Star Trek: Discovery (TV Series) Under the Twin Moons (2024) User Reviews

Much ado about nothing

[the-ossi · 5/10 · 5 April 2024]

It could be a nice episode. It has action, it's not too stupid, but... It has - once again - far too much talk about feelings, espeiin the absolutely wrong moments.

The scene on the burrial side could have been entertaining, but thanks to all the BS in previous seasons, I don't feel any tension when Michael and Saru are in grave danger, because - if we leave out the obvious, that they are two main characters & they didn't know it was their final season when this episode was written, I really don't care about any of those characters. I absolutely do not care, what happens to any of them. Pity.

Under the Twin Moons

[Prismark10 · 6/10 · 4 April 2024]

The search is on. With a reference to Star Trek: The Next Generation. Discovery is looking for the technology of the Progenitors, the ones who created all humanoid life.

As this is the final season. Along for the ride is Book and Tilly. Book is there because he has knowledge of couriers like Mol and L'ak. It turns out that Book's path with Mol crossed some years earlier.

Potentially hopping off is Saru. He is going to get married to T'Rina and take another post away from Starfleet.

This leaves Burnham to look for a new first officer. Saru will leave behind a big uniform to fill.

With an important clue gleaned from the brain of the android. Burnam believes they need to get to the planet Lyrek if they are to find the origin of humanoid life. Where they are attacked by drones emanating from a giant statue.

With the top brains at Discovery all at sea as Burnham is attacked. It is Captain Rayner (Callum Keith Rennie) to the rescue with a forceful suggestion. He is facing early retirement as a reprimand for his previous actions.

With an action packed opener. A lot of the heavy lifting was left for the second episode. Some of it was clunky. I had to scoff when Book was mentioned. He is not even Starfleet.

Of course Rayner was dangled, he is just the gruff older man that could challenge Burnham.

The plot thickens very very slowly.

[TAEMO · 6/10 · 4 April 2024]

Just like last episode, the show looks very good, the plot is a different story. One of the first scenes is a hearing concerning the burying-the-saucer-sections-of-two-starships-in-sand-maneuver in the last episode. The scene has no purpose except reiterating the events of last episode, which was already in the recap. So what's the point?

Then we head down to the planet and even though time is perhaps of the essence, Burnam and Saru stopp to discuss her future first officer and Saru suggests Booker? Why him, he does not have a commission. Saru explains he can stand his ground. Really, this is how you can become an officer on a starship now? No academy, no training, just a good reputation. I wonder what the rest of the bridge crew has to say should he be chosen.

Then drones attack, of course the transporter is immediately not working. On the ship Tilly has to figure out how to deactivate the drones and they are helped by Raynor, a man. I did not believe it. But okay, he helps and the solution is to plant bombs in the holes out of which the drones come, which is basically a big head and the drones look like the eyes. I could not help but wonder which computer game end boss was the inspiration for this. Could be Contra III. And then they discuss who will pull off the stunt, Saru or Burnham. (While they talk the drones break off their attack and wait for the conversation to finish. ) Guess who will? Of course Saru is better suited but Burnham does it anyway. But we new that before, right.

On the ship Booker wants to contact the bad guys or should I rather say bad persons via the "dark net" ? And for some reason Stamets orders non essential personel to leave engeneering and he does it with an attitude: "Thank youuuu!" Why, he is the boss down there, right, just give the order.

The purpose of the scene escapes me, maybe to stall or to learn about them, apart from that, the conversation only made me think about the mask of the bad guy, looks like an alien on B5.

On the planet Saru and Burnam figure out another lead - a device thingy- in one of the ruins, one which the baddies do not have, just like the missing info on the head piece of the staff of Ra in Raiders.

On the ship of course Burnham figures out it is a map. What else and now we can go to Exegol, no Trill. Why Trill? The others are going to the wrong place, Betazed. Maybe there is a connection because it is the planets of Deanna Troi and Ezri Dax, and both were Counselors. That would be cool. No, it would not.

Next scene, now we know the purpose of the scene in the dark net, because now Booker knows the bad gal is his cousin twice or 1000 times removed on his mentor's side. Okay, personal connection to plot, check.

End of episode, we are back in HQ, chillin'. So I guess time is not of the essence. So it is not urgent to find whatever we are looking for. And if our characters are not in a hurry, why should I be excited?

Well I was not excited and the episode was writing by numbers and pretty lame even Callum Ketih Rennie was a let down this time. Thinking of him, I rather watch BSG or Californication or X-Files.

Episode 502

[bobcobb301 · 20 April 2024]

Not sure why the show is not doing anything special in its final season, but this is just not working out at all in my opinion.

