Star Trek Discovery S04E04 is the fourth episode of the fourth season of the scifi TV drama series streaming on Paramount+. The series had a mixed reception due to its perceived retconning of Star Trek canon, being set 10 years before the events in the original Star Trek TV series and by introducing Michael Burnham (as the sister of the iconic character, Mr. Spock). In season 3, the series transported the ship and its crew almost a century into the future, thereby (cleverly) avoiding any issue with Star Trek canon once and for all.
Entitled “All Is Possible”, Star Trek Discovery S04E04 continues this season’s penchant of delivering episodic standalone instalments with the story arc of the Anomaly simmering in the background. Which definitely brings Discovery more in line with previous Star Trek TV series – which is probably the whole point of the exercise. As long as characters are developed into better defined personalities, then the exercise – so to speak – is worth the sacrifice of a denser plot.
The two main sub-plots concern two pairs of duos venturing beyond the confines of the Discovery. First, we have Tilly and Adira leading a team of Starfleet Academy cadets on a training mission that takes a dangerous turn (natch!). Secondly, we have Burnham and Saru being pulled into tense negotiations on Ni’Var as the latter seeks to re-join the Federation of Planets.
Elsewhere, on Discovery itself, Culber – as ship counsellor – attempts to help Book to come to terms with the loss of his home planet. This minor sub-plot is probably the less essential of the lot. The main focus is probably on Tilly as she is given a significant arc which results in her coming to a crucial decision about her future with the Discovery.
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Star Trek Discovery S04E04 may be far from tense and dramatic but the payoff in character development will probably only be seen in subsequent episodes. We shall see …
Now streaming on Paramount+.
… still there’s more …