Star Trek Discovery — Series 5 Episode 10 — “Life, Itself” — A Review

30th May, 2024: the Introduction.

It’s official: it’s Thursday.

And … ?

Frankly, today is the day … where the last episode of Star Trek Discovery is broadcast.

Aired?

Streamed?

Whatever!

At any rate, I — and a few Jammie Dodgers — going to be watching that episode.

Then telling you about it, and the series it closes, tomorrow night.

I’ll see you then!

~≈🖖≈~

31st May, 2024: “Life, Itself”.

Part One: the Summary.

Episode 10 — “Life, Itself” — opens with a summary of earlier episodes.

Then shifts … to show us the Progenitor Device unfolding near two black holes: whilst Captain Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) follows Moll (Eve Harlow) through the portal.

Only to find herself in a strange dimension: one that seems to have long roads leading to a distant light, and equally strange windows to other words.

Quite dangerous windows: leading to dangerous places.

It’s only when she is attacked by a Breen trooper, and barely escapes with her life?

That she finds out exactly how dangerous these places are.

It’s only after she’s fights a second Breen trooper that she meets a badly injured Moll (Eve Harlow).

And realises the pair need to work together … 

~≈🖖≈~

In the real world, things are getting just as dangerous for the Discovery.

In order to help Captain Burnham, Commander Rayner (Callum Keith Rennie) and the crew are desperately trying to beam the Progenitor Device into the Discovery’s hold.

Very aware that they’re fighting the gravity of two black holes … and again the clock: as Primarch Tahal’s Breen dreadnought is rapidly approaching.

It’s only when the crew realise that they can split up — Rayner and the Discovery hold off the Breen, Book and Dr Culber (David Ajala and Wilson Cruz) keep the portal steady — that the situation improves.

As it gives Saru and Nhan (Doug Jones and Rachel Acheril) a chance to do some urgent negotiation with the Breen: and give the Discovery room to breathe.

Room to breath, and try and contact its captain.

What Rayner, Book, the crew and the Breen don’t know?

Is that Captain Burnham … has just met a Progenitor.

Things … are getting interesting …

~≈🖖≈~

Part Two: Thoughts.

Now … 

What did I make of both “Life, Itself”?   The season it’s a climax to?   And the series, itself?

First things, first: “Life, Itself”.

I have to confess: I have mixed feelings about “Life, Itself”.

On the one hand … ?

The older I get, the less patient I am with long episodes.

Forty-five minutes, to an hour?

Is fine with me.

The eighty-seven minutes of “Life, Itself”?

As wonderfully well made as this season — and this episode — have been, and allowing for the fact “Life, Itself” was wrapping up both the fifth season, and the whole series?

I certainly found “Life, Itself” was pushing my limits!

Additionally … ?

I couldn’t help but notice the episode had a few gear changes in it.

Inevitably, I think, given the length.

That was something that annoying: not per se.

But I found my attention wavering, somewhat, when Burnham was talking to the Progenitor.

Granted, these scenes were needed: we learn much of the Progenitors, including the fact the technology we believe the Progenitors had created … was technology they had found, technology left by an even older species.

And, importantly, we learn that the Progenitors technology could create life: but not restore the dead, could not restore L’ak.

We also needed to see the resolution these scenes give to the story: see Burnham’s refusal to take control of the technology, and her placing it in the black hole.

But?

I have to admit, they were scenes that had me fidgeting in boredom.

They were needed … but could’ve been done better.

~≈🖖≈~

Part Three: More Thoughts.

That said?

That said, I can’t actually fault “Life, Itself”.

Beyond what I’ve already said.

From what I’ve understood?

The episode was supposed to be the concluding episode of season five: until the producers decided the fifth season was to be Star Trek Discovery’s last.

So?

I’ve come away from that episode, thinking the show’s makers have had to edit the episode: so that it tied up five years’ worth of loose ends, rather than just one years’ worth.

Meaning?

We come away from an episode that was trying to do too much.

Yes: what we see is beautifully written, acted and designed: the visuals of “Life, Itself”, the look of the Portal’s insides, the path that connected different worlds, the Device itself, were utterly gorgeous … 

But “Life, Itself” doesn’t give the crew we’ve been following the justice I think they deserve.

Yes: we see Saru and T’Rina’s wedding.

Yes: we see that Michael Burnham and Cleveland ‘Book’ Booker grow old together: and met Leto, their adult son.

And yes, we see Admiral — Admiral — Burnham taking the now refurbished Discovery to an unknown fate.

But … ?

We see little of what’s happened to the crew: nor learn anything of the Breen Civil War.

Personally?

I think that’s a shame.

We have a well made finale: rather than a sixth season that could have told us much more.

~≈🖖≈~

Part Four: Observations.

There’s possibly a lot more I could say.

But there were a couple of minor points I felt I should highlight.

The fight scenes — Captain Burnham against both Breen, and Moll, and the battle between the Discovery and the Breen ship — were spectacular.

There’s a lot of work gone on those.

But, exciting as those fights were, other things that caught my attention.

