(UNLOCKED) - Discovery S5 E1 "Red Directive" Patreon Bonus

[00:00:00] Hello, Open Pike listeners! This is Producer John. We wanted to unlock our Episode 1 coverage for Discovery Season 5 for everyone to hear.

[00:00:10] This is something that's usually exclusive to just our Patrons, so if you're interested in hearing the rest of our thoughts on this season, as well as the previous Lower Decks Season 4 and some other fun extras, head on over to patreon.com.

[00:00:24] If you're interested in hearing the rest of our episodes, head on over to patreon.com. This is a listener-supported show. We are not sponsored and we are not part of a network.

[00:00:36] And that is how we can keep bringing you great content and interviews and episode reviews the way we love to. So enjoy our coverage of Discovery Season 5 Episode 1. Welcome to Open Pike Night Bonus Patron Coverage of Star Trek Discovery Season 5, The Final Season.

[00:00:58] I will be your host this evening, Jesse Bailey, and Producer John is currently away on a Red Directive mission, but that is not going to stop him from having input on our discussion of Season 5 Episode 1 Red Directive.

[00:01:13] Now of course with me is host of Green Shirt, a newbie's Trek through the next generation, Cameron Harrison. Cameron, I have to ask, how do you feel about Discovery Season 3 and 4 now that you've binged them?

[00:01:27] Oh man, well first I just want to go back real quick. Back on April 1st, I saw a whole news story about how Discovery God is getting more seasons after this.

[00:01:35] I mean it looked legit to me, so I don't know what you're talking about. Back on April 1st, I think that was Monday right? April 1st. Yeah, the same day that the news that the upcoming eclipse had changed paths.

[00:01:51] John tried with me. Maybe there was a nanosecond where I was like, huh? That seems wacky. Seems wacky. Yeah, no. So yeah, as you know I've always kind of felt that seasons 1 and 2 of Disco were kind of a pitch in search of a premise.

[00:02:09] For it never quite worked for me, but yeah, last month I watched season 3 and then Hardcore Binge season 4 in the past 5 days to get ready for this.

[00:02:17] And I gotta say it was starting winning me over. I mean I enjoyed 3 and I think I enjoyed 4 most of all. By the end it got me. Very good to hear. 4 was probably the most emotional season for me.

[00:02:31] I mean yeah, I think it was when I was like tearing up at the end. I was like alright, you know I've got my complaints but I'm getting misty-eyed here so I can't complain too much.

[00:02:41] So I had high hopes going into 5. I was hoping it would continue that trajectory and we'll get there.

[00:02:48] We will. And one other fun little twist, or I guess I should say one fun little saucer spin that we have on our coverage for Discovery Season 5 is that because this show is lovingly called Disco,

[00:03:02] we thought hey what if we bring some music with us to help us pay musical homage to the show that is Disco. So you will hear some fun choices from us each episode of a song that we think really encapsulates that episode.

[00:03:18] Not just Disco songs, I don't know that many Disco songs so it's all music. I think I know more songs with the word Disco in them than actual Disco songs personally. It's not my generation, no shade. I believe Disco will never die.

[00:03:37] I like Disco but yeah, I know the big ones but I couldn't name any others.

[00:03:42] So right off the top I have to say, I know that the Trek intro logo is like a very simple thing but man it is so effective. Just seeing a different ship be a part of that Delta Sushi flyby makes me so giddy and I'm happy that Discovery gets to be a part of that before it goes.

[00:04:02] It's the small things, yeah for sure. For me Discovery continues to be, I don't know maybe one of the most visually arresting things Trek has ever done and I love a good Burnham in a suit sequence.

[00:04:17] Like we get at least one of those every season it's intrinsic to Discovery's DNA and wow. Like what a start. A space suit or like a 3-piece suit? Any suit. Any suit.

[00:04:30] But specifically yes, a space suit. Like seeing her in the Red Angels suit in the final battle of season 2 was so good.

[00:04:40] Watching her crash in her suit in season 3. I just, to put her on the back of a ship and have her surfing at warp is a banana's choice and I'm absolutely here for it.

