Star Trek: Discovery: Season 1, Episode 4 "The Butcher's Knife Cares Not for the Lamb's Cry"

 Star Trek: Discovery: Season 1, Episode 4 "The Butcher's Knife Cares Not for the Lamb's Cry"

October 07, 2017

I have rather mixed feelings about the fourth episode, “The Butcher’s Knife Cares Not for the Lamb’s Cry.” There is plenty of good stuff, but there is also some stuff that makes you scratch your head. Firstly, RIP Commander Landry, we hardly knew ye. I was disappointed she was killed off in such an uninspired way. She was one of the few strong female characters yet was ended by a creature known as the tardigrade, which will be pivotal for the Discovery’s spore drive. Also, the Klingon scenes? Ugh. I still have mixed feelings about how they look. Voq and his second-in-command, L’Rell seem like they could have good storylines, but the writers will have to find a way to make them interesting. There are some great characterization scenes. Michael is still trying to settle in her new role as Saru and his ganglia, which senses death still mistrusts her. I am interested in Dr. Hugh Culber (played by Wilson Cruz). He seems to have some sort of relationship with Stamets. Otherwise, the episode is just Michael Burnham trying to get comfortable in her new position.

At the end of the last episode, the giant beast was transported in secrecy to Discovery. There is lots of time spent here around “Ripper” or the tardigrade which ultimately is responsible for the death of Lorca’s Chief Security Officer. The beast may be the key for getting the spore drive up and running. Michael realizes that the creature is not a creature of destruction as she befriends it. Lorca pressures Stamets to get the spore drive running so he can use it to save a mining community. Meanwhile, regarding the Klingons, Voq is discarded from his ship and is sent to U.S.S Shenzhou where he is saved by L’Rell.

There is some decent stuff here, enough to give it a pass. I also consider the episode to be the first stumbling block of this new season. Still, I am very intrigued by the dynamic of this new crew. Everyone is so appealing. I do wonder what Lorca’s purpose is. He is a man driven by a results-first approach but spent most of the episode squabbling over the spore drive. And the less Klingon scenes there are, the better. At least until they can refine their approach.

My Grade: B-


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