Monday 23 October 2017

Star Trek: Discovery — Episode 6 — Lethe

23rd October, 2017.

Can I make a confession?

Right now?

I’m feeling very tired.   After all, I was up at four, this morning: posting today’s Daily Teaser, and getting ready for work.

But I didn’t want to get to bed, early, tonight … 

Without catching a TV show.

And then telling you about it.

Yes … that’s right … 

I’ve watched another episode of Star Trek: Discovery.

~≈◊≈~


Episode 6Lethe — opens showing us Ambassador Sarek (James Frain) heading off to a seriously important peace conference with a pair of breakaway Klingon nobles.

Only to discover that his co-piot is a member of an ultra-orthodox Vulcan group that seriously disapproves of humans: and wants to make sure their one Vulcan ally is killed.

His only hope?

Is his far away ward, Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green), stationed on the USS Discovery.

Many years ago?   He’d performed a Vulcan mind meld on Michael … leaving them permanently linked.

Handy, when you need to be found … 

~≈◊≈~

Now … 

Good … ?

I don’t know that I’m going to say Lethe is.

No, I tell a lie.   Lethe is a good episode: although, thus far, I think I prefer earlier episodes: episode three and four being particular favourites.

Saying that?

The episode does show us more details of Sarek, one of Star Trek’s abiding figures, and his relationship with his adoptive daughter: and, indirectly with his son.

And also adds detail to the Klingons.

I don’t know if you ever read John M Ford’s The Final Reflection, a Star Trek spin-off novel first published in 1984: long before Star Trek: The Next Generation and other members of the Trek universe were released.

In fact, I think I’ve read — somewhere — that a lot of the Next Generation staffers were influenced by it,in writing Klingon-centred episodes of the show.

I think it’s influenced Discovery, too.

Again, that whole idea of the Klingons as an honour bound, but very fractious people, having pro- and anti-Federation factions, seems very reminiscent of The Final Reflection.

Not only that?   But the term Black Fleet, used by T’K’uvma in the first episodes to describe a Klingon Valhalla?

Straight out of The Final Reflection.

Frankly?

I’m looking forward to the next episode of Star Trek: Discovery.

I want to see more of these Klingons.

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