Tuesday, May 14, 2024

Discovery: Erigah

Star Trek: Discovery's final season continues with the seventh episode, "Erigah."

A massive Breen battleship is coming to collect the fugitives Moll and L'ak from Federation HQ, and it's too dangerous to hand them over without our heroes learning how much they know about the hunt for the Progenitors' technology. Admiral Vance and T'Rina stall the Breen as Michael tries to find out why the criminals are so important to them. Meanwhile, Stamets, Tilly, and Adira all try to crack the next clue in the chain, working from different angles.

There were peaks and valleys for me throughout this episode, owing a lot to which characters were on center stage at any given moment and how much I am invested in their stories right now. But I also found a lot about the episode to be somewhat good and not at the same time.

For example, I've generally enjoyed the return of the Breen and using them as a major villain this season... but I'm also a bit disappointed at how they've been demystified from the inscrutable baddies of Deep Space Nine, so alien we couldn't even understand their speech. I'm glad to see Nhan return for an episode, as I'd like to see as many recurring characters get one final appearance in the final season... but she came back to lose her prisoners, contribute nothing to any story thread, and have no notable scenes. I'm glad to see an expanded role for T'Rina in the episode, especially one demonstrating her diplomatic acumen... but I really felt the absence of Saru, who remained weirdly off-screen for the whole episode.

I remain "unswept up" by Moll and L'ak, as their story continues to feel so manufactured to me. The romance between them is a large part of the demystification of the Breen that bothers me, and Book's efforts to force himself on that story line through a connection to Moll that really exists only in his own mind? It's increasingly grating. (Book really has nothing to do this season. Hell, he even wandered into Engineering this episode to tell Stamets basically that.) Whether Moll or L'ak lives or dies, has a plan or doesn't, escape together or not... I just feel the screen minutes crawling when the episode spends those minutes on these issues.

Almost equal and opposite, I continue to enjoy the presence of Rayner on the show. The revelation of his trauma and loss goes a long way (in television character terms) in explaining why he is the way he is. Instead of the Moll/L'ak flashbacks of a few weeks ago, I wish instead we had gotten a Rayner flashback showing the invasion of his planet by the Breen. This latest episode cast his abrasive demeanor in much the same light as another beloved (by me) Star Trek character, Major Kira -- and I want more of it. Rayner is a main character. So spend more time on him than on temporary villains like Moll and L'ak.

I also, as ever, love any excuse for an extended scene with Tig Notaro as Jet Reno. Sure, the idea that only Reno would be able to identify the strange metal card was a big stretch. But who cares when Notaro gets to quip her way through several pages of delightfully dry dialogue, and suggest the new cocktail for Trekkers to concoct.

I give "Erigah" a B-. Next week, our heroes go after the final clue... and I guess I've got until then to figure out a recipe for a Seven of Limes.

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