset that !Georgiou (who, I feel the writers need reminding, isn't 'her' Georgiou) is dismissing her. Oh dear, how sad, never mind.
9) Book all breathless, needs to get home. So here's where the actual plot starts.
10) Emerald Chain, Book's home planet, blah blah, everything is terrible.
11) Briefing Vance. SW-esque robots in foreground.
12) Exposition/backstory from Book.
13) More exposition from Vance.
14) Saru with a plan that in a better series than this would actually be a smart move. In this one, it comes off as simply being the illumination around the sign that says "PLOT INCOMING! PLOT INCOMING!"
15) Vance with justifiable reservations and urges caution. Burnham wearing that look that screams "I'm gonna do something dumb today, tee hee!"
16) Back where we were a couple of episodes ago.
17) Osyraa, presumably. And her highly impractical fingernails.
18) Witless, badly-acted dialogue.
19) Segueing into witless, badly-acted execution scene.
20) Okay, while the intro drones on...so far, so terrible. They appear to have brought Osyraa's nephew Tolor (the guy running the scrapyard from a fortnight ago) back this week in order to kill him in a gruesome fashion and show just how Terribly Evil™ Osyraa is. Big whoop, think we probably already figured out that she was the main villain for this part of the story given how it's mentioned that she's the villain every God damned time her name is brought up.
21) Saru and Tilly doing an Aaron Sorkin-style walk 'n' talk, but made futuristic with a hologram.
22) Linus as comic relief even when not on-screen
23) Oh, that's kinda fun. Saru has his acting XO working on what he should say when they make a spore jump.
24) This is why I think Tilly as XO might actually work. It allows for Saru to be, for lack of a better term, humanised. Still gonna have to get her a promotion up from Ensign, but with this said it's not the first time we've seen an odd command chain in Trek history. By the time of the sixth film the Enterprise-A had three characters onboard who held the rank of Captain. Kirk, busted down from Admiral at the end of the 4th film. Spock, promoted to Captain between the first and second films. Scotty, promoted to 'Captain of Engineering' to run the department on the USS Excelsior transwarp testbed in the third film.
25) Door open, flickering light playing on characters faces. Yep, it's a Frakes episode
26) Stamets and Tal have done some figuring out. Burnham will be annoyed about not getting to be the hero.
27) The Burn started at the Verubin Nebula (dun dun DUUUUUNNN).
28) There's a signal coming from the nebula (dun dun DUUUUUNNN).
29) It's deliberate (dun dun DUUUUUNNN okay I'll stop doing that now).
30) And it is indeed the lullaby. If you hadn't long since figured out that the lullaby was entirely Burn-related, then you might really be the target audience for this show
31) Saru's on to something.
32) Tal picking up what Saru's putting down.
33) Federation distress signal sounds like a familiar/reused Trek sound effect but I can't place it right now.
34) Stamets using the wrong pronouns for Tal, and is about to get an earful.
35) Yep. A fairly restrained earful, as it turns out.
36) Pausing a moment. I'm guessing that this bit is going to provoke some pretty witless debate in Trek fandom, and I'm going to throw my 2p in before it all gets really started. Tal didn't go all Princess Stampyfoot™. They didn't rage about people misgendering them even when that person had absolutely no malicious intent. They just respectfully asked to be addressed by the pronouns that they preferred, and Stamets is fine with that. Hell, by STD standards it wasn't even a particularly hamfisted way of getting it into the episode. The only surprise is that the conversation between the characters hasn't already been had given how Tal has been on the ship a few weeks by this point. But that's a minor quibble.
37) Ah, there we go. They never told anyone other than Gray before. Minor quibble from 36) dealt with. Yep, it's definitely a Frakes episode
38) Show takes a nosedive as Burnham returns to the screen. I was enjoying the break from her.
39) Exposition from Book.
40) SMG/Burnham/both sucking the life and warmth out of this scene.
41) Meanwhile, on the bridge.
42) Detmer has had Engineering make her console PTSD-proof. Smart move.
43) Still think her and Owosekun are boinking each other.
44) That's a resounding "WTF?!" from the bridge bunnies for attempt #1 at a "let's go" catchphrase. Better luck next time Saru.
45) Jumping out from within the barrier around Fed HQ. Didn't they leave the barrier to do that last week? Not that I guess they'd have needed to anyway, given that we've never seen the spore drive create any kind of backwash/space turbulence. But consistency might be a nice idea.
46) Popping out in orbit over Kwejian.
47) No response to hails. So Burnham gets hold of Book's hand because of course she's a comforting, nurturing presence and not at all a complete waste of perfectly good oxygen.
