Star Trek Discovery — Series 4 Episode 7 — …But To Connect — A Review

6th May, 2022.

Right … 

It’s becoming something of a tradition for me: watching TV on a Friday evening.

The past few months have seen me watching Galaxy Four: and starting on the fourth season Star Trek Discovery.

I still want to catch The Book of Boba Fett: and the second series of Star Trek Picard.

We’ll have to see how that goes!

At any rate?

It’s a Friday.

And, once I’ve had dinner?   I’m going to watch …But To Connect.

You’ll see this post finished, tomorrow night at the latest.

~≈🚀≈~

7th May, 2022.

Episode 7 — …But to Connect — opens with the usual summary* of previous episodes.

Then shifts.

To show us Zora (Annabelle Willis), the Discovery’s AI computer, in a meeting with Commander Stamets and Ensign Tal (Anthony Rapp and Blu del Barrio): helping to plot where the Dark Matter Anomaly entered the galaxy.

Whilst Stamets and Adira discuss the upcoming diplomatic meeting that Captain Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) will be attending?

The Captain herself is with Cleveland ‘Book’ Booker (David Ajala): talking over what to do about the upcoming meeting, the DMA … and how Grudge — Book’s pet cat — is completely ignoring her.

It’s then that Commander Stamets calls.

There’s something of a problem with Zora.

She’s found the co-ordinates the Discovery needs.

But doesn’t want to hand things over.

As Zora, herself, puts it?

“By withholding the location, I can keep you safe … ”

Do you get the feeling Captain Burnham isn’t happy … ?

~≈🚀≈~

Now … 

What did I make of …But To Connect?

What did I think?   What did I smell … ?

Let’s start with that last question, shall we?

I can smell frying red onions.

I’m writing this on a Saturday night: as I’m making spaghetti bolognese.

The smell of the red onions?   Frying before I put them into the sauce?

Was quite something.

However good they smelt is irrelevant, though.

And nothing to do with …But To Connect.

At least one of the story’s threads is that of Zora: the Discovery’s AI computer who refuses an order to hand over information.

The other?   The big meeting at the Assembly: to see if the owners of the DMA can be dealt with peacefully, or with deadly force.

I’m not sure if the latter’s been done before: but the Zora storyline is a re-run of The Measure of a Man, the old Star Trek: The Next Generation episode where Data’s existence as a living being is called into question by Star Fleet.

It’s a good trope: being re-visited in Star Trek: The Next Generation’s The Offspring, and re-used in a Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode called Dax.

So it’s no surprise to see a variant, here.

Is it — and the big meeting — well handled?

Of the two threads, I’d have to say the Zora story line’s the better handled, I think.

Yes: both are quite dry, expository, pieces.   Dialogue led, rather than action pieces.

And as dry — I felt — as The Examples, the other Lee Rose directed episode in this season.

But the Zora line is a trial, which has a touch more drama.

That’s not to say both story lines — or both Lee Rose episodes — are bad.

I just feel that both are good, rather than great.

The writing, effects and performances are all competently done: with David Ajala’s performance as Book being outstanding.

I don’t think think I’ve seen any keynote speech as powerful as Book’s speech to the Assembly.

But … ?

Yes: Ajala’s performance is good.   And the Zora story is is resolved well.

But?   …But To Connect is a good episode: rather than a great one.

I will be watching episode 8, All In, on Friday, 13th May.   And releasing my reviews of it on the 14th.

Assuming I don’t get a run of bad luck?

I’ll see you then!

…But To Connect.

★★☆☆

*        We see a brief glance of Oded Fehr as Admiral Vance in that summary.   It’s only recently that someone’s remind me he played Ardeth Bay in the 1999 version of The Mummy.   Fehr’s character led a group called the Medjai: who ever so slightly reminded me of the Fremen from Frank Herbert’s Dune.   Every time I saw Fehr in the thing?   My imagination had me mentally picturing him running up a sand-dune, whilst waving a sword and yelling ‘Mu’ad-dib’ … then running down the dune.   Now someone’s reminded me of this … ?   I’m going to have that image cropping up, every time Admiral Vance opens his mouth.   Where that leaves Javier Bardem, I don’t know.