Here we stand, mere moments away from bidding farewell to "Star Trek: Discovery" after a thrilling journey. But let's hold off on that nostalgic glance back at the past six years, eight months, one week, and two days. We'll save that emotional trip for next week. And undoubtedly, there will be some sort of heartfelt goodbye at the end of next week's episode, but how awkward and cringe-worthy it will be remains a mystery. In the category of "Best non-cancellation last episode of a TV sci-fi show with Five Seasons or More," well, sadly, it's not "Enterprise."
Let's face the truth; it has to be "All Good Things" (S07, E25) from "The Next Generation." And "Unending," the "Stargate SG1" episode (S10, E20), takes the second spot. As we've witnessed, the writing quality in this fifth and final season of "Discovery" has picked up the pace, arguably improving over the past three seasons, but undoubtedly soaring in the last one. That was the point where many viewers, who had given "Discovery" the benefit of the doubt for so long, decided to call it quits.
And while this episode, titled "Lagrange Point," is directed by Jonathan Frakes, it's not a disaster. Frakes has an impressive resume of episodic television, including "Falling Skies," "The Orville," even "V," and, of course, his illustrious work on "The Next Generation" and "Deep Space Nine," as well as "First Contact." But he's also helmed a few episodes –– almost exclusively of "Star Trek" –– that are, well, the equivalent of those Roger Moore Bond movies in the sci-fi TV franchise. And let's leave it at that.
Without delving deeper into the writing and production process of "Discovery," it's challenging to discern if the writers are aware of the director assigned to each episode and whether they tailor their scripts accordingly. Or if the director simply takes the script and tinkers with it as much or as little as they desire. Ultimately, this contributes to the inconsistency we discussed a week or so ago, adding another layer of intrigue to this already captivating series.
This week, a carefully chosen contingent of the USS Discovery's command crew embarked on a daring mission to infiltrate a formidable Breen dreadnought. However, after recently witnessing the epic "Orville" episode "Krill," it's admittedly challenging to take this somewhat cliched tactical endeavor seriously. Nevertheless, for the majority of the mission, it progressed with surprising smoothness.
The Breen had cunningly slipped under the radar of the USS Discovery and managed to steal the Progenitors Puzzle, akin to Belloq's sneaky antics in "Raiders of the Lost Ark." We watched them attempt to unlock the final clue, echoing the humorously gruesome slave deaths from "The Mummy." Alas, it seemed like a missed opportunity for some truly innovative and horrifying sacrificial deaths, Frakes. Being dragged into an unknown dimension simply wasn't enough. And what was that? The infamous Wilhelm Scream?!
On a brighter note, there were some ingenious and imaginative editing choices that deserved commendation from Starfleet. Special kudos should go to the writer who bravely included a line where Captain Rayner (Keith Rennie Callum) finally tells Lt. Sylvia Tilly (Mary Wiseman) to pipe down. While some fans adore her innocent, bumbling comedy relief, it's not always suitable for every scene.
And now, breaking news! According to The Hollywood Reporter, longtime "X-Men" producer Simon Kinberg is in negotiations to produce a new "Star Trek" movie franchise for Paramount. Toby Haynes, who helmed the episode "Andor," is on deck to direct the upcoming feature, with Seth Grahame-Smith penning the script. Rumor has it that the project will be set decades prior to the controversial 2009 movie directed by JJ Abrams, potentially around modern times. This new era of "Star Trek" is shaping up to be an exciting adventure indeed!
It's rumored to encompass the birth of Starfleet and humanity's maiden encounter with extraterrestrial beings. This news is like sweet music to the ears of Trek enthusiasts who maintain that sending the franchise into the distant future is a disastrous, disastrous strategy. Furthermore, having someone besides Alex Kurtzman and Akiva Goldsman helm the ship is a brilliant, brilliant decision. Granted, the era explored in Trek history is indeed fascinating, as we witnessed in the criminally underrated "Enterprise." However, it seems like everyone is either eager to fast-forward into the future or hit reverse and take the franchise all the way back... but inevitably, inevitably skipping over the most untapped period, the "The Wrath of Khan" era: Monster Maroons, Admiral Kirk, the USS Excelsior... and all that unexplored majesty.
The fifth and final season of "Star Trek: Discovery," along with every other episode of every "Star Trek" series (excluding "Star Trek: Prodigy"), is currently streaming exclusively on Paramount Plus in the United States. Meanwhile, "Prodigy" has found a cozy new abode on Netflix. Internationally, these shows are accessible on Paramount Plus in Australia, Latin America, the UK, and South Korea, and also on Pluto TV's Sci-Fi channel in Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Switzerland. Additionally, they stream on Paramount Plus in Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. In Canada, they air on Bell Media's CTV Sci-Fi Channel and are available for streaming on Crave.
