Welcome to the Michaelogical Network, a Star Trek: Discovery recap series, with our brand new past/present/future Star Trek correspondent Eleanor Tremeer!
Season 3, Episode 1: “That Hope Is You, Part 1”
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In this episode we recap the happenings in Disco’s season 3 opener. Is this episode, which we liked very much indeed, a signal that Disco has at last found its feet and figured out that it should be about the future? Are there real Trek Lore Specialists now behind the helm? What in blazes is this mysterious "Burn" that sexy hunk of a Book keeps going on about? Will there be more flirting with worms in future episodes? We can't wait to find out.
Episode 2: “Far From Home”
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Many of our questions from the last recap have now been answered. (And some of our speculations were even correct! Michael Burnham really *has* had to wait a significant amount of time for her crew to arrive in her present, the future. This is also a fabulous season for everybody's hair styles.) That said, many more questions have been raised, and we can't wait for the showrunner to answer them. (Please, please, do the right thing by our bridge crew! And more Captain Killy and “Commander” Georgiou moments, please.)
Episode 3: “People of Earth”
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We spent the previous two episodes asking: “What happened to the Federation?” and the third episode aims straight for the center of that tangle by taking us directly to Earth, where a microcosm of the larger political problem plays out between those left on the planet and the raiders who have been haunting their skies. Some beloved characters lean in to grapple with the many traumas they have experienced over previous seasons as they discover what happened to the world they left behind.
Episode 4: “Forget Me Not”
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Which. We. Loved. After all, this episode a) took us to Trill, Eleanor’s all-time favorite Trek planet, b) gave characters like Hugh Culber and Keyla Detmer scenes worthy of their acting chops, and c) brought us the cutest queer romance known to humankind — that is, a romance between Adira and Gray and one adorable hand-sewn quilt.
Episode 5: “Die Trying”
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The crew of the Discovery … ahem … discover the ultimate fate of the Federation they had all served and left some 930 years behind. What’s left? Some gray lashes on Philippa G., poor technical know-how, and a seed ship that’s been through a dozen iterations, among other things. Plus, Craig from Degrassi is a Barzan!
Episode 6: “Scavengers”
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Michael Burnham goes rogue with her not-quite-maternal pal Georgiou to save Book, while Tilly and Saru are left holding the Discovery together. Grudge the cat has an imaginary leash. We pray Disco doesn't bury another gay by way of Philippa G.'s flashbacks, argue over whether cool-looking tech is even remotely important compared to tech that actually works, and imagine plot arcs for everyone from Captain Killy (ahem, *future* captain but current ensign Tilly) to poor Willa, who may indeed give us the semi-impotent villain (or future-version Wesley Crusher?) we've long dreamed of.
Episode 7: “Unification III”
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What ever happened to the work Spock’s attempts to unify the Romulans and the Vulcans? Michael learns exactly what her brother was up to a few centuries ago, and we are gobsmacked by this fantastic episode, which may end up as our favorite of the season.
Episode 8: “Sanctuary”
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This episode was dumb, but we watched it anyway. We could’ve had a full episode of Michael exploring the future with Book for the year before Discovery arrived, but no. We get this instead.
Episodes 9 and 10: “Terra Firma” 1 & 2
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We bid a fond(?) farewell to Philippa G., who’s off to star in her own series. Listen, no one likes space Hitler, but if anyone could make us root for them regardless, it’s Michelle Yeoh, who is talent personified. This episode also (re)introduces us to Carl, and we are all better for it.
Episodes 11 through 13: “Su’Kal,” “There Is a Tide…,” and “That Hope Is You, Part 2”
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The final three episodes rolled so nicely into each other that we decided to give you one MEGA-EPISODE. Of course, that means that we have lots of thoughts, and while I, this intrepid caption, might regularly spoil some of them, I shall instead break with my own MO and instruct you simply to go listen.