[00:04:51] And this was like the preview clip for Discovery season 5. So I was really happy that it wasn't from like episode 5 or 6. Like when this episode started I was like, I know almost nothing about this and I'm very happy about that. What did you think about the ship surfing?

[00:05:07] The ship surfing? I immediately thought of whichever James Bond movie it is that opens with him surfing. Maybe there's even two. Was there Daniel Craig and a Pierce Brosnan one that had surfing bond?

[00:05:18] Anyways, I thought yes that's bananas and then my next thought was but unlike those Bond movies I'm buying it here. I'm good. It worked for me. Yeah. It was like okay, this is the type of season we're in for. I'm here for it.

[00:05:33] Somehow it fits better that she would be in space inside a collapsing warp bubble. You know you're like can they do that? I get sure why not. I don't know why they can't. Yeah, they're doing it. I guess it's possible.

[00:05:48] Yeah and having the like there's some very subtle lines that indicate like warp bubbles merging and getting really close to each other and stuff which I mean this whole sequence has got to be what like 80% AR wall or something but like very very effective.

[00:06:05] It really reminded me not to keep going back to it but that shot of Burnham in the suit with the sparks hitting her visor. I think it's from season two. I was just like oh I'm so ready for this.

[00:06:18] And we get a little... And I am always a sucker for like four hours earlier type of cold open anytime you do that. Like you've got me at least, you've got my curiosity.

[00:06:26] We immediately get this flashback to this like Federation party and we get not only a gem just stick shout out but we see Lurians in the background the same species as Morn. I think he would be proud that the Lurians made it.

[00:06:41] He was in season four a lot too. Not Morn but that species. Right, yeah. We also, what I noticed from this party scene is their drop in the L word, Saru and his Vulcan Ladyfriend.

[00:06:55] I'm sorry I forget her name but that was one of my favorite subplots of season four and it's just getting better already in season five. Yeah, Tarina and Saru might be my favorite Disco ship.

[00:07:08] I'd have to like make a list and look at it but I really do love them. They're great. And you know me, I'm a sucker for branding having a blue cocktail that has little stars in it like the Federation flag. That was good. Totally works for me.

[00:07:22] Very subtle detail when they all raise their glasses to toast you can see the circular light in the table reflected in the glasses and it looks like the olive branches on the Federation logo. Like just absolute chef's kiss moment.

[00:07:37] Like they are going all out with the details and the little callbacks this season which of course is something that we will get into. Did you have anything else from this Federation party?

[00:07:49] Nope just we get that red directive and oh my god I am so glad that we've already got more Dr. Kovic because I mean yeah my favorite part of seasons three and four and continues to be so. We actually gonna see him on a mission. Right.

[00:08:04] And I've always been kind of wondering since he was introduced like is he a sentient hologram? Is he some kind of android? Like what is the deal with him?

[00:08:15] But like he seems to be affected by physical shifts on the ship so that's probably a good sign that he's at least somewhat real. Just really in the no human. Yeah and he's high up.

[00:08:27] Like for him to be able to tell an admiral like sorry this is above your pig rate is I mean that's a rank that I don't even know the name of honestly.

[00:08:37] So one thing that I personally cannot get over is that as soon as Burnham is put in a dangerous situation where she knows combat is plausible she brings Awosha Kun with her. Awosha Kun is one of my favorite Discovery characters.

[00:08:52] She kicks absolute ass and I'm really glad that she gets to go with on this mission and you know I gotta say it's really good to see Daft Punk reunite to play villains this season. That was great to see.

[00:09:05] I did get a Daft Punk vibe from them for sure. Almost thought of a Daft Punk song for the second part but I wound up not going with it. Oh man no I feel like I should have. So okay we meet Locke and Maul right?

[00:09:20] Do we think Locke might be a changeling because he's got a very specific look to him but when he first takes his helmet off you can see straight through this guy. He's like fully transparent and a little gooey. I don't know if I noticed that.