48) Osyraa's ship the Veridian incoming. Veridian is the name of a star system in the Beta quadrant, notably the scene for the climax of the seventh film "Generations" where the Enterprise-D gets wrecked and Kirk has a bridge dropped on him. I offer this purely because I know it, not because I think it's at all plot relevant
49) Saru handing orders to Burnham. Bets on her obeying?
50) Back to Sickbay, !Georgiou snarking. Mind, I'd be snarking too if the best medical care I could look forward to was Dr Pollard who - lest we forget - as late as Season 2 still didn't know anything about Kelpian physiology. An entirely useful trait on a ship with a Kelpian in the command crew
51) One suspects this scene was just an excuse to put Michelle Yeoh in something form-fitting.
52) Oooh, future medical tech. Hopefully that and Culber being on hand will make up for Pollard's shocking gaps in her medical knowledge.
53) Adira Tal playing cello.
54) With the skills learnt from a past host - Kasha, who was the Tal symbiont's first host I believe.
55) Adira not communicating with Gray at the moment the way that they were.
56) This is playing like a scene from a different, rather better show. STD keeps doing this.
57) Tilly briefing Saru. Ryn (the antennae-less Andorian) barging in and immediately has the wind taken out of his sails by the acting XO.
58) Down on the planet.
59) VFX team go into overdrive.
60) Incoming 'welcoming party'. Predictably.
61) This would be the guy who is Book's 'brother'.
62) Back in Sickbay. Spot of panic going on.
63) More VFX work.
64) Exposition brought to you by Kyheem and Book.
65) A slightly better grade of witless dialogue.
66) The cruiser Veridian has warped into orbit. I like how in Trek warping in or out that close to a planet is dangerous except when it isn't
67) Osyraa showing how unfazed she is by not blocking the Disco from scanning. Bond villain stupidity alive and well in the STD universe.
68) Saru wants Burnham back aboard. Personally, I think she's probably better off away from the ship. Fewer chances of screwing anything up. But, not as though she's going to obey an order from Saru anyway.
69) Eh, what the hell. Gets a
this week because Frakes.70) Osyraa is played by Janet Kidder, who so far seems to be in a battle with SMG over who can be the worst actress in this series.
71) I would very much like this scene to end.
72) Cutting between planet surface and the bridge. A Frakesian touch that helps keep the pace up.
73) Yep, proper Bond villain stupidity. Now she's giving Saru five minutes.
74) Bryce hasn't gotten hold of Burnham, so at least she can't receive an order from Saru that she'll disobey
75) Boringly predictable bit between Kyheem and Osyraa over comm link.
76) *strangled screaming*
77) I do hope that the Federation upgraded the Disco's shields and weapons with the refit.
78) While all the excitement is going on, !Georgiou hacking a look at the medical scan results. Because [reasons].
79) Culber rocking up to prevent her from doing anything rash.
80) Ryn finally in helpful mood, wanting to help Book.
81) Nilsson pointing out the flaw in the 'return fire' plan.
82) Tilly taking that particular ball and running with it. Because, of course, Book's ship is docked. And that's not a Starfleet or Federation ship.
83) Yep, called it. Though giving the job to Detmer seems a little...risky, as far as her mental health goes? Or maybe it'll help her. Feels like a moment that Culber should have been called for an opinion on, if they could do it without trashing the pace.
84) DS9 did this bit better with mirror universe Defiant against mirror universe Klingon battleship
85) Grudge!
86) Book able to spot his ship up from that distance, eh? Sure. Okay. Makes perfect sense
87) Rumble.
88) I just paused here to check something, and yep - think we can score one against the fight choreographer here, because that palm heel strike from SMG went nowhere near her opponent
89) Detmer giving Ryn a pep talk. Not entirely certain it's the best time to be doing that, but what the hell.
90) And she's going 'full manual', just to ramp up the tension some more.
91) Dynamic entrance from Kyheem.
92) Witless dialogue.
93) More Bond villain stupidity, alongside a spot of Bond hero stupidity as well.
94) Detmer and Ryn succeed in ruining Osyraa's day, and the Veridian's paintjob.
95) And she's reduced to swearing retribution from her busted up ship. No tropes left untouched this week!
96) The writers clearly suffering "Burnham is the hero!" withdrawal, so here she goes being the One True Light and Saviour.
97) Call-back to events on Kaminar.
98) Saru has settled on a catchphrase. Bridge bunnies approve.
99) And of course Burnham's plan worked. Because she's the hero.
