Twists in the Finale of Star Trek: Discovery Too Inside Baseball for Viewers with Casual Interest?
The last episode of Star Trek: Discovery, "Life, Itself," was a dubious mix of fan service and narrative closure. Although Captain Michael Burnham's trip came to a fulfilling finale, the major turns mostly rely on esoteric connections from past Star Trek episodes, thereby perhaps alienating casual viewers.
The first big disclosure was David Cronenberg's character, Doctor Kovich's identity. Kovich turned out to be an elder Temporal Agent Daniels from Star Trek: Enterprise. Given Daniels was not a major character, this twist may have been too subtle for viewers not familiar with the prequel series. The epilogue, which happened in the 33rd century and immediately set up an episode of the anthology series Star Trek: Short Treks, was the most perplexing element, though.
Discovery's Kovich Twist Dependent on an Almost 20 Years Ago Star Trek Show
Given Temporal Agent Daniels last appearance in 2004, Enterprise's ending in 2005 seems strange in relation to Discovery's climax. Although most Discovery watchers know Daniels, some of the audience most certainly haven't watched Enterprise or ever revisited it in first place. Although Scott Bakula and Enterprise are becoming more and more popular, the show never had the kind of cultural influence Star Trek: The Next Generation did. Consequently, Discovery season 5's TNG connections were less startling than Kovich's actual identity. Though it's a clever surprise that helps to explain Daniels's mysterious demeanor, Kovich being Daniels has nothing to offer people who haven't seen Enterprise and won't inspire them to watch either.
The faint nods to Enterprise and Short Treks seemed like a lost chance to provide Discovery a more fulfilling and powerful conclusion. Focusing on the central narrative of Discovery and its primary character helped the conclusion to be more on fan service, therefore compromising the emotional weight and narrative depth that would have been attained.
Epilogue Means Nothing If You Have Not Seen Short Treks for Star Trek: Discovery
Although the Kovich reveal was a passing reference to Enterprise, the conclusion of the finale dealt with a far more major concern. For those who haven't seen it, the conclusion underwhelmingly reflects the choice to commit major screen time to set up "Calypso," a short-lived anthology series that wasn't always accessible. Originally, Discovery season 6's schedule included investigating how Zora wound up abandoned in "Calypso".
But the alternative future Discovery season 5, episode 4, "Face the Strange" presented presented a plausible fix. Rather of embracing this, Discovery set aside twenty minutes to Admiral Michael Burnham to dump Zora in the vast regions of space as directed by "Calypso." This choice left a lot of the audience feeling letdown since it gave fan service more priority than a fitting finale.
The Finale of Star Trek: Discovery: An Illogical and Disappointing Ending
Though it sought to tie off loose ends, the Star Trek: Discovery conclusion seemed disorganized and perplexing for viewers unfamiliar with the subtle connections. For those looking for a satisfying ending to the show, the emphasis on fan service—especially via the nods to Enterprise and Short Treks—made the finale lackluster. Many people left the last episode wondering about Burnham's future and the USS Discovery's destiny.
The last episode of Star Trek: Discovery lost a chance to provide the show a satisfying and powerful ending. Over the course of five seasons, the show examined themes of change, growth, and discovery; yet, the finale's dependence on esoteric connections and emphasis on fan service finally eclipsed the central storyline of the show, disappointing many viewers.
Discovery Star Trek: A View Backward at the Series
Set ten years before the first Star Trek series events, Star Trek: Discovery is a part of the venerable Sci-Fi genre. Assigned to the USS Discovery, the drama revolves on Commander Michael Burnham as the crew works across the great distances to stop a Klingon war.
Although Discovery has drawn varied opinions from viewers, it has attracted a devoted following who have tracked Burnham's path from a conflicted Starfleet officer to a revered and respected captain. The show has examined familiar Star Trek themes with a contemporary spin, added fresh characters, and tackled difficult subjects. Discovery is still a major addition to the Star Trek universe even with its divisive ending; fans will surely continue to debate it for years to come.