[00:09:38] The thing I did not notice on my first watch, I'll be honest, my first watch was like just looking through tears the whole time because I was so happy to be back here.

[00:09:48] But I just to have this much happen before the theme song is a great sign I think for the season to come. Now I do have to ask you.

[00:09:59] Well let's be fair Disco likes to put their theme song like 15 and 20 minutes into an episode so a lot can happen before the theme song in a Disco episode. Yes but Strange New Worlds has been doing it lately. I remember you mentioning it at least once or twice.

[00:10:12] And I checked myself on the one I came back and was like okay I guess it worked so I'm not disparaging it.

[00:10:20] Right right on the note of the theme song specifically though where would you rank the Disco theme song among the new Trek theme songs because for me like this might not be great for like branding on our show but I think it's the best. I like it.

[00:10:36] Star Trek theme songs a lot. I like it a lot. I like I like lower decks a lot. It's up there one or two yeah. I like lower decks a lot. I mean, I think all of the new Trek themes really capture the feel of their shows.

[00:10:51] The Picard theme changes between seasons spoiler alert Cameron. It has the same like you know makeup and DNA throughout all three seasons but it does have some definite changes.

[00:11:03] I just for me Disco it manages to feel new while it plays homage to the TOS theme and it has an energy about it right just like all of Discovery does it has this like this driving beat behind it and that I'm a sucker for the mystery violin like I'll just I'll throw that out there.

[00:11:24] I'll agree with that and it's just it's distinctive like you hear and you're like oh hey, it's Disco.

[00:11:28] So we almost right away we remember and are told in case for whatever the reason this is your first dance with Disco that Michael Burnham is not the same as every other captain you've ever seen.

[00:11:41] We get this inversion of the captain not following their orders trope right so Michael is told hey don't worry about keeping your phasers on stun and then like she disobeys orders.

[00:11:54] In a de-escalatory fashion rather than like the opposite right which is what you might expect from most sci-fi and most captains like well they told us to take it easy but we don't have time for that.

[00:12:05] She's the exact opposite of that and it's it's part of what makes me love Burnham. Okay, I believe and this is not something I'm sure of but I believe this Romulan ship which so happy to be on a Romulan ship.

[00:12:19] I'm nearly certain that's a redress discovery set but another thing I didn't notice until my second watch. I was like oh they just put like Romulan panels in the Disco hallways and it totally works like I didn't again I just didn't pick it up right away.

[00:12:35] Works for me. And how happy are we to see the Romulan quilted shirts again? Always so happy also I mean I'm just happy to see like desiccated corpses so you know. You've got a very specific checklist. That's right.

[00:12:51] Also any any actress that reminds me of Brittany Murphy so I'm doing good down here with Amal and the ship. I just realized that's who Eve Harlow is reminding me of. Like definitely some hardcore early 2000s Brittany Murphy vibes.

[00:13:07] Seriously with the short bright hair wow I can't believe I didn't pick that up. I knew there was something. I knew there was something. How did you feel about the extendo phaser? The extendo oh yeah it's fine. It's future fine we'll call it that.

[00:13:23] Right like I think anywhere else I might feel it's a little cheesy but here I was just like yes that makes sense like you would just change whatever gear you have to suit whatever need you have.

[00:13:35] Except like you think the small phaser could pack just as big a punch like making it bigger like it's advanced enough it doesn't need to be bigger to be stronger. Right but like. But it's a fine moment.

[00:13:46] Well and as Boimler has you know espoused two handed phasers are cooler than one handed phasers. That's just all there is to it's a rule of cool thing. Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah.

[00:13:58] Again I know I already talked about Michael in the suit but like having her go from walking around a corridor unmasked to falling through a hole in the hole while her suit just appears around her like gorgeous. Absolutely gorgeous.

[00:14:13] I mean it's not the first time we've seen it but like yeah it makes sense it works it's cool I'm there for it good stuff.

