Star Trek Discovery Discussion: “Point of Light”

Who you gonna call? Sporebusters!

Beyond spore drives, improved effects, and occasional swearing, Discovery distinguishes itself from previous Treks by its serial storytelling. Nevertheless, the first two episodes of Season Two featured something resembling contained stories. With the third episode, we’re clearly in chapter mode, with several segments of story arcs.

The postwar Klingons have started growing their hair, but they still sport prosthetic make-up that makes their facial expressions less human and readable.

Title: “Point of Light”

Directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi
Written by Andrew Colville, with Kirsten Beyer and Sean Cochran

Cast
Sonequa Martin-Green as Michael Burnham
Anson Mount as Captain Christopher Pike
Doug Jones as Commander Saru
Anthony Rapp as Commander Paul Stamets
Mary Wiseman as Ensign Sylvia Tilly
Mary Chieffo as L’Rell
Shazad Latif as Ash Tyler/Voq
Michelle Yeoh as Philippa Georgiou
Mia Kirshner as Amanda Grayson
Alan Van Sprang as Leland
Hannah Cheesman as Lt. Cmdr. Airiam
Ronnie Rowe as Lt. R.A. Bryce
Bahia Watson as May
Emily Coutts as Lt. Keyla Detmer
Patrick Kwok-Choon as Lt. Gen Rhys
Oyin Oladejo as Lt. Joann Owosekun
Ronnie Rowe as Lt. R.A. Brycee)
Xavier Sotelo as Captain Diego Vela
David Benjamin Tomlinson as Linus
Pay Chen as Starfleet Psychiatrist
Damon Runyan as Ujil
Julianne Grossman as Discovery Computer

Premise:

Sylvia Tilly continues to say nothing about the dangerous hallucinations she’s experiencing, only to discover she’s not hallucinating.

Amanda comes aboard the Enterprise to pass on stolen information to Michael.

L’Rell claims to be all about the Voq, but she severs herself from him in order to set herself up as der Mutter of the Klingon Race.

Whatever else Discovery may do with continuity, it’s not going to delete Section 31, and the clandestine organization has a sinister recruit.

We see a little more of Discovery’s non-Terran crew.

High Point:

This week relies heavily on elements from the first season and previous Treks, but they use them fairly effectively. And while they’re not slavishly following continuity– they make some effective use of improved effects– they are finding ways to bridge last season’s departures with the shows we know and love.

Low Point:

The writing relies heavily on people keeping secrets. Michael acknowledges to Amanda that she did something horrible to Spock, but she won’t say what. Ensign Tilly doesn’t acknowledge her problem until she has no choice (and damn the possible consequences of a compromised officer). At least those decisions make some kind of sense, as the characters are protecting themselves. L’Rell and Ash/Voq keep important secrets from each other largely so the script can make things easier for the extremists who oppose L’Rell. That Klingon plotting then gets thrown aside by the machinations of a Starfleet agency dedicated to secrets, Section 31.

The Scores:

Originality: 2/6

Effects: 5/6

Acting: 5/6

Production: 6/6

Story: 4/6 It’s difficult to assess a story in progress. Some elements– the Red Angel and the role of mothers– help unify disparate plots.

Emotional Response: 4/6

Overall: 4/6 This week felt uneven, but the show continues to keep my attention.

In total, “Point of Light” receives 30/42

One reply

  1. This episode wasn’t as great as last two weeks, but still is great Trek. This episode felt like they originally just wrote a backdoor pilot for Section 31, but then decided they couldn’t get a full hour for it, but since they were already greenlit they didn’t need to.

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