IR TV Review: STAR TREK - STRANGE NEW WORLDS - EPISODE 5 (“Through The Lens Of Time”)[Paramount+-S3]
The idea of progression and regret has always been a stalwart of the "Star Trek" universe...actions that could have been taken...decisions that could have been made. In "Through The Lens Of Time" [Season 3 Episode 5 of "Strange New Worlds"), certain members of the crew, all with something personal to lose and gain, end up on a mission to a planet where an archeological dig is uncovered. This episode tends to skew a little more horror but also uses the idea of causality in a different way which seems to be explained by Spock very correctly. When one looks at the ideas here, one wonders how the canon will be adjusted because it seems that some kind of a big loss (not just in the characters here...but elsewhere) is going to happen no matter what (and not just to Anson Mount's Captain Pike)...and it is not going to be pretty. It is going to be heartbreaking. The dynamic character here in that way is Spock since the pain he feels will continue to grow which will make the way Leonard Nimoy played him much more specific in its reflection.
Chapel (Jess Bush) and L'an Noonien Singh (Christine Chong) cross paths right in the beginning of the episode which lays the groundwork. The concept of evil and possession does ingratiate itself particularly in a new medical ensign who becomes an integral part of the episode. It does necessitate a certain progression. The thing is that the episode stories are now becoming more interconnected which wasn't the case in previous seasons to this extent. The decisions and perceptions, especially with the notion of faith and trust for Chapel, are interesting connotations for later retrospect. For the time being though, these episodes are providing more details (although Uhura's flirtation with a would-be documentary filmmaker -- Ortega's brother -- who is along for the ride) seems to be stretching the possibility. Scotty might be a more interesting play simply because it is alluded to in "Star Trek V". "Through The Lens Of Time" is a metaphor like anything but speaks to the point that decisions look different in certain ways in the tunnel of time. B
By Tim Wassberg