The effects as Michael travels through the portal were gorgeous: I don’t think they reminded me of the Star Gate effects in 2001: A Space Odyssey, but I’m willing to bet whoever designed that sequence had seen the film.

The actual Portal, the long path that acted as a gateway between different worlds … ?

Partly had me thinking of the ‘Wood Between the Worlds’ in C. S. Lewis’ The Magician’s Nephew … but also of the Way, in Greg Bear’s Eon.

It’s a similar long corridor, in another dimension: that has windows to other worlds along the way.

To me, the resemblance was striking.

The thing that did strike me, though?

Was is something I possibly can’t say enough.

The portal, the corridor, the sets, in this episode?

Were utterly gorgeous: and, despite the fact “Life, Itself” is an episode I found a little long … it was beautiful to look at!

~≈🖖≈~

Part Five: The Series, Past and Present.

Given that all I’ve said so far?

Yes: you’re right.

I think “Life, Itself” is both beautiful and flawed.

As is the show it concludes.

I have to admit, when I started watching Star Trek Discovery, back in 2017?

I enjoyed it: I found it — at times — a little too ‘right on’, too progressive for it’s own good.

Very reminiscent of Star Trek The Next Generation’s early years, in other words.

As one example?

I felt the producers were emphasising the fact the series had the show’s first same-sex married couple: Hugh Culber and Paul Stamets (Wilson Cruz and Anthony Rapp.)

They made a big thing of it, I recall: when they could have emphasised the pair were members of the ship’s medical staff, whilst the other was one of the crew’s senior science team.

The fact they were two men happily married to each other should have been incidental.

To give the producers and writers their due, they seemed to realise that, and change the emphasis in later series.

To the point, in season five, we have a happily married couple who are dearly in love with each other, and their family … and as committed to their jobs as they are to each other.

I think their relationship … ?

Is symbolic of the series as a whole.

Their tale?

Along with Captain Burnham’s?

Has improved over the course of these five series.

And noticeably so in series three: with the shift to the thirty-second century.

Yes: there’s been time when there’s been more talk than action.

But Star Trek Discovery — with its overarching story per series, with its lovey-dovey nature — has been worth the watch.

As has its cast.

Yes: I feel some of the junior characters — Detmer, Owosekun, Rhys, Bryce — didn’t get enough air time.

But, the ensemble as a whole, were superb.

David Ajala stood out for me: as did Tig Notaro and Michelle Yeoh.

But … ?

The star, as ever, was Sonequa Martin-Green: playing a captain by turns as feisty as Kirk, as commanding as Picard, as wise as Janeway and Archer, as diplomatic as Pike, and as ruthless as Sisko.

If ever a series had a stunning central character?

It’s Star Trek Discovery.

And it’s a screaming shame that CBS/Paramount have decided to cancel this show.

We had room for one more series of Star Trek Discovery: a series that shows us how the Breen civil war ended … 

And how Captain Burnham and the Discovery deal with the results.

Paramount?

Missed a chance.

~≈🖖≈~

Part Six: Last Thoughts.

There is possibly something I want to raise.

And it’s something that — possibly — doesn’t need me.

But … ?

One thing I noticed, over the years, is that Star Trek Deep Space’s Ben Sisko (Avery Brooks) and Star Trek Discovery’s Michael Burnham, were both their show’s main characters … and — for most of each series — captains.

But?

But started their shows at a lower rank.

Sisko was a commander, rather than a captain: Burnham, likewise.

Yes, seeing the pair promoted as part of their story made for a riveting watch.

But I can’t help but notice that the only two characters who have to work their way up to Captain, were characters of colour.

Every other (white) central character?

Kirk, Picard, Janeway, Archer, Pike?

Were or are captains from their first episode.

I don’t want push things, here: but think the next lead character of colour Star Trek’s producers introduces … should also be a captain from episode one.

Or be a white character that works their way up.

That?

Would be serve equality, well.

~≈🖖≈~

Part Seven: Farewell.

That?

That, I think, is where I’m going to leave my reviews of Star Trek Discovery.

I can only hope you’ve enjoyed these: as much as I’ve enjoyed making them.

And as much as we’ve enjoyed this show.

I also hope you’ll be keeping your eyes peeled for more of my reviews.

There’s be more of them: as and when I get the chance to make more.

That?

Will be sooner than you think.

I’ll be watching the next episode of Doctor Who’s new season — “Dot and Bubble” — on Saturday, 1st June: and posting my written and video reviews of it by Sunday, 2nd June.

Hopefully?

I’ll see you then!

“Life, Itself”.

★★★☆

Series Scores:

Episode 1 — “Red Directive”— ★★★★

Episode 2 — “Under the Twin Moons”— ★★★★

Episode 3 — “Jinaal”— ★★★★

Episode 4 — “Face the Strange”— ★★★★

Episode 5 — “Mirrors”—  ★★★☆

Episode 6 — “Whistlespeak”— ★★★☆

Episode 7 — “Erigah”— ★★★★

Episode 8 — “Labyrinths”— ★★★★

Episode 9 — “Lagrange Points”— ★★★★

Episode 10 — “Life, Itself”—  ★★★☆

Average — ★★★7/10