Star Trek: Discovery airs on CBS All Access on Thursday’s in North America and Netflix internationally on Friday’s.
Synopsis
Burnham is stunned when she learns her ties to Section 31 run deeper than she ever fathomed. Armed with the identity of the Red Angel, the U.S.S. Discovery goes to work on its most critical mission to date.
Review
This is the moment that we have all been waiting for. The reveal of the Red Angel. The Macguffin which has been lurking over the entire of this season of the show. Who would it be? Would it be a character from another franchise travelling back for a guest spot?
The choice to reveal the character in this episode felt about right in the timeframe of the season. Ten episodes in the story has proven itself useful but needed to being tying up its loose ends.
The mixed bag of results that is season 2 is becoming its most consistent with this last batch of episodes. Though tonally it feels a little unsure of itself the production has certainly hit its stride.
Visually and sonically the show has never been better. This episode in particular features some stunning visuals. It’s great to see CBS ploughing money in to the space exploration aspects of the show. Equally the set design is outstanding.
The CGI did falter a little as the Red Angel was being captures by Stamets and the team but that moment aside this is one of the best looking shows currently out there in streaming land.
When the identity of the Red Angel was revealed I realised I had been missing the point of the overall story. Family. From seeing more of Sarek, to Amanda and Spock we’ve been exploring Michael’s family from all angels.
Many reviews including myself have also picked up on how the show has focussed more on the bridge crew of Discovery. Michael’s adoptive family you could say.
Ultimately this episode brings the story back to the idea of family and what we do for our family when they are in danger.
For all the dark side of the internet complains about how they believe Star Trek: Discovery shirks Gene Roddenberry’s vision it’s hard to argue with the value of family.
What was my biggest complaint with this episode I hear you say… well… in a world of complex sci-fi language I find it hard to believe the best the writers could come up with for the Red Angel’s power core was “time crystal”.
It felt very sloppy for a show which centres around such complex notions as mycelial networks and tachyon emissions.
Verdict
With “The Red Angel” it was finally time for Star Trek: Discovery to lift the lid on the Red Angel. Ultimately the decision to choose an unknown character was a little disappointing but keeps the story centred on the idea of family.
But despite some odd story choices this episode is one of the most solid of the season to date.
8/10
On the next episode…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nk9rHhJdZ70Star Trek: Discovery is produced by CBS Television Studios in association with Alex Kurtzman’s Secret Hideout, Bryan Fuller’s Living Dead Guy Productions and Roddenberry Entertainment. Alex Kurtzman, Bryan Fuller, Heather Kadin, Gretchen J. Berg & Aaron Harberts, Akiva Goldsman, Rod Roddenberry and Trevor Roth serve as executive producers.
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