Isn't it just... nice?
It's it nice when the writers introduce something new and interesting as a concept that, while a trope of many a good sci-fi yarn has never really been seen in Star Trek?
And isn't it nice when they do it well?
Also, anyone else notice there was a lot of buttshots in this episode, for Ethan Peck, Jess Bush and Jessie James Kietal?
Just a lot of tactical buttcheeks in this episode.
Jeffereys tubes make a welcome cameo in this episode, even if the Enterprise design feels a bit more like something from a kiddies playground but I guess its in keeping with the red/white aesthetic so makes some sense and really makes them stand out in a corriddor.
Anyway, good episode again with deeper understandings and callbacks from earlier episodes. The inevitable love triangle set up of T'Pring, Chapel and Spock is now well established and its actually kind of nice to see Chapel get a personal discovery arc in which, after trying to keep herself "casual" due to roaming the galaxy to find herself in a situation in which she can't really get what she wants. She's trying to shrug it all off as she always does but Bush does a good job of the semi-heartbreak she's starting to feel.
The Exploration Suits as I am dubbing them are absolutely great to see kept in. They spent money on those things, damned if they're not using them. Proper looking Phaser Rifles too, honestly look far better than the TNG/DS9 era weapons which were very unergonomic and unweildy. There's a reason we make our guns the way we make 'em and its good to see that addressed.
It's also nice to see everyone has the military-esque "unwilling nicknames". Una has "Where Fun Goes to Die" (Though her own take of "Fun's Funeral" is way pithier) and Pike is "The Boy Scout". Suggests there's plenty of others snuck into the files of various star fleet officers which'd be nice to slowly find out.
Captain Angel was great, but the set up was a little too obvious. She wasn't wandering about looking like a humanitarian director but more like a space pirate queen or wild-west cortesean. Which makes you wonder if Jesse James rocked up in that herself (Honestly, quite likely considering any pictures of them anywhere else) or someone in the costume department made it and just handed it to them.
Its a shame the Squall all got taken into custody, as they'd have made a far more interesting recurring enemy considering their desire to pilfer ships for supplies and loot and could've made an interesting setup. Which is probably partially why Angel got to escape. Them storming the ship was nicely done and shows someone on set seems to understand how these actions should at least somewhat work.
I honestly hope that Sybok doesn't get more than the glance of the shoulder cameo. It looked a lot like Peck in hobo makeup which ruins the contrast of Sybok with Spock in Trek V.
In all, good fun.