Star Trek: Discovery season 2 hits our screens at warp speed
Season one of Netflix’s Star Trek prequel delivered action in spades, and if the first episode of season 2 is anything to go by we can expect to be visually assaulted with more of same. Visually, because Discovery is beautifully shot, but the fast pace at which the story moves can be a bit overwhelming at times.
It packs so much into the first episode that your head might be left spinning.
** SPOILERS FOR SEASON 2, EPISODE 1 AHEAD **
The scientific discoveries that previous episodes highlighted seem to take a back seat to the drama-seeped plot.
After beaming about Discover from the USS Enterprise, Captain Pike (Anson Mount brings charm to this notable Starfleet veteran) informs Saru that he’ll be taking command of the ship, due to a mysterious threat. This threat? Seven red bursts that occurred across the galaxy. How this mystery is framed is symbolic to how different Discovery is when compared to older versions – it’s not a scientific mystery that needs to be investigated, but a threat to the galaxy.
Captain Pike on the bridge
This first episode centred around how Captain Pike integrates with the crew of Discovery – it’s very much more about the crew accepting their new ‘brother-in-arms’. If you’re expecting to see to more of everyone’s favourite half-Vulcan, you’re going to be a little disappointed. While Michael’s foster brother is featured, it’s more in the form of flashbacks than anything that would substantially flesh out the character for this series.
It’s great that we get to see familiar characters like Pike and Spock in this telling of Star Trek, but the show needs to work harder to make these characters real to an audience that might not know them.
This visually stunning season premiere introduces an interesting story arc, that we can expect to feature heavily in upcoming episodes (the seven red flashes). It’s enjoyable if you can keep up with the fast pace. But It shouldn’t rely as heavily as it does on recognisable Star Trek legends characters as a drawcard to established fans. Hopefully, the character of Spock is brought to life a little more in episodes to come.
New episodes of Star Trek: Discovery season 2 come every Friday to Netflix.