Star Trek: Discovery 3.5 Review: Ups And Downs From Die Trying
1. Captain Saru (UP)
This should come as little shock to anyone - Captain Saru, once again, is an up in this episode. Doug Jones is rapidly becoming not only a high point of Discovery, but a high point in Star Trek as a whole. His with and enthusiasm are infectious and, as captain, he is truly the right man for the job.
He is also gentle at exactly the right moments. There is a subtle dig at Burnham during her initial interview with Vance, where the ELI asks her bluntly if she is prone to emotional outbursts (even the back row screams YES) and this is remembered at the close of the episode.
Burnham, as usual, is written to speak out of turn and is quite correctly put in her place by Admiral Vance. Saru reminds her, albeit gently, that her behaviour reflects on both of them now. They are no longer in the void, as he says. They are now part of Starfleet again, answerable to the Admiralty and standing, once more, as examples of how they run their ship.
Saru handles this with tact, while still reminding her of her place as first officer. It is a quiet moment, one that is thankfully not played out as the old argument between them.
The episode ends on a high, with the trailer for next week's episode featuring a certain returning guest star and promising more action than this week's had to offer.