100) Mess hall. Detmer bragging to the bridge bunnies about going full manual. Cute.
101) Tilly reassuring Ryn.
102) Bit of exposition/backstory.
103) Ryn spills the secret to Tilly - the Emerald Chain is running out of usable dilithium.
104) Family moment with Book and Kyheem. Brief appearance from Linus
105) Book will tell Kyheem the story behind his new name once the writers have worked it out.
106) Down in Engineering, Tal asleep at their console. Culber checking in.
107) Cuteness abounds.
108) Swiftly knackered by a return to Burnham and Book.
109) Well, that was unfortunate. Would have preferred the episode to end on the Engineering scene.
110) "Next time..." Oh, please say that this is how they write !Georgiou out...
We-e-e-ell...it was better than the last few episodes, I guess?
Solid direction from Frakes, which made for vastly improved pacing over recent efforts from others. VFX team doing what they do best. The bridge crew getting to say meaningful lines instead of "hailing frequencies open" or "aye, captain". Some nice moments between the crew, between Saru and Tilly, between Stamets and Adira. And the effort to solve the mystery behind the Burn is gathering some momentum.
But Osyraa isn't exactly a vintage Trek villain. Burnham is still Burnham and has to be made into the hero by the story. Lots of dumb predictability in the plot. Some face-meltingly awful dialogue.
Next up is part one of a two-parter (an actual part one this time, not a fake one like the season-opener). Here's hoping that it's goodbye to !Georgiou!
Solid direction from Frakes, which made for vastly improved pacing over recent efforts from others. VFX team doing what they do best. The bridge crew getting to say meaningful lines instead of "hailing frequencies open" or "aye, captain". Some nice moments between the crew, between Saru and Tilly, between Stamets and Adira. And the effort to solve the mystery behind the Burn is gathering some momentum.
But Osyraa isn't exactly a vintage Trek villain. Burnham is still Burnham and has to be made into the hero by the story. Lots of dumb predictability in the plot. Some face-meltingly awful dialogue.
Next up is part one of a two-parter (an actual part one this time, not a fake one like the season-opener
). Here's hoping that it's goodbye to !Georgiou!
Last edited:
Soldato
I stopped watching after the awful Season 1 and even Anson Mount couldn't tempt me back. However, I'm loving your write-ups, JRS. Both incisive and funny. Keep up the good work.
Soldato
You're right, I could indeed have said that and made my post much shorter.
But where would the fun, and cathartic release of pent up snark, be in that?
You're right, I could indeed have said that and made my post much shorter.
But where would the fun, and cathartic release of pent up snark, be in that?
The reviews (including yours) are more entertaining than the show. All the fun of ranting at the show, without having to watch it and get stressed about how bad it is.
Soldato
Genuinely season 2 was better than this in many ways.
This last episode really confirmed the direction its taking lol.
This last episode really confirmed the direction its taking lol.
Soldato
1100 years in the future and they are still discussing pronouns **** OFF KURTZMAN 
Soldato
@JRS have you done these rundowns for every episode? This is literally how I will continue to 'watch' this series
Every episode of this season, and of PIC's first season in that thread.
I can really only think of one, and that's Anson Mount.
Associate
I tried - really tried but this is just awful now.
Soldato
Described it to someone at work today:
Picard is good characters (Data / Riker / Picard) with good actors but rubbish story and script
Discovery is rubbish characters with poor actors and rubbish story and rubbish script
I'm only watching now to find out what the general goings on are in the future
Picard is good characters (Data / Riker / Picard) with good actors but rubbish story and script
Discovery is rubbish characters with poor actors and rubbish story and rubbish script
I'm only watching now to find out what the general goings on are in the future
Soldato
Pretty sure that's schizophrenia, not gender fluid...
Soldato
For the love of...
The Tal symbiont has been in both male hosts and female hosts. So why wouldn't they find sex-specific pronouns a bit weird?
The only amazing thing is that any Trill ends up vaguely sane and well-adjusted once they're several hosts in...
The Tal symbiont has been in both male hosts and female hosts. So why wouldn't they find sex-specific pronouns a bit weird?
The only amazing thing is that any Trill ends up vaguely sane and well-adjusted once they're several hosts in...
There is a human in a symbiotic relationship with a trill so they is perfect.
Should be absolutely nothing to do with sexuality but that's not trendy enough so best make the human a bit trans-y then everyone is happy.
At least no one cried in this episode!
Should be absolutely nothing to do with sexuality but that's not trendy enough so best make the human a bit trans-y then everyone is happy.
At least no one cried in this episode!