[00:14:19] Yeah and she has she really has kind of that kind of Kirk energy right like I'll just do what I need to do to get this thing done like don't be me and I got this and it just I'm really having a blast even just you know what are we 15 maybe 20 minutes into this first episode.

[00:14:38] So I have to ask you Cameron as a relatively recently educated discovery viewer diplomatic yet pacing is something that folks have complained about with this series like it stretches sometimes it lags sometimes that kind of a thing.

[00:14:53] I feel like folks should be breathing a bit of a sigh of relief right about now how did you feel about the pacing in this episode.

[00:15:00] In general my problems with the pacing in this goes the other way that it's just too frenetic that it doesn't take its time and stop and breathe unless you get to spend time with these characters which is something that I think again seasons three and four started doing much better at

[00:15:16] and so far I'm very happy with season five even yes because a lot is happening this first episode that's fine it's the first episode let's get us hooked it got me hooked but I still feel like we're getting these nice character beats as well like with Saru and Torino.

[00:15:30] And a nice character beat from Sonic the hedge triple. Yeah, I don't know why that triple is on the ship but I'm totally fine with it.

[00:15:39] Is he a crew member now what's going on with that triple for real like because he seems to have the run of the place. Did I miss something about tribbles in the future in the last couple seasons what is happening. But that's fine with it.

[00:15:51] Yeah, hey give me a triple. How did you feel about tilly flirting with mirror Jake Gyllenhaal. I have sexy Jake Gyllenhaal written down but yeah yeah yeah yeah that's 100%.

[00:16:03] I mean Jake Gyllenhaal sexy that so that's telling you how sexy this like background actor is that tilly is flirting with loved it and that's exactly what I'm talking about in this breakneck pace. I'm not a pilot.

[00:16:16] We get times for moments like that loved everything with tilly and and sexy Jake Gyllenhaal. Drunk tilly is easily one of my favorite tillies.

[00:16:26] I'm also a huge proponent of mirror tillie or killie as she's affectionately called like just the straightened hair is something that you don't expect when you see tillie and I was like, okay I'm here for this. Oh yeah.

[00:16:39] Give me as much killie as like as you can muster on represent. Yeah. Okay so you are known as being a little bit of a Star Wars fan as well as a Trekkie right. True. So I may have a tattoo.

[00:16:53] Would you say that this episode is the best use of speeder bikes since return of the Jedi. Do I could give me other options. I feel like I've seen some other good speeder bike chases actually recently.

[00:17:06] I don't know like I'm thinking of maybe you could call pod racers like a speeder bike aesthetic and I did like the pod race but like Marvel speeder bike at some point.

[00:17:20] Anyway for some reason I like these I like these they felt very motorcycling in a way that the speeder bikes don't really and they felt heavy and bulky and tangible and yeah I dug them. And they may play into my song pick. Oh now I'm intrigued.

[00:17:41] I'm a tease. I was intrigued before but now you know detail intrigue is even better. So I know we're not necessarily supposed to right away but I cannot help it. I love Rainer. I think he's a really fun character. He has like that.

[00:18:00] It's almost like Jellico energy right like he comes from that school of like I don't want to talk about him. I don't want to talk about this just get it done but I like him way more than I ever liked Jellico.

[00:18:11] I'd say yeah I'd say he's the opposite of Jellico.

[00:18:14] I have I love Rayner over it and down like three times in my notes because Jellico comes off as an asshole and you kind of have to go wait I have to look past his assfulness and see that he's actually right with Rainer. He's just affable.

[00:18:29] I mean he's grumpy but in a fun way. He's like that like a grumpy Hugh Grant like you can't help but just want to spend time with him.

[00:18:37] But then you go but he's being kind of a dick and then you go but you know he's not a total dick so he's only like half he's a half chubb dick who's really funny and those are some of my favorite characters when he beams in and says the thing about like I love feeling like I just beamed into an awkward conversation and then

[00:18:55] the comedic gold of those awkward beats afterwards I knew I was in love right then that I was a Rayner fanboy forever. I love that you managed to fit in look past the asshole and half chubb dick in like our first 10 minutes of show for this season.

