Star Trek: Discovery 3x11 “Su’Kal” Review

rating: ***

the story: At last! The secret origin of the Burn! But of course it’s complicated!

review: “Su’Kal” has importance to the season, of course, but it also echoes a franchise story archetype fans have sometimes grumbled about. When Enterprise did it (“Oasis”) it was assumed to be a ripoff of an earlier episode, Deep Space Nine’s “Shadowplay.” But it’s a story that literally goes back to the very first pilot, “The Cage,” in which Pike becomes embroiled in a fantasy constructed for someone else.

What helps “Su’Kal” stand out is how Burnham and Saru are involved. Burnham’s role is fairly comedic; she’s assumed to be a hologram, and so she adopts that approach. Saru’s is more personal. The source of the Burn is apparently a ship that was crewed by Kelpians. The lone survivor is one who has lived in isolation for decades, his only companions instruction holograms. When Saru leads an away team to visit this unexpected glimpse back to his people, he and the rest of the party are integrated into the program to look less threatening. And this means Saru does not look like Saru.

He looks a lot like, well, Doug Jones.

All that’s good. The subplot is the return of the Emerald Chain, who continue to be underwhelming foes even as they follow another franchise trope of the ship being quickly and easily taken over by the enemy. (Burnham and Book will surely rescue them next episode!)

The upside of that is seeing Tilly in command. It’s sort of like Sulu in the Kelvinverse Star Trek. It salvages the material. Hopefully to be improved upon next episode.

criteria analysis: 

>franchise - Classic franchise tropes revisited!

>series - A big moment for the season has arrived, a culmination point headed toward the climax.

>character - Somehow this is the first time Saru has gotten a spotlight without the problem being directly related to him. Just indirectly!

>essential - If it weren’t for that darn underdeveloped antagonist...

notable guest-stars:

Oded Fehr