The Good:
ADM Cornwell - I've been critical of Jayne Brook's performance on a couple of occasions here in season 1. Not here. I think she nailed her performance in this one. Well done. "Your Highness, or whatever they call you" was great! I also thought her conversation with L'Rell was spot on and meaningful. Those two did "bond" on a certain level while on the Sarcophagus ship.
Stamets' meeting with Ash - I have more and more respect for this character as the season has progressed. His actions here were about as Star Fleet good-natured as you can get. "Good, maybe you are human" took me by surprise. I thought Rapp's performance here was riveting. Especially since he acting opposite a little whining ..... oh, whatever you call him. He's becoming one of my favorite Star Trek characters. ... no way did I see that coming early on.
Visuals - I felt they took a notch up in this episode. Not sure why. There have been a couple times earlier in the series I felt they reminded me of BAB5. Not in this one, I thought it all was pretty cool.
Pace - Thank god they seemed to have taken their foot off the accelerator. Good lord, take a breath. This one was probably the best yet in this department.
Tilly - There is nothing I don't LOVE about this character and Mary Wiseman's acting chops. She's about as "Star Fleet" as we've had in this show. Consistently humble and real, and one that will do the right thing, even when it's hard or unpopular. Her little speech to Michael trying to convince her to go see Ash was incredible and almost got a tear out of me. Bravo. I will be enormously disappointed if they kill her off.
Suru - Doug Jones is right up there with Mary in the acting department. Suru's meeting with Ash I would say was very "Captainy". I'm one that doesn't think he should be locked up now as the doctors have determined that he is Ash and Voq is gone. I know this could twist and change, but I think Suru made the right decision with the information he's been presented. "I will not take your freedom" was a very powerful line I thought.
Michael Yeoh - She's really knocking this Empress part out of the park. Lots of great lines in this one and she delivers them on point. She's not "twirling her mustache", she plays the part to a tee.
Michael - Telling Suru that "I couldn't let her die again" (or words to that effect) when talking about why she brought MU Georgiou back with her was outstanding - the truth this time.
Growing spores - I thought it was well done (I know that many think it's garbage). It's true to the "SCI-FI of Discovery". I really liked it when Stamets told Tilly she could name the planet when they were done.
Sarak - His mind meld with Saru didn't feel to me like Spock's forced mind meld in TUC, or Tuvok's in 'Meld', or T'Pol's unwillingness to "comply" in 'Stigma'. I think Suru willingly understood the circumstances and that was clear when he didn't resist. He just sat there. I don't think Sarak's lines walking down the pway with Mihael were are out of character for him. He married a human wife for god's sake. I thought is conversations with Michael were touching and relevant. "Don't regret loving someone Michael".... sniff, sniff... I also thought his verbal joust with Georgiou was fantastic... he beat her at her own game. I'll agree with others that he dominates his scenes... very well played by Frain.
The not so good:
Our lead actress - Here we go... I've been on the "I support SMG as Michael" bandwagon from the get-go. I've said she's growing into the part, blah, blah....
I'm afraid I was wrong and it really pains me to come to this conclusion. She's just not a very capable actress. If there was EVER a moment where we should have seen serious gut-wrenching emotion from Michael in this series so far, it was going to be the Michael/Ash meet up. I mean really... I was so disappointed. Here we go again, the center of a Star Trek series that can't act. Everything with her is monotone and statuesque. She's a beautiful woman, but nothing more than a fake, on and off screen. I don't think we've EVER seen any emotion from her, we've never seen the real SMG... in interviews or as Michael. It's all a facade) I seriously hope someone takes her aside, she takes the criticism on-board and gets some acting help before season 2. (if she makes it that far)
What was her character like on 'The Walking Dead'? I'm betting it was a physical part, that didn't contain much meaningful dialog and her physique carried the day.
Ash/Michael meeting - I've thought these two have had some pretty touching moments leading up to this episode. I really got a connection from them. Then we get this ... I'm not sure what to call it. I thought Ash's "I'm sorry" line was shallow (I thought it was crap at Stamets too) and it got even worse when he selfishly tried to put it all back on her. ... because her parents were killed by Klingons, etc. Really?... he goes all bat-s*** and almost strangles her and she's just supposed to forget it? She (they) had more than enough meat to sell this and just left it on the bone. That, and ending it with "we've done something special today" .... relates to her difficulties here how? It was hard to watch. Michael's stated she had to claw her way back.... blah, blah ... it was hard... blah, blah... really? ... is that what we've seen? ... we STILL DON'T KNOW WHY SHE CHANGED HER PHASOR TO KILL (when shooting T"Kuvma)... so all the other crap it just reading lines that someone made up. She really hasn't clawed up from anything, she's done whatever Lorca told her to do. Hell, she is now advising Admiral Cornwell.
The best part of this meet-up was when Ash took a step towards her and she took one backward.
They could have used about 8 minutes for other things and this meet up could have been a non-verbal exchange (stare) where Michael ends in tears and leaves the room.
I hope I'm wrong, and SMG shapes up. I'm afraid I'm not.
So, this episode has much more right than wrong IMO. I think ending with MU Georgiou as "Captain Georgiou" was actually pretty cool and should be very entertaining in closer. I might have just told the crew what Star Fleet's decision was and why, rather than say they "found her". I don't think it will take long for the crew to figure out something is awry.
I don't know how long the season closer is, but it would be nice to get the equivalent of a two-parter here.... lots to do in this last episode.
Oh, I did like they revealed that Star Fleet says knowledge of the MU and how they got there needs to be squashed... along with the spore drive technology I'm sure. Good for the cannonites I'm sure.
