Star Trek Discovery S04E09 is the ninth episode of the fourth season of the scifi space opera 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.
READ OUR REVIEWS OF STAR TREK DISCOVERY.
Entitled “Rubicon”, Star Trek Discovery S04E09 answered the query we posed in our review of the previous episode – “can this series decline any further?” The answer sadly – though predictably – is yes. This latest episode is probably one of the worst Star Trek episodes ever – and that is really saying something. and the reason is simple – the writers had an obvious case of the ‘subverting expectations for the sake of it syndrome’!
Considering the high stakes that Star Trek Discovery S04E09 was set up with going into the episode viz. the personal stakes between Burnham and Book and of course, the very fate of the galaxy, all tension and drama were dissipated by the episode’s end with the ultimate anti-climax. We could barely contain our giggles at utterly shambolic to give the audience something different. Some of the poorest scifi TV writing we had had the misfortune to witness.
When you consider that theoretically Discovery is a military ship and Starfleet is a military organisation, there was nothing remotely strategic or tactical about the mission that Discovery embarked upon in this episode. And what ever happened to killer instinct and self-preservation? Have these been totally removed in what used to be Gene Roddenberry’s utopian future?
Star Trek Discovery S04E09 depicts the sad future of space opera where entitled, whiny and spoiled children put emotions ahead of cold hard facts, and spend every available moment sharing about their feelings rather than get the job done! Two more episodes to salvage the entire series – is that even possible???
Now streaming on Paramount+.
… still there’s more …