[00:19:11] You're welcome. That's pretty impressive man. Welcome to the open pipe tonight patron everybody. We're on you know like when a Comedy Central would allow the F bombs after like 11 PM back in the 90s. Yeah that's where we're at now.

[00:19:25] That takes me back and it kind of makes me actually want to watch Mystery Science Theater. So if this were a prior season of disco which episode do you think this puzzle box would get opened in because it would not be episode one.

[00:19:40] No no no four I would say four maybe five.

[00:19:45] I wrote down three or four at least so I'm glad we're on the same page there and I'm a little sad to see Fred the Android go so quick because just his resemblance to data raises a lot of really interesting questions.

[00:20:00] Okay because I felt like I was like not in on the joke because I haven't seen Picard yet like I figured that had was informing this. I love Fred. I love his name was Fred. I love the data illusions.

[00:20:11] I love the character a little sad how quickly he died knowing that he's probably been around for like 600 700 years. But yeah loved everything about that. That was great.

[00:20:24] And like why does he look like him like oh yeah right well why wouldn't he like if they were going to make other positronic androids it would be similar in a lot of ways. There's so you got to watch Picard.

[00:20:37] I mean I'm really interested to hear your thoughts on it but also like there's some androids in Picard that do not look like I mean I know we meet more soon so like I figure that kind of came into play somehow. Oh that's a good point.

[00:20:50] My one problem with Fred is not with Fred himself but when they're reviewing the footage from his brain. I really want to see these files that they pull out of these Android heads.

[00:21:01] I swear when they're watching the slow down flipping like his fingers are not moved like it would be blurry like you'd get like one frame of a clear page but they're able to like say no slow it down and anyway small thing.

[00:21:16] Well they're probably he was probably shooting at what like 1200 frames per second or something faster than the actual filming camera they used your right your right.

[00:21:27] I and like to that point though the obviously just fast forwarded footage of him flipping through the pages totally works for me like that's an absolute. Very data yeah yeah yeah there's so many callbacks in just this first episode I mean thematic callbacks.

[00:21:46] Sealing stem balls seriously like they're connecting it to everything they can find and I mean I'm not the kind of person that's like it has to be. You know have those things for it for me to love it but damn do I love it when it does.

[00:22:02] Oh man well then I think they're just setting you up for the twist at the end of the episode to being like hey get ready we're paying homage to the past in a big way.

[00:22:11] But yeah no I picked up a lot I picked up on some definite illusions in the next episode. I definitely think we're going to be able to play like pick out your favorite callback this season.

[00:22:23] There will be whole lists of episodes you're going to want to watch again after you watch an episode of Disco season five.

[00:22:30] Obviously for this one it's the chase I've already got an episode a very good episode picked out for the next episode but we'll wait until our next discussion to talk about that.

[00:22:40] Is there a law that sci-fi planets with a desert on them also have to have a spice market or is it just are they paying respects to Arrakis. You know more than they are deriving something from Dune.

[00:22:57] Yeah well I mean yeah or are they paying respects to Star Wars which was either paying respects or stealing from Dune like yeah it all comes back to Dune. The choice between paying respect and stealing is totally up to you look fans that are listening right now.

[00:23:13] Whatever universe you're in the spice must flow Jesse it's just the law as a science fiction.

[00:23:17] So we talked about you know them paying respects to things that have come from before in Star Trek but can we talk about something I haven't seen in Star Trek that I fucking love. Yeah. Is the split screen. Yes.

[00:23:29] Oh when they did that that was cherry on top. It's I don't know what the is it pulp.

[00:23:35] Is that the word for it like or my the word that I kept coming back to and I know we're doing a second episode for the second episode but they aired back to back so I watched them back to back.

[00:23:46] Fun everything so far in these two episodes is fun they were having fun with that split screen they're like you know we could do it let's do it it'll be fun. And that was the energy I was getting from everything happening on my screen. Absolutely agree.

