I liked -- and ALMOST loved -- this episode. I love me some Lit-Trek (inject TOS Shakespeare into my fucking veins).
Yet I can't help but have criticisms, as I do.
It feels like the last act jump to "we're on the road to healing now" came much too abrupt for me. It was a valiant effort, certainly, tying it into the play in a predictable manner. But it feels weird for EVERYONE to arrive there at the same time.
I understand the nature of television makes a more realistic portrayal of a GROUP recovering from trauma difficult to portray. So I'm not going to get too down on it for that. But I did FEEL it.
As for SAM: I love SAM. I do. She's a charming little weirdo. I'm glad they didn't Hemmer her -- I as fully expecting it, though. They sure peppered the other story with that suggestion.
And I don't have a problem with where they went with her recovery.
But there was so little time invested in the Doctor's side of the story. They just flipped a switch, essentially, paying a bit of lip service to one specific trauma moment (ignoring everything else) that was easily overcome.
And that's a shame, because a lot of us were waiting to hear a bit more about his issues. Perhaps, in retrospect, it was a misstep in casting Picardo.
Don't get me wrong: Bob is AMAZING, and easily one of the best actors in Trek. I'm thrilled he's here.
But I can't help but feel like that desire to learn more about him, stepping right up to the tee, and then only getting this little dribble of backstory just ended up taking the light off of SAM.
Additionally, I don't quite have a grip on the Kasq. Their debut in 1x05 came off as angry and hyper-logical. Here, they come off much more benevolent in comparison. Do they treat her differently than foreign visitors? Who knows.
Another ding: look, I absolutely get and understand the need to recycle sets, and I just rolled with it, accepted the weak explanation of them using it to make the Doctor and Ake feel "comfortable" -- hell, I bet it's why they even made it monochrome to help hide it a bit better.
But then they use the same sets in the 17 year montage of the Doctor raising SAM?! Nah, too far. Much, much too far. Thankfully they were brief.
Also, Tilly was there.
3.5/5
===
Currently:
🥇1x06 - Come, Let's Away
🥇1x05 - Series Acclimation Mil
🥇1x04 - Vox in Excelso
🥇1x01 - Kids These Days
🥈1x03 - Vitus Reflux
🥈1x08 - The Life of the Stars
🥈1x02 - Beta Test
🥉1x07 - Ko'Zeine
(Note: some rankings can change week to week as things settle.)
