Goldberg74

My apologies for posting a few hours early, but I’m excited.

Josh-da-man

WARNING -- SPOILERS FOLLOW ---------------------------------------
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Well, that was certainly an unexpected way to bring Captain James T. Kirk onto the show without interfering with established canon.

The ending of the episode would have been better if we hadn't already seen it used as the still-unresolved finale of Lower Decks season two.

Overall a strong episode that tied itself in with Pike's known fate. Pretty dark, actually. Wonder if the series will end with Pike's accident and Kirk assuming command of the Enterprise.

I think there might have been a few canonical bumps, though. I was always under the impression that Pike was no longer Captain of the Enterprise when the accident happened. This episode sort of seems to imply that he was still Captain of the Enterprise, though he was named Fleet Captain by then. Did he receive a third five year mission in this timeline? He's still commanding the Enterprise during the "Balance of Terror" episode. Also, was that supposed to the same Romulan commander Mark Lenard played in that episode?

Wonder how they're going to handle the Una situation. In the alternate timeline it was stated that she had been in a penal colony for seven years, so if that part of the past stands, she's going to be off of the show. Can Pike do something to change it, or is he also locked into those events, too?

Goldberg74

Nice season finale.

I’m not a big enough Trekkie to understand the full ramifications of this episode, but I understood the surface story and enjoyed the tension.

It was nice to meet James Kirk (and hear Sam’s description of his little brother) and I liked his thinking and attitude towards his rank.

This one-off time travel episode was a great way to help Pike come to terms with his future though he still might find a way to change it.

One point of confusion or rather a point of (future) contention… Pike now knows what the Romulans look like. Is he going to share it or keep it to himself?

Oh, and I was happy to hear a familiar voice conversing with Spock as he was repairing the phaser array.

Glad to know Season 2 is in development. Just waiting for a release date.

Refresh my memory, what are you referring to?

Josh-da-man

I thought about that, too. I'd reckon that, after what Pike saw, he doesn't want to do anything to change the future, so he's going to keep what he learned about the Romulans to himself so it plays out the way its supposed to when it does happen.

Wonder if they didn't show him because they haven't cast someone for season two yet.

Strange New Worlds Season 1 ended with Number One being arrested by Starfleet. Lower Decks Season 2 ended with Captain Freeman being arrested by Starfleet.

Double_Oh_7

I can't help but be distracted by Anson Mount's ever-changing, giant hair swoop.

Goldberg74

There was some Johnny Bravo level hair going on.

Okay, I thought it was something deeper than that, but yeah, you're right.

Xiroteus

If this was serialized ten episodes is a good season. With it being more episodic I could go for quite a few more.

dstrauss

What a wonderful first season. Best premiere season for a Trek show since TOS.

And I loved the unseen voice cameo from a certain Scottish engineer.

movieguru

Didn't think this actor look or acted much like James Kirk. I had thought the Kirk and Spock went to Starfleet Academy together or at least knew each other before he became captain of the Enterprise. Didn't seem like they knew each other at all in this episode.

Deftones

Man this show is amazing. Best Trek in forever.

Deftones

S2 just wrapped filming. I imagine we get it mid year next year.

Goldberg74

Awesome.

Oh, and I forgot to mention it, but I loved that Pike-22662287 was wearing the "Star Trek V" uniform.




Eric F

Fantastic!

Some of it was a scene for scene, word for word reshoot of the TOS episode Balance of Terror.

13 posts in and I'm the first one to notice this? Damn, TOS is more burned into my brain than I thought.

FYI: Sam Kirk is stationed elsewhere when this episode takes place on TOS.

Loved it!!!

General Zod

The "Balance of Terror" connection was mentioned in post #2 .. It's hard to miss.

Overall I thought it was fantastic along with the whole season. I mentioned before I thin this is the best Star Trek of them all (including TOS) and I stand by it.

They could have found someone to look at least a little bit more like Kirk. Nitpick I know.. There was some canon problems if you consider the movies with Kirk and Spock but I mean it's going to be hard to avoid those with Star Trek having as much threads as a Tholian's web.

Eric F

I missed it.

Yeah, there are plenty of canon problems but that's what happens whenever you do a prequel. The one that I really notice is explaining how nobody on TOS ever mention they served with Sam Kirk. At least Spock has an excuse for never mentioning Michael (Discovery's disappearance into the future is top secret).

Giantrobo

Finale was the best ep. I liked it more than all the rest. 👍🏿Loved the serious tone.

Ayre

Best episode. The last few episodes Pike is a captain instead of comic relief.
What is kind of weird to me is Pike looks like an older Kirk and Kirk looked like a young ToS Pike.

Red Dog

That was an interesting way to get Captain Kirk into the show.

The twist on Balance of Terror was pretty cool. Even Scotty's voice got in there when Spock was making repairs in the tube.

Bandoman

Wow, what a show. This could be the best Trek ever, including TOS and TNG. It gels in every way.

I liked Paul Wesley as Kirk, although I did get a Jim Carrey impersonating Shatner vibe.

The way they wove actual dialog from Balance of Terror into this was genius. The writers deserve a ton of credit.

You can see from this show why Spock will later risk his career to bring Well-Done Pike back to Talos IV.

jpcamb

the best episode of the season by far. I do feel the show has paid too much homage to other things and while I didn't hate the last episode I wish they would go with storylines like this as opposed to Alien remakes and Oz parodies.

movieguru

Wasn't that Pike from much farther in the future and not from 2266?

Goldberg74

You're right. Star Trek V was 2287. My bad.

johnnysd

I absolutely loved this season but I was not as big of a fan of this episode as others. My main issue is that Kirk was bad. I am sorry but he had no feeling of Kirk at all. Wrong hair color, appearance and build and he talked nothing like Shatner. Especially with the spot on voice cameo of Scotty you would have thought they would get someone who at least sounded like Kirk a little. Balance of Terror should have been an extra episode available for this week. I will watch that and rewatch the finale. Having said that I honestly think it might be my favorite of all of them especially in the first season. I just adore the cast.

Number 1 has been really demphasized the last few weeks. Did something happen and they are going to write her out?

movieguru

Yeah, this actor did not look or sound anything like Kirk. His personality wasn't anything like Shatner's Kirk. He was much more business and didn't even try to sleep with any of the females in the episode. Scotty's voice was perfect. I was wondering if they used some old recording of Dohan's voice for this episode or if they got a voice actor to do his lines.

Bronkster

Great episode and great finish to the first season (remember when a season was 24+ episodes??). Didn't care for the actor playing Kirk at all. Like Bando said, got a Jim Carrey vibe. I get that they're not going to "clone" Shatner's character, but at least get someone who has the Kirk swagger. But still a great episode!