Going to a foreign planet and dealing with all of the issues that come with that, that is the kind of thing that The Orville would probably do really well, but Star Trek Discovery, the show trying to tackle it in a serious way, simply cannot.

The episodes do not feel that long and are not that difficult to get through, but there is just nothing that interesting going on right now. Interoffice politics are not a big enough story for the final season of Star Trek Discovery.

Finally, a bit of Star Trek on this show

[matzucker · 8/10 · 5 April 2024]

The season premiere suffered from all the big and small problems that have plagued Discovery since at least season 3. This second episode is a big improvement, mostly because the plot finally reads like actual Star Trek with a dose of exploration and, you know, discovery.

Also, the farewell scene in Saru's quarters does right what this show has so often gotten wrong: creating an emotionally resonant moment without resorting to cheap sentimentality and hastily manufactured "backstory" to justify why characters well up and cry (as they do often do) upon the payoff of that backstory. This time, we get the reference and it matters to these characters' shared history, and therefore us, because we've seen it (in season 2).

The quest narrative holds up for the moment, but I remain cautious as to whether it can carry the season. After all, so far, none of the season arcs have managed to do so.

The final scene is typical Disco illogic by suggesting that a Captain, especially one as strong willed as Rayner, would simply accept what amounts to a demotion to second-in-command - again the result of a rather contrived setup in THIS VERY episode - but the show can certainly use the character and its grounded portrayal at this point. Here's hoping they do something with it.

Overall, despite some of the usual gripes (all the supporting characters remain annoying, Tilly most of all, although we've certainly seen worse than here), this may have been the strongest episode of this wretched show since season 2.

Feelings, tears, hugs, cheer-ups, emotional well-being, mindfulness... and some insignificant mission as a subplot

[tomsly-40015 · 4/10 · 7 April 2024]

The tragedy of this episode is that it actually has all the ingredients to create an interesting and entertaining story: a long-dead Romulan scientist who got to the bottom of the origin of life, a scavenger hunt throughout the galaxy, secret strange places with impressive archaeological sites, riddles and incomplete artifacts that need to be deciphered, one piece of the puzzle that leads to the next, two smart and elusive villains who fool their pursuers with all sorts of gadgets and lots of cojones, the connection of one of these villains to Booker, never previously seen Starfleet technology...

...but unfortunately the characters talk about their feelings every five minutes again. Either one person tells the other how they feel or asks another about their feelings. The focus of the episode is not on the mission but on the emotional well-being of the protagonists. After every shootout or when someone has a great idea, the characters fall into each other's arms and hug or cheer each other up. When Burnham or Saru give speeches and are seen in close-ups, they always look as if they are about to start crying. The actual story is overshadowed by sentimentality and tearjerkers. There is also no longer any command structure among the crew of the Discovery. No orders are given, not even by CAPTAIN Burnham. Instead, people politely ask: "Can you?", "Would you please?", "Are you able to?"... even the board computer is not ordered to simply enlarge a section of an image. Here too, the polite question is: "Can you enlarge the face in the photo?" And when Burnham says something, it's not taken as an order. Instead, this is interpreted as a request for a discussion. This then leads to Saru discussing with his captain who should draw enemy fire instead of simply following orders.

The whole crew seems like a support group for overly sensitive and emotionally disturbed teenagers. Starfleet has become a place of wimps and emotional wrecks. Somehow a mirror of today's youth. Reminds me of young colleagues at work who are fresh out of college. No respect for age and experience. Big problems with hierarchy and people telling them what to do. Hardly resilient. Ideally, only would like to work half-time three days a week - with full salary. Have no life experience, but still think they know and can do everything better. Place particular emphasis on mindfulness, equality, sexual and ethnic diversity... basically exactly what we are presented here as the Discovery crew.

The mission itself is once again executed amateurishly: Burnham and Saru are the only ones who beam onto the planet - even though a few armed soldiers with phaser rifles could have destroyed the drones in no time. And although the situation there seems extremely dangerous in the end and they are beamed out just in time, Burnham immediately sends a few people back to the surface to repair the damaged stone steles. Because of "respect for foreign cultures and their sacred sites" and stuff like that, you know.

And last but not least: Captain Rayner (the name always reminds me of Jim Raynor from StarCraft) doesn't seem to have an ounce of self-respect. Is kicked out of Starfleet and then has Burnham demote him to first officer on her ship. Someone with as much experience as he seems to have would have easily found new jobs in the private sector. By the way, Saru's suggestion to make Booker the new Number One cannot be beaten in terms of nepotism. The ex-lover in such a critical position also seems to be the worst of all ideas (plus, he's not even a Starfleet officer)! One could hardly expect objective advice from such a Number One in the heat of battle.

Back to the Stars!

