IR TV Review: STAR TREK - STRANGE NEW WORLDS - EPISODE 7 (“Like Chronitons Through the Hourglass”) [Paramount+-S4]
The melding of TNG and TOS lore is always intriguing because it is like putting the chicken before the egg. The style that begins the episode “Like Chronitons Through the Hourglass” is on purpose as an ode to the soap opera. This is interesting since it is shown to be Trelane (whom Kirk and company run into later in "Squire Of Gothos" as the culprit. Rhys Darby plays the trickster quite well as he is curious but still intrigued. This character always seemed connected now to the Q in hindsight. However the fact that Captain Pike catches on right after the get go is interesting. The cast, most specifically Jess Bush as Nurse Chapel seem to be getting a kick out of it. There is also a counselor never seen before in Diedre Hall who was on "Days Of Our Lives" and is the person Ryan Gosling pointed to as his acting inspiration. It is interesting to see her at play herein to what is artificial reality but also not. Some of the bits play well and gauge to real things going on with the crew that bodes towards things that might happen.
We see this with M’Benga, Ortiz and La’An. La’An is very interesting since she gets to play off Ethan Peck in a different way and there is another deep cut to someone else which really speaks to the Id of both characters. Peck has the most romantic storylines and while many might call them egregious they really work because he does have the range as we saw from the beginning in "Discovery". Peck and Christina Chong's scenes on a ship are exceptional and even in these concept episodes there is some fantastic work being done. But again nothing compares right now to the 1st episode of this season. Towards the end of this episode as we have been watching Pike try to angle himself out of Trelane, the character turns a corner and something unexpected happens which helps reset but leaves a bigger hole for many involved. This is not a plot hole mind you but a hole for characters to fall down into. It is being done by design which means that this ship is on a steady path for its conclusion and has not lost sight, even if the idea of Star Trek might change with the incoming new regime. The last shot is heartbreaking (and Anson Mount plays it exactly right) but it also plays to the legacy of Pike which is deeper than we would have known since we now actually got to spend some time knowing him. 86%/B/B+
By Tim Wassberg
