REVIEW: STAR TREK: DISCOVERY Season 5 Is An Action-Packed, Adventurous Romp

L side, top to bottom: Elias Toufexis (L’ak), Eve Harlow (Moll); Sonequa Martin-Green (Burnham); Callum Keith Rennie (Raynor); David Ajala (Booker), Sonequa Martin-Green (Burnham), Wilson Cruz (Culber); Middle: Blu del Barrio (Adira), Mary Wiseman (Tilly), Wilson Cruz (Culber), Sonequa Martin-Green (Burnham), David Ajala (Book), Doug Jones (Saru), Anthony Rapp (Stamets); R side, top to bottom: Sonequa Martin-Green (Burnham); David Ajala (Book), Mary Wiseman (Tilly), Doug Jones (Saru), Sonequa Martin-Green (Burnham), Wilson Cruz (Culber), Blu del Barrio (Adira) and Callum Keith Rennie (Raynor); Mary Wiseman (Tilly). Images: Paramount+.

Sunday, March 17 will mark 2 years since the last new episode of Star Trek: Discovery was released, ending season 4. A lot has happened since then, including a writers’ strike, an actors’ strike, and the announcement that season 5 would be DISCO’s last. That revelation sent the show’s staff back into production to rewrite the end of the season in an effort to give the series the wrap-up it deserves.

I’ve seen the first four episodes of season 5, and therefore can’t comment on whether DISCO sticks the landing or fails to do so, but I do have opinions on how the season begins.

When I spoke to Anthony Rapp about his one-man show last year, I ended the interview by asking him some questions about season 5. By then we had gotten a first trailer and I mentioned that it gave off Indiana Jones vibes. Rapp, who seemed genuinely excited about the season, confirmed that the season involved an Indiana Jones-style adventure.

Rapp wasn’t misleading me. The season opens with an action beat and rarely lets up. There’s a puzzle box containing a clue that lead our crew from one point to another across the galaxy in search of fragments of an item which, ultimately, will lead them to a powerful device with a centuries-old connection to another Star Trek show that, in the wrong hands, could become a deadly weapon. Along the way, our heroes will face shootouts, chases, and a pair of mysterious and dangerous villains (Eve Harlow and Elias Toufexis) bent on getting to the MacGuffin first.

Along for the ride is Captain Raynor, played by Callum Keith Rennie, who joins the cast as a series regular. Raynor reminded me a bit of another gruff Starfleet captain, Todd Stashwick’s Liam Shaw (Star Trek: Picard). By the time season 5 has begun, the crew of Discovery have been through a lot together and are a cohesive team who like and respect each other and work well together. The introduction of a wild card character like Raynor is just what the show needs to shake things up and add a bit of tension so our characters don’t become too complacent.

Fans of Sylvia Tilly (Mary Wiseman), who left the ship mid-season 4 to take an instructor job at Starfleet Academy, will be delighted by her return, on sabbatical to assist her former crew mates in their chase. There is a distinct change in Wiseman’s portrayal of the character. We’ve spent the past four seasons watching her grow from an awkward cadet into a competent officer, and that growth is obvious this season. Wiseman imbues Tilly with more confidence than ever before, and it’s a welcome change, inspiring me to go back and watch the series from the beginning, keeping an eye specifically on the young woman’s journey.

Two things struck me about this season. First, the writers are leaning not only into more action beats, but also more fun. That’s something I think previous seasons have mostly lacked. DISCO is known for its pathos and universe-affecting storylines, but there are maybe a handful of previous episodes that I would call “fun.” This season changes that. The first four episodes are a wild ride, but it’s not just that. The cast seems to be having a great time beaming from one near-catastrophe to another in an attempt to solve the puzzle before it’s too late. Their relationships, too, are full of fun and humor born of a group of people who not only work together, but are friends outside of their jobs, as well.

The second thing I noticed is that these first four episodes feel like the beginning of the final season. The staff seemed to indicate that the show’s cancellation was a surprise, but one wonders if they had an inkling of what was going to happen. The episodes are filled with moments of retrospection, revisiting specific episodes and milestones from throughout the series. Changes are happening in certain crew members’ lives that would seem to be setting up going their separate ways. Not having seen the final six episodes, it’s hard to tell if these moments will pay off in the series finale, but it was interesting to watch and speculate.

Star Trek: Discovery has really always been about Michael Burnham’s (Sonequa Martin-Green) journey. When the show premiered 8 years ago, she became a mutineer preparing to spend her life in prison. Since then, she has been a science officer on Discovery, travelled through dimensions and time, and ultimately risen to become the starship’s captain. She began as a pariah among the Discovery crew, ultimately winning their respect and their friendship. This crew who we’ve followed for the better part of a decade have become family, and one wonders if, had the series been renewed for a sixth season, there would have been that much more story to explore.

At this point, we don’t know if the finale will be satisfying, but it feels like this might be the right time to say goodbye. Only time will tell, but one thing I do know is that Star Trek: Discovery season 5 is an exciting romp full of fun and adventure. Not only am I along for the ride, but I think this may end up being my favorite season of all.