With a name like Terra Firma there is only one place this episode could be going and that is back to the Mirror Universe to solve the age old question, what is wrong with Philippa Georgiou. (besides the fact that she is the sadistic Empress of the Terran Empire). Oh and there is also the small thing about some ship sending a distress call from a nebula where the Burn started, but that’s not important or anything.
Is it a ‘Good’ Episode?
It is really hard to review an episode that is practically cut in half because, well, we only really have half the story. With that in mind, some of the things I make mention of being strange or off might actually pay off in the second part. That is a lot of assumption though so we shall see.
The story itself is pretty straight forward, Georgiou is experiencing some sort of time/dimensional dysphoria which is causing her molecules to basically want to kill themselves because they simply don’t belong there. While Time Travel itself takes a toll on the body, jumping 900 years between timelines AND dimensions …yeah… not so good. This is further explained when Admiral Cronenberg err Kovich explains that someone from the Kelvin Universe appeared in their time only to begin deteriorating. They would have sent him back but…there were laws and so he was left to die. With it clear that Star Fleet has no intention to save Georgiou, Burnham learns of a planet that might have the answer from Discovery’s newly sentient computer. Yeah, I know, it’s a deus ex moment but then again, this series seems to be filled with those rather conveniences. Ultimately, Burnham and Georgiou meet up with someone who has to be a member of the Q Continuum and Georgiou walks through a door and into the past where she faces the day that her Burnham betrayed her. So, what is an Empress to do? well, she starts altering history like a pro, which really should mess up the events from season one but, like I said earlier, we are only getting half the story here. Maybe this is just a “What If” to help her adjust or something. Who knows?
Then there is the B story that is really the overarching narrative story that feels more like a side quest. The Burn and the signal from within the nebula. So, They track it down and translate the distress code, only to discover that HOLY MOLY, its a message from a Kelpian who probably died like 100 years ago. Of course Captain Saru is trying to deal with this news and doesn’t seem to know what to do so he just mopes at the screen and watches the transmission over and over. Is our Saru getting homesick? More likely he is just unsure of himself because man he is pretty weak as a Captain. Seriously, this guy second guesses himself and leans on Star Fleet doctrine a little much for a Federation Captain. There is even a moment where Book offers to essentially join the crew and Saru just tells Book to ‘go prove yourself like I had to do to the nuFederation’. Dick.
Overall, I really don’t know how to feel about this one but, again, it is only half the story. Although I really think DS9 played the whole Mirror Universe thing out, I have to say it was fun to see the crew be their bad selves. Captain Killy Tilly is pretty dope and evil Burnham is so much better than normal weepy Burnham. It seems that Georgiou might have learned a few things from the Prime Universe and is thinking of implementing them in the Mirror Universe. However, we all know she fails because not ten years later Spock and Kirk encounter this Universe and they are all a bunch of assholes still. So, who knows… I guess we will have to wait until next week for Terra Firma Part Two!
Gleanings, Questions and cool bits: (slight spoilers here)
- This episode firmly establishes the Kelvin timeline as canon even showing that they ended up adopting the season 1 STNG uniforms at one point.
- Georgiou’s sickness explains Spock’s death in the Kelvin Universe indicating that Spock Prime had a pretty terrible fate.
- So Discovery’s Sentient Database has information lost to the nuFederation and they are just like…hmmm cool. Seriously? There is a vast amount of data lost to the nuFederation that could help them all but they just let Discovery go play around the universe.
- Captain Saru has a LOT of growing to do as a Captain. He is WAY to by-the-book but only when he wants to be, when it doesn’t affect him directly. Frankly, while he is the only logical choice in the crew to take command, he just doesn’t seem to have what it takes. Between his dismissal of Book, someone who has 1st hand knowledge of the time period and the space they are in and his willingness to just let Georgiou die, he would probably be better off letting Tilly take command at this point.
- That’s gotta be a Q right? Some rando dude sitting in a snowfield dressed in ancient Earth clothing guarding a door? I mean, seriously, this is a Q.
- Oh and Adira is still dealing with their loss of Gray. I don’t know what they are going with here but it feels rather repetitive.
- We learn that Georgiou chose Burnham as her daughter because Burnham basically didn’t give a crap…and yet Georgiou is shocked that her Burnham betrays her… hmmm
- until next time…check out some sneek peaks below.
Thanks for reading the SciFi TV Review, I look forward to discussing the rest of the series with you! Some teasers of next weeks episode below!
For more reviews: check out the weekly series called Key Movies Of My Life that comes out every Thursday and for more Trek goodness check out our Retro TV Reviews here.
As always, please feel free to comment below and share your experiences with these episodes as well. If you just happened by, tell me what you think! Don’t Forget To Follow me if you like the blog!
Late To The Game 10/15/2020
Special Thanks to Memory Alpha as they are one of the best sources for details on Star Trek information available. Although I have a pretty deep knowledge on the subject, they have proven invaluable as a regular resource.
“Star Trek and all related marks, logos and characters are solely owned by CBS Studios Inc. This fan production is not endorsed by, sponsored by, nor affiliated with CBS, Paramount Pictures, or any other Star Trek franchise, and is a non-commercial fan-made production intended for recreational use. No commercial exhibition or distribution is permitted. No alleged independent rights will be asserted against CBS or Paramount Pictures.”
Late to the Game Blog 