[00:24:00] So there is a small detail here that I'm interested to know if you noticed the gun that book has the the phaser that he has do you know who else was sporting that same kind of phaser earlier in the episode. Well I guess would have to be mall.

[00:24:18] It was mall. Again one of those things I didn't notice the first time I watched it when I was like whoa whoa whoa wait a minute that is the exact same kind of phaser it's got like that red barrel on the front of it.

[00:24:31] Good catch I'm glad that you're obsessed enough to watch these episodes twice Jesse. I have to because I cannot take notes the first time I have to just experience it let it wash over me.

[00:24:44] So as you're saying earlier about Rainer he is a jerk but he's not without reason like he he does play both sides of the statistical coin here right like he's like you know I'm betting an avalanche isn't going to start the chances of that are really low but then he tells Michael.

[00:25:02] Hey the chances of catching them in atmosphere on their way off this planet are really low. I guess you could say he's consistently sort of a pessimist right he's always betting on the lower odds.

[00:25:15] That's true my question is sorry you asked me about the bikes earlier where they get the bikes. Yeah. Does that replicate. Book mentions book mentions renting them. Oh he did okay. But like but they drove him into town right.

[00:25:29] Well I know I think they transported to the edge of town and then rented by from they had him ready for when they left. Yeah okay okay I thought I saw him driving in the town but maybe I'm maybe I was just thinking about trailers.

[00:25:42] Okay yeah Rainer mentioned something about like oh you've already got bikes and he says yeah we rented three let's go. Gotcha like never mind that's good foresight.

[00:25:52] So we got to talk about this sandal inch the way they stop it and how good it feels to hear like 15 instances of I Mr.

[00:26:03] Saru like just hearing I Mr. Saru does my heart so much good like he he's a captain right but we never really got to see him really be the captain for any extended period of time so having like 10 or 12 different characters take orders from him gladly.

[00:26:21] Something I really loved. Tell me what you feel about this avalanche and the way they stop it. I guess I felt pretty fine about it.

[00:26:29] It's I didn't it didn't seem like they were up on a mountain so I was kind of confused about how the avalanche was reaching the city like it seemed like a pretty flat desert between the mountains and the city.

[00:26:39] But you know I mean I don't know it could it's on the slope okay that's fine. Yeah I liked it all I liked you know I liked Rainer when he goes shit because so much about his character was said in that shit.

[00:26:51] His shit was full and nutty and meaty and I'm just gonna stop now with those adjectives but you could tell that he's the type of person who is not going to do the wrong thing.

[00:27:01] Look he's going to do the right thing he has Starfleet but he doesn't always he doesn't like being constrained by his moral sometimes. Yeah can be a nuisance doing the right thing he's still going to do it. And so I love that and yeah stopping it.

[00:27:15] I'm always a fantasy in the ships in atmosphere so that was pretty cool. I liked how they were cleaning sand off it for days. I hope that's just like the whole entire season as I'm still cleaning sand off the ship.

[00:27:26] Well yeah I gotta agree on Rainer like the way he breaks mid conversation to say and Terry's fire. I'm like oh I'm here for this. I'm here for this. That totally works for me.

[00:27:40] And you know yeah the definite glamour shot of the ships hitting at Moe and all the people in the town being like I'm sorry what is happening right now like should we be terrified.

[00:27:50] We feel like we should be terrified and then they get saved from this natural disaster like so after this discovery literally shakes the dust off as it returns to dry dock as you mentioned just an absolute perfect visual metaphor

[00:28:06] for the long awaited return and re-energized nature of Star Trek Discovery that you feel from this first episode. I love that Picard has become as important a figure in universe as Spock like of course he would why wouldn't he.

[00:28:24] I thought it was that they kind of were like a Starship captain named Picard like they just kind of like he's one of our many captains in the past.

[00:28:34] But the visual was like they get like almost a little sapient tone like there was definite reverence to put his face on the screen.

[00:28:43] I immediately watched the chase again after this and men it has some serious connections like not just the actual item right but like Picard is talking about the artifact that he gets from Professor Galen

[00:29:00] and he says it's all about the many voices within the one each each person is a community of individuals right like it's like holy shit like that's exactly what everybody on screen is going through.

