Synopsis
After receiving a message from Book, Burnham and Georgiou embark on a rogue mission to find him, leaving Saru to pick up the pieces with Admiral Vance. Meanwhile, Stamets forms an unexpected bond with Adira.
Review
We’re nearing the middle point of Star Trek: Discovery season 3 and that means the pieces are moving around the board again. Having cemented themselves in 3188 (or is it 89 now) and found the Federation, it’s time to shake up the new status quo.
“Scavengers” is somewhat of a filler episode in that it doesn’t move the overall story forwards. What it does is bring Book (David Ajala) back in to the fold and allow for some operational changes to see us through the back-half of the season.
Star Trek is a series which holds the idea of the utopian institution in incredibly high regard. We’re often exposed to alien planets when oppression is rife, gender politics are out of balance or poverty is still an issue. But underpinning it all are the Federation ideals that everyone can work together to better themselves.
Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) might want to work for the greater good but she often upends the ideals which the Federation stands for. But in a future where the Federation is lost and searching for hope, working against its ideals seems to be the best way to bring them back. This episode puts the spotlight purely on her ability to flout the rules regardless of the potential consequences on her crew mates.
“Scavenger” also speaks to the development of the Discovery’s crew. That Tilly (Mary Wiseman) is the one who advises Saru (Doug Jones) on how to deal with Burnham’s insubordination is huge. Tilly has been one of Burnham’s most vocal defendants, to se her step out of line for the good of the crew shows her readiness to make difficult decisions. It’s a shame she’s 300 years too late for the command training program.
This episode, written by Anne Cofell Saunders, displays Discovery at its most self-aware. Star Trek can often be accused of travelling the galaxy forcing Starfleet’s views on less developed races but with little insight in to its own flaws. But with resources sparse and Saru keen to make a good impression “Scavengers” shows Admiral Vance (Oded Fehr) is still not entirely on-side. His dressing down of Saru flows down the chain of command and culminates in another great emotional moment between the captain and his number one.
In my review of last week’s episode (here) I pointed out that Discovery had quickly forgotten that Burnham pointed out she wasn’t quite ready to fall in with the rest of the crew. Her year apart from them changed her and, after that lapse in memory, it came back to haunt her this week. The moment when Saru strips her of her command post is heartbreaking. Both actors play it incredibly well, as they always do, and the demotion feels both earned and accepted.
As we head in to the back-half of the season it’s now up to Burnham to prove herself rather than find herself. Her persistence to find the cause of The Burn (Burn-ham perhaps?) will perhaps drop her in to more hot water before bringing her full circle. But with Sonequa Martin-Green absolutely crushing it with her performance it’s going to be outstanding to watch.
Verdict
“Scavengers” is a mid-season filler but in the middle of Star Trek Discovery‘s best season that is still an outstanding hour of television.
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