STAR TREK DISCOVERY SEASON 2 (full review at Screen Realm)

Star Trek Discovery returns for its second season, streaming internationally on Netflix, with fourteen episodes comprising the second season. Unlike season one, there is no mid-season break so it allows a single consistent arc to run throughout, avoiding the sectional feel of the debut series. With Discovery being a co-production with CBS in the US, new episodes drop weekly, which might seem old fashioned in these days of binge watch TV, but it seems wholly appropriate for Discovery as it echoes the weekly episodic format of the iconic originals.

Before starting in on season two it is worth noting there are four short films that sit in between the two series. They work as nice stand-alone mini episodes, but also become relevant to the series overall.

The first episode, Runaway, features Ensign Tilly (Mary Wiseman) and an alien stowaway and serves as some significant backstory for the later episodes of the season.

The second episode, Calypso is of note because it is written by the brilliant Michael Chabon, author of such wonderful novels as The Amazing Adventures of Cavalier and Clay, The Yiddish Policemen’s Union and Wonder Boys. He is a writer on the upcoming Picard series and this short film serves as a nice testing ground for his immersion in the Star Trek Universe.

The third short, The Brightest Star, involves Saru’s backstory on his homeworld of Kaminar and ties in to the episode The Sound of Thunder. Finally, the best of the short films is Escape Artist and sees the return of Rainn Wilson in the role he was born to play, as Harcourt Fenton (Harry) Mudd. Wilson also directs the episode and at 15 minutes long, it is a short, light hearted Star Trek episode that is played to absolute perfection.

Read the full review at Screen Realm:
https://screenrealm.com/star-trek-discovery-season-2-review/

IMDB: Star Trek Discovery