In Review: Star Trek: Discovery – An Obol for Charon

Synopsis: A mysterious sphere threatens the U.S.S. Discovery even as May, in her original form, implements a plan that puts Tilly’s life in danger. Saru and Burnham’s bond grows when Saru is forced to acknowledge a deeply unsettling Kelpien truth. Pike receives new intel on Spock from a loyal friend.

Review: This episode manages to channel some of the best elements of Star Trek when it comes to exploration and we also get to see some of the consequences of Stamat’s trips with the spore drive.

The Story

When Number One visits The Discovery. She brings some valuable intelligence to Pike with regards to the course that Spock’s shuttle had plotted when it left the starbase. Armed with this new information the Captain orders a course be plotted, but their progress is halted when they run into a mysterious sphere, which interferes with all of Discovery’s systems in its efforts to communicate.

While Burnham and a very sick Suru aid Captain Pike in troubleshooting the issue with the sphere. Stamats and Jett Reno try stop May from taking Tilly and learn that Stamat’s trips with the Spore Drive caused a lot of damage to May’s race.

The Acting

First and foremost. Rebecca Romijn makes a good impact as Number One but is little more than a plot point for this episode. Hopefully, she becomes more prevalent in future episodes.

We get a great performance from Doug Jones this week as we see Saru confront what he thinks is going to be his death, which makes for a brilliant scene toward the close of the episode where he asks Burnham to help him die.

I also really enjoyed Tig Notaro as the very outspoken and witty Jett Reno who squares off against Stamats when she argues the merits of present-day technology verses Stamats Spore Drive.

Overall

I really enjoyed the mystery in regards to the Sphere in this episode and the various efforts that are made by the crew to get away from it.

I also enjoyed the back and forth between Stamats and Jett with regards to their two very different approaches and the argument that ensued because of that.