ADM Cornwell - I've been critical of Jayne Brook's performance on a couple of occasions here in season 1. Not here. I think she nailed her performance in this one. Well done. "Your Highness, or whatever they call you" was great! I also thought her conversation with L'Rell was spot on and meaningful. Those two did "bond" on a certain level while on the Sarcophagus ship.
Stamets' meeting with Ash - I have more and more respect for this character as the season has progressed. His actions here were about as Star Fleet good-natured as you can get. "Good, maybe you are human" took me by surprise. I thought Rapp's performance here was riveting. Especially since he acting opposite a little whining ..... oh, whatever you call him. He's becoming one of my favorite Star Trek characters. ... no way did I see that coming early on.
Visuals - I felt they took a notch up in this episode. Not sure why. There have been a couple times earlier in the series I felt they reminded me of BAB5. Not in this one, I thought it all was pretty cool.
Pace - Thank god they seemed to have taken their foot off the accelerator. Good lord, take a breath. This one was probably the best yet in this department.
Tilly - There is nothing I don't LOVE about this character and Mary Wiseman's acting chops. She's about as "Star Fleet" as we've had in this show. Consistently humble and real, and one that will do the right thing, even when it's hard or unpopular. Her little speech to Michael trying to convince her to go see Ash was incredible and almost got a tear out of me. Bravo. I will be enormously disappointed if they kill her off.
Suru - Doug Jones is right up there with Mary in the acting department. Suru's meeting with Ash I would say was very "Captainy". I'm one that doesn't think he should be locked up now as the doctors have determined that he is Ash and Voq is gone. I know this could twist and change, but I think Suru made the right decision with the information he's been presented. "I will not take your freedom" was a very powerful line I thought.
Michael Yeoh - She's really knocking this Empress part out of the park. Lots of great lines in this one and she delivers them on point. She's not "twirling her mustache", she plays the part to a tee.
Michael - Telling Suru that "I couldn't let her die again" (or words to that effect) when talking about why she brought MU Georgiou back with her was outstanding - the truth this time.
Growing spores - I thought it was well done (I know that many think it's garbage). It's true to the "SCI-FI of Discovery". I really liked it when Stamets told Tilly she could name the planet when they were done.
Sarak - His mind meld with Saru didn't feel to me like Spock's forced mind meld in TUC, or Tuvok's in 'Meld', or T'Pol's unwillingness to "comply" in 'Stigma'. I think Suru willingly understood the circumstances and that was clear when he didn't resist. He just sat there. I don't think Sarak's lines walking down the pway with Mihael were are out of character for him. He married a human wife for god's sake. I thought is conversations with Michael were touching and relevant. "Don't regret loving someone Michael".... sniff, sniff... I also thought his verbal joust with Georgiou was fantastic... he beat her at her own game. I'll agree with others that he dominates his scenes... very well played by Frain.
The not so good:
Our lead actress - Here we go... I've been on the "I support SMG as Michael" bandwagon from the get-go. I've said she's growing into the part, blah, blah....
I'm afraid I was wrong and it really pains me to come to this conclusion. She's just not a very capable actress. If there was EVER a moment where we should have seen serious gut-wrenching emotion from Michael in this series so far, it was going to be the Michael/Ash meet up. I mean really... I was so disappointed. Here we go again, the center of a Star Trek series that can't act. Everything with her is monotone and statuesque. She's a beautiful woman, but nothing more than a fake, on and off screen. I don't think we've EVER seen any emotion from her, we've never seen the real SMG... in interviews or as Michael. It's all a facade) I seriously hope someone takes her aside, she takes the criticism on-board and gets some acting help before season 2. (if she makes it that far)
What was her character like on 'The Walking Dead'? I'm betting it was a physical part, that didn't contain much meaningful dialog and her physique carried the day.
Ash/Michael meeting - I've thought these two have had some pretty touching moments leading up to this episode. I really got a connection from them. Then we get this ... I'm not sure what to call it. I thought Ash's "I'm sorry" line was shallow (I thought it was crap at Stamets too) and it got even worse when he selfishly tried to put it all back on her. ... because her parents were killed by Klingons, etc. Really?... he goes all bat-s*** and almost strangles her and she's just supposed to forget it? She (they) had more than enough meat to sell this and just left it on the bone. That, and ending it with "we've done something special today" .... relates to her difficulties here how? It was hard to watch. Michael's stated she had to claw her way back.... blah, blah ... it was hard... blah, blah... really? ... is that what we've seen? ... we STILL DON'T KNOW WHY SHE CHANGED HER PHASOR TO KILL (when shooting T"Kuvma)... so all the other crap it just reading lines that someone made up. She really hasn't clawed up from anything, she's done whatever Lorca told her to do. Hell, she is now advising Admiral Cornwell.
The best part of this meet-up was when Ash took a step towards her and she took one backward.
They could have used about 8 minutes for other things and this meet up could have been a non-verbal exchange (stare) where Michael ends in tears and leaves the room.
I hope I'm wrong, and SMG shapes up. I'm afraid I'm not.
So, this episode has much more right than wrong IMO. I think ending with MU Georgiou as "Captain Georgiou" was actually pretty cool and should be very entertaining in closer. I might have just told the crew what Star Fleet's decision was and why, rather than say they "found her". I don't think it will take long for the crew to figure out something is awry.
I don't know how long the season closer is, but it would be nice to get the equivalent of a two-parter here.... lots to do in this last episode.
Oh, I did like they revealed that Star Fleet says knowledge of the MU and how they got there needs to be squashed... along with the spore drive technology I'm sure. Good for the cannonites I'm sure.