23rd September, 2022.
Right … It’s Friday, again.
And I’ve an appointment with my opticians, tomorrow.
There’s times like this I’m grateful to be on benefits: it means that I can up to three pairs of news prescription spectacles.
Admittedly, cheap spectacles: but new ones, none the less.
So … ?
Once I’ve had dinner, I’ll be getting an early night.
Once I’ve watched Children of the Comet, the next episode of Star Trek Strange New Worlds.
I’ll see you … after I’ve had my eyes tested!
Episode 2 — Children of the Comet — opens with a summary of episode 1.
Then shifts: to show us a comet heading for Persephone 3, whilst we listen to a log entry from Cadet Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding).
Uhura tells us that the crew are studying Comet C2260-Quentin: while she is stuck revising her landing party protocols.
Looking forward to the day she needs them: but never expecting that day to arrive soon.
The only inmmediate thing Uhura is looking forward to?
Is dinner at Captain Pike’s (Anson Mount’s) table.
An event that the mischievous Lieutenant Ortegas (Melissa Navia) said was dress uniforms only … much to Uhura’s embarrassment!
The uniform faux pas?
Isn’t her biggest.
It’s quietly admitting she’s not sure Starfleet … was her best career choice.
~≈🖖≈~
After dinner? After dinner we see Captain Pike and Number One (Rebecca Romijn*) talking about Pike’s premonitions: his awareness of what’s to come.
Until he, and Number One, are called to the bridge by Lieutenant Spock.
The ship’s Science officer? Has discovered a problem with the comet.
Going by the computer simulations he’s run?
The comet is going to hit Persephone 3, in two days time: with a huge loss of life.
Given that?
Captain Pike feels their only option is to put four ion engines on the comet with photon torpedos, fire them in sequence, and let the engines guide the thing away from the dangerously close comet.
The only problem, there … ?
Comet C2260-Quentin … blocks the torpedos with a force field.
Cadet Uhura’s abilities as a linguist are going to be needed in the landing party: a moment she hadn’t expected would come so soon.
There’s something that needs translating on that comet …
~≈🖖≈~
Now … what did I make of Children of the Comet?
I have to admit: the first episode of this season — Strange New Worlds — was an excellent introduction.
Both to the major characters, the USS Enterprise, and what they’re trying to do.
That’s something reinforced by this episode: from the minute the opening credits roll.
Star Trek Strange New Worlds’ theme — one that borrows heavily from Alexander Courage’s original series theme — includes its own specific variation of the Space, the Final Frontier monologue.
Something I found I certainly found reassuring.
And serves to remind us of what Captain Pike and company are here for.
Right from the get-go.
Then?
From the minute those credits fade, the episode show us a landing party party struggling with being trapped on a comet that’s got an especially intriguing problem to solve before they can get off: combined with the Captain and his crew facing the comet’s alien worshippers … who are determined to make sure no-one interferes with the thing!
Frankly?
Children of the Comet is a very well made episode†: one that introduces us to some new characters — Sam Kirk, and Chief Engineer Hemmer — and gives a great deal of depth to fan favourite, Nyota Uhura.
It’s a beautiful thing: one that leaves me wanting to see the next episode, Ghosts of Illyria, soon.
You can pretty much guess that ‘soon,’ will be Friday, 30th September: with my written and video review hitting the ’Web on Saturday, 1st October.
I’ll see you then!
Children of the Comet.★★★☆
* She’s left-handed, you know.
† Just as a minor point for the Star Trek wonks, out there? I couldn’t help notice one of the production crew was a key scenic — something in the set department, I believe — called Jason Kirk. Which struck me as a mildly funny co-incidence, given Captain Kirk’s brother is in this episode. Equally as funny? Was the music editor, Matt Decker: who shares his name with Commodore Matt Decker, a character from the original series episode, The Doomsday Machine. Co-incidence? I’m blowed if I know.
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