[00:29:13] They have all these things pulling them in different directions and they have this mission in front of them. They have their own identities like I am I'm blown away.

[00:29:24] I think this might be my favorite first episode of a season of Discovery since season one that's I think that I think that I think it is. If you go back and listen to green shirts episode of the chase we covered it not too long ago.

[00:29:41] We talk a lot about how when we were bummed that there wasn't really much of a chase in the chase and so far we're getting a chase in this season. So like on that hand they're giving it to us.

[00:29:52] You'll also hear us talk a lot about how we wish that had episode had been a two-parter maybe a three-parter maybe they should have made that episode the first next generation movie.

[00:30:00] And now it looks like they're kind of giving us a new version of the chase as an entire season of disco and I'm here for that 100%. So yeah excited. Did you know there was going to be a chase connection when you started this episode? I didn't.

[00:30:14] So I was 100% convinced that the object that the Discovery crew would be chasing this season was the Tox Utat from the captain's holiday. Because you know they mentioned it's got connections to the past.

[00:30:29] It's a very powerful technology and I'm like, didn't those aliens show up from the 30th century or the 31st century? So like I was convinced it would be the Tox Utat and I'm honestly pretty happy to be incorrect about that.

[00:30:44] Yeah, I didn't watch your screeners till after they had sent us an email reminding us not to spoil the fact that it's connected to the chase. So I was waiting for that.

[00:30:52] But yeah, you know you talked about Picard what I thought when they were showing some of the old footage was they zoom in on the doctor who apparently like made this thing. And I was like, I wonder if like that background extra from the 90s had any idea.

[00:31:07] I'm hoping still alive so he knows that like he's part of the McGuffin for the final season of Discovery. I did look up to see if it's the same actor. It's not.

[00:31:17] I mean that might not be surprising but I had to know so I did look it up. Well what do you mean because they just zoomed in on the still from the chase? Did they show an image of him somewhere else? Yeah, he had like a hollow journal.

[00:31:30] That's right. Yeah, I figured it would be a different. Yeah, I mean the guy would have to be in like his 70s or something. People from that episode are still appearing in Star Trek shows but. Right, yeah. But as a background actor you do one.

[00:31:47] Yeah, so I mean I did look it up. It's not the same guy but they did a great job. And again just happy to see that those Romulan quilted shirts again.

[00:31:57] So as, oh do you have anything else you want to get to before we get to the songs? No, yeah so you know I mean there's a couple little bits of like force text position here and there.

[00:32:07] I feel like Burnham getting Dr. Kovic to give up the goods at the end was a little easy on her part but you know that's stuff we got to get through to get on with the TV show. Overall this episode was so much fun.

[00:32:23] I feel like almost any notes I had for Discovery leading up to the season feels like they're being addressed. Like it's showing how you can have interpersonal conflicts and drama and obstacles without it feeling like trauma porn without like every character having an existential crisis.

[00:32:39] It's fun, it's still meaty, there's still emotional stakes, there's still good stuff happening. I had so much fun with this episode. I have to agree 100%. I'm you know pretty unreserved in my love for Discovery but that doesn't mean that I don't think that it has flaws.

[00:32:57] I think every show has flaws but yeah I mean it really feels like they went okay what are people's issues? Let's at least address those and people can decide if they like it or not.

[00:33:07] So as we mentioned at the start of this episode we have made some selections of music that we think really just encapsulate the feel and maybe sometimes even the plots of these episodes

[00:33:19] and we're going to use them to put together a big long playlist that we just think will be fun to listen to as a way to reminisce about season 5 of Star Trek Discovery.

[00:33:30] So Cameron I brought two song choices with me so I'm going to allow you to go first. Alright I mean this first one is not that good a choice.

[00:33:41] On one hand a little obvious and on the other hand really only two lyrics from it are applying to the episode but I feel like the energy of it could work for this episode.