[michaelisking-66226 · 8/10 · 7 April 2024]

So excited for this first episode of the last season. It's the beginning of the end!?! How exciting! There's a lot of ground to cover...a lot of space to cover, between this first episode and the last. How about starting us off with a fast ride. Actually a couple of fast rides. One on the outside of a ship traveling at warp speed, and another on sand runners. It is Discovery so of course there is a little bit of everything. From the fast rides to the slower personal side of life and relationships onboard ship. It's the "mundane" life aboard a Starship, with the occasional party, drinks, some flirting between the crew... A little bit of mischief, a few trouble makers, breaking a rule here or there. Just what we've come to expect from the crew of discovery. Oh, and while they're at it, they do end up making...discoveries! We'll see where it leads. Perhaps discoveries about the secret of life itself? This will be interesting... Great special effects that we've come to expect and considering we're just getting started it looks like it's going to be a fun ride. Can't wait.

Snoozcovery When Boldly Going Feels More Like Slowly Slogging

[info-354-549559 · 4/10 · 5 April 2024]

As a long-time enthusiast of the "Star Trek" cosmos, where the frontiers of space and the complexities of diverse civilizations beckon with the allure of the unknown, it pains me to traverse the latest episode of "Star Trek: Discovery" with the enthusiasm of a Vulcan at a surprise party. It's not that I'm averse to a deep dive into the psyche of our spacefaring heroes; after all, what is "Star Trek" if not a mirror to our own humanity? But this episode felt like being stuck in the neutral zone, with more emotional unpacking than a therapist's convention and less forward motion than a starship on impulse power in a nebula storm.

For starters, the episode felt more akin to a soap opera set against a backdrop of stars than the pioneering spirit of exploration and adventure. The dialogue, heavy with feelings and personal revelations, seemed to orbit endlessly without ever landing on a new or compelling plot point. We're venturing into the final frontier, yet the focus is so inward that the vastness of space feels like an afterthought.

The promise of delving into the mysteries of the Progeneters or the intrigue surrounding the new race dangled like a carrot on a stick, but alas, we were left nibbling on the stick. The action scenes, which might have offered a reprieve from the emotional navel-gazing, instead felt as perilous as a bounce in a bouncy castle. There's a disconnect; the stakes don't resonate, and the suspense dissipates faster than a redshirt's career prospects, leaving a viewer detached and eerily certain that no significant harm will befall our characters.

Why then, do I continue to watch? Perhaps it's the eternal optimist in me, hoping for a return to the compelling narrative arcs and exploratory zeal that defined the best of "Star Trek." Or maybe it's a touch of masochism, a commitment to see this journey through, regardless of how many detours into the emotional cosmos we must endure.

In the grand tapestry of "Star Trek," where every series has its highs and lows, this episode unfortunately charts a course closer to the latter. One can only hope that future episodes will recalibrate the balance between character development and the pioneering spirit that is the hallmark of the franchise. Until then, I'll be here, watching, waiting, and wishing for that bold leap forward that once defined this stellar saga.

Under the Twin Moons

[NerdyRomulanCyberman · 8/10 · 18 April 2024]

This episode continues the success presented in this season's opener. Now, we see the last mission Saru will have as the first officer of Discovery, where him and Burnham head to the planet Lyrek. We are confronted with the growth of these character's relationship, from rivalry to fear, and now to the deepest friendship. We are heading into a season of memories.

First if all, the delivery of comedy in this episode was amazing! I really enjoy how they have infused comedy into this season to confront the dark and deeply philosophical themes they are exploring. The season provides a fast-paced adventure to cover these deep meanings, which allows the mind to dig deep into understanding these episodes.

We learn the nickname "Action Saru" in this episode, which is a carrying example of Saru's attitude in this episode. He explores the fear he once felt universally. He explores the risks he must take in order to survive the necropolis with Burnham.

As we try to find the progenitor's technology, we are again pressed with great references to TNG. We dive deeper into Romulan culture and tradition. While we look for the answer, we see what has been made because of the action. We see what the universe has become because of the Progenitor's actions.

This episode does a great job of developing the story of this season, connecting and reflecting upon Saru and Burnham, and keeping the pace and tempo at least allegro. Let's see if our hope is not in vain.

One trick pony

[Fhrek · 4/10 · 5 April 2024]

The episode is better than the season opener... delving into discovery mission, not getting fooled by the villains at every corner, less cheese dialogues... but, everything is a race against the clock.

This plot tool is good once or twice per season, using it every time in all episodes make things bland, because we know they will get the objective done in the nickel of time.

Season opener had the race to get the mysterious cargo on the marooned ship, than reach Fred the black market contact, than chasing the villains before they escape throu the tunnels, than to stop the avalanche to kill a whole city... and on the second ep more of it to disable the sentries and read the glyphs. Not a good writing.