8 Ups & 2 Downs From Star Trek: Discovery 5.7 - Erigah

We all love Book, but the hook or by crook — nudge the Grudge — of the what of the plot, is now not the best look. Sorry, I still appear to be rhyming after last week's episode. Season five would be poorer without him — his interactions with Doctor Culber have already provided a particular highlight — but, as Seán has previously mentioned in his Ups & Downs, writing Book in has required walking a fine line of credibility. At times in Erigah, I felt this credibility was stretched just a little too thin.

What was arguably a great moment for Nhan, was more pointedly a 'Last time/season on Star Trek: Discovery' for Book. It's no doubt not a good sign that they had to re-justify Book's presence aboard in such a way in the opening few minutes, brightly spotlighted by Burnham's "Book has been instrumental in this mission so far". Credit where credit is due, Book does prove her point correct by assisting Stamets with his half of the clue, and by convincing Moll to cease her escape attempt and return to L'ak's side.

Nevertheless, it does feel like Book has been given an awful amount of privileged access to go running around ship — one that he'd fired on last season (warning shots or no). When Moll escapes the confines of the confinement field, Discovery is put on "lockdown protocol," and Book proceeds to ask Zora "What's going on?" Zora then spills security information to him more readily than Ensign DeSeve after a couple of glasses of Romulan ale. How much clearance does Book have? Later, Book's reaction to Moll's departure, whilst completely understandable, was also arguably a bit out of line.