It was okay, but no great shakes for me.

Aside from the B&W gimmick, this was probably the least SF Trek has been for a while - it’s basically someone wanting to do a WW2 Nazi/Resistance movie and selling it with the film noir scheme. I wish it had leaned more into the crime aspects of noir.

I did wonder about the obvious plot holes: why the D7 never detected the shuttle, how they managed to get an ID card for Uhura despite her making up her alias apparently on the spot, or how the EMP didn’t fry the shuttle’s systems, too. Also, why Kor’s makeup reminded me of Tuvix, and why he didn’t press harder knowing she was lying about not knowing about colour or not recognising the Starfleet symbol. He had pretty much all he needed to know. Some of these you can handwave away, some of these you can squint it through, some ask for at least some explanation.

I’ve never liked the idea of Hodgkin’s Law of Parallel Planetary Development, and I like the doppelgänger equivalent less. The coincidence of Una looking like Nevette is bad enough, but that Nevette happens to be the head of the resistance and the collaborators and a double agent best placed to move the plot along? Too much for the “you should get the audience to only buy into one implausible thing” plot rule.

Annotations for 4x04 up at: https://startrek.website/post/43372189

Thanks, will add those in

Annotations for 4x03 up at: https://startrek.website/post/43096604

Uhura’s doing what Pike recognised her ability for in SNW: “Subspace Rhapsody” - a sort of soothing presence that helps the crew communicate together and holds it together. The character’s always been a naturally empathetic person. Kirk’s realising that more clearly now.

Annotations for 4x02 are up at: https://startrek.website/post/42835945

Annotations for 4x01 up at: https://startrek.website/post/42540204

Don’t get me wrong - I’m glad SNW is back, but the opener was a little meh - not least because it was predictable in the extreme.

The moment Spock reveals that they’ve travelled back to the Sol system 65 million years ago it becomes all very convenient and the predestination paradox possibility immediately rears its head.

Because, why would a solar storm light years away throw them back to Sol? And 65 million years ago is immediately obvious to any kid with a passing fancy for dinosaurs as the Cretaceous, which probably means there’s going to be a link to the extinction event. The need for and presence of iridium in the plot reinforces that, because one of the things we know about the KT boundary is the unusual presence of iridium.

(I won’t go into nitpicking the science in this one because Trek’s hold on science has been tenuous at best and this episode was more tenuous than most)

But even if you don’t pick up on that bit, what clinches it in the end is when Spock reveals there is a fifth planet between Mars and Jupiter. Although this detail really should have been made known earlier when he initially scanned the system since it’s a pretty unusual feature for Sol and the only reason it wasn’t is because it would give away the game too soon.

Because the moment you have that bit of info, you know how the rest of the episode has to play out - and it should be obvious to every officer on the bridge, not just Pike. Hell, every Earth officer at least should know what’s going on since they should have more than a passing familiarity with their home system. So Pike’s pronouncement that there is no fifth planet in their time lands as less of a dun-dun-dun reveal than it is a “No shit, Sherlock.”

Also, the pile-on consequences were a bit much, I think. Being involved in the creation of the Asteroid Belt is one thing, and sure, I can even buy the distress buoy paradox, but to put the creation of the solar storm and the extinction of the dinosaurs on top of that is over egging it.

There are cute character bits I enjoyed. Seeing dinosaurs is always a joy. The three-woman landing party was fun, and Saffron Burrows’ performance as a complex antagonist was superb.

Cade S’sha’s presence was a bit superfluous, since she had absolutely nothing to do except be an asshole to Uhura, and one wonders if her introduction would have been better served in an episode where she was more of a focus, or she should at least have been given some role in the plot.

It wasn’t a bad episode, but it wasn’t a great one to roll out the new season.

Tamza. Supposed to be a dead language by the 32nd century.

Sam was using it to say hi to people on her first day (SFA: “Kids These Days”) and Genesis was the only one who knew the language, so that’s how they became friends.

Goddamnit, I did make the mistake in my draft but after double checking I thought I removed it from my notes. Thanks.

Annotations for 1x10 are up at: https://startrek.website/post/36717083

Correct, but the messages go back 2 years as also stated, so he may be 21 at the outside (nearly 22).

You may be right! Thanks!

Annotations for 1x09 are up at: https://startrek.website/post/36408558

Annotations for 1x08 are up at: https://startrek.website/post/36104352

She felt like testing the impact door.

Annotations for 1x07 are up at: https://startrek.website/post/35797552

Thanks - I forgot to write the reference down.

Annotations of 1x06 are up at: https://startrek.website/post/35489042

Thanks!