[00:33:51] I could see this song, I could hear it like laid over a couple of scenes from this episode. It would be Bon Jovi's Dead or Alive. On a steel horse I ride wanted dead or alive. I like that.

[00:34:04] It applies to two different characters I know two different sets of characters but I'm there with it. I still want to hear it played over the action of this episode. That's an edit I might make just for my own pleasure. I really like that.

[00:34:15] Alright so the first song that I brought with is pretty specific to Michael Burnham. I'm thinking you know what is Michael going through? What is she feeling? What kind of emotions is she having about this new mission and seeing book again and these changes on her roster.

[00:34:35] And mine's also a little obvious. I went red by Taylor Swift. Now as soon as I did that I was like wait a minute there's another song that feels more true and maybe a little more all-encompassing in my heart

[00:34:50] and that's the one that I'm going to pick so we'll call red by Taylor Swift my honorable mention and my pick for episode one red directive is going to be starting over by Kill Switching Rage. It evokes the promise of when Discovery was new, the possibilities were endless,

[00:35:10] it's got parallels with Michael and book's relationship. It just has the promise that Discovery has always been undeniably its own absolutely beautiful thing and the energy is through the roof. So starting over by Kill Switching Rage.

[00:35:28] Alright I'm not familiar with the song but I like the thinking behind it. You will get a chance because like I said we are going to be at least posting these to socials. I probably will build a YouTube playlist to go along with this season so

[00:35:40] we do have producer John's pick for a song which I think is a really good pick and I had to immediately go look it up to make sure it was the song that I thought it was and it is

[00:35:51] and I hope we can get producer John's thoughts on this before this episode comes out but producer John picked I Can See Clearly Now by Johnny Nash. Alright folks, well that's our first bonus patron coverage episode of Star Trek Discovery season 5

[00:36:14] episode 1 red directive done and in the can. Thank you so much for being a patron of Open Pike Night. You make this show not something that we have to do but something that we love to do. I mean obviously all the colors and listeners do that right?

[00:36:36] But you guys actually make this show something that doesn't cost us money to do every week and that is huge. I can't tell you as an independent podcaster how much that matters and we know you have a lot of choices when it comes to Star Trek podcasts.

[00:36:50] There are like a million Star Trek podcasts and that might not even be exaggerated and a lot of those are asking for support and a lot of them deserve your support so we're just really grateful that we get to be part of your Star Trek podcast patronage

[00:37:05] so thank you, thank you, thank you so much. Cameron, have you got anything else for the folks before we get out of here tonight? Oh man, I don't know. I mean yeah, if you want to hear more about our TNG thoughts, jump over to Green Shirts

[00:37:19] wherever you listen to your podcasts and otherwise, you know, thanks for coming. Thanks for listening to us talk about Discovery. I'm so excited to watch the rest of the season. I hope it continues to be as fun as this episode was.

[00:37:32] If it is, I'm going to have so much fun talking about it with you guys here and with you the listeners over on the Discord and the YouTubes and the Twits and the Grahams and whatever they call them, right? Hello fellow teenagers.

[00:37:47] And of course Discovery has premiered with two episodes because they know we just can't wait. They know how Trekkies are. So if you are listening to this, the second episode is already available to you in your bonus patron podcast feed so go check it out.

[00:38:05] I can't wait to talk about season 5 episode 2 under the Twin Moons. It's been a long night and the crew here at Open Pike Night has a lot to get done because of course our regular episodes are still coming out too.

[00:38:21] First contact day of course is tomorrow if you're listening to this on Drop Day. Be sure to check out our socials at Open Pike wherever you look. Go to OpenPike.com. There's some cool stuff that we're doing for first contact day this year

[00:38:36] but that's going to do it for us so remember, clean up after yourself. Don't forget to tip your servers. You can go anywhere you want but you can't stay here. And as a tease one of my honorable mention songs next episode

[00:38:48] relates to our Kay Hanley Tom Pulche interview but not the way you think. Ooh. I feel teased. Do you feel teased? I feel teased. I said it, I feel teased. It's such a tease.