Star Trek: Strange New Worlds 1.02
Back from the conference of hell, and thus able to watch the episode.
Uhura as the young cadet still learning the ropes character feels on the one hand a bit odd since I'm so used to think of her as an adult woman, but otoh they get the balance right between showcasing her competence and providing the uncertainties of youth - she's nervous about being beamed on a mysterious asteroid (as one would), she's not yet sure about staying with Starfleet, she falls for a prank. (BTW: often I dislike pranks because they come across as bullying, but here, again, I think the episode kept the balance by making the older officers react in a considerate, gentle way designed once they see Uhura has been teased by Ortega.) Uhura figuring out how to communicate with the asteroid musically was very fanfiction-like in the best sense, and I like all the additional details, like Spock being the one other away team member musical enough to provide some backup. (Echoing/foreshadowing their scene in Charley X where he plays an instrument to her singing.)
The whole problem of the asteroid potentially destroying the planet is a good episodic "case of the week" plotline while thematically connected with Pike's ongoing knowledge of the future problem. Number One argues that Pike's vision of the future might not have to mean what he thinks it means (which reminds me of a certain Londo and Vir scene in s5 of Babylon 5), while he seems to seek meaning in his fate by focusing on the people he'll save by the act that will destroy his body. The fact that the asteroid, too, had foreknowledge and relied on Spock's actions to deter it as the very element it needed to provide life, not death, to the inihabitants of Persephone 3 could foreshadow that Strange New Worlds will lean into something like this - Pike's eventual fate might appear settled, but at the same time he can alter its meaning.
Trivia: Pike cooking for his staff reminded me of course of Benjamin Sisko. Christine Chapel and the way she interacts with the crew continues to be great, and Hemmer the grumpy Aenar makes a good foil/contrast to everyone's good humor for now, though I hope he'll be fleshed out beyond this in future episodes. Sam Kirk got a few more lines this week before being rendered subconscious, enough to come across as a thoughtful man, encouraging Uhura without being either patronizing or flirtatious. Given his field of exptertise, maybe they'll interact more?
One more thing about Uhura's background: is the story with her parents and grandmother from one of the novels or completely new?
Uhura as the young cadet still learning the ropes character feels on the one hand a bit odd since I'm so used to think of her as an adult woman, but otoh they get the balance right between showcasing her competence and providing the uncertainties of youth - she's nervous about being beamed on a mysterious asteroid (as one would), she's not yet sure about staying with Starfleet, she falls for a prank. (BTW: often I dislike pranks because they come across as bullying, but here, again, I think the episode kept the balance by making the older officers react in a considerate, gentle way designed once they see Uhura has been teased by Ortega.) Uhura figuring out how to communicate with the asteroid musically was very fanfiction-like in the best sense, and I like all the additional details, like Spock being the one other away team member musical enough to provide some backup. (Echoing/foreshadowing their scene in Charley X where he plays an instrument to her singing.)
The whole problem of the asteroid potentially destroying the planet is a good episodic "case of the week" plotline while thematically connected with Pike's ongoing knowledge of the future problem. Number One argues that Pike's vision of the future might not have to mean what he thinks it means (which reminds me of a certain Londo and Vir scene in s5 of Babylon 5), while he seems to seek meaning in his fate by focusing on the people he'll save by the act that will destroy his body. The fact that the asteroid, too, had foreknowledge and relied on Spock's actions to deter it as the very element it needed to provide life, not death, to the inihabitants of Persephone 3 could foreshadow that Strange New Worlds will lean into something like this - Pike's eventual fate might appear settled, but at the same time he can alter its meaning.
Trivia: Pike cooking for his staff reminded me of course of Benjamin Sisko. Christine Chapel and the way she interacts with the crew continues to be great, and Hemmer the grumpy Aenar makes a good foil/contrast to everyone's good humor for now, though I hope he'll be fleshed out beyond this in future episodes. Sam Kirk got a few more lines this week before being rendered subconscious, enough to come across as a thoughtful man, encouraging Uhura without being either patronizing or flirtatious. Given his field of exptertise, maybe they'll interact more?
One more thing about Uhura's background: is the story with her parents and grandmother from one of the novels or completely new?