2 Ups And 7 Downs From Star Trek: Strange New Worlds 3.7 — What Is Starfleet?

The definition is relatively simple: 'two or more characters in conversation'. The execution has been the bane of writers since Antiquity. Though not always successful at the practice, Star Trek has brought us more than enough good dialogue over the years to memorise, meme, and recite. Even the most outlandish of technobabble between colleagues has had the internal consistency to make meaning, if not sense.

Sadly, there is nothing quotable from this week's episode. Spock's "it is now a weapon, but also a creature" is a case in point of pointlessness, and more simply, just a bad line. Chapel's "because of brain aneurisms, synaptic overload, deaths" to Spock in the science lab then felt (and sounded) more like she was channelling Adelaide Shaw in The Last Frontier. "For many science reasons."

Beto's opening monologue then felt like it had been copied right out of a 23rd century self-help book — 'Manifesting: A Betazoid Guide' or something. "Space is filled with wonders," we are told. "We travel among them searching for answers, investigating the mysteries within ourselves." No comment.

Now, let's end on a non-sequitur:

Pike to Uhura: "I won't risk another crewmember."

Uhura to Pike: "You don't have to. I'm volunteering."

Volunteering in no way diminishes the risk, and it barely absolves Pike of the responsibility, but… okay. Let's move on.