23rd June, 2023: “Ad Astra Per Aspera”.
It’s got to be said, payday can be frantic.
OK, granted, I got into town early: for a diabetic foot check.
Which went well enough.
But the rest of the day’s gone … iffyly!
I’ll probably tell you more in the morning!
At any rate … ?
I’m going have dinner, whilst watching an old friend’s video about Judge Dredd.
Then … ?
Watching “Ad Astra Per Aspera”, the next epidote of Star Trek Strange New Worlds.
I’ll let you know more, tomorrow!
24th July, 2023.
Episode 2 — “Ad Astra Per Aspera” — opens with a summary from season one.
Reminding us that Una Chin-Riley (Rebecca Romijn), first officer of the USS Enterprise, has been arrested: on the serious charges of hiding her genetic modifications.
The scene shifts: to show us a young Una — on her home-world — healing from a nasty wound, whilst her parents discuss getting help from hard-to-find doctors.
Then shifts again: showing us the imprisoned Una facing the prosecutor — Captain Batel (Melanie Scrofano) — who is offering Una a plea deal.
One the latter completely rejects: along with her court appointed defence lawyer.
As she tells Batel?
“How can he counsel me, when he works for you?”
~≈🖖≈~
The scene shifts, again.
Whilst we hear Captain Pike (Anson Mount) narrating his personal log, telling us that he’s in the Vaultera Nebula: planning to visit ace defence lawyer, Neera Ketoul (Yetide Badaki).
Ketoul has a reputation for being exactly the sort of legal brain who can get Number One off the proverbial hook.
There’s only one small problem.
Counselor Ketoul hasn’t spoken to her old friend, Una Chin-Riley, in many years: and doesn’t intend to start, now … …
~≈🖖≈~
Now …
What did I make of this utterly superb episode … ?
Beyond the fact it was utterly superb, of course?
Well … I have to admit, this was utterly superb!
Explaining why?
Could possibly be difficult!
First things first, that basic shape of the episode — a courtroom drama — is an old, reliable one: that’s guaranteed to do well.
The Accused, 12 Angry Men, Philadelphia: I could go on.
Star Trek, itself, has dozens of courtroom episodes: all the way from the original show’s “The Menagerie”, and “Court Martial” through The Next Generation’s “The Measure of a Man”, and Voyager’s “Death Wish”.
There’s a few, I think.
Because a court room story is incredibly dramatic.
So?
Well done, a courtroom drama is possibly the most watchable thing you’re going to see on the small screen.
And?
“Ad Astra Per Aspera” is a well done one, indeed.
Partly?
In its attention to detail.
The crew giving testimony were all in dress uniform: ones that harked back to the original series dress uniforms, complete with the appropriate decorations. The multi-coloured patches on the left breast.
But mostly?
Because of its performances.
It gives us gives us a sympathetic defendant, in the shape of Rebecca Romijn’s Number One: in what has to be the performance of the series.
The supporting cast — at least, Peck, Chong, Navia, Mount, et al — are great: especially given the minimal spoken lines some had.
For example? Anson Mount, as Pike, Melissa Navia’s Ortegas, and Celia Rose Gooding’s Uhura, had their faces on over-time: watching a friend and first officer in trouble.
For me, though … ?
The standout performance was Yetide Badaki’s performance as Neera Ketoul: ranging all the way from arrogance in her initial dealings with both Captain Pike, and his crew, to her superb closing speech at the end of the tribunal.
The character had a lot of great writing … and the actress, Yetide Badaki, put in the performance of a lifetime.
Frankly?
“Ad Astra Per Aspera”is one superb episode … because of those performances!
~≈🖖≈~
“Now,” I hear you say, “was I take it you’re were impressed, Paul?”
Yes, I was!
“Ad Astra Per Aspera” is a truly superb piece of work: one I put on a par with the series one classic, “Lift Us Where Suffering Cannot Reach”.
But where “Lift Us …” showed us sweatshops?
“Ad Astra … ” reminds us exactly what organised discrimination can do*.
Frankly?
I’m going to be glued to the show’s next episode, “Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow”.
I can only hope it’s as strong as “Ad Astra Per Aspera”.
~≈🖖≈~
Which is where, I think, I’ll leave this post.
But, just so you know?
I’ll be happily watching “Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow” on Friday, 30th June: and will be posting my written and video reviews of it on Saturday, 1st July.
In between now and then?
Frankly?
I’d love it if you’d subscribe to me on YouTube: that way, you’ll see my reviews go past when I upload them.
I’ll see you then!
“Ad Astra Per Aspera”★★★★
* At one point? Una talks about her family, and uses the phrase “We could pass”. In this context? It’s an old definition of the word. It means a member of one ethnic group — or of mixed heritage — looks convincingly like the white majority: and escape the discrimination faced by their fellows.
From what I know? It’s a common term in the US, more common than here in the UK. But the fact I knew what it meant? And know people who’d use it that way? Doesn’t make it any less ugly.
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