We’ve got a Star Trek: Discovery double whammy right out of the gate for the final season premiere. Not only do we have our premiere episode, but we also get episode two simultaneously! I’ll be reviewing 5×02 in a separate review. Star Trek: Discovery 5×01 “Red Directive” has set us up for a wonderful quest to close the final season. Black alert! Here are a few thoughts on Star Trek: Discovery 5×01 “Red Directive.”
Action! Excitement! Adventure!
We’ve got a lot of action to kick off Star Trek: Discovery 5×01 “Red Directive.” We’ve seen part of the big action sequence when facing off against Moll and L’ak in the Romulan ship. That was released some time ago, and yes, it was very exciting to watch then, but it’s even better now that we have context. We also learned a lot about Moll and L’ak with just a little in this sequence. We see that they are resourceful, formidable, a bit cocky, but not without cause. That especially shines through in the rest of the episode with the sand speeder chase that they give Michael, Book, and Rayner.
Star Trek: Discovery “Red Directive” also gives us this interesting and quite literal puzzle found in this Romulan puzzle box, which is solved by a remarkably Data-looking android named Fred. As someone with two literature degrees, I appreciate Fred’s usage of phonetic descriptors. I also really enjoy how he spoke to Moll and L’ak, “You are togetherness, yes?” What an interesting way to phrase that!
I was sorry to see them take Fred out. Can Stamets reassemble the Tin Man? We’ll have to see. I also love that Michael wanted them to find Fred’s family. It’s interesting that I had not previously considered that Fred might have a family, but perhaps he did. Regardless, this particular part of the episode brought to mind a combination of Star Wars and Indiana Jones. Desert chase scenes, speeder bikes, and the planet they were on is basically a higher class Tatooine.
Finally, I would be remiss if I failed to comment on our introduction to Callum Keith Rennie’s Captain Rayner. He is a great character and a nice contrast to our usually chipper Disco crew. In my interview with her, Mary Wiseman referred to Rayner as “an old battle axe,” which I think is a pretty apt description. His surliness is a bit off-putting to me, but like the rest of the Disco crew, I tend to be a little more positive. I’m looking forward to watching his character grow this season.
Saru/T’Rina Shipper Goodness!
Y’all, I’ve got to say it. Saru/T’Rina are so adorable, dang it! They are very sweet while dancing, in Star Trek: Discovery 5×01 “Red Directive.” Also, I thought it was fascinating that she uses the word “love” to describe her feelings for Saru. While I understand that we are still learning the nuances of the combined world of Ni’Var, it still took me aback that someone that I thought had more “orthodox” Vulcan leanings would use the word “love.” It’s a very interesting insight into the culture of Ni’Var!
Also, we finally get that proposal that we were all hoping for! As we saw in season one of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, women do the proposing on Vulcan. I see that tradition has not changed on Ni’Var. Also, the proposal itself is so very Saru/T’Rina. “Perhaps we should codify our relationship.” Who would have thought such “professional words,” could be so romantic? Speaking of “professional words,” I have a few for Michael and Book.
“Professional Words” for Michael and Book
Here are my “professional words” regarding this ridiculous relationship awkwardness with Michael and Book. Mr. Nerdy Blogger and I dated long distance. We had to learn to talk to each other and communicate. I call BS on this we have to “break up because we’re long distance and didn’t communicate well” thing. I get that Michael and Book are both very driven by their work, but when you’re in a committed relationship like that, you are committed to making it work. This is the only part of the episode that didn’t really work for me. It feels like a bit of manufactured drama, which Star Trek doesn’t do. I’m curious to see how we sort this nonsense out by the end of the season.
Final Thoughts
There’s a lot to like in Star Trek: Discovery 5×01 “Red Directive.” I enjoy that we got to see a bit of my girl Tilly’s life at Starfleet Academy. Also, she got the most laughs from me in this episode by being “Tipsy Tilly.” Also, good job picking up the nice skinny bearded guy. He is my type, and yes, I did marry the nice skinny bearded guy. “Coffee. Strong. Large. Now!” is my coffee order, and “Prepare to kiss my caffeinated ass” is going to be my new battle cry. Best of all, we get our signature Tilly move when Michael calls—“Whatever it is, I’m in.” Their friendship is my favorite.
On a completely silly note, I have some experience working in a high-end kitchen goods store, and one of my favorite sections is the bar and glassware section. Since working there, one of my favorite games to play is “Spot the Glassware,” because a lot of it shows up in TV and film, in particular Star Trek. While the glassware I spotted in Star Trek: Discovery 5×01 “Red Directive” isn’t from the the store I worked at, it is the same glassware used in the Aladna scenes in The Marvels. I geeked out unnecessarily hard about that. Anyway, back on topic.
The Devil..or is it God That is in the Details?
We also get a few fun details about our crew. I love little details about our characters like that. It makes them feel more real, more authentic. Michael plays the sax? Me too. We also see Stamets bemoaning not just the cancellation of the spore drive program, but what he views to be his legacy. When he’s working on Fred, he recognizes the Alton Soong homage and says, “Wow, what a legacy!” But are Stamets’ scientific achievements his real legacy? To a degree, perhaps, but I think this idea of legacy will prove to be a theme for him throughout the season.
Speaking of what we leave behind, I was surprised to get a nod to Star Trek: The Next Generation 6×20 “The Chase.” If you’ve not seen “The Chase,” it’s an episode that is worth watching for a little more context. What I find the most fascinating about this is that we are effectively going on a quest for God this season. Gene Roddenberry always felt humans would eventually surpass the need for religion, and yet, here we are in the 32nd century, pursuing after God. As a Star Trek fan and a person of faith, I find that juxtaposition extremely fascinating. We are definitely going to have an interesting story this season, and I can’t wait to see how this wraps up, even if it does mean the end of Star Trek: Discovery. I’ll be bracing for impact and stocking up on tissues until then.
My review for Star Trek: Discovery 5×02 “Under the Twin Moons” will be dropping soon, so stay tuned to Fangirlish for that. I’ll be bringing you Star Trek: Discovery reviews and all the other Star Trek news you can use this season. What did you think of Star Trek: Discovery 5×01 “Red Directive”? Leave me a comment and let’s talk Trek.
The next episode of Star Trek: Discovery will premiere on April 11, 2024, on Paramount+.
