This is a non-spoiler review of Star Trek Discovery season 2, episode 2, titled New
Eden. And to start, I’m going with the controversial opinion that I liked it.
Star Trek Discovery has continued its second season with another episode that draws on
the core concepts of mystery rather than conflict, and New Eden made for a strong follow up from
episode one. It’s reassuring to see that the new lighter tone has been maintained for
more than a single hour. Before the opening intro, the teaser establishes
a mystery that needs investigating without any added gravity or drama. The questions
the opening poses are enough to motivate the crew to action, and by proxy the audience
and it was done well. The Discovery finds a colony that shouldn’t exist and what’s
more, as the episode progresses, a conflict between Starfleet policies and morality is
brought up. A familiar stance for Star Trek Discovery, but in the past it has felt rather
forced with characters being made to decide seemingly between two evils where here the
moral quandary posed is more nuanced and the arguments both made from a place of compassion.
There are a lot of questions brought up as the episode continues on, both that are relevant
to the current situation and answered in the show as well as longer form episodes that
contribute to the greater narrative unfolding. Character arcs are continuing to develop,
with Stamets still penduluming between emotions and Anthony Rapp does an excellent job making
an empathetic character, even when Stamet’s clearly frustrated and brushing people off.
Michael Burnham provides the voice of logic throughout the episode, but interestingly
enough we see how she copes in a situation where logic alone won’t provide a solution
and this is where Pike’s more experienced approach enforces a more human aspect to the
show. We are beginning to see that Burnham has learned from her actions in the past,
and I doubt we’ll ever see her blatantly disobey orders ever again, at least without
the ability to argue her case. Though she really needs to work on her interpersonal
skills, they seriously suck. Saru also gets a chance to show that authoritative
side of himself that we saw emerge in the ending of season one and I do feel that he’d
make a good captain, or at least a very capable officer who feels comfortable in charge of
a vessel and crew. In terms of continuity, the episode makes
references to pre first contact history and nothing seems out of place and we get allusions
to the forlorn state we find Pike in when he was first introduced in “Cage”. If
anything though, this episode enforces my belief that something colossal HAS to happen
to nerf the mycelial network to end Spore Drive travel as the restrictions placed on
it by the Federation alone wouldn’t be enough. We get some old fashioned away team action,
but this time it strongly follows those episodes of TNG where the crew would have to blend
in to a society and hide their technological origins, much more like the Starfleet I know.
It’s also good to see that alongside the staple few characters, the rest of the senior
staff are beginning to get their backstory’s fleshed out which should hopefully lead to
some developed characters with several members provided with opportunities to demonstrate
their skills and show they’re more than just helmsman and away team member three.
Tilly’s incident and its repercussions, along with Stamets lingering trepidation about
the spore drive combine with the overall theme of this episode to show that religion is indeed
a focal point of this season. It did come off as a bit science verses religion, but
the point I’d make based on past Star Trek is why does it have to be one or the other?
There certainly is a lot of coincidence in this episode with the timings of events, but
rather than just being the McGuffin to address or resolve, it instead becomes a central theme,
prompting questions such as is there a motivation we can’t see behind the red bursts and if
so, what kind? It points out how frequently humans ascribe motivation and intent to events
that could be chance and on re-watching, I found myself noting every time a character
did so. One criticism I did have for this episode
on viewing a second time is that the pace was rather rapid, even during scenes where
a more sedate, conversational tone might have helped, not really slowing down until the
end. In fact, with the overall nature of this episode, a calmer approach may have benefitted
the episode more than the action that surges from one scenario to the next, giving even
discussions a hurried tone. That being said, at no point was I lost during the narrative
but I did miss some lines here and there. The humour continues in the show, mostly centred
on Tilly and I did find myself smiling at some of the jokes. How did she obtain caffeine
in sickbay? And of course she did. Though I do hope they don’t push it too far with
her, I still want to see development from the Command Training Program.
Overall, the second episode, more so than the first even, has allayed my fears that
Discovery is going to turn its back on its new direction and I’m enjoying this new
plot, although we have yet to see Spock, the Klingons or Empress 31, so I do expect it
to dip its head back below the waves, let’s just hope Discovery remembers to come up for
air. I nailed that metaphor, like a Star Trek crewman.
Thanks for watching this spoiler free review but just before I go, spoiler alert for the
last minute or so. What do you think of the idea that Spock committed himself to a psyche
ward? My knee-jerk reaction is to be like, oh so he’s crazy is he? But we haven’t
seen the facility, his reasoning or even him at all, so for now, I’m going to withhold
judgment. Also, the Prime Directive coming into play
in such a way was a nice addition, the colony is pre-warp, but they’re humans, displaced
by alien intervention. It’s a smart question to pose to the audience as well as the crew,
the kind that encourages debate. So what do you think on that too? Contact them, take
them, leave them or is there a middle ground? As for protecting them from the radiation
ridden asteroids, well if they can prove that that wasn’t a natural occurrence, then Prime
Directive doesn’t apply. But need it apply at all considering that the colony’s presence
was not by choice it seems. Anyway, real finish this time, thanks again,
I’ve been Ric and I’ll see you next time, Goodbye.