Star Trek Discovery — Series 4 Episode 4 — All is Possible — A Review

15th April, 2022.

Right … it’s a Friday, again: Good Friday, in fact.

Personally?

I’m doing nothing special.

Although, if you want to phone and buy me dinner?

You’d be wasting you’re money: I’ve got what little food I’ve got, on the hob.

Fish and chips, again: although quite where the tradition of having on a Friday comes from, I don’t know.

At any rate?

It’s a Friday.

And — as I’ve been doing for the past few weeks — I’m going to be settling in with an episode of Star Trek Discovery’s fourth series.

Episode 4, so you know: I’ll have this finished on Saturday, 16th April.

I’ll see you tomorrow at the latest.

~≈🚀≈~

16th April 2022.

Episode 4 — All Is Possible — opens with a summary of last week’s episode.

Then shows us Captain Burnham’s (Sonequa Martin-Green) summary of the current situation.

Her log entry tells us the Discovery is in orbit around Ni’Var: as it, and a Federation task force, help with research on the Dark Matter Anomaly.

She also tells us that the negotiations that will allow Ni’Var to rejoin the Federation, are going well.

Following advice from Dr Culber (Wilson Cruz)?   She’s trying to make sure the crew get as much downtime as possible.

The only exceptions?

Are Dr Culber’s spouse, Lt.Cmdr Paul Stamets (Anthony Rapp): driven to find what’s causing the DMA.

And Book (David Ajala): his mind meld in the previous episode has helped, but Captain Burnham feels something is still wrong.

There’s also Tilly (Mary Wiseman).

The newly promoted lieutenant is having issues: something she discusses with Dr Culber.

It’s only when the Discovery is ordered back to base, that things come to a peak.

President Rillak (Chelah Horsdal) wants Captain Burnham and Commander Saru to help with the suddenly jammed Ni’Var negotiations.

And Mr Kovich (David Cronenberg) … ?

Wants Lieutenant Tilly to take a bunch of cadets on a team building exercise.

What could possibly go wrong … ?

~≈🚀≈~

Now … 

What did I think … ?

I think All is Possible is quite impressive.

The main storyline — Tilly leading a crew of cadets who’ve never met, who have to work together to get off of the planet they’re stuck on — is a variation of an old theme: one as old as the Next Generation episode, Darmok.

And a very well presented take on the idea.

That’s wrapped around a second and third story line: the second showing us how Captain Burnham helps with the negotiations between Ni’Var and the Federation, the third showing us Dr Culber’s therapy sessions with Book.

It’s a well presented, well written, and well woven, group of threaded together plot lines.

And, it has to be said, well acted.

I’ve said that — in episodes two and three, Anomaly and Choose to Live — I’ve come away impressed with David Ajala’s performance.   He’s still doing a fantastic job: even though All is Possible doesn’t focus on Book.

I’m just as impressed with Wilson Cruz’s performance as Dr Culber, opposite both Ajala and Mary Wiseman’s Tilly.

I think the first two series of Discovery focused more on Culber’s position as Paul Stamets’ husband … and totally ignored the fact he’s one of the Discovery’s senior medical officers.   It’s only in season three and four we’ve seen the good Doctor doing his job as medical officer and chief counsellor.

I think it comes to a height in this episode: Cruz, as Culber, does a superb job up against a on-form Ajala And Wiseman, in offering healing to the damaged Book and guidance to Tilly.

Talking of whom … ?

Mary Wiseman’s performance in All is Possible is amazing.   Her character’s grown from a mildly bubble-headed science geek — the baby of the ship, if you will — to a mature young woman, and capable leader and teacher.

To the point the she’s accepts an offer to teach classes at Starfleet Academy: and leaves at the end of the episode.

It’s got to be said … that’s a powerful scene: one with a killer performance from Wiseman.

Where does it leave the ship?   Or Tilly?   Will she be back?

I don’t know: I think I’ll find out over the next few episodes.

That leaves me with just one more cast member to mention.

Sonequa Martin-Green, herself.

She’s played Michael Burnham in a lot of different ways: with the passion of youth, as someone making amends for an earlier crime, and as someone learning about her new position.

Series four?   And, especially, All is Possible?

We see not Commander Michael Burnham: but Captain Michael Burnham.

I don’t know if Martin-Green’s taken any cues from Patrick Stewart’s restrained portrayal of Captain Picard … but it strikes me she playing Captain Burnham with restraint, gravitas and magisterial authority I’ve only seen in one other captain.

I hope Martin-Green’s performance keeps on this way.

Frankly?   I’m going the be keeping that in mind, when I watch episode five, The Examples, on 22nd April.

I’ll have my review up on the 23rd.

I’ll see you then!

All is Possible.

★★★★